Backyard Wisdom

Now is the Time for Seed Catalogs

Weather may be cold across the South, but a horticulture specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System says now is the time to check out the seed catalogs. Dr. Raymond Kessler, who is also an Auburn University professor of horticulture, says gardeners should take time now to review seed catalogs.

"There really is nothing better to do on a cold winter night than to settle into a comfortable chair and shop the seed catalogs for flower seeds," he says. "For serious gardeners, it's akin to years ago when children pored over the Sears Wish Book picking out what they wanted for Christmas."

He says whether gardeners are shopping from catalogs or online the options can be mind-boggling.

To learn from Dr. Kessler about the ins and out of catalog shopping, listen to him on the Backyard Wisdom podcast on the Auburn University iTunes site.

Don’t Forget The Birds

It has been bitterly cold in Alabama and much of the South for the last ten days. 

As hard  as this is on people, it's tough on wildlife as well.  My friend, Tony Glover, who is a regional home grounds agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, has some good advice on helping out our feathered friends here.

In Spite of Cold, Still Good Time to Plant Trees

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.

Plunging Temperatures and Its Impact on Your Garden

The Arctic blast has dropped temperatures across Alabama. This kind of cold is not really unusual in Alabama, but according to the National Weather Service in Birmingham, its length is unusual. The current record for Montgomery where lows have dropped below 25 degrees F is seven days going back to early January 2001. Current forecasts for the Montgomery area call for lows to remain at or below 25 degrees through January 11. This would easily put the current streak into the record books.

While people and pets are spending as much time inside as possible to stay warm, a colleague with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System says inside isn’t an option for the plants in home landscapes.

Tony Glover, a regional home grounds Extension agents, says that even in the face of this sustained cold weather, there is both good news and bad news.
Check out Tony’s thoughts on how the cold may affect your landscapes and gardens here.