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Published on 05/02/01

Taking Soil Temperatures on 'Gardening'


UGA CAES File Photo

Walter Reeves.
On "Gardening in Georgia" this week, host Walter Reeves measures soil temperatures, overseeds Bermuda grass and builds suet cages. He also looks at soil amendments, the best peppers for Georgia gardens and the beautiful Mohawk viburnum.

Reeves explains why knowing your soil temperature is so important in your garden and landscape. Besides showing how to measure soil temperature, he also tells how to use the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network to get weather information near you. Be sure to bookmark this valuable Web site.

Since dry, hot summers often cause fescue grass to struggle, Reeves also shows how to overseed Bermuda, a warm-season grass, into your fescue lawn.

For Bird Lovers...

For the bird lovers, Reeves showed last week how to make homemade suet to feed their feathery friends. This week, he shows how to build a suet cage that will let the birds feed on the homemade treat while keeping out other animals.

Three guests, all horticulture professors with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, add to this week's show:

  • Tim Smalley shows some of his research on different soil amendments.
  • Wayne McLaurin tells about the best pepper varieties for Georgia gardens.
  • Jim Midcap discusses Mohawk viburnum, a 1999 Georgia Gold Medal Winner and an excellent landscape plant for Georgia.
Wednesdays, Saturdays on GPTV

Now in its third season, "Gardening in Georgia" airs on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and is rebroadcast on Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. on Georgia Public Television.

The show is designed specifically for Georgia gardeners. It's produced by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and GPTV.

Dan Rahn is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Walter F. Reeves
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