DeKalb County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers

Considering compost for your yard or garden? Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Getting compost from a certified source is the ONLY way to guarantee it is free of undesirable materials or chemicals.
Starting your own compost is fairly simple.
Compost is a great way to improve the soil and add organic matter.
Composting helps keep biodegradable waste out of the landfills.
For more information on composting, check out https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C816&title=composting-and-mulching
DeKalb County Sanitation offers free compost, however(!) it is not certified so its contents cannot be guaranteed.
https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/sanitation/mulch-and-compost

Composting and Mulching This publication explains how to build, maintain a compost pile as well as how to use compost and mulch in the yard and garden.

Freeze damage? But it's May!
There is damage across all the boxwood in the field planting; however, some plants are showing more damage than others. The amount of damage just has to do with what stage of growth was present at the time of the freeze event. Those that were growing well and flushing new growth were most damaged. Those not showing as much damage now are actually more stressed and slower growing plants. Their growth developed after the freeze event.
Freeze damaged tissues often appear light-colored and bleached; however, on other plant species, damaged tissues will be brown or black and shriveled. In some cases, cambial damage may have occurred that is preventing water and nutrient translocation in the plant. This is where you may see poor growth and branch or top dieback.
Many boxwoods are showing extensive dieback or where one to several branches are browning and dying.
Information provided by Jean Williams-Woodward, Ph.D.
Extension Plant Pathologist

Are you ready to get out and start planting your garden?!

Well, hold your horses. We're not quite done with cold weather.

Multiple nights of frost at many locations this week | Climate and Agriculture in the Southeast As expected, the trough of low pressure that has been giving the West Coast snow and frigid temperatures has shifted to the east over the last few days. This means that cold air is likely to bring frost and freezes to many locations in the Southeast over the next several