Carbonate Soils?

Usually called calcareous? Or should they be called carbonateceous? Is gypsum needed for a carbonate-dominated soil? Read on.

Soil pH or the “acidity” of a soil can be confused by the different uses and chemistries that surround the term pH, or the power of hydrogen. This can be further confused by the terms “alkalinity” or “basicity,” and by whether the solid or liquid phase of the soil is being measured. So, in short, a soil is acid if it has a pH below 7 (more hydrogen ions) and basic when above 7 (fewer hydrogen ions).… Continue reading this article “Carbonate Soils?”

How will climate change affect gardens in the future?

Recent news about extreme events from floods to earthquakes to this week’s tragedy in Tibet caused by the collapse of a glacier resulting in massive flooding have caught the attention of many people. One consequence is the appearance of many social media accounts and news stories discussing the potential links between these events and the changing climate on earth due to increases in greenhouse gases and land use alterations. While it is too early to say with any certainty how much the warming climate affected any of these events (studies that attribute natural disasters caused by extreme weather and climate to global warming take careful analysis and time to complete), it does make us wonder how the warming climate will also affect our gardens and farms in the coming years.… Continue reading this article “How will climate change affect gardens in the future?”

Can AI replace The Garden Professors?

(I’ve been absent from the blog for many months now. I need to get back into the habit of writing so I am repurposing a piece that I hope you will enjoy.)

The original gang of four.

First of all, I’m not a Luddite and I use AI all the time to find quick answers to things that have definitive answers. But questions regarding the care of gardens and landscapes require AI to scan the web for relevant information, and AI cannot easily discern between good and bad information.… Continue reading this article “Can AI replace The Garden Professors?”

Workshop in Perth!

I’ll be visiting Australia for the first time ever in a few weeks. For any Australian arborists, landscape professionals, and gardeners in the Perth area, I hope you will consider joining me for a two-day workshop on Sustainable Landscapes. Attendees will also receive a copy of my book “Sustainable Landscapes – Good Science, Practical Application.” It would be great to meet you in person!

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The climate outlook for the rest of 2026 and what it means for your garden

It’s been a couple of months since my last blog post, and a lot has been happening in weather and climate since then. This post will bring you up to date on the extreme weather and climate conditions we have seen since May and discuss what we can expect in the coming months. I missed last month because I was on a cruise-tour in Alaska following my retirement from the University of Georgia and was enjoying looking out the balcony window.… Continue reading this article “The climate outlook for the rest of 2026 and what it means for your garden”

When is a drought over?

In recent months, large parts of the United States have been covered by drought, including my home region of the Southeast. This year’s drought there was caused by a combination of three things: the lack of any significant tropical activity in the US in 2025 (except TS Chantelle in the Carolinas), the La Niña that occurred over the winter, leading to warmer and drier conditions than usual (in spite of several cold outbreaks that caused significant damage to farms as far south as central Florida in January and February), and the early onset of summer high pressure in March and April that shut down any potential for the development of precipitation.… Continue reading this article “When is a drought over?”

Where do bees nest

This week I read about a new bee-related discovery in the New York Times that surprised me: thousands of years ago, during the late Quartenary period, a group of bees made their nests inside of animal bones. For these bees, tiny cavities in bird and mammal skeletons provided protected spaces where they could raise their young. This story perfectly illustrates one of the defining characteristics of bees: they are extraordinarily resourceful!

When we think about bees, we usually think of European honey bees.… Continue reading this article “Where do bees nest”

Super El Niños and the recent drought across the US

In the last month, I have received many questions about media stories describing the potential for a “Super El Niño” as well as questions about the drought that has plagued many parts of the United States this spring. They have both been getting a lot of attention in social media as well as the mainstream press and you have likely seen stories about them. In this post I will describe both phenomena and how they may affect gardeners in different parts of the country.… Continue reading this article “Super El Niños and the recent drought across the US”

People and Plants

In this edition of P&P we’ll explore the travels and adventures of Ynés Mexía, a late-blooming botanist.
Ynés Enriquetta Julietta Mexía was born May 24, 1870, in Washington, D.C., to Enrique Mexia, a Mexican diplomat, and Sarah Wilmer Mexía. Between birth and when she began her botanizing at the age of 50 she moved around a lot living in Texas, Pennsylvania, Canada, Maryland, and Mexico. She finally settled in San Francisco, California about 1909 where she became involved with several nature conservation organizations and was a strong advocate for saving redwood trees which were being heavily harvested for timber in the early 1900s.… Continue reading this article “People and Plants”

The worm that is screwing over livestock (New World Screwworm)

The New World screwworm is an insect that feeds on living flesh and it is making headlines this year as federal agencies race to battle it.

What exactly is a screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax)? Despite the name, screwworm is not a worm at all. This insect is a blue-green blow fly native to the Americas. Adult flies themselves are not the problem. The danger begins when females lay eggs in open wounds, cuts, or even mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals.… Continue reading this article “The worm that is screwing over livestock (New World Screwworm)”