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Jim Thompson

As a longtime homeowner, Jim Thompson has tried over the years, with varying degrees of success, to enhance his residential landscapes.

As a reporter and editor for newspapers in rural Georgia, Jim interacted frequently with agricultural experts from the University of Georgia Extension Service, learning about soils and other aspects of growing things for both commercial and residential purposes.

A graduate of the University of Georgia with a bachelor's degree in political science, Jim covered a variety of beats before retiring and embarking on writing for Minneopa Orchards.

Ortiga, or stinging nettle, plants.

Ortiga

Sure, it’s a weed, but ortiga — commonly known as stinging nettle — can be cultivated in your home landscape. Ortiga’s scientific name, urtica diocia, …

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Closeup of the three-leaf pattern of poison ivy.

Poison Ivy

The first five letters of the scientific name for poison ivy, Toxicodendron radicans, say all you need to know. Contact with less than a grain …

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