It would be a good morning to be in the deer stand at Camp David. It is cloudy, cool and calm. But first, there are a few items on my to-do list. The 250ish Nativity scenes do need to be packed and stored until next year. The dining room is still filled with lots of jolly old men in the red suit and the nine stockings are still hanging on the mantle.
David has again moved the storage boxes back to the carport. Decorations are still on the Christmas trees. Well, if I get the yard decorations put away-that will be a start! A sweet friend posted a picture of a daffodil bloom. Then as I start walking down the driveway to gather up a metal gingerbread house, I spy numerous blooms on a small Forsythia!
HOPE…
January is a great time to be positive and think ahead. Get your lawn mower serviced and ready. Do you need new mower blades or just begin the season with them sharpened? Have you located and cleaned your gardening tools? Start the gardening season ready and organized.
It might be the darkest, coldest day in January, but when you look through those seed catalogs you just must smile. Plan and discuss the vegetables your family enjoys. If you are the only one in the household that enjoys yellow squash, you probably will not need to plant 50-plus hills of squash.
Research the plant varieties that grow best in your gardening zone. Some of the largest (I could not put my arms around it) and most beautiful cabbage I ever saw were in a 4-H community bed in Palmer, Alaska. Our growing season is very different. The United States Department of Agriculture has documented the temperature records for many years. Note the USDA hardiness/growing zones when selecting vegetables, flowers, shrubs, herbs or trees. We are in the 8a zone, with northern Lowndes County in 7b.
Order early and watch your garden centers for seeds to arrive. Gardening will provide your family with fresh vegetables within a short period of time.
Yes, there is work involved, but you will know the fertilizers used or the lack of pesticides.
Carefully planned home gardening can save you money and help with a healthier diet, free of unknown additives in processed foods.
Involve your children and grandchildren in the gardening process. Model and teach them the skills you learned from earlier generations.
No, I hope we do not have to get a horse or mule to pull the plow through the garden, but our three Sweet Things do need to know all about Ole Bob!
Now is the time to plant or move dormant trees and shrubs. Note the overhead power lines or the buried sewer lines before you start digging. Dig a hole three or four times the width of the root ball. The hole should be about one inch less than the height of the container.
Break up the removed soil, which could be extremely compacted if heavy equipment or vehicles have been in the area. Do not add any organic matter to the hole as it often acts as a sponge absorbing the water. Roots could suffocate and rot in the wet substance.
When you remove the plant from the container it often has taken the shape of the pot. Loosen the root ball with your hand before you place it in the middle of the hole. The top of the root ball should be about one inch above the soil level.
Return about one half of the soil around the plant and water until no bubbles are coming up. Add additional soil and water again to remove the air pockets from the soil. Be sure the root ball is slightly above ground level, and no dirt is piled around the stem. Fertilize later in the spring or early summer with a slow-release product. Do not fertilize in fall or winter. Apply about three inches of mulch around the tree or shrub. Remember to keep the mulch pulled away from the main stem of the plant.
Be patient with those plants that look dead after the Christmas hard freeze. Don’t trim back just yet. Hopefully, just the leaves were damaged and not the roots. It is January. Have HOPE!
Former elementary teacher and avid gardener Olivia Sansing lives in the New Hope community and shares timely tips on behalf of the Lowndes County Master Gardeners.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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