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Burford ON News

Apr 13, 2017

Suggestions for a living hedge (Garden Talk)

Another category of plant to consider are the hollies, or Ilex varieties. Chinese hollies such as Burford exhibit large, spiny leaves, growing to 20 feet with heavy fruit set that brings in the birds!Other plants offer similar attributes, choosing the one or ones to create space in your landscape or yard may be the hardest part. You'll need to match the species to your space, considering soil, sun, and size.Most of these plants are considered low-maintenance once they are established.  The blackberries may need some pruning to keep them in bounds, others mentioned will need less maintenance.If you would like additional information, contact your county Extension office for more recommendations.Garden Talk is written by Sallie Lee of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES). She is housed at the C. Beaty Hanna Horticultural and Environmental Center, which is based at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. This column includes research based information from land-grant universities around the country, including Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities. Email questions to Sallie at leesall@auburn.edu or call 205-879-6964 x11. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University), is an equal opportunity educator and employer.  Everyone is welcome! ... (AL.com)

Dec 30, 2015

Holly berries vary across the state

Laura Faulkner, CovingtonA: I went out back and spoke to my holly friends Nellie, Savannah, Foster and Burford. They all reported copious berries this winter. Then I posted your question on my Georgia Gardener Facebook page and got widely varying observations. Folks in Woodstock, Commerce and Marietta had no berries. Gardeners in Jonesboro, Columbus and Chattanooga had plenty. My guess is that something interfered with pollination on your hollies. Maybe there was too much rain during flowering or there was no pollinator nearby. Enjoy the foliage and wait for next year! Q: Are pecan leaves good to mulch a garden? The local Cub Scout pack will be raking leaves at church and I’m planning to put them on our community garden there. — Alan Reeves, Cave Spring A: It’s well-known that juglone, a chemical in walnut leaves and roots, can interfere with plants growing underneath. All members of the walnut family (hickory, pecan, etc.) exude varying amounts of juglone. But it’s hard to predict how much juglone is in your pecan leaves. Amounts vary by variety, weather and time of year. My bet is that is there’s not much bad stuff there, but I’m not su... (MyAJC)

Dec 23, 2015

DALY: Several landscape plants have colorful berries

However, a male plant needs to be in the vicinity for pollination. Hollies come in several sizes, from shrubs to small trees. Burford hollies are some of the most commonly planted hollies in the landscape. They can grow as high as 20 feet, but the dwarf form is most often planted. It grows 6 to 10 feet high and is frequently used as a hedge. Needlepoint hollies are similar to the Burford hollies in their growth habit, but their leaves taper to a narrower point. Several hollies can be used as trees. Savannah hollies can reach 20 to 30 feet high and have a conical to pyramidal growth form. They do require extra fertilizer since they are heavy feeders and will turn light green to yellow and shed their leaves if the soil does not have adequate nutrients. Foster hollies have narrow dark green leaves with a spiny tip. They can reach up to 30 feet in height and have a growth habit similar to the Savannah hollies. Several hollies with attractive berries are deciduous. The possumhaw, which is native to Georgia, grows up to 15 feet. It has glossy green foliage in the summer, which turns yellow in the fall. It produces scarlet to orange berries. The winterberry holly grows to 10 feet and has an oval to round shape. It has dark green foliage in the summer with no significant fall color. Winterberries produce bright red berries that are often in pairs. Possumhaws and winterberries are frequently planted together in groups, and both tolerate wet soils. Pyracanthas produce orange to red berries. They have long sharp thorns and are sometimes referred to as firethorns. The plants are evergreen, and two species are commonly used in... (Gwinnettdailypost.com)