Agriculture & Natural Resources
Hall County Master Gardeners:
Saturday August 17th 10 - 11 AM
Follow-up Class September 21st
Extension News
Smart Irrigation link
It's tough to keep landscape plants perky during the summer — here's some help.
Field Day link
SIRP emphasizes water conservation during Smart Irrigation Month of July.
Precision Ag Award link
Porter educates farmers about technology, apps and other precision ag tools.
Nostoc Algae link
Too much water can make Nostoc algae flourish and turfgrass suffer.
4-H2O Camp link
Three-day camp educates Georgia 4-H students about importance of water as a natural resource.
Warming weather link
Hot and dry temperatures could strain Georgia's crops during planting season.
Gardening Tips link
Solve gardening problems by following advice from UGA Extension consumer horticulture expert.
Composting 101 link
Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week by recycling your landscape and food waste.
Irrigation App link
New app designed to help vegetable producers make smarter irrigation scheduling decisions.
Georgia Project WET link
UGA's 4-H20 program teaches children the importance of water conservation.
Soil Erosion link
The makeup of your soil can affect the amount of erosion that can occur.
Soil Sensors link
Watering plants too much can be as harmful as underwatering, as excessive moisture creates ideal environmental conditions for plant diseases.
Ag. Staff
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Karin Hicks Agriculture & Natural Resources Master Gardener Coordinator Karin.Hicks@uga.edu 770-535-8293
Extension Publications
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Visual Reference Guide to Common Predators and Pests in Georgia Cotton (C 1161) This quick reference guide provides an overview of common pests and predator groups and their sizes, habitat preferences, and timing in cotton fields. This visual guide is intended to help facilitate future scouting and provide information on common predatory arthropods in Georgia cotton systems. When growing cotton, scouting for key pests and beneficials is critical to making informed and cost effective management decisions.
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Variety Selection and Seed Saving for Organic Growers (B 1486) This publication provides information on variety types, suggested vegetable varieties for organic production, and steps to saving your own seed. Organic farming and vegetable production are becoming increasingly popular. Nationally, organic sales have increased 80% since 2007, organic produce has a wholesale value typically twice that of conventional produce, and 75% of organic products are sold within 100 miles of the farm. These facts suggest that there is a tremendous market potential for organic vegetables in Georgia, yet organic production remains only a fraction of conventional vegetable production. Because of our humid subtropical climate, organic production in the Southeast is continually challenged by intense disease, insect and weed pressure. The purpose of this guide is to detail the importance of varietal selection for organic growers.
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Native Plants for Georgia Part III: Wildflowers (B 987-3) This publication is a comprehensive guide to growing and identifying native wildflowers suitable for planting in Georgia. The term “wildflower” in this publication is a general term used to define both annual and perennial native herbaceous plants with showy flowers that have evolved with an ecosystem and grow naturally without either direct or indirect human intervention. NOTE: This publication is large and may take several minutes to load.
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Management of Pest Insects In and Around the Home (B 1412) This publication is a guide to more than 75 common pest insects found in and around the home, including prevention and treatment options.
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Organic Pecan Production (B 1493) Organic food production is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the American food marketplace and is driven largely by personal health preferences and environmental ethics. Organic food sales in the United States rose from $13 billion in 2005 to $35 billion in 2014. Organic farmers are required to follow an ecological soil management program and are restricted in their use of chemicals. In order for a crop to be marketed as organic, it must obtain organic certification and maintain records of the production practices in use on the farm. See the USDA's organic certification information at the following website: https://www.usda.gov/topics/organic. A three-year transition period is required before the crop can be sold as “organic” and use the USDA certified-organic seal. Pecan production generates unique challenges to organic production methods in the humid Southeastern U.S. because it is an environment conducive to heavy pressure from insects, diseases, and weeds. Therefore, the foundation of any organic pecan production program in the Southeastern U.S. will be based on selection for pest-resistant cultivars.
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Organic Poultry Production vs. Other Systems (C 1139) There are a number of different poultry production systems available today, and consumers commonly confuse organic poultry production with other systems. Pasture-raised poultry and natural poultry are not organically produced, as they do not meet all or any of the standards set by the National Organic Program, which regulates and certifies production systems as "organic." Consumers should be aware of the differences between each of the poultry production systems as they purchase poultry products.
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Granulate Ambrosia Beetle: Biology and Management (C 1160) Granulate ambrosia beetle, Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Mot.), is a serious pest of woody trees and shrubs in Georgia. The insect was previously known as the Asian ambrosia beetle. These tiny beetles were first detected in South Carolina in the 1970s and have spread across the Eastern U.S. Woody ornamental nursery plants and fruit trees are commonly affected. In spring or even in late winter (around mid-February), a large number of beetles can emerge and attack tree species, especially when they are young and stressed. Some highly susceptible tree species include Styrax, dogwood, redbud, maple, ornamental flowering cherry, Japanese maple, crapemyrtle, pecan, peach, apple, plum, persimmon, golden rain tree, sweetgum, Shumard oak, Chinese elm, magnolia, fig, Rhododendron and azalea. The female beetles land on the bark of woody trees before boring through the inner bark and softwood of the tree, finally settling in the heartwood where they begin carving galleries. This publication provides information on identification and biology, host plants, damage symptoms, and control strategies for granulate ambrosia beetles.
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UGA Programs for Controlling Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth in 2019 Cotton (C 952) Cotton weed control has become dynamic and complex with the greatest challenges being 1) mitigating off-target herbicide movement, and 2) minimizing the development of more herbicide resistance. This circular is designed to assist with improved economically-sound management programs, minimize cotton injury, and make on-target pesticide applications.
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Rhodesgrass Mealybug: Biology and Management (C 1159) The rhodesgrass mealybug, Antonina graminis, is an invasive insect native to Asia. First found in the U.S. in Texas in 1942, the rhodesgrass mealybug has since spread to all states on the Gulf of Mexico as well as Georgia, South Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Rhodesgrass mealybugs can infest more than 100 grass species (family Gramineae) including all warm-season grasses commonly used for pastures and turf in Georgia. Grass species affected include bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, rhodesgrass and Johnsongrass, buffalograss, tall fescue, centipedegrass, bahiagrass, and zoysiagrass. High numbers of rhodesgrass mealybugs have been detected on ‘TifEagle’ and ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass. This publication includes information about rhodesgrass mealybug identification and biology, its host plants, damage symptoms, and control strategies.
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Biology and Management of Thrips Affecting the Production Nursery and Landscape (C 1158) Thrips are tiny, cigar-shaped insects belonging to the order Thysanoptera, whose name refers to the fringed wings of insects in this order. About 5000 species of thrips are known, and many cause damage to cultivated plants by feeding or vectoring plant diseases. Some thrips are predatory. It is usually difficult to identify thrips species. Although they are winged, thrips are generally weak fliers, but they can be dispersed by wind and the transport of infested plant material. Many thrips are attracted to bright colors and may fly to human skin and clothing, where they may occasionally cause irritation by biting. Some of the common thrips affecting landscape and nursery plants are described below.
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Two-Lined Spittlebug: Biology and Management in Turfgrass (C 1157) The two-lined spittlebug is an important insect pest of turfgrass in Georgia. It attacks all turfgrass species, but centipedegrass is the most susceptible to spittlebug infestation. It also attacks some ornamental plants, including asters, hollies, and morning glories. The two-lined spittlebug injects toxins into the turfgrass, and the affected grass blades turn yellow and then brown or purple. The damage symptoms start with the development of discolored leaves followed by the complete wilting of the stem and leaves, ultimately causing the death of the grass. There is limited information available to the general public on determining this pest problem and how to manage it, especially during wet years. This publication provides management options and other information on the two-lined spittlebug, including identification and biology, host plants, damage symptoms, and control strategies.
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Cover Crop Biomass Sampling (C 1077) Cover crops are one of the most important practices that farmers can use to improve their soils and the sustainability of their production system. Knowing how much biomass there is in a field is a critical piece of information for cover crop management. Part 1 of this circular provides a step-by-step guide to taking a sample that will be representative of your field. Part 2 provides additional steps for preparing a fresh cover crop sample to send to the Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratory so it can be analyzed to determine nitrogen availability to the following crop. Equation examples and data sheets are also provided in order to help users calculate necessary information for submission using the given formulas.