1.) It disappears after time and can be replaced 2-3 times a year. You should be able to find it practically anywhere. Home depot, walmart... they park a big trailer with it. 2-3" of it after it settles should be good. Too much is bad.

2.) I think this summer has been unusually dry. Plant stuff that can handle dry spells.

3.) ???

4.)???

5.)???

6.) Ornamental cherry trees should be very easy to find anywhere.

7.) Mums will keep coming back with vigor and it's been said that they are invasive. Once you have them, you have them forever. I buy them in containers and bury the pots in mulch so it looks like they're in the ground.

In case nobody's saud this yet, welcome to GA! I'm sure you will find gardening much more fun here.

#3. terraces sure are nice. Landscape timbers from HD are a cheap way to terrace a hill.
#4. Either month should be fine. Just get them in before December 15th or so for timely blooms.
#5. Camelias do great here. Depending on species usually no closer than three feet, four or five is better for larger varieties. An espalier camelia would look great right against the house. Root stocks are normally smaller on these.
Azaleas love rich acidic soil. Leaf mulch is best for these. I pile the leaves up around my Azaleas each winter and just let them decay. I have never fertilized them and they do great. Native varieties are a bit tougher to establish. Encore varieties do OK but, I have never seen great second blooming on any yet.
Welcome to Georgia!!!

Hey. Glad you're settling in.

1) You can find plenty in my gutters. Feel free to take all you want.

2) Irrigation is a great idea. At least a dry spell every year that I can remember. Some shorter than this year's, some much longer.

3) Don't know, but someone on this forum will.

4)I do spring bulbs in mid to late November. I only have Siberian irises, so can't answer that part of the question.

5) They need acidic soil. Azaleas are surface feeders and can't be planted in a deep hole and survive. Need more of a scooped out bowl-shpaed hole with at least a third of the root ball above ground level. Mound soil loosely over that third. Don't know anything about camellias except that sasanquas sure are easy to grow.

6 & 7) Don't know.

Have a good time gardening.

Welcome!

Daffodils should be planted sometime between now and Thanksgiving. Early sprouting of any foliage may occur but don't worry. Daffodils look great in the spring with some pansies planted over them so that they daffodils are coming up through the pansies.

Iris are perennials and can be planted now.

I don't know camellias, but Sugar Hill pretty much covered the planting needs of azaleas: shallow holes, slightly raised rootballs and organic material (sold in HD as "soil conditioner", composted pine bark is a good one). Be sure to break up the root ball a bit and spread the roots out to encourage growth out to the sides.

I have native azaleas exclusively and haven't found them to be a problem at all. For best bloom, site them where they can get at least 4 hours of morning to early afternoon sun. As you know from Florida, the afternoon sun can be brutal. Lazy K nursery in Pine Mountain (near Callaway) is a fabulous azalea nursery.

I don't know about Macon, but in the Atlanta area you can easily find cherry trees (Yoshino and Kwanzan, I think are the two most common times, Okame is another). Unless the warmer climate is not good for them, I would think you could get them there also.

"Hardy" mums are perennials, "florist" mums are not. Hardy mums are what you see in all the stores now. To get good compact fall bloom the next year, they say to pinch back the growth halfway by July 4th (no later). Some of them spread more than others and they are lately getting a rap for being invasive, but I personally haven't experienced any aggressive behavior or ever seen a seedling. I'm sure that some are worst than others.

Welcome to GA and especially to Macon! Yoshino cherries should be easy to find, the house at the corner of Foster and Tucker Rds often has them for sale. Christmas trees can be taken to the chipper in exchange for a free Yoshino tree in January. Be careful to check your variety on any azaleas and camelias before using them as foundation plantings, many get very large. Usually get my pinestraw at Ace Hardware on Forsyth Rd., although I also order some delivered a couple times a year to redress most of the beds. Chances are your neighbors have someone they use to deliver. Lots of loonies bag their straw up for the trash guys to haul off, you'll probably see me on the side of the road embarrassing my family by throwing those bags in the pickup. Fall is my best time for planting shrubs, trees, roses, perennials and most bulbs.

Welcome,

Lisa

1)My pine straw mulch is deteriorating.
- Maintain about a 3" layer of mulch. Most people do this in early spring, some do it spring and fall.

2) The recent dry spell has made me think that I should put in irrigation.
- In the 5 years I've lived in GA the first two were total drought years and the last three had anywhere from 1 to 3 months of serious dry spells. Depending on how large your planting area is you might want to put in a irrigation system if you can afford it. In 10 years are you going to want to be dragging the hose around?

3) Planting in a hilly garden isn't as easy at 62 as it was at 22.
- pay to have the Hill done, either by a landscape company, day labor or neighborhood folk.

4) I'd like to plant irises and daffodils. Should I do that in October or November?
- Either one is fine. I usually wait till November.

5) I understand that camelias and azaleas do very well here, also. Any special treatment or soil needed? Plant them now?
- Yes, plant them now, no special condition besides those stated above. Some do get very large so at least 5' away from the house to accomodate spread and allow for air flow and access to the house

6) The cherry blossoms are so lovely. Are the trees readily available in the Macon area?
- Yes.

7) I also like mums. Are they perrenial here? Do they do well?
- Yes, they do well. I have had 3 different varieties in the ground for the last 3 years. The have performed wonderfully and are in full bloom now. Be sure to cut them back as above poster said. It helps to make a fuller plant and delay the bloom time until fall.

Welcome to Georgia! Happy planting!

Thank y'all for all your advice. I planted pansies and mums a few weeks ago and gave them a shot of miracle grow. They look great!
(Georgia_Rose) I will check out the place at Foster & Tucker for cherry trees. I know exactly where it is. It sounds like we live in the same area. I have thought of stopping to pick up bags that people have raked.
(snoogie) Thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions. Very helpful to me. You're right I don't want to be dragging a hose around when I'm 72.
I'm looking into irrigation for next year and possibly changing the hilly side yard into a terrace. It all makes a lot of sense.
Thanks again! everyone...
Rose

Oh Honey!Not only do Yoshino cherry trees do WELL in Macon, there is a Cherry Blossom Festival there in the Spring. It is usually in March;plan on going;there are LOTS of different events and tours.The trees in the medians downtown are in bloom,as are the azaleas. Also plan a visit in the Spring to historic Rose Hill Cemetery; when the roses are in bloom you can enjoy the fragrance in the air!!!You are easy driving distance of Fort Valley,Ga. which is home to the national offices of the American Camellia Society.... By the way, welcome to gardening in a paradise(in spite of the gnats)!!