Fruits and vegetables are Georgia's number-two cash crop, but the popularity of commodities like peaches, tomatoes, blueberries, and fresh greens is not limited to commercial producers.
Interest in home gardening continues to grow as people realize the nutritional and economic benefits of home-grown produce and learn that it's relatively easy to augment your family's food selection right from your own backyard.
UGA Extension provides both home gardeners a variety of information to help have the best output with the least amount of labor possible.
For information about commercial fruit and vegetable production in Georgia, see our Fruit, Vegetable and Ornamentals section.
Our Programs and Services
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Master Composter Become a home composting expert!
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Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program Intensive horticultural training to individuals who then volunteer in their communities by giving lectures, creating gardens, conducting research, and many other projects.
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On-Site and Telephone Consultation Available in many situations for home owners and consumers.
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Pesticide Safety Education Program Georgia's Pesticide Safety Education Program promotes the responsible and safe use of pesticides throughout Georgia. We accomplish this by providing the educational resources, training programs, and materials needed to help both private and commercial pesticide applicators achieve certification and subsequently to maintain the knowledge to safely and effectively make use of restricted-use and all other pesticides.
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School Garden Curriculum Garden-based lessons listed by grade level on earth science, life science, and physical science topics.
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Soil and Water Testing Services Increase your yield, test your water quality, and more.
Recent Publications
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Maximizing the Value of Georgia-Grown Satsumas Through Food Innovation (B 1561) Additional author: Emma Moore, Department of Food Science & Technology. Satsuma oranges are a fast-growing commodity in Georgia. Satsumas are natural and excellent sources of sugars, organic acids, so…
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Common Tomato Diseases in Georgia (B 1285) This publication contains information about common tomato diseases in Georgia. It includes photographs and descriptions of diseases such as buckeye rot and fusarium wilt.
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Visual Guide to Common Bees of Blueberry Fields in Southeast Georgia (C 1295) This visual guide helps people identify common wild bees encountered in blueberry systems. The contribution of wild bees to blueberry pollination has is becoming widely recognized. Proper identificati…
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Macrocybe titans: Largest Mushroom Species in the Western Hemisphere Found Growing in Georgia (C 1033) This publication describes Macrocybe titans, the largest mushroom species in the Western Hemisphere, which has been found growing in Georgia.
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Selecting a Tiller for the Home Garden (C 1182) Most gardeners realize that they must manipulate the soil in their garden to successfully grow vegetables. Whether by hand, with a shovel, or a mechanical piece of equipment, tilling is an important p…
Websites
UGA-affiliated
Georgia Master Gardener Gives an overview of the program to train and certify individuals in horticulture and includes extensive links.
Sustainable Agriculture at UGA Brings together information on sustainable agriculture including organic agriculture, pollinators, and other resources.
External sites
Walter Reeves A wealth of gardening resources and tips from this well-known Extension garden specialist and host of "Your Southern Garden."
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2024 Peach Season With no freezing temperatures in the forecast and hope for strong pricing during the upcoming season, peach growers are looking forward to a much-needed rebound this year.
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Protecting Farms And Wildlife Working together with regulators, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty help farmers navigate changing laws for sustainable land stewardship.
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UGArden Tea in Dining Halls Opening the door to UGAarden’s herb drying room provokes an olfactory explosion — sharp peppermint, earthy tulsi, sweet calendula and floral chamomile mix into an herbal perfume that would undoubtedly have tea drinkers reaching for their kettles.
