Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Seed Saving Class Rescheduled on Account of Snow and Ice

In what is probably no surprise, we are rescheduling tonight's seed saving class, since the roads are so snowy and unsafe.

Reschedule dates:

Monday, February 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Extension office 2nd floor classroom.
Thursday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Extension office 2nd floor classroom.

These classes are free and open to the public, but preregistration is helpful -- please call 770-528-4070 to let us know which class you will attend.

Hope to see you all in clearer, safer weather!

 -Amy

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Upcoming Events


Camellias – Queens of the Southern Winter Garden
Tuesday, January 21, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Jim Pruckler of the American Camellia Society, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out presentation series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at East Cobb Regional Library (old Parkaire Mall site), 4880 Lower Roswell Rd. Marietta.

Tomatoes 101
Thursday, January 23, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Renae Lemon, of UGA Extension in Cobb County, at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna. 

Tomatoes 101
Saturday, January 25, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by Renae Lemon, of UGA Extension in Cobb County, at the Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna. 

Green Industry Update
Tuesday, January 28,  8:30 a.m. to noon. Two sessions of pruning for pest and disease control with Rick Smith, owner of The Pruning Guru, and one session of mosquito biology and control with UGA entomologist Elmer Gray. Re-certification credits as follows: 21, 23, 24, 27, 41 - 3 hours, Private - 2 hours, ISA - 2 hours. To register, email emily.harper@cobbcounty.org or call 770-528-4070. Cost $10 per person at the door. Location at Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, 30060.

Seed Saving for the Vegetable Garden
Tuesday, January 28, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. The class will be presented by Amy Whitney, of UGA Extension at Cobb County, in the second floor classroom at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. 

Dahlias
Tuesday, February 11, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Free and open to the public. Free Seminar covers the basics of growing beautiful Dahlias all summer and preserving the tubers for sharing and for spring planting. Presented by Renae Lemon of UGA Extension at Cobb County, in the second floor classroom at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.

Weed ID for Weed Control
Friday, February 14, noon to 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. Presented by County Agent Neil Tarver as part of the ongoing Lunch & Learn series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab, 662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.). Neil will help us identify weeds in order to select the most effective method of controlling them.  

Creativity in Growing and Using herbs
Tuesday, February 18, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Free and open to the public. Presented by Tracy Minjauw of the Chattahoochee Herb Society, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out presentation series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at West Cobb Regional Library, 1750 Dennis Kemp Lane

Seed Starting for the Vegetable Garden
Thursday, February 20, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Presented by Amy Whitney, of UGA Extension at Cobb County, in the second floor classroom at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. $5 charge for supplies. Preregistration is required: Call 770-528-4070. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.  Space will be limited.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Green Industry Update - Tuesday, Jan. 28

A Green Industry Update, offered through UGA/Cobb County Cooperative Extension, is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28, 2014. Recertification credits are offered in the following categories:
21, 23, 24, 27, 41 - 3 hours
Private - 2 hours
ISA - 2 hours


8:30-9:00           Registration
9:00-9:50           1) Proper Pruning of Trees and Shrubs for Plant Health and Pest Reduction
                          Rick Smith – Owner of The Pruning Guru
9:50-10:00         Break with Q and A
10:00-10:50       2) Proper Pruning of Trees and Shrubs for Plant Health and Pest Reduction
                          Rick Smith – Owner of The Pruning Guru
10:50-11:00       Break with Q and A
11:00-11:50       Mosquito Biology and Control in North Georgia
  Elmer Gray – Medical and Veterinary Entomologist UGA Dept of Entomology
11:50-12:00       Evaluation and Recertification Forms


Moderator will be Neil Tarver, UGA/Cobb County ANR Agent.

To preregister: email emily.harper@cobbcounty.org, or call 770-528-4070.
Cost: $10 per person at the door
Location: Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Plan Carefully to Avoid Mistakes with Expensive Sod

Beautiful lawns in Georgia often begin with high quality sod.  The turfgrass type, whether it is fescue, Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, or other, is selected to match the needs and characteristics of the site. High quality sod, however,  can be pricey, and this year the per-square-foot price of sod is forecast to be higher than it was last year.

The Georgia FACES article Georgia Sod Inventories Low, Prices High , by UGA's Sharon Dowdy, tells about the forecast higher prices for sod this year, as discovered in a recent UGA survey of sod producers.  She writes:
"The delivered price is expected to increase for all grasses in the survey. A truckload of bermudagrass delivered to the Atlanta area, or within 100 miles of the farm, is expected to rise 14 percent.
The delivered price of zoysiagrass is expected to rise 1.4 percent to 35.8 cents per square foot...
The price of delivered centipedegrass is also expected to rise to an average of 23.5 cents...
Tall fescue’s delivered price is expected to rise 1.7 percent to an average of 24 cents per square foot. The average price should fall between 20 and 30 cents.

Clint Waltz, turfgrass specialist with UGA Extension, interviewed for the article, explained that the price hikes resulted from unfavorable growing conditions -- particularly the lack of direct sunlight -- during the 2013 growing season. Producers just could not grow enough good sod in the cloudy weather.

For homeowners and professionals who are planning to invest in some new sod this coming year, higher prices are not good news, but there are steps they can take to avoid wasting the investment in high quality sod.

The first is careful selection of an appropriate turfgrass for the site, and second is proper site preparation, so that the newly laid sod has the best chance for success. UGA's publication "Lawns in Georgia" provides information regarding both of these steps, and also includes sections on weed control, pests, diseases, and lawn care.