Most gardeners across Alabama are ready for this bitter cold weather to move out. It's hard to get motivated to work in the garden when the weather is cold, but our guest blogger Chuck Browne reminds us that there are chores that can be done in the garden.
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Temperatures and weather conditions we have experienced in the last few days probably have everyone wanting to watch all those new DVDs they got for Christmas, and polish off all those leftovers in the fridge while curled up on the couch. I guess it’s just human nature. Folks don’t really like being outside this time of year. These are a few outdoor chores, however, that can be performed during this cold winter time.
Plant New Trees and Shrubs
Fall is the best time to establish new landscape plants. The dormant winter is the next best time. I am happy to say that I planted two trees on New Year’s Day. They were gifts to my friend Joann Cantavespre, who lives in Birmingham. Her daughter sent her two bare root fig trees from a mail order nursery.
Bare root nursery stock sent through the mail used to be one of the only ways to obtain fruit trees and other ornamental shrubs and trees. The modern nursery industry now uses a light pine bark media in a 1-, 3- or 5- gallon or larger container and produces a larger, more readily transplantable product that can be literally planted year round. That process revolutionized the nursery industry 50 years ago and has provided many more opportunities to the expanding nursery and landscape industry. It currently accounts for roughly 6 percent of Alabama’s total agricultural income receipts. At 2.9 billion dollars and 43,000 jobs annually, it has become big business.
Recent research has now changed our recommendations as to how we plant container grown trees and shrubs. Used to be, we knocked the plant out of its container, roughed up or scratched the root ball, popped it into the hole and then covered it up.
Now research has found that it is better to wash all of the growing media off the roots, physically separate them, spread them out and plant it more like a bareroot plant.
I have to admit, I am going to have to be convinced on this new method. It is brand new to me, and I am old school. I’ve tried this method a couple of times and, so far, had success. It has, however, been during the cooler seasons and plants are more forgiving during this time. I’m not sure how this method will work in August. I’m not saying it would not work. I just haven’t seen it done yet. More on this new planting technique as I receive the information from the researchers.
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Chuck is both a horticulturist and the Lee County Extension coordinator with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
Posted by lawremc at January 12, 2010 09:30 AM | TrackBack