Local garden centers encourage home owners to start summer gardens now, before the official start to summer. They say Memorial Day weekend is the ideal time to start planting.
“Now would be a good time to get things in, before the heat of summer gets here to let it have a chance to get rooted in,” said Jeffery Bittinger, owner of Bittinger & Co. “That way you are not spending too much time with watering and trying to keep it alive through the heat of summer.”
Experts advise wearing proper protection while gardening outside, such as a hat, garden sleeves, and gloves while planting your flowers.
Plant Lady Teresa Johnson suggests using plants to keep the mosquitoes away. “I do like to take citronella and rub it on my clothes and around my hat to keep the mosquitoes away” said Johnson. “You can also grind this up and strain it and spray it on your patio furniture.”
Current gardening trends include native plant landscaping, raised garden beds, and creating bird gardens that attract pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies.
Some common mistakes are planting too many plants in one area. That can cause overcrowding, stunt growth, and spread disease among your plants. Also be aware of the placement of your plants, the irrigation, and pH levels in your soil. “Every city is different. Our pH levels in Tuscaloosa are low, but you travel over to Aliceville and their pH levels are high, so you have to plant plants that go with their pH,” said Johnson.
While picking and choosing your plants, Johnson warns of making gardens from AI that do not take your exact needs into account. “Your yards are not going to look like that when it’s through,” said Johnson. “So you’re best to go to a nursery of your choice and look at plants first hand and talk to your people about what you like or don’t like.”
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