Savannah Georgia Real Estate Company Helping Buyers sellers investors

Gardening FAQ

Q. What is a good winter flowering plant for downtown Savannah's shady spots? I know about Pansies, snapdragons, et. al. But they all need sun. Please help!

A. My favorite right now is florist's cyclamen, both the miniature and larger sizes, especially the old-fashioned ones still being grown by some growers. I've used miniatures this year quite a bit and they look great. They all have a light, sweet fragrance. After-care is mainly dead-heading and protecting them from frost if we have a night the weatherman predicts will fall into the mid 20's or less (can mean trouble for downtown). They also do not respond well to excessivly rainy periods. Another great plant is now known as Gloxinia Sylvatica. They are a little more frost tender than cyclamen but they have no problem with rain. See In Town Garden Ideas Vol 3 No1 for more about this plant.

Q. Why do you use only hand tools or electric tools instead of gas powered tools? Don't they take more time and aren't extension cords a pain to deal with?

A. When I first started my service I realized right away that I did not want to deal with containers of gasoline. I do not like the smell of gas and I'm concerned about the hazards and liability of transporting and storing flamable liquids. I like supporting the electric grid because it holds great promise for our future and electric tools also tend to be quieter and do not pollute the environment with fuel emissions. Electric tools are also less expensive to buy, operate and maintain. I've gotten pretty good at handling extension cords, it just takes practice. Hand tools allow more precision and creativity, are very quiet and actually work fast.

Q. Why don't you use pesticides in your gardens?

A. I do not use pesticides in my gardens because I prefer not to. I would rather eliminate the problematic plants and replace them with plants that do not suffer from insects. There are plenty of attractive plants available that do not require pesticides. But some gardens have favorite plants that suffer from insects or in other instances, environmental conditions cause unusual outbreaks. In some cases I recommend hiring a professional pesticide applicator to spray. This spring I am initiating a new program releasing predator and/or parasitic insects which will attack the harmful pest insects.

Q. How can I protect my window sills from the moisture caused by windowboxes?

A. I generally recomend the galvinized flashing used by roofers. You can buy it in differing width rolls and cut it the the exact length you need. With proper installation it will catch the moisture so that it does not get your building wet.