Calhoun County Gardening – Unveiling Cannas: Not Your Typical Lily
Calhoun County, AL –For years I called cannas, bulbs! However! They are rhizomes, like Iris. After the early spring tulips and late spring Iris and gladiolus have demonstrated their flowering beauty, … exotic lilies take center stage. Cannas Lily is actually not a Lily. Early summer giant stalks of cannas lilies will continue to bloom […]
Calhoun County Gardening: The Joy of Growing and Cooking Crook Necked Squash: From Garden to Table
Calhoun County, AL – I enjoy planting crook necked squash because it matures by fifty three days after planting. I sow the seeds after any sign of frost. The best method to germinate your squash seeds after sowing them is to keep the seeds moist daily until germination. Once germinated do not over water the […]
Calhoun County Gardening: Blooming Beauties The Joy of June to September Lilies
Calhoun County, AL –Lily bulbs can be planted in pots, in the ground, in raised beds and hanging baskets. I enjoy them June to September. Every 5-7 years many gardeners dig up and divide their Lily bulbs to transplant in other areas of their landscapes. If you plant the lily bulb late fall before the […]
Calhoun County Gardening: Japanese Beetle Killed: Day #1 of 6 Weeks of Hades
Calhoun County, AL – I hate their guts, I noticed on my budded Double Scarlet Flame Zinnas one leaf amongst dozens with knaw marks! I am savvy on their mannerisms, I flip over the leaf and there the imp was. I used my fingers & squeeze the life out of it, tossing to the birds. […]
Calhoun County Gardening: Beat the Heat: How to Grow a Summer-Long Supply of Green Leafy Vegetables
Calhoun County, AL – I grow a continuance summer supply of green leafy vegetables. With hot summer temperatures you might ask, how? Once my cucumber & green bean vines start creating vertical shade by growing up trellises, they become umbrella leaves. I sow seeds under these leaves in the ground to shelter lettuce, kale, spinach […]
Calhoun County Gardening: Taming Bamboo – How One Gardener Turned an Invasive Threat into a Beautiful Potted Oasis
Calhoun County, AL –If you hear the rumor about bamboo being invasive, which it can be, consider potting bamboo. In 2018 I decided to get permission to stomp through a wooded bamboo grove near a creek. I was seeking 7 foot tall bamboo canes because the 12 foot root systems are deep and requires a […]
Calhoun County Gardening: First Investment for New Gardeners: Garden Pottery for Versatility and Longevity
Calhoun County, AL –When a new gardener wants the answer to what they should invest in first? My answer is, “Garden Pottery”. Whether the gardener lives in a condo with only balcony space, or a gated community with restrictions in digging & planting, the answer is Garden Pottery. Many farmers lease large plots of land […]
Calhoun County Gardening: Unveiling the Delights of Clemson Spineless Okra – A Gardener’s Guide to Summer Bounty
Calhoun County, AL – One of my favorite summer vegetables is okra! It reaches harvest in 55-65 days. I like it breaded and fried. As a gardener I have tried many types of okra seeds. However, my most successful okra seeds are always Clemson Spineless Okra. Do not plant okra seeds deep. A depth of ¾ inch […]
Calhoun County Gardening: Marketmore 76 Cucumbers Triumph in Garden Trials
Calhoun County, AL – Marketmore 76 Cucumbers by Betty Clark 4.21.24 … I switched from straight eight cucumber seeds (which I like as a secondary option) to Marketmore 76 seeds. Why did I switch? A trial has been done on them. Which I did not realize when I randomly purchased the seeds. In my opinion […]
Unlocking the Beauty of Plum Tart Gladiolus
Calhoun County, AL – Exotic Plum Tart Gladiolus by Betty Clark 4.14.24. In 2018 my mother’s heirloom gladiolus bed became my corm possessions. Gladiolus corms can be dug up easy & transplanted easy. Many gardeners call them bulbs but they are corms. Her prized Plum Tart Gladiolus corms are a unique color hue. Their colors […]