Danny ran out of cutting line with the trimmer. This was the first time we ran out since I bought the trimmer last year. It was not obvious how to wind the double-spool of line. Having no idea where the manual was, I quickly found it on www.poulan.com. The secret is to cut two lengths of 12.5 feet line, insert them in the anchor holes, and wind them at the same time. Each is locked in opposing threader notches that temporarily hold the line in place while the spool is replaced.

Link to manual.

Master Gardener Walter Reeves reports St. Augustine grass is becoming more popular in Atlanta. He mentioned a “Raleigh” variation that is supposed to be more cold tolerant.

St.Augustine Grass

Raleigh St. Augustine grass was released by the North Carolina Experiment Station in 1980 as a cold tolerant, SAD resistant strain. Raleigh is finer textured than Floratam and develops a dense turf much like the Texas Common strain of St. Augustine grass. Raleigh is also more shade tolerant than Floratam. But, unlike Floratam, Raleigh is not resistant to lawn chinch bugs.

Good overview of grasses. I need something for our wet, shady back and side yard. Centipede? Zoysia? St. Augustine? The latter does not like snow or chinch bugs, otherwise it sounds like the best candidate.

LAWNS IN GEORGIA

While the bermuda grass has come in better than ever (w/ something of a late start thanks to a winter weed problem), I’ve been battling outcroppings of crabgrass all summer by spraying with crabgrass killer. This results in yellow spots when the weather is dry. Crabgrass preventer in early spring is the only way to go.

Yesterday I put down 16 lbs of Vigaro Ultra Turf 29-3-4. It had a setting guide that included by Scott’s Speedygreen 2000. I set the little rotating control to 6.75. The bag was supposed to cover 5,000 sq feet. At 6.75, I seemed to have just enough.

Our front yard is a triangle with a whole (pine island) in the middle. I had Danny measure the 3 sides one time using a 100 foot power cord as his ruler. He did the math. I don’t remember what he came up with. Let’s call it 5,000 sq feet.

Walter Reeves created this shrub calendar. Shrubs that flower should either be pruned in winter (Butterfly bush) or just after flowering (Azaleas / Climbing Rose) depending on the source of flowers being new growth or last year’s growth.

Good thing Kathy knows what we have out there.

Kathy was wondering where the Hummingbird’s were earlier in the week. The first one showed up today sipping from Kathy’s new feeder. Last year I took some photos in August, so maybe July is the time they show up.

A database of shade tolerant plants. Copy/paste plant names into Google to find out more about each one. Atlanta is Zone 7b.

My Shade Garden – Zone Search

Carol claims Bullfrogs do not eat fish. If you’ve seen the Discover Channel special on Bullfrogs you find out they eat just about anything and everything. Like a snake, they can stretch to eat things as big as themselves!

I’ve included a link to the full article at the end of this excerpt. The 3 mile thing makes me worried our bullfrog may come back.

Why you don’t want a bullfrog in your pond

1. Bullfrogs eat desired wildlife like birds, small

mammals, dragonflies, butterflies, native

frogs, fish and turtles.

2. Bullfrogs reproduce prolifically. One egg mass

will typically contain thousands of eggs.

Bullfrogs spread to neighboring wetlands

and gardens. The thousands of eggs hatch

into thousands of tadpoles, and the tadpoles

transform into thousands of juvenile bullfrogs,

which may disperse as soon as the rainy

season starts. Some of these frogs travel

over 3 miles in search of a new home.

3. Bullfrogs, unlike native leopard frogs, have a

loud call that may disturb you or your

neighbors at night.

Full article w/ photos: Pond Pests.pdf

Walter Reeve’s “cool plant of the week,” Purple Knockout is a native (U.S.?) plant recommended over Ajuga.

Purple Knockout Lyreleaf Sage

Recommended on Walter Reeve’s show: White By The Gate (Japonica) Cameillia.

More on Camellias.