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Garden Notes

Which Mulch Is Best? 6 Week Report

Six week into testing five different kinds of mulch, and we can already make some conclusions. While we can’t yet say what mulch is best, we can say that all the mulches have reduced the need to weed by at least 80%, and in one case 94%.

This is an ongoing experiment this year and we will have periodic updates and a final analysis at the end of the year.

To see all the videos about this experiment see this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLalgWdpIXuNqKLKg_0gRa1NjmwYFoAJl9

Related Videos:
Using Plastic and Woven Landscape Fabric Mulch in the Garden
Organic Mulching Options
Kinds of Mulch
Notes – Why to Use (and Love) Mulch!

Related Resources: 
Types and Uses of Mulch in the Landscape
Mulching Your Trees and Landscapes
Mulch - A Survey of Available Options
Gardening with Mulches

Tomato Cages: Not Just for Tomatoes

Although tomato cages are not particularly effective at supporting tomato plants, they offer a range of valuable uses elsewhere in the garden. From propping up peppers to supporting climbing plants, these wire frames are more versatile than they seem. Peter Richards highlights a few creative ways to put them to good use.

Related Videos:
How To Support Growing Tomato Plants
Training Cucumbers: String and Trellis – Family Plot

Related Resources:
Tomatoes - Staking
Trellises and cages to support garden vegetables

Why to Use (and Love) Mulch!

Mulch can make your life as a gardener so much easier. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper gives four reasons why you should use mulch in your garden.

Related Videos:
Using Plastic and Woven Landscape Fabric Mulch in the Garden
Organic Mulching Options
Maximizing Your Garden with Straw Mulch
Kinds of Mulch

Related Resources:
Types and Uses of Mulch in the Landscape
Mulching Your Trees and Landscapes
Mulch - A Survey of Available Options
Gardening with Mulches

Common Vetch

Common Vetch is a weed that spreads and can form a thick mat of foliage. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper talks about how it grows and methods for control, both natural and chemical.

Related Videos:
Three Common Herbicides
Three Ways to Wipe on Herbicide

Related Resources:
Common Vetch
Common vetch

Peach Tree Borer

This week in the garden Retired Extension Agent Mike Dennison identifies damage from peach borers and talks about how to spray to prevent them.

Mike referred to the Home Orchard Spray Guide. Get it here

Related Videos:
Spraying Peach Trees
Pruning Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums
Thinning Peaches
Peach Trees: How-to and Information

Related Resources:
Peach Tree Borer
Peach Tree Borer
Peachtree Borer

Garden Chemicals: They Aren’t the Same!

The ingredients of some common garden chemicals are changing, but the labels look the same. Round-up and Sevin are two brand names that have become synonymous with certain chemicals but today it is common to find those brands no longer contain those chemicals.

Related Video:
Three Ways to Wipe on Herbicide
Understanding and Selecting Insecticides for Gardeners

Related Resources:
Safe Herbicide Use
Botanical Insecticides

Seeds or Cuttings?

If you are trying to decide if you want to propagate your plants with seeds or cuttings, there are some things you need to consider. Jill Maybry from Memphis Botanic Garden talks about some of the things she looks for when making that decision.

Related Video:
Dirt Simple Cane Begonia Propagation
Propagating Begonias with Leaf Cuttings
Propagating Milkweed
Propagating Sweet Potato Vines

Related Resources:
Propagating Plants from Seed   
How to Propagate Houseplants by Cuttings

Tree Borers in a Japanese Maple: Identification and What to Do Now

When a tree is stressed it attracts tree borers. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper shows how to tell when a Japanese maple tree has borers and then talks about what to do now. You can’t use an insecticide, so you have to help the tree survive.

Related Video:
Tree Borers
Problems with Rubbing Branches – Time to Get Out the Pruners

Related Resources:
Maple Diseases & Insect Pests

Frozen Strawberry Blooms

Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison takes a look at some freeze damage on strawberry blooms. The temperature dropped to about 29 degrees a week ago and some of the strawberry blooms were frozen and died. If this happens the plant will just produce more blooms.

Related Video:
Moving and Renovating Strawberries

Related Resources:
Frost/Freeze Protection in Strawberries
Critical Temperatures for Strawberry Buds and Blossoms and Freeze Protection

Chickweed

Chickweed is a winter annual weed. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper shows what it looks like and gives some control options.

Related Videos: 
Herbicide Modes Of Action
Herbicide Basics

Related Resources:
Mouseear Chickweed
Mouse-ear Chickweed

Tools for Pruning Trees

This week in the garden Memphis Botanic Garden Arborist Bo Kelley talks about the different pruning tools available and shows how to use some of them to remove dead branches from a tree.

Related Videos:
Tools Every Gardener Needs
Pruning (Not Murdering) Crape Myrtles
Fruit Tree Pruning

Related Resources:
Tree Pruning Essentials
Pruning Landscape Trees

Tree Staking Options

Horticultural Specialist Carol Reese talks about staking trees.  If trees are allowed to sway in the wind they get stronger and are less likely to break in high wind. Tightly staking trees when planting prevents swaying, the ties should be loose. Another staking option to let the tree move is to drive the stakes through the root ball into the ground to “nail” the tree to the ground.

Related Videos:
Rope Around a Tree
Planting a Tree

Related Resources:
Tree Support Systems
Cabling, Bracing and Other Support Systems for Trees

Labeling Garden Sprayers

You need to make sure you don’t use the same sprayer for herbicides and fungicides. Residual herbicide in the tank will unintentionally damage plants. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper talks about the importance of labeling your sprayers to make sure you don’t mix them up.

Related Videos:
Mixing and Applying Fungicide
TWIG - Fix a Sticky Valve on a Garden Sprayer
Spreader and Sprayer Calibration

Hardiness

Horticulture expert Dr. Lelia Kelly defines the gardening term hardiness. Usually this refers to cold hardiness or the ability for a plant to withstand cold temperatures. USDA plant zones are based on how cold it gets in the winter which then determines how hardy plants need to be if planted in that zone. A plant that is only hardy to 10 degrees will die if the temperature gets lower. Another kind of hardiness is heat hardiness which determines how hot of temperatures the plant can tolerate.

Related Videos: 
H - Garden Glossary
Protecting Plants From Frost

Related Resources:
Plant Growth Factors: Temperature
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Node

Retired MSU Extension Agent Dr. Lelia Kelly defines the gardening term node. Nodes are buds on plant stems from which buds or flowers grow. They can usually be seen as a bump on the stem of the plant.

Related Videos: 
Spring Flowering Shrubs
Basic Rose Care

Related Resources:
Garden Terms: Vegetative plant morphology — stems, leaves, and roots
Pruning Terminology

Lichen on Trees

Lichen often grows on the trunk of a tree. Certified Arborist Wes Hopper says lichen will not kill the tree but is often a sign of other problems. The tree he is inspecting is in a poor site in a parking lot island and is probably not getting the water or nutrients it needs.

Related Videos:
Help Lichen is killing my tree
What can I do to keep lichen from growing on my azaleas?

Related Resources:
Lichens are harmless to trees
Do not bother removing lichens from landscape

Bird Feeders

Debbie Bruce from Wild Birds Unlimited talks about which birds you can attract to your yard with seed birdfeeders and suet feeders.

Related Videos: 
Setting Up a Bird Feeder
Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder

Related Resources:
Feeding Wild Birds
Attracting Backyard Birds: Bird Feeder Selection
Bird Feeding - Tips for Beginners & Veterans

Late Fall Lawn Fertilization

UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh talks about when to fertilize and not fertilize the lawn in late fall. If you have warm season turf like Bermuda or zoysia you should not use a nitrogen fertilizer or just not fertilize. If you have a cool season grass like fescue, fall is a good time to fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer because the grass is actively growing.

Related Videos: 
Fall Lawn Care
Lawn Aeration

Related Resources: 
Soil Compaction
Soil Compaction: Causes, Concerns, and Cures

Volunteer Plants

UT Assistant Professor of Residential and Consumer Horticulture, Natalie Bumgarner, shows a volunteer gourd growing in the Family Plot garden and talks about the genetics of volunteer plants.

Related Videos:
Squash
How do I get female flowers on my zucchini plant?

Related Resources:
Gourds
Gourd Production in Kentucky

Bird Netting Saved My Flowers from Deer!

In an accidental side-by-side test, bird netting kept deer away from pansies.  A few weeks ago, we put bird netting over our pansies. Just after that the landscapers planted a whole bunch of pansies right next to our garden. Well, it did not take long, but the deer ate all the landscaper’s pansies and left ours alone. Not a nibble!

Related Videos:
Protect Your Garden from Hungry Animals: Use Bird Netting
Transforming Your Flower Bed for Winter: Planting Swiss Chard

Related Resources:
Reduce Deer Damage in Your Yard
Growing Pansies

Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Bacterial leaf scorch is a serious disease in several trees, especially pin oaks. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper identifies the symptoms and describes the progression of the disease. 

Related Videos:
Bacterial Leaf Scorch
Does this coloring on my oak leaves indicate a disease?

Related Resources:
Bacterial Leaf Scorch
Bacterial Leaf Scorch in Landscape Trees

Powdery Mildew on Zinnias

This week in the garden UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper finds some powdery mildew on the zinnias and talks about how to prevent it next year.

Related Videos:
How do I know I have killed the mildew on my phlox?
My peonies have a powdery look with black spots. What do I do?

Related Resources:
Powdery Mildews
Powdery Mildew in the Flower Garden

Why Fall Blooms are so Important for Pollinators

Fall is a time when most plants have finished blooming for the year, but bees and butterflies still need to eat. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond shows how one good fall nectar source can attract many bees and butterflies to your garden.

Related Videos:
Planting a Butterfly Garden
Sedums
Other Pollinators in the Butterfly Garden

Related Resources:
Fall Pollinator Plants
Add fall bloomers to the garden

Sunscald on Blackberry

Blackberries naturally grow in partly shady locations and so they can get sunscald if they are in hot direct sun. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows a branch of a blackberry plant that is suffering from sunscald.

Related Videos:
Effects of Sunscald
Blackberry Pruning and Fertilizing

Related Resources:
Leaf Scorch and Sunscald in the Garden
Blackberry Damage and Disorders

Tomato Plant Protection Test: Results

It’s been four months since we planted three cherry tomato plants. Some plants were mulched, and one was sprayed with fungicide. These are the results so far: 1. The tomato plant that has no mulch and no fungicide has the most disease and fungus. 2. The tomato plant with only mulch has less disease and there is some fungus damage. 3. The tomato plant with both mulch and has been treated with fungicide is the most disease free. Summary: Mulch and fungicide are effective at reducing blight and fungal diseases on tomato plants.

Related Videos:
Tomato Plant Protection Test: Mulch vs. Fungicide vs. Nothing
Tomato Early Blight
How To Support Growing Tomato Plants

Related Resources:
Control of Tomato Blights in the Home Garden
Early Blight of Tomatoes

Controlling Squash Bug Infestations

Dealing with squash bugs can be a significant challenge for gardeners. Despite their name, squash bugs are not limited to squash plants; they can also target many other plants including  cucumbers. These pests have piercing-sucking mouthparts, which they use to feed on the stems and fruit of the plant. This feeding can lead to considerable damage and potentially spread diseases and viruses, further complicating the situation.
 
To effectively manage a heavy infestation, a robust approach is necessary. Synthetic pyrethroids, such as esfenvalerate or lambda-cyhalothrin, are recommended due to their effectiveness against these pests. Utilizing these insecticides can help control the squash bugs and mitigate the damage they cause. Prompt action is crucial to prevent further harm and to preserve the health of the cucumber plants.

Related Videos:
Organic Control of Squash Bugs
Will I kill squash bugs and squash vine borers if I till in the winter?

Related Resources:
Squash Bug - Vegetables
Squash Bug

Identifying Crape Myrtle Bark Scale

Crape myrtle bark scale can severely weaken or even kill crape myrtles. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper finds some crape myrtle bark scale and talks about how to control it.

Related Videos:
​Treating Crape Myrtle Bark Scale
Scale
When and how should I treat crape myrtle bark scale?

Related Resources:
Crape Myrtle Bark Scale Identification and Control
Crape Myrtle Bark Scale: A New Exotic Pest
Crapemyrtle Bark Scale

Control Weeds with Landscape Fabric in the Vegetable Garden

Landscape fabric is often used around perennials, but it can also be used to almost eliminate weeds in the vegetable garden. Horticulturist Jason Reeves shows a planting of pumpkins and other squash that has no weeds thanks to the landscape fabric. He also talks about how landscape fabric helps conserve water.

Related Videos:
Should I remove landscape fabric in the winter?
Maximizing Your Garden with Straw Mulch

Related Resources:
Landscape Fabric
Landscape Fabric for Garden Bed Weed Control: Good or Bad choice?

What Does “AAS Winner” mean on Seed Packets and Plant Containers?

AAS stands for All-American Selections, which is an independent non-profit plant testing organization. Horticulturist Jason Reeves describes the testing process plants go through to get this certification. A plant that performs well in many areas of the United States is granted the “AAS winner” label and will probably grow well in your garden.

Related Videos:
Plant Societies and Garden Clubs
Interesting Houseplant Options

Related Resources:
Pruning Trees and Shrubs
Pruning and Care of Tree wounds

Spraying Fungicide

This week in the garden UT Professor of Residential and Consumer Horticulture Natalie Bumgarner applies fungicide. Fungicide is preventative, it will only prevent a new infection, it won’t cure an infection that is already present. Natalie says there are many fungicide options on the market. Choose one that will address the problem you are dealing with and read the label. Good coverage is critical. Fungicide will only work on the surfaces it has been applied to. Reapplying every 7-10 days will maintain that protection.

Related Videos:
Mixing and Applying Fungicide
Fungicides
Related Resources:
Fungicides and Bactericides for Home Fruits, Vegetables, and Ornamentals (UT Redbook)
Using Organic Fungicides

Problems with Rubbing Branches –
Time to Get Out the Pruners

Tree branches that rub on each other cause problems. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper shows the wound on a Japanese maple caused from two branches rubbing together. He talks about some of the problems this causes and tells how to prune the tree to remove the problem.

Related Videos:
Cutting a Tree Branch
Tools for Pruning Trees

Related Resources:
Pruning Trees and Shrubs
Pruning and Care of Tree wounds

Aphids on Tomatoes

Aphids are a very common insect pest in the garden. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper identifies aphids living on tomatoes and talks about what to do to get rid of them.

Related Videos:
Aphids on Milkweed
Ladybugs Rescuing Us from Aphids

Related Resources:
Aphids in home yards and gardens
Tomato Insect IPM Guidelines

Ladybugs Rescuing Us from Aphids

The tomato plants in the Family Plot garden are infested with aphids. This could be a huge problem, but on closer inspection, ladybugs are working on controlling the problem. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper was able to easily find every stage of the ladybug lifecycle on the plants: larvae, adult, and egg. They are happily munching on aphids and getting them under control. If you have an aphid problem, wait, don’t spray insecticides. The beneficial insects are not far behind.

Related Videos:
Beneficial Garden Bugs
How do I control aphids on my greens?
Aphids on Milkweed

Related Resources:
Beneficial Insects, Spiders, and Other Mini Creatures in Your Garden
Beneficial Insects in the Yard and Garden
Beneficial Insects and other Arthropods

Annual Flowers: Plan Before You Plant

By carefully choosing the kinds of flowers you plant you can create a beautiful flowerbed. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond shows a flowerbed planted seven weeks ago. The bed was planned with complementing colors and textures and it looks good.

Related Videos:
Annual Flowers for Full Sun, Part-Shade, or Shade
Planting Spring Annuals: SunPatiens, Sweet Potato Vine, and Blue Ageratum
Landscape Planning

Related Resources:
Developing a Home Landscape Plan
Growing Annual Flowers: Planning, starting and caring for a garden

Powdery Mildew on Coneflower

Powdery mildew can ruin your coneflowers, but it can be treated. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper identifies powdery mildew and then talks about treatment options.

Related Videos:
Powdery Mildew on Zinnias
Planting Coneflower, Beebalm, and Black-Eyed Susan in the Butterfly Garden
Fungicides

Related Resources:
Powdery Mildews
Powdery mildew in the flower garden

Chrysanthemum Lace Bug

Chrysanthemum Lace Bugs are small insects that feed on plants in the chrysanthemum family. UT Extension Agent Celeste Scott shows the damage these insects cause and talks about how to control them.

Related Videos:
Systemic Insecticides
Azalea Lace Bugs

Related Resources:
Chrysanthemum Lace Bug
Control of Lace Bugs on Ornamental Plants

Mushrooms in Mulch

After long periods of rain, mushrooms appear in mulch. They can spring up overnight and can be unsightly. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper talks about what to do.

Related Videos:
What is this? We found it in the garden. A - Bird Nest Fungus
I have fungus growing on the side of my oak tree. What should I do?
What is this growing in my mulch?

Related Resources:
Nuisance Fungi in Landscape Mulch
Fungi in mulch
Mulch Molds – What is Growing on my Mulch?

Holly Scale and Sooty Mold

This week in the garden UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper shows a holly tree that is infested by holly scale. As the holly scale feeds on the sap of the tree, it produces honeydew which the sooty mold – a fungus – grows on. Chris recommends using a soil drench with the active ingredient imidacloprid. This will control the scale. The sooty mold will then disappear on its own over time.

Related Videos:
Scale
Holly Scale and Sooty Mold
Horticultural Oils

Related Resources:
Sooty Mold
The Plant Doctor - Sooty Mold

What Happens when a Rose is Frozen to the Ground

Garden roses are often made of parts of two different plants grafted together. One part is the plant you see, and the other part is the roots. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper shows a rose bush where the top was killed by a hard freeze. The roots survived and they are now sending up new growth that is not the same as the old plant.

Related Videos: 
Basic Rose Care
Planting Potted Roses

Related Resources:
Growing Roses
Pruning Roses
Roses: fertilizing

Understanding Vegetable Bolting

Understanding the concept of bolting is crucial for gardeners cultivating Brassica plants like kale, broccoli, turnip greens, and collards, as well as lettuce. UT Extension Area Speciaist Walter Battle explains bolting marks a pivotal phase in the plant's lifecycle, transitioning from vegetative growth to seed production, rendering its edible parts less desirable. While the leaves remain technically edible post-bolting, they often become tougher and potentially bitter. This natural progression is irreversible, emphasizing the importance of timely harvest and attentive garden management.

Related Videos: 
Protecting Cabbage, Broccoli, and Cauliflower from Hungry Worms
Is there a way to keep cool season vegetables from bolting?
Cool Season Vegetables
Planting Cool Season Vegetables

Related Resources:
Vegetable Bolting
Cool-season vs. Warm-season Vegetables

Plant Boosting Mycorrhizae

Adding fertilizer when planting will help a plant, but adding mycorrhizae fungi will help the plant better absorb water and nutrients from the soil for the rest of its life. Kyle McLane, Manager of Grounds Horticulture at Dixon Gallery and Gardens shows the mycorrhizae blend they use when planting. And explains how it works.

Related Videos: 
Use Red Sand in Your Garden: Get Better Drainage
Amendment

Related Resources:
Mycorrhizal Fungi
Mycorrhizal Fungi

Spring Dead Spot

Spring dead spot is a fungal disease that affects warm season grass in the spring. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper says it usually appears after a wet fall and keeps patches of grass from greening up in the spring. It can be treated with a lawn fungicide. If you leave it untreated it will not go away but get worse.

Related Videos:
Mixing and Applying Fungicide
Fungicides

Related Resources:
Brown Patch & Large Patch Diseases of Lawns
Spring Dead Spot in Turf

Spring Azalea Care

The spring is a time to enjoy the flowers on your azaleas, but maintenance should wait. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper says you could apply some fertilizer or do a soil test, but don’t do any pruning until after they have finished blooming.

Related Videos: 
Planting Native Azaleas: Tips for Success
Native Azaleas: Add Classic Spring Color to Your Southern Landscape

Related Resources:
Azalea Care
Growing Azaleas and Rhododendrons

Native Azaleas: Add Classic Spring Color to Your Southern Landscape

Azaleas, synonymous with spring, hold a secret: their often, overlooked native counterparts.  Meet Rhododendron canescens, a native azalea, a member of the Rhododendron genus. These azaleas shed leaves in winter, blooming fragrant pink trusses come spring.
 
In the wilds of Tennessee and North Carolina, enthusiasts seek out these botanical wonders. Around 15 species live in the southeastern U.S., with a lone representative on the West Coast. Native azaleas thrive in morning sun, but prefer afternoon shade.
 
Despite their beauty, native azaleas are not usually found in nurseries due to slow growth. Yet, their eventual bloom rewards patience with a burst of natural splendor. As interest in native plants grows, these gems reclaim their place in our gardens.

Related Videos: 
Planting Native Azaleas: Tips for Success
When is the correct time to prune my encore azaleas?

Related Resources:
Selecting and Growing Azaleas
Native azaleas add charm, early blooms to landscapes

Use Red Sand in Your Garden: Get
Better Drainage

Using red sand to improve garden soil drainage, especially in regions with heavy clay soils.

Dale Skaggs, Director of Horticulture at Dixon Gallery and Gardens says that unlike white builder's sand or play sand, red sand contains multiple sized particles, including fine particles and some almost the size of small pea gravel. By incorporating red sand into your soil, you can significantly enhance its drainage properties, ensuring better growth conditions for your plants.

While getting red sand may seem like a hassle and can be a bit pricey, the long-term benefits for your garden make it a worthwhile investment.

Related Videos: 
Soil Preparation
TWIG Taking a Soil Sample
Soil Testing

Related Resources:
Organic Matter and Soil Amendments

Labeling Garden Sprayers

You need to make sure you don’t use the same sprayer for herbicides and fungicides. Residual herbicide in the tank will unintentionally damage plants. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper talks about the importance of labeling your sprayers to make sure you don’t mix them up.

Related Videos:
Mixing and Applying Fungicide
TWIG - Fix a Sticky Valve on a Garden Sprayer
Spreader and Sprayer Calibration
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Content Copyright 2015-2025 Family Plot Garden & Mid-South Public Communications Foundation

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