CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 01/02/03

Member of Plant Society for Uninformed?

By Wayne McLaurin
University of Georgia

The "Plant Society for the Uninformed" could become the largest plant society in the world. It encompasses all of us. Well intentioned, we're always growing plants without thinking about their environmental context.

We try to grow plants that look good in the mall, plants that come from all over the world. We don't pay attention to their original environment but are sure we can make them grow in our backyards.

Some of us want to grow only "native" plants. As I hike Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina (yes, there are beautiful places within 40 miles of Clemson), I see all types of native plants growing along the ridges and beside creeks.

They're natives, but can I grow them in my drought-stricken backyard when they grow along streams in the wild? I wish I could. Not a chance! Even though they're natives, their particular growing conditions must be met.

I visit the great Northwest and see all of the wonderful plant types and say to myself, "Maybe it will grow if I give it special attention." But Georgia has neither the rainfall nor the temperature of the Northwest.

Moreover, if I brought it home, there would probably be one of those giant banana slugs attached, a pest that in our milder climate might multiply and start an epidemic. We do not need more pests!

Colleges of agriculture in each state test plants' growth under that state's growing conditions and recommend the plants that grow best. Tests are done on all plants -- vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, cotton, corn, peanuts, soybeans, turf grasses.

It's important to find out which plant will do best in a particular place. If a plant doesn't make the grade, it's tossed off of the recommended list.

If the plant you want to grow isn't on the recommended list, you have alternatives. One of the best sources of information is to ask gardeners in your area. I've found very few growers who weren't overjoyed to share growing experiences and be honest in their recommendations.

The only warning I have is to make sure you have enough time to listen to other stories -- you know, "the giant pumpkin," or, "Remember the time my picture was in the 'Market Bulletin' with the 6-pound sweet potato?"

If you want information on growing plants in Georgia, visit the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences' Extension Service Web site at www.ces.uga.edu and click on "Publications." Click on alphabetical or subject listings and follow the instructions.

My own garden stories? Maybe I'll write a book when I retire and have time. No, I'll be too busy working with that New Zealand plant I just know will grow back there by the fence near the compost pile.

Wayne McLaurin is a professor emeritus of horticulture with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Wayne J. McLaurin
John C McKissick
Don Shurley
Nathan B. Smith
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time to spend more of the holiday with guests, taking time ahead of the day to set expectations can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. CAES News
Manage holiday stress with kindness, boundaries 11/21/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.
Conner Hall CAES News
CAES welcomes 2024 cohort of Rural Scholars 11/20/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences welcomed its fourth cohort of students chosen for the CAES Rural Scholars Program this fall just weeks after celebrating the program's first graduation. Georgia Orman, one of four inaugural Rural Scholars in CAES, graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. The new scholars for 2024, all from Georgia, are Ela Ash of Ocilla, Lauren E. Coley of Cochran, Amelia Housley of Canon, and London O’Steen of Ambrose.
Women play a vital role in rural American farming, but much of that work is "invisible," like raising children or household chores, according to a new UGA study. (Getty Images) CAES News
The women and stress behind rural farming in America 11/19/24 Leigh Hataway
Recent research from the University of Georgia suggests the unique stresses from farm life may be taking a toll on one of the pillars of the families that make your dinners possible: the women who keep farming families running. “If we don’t control our food sources, we don’t control our health and safety,” said Anna Scheyett, lead author of the study and a professor in UGA’s School of Social Work. “It’s a matter of national security that farmers survive in the United States. And one of the big factors in helping farms survive is women.”
Mergoum at Creature Comforts CAES News
That's the spirit! 11/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras, Claire Sanders Kinnard
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Professional brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile.
Contest-winning concept becomes viable business for alumnus who developed solar-powered, self-propelled chicken coop as a student. CAES News
Poultry in motion 11/14/24 Sean Montgomery
Chris Ayers emerged from his orange and black rough-terrain vehicle with an ear-to-ear grin. “This is Chiktopia,” he said, sweeping his arm wide to indicate the back half of a 3,600-square-foot warehouse on his family’s farm in Ball Ground, Georgia. “This is where I manufacture and assemble the chicken coops. Everything is done entirely from over here.”
UGA Grand Farm Site Plan web CAES News
UGA Grand Farm wins stage two of 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund competition 11/13/24 Jordan Powers
Startups in the agricultural technology sector face significant barriers on the path to establishment, including access to training and capital. These barriers are heightened for underrepresented entrepreneurs seeking to start new companies. The University of Georgia Grand Farm, part of a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm, aims to change that.