Gardening in Georgia" host Walter Reeves the strengths and weaknesses of turf grasses grown in Georgia." /> Gardening in Georgia" host Walter Reeves the strengths and weaknesses of turf grasses grown in Georgia." />

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Published on 07/11/01

All About Turf Grasses on 'Gardening'


UGA CAES File Photo

Walter Reeves
In this week's "Gardening in Georgia," host Walter Reeves explores, among other things, turf grasses, tomatoes and the "Eco Lacquered Spider" (a plant, by the way).

Gil Landry, a turf scientist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, shows Reeves the pros and cons of turf grasses grown in Georgia.

Landry notes that bermuda grasses look great but, if sodded, are expensive. Zoysia grasses look great, too, but grow slowly (except "El Toro"). Centipede grass is fairly low-maintenance, but can suffer when mowed too high. St. Augustine is an excellent turf, but is winter-hardy only in south Georgia. And fescue is green year-round, but suffers with summer heat and rainless stretches.

David Chambers of Callaway Gardens shows Reeves how to make a V-trellis for tomatoes out of twine and a taut wire strung 4 feet above the plants. To avoid diseases, he ties the twine to the base of the plant, then extends it up to the wire above, training two branches to climb the twine.

'Eco Lacquered Spider'

Chrysogonum virginianum, or "Green and Gold," is a bright addition to shady spring landscapes. The yellow flowers remain a few inches above the dense green foliage. One selection, Chrysogonum virginianum 'Eco Lacquered Spider,' spreads 8 inches between rooted nodes and will cover an even larger area than the "Green and Gold."

Beverly Sparks, a UGA CAES entomologist, talks about Japanese beetles. The adult beetle damages a number of garden and landscape plants. These pests can strip entire plants of their foliage in a matter of hours. They're hard to control because of their sheer numbers. Sparks cautions that the traps used to lure the adults may attract more beetles to your yard than can be trapped and discarded.

Oakleaf hydrangeas are no strangers to Southern landscapes. But UGA horticulturist Jim Midcap shows a plant, the Alice oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Alice'). Watch for this 2000 Georgia Gold Medal Winner to become increasingly popular in Georgia landscapes.

"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 produced specifically for Georgia gardeners by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and GPTV. To learn more, visit the show's Web site ( www.gardeningingeorgia.com).

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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