QUESTION: Here in late August we've put in new Bermuda sod in our backyard. Should we fertilize it now or when? Any special tips on mowing?

ANSWER: For Bermuda grass sod at this time of year, I would suggest using a fertilizer with a 1-2-3 ratio (5-10-15) at a rate of 0.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. But you're really too late to be fertilizing Bermuda grass. Typically, the end of August should be the last fertilization of the season. Since this is newly sodded turf, though, a material with more phosphorus and potassium will help with rooting and winter heartiness. To improve spring transition and Bermuda grass health, avoid overseeding with ryegrass this winter. The ryegrass competes for the same light, water and nutrients as the Bermuda. As for mowing, make your first cutting once the grass is one-third taller than where you want to maintain the turf. Bermuda should be maintained at 1 to 1.5 inches. Make sure your mower blades are sharp. It's better for the grass and reduces fuel costs.

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: What is the best way to control Bermuda grass from taking over bedding areas. We have areas of ground-covering low bushes. The Bermuda grass is all over it. It looks terrible.

ANSWER: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is very hard to control in the landscape. Hand pulling, hoeing and mulching helps curtail it, but seldom do you get it all. Most people turn to herbicides, and several postemergent products control this plant. Glyphosate, sold under the trade name Roundup (and many others), will control it when you can apply it directly to the weed. There are a few tricks, though. First, you need to make a 5-percent spray solution (7 ounces per gallon of water) using a Roundup or others that contain at least 41 percent active ingredient. You also need to make sure none of the spray solution contacts desirable plants. Finally, you'll have to apply it more than once. When it's not possible to use glyphosate, several selective herbicides can be used over the top of broadleaf plants. These include sethoxydim (Vantage), clethodim (Prism and others) and Flusifop-P (Fusilade and others). All of these can be used over the top of broadleaf plants. Some require an added surfactant to help penetrate the plant cuticle (check the label). The trick with these herbicides is to apply them repeatedly and to make sure you don't spray tahem over desirable grass plants. From the university research I've seen, it appears that Flusifop-P works a little better on controlling Bermuda grass. Make sure to read and follow the labeled instructions of any pesticide you use.

- Mark Czarnota
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: I live in Marietta, Ga., my trees, shrubs, turf, etc., have been in steady decline since we suddenly lost our groundwater a few years ago. Your site has been a good source for information and I have some pictures I would like to send and have you analyze. Is there anyone who would be interested in advising me or taking this as a project?

ANSWER: Because your question covers so many areas, your best bet is to contact the county agent in the nearest University of Georgia Extension Service county office -- in your case, Steve Brady (uge1067@uga.edu or 770-528-4070). The county agent can help you see specifically what your asking for and can then call the appropriate UGA specialist or send a Distance Diagnostics Digital Imaging photo.

- Bob Westerfield
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: Do you have a site that will tell me bushes and plants that are not attractive to deer?

ANSWER: There is a good list of plants adapted to Georgia and tolerant of deer in the publication entitled, "Deer-Tolerant Ornamental Plants."

- Gary Wade
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: Trees seem to be dropping their leaves early this year. It seems that the reverse would be true, considering all of the rain we have had. What is the explanation?

ANSWER: Great observation and true. There are more leaves down earlier this year than in the last four years. It all comes back to water and how trees set up their leaf loss. It takes water to shed leaves. The thin layer of cells at the base of the leaf stem requires adequate water to break and weaken cell wall connections. In drought years fewer leaves fall early although they may all fall at once sooner than normal in the fall. In years with good moisture the leaves with disease and insect injuries are shed early while the productive leaves are kept on.

- Kim Coder
UGA urban forester

QUESTION: I recently bought a house in a northern suburb of Atlanta. I had some backfill work done on the yard in May and tried to plant a fescue/rye mix, which took at first. But with the hot summer and lack of rain I lost most of it. Part of the front and the back need doing. The front already has Bermuda, which is in decent shape. But near the house, where it only gets sun from late afternoon on, has nothing. The back probably gets sun until 2 p.m. or so. What is the best way to go? I heard zoysia is the best choice for the amount of sun. Should I rototill everything up and sod this fall or winter? or wait until the spring? or plant this fall? What do you recommend for start-up fertilizer?

ANSWER: Good news if you want a fescue lawn. This is the proper planting time for tall fescue. Planting fescue in May is considered too late to get this species established for the reasons you mentioned (summer heat and drought). Tall fescue will perform well in shaded areas and sunny areas. Zoysia is a good, shade-tolerant turf species, but now isn't the most opportunistic timing for establishment. Your May date would have been better for zoysia. To establish tall fescue, rough up the soil surface and seed at 5 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. For proper establishment, management and selection of tall fescue cultivars that performed well in Georgia trials, go to http://www.Georgiaturf.com and click on "Tall Fescue."

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: I have zoysia and my neighbor has centipede. Which one will overtake the other? Also, I'm a senior citizen, still cutting my own grass. Until about two years ago, I used a riding mower with a grass-catching bag on the back. I switched to a mulching blade so I wouldn't have to handle the heavy bags of grass clippings. But the mulching blade drops the weed seeds back into the yard. Now I have crabgrass in my zoysia. Is there a weed killer that I can put on the grass to control the weeds, other than the preemergence and postemergence fertilizers -- they don't seem to work.

ANSWER: Between centipede and zoysia, centipede is the more aggressive species. However, zoysia forms a thick, dense turf that minimizes weed invasion. These grasses may battle it out at the property line for years without a clear winner. As for killing crabgrass in zoysia, the postemergence herbicide Fusilade II can be used. Crabgrass is a summer annual weed, and the seed can come from a host of sources. While your using a mulching mower and returning the clippings would be just one source of the weed seed, the advantages of returning the clippings (grass-cycling) outweighs the disadvantages. If the weed-and-feed products aren't providing proper control, next spring try using the sole (not associated with a fertilizer product) preemergence herbicide like Surflan, Barricade, Dimension, Pre-M, or Ronstar. When applied correctly, these materials can provide four to six months of control.

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: I want to grow my own sod, not just to try to save a lot of money, but also to learn more about horticulture. How would I go about it? Assuming I can grow my own sod, what should I grow -- Bermuda, Centipede, Fescue or Zoysia?

ANSWER: Can you grow your own sod? Sure. Many get into the business everyday, but do not fully appreciate the economic input involved and quickly lose money. If you are truly serious about this venture, I might suggest you get a publication from Clemson University entitled "Sod Production in the Southern United States." The publication is $9.50 and can be obtained by contacting:

Bulletin Room
Clemson University Public Service Publishing
Room 96, P&As
Clemson, SC 29634
http://cufan.clemson.edu/olos/cu4.htm
1-888-772-2665

After reviewing this material and you still want to proceed, feel free to contact me with further questions.

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: I am looking to grow a hedge around my property for privacy and natural fencing. I have tried every type of hedge from the popular gardening catalogs i.e. (Privet, poplar) with no luck. Do you have a list of plants that are native to Georgia that would make good hedges?

ANSWER: Hedge plants need to be selected based on site requirements (sun, partial shade, deep shade, hardiness zone, root zone competition, available moisture). Any plant will need care to become established before it can compete and maintain itself. Native evergreen plants that can be used as hedges include Florida Leucothoe, Dahoon holly, myrtle holly, yaupon holly, red cedar, Southern wax myrtle. Select plants that are adapted to the site. Other plants (non-natives) that can be used include camellia, Elaeagnus, Nellie R. Stevens holly, burford holly, lusterleaf holly, small anise-tree, Chinese loropetalum, Fortune's osmanthus, Japanese cleyera. Again, select plants that are adapted to the specific site.

- Jim Midcap
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: I want to put a hedge in my backyard along the fence. Ideally, it would grow to be 8-10 feet tall, grow fairly fast to achieve this height and be able to grow in the shade of a few oak trees. Any suggestions?

ANSWER: Hedge plants that will grow in the shade of oak trees are limited due to root and light competition. The rate of growth is reduced due to the same conditions. Probably the toughest is Fortunes Osmanthus. Others that could work are Southern wax myrtle, Florida leucothoe, small anise and Mary Nell holly. All are evergreen and will grow in shade. All can be pruned to control height.

- Jim Midcap
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: How do you treat for something that is making tunnels under the lawn? Maybe moles? I'm pretty sure I have zoysia. One side of my lawn has been almost destroyed.

ANSWER: You have a difficult problem if you have moles, an insectivore which is among the most primitive of mammals with a voracious appetite and high metabolism. The eastern mole has one litter of 2 to 5 young, born in early springtime, per year. Moles live about three years, and 1 acre of turf will support two or three moles at a time. They search among plant roots (preferring the upper 12 inches of loose, well-drained soil) for earthworms, mole crickets, beetle larvae (white grubs) and ants. The damage to they do is almost entirely cosmetic. Moles don't eat roots. However, excessive drying of roots as a result of their foraging may kill grass. The simple control is to eliminate the food source (insects and earthworms). But insecticide treatment of an area may cause moles to tunnel more to seek out a diminishing food supply. Other control measures (poisonous gases, poisoned baits and other home remedies like placing broken glass, razor blades, rose branches, bleach, moth balls, lye and Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum in tunnels) have proven inconsistent and haven't been demonstrated in scientific trials. One remedy that has had some promise is the use of castor oil and detergent. The treatment typically lasts for 30 to 70 days and must be reapplied after rain or irrigation, so it's not very practical and acts only as a repellent. I suggest you look into trapping the moles and physically removing them (dead or alive) using live pitfall traps, harpoon traps or choker-loop traps. The latter two can be found at many hardware stores. Otherwise, maintain proper mowing, fertilization and irrigation) for zoysia. Check www.GeorgiaTurf.com for additional information.

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: How do you get rid of and keep oak seedlings from sprouting up in the lawn and flower beds? I'm ready to give up. I spend every weekend pulling them out of my flower bed.

ANSWER: Maybe you should start a nursery business growing oak seedlings. Sorry. These oaks can be coming from many sources, including squirrels burying acorns, tilling the acorns into the soils with a fall cultivation or the acorns falling into a thick layer of mulch or ground cover. What ever the cause, you want them gone. Oak seedlings growing in the lawn will die after they're mowed three or four times. They can only resprout so many times. Plants in flower beds are a different story. Pulling them out is futile, because you rarely get the entire root system, and the remaining plant resprouts. If you want to remove them by hand, you'll need to make sure you remove most of the root system with a trowel, asparagus knife or some other digging device. After a rain, when the ground is softened, is a perfect time to try this. If you're not opposed to the use of chemicals, wait until the plants have leafed out and wipe the leaves and stem with a 5-percent solution of glyphosate (i.e., Roundup). Make sure to make the 5-percent solution with a product containing at least 40 percent glyphosate as an active ingredient. That would be 7 ounces of product to 1 gallon of water. Wearing a pair of rubber gloves, dampen a sponge in this herbicide solution and wipe the seedling leaves and stem until they're wet. On larger plants (1-inch diameter), you can cut the stem back to the ground and immediately paint the cut stem with a 40-percent or greater glyphosate (Roundup) concentrate. Make sure to apply the herbicide immediately after cutting. The longer the period between the cutting and the herbicide application, the less effective the control. Cut-stem applications usually provide better control when done in the fall. Then, the sap is moving down instead of up, and the herbicide will get into the plant better. Spring applications, however, will still provide some control. Resprouting may occur with both of the methods above. If this happens, wipe or spray a 5-percent glyphosate solution to the resprouts once they've reached 6 to 10 inches.

- Mark Czarnota
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: I want to have my house painted, but I don't want to schedule it while the pine pollen is falling. When will it stop?

ANSWER: Pine pollen comes from the male cones at the end of lower branches. The relative humidity, turbulence at the ground heating, wind, moisture and health of the male cone all make a difference. Higher humidity, more rain and cooler temperatures all extend pollen season but prevent its spread. The warm, dry, sunny days of spring open the cone and spread the pollen. A normal season drives north out of Florida and passes over any one spot in Georgia for about two and a half weeks. Climate and tree health can lengthen or shorten the passage. Pine is not the only pollen out there, and it sometime gets the blame for nastier pollens.

- Kim Coder
UGA urban forester

QUESTION: I live in west Georgia, in Carroll County. I would like to plant grass seeds (that are not very costly) in my yard that will produce thick grass that won't grow very high. Is this possible? What do you recommend? My husband and I know very little about planting grass seeds, but we're willing to learn. Our yard is about 1 to 1.5 acres, and seeds are needed for most of the area. We do not care for anything that we have to spend a lot of time taking care of and would like to do this as inexpensively as possible.

ANSWER: Many turf species can be seeded in the Carrollton area, including turf-type tall fescue, common Bermuda, zoysia and centipede. The least expensive would be a common type of bermuda grass at a seeding rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet. However, the turf quality will likely be less than what the average homeowner expects. A seeded bermuda grass that approaches the vegetatively propagated bermuda in turf quality is "Princess 77" (at the same seeding rate as common bermuda). It costs much more, but you get what you pay for. Between common bermuda and "Princess 77" in cost are centipede (seeding rate = 0.5 to 1 lb. per 1,000 sq. ft.) and turf-type tall fescue (5 to 8 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.). Centipede is a warm-season grass, as is bermuda, and can be seeded from mid-April to mid-June. At the first of April, it's already too late to seed tall fescue, so if you want that it's best to wait until September. Finally, zoysia can be seeded at 1 to 2 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft., but it's more costly and is slow to establish from seed. It really doesn't fall in the classification of low maintenance, so this may not be the best option. With all grasses, a good seed bed with proper soil preparation is essential for a successful establishment. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaTurf.com, or contact your county Extension agent.

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: In our newly started back yard I want to plant perennials and shrubs, and some small trees. What should I plant now in fall, and what should I wait on until spring? I need to know about day lilies and other perennials, dogwoods, azaleas, river birch, crepe myrtles, butterfly bush, forsythia and bulbs, for a start.

ANSWER: Planning a new landscape takes time. Fall planting is great for trees, shrubs, perennials, hardy bulbs and winter annuals. I would wait until our night temperatures cool, usually by early to mid-October. Be prepared to water new plants -- water restrictions may delay your planting. Information on all the plant groups listed above are available on the Web at the Georgia Horticulture Extension site. Also, visit with your local county agent for more specific information.

- Jim Midcap
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: Please tell me what postemergence herbicide is effective to control common lespedeza and dandelions, as well as other weeds, in centipede turf that is safe to use under the drip line of trees. Also, when should I spray? I'm in the northern part of the state. Also, would an equal 4.5 percent solution each of 2,4-D, MCCP and 2,4-DP be safe to use and effective? The warning label of this "Triple Threat" brand herbicide says to cut the rate in half for centipede and to avoid spray drift to ornamental shrubs and trees. Does this just mean don't spray on the tree trunks but it's OK to spray on the ground under trees?

ANSWER: Most two- or three-way mixtures of 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP or MCPA are effective at controlling common lespedeza (Lespedeza striata) and dandelions. You should be concerned about surrounding trees and ornamentals when using materials that contain dicamba. This material can get into the soil and be absorbed by the roots and kill trees. However, when used according to the label, tree death is rare. Other materials which can be used in centipede grass for these weeds are atrazine and simazine. Refer to the label for specific application rates and turf tolerance. Treat when the weeds and turf are actively growing (now should be fine) and direct the spray to the turf. Avoid spray drift onto surrounding trees and ornamentals -- treating on a calm day can be of tremendous benefit.

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: My neighbor had a tree fall over during the winter. The top of the tree has landed resting on my wood fence. He is adamant that if I trim the top of the tree that is extended over on my side of the fence that I will in effect kill the tree. He says since there are buds already showing on the branches, we should leave it alone until next winter to do any pruning. I don't know what kind of tree it is except for the fact that it's a hardwood. Any advice?

ANSWER: Any part of a neighbor's tree that's on your property is yours. You can prune and remove the limbs that are over the line. How does he plan to get the tree back upright? He should have done it as soon as possible after it fell over. Pruning is best done while the plant is dormant. Plants can be pruned in spring before the leaves come out. It's very late to try to correct this problem.

- Jim Midcap
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: I have a garden in front of my office. My office has three large windows, which overlook my front yard. Two years ago, I planted three butterfly bushes in front of the windows. This past year, the growing season was so successful that my butterfly bushes grew to almost 7 feet tall. They're beautiful! Unfortunately, they covered my picturesque. I want to move my bushes, but I would like to know when to move them? Is it better during the fall, like planting new shrubs and trees? Or is it better to move them in the spring to allow them time for the new growth to establish itself in the beginning of the growing season? I plan on cutting back my butterfly bushes in mid-February so that there will be plenty of new growth next summer. I also have some beautiful spirea plants I would like to transplant. When is the best time to move these?

ANSWER: The middle of fall is the best time to transplant shrubs, as it is less stressful on the plants. Be sure to retain as much of the original root ball as possible to aid in the recovery of the plant. Dig the new planting hole at least twice as big as the root ball to be planted.

- Bob Westerfield
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: Over the years, I've talked to several people who have moved to Georgia from other states. None have ever seen or had to deal with pollen that literally blankets everything as it does here. Specifically what trees or plants create the thick yellow dust, and do other states not have these pollen-makers?

ANSWER: The source of yellow pollen is easy to find: pine trees. Because these trees depend on the wind to transfer pollen to their flowers (the cones), they release billions of pollen grains each spring. Georgia has great conditions for pine tree growth, while other states, perhaps, don't have so many. Although pine pollen is not considered allergenic, the pollen of other trees that depend on the wind for pollination can cause strong physical reactions. Beech, oak, birch, cedar, elm and juniper trees are common in Georgia landscapes and can all provoke allergic reactions in susceptible individuals.

- Walter Reeves
UGA horticulturist

QUESTION: I was wondering why it is recommendable to use water for mature trees. Not only does it seem that trees, planted or occurring naturally, should adapt to the climate of the regions where they grow, but also it would seem that trees may become "addicts" of irrigation, as they do in metropolitan Atlanta. How is it safe to recommend using water when our water tables, statewide, are drying? Also, is the obvious problem being addressed: Are developers being told that trees cannot grow properly on the subsoil they leave after building? Do they understand that their destruction of soil and existing habitats is reducing the amount of water that the ground absorbs?

ANSWER: Thank you for your question. To be brief but clear, I must break my answer up into components:

1. You used the phrase "...trees planted or occurring naturally, should adapt to the climate of the region..." The shade, street, and park trees are not under natural conditions in most cases. The soil, water availability and heat loads from the surrounding constructed landscapes and hardscapes greatly constrain tree growth simply because of the harsher environment. The biological context of the word "adapt" has little meaning to a physical environment demanding, for example, two to three times more water for evaporation just from the physics of site water loss.

2. If you're going to water, it's logical to water those things that are not easily replaceable and/or have great value. Mature trees are both -- large trees can't be replaced in three human generations and may have additional historic or socially significant values. Mature trees, using the national tree appraisal formula, have great appraised dollar values. The bottom line with money and replacement is you conserve and protect those things with the greatest values which are not replaceable. Community forest old growth is not replaceable once lost.

3. It is the humans that are ecologically addicted to water in their landscapes. Human perceptions of landscape performance drive irrigation use. Trees accept and use what water they can capture from any source. If watering is going to occur, this is a natural resource decision people and communities must make. If limited water is going to be used on the landscape, the most valuable and hard-to-replace areas or plants should have highest priority. Mature trees meet these criteria.

4. The University of Georgia has an active, aggressive educational program dealing with development and construction issues regarding trees and landscapes. We provide the best scientific-based research information available in a form easily used by a variety of people. Any resource use decision has two components: one of scientific facts and functions in an ecological context, and one of politics and social objectives set by people for their own communities. It's important to separate the two components.

We've tried to alert people to what is being damaged and what they're giving up. We've tried to help people understand the severe plight some of their most valuable living resources are under. What use they make of this information is theirs. The decisions they make regarding their resources is theirs and the community's. Mature trees are dying, and their impacts on our quality of life will not be replaced in several lifetimes.

- Kim Coder
UGA forestry professor

QUESTION: I'm not sure of the proper term for this weed, sandbur or sandspur, but they're certainly miserable. My yard is covered with them. Is there any way to eliminate them?

ANSWER:If you're seeing and feeling the weed now (early- to mid May) it's likely lawn burweed (Soliva sessilis). Lawn burweed or spurweed is a low-growing, broadleaf, winter annual that has reached maturity at this time of year. Postemergence control with repeat applications of two- and three-way mixtures of 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPP or MCPA are generally effective. Check the herbicide label for specific application rates and turf tolerance information. Field sandspur (Cenchrus pauciflorus) is found throughout the United States but is most troublesome in warmer environments and thrives in sandy soils. It's a summer annual grassy weed that likely began germinating in mid- to late-April. It would be a relatively small plant now and likely not flowering and producing seedheads (sandburs). For preemergence control, the dinitroaniline herbicides (oryzalin, pendimethalin, prodiamine, dithiopyr and others) provide effective control. Postemergence materials include MSMA or DSMA (don't use these products on centipede lawns), fenoxaprop, fluazifop, sethoxydim (best choice for centipede lawns), quinclorac or metribuzin. Repeat applications may be necessary for acceptable control. And, as always, check the herbicide label for specific application rates and turf tolerance information.

- Clint Waltz
UGA turf specialist

QUESTION: I hear that applying Roundup on dormant, brown Bermuda grass in the winter will not harm the grass come spring. Is this true? I have some pesty weeds I need to kill and I'm want to spray Roundup on them.

ANSWER: You're correct. However, you must be certain the grass is totally dormant -- in other words, no green leaves beneath the canopy. Often a grass appears dormant on the top, but when you look into the canopy, or below the top leaves, you can find green leaves.

- Gil Landry
UGA turf scientist

QUESTION: What is the white, snowy-looking substance seen on many yards? What causes it and how can one get rid of it?

ANSWER: It's a weed -- facelis (Facelis retusa), a winter annual member of the Aster family that's forming seed. Photographs and control information is now posted on the turf weed Web site at: "Cottony" Weed in Lawns.

- Tim Murphy
UGA weed scientist