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News from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Controlling the erosion of your soil can improve your vegetable garden and protect the soil. Soil erosion is related to multiple factors, including the type of soil and how much cover is holding the soil. CAES News
Sun & Soil
Before planting a fall garden, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialists say select a spot that gets a lot of sun, have your soil tested and plant Georgia-friendly varieties.
To maintain a healthy compost pile, you need to maintain the proper moisture level. Compost organisms need water to survive and function at their best. Inadequate water will inhibit the activities of compost organisms, resulting in a slower compost process. If the pile is too moist, water will displace air and create anaerobic conditions. The moisture level of a compost pile should be roughly 40 to 60 percent. CAES News
International Compost Week
Use a compost bin to turn fruit and vegetable scraps and lawn debris into rich compost to feed vegetable gardens and landscape plants.
Tomato transplants grown from seeds are ready to begin an adjustment to outdoor temperatures. CAES News
Winter Chores
February is here and, even though it is cold outside, many garden tasks can be completed now in preparation for a successful growing season. From starting seeds indoors to cleaning and sharpening garden tools, there are plenty of garden chores to do before spring arrives.
To maintain a healthy compost pile, you need to maintain the proper moisture level. Compost organisms need water to survive and function at their best. Inadequate water will inhibit the activities of compost organisms, resulting in a slower compost process. If the pile is too moist, water will displace air and create anaerobic conditions. The moisture level of a compost pile should be roughly 40 to 60 percent. CAES News
Composting Tips
To maintain a healthy compost pile, you need to maintain the proper moisture level. Compost organisms are like people — both need water to survive and function at their best. Inadequate water will inhibit the activities of compost organisms, resulting in a slower compost process. A high temperature is also desirable in a backyard compost pile, as it accelerates decomposition.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agent Josh Fuder and his son, Graham, inspect an ancient artifact he uncovered in his backyard garden. As a child, Fuder loved digging in the soil for buried treasures and pretending to be an archeologist. He hopes his son inherits his love of items from days gone by. CAES News
Ancient Find
While digging in his home garden, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent Josh Fuder find what he believes to be an arrowhead. UGA experts say his find is likely used a corner-notch spear point from the Middle Archaic Period (5000-3000 B.C.).
University of Georgia horticulturist Carol Robacker has released 'Raspberry Profusion,' a cultivar that blooms heavily from May to September. Its raspberry-colored sepals, wonderful fragrance and foliage is more spectacular than older varieties. CAES News
Foundation Plants
What makes a good foundation plant for your home landscape? Any plant that can tolerate extreme heat, highly compact soil and a highly alkaline soil pH is a good candidate.
Corn plants are surrounded by water in a field in Kansas in 2014. Heavy rains leave farmers with no way to get in their fields to tend or harvest their crops. CAES News
Wet soil
Rainfall from Hurricane Matthew has left soil in coastal south Georgia completely saturated. Rainy conditions like these wreak havoc on gardeners and farmers who need to do yard or field work. In many cases, the best way to deal with the situation is to wait for drier conditions.
'Java White' looks as though it has been kissed by snow, creating a daring look on a porch patio or in a landscape. CAES News
Copper Plants
Copper plants were sold generically for years, but that is now passé thanks to varieties like ‘Beyond Paradise,’ ‘Bourbon Street,’ ‘Ceylon,’ ‘Tricolor’ and ‘Jungle Cloak.’ They partner well with blue flowers like salvias or light blue plumbago.
Curcuma gingers blooms like this Jewel of Thailand are actually comprised of colorful bracts. CAES News
Glorious Gingers
With names like ‘Jewel of Thailand,’ ‘Jewel of Burma’ and ‘Garnet,’ ginger plants add exotic flair that will takes your breath away, says University of Georgia gardening expert Norman Winter. And, they don't require a lot of work.
Norman Winter, director of the University of Georgia's Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm in Savannah, Georgia. CAES News
"Garden Guru"
Known across the South as the “Garden Guru,” Norman Winter has been writing about his passion for gardening for the past 20 years. Starting this week, his gardening columns will be distributed to media across the state by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.