Georgia Magazine - March 2011 - (Page 40)

10 spring garden tips Master your spring planting fever STORY AND PHOTOS BY CONNIE COTTINGHAM S pring is a time of excitement in the garden and for the gardener. It is easy to get inspired—and confused—by spring fever set off by the ﬁrst blooms and spurts of warm weather and colorful offerings in garden centers. Below are some tips to help channel that inspiration and energy into a beautiful garden. 1. First, calm down. Spring fever may hit pretty hard, but few people in Georgia can get away with running out and planting everything they want in early March. For example, there was a frost in Rome on April 23, 1993, and April 25, 2005—and yet the ﬁnal frost there was March 8, 2010. Look up your average last frost date on the Internet or in an almanac for a general guideline. Feel free to plant trees and shrubs into the ground now (in fact, February would have been perfect), but hold off on annuals like impatiens, salvia, marigolds and geraniums, and heat-loving tomato and pepper plants until all danger of frost has passed. There’s plenty to be done in the garden to keep you busy now, such as garden repairs, mulching and pruning. 2. Decide what you want to do, then how to do it. Landscapes are no longer just stage sets in front of a house. Your garden should be an expression of you and your family. Do you want your garden to host outdoor parties and be part of your home’s living space, provide a playspace for children, create a habitat for birds and wildlife, grow your own food, or just look good and not Daylilies, as well as azaleas, roses and irises, are available in reblooming varieties as well as the traditional one-time burst of blooms. Both types have their charms. demand much of your time? A landscape architect or designer, as well as design magazines and books, might help you come up with solutions. 3. Turn to area experts. Shop at local garden centers and nurseries, and bring a few photos of your landscape to help you communicate with the staff when you ask for their recommendations. See the “Resources” sidebar on page 43 for a wealth of gardening information, experts and classes, including websites with recommended plants for Georgia gardens. 4. Mulch, mulch, mulch. Adding a layer of organic mulch is an important garden chore for many reasons—to discourage weeds, stop mud splashes, stabilize soil temperatures, look attractive, build soil, protect roots and so forth. 5. Vegetables are grown in a Create a colorful scene with foliage, as in the two photos above at the Research and Education Center, UGA Grifﬁn Campus. Few ﬂowers are in these photos, but the variety of colors, textures and shapes make the plantings interesting. 40 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org big, ﬂat rectangle, and perennials in the perennial border—right? Says who? Actually, herbs make a great groundcover, asparagus adds GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - March 2011

Georgia Magazine - March 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
Special Energy Report
A Balancing Act
Right on Key
Around Georgia
Georgia@Home
My Georgia
Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - March 2011