I was doing my regular shopping this week and I had made it to the check-out with a buggy full. That’s when I saw it on the magazine stand: “The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Guide” for 2026. That $9.99 magazine jumped straight into my buggy.
It was a beautiful, full-color edition. The 8-by-11 pages were slick and modern – nothing like the Farmer’s Almanac I remembered on my grandfather’s table next to his rocker. This new one has 128 pages filled with short gardening articles and colorful photographs on every page.
The first Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1818. Its early articles were written by David Young, a poet and astronomer. Records show that its predictions were more accurate than groundhogs’ prognostications!
If you didn’t get your roses pruned by Valentine’s Day, check Facebook and follow Dr. Jeff Wilson. Dr. Wilson, an associate professor at Mississippi State University and horticulture specialist at the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center, has an excellent post on pruning roses and fruit trees.
Do you have plans for your summer flower garden? Develop a plan before visiting your local nursery. Do you want lots of bright colors or a bed of one base color in many shades? Are you interested in natives, succulents, or edibles? Are you planning a perennial bed for cut flowers? Maybe this is the year to create a pollinator garden to support butterflies, moths, and other wildlife. If you see a plant that sparks your interest, Google it or use a plant app to check whether it’s suitable for Mississippi’s growing season.
Have you considered planting caladium bulbs? Caladiums love hot weather. Plant them outdoors when nighttime temperatures stay above 65 degrees. They like warm air and soil, about two inches deep, upright with roots pointing down. If grandchildren are helping, don’t worry if they can’t tell the top from the bottom – the bulbs are usually foolproof. Depending on your space, caladiums can line a flower bed or sit in a pot on the deck.
Keep an eye on your vegetable garden space. Will you need to amend the soil before planting? What did your soil sample report show? Enjoy early crops such as radishes, spinach, turnips, and English peas. Irish potatoes will soon be popping through the ground.
Mark your calendars for the Lowndes County Master Gardener Plant Sale on April 18-19.
The sale will offer a wide variety of plants grown right here in our gardens, and we’ll have plenty of advice to give both seasoned and beginner gardeners. Prices will be much more affordable than what you’ll find at box stores, and all proceeds support our many community programs, including the herb garden at The W, the PawPaw Project, the butterfly garden on the Riverwalk, our scholarship fund and more.
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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You can help your community
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 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
