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News from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Poison ivy in a forested area. CAES News
Poison Ivy
Poison ivy is a common poisonous plant in Georgia and is infamous for causing allergic reactions for as many as 50 million Americans annually. To manage it effectively and safely, it's important to understand its traits and use the right control methods to deal with this troublesome plant. Mark Czarnota, an associate professor in the University of Georgia Department of Horticulture, provides helpful tips to distinguish poison ivy from common look-alikes and shares several ways to control the irritating plant.
Burrweed develops opposite, sparsely hairy leaves that are divided into numerous segments and small, inconspicuous flowers, in addition to the spine-tipped burrs found in the leaf axils. When treated with herbicides in January, February and March, lawn burrweed can be effectively controlled. CAES News
Lawn Burrweed
Walking barefoot through soft grass is one of life’s greatest joys — the warmth of the ground, the tickling of the blades of grass on your feet, toes wriggling free from the confinement of shoes — it is just spectacular. In the summer. In the midst of winter, after cold and rainy weeks, it sounds miserable, but if you are looking forward to that summer experience, you may want to prepare your lawn now.
Prolific weeds like buttercup compete with underlying grasses and can reduce their growth in the spring. This reduces the amount of forage yield available for livestock grazing pastures, and fescue lawns or pastures may end up with bare spots as a result of this competition. CAES News
Buttercup Control
Spring has undoubtedly arrived in Georgia. Local pastures and lawns remind me of the lyrics from “America the Beautiful,” “Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain.” Except that almost every call this week has been about amber waves of buttercup, something that neither livestock nor humans like to eat.
Late summer is the right time to prepare soil for September to October plantings of cool-season crops such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, Swiss chard and Brussels sprouts. CAES News
Winter Garden Prep
The end of summer into early fall tends to be the hottest time of the year in the state of Georgia. Many of us are about tired of laboring in our summer gardens, and the heat, humidity, and disease and insect pressure have certainly taken their toll on our summer crops. However, for those of us who still have the gardening itch, the last weeks of summer are the ideal time to prepare your garden for winter vegetables.
When using pesticides, remember that the safe and legal use of pesticides requires that the entire label be followed exactly. Contact your local Extension agent if you're unsure about a product. CAES News
Stop, Read, Apply
As we head into summer, we start to see problems with weeds, diseases and insects in the landscape and around vegetable gardens. Some of these pest problems can be solved without the use of chemicals, but if the pest population reaches damaging levels, using pesticides may be warranted. Remember that using pesticides is safe and legal but requires reading and following label directions in their entirety.
UGA Extension weed scientist Stanley Culpepper speaks about weed research during a field day. CAES News
PSO Awards
Eight University of Georgia faculty and staff were honored for exemplary service to the state during Monday’s 2019 Public Service and Outreach awards luncheon, which included awards for Entrepreneur of the Year and Donor Impact.
Poison ivy grows up a tree in Jackson, Ga. CAES News
Poison Ivy
Poison ivy is one of gardeners’ most dreaded landscape weeds, and it is growing and thriving now. If you have ever experienced the red, itchy, blistery rash that comes from being in contact with this weed, then you understand gardeners’ disdain for this plant. 
Burrweed develops opposite, sparsely hairy leaves that are divided into numerous segments and small, inconspicuous flowers, in addition to the spine-tipped burrs found in the leaf axils. When treated with herbicides in January, February and March, lawn burrweed can be effectively controlled. CAES News
Lawn Burrweed
Stepping on the spiny seed head of a lawn burrweed while running barefoot in the yard is a sure sign of summer. If you want to save your feet some pain, now is the time to treat your lawn, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents.
Jim Robbins, University of Arkansas, will present on using unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as UAVs or drones, in "Drones in Production – Inventory Management and Stress Detection" at UGA Extension's Academy of Plant Production, June 12-15 in Athens, Ga. CAES News
Academy of Crop Production
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the Georgia Green Industry Association are inviting veteran nursery and greenhouse growers to “get nerdy” with them this summer at the inaugural Academy of Crop Production, June 12-15 at Hotel Indigo in Athens, Georgia.
Mulch added to the base of vegetable plants is an effective way to keep weeds at bay without using a pesticide. CAES News
Weed Control
Home gardeners often call their University of Georgia Extension office to ask which herbicides can safely be used in the garden. For all practical purposes, no herbicides can totally replace the trusty garden hoe and mulch.