Conserve water with compost

Recycling paper and bottles is good for the planet. Recycling food waste into compost is good for your garden, saves water and makes your plants happier, according to a University of Georgia expert.

Compost is decomposed organic matter. In heavy clay soils, compost reduces compaction, increases aeration and helps water seep better into the soil. In sandy soils, it helps retain both water and nutrients, said Bob Westerfield, a horticulturist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

“Incorporating finished compost into vegetable garden beds or plant beds amends the soil and allows water and air to filter more easily through the soil,” he said. “This can help prevent run-off and adds nutrients to the soil.”

Wait to add compost to gardens until the soil is dry enough to be worked. He suggests tilling finished compost into the soil 6 to 8 inches deep.

Nearly finished compost can be used as mulch. It helps plants retain moisture and prevents weeds.
To make compost, mix brown and green organic materials. Brown compost material includes dry dead plants, leaves, grass clippings, shredded paper and wood chips. Brown compost provides carbon. Green compost material includes fresh-plant products, coffee grounds, tea bags and fruit and vegetable waste from the kitchen. It provides nitrogen.

Westerfield says to include more brown items than green. The ratio should be 3 to 1. Materials should be added in layers, alternating brown and green. Don’t add meats, bones, grease or other animal-based food waste. They can smell bad and attract rodents.

A pile of compost can take three weeks to six months to process, depending on the care. Adding fresh material to a pile can cause the process to take longer.

“The composting cycle will work faster if the pile is kept moist and turned frequently,” he said. “The more you agitate the pile, the faster it will compost.”

Along with turning the pile a few times a month, rainwater helps maintain moisture. Water should be added only to keep the pile moist, not wet.

“It is nice to have two or three bins so you can have several stages of compost,” he said.

Remove finished compost from the pile and put in a separate bin for use. “Some people are disappointed because they fill the bin up. And when it becomes compost, they end up with 10 to 20 percent of what they put in,” he said. “As it biodegrades, its volume drastically reduces.”

Fertilizer can be added to the pile. A little 10-10-10 mixed fertilizer and a few scoops of garden soil are suggested. Don’t add lime.

Composting provides organic material to plants and is a valuable type of recycling. “It’s a way to recycle waste and save money by producing a product from trash you would otherwise have to buy,” Westerfield said.

By April Reese Sorrow

University of Georgia

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Blue Suede blueberry perfect for home gardens

For years, University of Georgia plant breeder Scott NeSmith has created new blueberry varieties for the commercial market. Now, he has bred one just for home gardeners.

Blue Suede is a Southern highbush blueberry for edible home landscapes, said Nesmith, a horticulturist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

It produces flavorful, large, light-blue berries, and performs well in USDA Hardiness zones 6a through 9a.

“It bears attractive, very edible fruit and should look nice as a landscaping plant, too,” he said. “It has nice fall foliage color.”

Bred especially for home gardeners

Blue Suede is exclusively licensed to McCorkle Nursery, which plans to introduce it as part of their Gardener’s Confidence Collection early next year.

But isn’t a berry just a berry? NeSmith says he has to consider an entirely different list of characteristics when he breeds a blueberry plant for the commercial market.

“Commercial plants have to meet certain standards for several reasons, including the fact that berries have to travel long distances,” he said. “Yield is another factor. Commercial growers like all the berries of one variety to ripen at once, and then the next variety to come on. Home gardeners like to pick a bowlful at a time.”

Blue Suede has a “protracted ripening period,” he said, allowing harvest over a longer period of time.

Commercial berries have to survive shipping

Commercial growers also worry about problems like berry scarring. If a berry attaches to the plant, an open scar is created when it’s picked.

“You can’t have berries that leak and ooze while they are being shipped to the market,” he said. “But in a home setting, it doesn’t matter because you are going to eat them right away.”

When adding blueberry plants to your home landscape, Nesmith says to set aside the first year as a growing year for the plant. “You may see a small amount of fruit the second year, but the third year will bring a good blueberry crop,” he said.

Varieties bred for home planting like Blue Suede are designed to stand alone in the landscape. They are self-fruiting and do not require other plants for pollination.

“If you are a home consumer who wants to plant 10 to 15 blueberry bushes and create a patch, you may want to select a standard commercial variety,” NeSmith said.

Garden centers supplied by McCorkle's

McCorkle Nurseries is promoting Blue Suede as a deck or patio container plant.

“It’s perfect for people who live in condominiums or apartments and don’t have a space to plant more than one plant,” said Mike Sikes, a horticulturist with McCorkle Nurseries. “It’s perfect for all seasons, too. You can enjoy the beautiful colored foliage in the fall, green leaves in the winter, flowers in the spring and delicious berries in the summer.”

More to come

Blue Suede is the first UGA edible ornamental blueberry release, but it won’t be the last, Nesmith said. There are plans to breed and release blueberry plants that produce a variety of different traits.
“We are looking at one plant that produces a berry that turns yellow, orange and then kinda black,” he said. “They will all be very edible, very sweet and attractive in a landscape. One of our goals is to produce a plant that doesn’t just look like a stick most of the year.”



By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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Hot tips for cool crops: Get growing on your fall garden

(ARA) - You might think the end of summer means bidding farewell to fresh, homegrown veggies. Not so - many cool-season crops hit their heyday as autumn temperatures drop, and some even taste better when nipped by a light frost.

As long as their basic growing conditions are met, vegetable plants don't care what season it is. If you live in a warmer climate, you may be able to grow your fall garden all winter long. If, however, you live in a colder area, your growing season will be shorter.

In most regions of the country, gardeners plant fall vegetables in August or September for harvest in October and November. You'll need to carefully calculate your growing season so you can ensure plants have time to produce before freezing weather arrives. Generally, you should plant fall vegetables when daytime temperatures range between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (the cooler the better); night temperatures should be above 40 degrees, and you'll need enough sunshine to ensure plants will get at least six hours of sun per day. You'll also need to give plants at least an inch of water per week.

To get started, remove all the debris left over from your summer garden so fall crops have plenty of room to grow. Add compost to your garden beds and landscapes. Soil should be light, well-aerated and well-draining - since fall gardens are more likely to get soggy from rain. Mulch will keep the soil cool and moist during the last days of summer.

You can also mix in an all natural fertilizer like Bonnie Plants, Herb and Vegetable Plant Food, made from soybean oilseed extract, known to contain 150,000 nutritional and organic compounds that include vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins, enzymes, plant hormones and carbohydrates. All are vital to plant growth. Next, find out your local frost and freeze dates. For most areas, frost doesn't have to end the fall growing season. Monitor your local weather forecast during late September and early October so you know when frost is coming.

Once you know your local frost and freeze dates, you can begin planning - and planting - your fall garden. Remember, when growing vegetables in the fall, plants need to be in the ground in time to mature before the first frost, and to yield most of their harvest before the first heavy freeze. Some cool-season crops mature in as little as 30 to 40 days, while others may take several months to produce.

Since time is of the essence when planting a fall garden, start out with transplants that are already growing. Choose fast-maturing varieties, like Bonnie Plants, to get the most for your harvest. The gardening experts at Bonnie suggest these fall crops:

* Winterbor kale - This vigorous producer weathers winter easily, even in very cold climates. Cut outer leaves so that the center can continue growing. Space transplants about 12 inches apart

* Georgia collards - Another leafy green similar to kale, Georgia collards are prized for their sweet, cabbage-like flavor. Space transplants 36 inches apart.

* Romaine lettuce -- Romaine packs more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients than other popular types of lettuce. Space transplants 18 inches apart.

* Early dividend broccoli - Popular, productive and easy to grow, this broccoli is high in fiber and calcium. Set transplants 18 inches apart.

* Mustard greens - Offering spicy hot leaves, this is a very fast-growing, nutritious vegetable. Mustard greens always taste sweeter when nipped by frost. Space plants 12 inches apart.

* Bonnie hybrid cabbage - Bonnie's best cabbage is high in beta-carotene, vitamins C and K, and fiber. Space transplants 24 inches apart.

* Arugula - These fast-growing leafy greens are super-food for your bones. The leaves are "nutrient dense" and low in calories. Leaves grow best in cool weather.

As winter grows closer, you can extend your garden harvest by using floating row covers on frosty nights, or by planting in containers that can be brought indoors overnight. Be ready with some kind of protection to cover your plants. You can opt for something commercially manufactured, such as cloches, polyethylene blankets and corrugated fiberglass covers, or try simple household items like old towels, bed sheets, or even used plastic milk jugs with the bottoms removed.

You can continue to enjoy fresh, homegrown vegetables through fall and even into winter when you start with some expert knowledge and the right plants. To learn more about growing a fall garden visit www.bonnieplants.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent


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Creating a budget-friendly water garden

Editor Note:  Have a great pond in Fayette County?  Have too many fishy mouths to feed?  Need to prune the plants in your pond?  


The Fayette Front Page is happy to announce a new networking tool for Fayette County Water Gardeners.  Pop us an email to let us know what "extras" you need to get out of your pond and into someone else's!  We'll post what you've got in order to help those plants and fish find new homes!

Send those emails to ann@fayettefrontpage.com with "pond exchange" as the subject since she has graciously volunteered to get the givers and the givees together.  Of course, the rest of the staff suspects she wants to prune her own pond and we just know she can't kill those plants!

First up--   "Lizard Tail" plants need a new home.  Our pond is overflowing with them!

A water garden filled with plants, brightly colored koi and goldfish doesn’t have to break the bank. A University of Georgia expert offers tips on creating a water garden on a budget, but says you’re still going to have to pay sweat equity.

Horticulturist Tony Johnson is responsible for three water gardens at the UGA Research and Education Garden in Griffin, Ga. An award-winning landscape designer, he has installed water gardens for more than 25 years.

Money-savings tips

For those who’d like to install a water garden but can only do so on a tight budget, Johnson offers a few tips:

• Instead of buying pots designed for water gardens, improvise. Create water garden pots by drilling holes in the bottom of a new oil pan or plastic trash can lid.
• To make inexpensive floating pots, place the pots in circles made from the foam noodles commonly used in swimming pools. Close the ends with a small piece of plastic tubing the size of the hole in the end of the noodle, he said.
“I know these are strong because they hold me up in the swimming pool when I play with my grandkids,” Johnson said. “An oil pan costs about $3 and the noodle is around $2, so for $5 you can create a unique floating plant island.”
• Don’t buy expensive water garden potting mixes. Plant water garden plants in regular potting mix combined with unscented cat litter.
• Instead of buying plants, find a friend who has a water garden and ask her to share a few plants.

Get plants from other water gardeners

“Most water gardens contain more plants than they need,” he said. “And your friends most likely need to thin out their garden so you’d probably be helping them out.”

When selecting plants, Johnson recommends hardy lilies, ornamental sweet potatoes, creeping jenny and impatiens.

Johnson may offer money-saving tips when it comes to pots, soil and plants, but he stands firm when it comes to buying a water garden liner. He only recommends Permalon or EPDM rubber liners.

Don't cut corners on pond's liner

“Don’t try to save money by buying roofing material or a swimming pool liner,” he said. “They contain chemicals that can kill your fish. And, a blue pool liner will reflect sunlight, and light equals more algae.”

Water gardens should be at least 24 inches deep and the bottom should be lined with 2 inches of sand to protect the liner or underlayment. Lay the liner in place and anchor it with rocks. Next, add the pump and filter system, what Johnson calls the final and most important aspects.

"When it comes to pumps, always buy a bigger pump than you think you need,” he said.

Adding a few fish will keep the mosquito larvae population down and provide visual entertainment. You can often get these from friends, too.

Tending the garden is a must

Once your garden is installed, then you really begin paying – in sweat equity, Johnson said.
“To properly maintain a water garden, you should be doing something in there every week,” he said. “It may be grooming or pruning plants or it could be cleaning the filter.”

When cleaning the pond filter, use water from the pond to help maintain the active beneficial bacteria growing there.

Johnson suggests investing in a pair of wading boots or surf shoes to wear when working inside your water garden.

Don't toss excess plants in ponds, rivers

When pruning water garden plants, he recommends sharing excess plants with other water gardeners. Do not dump them in the neighborhood pond thinking you are helping the environment.

“Most water garden plants are very invasive and you’ll be hurting far more than helping,” he said.

Remove entire stems of spent water lilies and dispose of faded leaves, which are signs of disease. Dead plant material will sink to the bottom of the pond, feed the algae and turn your pond water pea green, he said.

If you don’t prune throughout the year, Johnson says you must at least do a once-a-year pruning or your garden will quickly grow out of control.

For more information on the UGA Research and Education Garden, visit www.ugagarden.com.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia
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Dealing with wet gardens and landscapes

Most gardeners view rainfall as a good thing. But too much of a good thing, namely rain, can be bad.
Disease is always an issue when there is abundant moisture and plants don’t have time to dry out. Many ornamentals, particularly annuals and tender perennials, suffer in the form of leaf spots and root rot. If annuals are not planted on raised beds, too much rainfall can cause them to die.

Pale, yellow coloring is a result of wet roots and leached nitrogen from the soil. Light applications of fertilizer will sometimes help perk up annuals, provided the rainfall levels off.

Leaf spots and other fungal diseases can be controlled through sanitation and occasional use of fungicides. Picking off infected leaves and removing heavily diseased plants will help to curtail the problem.

Some plants and vegetables have been affected by strong winds in combination with the wet soils. This has caused many plants to lean over. As long as the root system has not detached, the plants can be gently stood back up by hand. Then, lightly step on the opposite side of the plant root ball.

In some cases, it may be necessary to use a temporary staking system and guy wires to encourage a plant to grow back in the right direction. If you use wires, protect the plant with some form of a rubber collar such as an old water hose.

Small plants may be stood back up with the help of a single stake or even tomato cages. Corn that has blown over will often stand itself up in a few days and still produce decent ears.

Vegetable gardens also need attention. Weeds seem to love the wet conditions and most likely are thriving. Control weeds through light tilling and hand pulling. Weeds pull nutrients from the soil and will stunt vegetable plants if left unchecked.

As the summer progresses, keep an eye on your tomatoes. If the rains continue, tomato plants will be especially vulnerable.

Prune off diseased foliage to encourage new growth. Many tomatoes will exhibit growth cracks near the top of the fruit as a result of too much rain.

While they may not look pretty, these tomatoes are still perfectly fine to eat. Varieties that put out one or two big harvests should be removed after production to avoid buildup of diseases or insects.

It seems as though it is difficult to have a summer that has the right amount of rainfall. We either get too little or too much all at once. By paying close attention to landscapes and gardens during times of stressful conditions, you can help your plants survive.

By Robert Westerfield
University of Georgia

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How to make growing your own vegetables as earth-friendly as possible

(ARA) - There was a time when it was the norm to go out in the yard and pull fresh vegetables up from the soil. At some point over the years, we moved from the goodness of home-grown vegetables toward processed foods and microwave dinners. Now consumers are becoming more aware of the financial value of growing their own vegetables, and how doing so can bolster the health of their families and of the earth.

Vegetable gardening might sound intimidating, but new technologies can make your thumb greener than ever. Combined with good old-fashioned growing techniques, your garden can be healthy and yield a good crop with less effort than you'd imagine - all while being good for the earth. Here are some tips for a garden that is doubly green.

Water, water everywhere, but not too much
* A fine balance needs to be struck when it comes to watering your vegetable garden, especially during drought conditions. You want your plants to get adequate moisture, but overwatering can be bad for plants and a wasteful use of a precious natural resource. Because it's better for both your crops and the environment, careful water usage is essential to being a truly green gardener.

Installing an irrigation system is a good way to keep water usage at the ideal levels. Plus, you don't have to plan a schedule around when you need to water. There are user-friendly, affordable solutions like Mister Landscaper's new Drip Irrigation Vegetable Kit, which connects to your outdoor spigot. It's a great way to ensure that your plants get the water they need, without wasting or over watering. The kit is drought approved in most areas and available at Lowe's in the plumbing department. Watering timers can also make the job of watering even easier. Keep in mind that it's best to water in the early morning, when the sun is lower in the sky, for 30 to 60 minutes, every other day. For more information about watering vegetable gardens, go to www.misterlandscaper.com.

One man's garbage is another's fertilizer
* Ever feel guilty about throwing out vegetable and fruit peelings, rinds or scraps? Your intuition might just be telling you that there's a better way to handle those leftovers. Composting is a great way to make use of organic matter that might otherwise just get thrown away.

Building a compost heap is relatively easy, and it will keep on giving back to your garden and the environment. The four necessary ingredients for composting, according to California's "CalRecycle" program, are nitrogen (from sources like grass clippings or those throwaway veggie scraps), carbon (from sources like sawdust or twigs), water and air. Once your compost is at the ideal level of decomposition (it will be uniformly dark brown and crumbly), spread it on your garden to give plants a nutrient boost.

Get growing - organically
* From the moment you start planning a garden, think organic. The most basic - and fun - choice of all is deciding which plants you'll grow. Choose organic seeds and starters so that you know you're buying into an earth-friendly business venture. There's the added bonus of knowing that your plants won't be tainted with harmful chemicals.

When it comes to maintaining your garden, you'll probably need things other than just compost. Look for products that are recognized as organic by respected organizations like the USDA or the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) - you'll be able to find an ever-growing supply of products like pest repellent or soil amendments.

Growing your own vegetables at home has many benefits: it saves money, allows you to control what your food is exposed to and provides a fun and easy activity that the whole family can participate in. And when you follow these green gardening principles, you'll be doing something good for the earth, too.

Courtesy of ARAcontent


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Tips for keeping your garden truly organic

(ARA) - The trend for gardening at home continues to grow - and people are taking a particular interest in raising their flowers and vegetables organically. With such prominent figures as Michelle Obama taking public initiatives in organic gardening, more and more products that cater to the trend are appearing.

Unfortunately, the increased interest in organic gardening has led to some confusion - and some deception - about what it means for a product to be "organic." The labeling of products has become a minefield for consumers who are interested in eco-friendly agriculture. It can be difficult to know exactly what is meant by products labeled "natural," "plant-based" or "organic."

Official organic labeling comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Their seal comes in a few forms, denoting whether a product is "100 percent organic," "organic," or "made with organic" ingredients. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence suggests this multi-tiered labeling system is also contributing to consumer confusion.

For example, for a product to be labeled 100 percent organic, everything in it must be certified organic. If it says just "organic," that means that it must contain 95 percent certified organic ingredients. If a product contains 70 percent organic ingredients, it can be labeled as being "made with organic [ingredients]." Any product with less than 70 percent organic ingredients cannot carry the USDA seal.

Another thing to keep in mind is that a product labeled "natural" is not organic. While there might be some naturally occurring ingredients in the product, it doesn't mean that it's safe or earth-friendly - not to mention organic.

Perhaps in an effort to simplify the consumer's "organic" label options, the USDA also directs consumers to other organizations that can help them determine whether or not the products they're buying are 100 percent organic. One of those, the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is a non-profit, independent organization that gives reviews of products and how they stand up to the National Organic Standards from the USDA.

For concerned consumers, they provide a comprehensive list (available online) of products that pass the test. "OMRI's list is an invaluable tool for gardeners who want to keep their plots organic," says Claude Boisvert, president of Tree World Plant Care Products. "It makes it easier than ever to find gardening supplements that are not harmful to the environment."

If your main concern in planting an organic garden is providing your family with safe-to-eat, healthy food right from your own back yard, you'll want to take the trouble to make sure you're using truly organic gardening products. At the same time, you want your garden to look great and produce well.

One of the biggest challenges to organic gardening is keeping pests away in a way that is humane and safe. For smaller pests, it is increasingly easy to find organic insecticidal soaps that are safe unlike some traditional pesticides. Larger garden plant browsers can really wreak havoc unless you use a rabbit or deer repellent. An OMRI listed solution, developed in eco-conscious Sweden and now made in the United States, is Plantskydd. Its effectiveness and environmental soundness as an organic repellent have made it popular for farming and among gardeners, professional landscapers, nurseries, foresters and state conservation agencies.

It's important to remember that you have the power to influence the products that are available to you. If keeping your organic garden truly organic is important to you, discuss your concerns with local retailers. By asking them to stock products that have been subject to rigorous standards, like those of OMRI, you'll make it easier for everyone in your community to have access to verified organic materials.

Courtesy of ARAcontent


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Get a jump start on growing food and flowers this spring with raised garden beds

(ARA) - The popularity of urban gardening has exploded over the past couple of years, due in part to increased awareness about food safety, the financial stresses of the economy and a growing desire to be eco-friendly.

Some of the most enjoyable, user-friendly gardens, like vegetable and herb gardens or cut-flower gardens, perform exceptionally well in raised beds. Plants tend to perform better in raised beds than in regular beds because there is less soil compaction (since you're not treading between the plants) and they allow for excellent drainage.

"I've been gardening in raised beds for over 30 years, and I'm convinced they're the best way to grow," says Paul James, HGTV's Gardener Guy. "One of the things I like most about raised beds is that they warm up faster in spring and stay warmer longer in the fall, which means a longer growing season and an extended harvest."

While raised beds are extremely functional, they can also add style to your yard or garden. The organized appearance of the beds lends a handsome structural element.

Quality, durable materials last longer and look better. Western Red Cedar is a strong choice for building garden beds because it is easy to work with, rot-resistant and ages beautifully, maintaining its shape and strength over the years, even when exposed to extreme weather. If you're concerned about the environment, you can take comfort in the fact that it is an authentically sustainable, renewable green building material.

Making your own raised garden beds is an easy and fun project - having a helper will make the job easier. Follow these tips and get growing.

* Plan ahead to keep the bed size manageable. A bed measuring about 3 feet by 6 feet is a good size. You'll want the bed to be at least a foot high - if you want it higher, just add another board, but keep in mind that you'll need to add extra soil.

* Buy the materials you'll need: Western Red Cedar boards (2 x 6 work well) - four 3-foot lengths and four 6-foot lengths; Western Red Cedar posts (4 x 4), for corner supports, cut to 18 inches each; 3-inch galvanized screws, about 35 to 40.

* Cut the ends of the 18-inch post lengths to a sharp point with a saw - these pointed ends will go into the soil to support the bed.

* Lay two post lengths down and place two 3-foot planks on top of them (to equal 12 inches in height) and line up the edges along the sides and to the top of the posts (the unsharpened end). Pre-drill holes using a bit that is smaller than the screws, then put in the screws. Repeat with the other 3-foot boards and 18-inch posts to form the other short end of the bed.

* Now you're ready to add the long sides of the bed. Place one of the short sections you just made on a level surface, with the pointed ends up. Line one of the 6-foot boards up so that it is flush with the face of the short end, pre-drill holes and then add the screws to secure it. Repeat with a second 6-foot board to equal 12 inches in height.

* Align the second short (3-foot) side of the box with the 6-foot board so that the face is flush with the end of the boards. Pre-drill holes and then drill in screws to secure. Finally, add the other two 6-foot boards on the opposite side to complete the final side of the bed.

* Flip the box over - it's now ready to install. Before you put it in, prep the area you'll be using by turning over the soil and then leveling it out as best you can. After you've installed the box, fill it with a blend of soil and compost that is best for the type of plants you'll be growing.

This is just one way to build a raised bed garden. You can add more boards to give the bed extra height or length, or put a cap on top of the boards to provide a place to sit as you garden. For more information about Western Red Cedar and ideas for more do-it-yourself projects, visit Western Red Cedar Lumber Association online at www.wrcla.org or call (866) 778-9096.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Southern Living™ Plant Collection Introduces Spring 2010 Plant Offerings

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Southern Living™ Plant Collection has announced a range of exciting, new plant offerings for the Spring 2010 season. Highlights include earlier blooming Early Bird™ Crapemyrtles, brighter-hued Flirt™ and Obsession™ Nandinas, vibrant Vogue® Mandevillas, lush Cleopatra® Liriope, and more.

From flowering shrubs and trees to annuals, grasses, and bulbs, the plant offerings are designed to excel in the lawns and gardens of the South, according to Kip McConnell, Director of Plant Development Services, Inc.

What’s New for 2010:

Shrubs

* Flirt™ Nandina
* Obsession™ Nandina

Trees

* Early Bird™ Early-Blooming Crapemyrtles
* Red-leafed Delta Jazz™ Crapemyrtle

Groundcovers/Grasses

* Marc Anthony™ Variegated Liriope
* Cleopatra® Liriope

Annuals/Perennials

* 'Princess Blush' Verbena PP#11911
* 'Princess Dark Lavender' Verbena PP#11951
* Mandevilla Vogue® 'Sophia' PPAF
* Mandevilla Vogue® 'Vivian' PPAF
* Pentas 'Stars & Stripes'

Bulbs

* Zephyranthes Pink Rain Lily
* ‘Ellen Bosanquet’ Crinum

The Collection is available through retail garden centers across the Southeast. For more information about any of the exciting new releases from the Southern Living Plant Collection, please visit southernlivingplants.com.

The Southern Living™ Plant Collection was first introduced in Spring 2008. It is a partnership between PDSI® and Southern Living® magazine, with the goal to provide innovative new plants selected for their ability to solve specific landscape challenges.

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Snow and Ice Removal Tips for Plants, Trees, and Shrubs

/24-7/ -- Winter is not the time when most people focus on their yards; however, it is a time of year when a lot of damage can happen. The nation's lawn and landscape association, the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), wants people to know how to care for plants, trees, and shrubs during the winter. Winter yard tips include the following:

Continue watering. Just because it isn't hot, doesn't mean that plants don't need water. Continue watering until a hard freeze. A well-hydrated plant has a better chance of survival.

Don't shake branches covered with snow and ice. It is best to gently brush off snow. Shaking limbs may break them. Wait for ice and frozen snow to melt naturally. If a limb does break, have it removed as soon as weather permits. It will help the tree or shrub heal better in the spring.

Watch out for winter warm spells. It is normally not a problem if you get a few warm days in the middle of winter; however, if you covered plants with cones or cold frames, you may want to ventilate them during the day and cover them again at night.

Prune. Late winter is a good time to prune and shape ornamental trees and roses.

Another thing to think about in the winter is the use of salt or melting agents for snow and ice.

"Many people put salt and melting agents on their sidewalks and driveways without realizing that the runoff can damage trees, shrubs, and lawns," said PLANET member Brett Lemcke, Landscape Industry Certified Manager of R.M. Landscape, Inc., in Hilton, New York. "Salt damages plants mainly by drawing water away from their roots."

Evergreen trees are particularly sensitive to salt. Look for brown needles or leaves on trees and shrubs; they are signs of damage. Building barriers to protect the plants from runoff and adding more sand and gravel to the salt mix will help minimize damage.

"If you have a difficult area to deice safely, you can always consult a professional," said Lemcke. "Many landscape and lawn care companies do this type of work for their clients in the winter."

For more information, or to find a lawn and landscape professional, log on to http://www.LandcareNetwork.org/findaprofessional.

PLANET is the association of members who create and maintain the QUALITY OF LIFE in communities across America. With more than 3,500 member companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. For more information on PLANET, visit LandcareNetwork.org or call the PLANET office at (800) 395-2522.

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Ten tips for living more sustainably in 2010

(ARA) - The beginning of a new year - and a new decade - is the time many people pledge to live differently. For many, that change means living a more sustainable lifestyle. Sustainability, once only a buzz word, is now fast becoming the way to live consciously.

From reducing your water usage to buying organic, here are 10 simple ways to make 2010 the year of sustainable living:

1. Use water more efficiently: Water is a limited resource and limiting it within your household is a cornerstone of sustainability. Rain barrels, largely unheard of even a decade ago, are becoming a popular way to collect and reuse rainwater for purposes like gardening. Meanwhile, conserving water in the home by taking shorter showers or even fixing a leaky faucet also can make a difference at a time when many communities are experiencing water shortages or are expressing concerns about water overuse.

2. Compost: Turning over leaves by way of a new compost garden is one way to live a more sustainable lifestyle. A compost heap is a simple, effective way to collect yard waste, like leaves and grass clippings, and kitchen scraps such as raw vegetable peelings and coffee grounds, and return them to the ground as organic matter.

3. Seek earth-friendly packaging: To better fill that compost heap, alter shopping habits to look for products with compostable packaging. Snyder's of Hanover, for instance, recently introduced a new Pretzel Variety Sack of 100-Calorie Pretzels and Pretzel Sandwiches in the market's first 100 percent compostable outer package made from 100 percent renewable cornstarch-based plastic. The new Variety Sack includes a special logo indicating that the bag can be composted and is made with sustainable materials. In addition to that example, more manufacturers are switching to cardboard packaging materials, which are made from renewable materials and can be recycled or composted.

4. Buy local, embrace organic: Many farmers, ranchers and, increasingly, food manufacturers, are offering foods and beverages made using sustainable practices. It could be a farmers market tomato, a local dairy's milk, an organic snack food, like new Organic Honey Whole Wheat Sticks and Organic Whole Wheat and Oat Sticks from Snyder's of Hanover, or any number of natural or organic items. The bottom line is that natural, organic and locally produced foods provide both sustenance and sustainability. To learn more about Snyder's of Hanover's sustainability initiatives visit www.snydersofhanover.com/Sustainability/.

5. Go to seed: Take the locally grown movement a step further - like in your own backyard or patio. An afternoon spent planting seeds or small plants can yield plenty of rewards a few weeks or months later, in the form of fresh, inexpensive and convenient vegetables and fruits. You don't need a large tract of land, in fact, to start a small garden.

6. Ride out the trend: Sustain your own energy level by opting to ride a bike or walk to a destination that isn't all that far away. Add a basket to a bike or take along a backpack to bring something back home.

7. Re-recycle: Recycling is nothing new and most people have been recycling in some form for years. But recycling can be taken to another level, going beyond obvious and traditionally recycled items like soda cans or newspaper to the smallest of waste materials, from plastic straws to the paper straw wrapper. Why not recycle apparel as well, by donating clothes and buying gently used clothes?

8. Plug in: Learn how to operate appliances more efficiently. For example, use cold water in the washing machine: clothes will still be cleaned, without the use of heated water. Turn off appliances when not in use, whether it's the television, video game player or radio. Better yet, completely unplug. Many electronics and battery chargers continue to draw a small amount of power even when they are switched off. Instead, use a power strip to cut power completely when not in use.

9. Lighten up: Use energy efficient lighting and bulbs when possible and turn off lights when not in a room. That will cut energy use - and the family budget.

10. Get involved: As the sustainability movement gains traction among the public, there are more opportunities to join in. Local communities, schools and organizations often have green committees, and there is a plethora of national and grassroots organizations geared around earth-friendly living that appreciate new volunteers or members.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Bring early spring to your home with indoor gardening

(ARA) - Do images of flowering trellises laden with yellow, pink, green and purple blooms dance through your dreams? You may be ready for some warm spring-like temperatures, but the weather outside is still a little frightful. Ignore the weather and bring spring inside with some indoor gardening.

Not only does bringing spring inside help brighten your home, but houseplants can also improve the quality of the air you're breathing. A NASA study found that houseplants remove up to 87 percent of toxic indoor air inside a sealed chamber within 24 hours.

By planting now, while winter is still in the air, you will have vegetables, herbs and flowers primed for transplanting when warmer weather finally arrives. And since they're inside, you can watch the plants as they shoot their little green stems out of the fresh dirt, monitoring them as they grow.

* Use loose potting soil to promote root growth. Outside, worms and insects tunnel through the dirt, naturally breaking it up to help plants spread their roots. To mimic their effect indoors, use potting soil mixed with peat moss, vermiculite and perlite to create a light texture that won't compact after a couple of waterings.

* Make sure the natural light is adequate. Some plants like direct sunlight and must be located near a south-facing window, while others prefer a few hours of indirect light. But to really keep your herbs and flowers looking strong all season long, consider using artificial light like the Grow Light Pro White from Wards.com, which can also help you get your spring garden started early with seedlings. The Grow Light has four lights that can be turned on as a unit or individually, and it has an adjustable bottom shelf so you can alter the light level as your plants grow.

When plants don't get the light they need, they start to appear thin and frail. As your plants begin to grow, make sure to rotate the pots so the stems grow straight, rather than bending unnaturally toward the source of light.

* Keep the humidity level above 50 percent with a humidifier. Not only will your plants appreciate the extra moisture, but so will you. When the humidity drops below 50 percent, most plants suffer from water loss through their leaves, and it's difficult to regain that water balance, even with frequent watering.

* Really bring spring inside your home with beautiful pots and decorating accents. Visit Wards.com to find beautiful and creative birdhouses that not only are functional, but stylish enough to hang inside. Consider hanging a wire birdhouse in the shape of an acorn in the kitchen window, or using a set of two birdhouses as a unique decoration for your entryway.

* Mix art and fun together with some ivy. Ivy topiaries are very easy to grow, and there are many creative planters and forms you can use to support the ivy as it winds its way toward the sun. Are you a music fan? A guitar and music stand with little pots incorporated into the design can help brighten up your living room. Or maybe you prefer a vintage look created by placing a Madeline Dress Form over your vines, allowing them to grow and construct the skirt. Both styles are available at Wards.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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A Perennial Daylily Wins A Dream Designation

(NAPSI)-Daylilies are a perennial treasured by America's gardeners. These sunny flowers supply bright drifts of color throughout the warmer months, and every year brings beautiful new varieties.

One of the newest additions to the growing family of winning All-American Daylilies is the Dream Souffle, which placed first in the Exhibition category.

It is the 17th winner and the first double-bloom daylily to win this award. Lilies don't win the award just for being pretty. They also have to demonstrate superior performance in dozens of criteria across at least five USDA hardiness zones.

Winning for both looks and hardiness, Dream Souffle features fluffy, double-petaled blooms that are a pastel rosy-pink blended with cream and flushed with yellow in the center.

The lily blooms in mid-season at 24 to 30 inches in height, above 16 to 20 inches of arching green deciduous foliage. It then repeat blooms, giving a total bloom period that ranges from 30 to 80 days. Unlike some doubles, this flower has consistent, fluffy double blooms that can create an eye-catching focal point in any garden setting. Stunning eye appeal is combined in this variety with hardy growth habit and good rust resistance.

The lilies were tested by the All-American Daylily Selection Council (AADSC), an organization that performs rigorous evaluations of daylily cultivars, taking into account over 50 criteria, including rust resistance.

The designation can help today's gardeners select the right lily from more than 40,000 different registered cultivars.

So far, nearly 6,000 hemerocallis (daylilies) available in commerce have been tested using methods that involve careful scientific methodology.

Thanks to such rigorous evaluations, gardeners can purchase All-Americans with confidence, knowing that these low-maintenance, high-impact, sun-loving beauties will thrive in backyard beds, front-walk borders or sundeck containers.

Past winners include:

• Black-Eyed Stella, best known for its performance as a nearly continuous bloomer.

• Lullaby Baby and Starstruck, honored for exquisite beauty and balance in the Exhibition category.

• Bitsy, which features a petite personality with a very powerful performance.

• Leebea Orange Crush, a rare daylily that exhibited such balanced performance it won in both the Landscape and Exhibition categories.

• Frankly Scarlet, a vibrant red that not only sustains but builds color intensity in the heat.

• Buttered Popcorn, a large buttery-gold bloom on sturdy 28- to 33-inch scapes. The golden beauty boasts nearly continuous blooming from mid-season into fall and up until frost.

• Persian Market, a large, showy salmon-pink with a rose halo on blooms 6 to 7 inches across. It produces loads of buds and has an exceptionally long bloom season in several zones.

• Lavender Vista, which pairs profuse lavender blooms with lush evergreen foliage.

• Summer Valentines, with striking pink blooms, a magenta eye and picotee edges.

For more information, visit www.allamericandaylilies.com.

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Don't trash that banana peel - composting is an easy, eco-friendly alternative

(ARA) - Recycling is certainly not a new concept. In fact, gardeners have been using one form of recycling - composting - for about as long as people have tilled the soil. Composting is a cost-effective, eco-friendly way to give your garden a boost.

Start your compost pile now, before winter settles in, and come spring you'll have a jump on nutrient-rich compost to help your garden produce its best harvest. Composting happens by itself through natural decay and the breakdown of organic matter. Depending on your local climate, the composting process may not be fully completed with useable humus or compost until temperatures warm up.

"Composting is easy and can be done for as little as $10 - or even free if you build your own bin," says Bruce Augustin, senior director in research and development with Scotts. "It's a great way to provide essential nutrients to your soil, while recycling kitchen and yard waste, which helps keep refuse out of landfills."

It's easy to get started composting: find a bin, gather materials, build your pile and compost. Augustin offers the following easy-to-follow steps for getting started:

Begin with a bin

Containing your compost pile in a bin saves space, hastens decomposition and helps keep the pile neat. You can find many pre-made compost bins at home centers and garden stores. Or, you can build your own from plans found on the Internet with materials around your home.

Gather materials

There are two main sources of materials for your compost pile - your yard and your kitchen. From the yard, you can gather leaves, grass and plant clippings, and shrub or tree trimmings. From the kitchen, add fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds (including the filters), tea bags and eggshells. It's okay to toss in shredded newspaper (not colored or shiny newsprint since these don't decompose readily), but avoid meat scraps, bones, dairy products, grease or pet or human waste since these can all harbor harmful bacteria.

Build your pile

You should build your pile in layers, starting with a 4- to 6-inch layer of coarse material such as twigs or shrub clippings. Then, add on 3 to 4 inches of grass clippings. Next, add another 4- to 6-inch layer of leaves or garden debris and soak with water; moisture will help the microbes decompose the material faster. You can modify this order as needed, depending on the types of materials you have. After a few layers, be sure to add a 1-inch layer of garden soil, such as Miracle-Gro Garden Soil for Flowers and Vegetables.

Maintain compost

"A high-nitrogen fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food, spread over each layer of your compost pile, will help the composting process by creating a favorable nitrogen to carbon ratio," says Augustin. Remember to turn or aerate the pile periodically to help move material from the outside closer to the center of the pile, where it will heat up and decompose faster. During the winter - depending on the region where you live - the center of the pile is where decomposition will take place, and adding water to keep the pile moist will aid the process.

Your compost will be ready to use once it has turned dark and crumbly, and gives off an earthy odor. Add the compost to your garden soil to help nourish your plants.

"Composting is not only beneficial for your garden, but it's also an easy, satisfying way to do something good for the environment," Augustin says.

For more tips on composting and other aspects of gardening and lawn care, visit www.Scotts.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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24th Annual Southern Gardening Symposium at Callaway Gardens®: January 29-31, 2010

While it’s still cold outside, get inspiration for your “dream garden” at the 24th annual Southern Gardening Symposium, one of the nation’s premier gardening events at beautiful Callaway Gardens®.

Make your plans to attend this January 29-31 symposium where you can listen and learn about gardening from an outstanding group of experts. Designed for novice to expert gardeners, this jam-packed schedule includes lectures, presentations and demonstrations. Though content-rich, this event provides the unique opportunity for personal interaction with the speakers throughout the weekend. The 2010 SGS program includes:

· Learning how to create an oasis in your own garden from Taunton Press’ “Idea” author Lee Anne White, who will discuss water garden design.

· Dreaming of a bold, tropical garden? Author Pam Baggett recommends sizzling plants for our sultry Southern climate.

· How about the dream “easy” garden? Author Pamela Crawford will highlight some of the easiest plants to grow in the southern garden.

· For the ultimate dream garden, June Mays will offer inspiration from the British landscape.

· Learn sustainable management practices including insect and disease basics from the University of Tennessee’s entertaining entomologist, Dr. Mark Windham.

· Sustainable gardening starts with good soil and William Cureton, a.k.a. “Captain Compost” will share his soil improvement techniques that anyone can do.

· George Sanko, from Georgia Perimeter College, will talk about ferns for shade gardens and even some ferns that tolerate sun.

· Keynote speaker, TV personality and garden writer Erica Glasener will share stories from ‘A Gardener’s Diary.’

Join like-minded gardening enthusiasts to dive right into the fun and learning with a series of pre-conference workshops and tours on Friday. Lee Anne White will lead a digital garden photography workshop and Erica Glasener will teach a garden design workshop. Truly be inspired by a tour of Jim Scott’s magical Lake Martin Garden. This garden has been featured in several gardening magazines for its creative use of rock and water.

In addition to these presentations, guests can indulge their passion at the SGS Marketplace offering one-stop shopping for the gardener. You’ll find an assortment of choice plants, many of which are touted by Symposium speakers as the new “must-haves”; a superb book selection including new releases by SGS speakers; and a delightful array of garden ornaments. Garden Delights, top supplier of native azaleas in the U.S., will be offering a selection of southern classic plants. McMahan’s Nursery, owned and operated by exotic plant collector Scott McMahan, offers amazing new and rare plants. Rocky Branch Garden Center will be selling plants highlighted by SGS speakers. Blooming Idiot will offer a wide selection of herbs, annuals and perennials. Petals from the Past will have heirloom varieties of favorite fruit trees and flowers. One-of-a-kind garden art pieces can be found from Lewis Simmons and Wade’s Metal Works.

SGS participants will have an exciting opportunity to participate in both silent and live auctions. The auction items include books and plants recommended by speakers; garden ornaments; botanical artwork by the late-Athos Menaboni; special plants provided by Callaway Gardens’ horticulture department, Hills & Dales Estate and Auburn University; items contributed by Marketplace vendors; and much more.

Preregistration for SGS is required by Friday, January 22, 2010. The program registration fee of $225 includes Friday’s opening reception; Saturday’s continental breakfast, programs with printed materials, box lunch and evening banquet; and Sunday’s continental breakfast and programs with printed materials.

The Southern Gardening Symposium is approved for seven contact hours for Georgia Certified Landscape Professional Continuing Education Units.

Callaway Gardens provides a variety of lodging options for SGS participants. The special rate of $75 per room per night is available in the Mountain Creek Inn® (based on double occupancy). This rate includes admission to Callaway Gardens per night of stay and day of departure. Nestled in the trees, the spacious Cottages and Villas are available for the choosing. Those looking to pamper themselves will love the luxury Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens.

Early–bird Specials! There are two great offers for those who register by October 31st, 2009:

Registration: Receive $25 off the program registration fee. Lodging: Receive the second night FREE when reserving the special SGS lodging rate of $120* per room in Mountain Creek® Inn.

For further information about SGS or to request a brochure, contact the Education Department at 1-800-CALLAWAY (225-5292), 706-663-5153 or education@callawaygardens.org.

*The above room rates are available only to registered SGS participants. Valid for Mountain Creek® Inn only and based on availability and double occupancy. Some restrictions apply. Symposium registration fee is separate.

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Fayette Students Design Scarecrow for Garden

Eighth grade select art students pose for a picture with Skatecrow before he is taken to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for display.

Art students at Fayette Middle School have been busy scaring up a unique display for the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Scarecrows in the Garden event.

A life-sized middle schooler with a backpack and riding a skateboard, titled Skatecrow, will be one of 125 scarecrows adorning the garden October 1-31.

The eighth grade select art students, 21 in all, designed the scarecrow using chicken wire and paper mache for the body and adorned it with recycled materials such as telephone wire for the hair, bottle tops for a belt and hand-me-down clothes and shoes. The students included something from all categories of life that young adolescents love: sports, music, iPods, cell phones, snacks, etc.

Making the scarecrow was both a learning experience and struggle for the students. It took about five weeks from inception to finish.

“The students used materials for this project that they normally would not use and have learned many concepts beyond the artwork itself,” says art teacher Ellen Mitchell.

To be eligible for the eighth grade select art class, students must have a teacher recommendation and maintain an 85 percent or higher grade point average during their seventh grade year. The class lasts for one semester and is designed to offer students an opportunity to create more difficult, challenging and lengthy projects.

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Some like it cold: It’s not too late to get your fall veggie garden growing

(ARA) - If you haven't yet joined the “grow your own vegetables" craze, it’s not too late to join in. You can produce a bounty of vitamin-rich veggies from plot (or pot) to plate this fall, plus you’ll save a bundle by growing them yourself.

You may be surprised to find that with just a little attention and effort, growing fall vegetables in the backyard garden and in planters is even more enjoyable than planting a vegetable garden during the spring and summer seasons. Why? Cooler autumn temperatures make it a delight to spend time outside in the garden and also provide an advantage when it's time to harvest your crops.

You'll spend less time caring for your fall crops because of the favorable cool weather growing conditions. Plants will grow rapidly at first and gradually slow as the days become shorter and colder. Destructive insects won't be as numerous in autumn as they are in summer months. Weeds germinate less frequently and grow slower than they do during the warmer seasons. Compared to hot and dry summers, fall usually brings an increase in the amount of precipitation, eliminating another time-consuming chore – watering.

What you need to know:

1. Let the sunshine in. Most vegetables need full sun – at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. They also require a steady supply of moisture and nutrients from the soil. You can help ensure your plants get both by mixing a 2-inch layer of compost into the soil (bagged compost is available at garden centers). Or spread a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, according to labeled instructions. Plants will need an inch of moisture per week, either through rain or supplemental watering.

2. Start with transplants. Transplants buy you lots of time. Plants are six weeks or older when you put them into the ground, so you will begin harvesting much sooner than if you start from seed. Bonnie Plants transplants in biodegradable, environmentally friendly pots make planting easy and spare the use of much plastic. Just cut off the bottom of the pot, water and plant ... pot and all. Garden centers typically supply optimum fall varieties for your geographic region.

3. Don’t fear frost. When frost threatens, cover plants with a floating row cover, cold frame or a cloche. Or, you can grow fall veggies in a container and move the pot to a protected location on frosty nights.

Essential, preliminary planning tips for fall vegetable gardens include:

* Before planting any new plant make sure that you clear the area of summer and spring crops planted previously, as they may decay and encourage bacterial infection.

* Spread a few inches of mulch or compost over the area. Make sure that you turn up the soil’s top layer and water well. Allow the soil to rest for a day before planting new fall plants.

* During the fall season most areas experience rain and even frost, so make sure that your soil is well drained and doesn’t get soggy.

Vegetables best suited for fall gardens:

After following the essential preliminary steps for fall vegetable gardening, it’s time to select vegetables for planting. Here’s a list of fast-growing, cold-hardy crops that are ideal for fall vegetable gardening:

Winterbor Kale – This nutritious leafy green is a vigorous producer that endures winter easily, even in very cold climates. Cut the outer leaves so that the center can continue growing. Space transplants about 12 inches apart

Georgia Collards - Another leafy green similar to kale, collards offer a larger, stronger, sweet cabbage-like flavor. Leaves taste best when young. Space transplants 36 inches apart.

Romaine Lettuce - Romaine packs more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients than other popular types of lettuce. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, romaine is an especially good vegetable for heart health. Space transplants 18 inches apart.

Early Dividend Broccoli - Popular, productive and easy to grow, this broccoli is high in fiber and calcium. Set transplants 18 inches apart

Mustard Greens – Offering spicy hot leaves, this is a very fast-growing, nutritious vegetable. Mustard greens always taste sweeter when nipped by frost. Space plants 12 inches apart

Bonnie Hybrid Cabbage – Bonnie's best cabbage. Grows large, round, blue-green heads. Cabbage is especially high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, K and fiber.

Arugula – These fast-growing leafy greens are great for salads or gourmet recipes. This peppery-tasting green is a super food for your bones. The leaves are “nutrient dense” and low in calories. They are especially high in vitamins A, C, and K.

If you put these practices into place this fall, you'll get your garden off to the right start and set it up for a fruitful season. Preparation is key, but the reward is a healthier, more productive garden – and fresh food that tastes better than anything you can buy at the store.

To learn more about vegetable and herb varieties as well as gardening tips, visit www.bonnieplants.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Garden of Novelist Ferrol Sams and Sams Lake Featured in September Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour

Six Distinctive Gardens on Display Southeast of Metro Atlanta

Six gardens in Fayetteville and Peachtree City will demonstrate how people can preserve the region’s wildlife and, more broadly, its biodiversity by cultivating native plants and other essentials for wildlife survival at this year’s Atlanta Audubon Society Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour.

The tour will take place Saturday, September 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Advance tickets are now on sale for $12 by calling Atlanta Audubon Society at 678/973-2437. Tickets are also available on the day of the tour for $15 at the first and last sites. Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

This year’s tour includes six exciting properties:

#1 214 Smokerise Trace, Peachtree City, GA 30269
This three-acre property is owned by a Georgia Certified Landscape Professional and Georgia Master Gardener. The site includes a one-acre hardwood forest, and a 10-acre adjacent forest harbors many species of birds, mammals, and reptiles. Over 125 bird species have been seen on this property.

#2 233 Smokerise Trace, Peachtree City, GA 30269
This acre and a half of professionally maintained gardens has beautifully constructed waterfalls, ponds and meandering creeks.

#3 Two Doves Farm, 380 Ebenezer Church Road, Fayetteville, GA 30215
A certified organic farm of 15 acres. Organic plants, vegetables and botanicals produced at the farm are on sale. Go to www.twodovesfarm.com for more information.

#4 Sams Lake Bird Sanctuary, Old Senoia Road, Fayetteville, GA 30215
A 56-acre nature preserve donated by the Sams family to replace lost wetlands when the fifth runway at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was built. The site is now owned and managed by Southern Conservation Trust. The lake area hosts beaver, wild turkeys, egrets, heron, hawks, deer and muskrat and many species of birds. A half-acre mulched trail and three observation decks provide great wildlife viewing. Go to www.sctlandtrust.org/community-preserves/sams-lake-nature-area for more information.

#5 685 Glynn Street South (GA Hwy 85) Fayetteville, GA 30214
Part of Turnipseed Nursery and Gardens, this garden has been featured on HGTV's “A Gardener's Diary.”

#6 Garden of Drs. Ferrol and Helen Sams, 355 Beauregard Blvd., Fayetteville, GA 30214
A mature natural woodland garden of more than 30 acres with many native azaleas and wildflowers such as trilliums. The garden has been featured on HGTV’s “A Gardener’s Diary.”

These sites have all been certified by Atlanta Audubon Society as wildlife sanctuaries. They show how homeowners and gardeners can cultivate their own yards to preserve native plants and habitat for wildlife. The four essential components of a wildlife sanctuary are:

Shelter: Active nesting areas or shelters that attract and protect birds and other wildlife.
Food: Feeders and plantings that offer seeds, flowers, and berries to wildlife.
Water: Birdbaths, water gardens, or natural features with flowing water.
Nesting Sites: Bird boxes, natural cavities, or wood piles and vine tangles.

For more information on the Wildlife Sanctuary Program, go to
http://atlantaaudubon.org/aaswww/conservation/sanctuary.htm.

For a map of the tour and directions to the sites, go to www.atlantaaudubon.org.

The Sanctuary Tour and Program are designed to encourage residential homeowners and homeowners' associations, business park owners/managers, and golf course owners/managers to become involved in the preservation of native plants and habitat for wildlife.
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Lengthen the life of your cut flowers

(ARA) - In the mood to bring the bounty of the outdoors inside? The amazing colors, fragrances and textures of your flower garden can easily be brought indoors, arranged and appreciated throughout the summer and fall months.

Here are a few simple steps from FTD.com you can use to ensure that your flowers last longer:

* Pick flowers in early morning or in the evening, when stems are fully hydrated and not stressed from midday heat.

* Take a tall bucket with lukewarm water with you and immerse the stems as you gather.

* Cut the stems on an angle with a sharp, clean knife or pruners, to allow greater uptake of water through the stem.

* Once all the flowers are gathered, re-cut the stems underwater and strip away any foliage that will fall below the waterline once stems are placed in a vase.

* Arrange the flowers in a clean vase filled with room-temperature water and floral food.

* Place arrangements out of direct sunlight and away from any drafty areas.

Here are some other tips from FTD.com that will make creating a bouquet from your flower garden an easy and rewarding task:

* Use a mixture of focal flowers like lilies, roses and peonies; filler flowers like gypsophila, lady's mantle and Queen Anne's Lace and line flowers like liatrus, larkspur and delphinium. Using these three types of flowers will make your arrangement a dynamic piece of art you will be proud to display.

* A beautiful trend in flower arrangements is to include ornamental grasses, such as wheat, zebra grasses and millet grasses to add texture and interest to your garden and bouquets.

* Some of the foliage that you are stripping from the stems of your flowers may be used as an ornamental green in your bouquet, adding another level of texture into your arrangement.

* Choose interesting containers and vases with a touch of color and texture to bring out the beauty of your arrangement.

* Be aware that certain flowers will not re-bloom for up to two years after being cut. This is mostly true for bulb plants, such as daffodils and tulips.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Thwart thistle take-over on “Gardening in Georgia”

Thistle flowers are beautiful. But the damage the invasive plant can do in a pasture or landscape is not. Find out how to thwart its takeover on “Gardening in Georgia with Walter Reeves” July 11 and 15.

"Gardening in Georgia” airs on Georgia Public Broadcasting stations across the state each Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., and repeats Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

Many architects say to plant vines to hide mistakes. Show host Walter Reeves doesn’t agree, nor does his guest Hank Bruno. The pair will showcase several favorite vines that decorate a large building and talk about how vines can enhance the beauty of a building.

It’s heartbreaking to harvest the first few squash and then have the vine collapse, it seems, overnight. The squash vine borer is hurting plants throughout Georgia right now. Watch to find out how to stop it.

Beautiful but deadly might describe a pitcher plant bog. Jenny Cruse-Sanders takes Reeves to a bog and opens up a pitcher plant to see what it had for breakfast.

“Gardening in Georgia” is produced by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and is supported by a gift from McCorkle Nurseries.

Learn more about the show and download useful publications at the Web site www.gardeningingeorgia.com.

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