Landscaping
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C 928
Ground Covers
Ground covers have many practical uses. Some can be used to control erosion when planted on slopes or banks. Others are effective lawn substitutes in areas that are too shady to support the growth of grasses or areas that are difficult to mow. Densely growing ground covers also effectively control weeds by blocking light from reaching the ground. Some ground covers can be used as attractive accents in areas too narrow to accommodate shrubs. One of the most common reasons for using ground covers is to reduce costly and
time-consuming maintenance, such as mowing, edging, trimming and mulching.|
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This resource provides guidelines for proper pruning that help you grow healthy vigorous plants and create lasting landscape beauty.
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C 774
Fences for the Farm
Fences may be used to protect or divide property, to improve its appearance, to confine animals, or to exclude animals. This publication covers the planning for, type of, materials for, and maintenance of permanent and temporary fences.
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AP 130-2-12
Green Industry 2024
1. 2023 was a good year for many green industry firms, but not as good as 2020–2022.
2. The unknowns going into 2024 include higher inflation and interest rates, mixed signals within the economy, increased input costs, and variability in the housing market.
3. Green industry sales in Georgia are projected to be lower than 2023 levels.|
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This publication provides guidelines for the planting and care of pansies to ensure success, including planting time, bed preparation, plant spacing, planting procedures, fertilization, freeze protection, and common insect and disease problems. Since seasonal color is a high-cost investment in the landscape, it is important to get the maximum return on your investment by following these planting and cultural guidelines.
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Gloomy scale (Melanaspis tenebricosa) is a serious insect pest that affects maple trees in urban Georgia. It can go undetected for years. Affected trees can show branch dieback and canopy thinning after 6–10 years, when the population reaches extremely high densities. A waxy shield covering protects females from predators and insecticide exposure, and usually gives them a convex shape.
The armored scale wax covering on the bodies of gloomy scale can be detached using a knife. This is different than soft scales, such as wax scales, which are glued to the females’ bodies. Gloomy scales do not produce honeydew, also unlike soft scales. Female gloomy scales have piercing and sucking mouthparts that look like tubes that are inserted into the parenchyma cells (cells that synthesize and store trees’ organic products) in the epidermal layer of tree bark. Male gloomy scales do not have mouthparts. The black and gray dust that deposits on tree bark makes scale detection even more challenging over time, as they camouflage to the color and texture of the bark. This is especially true for trees planted along right-of-ways and parking lots.|
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Oak lecanium, Parthenolecanium quercifex (Hemiptera: Coccidae), is a common soft scale insect pest of oak trees and other woody plants. They infest trees under high stress, such as those planted in parking lots, greenscapes, and other urban areas. Like other soft scale insects, oak lecanium scales feed on tree sap, and they excrete the excess sugars as honeydew. Sooty mold fungus grows on honeydew, and its black color blocks sunlight and interrupts photosynthesis. Although lecanium scales have little immediate impact on twigs and branches, extensive infestation and subsequent feeding damage may weaken or kill the tree over time. The problems with lecanium scale are worsened in urban landscapes where local temperatures are generally higher. Higher temperatures decrease the relative number of parasites that feed on scale insects, and the high densities of surviving females continue to produce viable eggs.
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AP 130-1-12
Green Industry 2023
1. 2022 was a good year for many green industry firms, with many firms
seeing increased profits.
2. There are many unknowns going into 2023 that will impact green
industry sales, including higher inflation and interest rates, mixed signals
within the economy, and the impact of varying strength of the housing
market in Georgia.
3. Green industry sales in Georgia are projected to be similar to 2022 levels.|
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We can positively affect pollinator populations in our region by providing plants that help sustain them. Pollinators face the increasing challenges of habitat loss, parasite and disease pressure, and the unintended consequences of pesticide misuse. Bee forage plants can bloom season-long with careful plant selection appropriate to the region. A combination of herbaceous perennial and annual plants, trees, and shrubs can provide valuable resources to bees and other pollinators. Even grasses can be used by bees as a pollen source, while crape myrtles can provide a later season resource for pollinators. Anyone—from individual home gardeners to commercial and agricultural property managers—can promote pollinator health by selecting and planting appropriate plants. This guide provides options for selecting flowering woody plants that are attractive to bees and butterflies and sometimes have additional wildlife benefits.
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