Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca

05/23/2026

Please remember the significance of the weekend. "All gave some, some gave all."

While you're out and about this rainy weekend, catch up on my show. Today's show was great! We learned about the habits of turtles, caring for roses, plants deer don't eat, and proper planting techniques. Listen at my website below or find Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca wherever you listen to podcasts!

https://www.wsbradio.com/on-air/green-and-growing/

05/22/2026

Turtles have become a lurking theme on my show these last 2 Saturdays since I had a close (and scary) encounter with a large snapping turtle. 😂 And I'm here for it!!

Tomorrow morning, my conversation about these interesting reptiles with Kathryn Dudeck, wildlife director at Chattahoochee Nature Center! Plus, I visit with Barry McCasland, the President of the Greater Atlanta Rose Society - GARS. And I can't wait to answer your calls to 404-872-0750. Kick off the long weekend right by tuning in on 95.5 WSB!

05/22/2026

This afternoon/evening has been a tough one. I don’t understand people. I was accused of giving someone the runaround because I simply don’t have anymore space in my rehab. We are full. Those of you who know me or have followed us for a while know that we don’t turn away animals in need. This season has been crazy. Every bit of space is taken with cages or carriers with animals in them. It breaks my heart to say no. It takes a mental toll to turn anything away. Right now I have no choice. We don’t have anymore space.

Our last intake for now was an opossum that had been left outside laying for three damn days. Covered in fly strike and full of maggots. The person that left it there wanted to make sure I would try to help it and not euthanize it because she is “a good person”. As I said it’s been a rough evening

Please be kind when reaching out if you’ve found an orphaned or injured animal. Rehabs are bursting at the seams right now. We are overwhelmed. We are running on no sleep. Some work full time jobs and we all have family obligations that are being neglected. We do it because we love the animals and we are doing our best. The reality of not being able to save them all hits us very hard. Rehab is mentally and physically taxing. Please be kind.

Please be kind to our friends at Georgia Wildlife Network who are trying to help find placement for the animals in need. There are three incredible women that selflessly take the lead everyday trying to place injured an orphaned animals. There job is hard especially when rehabs are all full. They are backed by a great team of volunteers and each and everyone deserves respect and kindness. Georgia Rehabbers would have a hard time without them. They not only place but also arrange transport when it’s needed. BE KIND!!!

Please be kind to our vets that help wildlife. They see some of the worst cases and have to make the hard calls. Don’t be angry when they can’t offer updates. Please remember they are also tending to domestic animals all day and there just isn’t time.

Please give us all some grace. We are doing our best😔

05/20/2026

🐝It's World Bee Day. These powerful pollinators deserve a lot of credit!

If you've listened to my show, you know about the Great Southeast Pollinator Census Community, a weekend of counting and reporting pollinators! ✅ This year, the Census is August 21 and 22. Can you tell the difference between a wasp, a carpenter bee, and a bumble bee?? 🐝Follow the above page to learn in time for the Census!

https://gsepc.org/

05/19/2026

Saturday's show took on its own theme of invasive plants, and I love that! Educating about the dangers of letting invasives take over is really something I enjoy. Let's rehash some of the things we talked about:

ENGLISH IVY
- If you're overwhelmed by it, start with removing it off of trees. See in this picture how big and hairy the vines can get? Remove at least up to chest high.
- Take care to not remove bark when taking them off.
- You can really make a dent in removing it from the ground in just 30 minutes to an hour.
- Make noise before wading into the ivy to scare snakes and critters off.
- Dump vines on top of debris piles, and it won't reroot.

BAMBOO
- It's truly the worst!!
- Make cuts to the stalks as close to the ground as possible and immediately apply a highly concentrated glyphosate.
- Mow over new shoots.
- If you're able to dig it out, there will still be rhizomes below that will come back for years. It can even push up through pavement.
- If planting, please research clumping types, like Golden Goddess or keep it contained in large pots and planters.
- Research products like Bamboo Shield or metal flashing to implant at least 2 feet deep to block rhizomes from spreading.

WISTERIA
- Don't plant Asian varieties. Consider American types like 'Amethyst Falls' or 'Blue Moon Kentucky'
- If battling the Asian vines, remove them from trees as you would English ivy.
- Remove seed pods as they appear in late summer and early fall. Clean them up from the ground.

A great resource from Georgia Native Plant Society:
https://gnps.org/conservation/invasive-removal/

05/18/2026

Word of the Week!

Talking to experts often for the show, I learn new things, new techniques, and new words. Over the past few years, I've kept my own glossary of terms I've picked up. Maybe you can impress your friends by using some of these in your vernacular!

FASCIATION - plants that appear distorted, either as flattened, twisted, or enlarged stems or flower heads. It is sometimes due to bacteria, genetic mutations, or other environmental factors.

When and in what plants have you observed this phenomenon? In some cases, fasciation is more than just a funny look and could mean something more serious. Read about this concern on my website: https://www.wsbradio.com/on-air/green-and-growing/

05/18/2026

Yep! Message to received weekend before last!! 😂🐢

Vehicles are a common cause of mortality for many turtles. If you see one crossing a road this Memorial Day weekend, here are a few things you can do to help.

1. For a small turtle, such as this Eastern Box Turtle, pick them up by the side of their shell and move them across the road in the direction they were heading. The turtle may p*e on you, but that’s OK. Tell any onlookers that turtle p*e is just part of your “drip!” But see #5 below 🤣).

2. Never pick up a Snapping Turtle by the side of its shell. Snapping turtles have long necks and powerful jaws. Rather, pick it up by the back of their shell near the hind legs. If it’s a large “Snapper” (they can weigh over 30 lbs!), it may be easier to slide it on your vehicle’s floor mat in the direction it was heading. Be careful, though, as a Snapping Turtle may jump and try to bite you (they are trying to defend themself). It could also scratch you with its claws as you pick them up. If you have a pair of gloves in your vehicle, it may be wise to wear them if you are going to move a Snapper.

3. Never pick a turtle up by its tail as this can cause permanent damage to its spine.

4. Never move a turtle to another spot that looks like better habitat to you. The turtle will simply cross more roads to get back to their territory where you picked them up.

5. Wash your hands with 🧼 and then shellebrate your good deed!

More tips are in the comments.

05/16/2026

Did you miss the Top 3 Things to do from my show this morning? No worries!

1. Prune spring flowering shrubs and vines as need to reduce size, like quince, bridal wreath spirea, Carolina jessamine, and Lady Banks roses.
2. Look out for oddities in oaks! Oak shothole leafminer is a fly that cuts holes in oak leaves. And wool sower gall- white, fuzzy balls hanging on affected oaks (pictured). No need to for any treatment.
3. Check bluebird nest boxes, clean them out between broods. Remove the old nest (wear a mask). Spray 1 park bleach to 9 parts water to kill mites. And you can scrape ivory soap inside the top of the box to deter wasps from building nests.

05/16/2026

This morning, I'm mentioning to be on the look out for weird growth on some leaves. 👀First, oak oddities!

The perfectly punched holes in the red oak leaf I found in my driveway were put there by oak shothole leafminer, a fly who was busy eating back before the leaves unfurled. Nothing needs to be done. Despite what one of my Twitter followers thought, the holes were NOT put there by Dave Baker's BB gun! 😂

Another interesting thing you may see when you look up are these puffballs in oak trees. A wasp is responsible for this wool sower gall, which is specific to white oaks and only occurs in the spring.

These conical growths on the leaves of witch hazel are witch hazel cone gall, and they are created by witch hazel aphids. Thanks to Mike for the picture.

And finally, I've posted camellia leaf gall before, but the swollen leaves are so interesting. This is caused by a fungus. The leaves will eventually die and fall to the ground, but just pluck them off the plant when noticed and throw them away.

05/15/2026

If you listen to my show, you must know how scared I was even standing close to this!! 🫣😂