State Specific Gardening Guide

[One Witchy Woman]

State By State Gardening Guide

 

[One Witchy Woman]

Gardening In Alabama

Its position along the Gulf of Mexico makes Alabama a hot, humid state vulnerable to hurricanes and tornadoes. Comfortable winter temperatures and annual rainfall averaging from 57 to 65 inches -- from north to south -- give gardeners a growing season between 200 and 250 days. A wide range of native flowers provide four seasons of color, from the 2,400-foot Cheaha Mountain in east central Alabama to the East Coastal Plain's gentle hills and flat expanses. Due to the severe heat of deep summer planting is best done from February to May.

February and March
* Although still cold in February, this is the best time to plant your hardy annuals and prepare your flower beds for summer annuals. In southern Alabama, plant bulbs like cannas and gladiolas. Wait until March in northern parts of the state. You can plant your tender annuals in March in southern Alabama.

April and May
* You can plant your early started annuals in April, but wait until May for later plantings. Things begin to heat up in May, so use April to get most of your planting done.

The following is a listing of native Alabama flowers that bloom beautifully and grow incredibly easy for year round color and beauty.

Spring Flowers
* Atamasco lily (Zephyranthes atamasca) grows wild across much of southern Alabama northeast to Calhoun County. It colonizes shady bottomlands and damp woods. The 8- to 15-inch-high perennial has clumps of glossy, grasslike green leaves. Between March and June, the atamasco lily's stems have 3- to 4-inch, funnel-shaped blooms. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) grows in shady woods from northern Alabama south to Monroe County. This perennial make an attractive, 6- to 10-inch-high ground cover. It has a single, yellow-stamened white flower and a round, lobed green leaf. The March and April blooms last two days and the foliage until mid-summer. Both these spring bloomers like partial to full shade and moist, humus-rich soil.

Summer Flowers
* Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), common throughout Alabama, brightens roadsides and pastures with flat clusters of brilliant orange blooms. The nectar-rich, June-to-September flowers are butterfly favorites. The upright, 1- to 2-foot perennial needs full sun and sandy or gravelly, well-drained soil, according to the Texas A and M AgriLIfe Extension. Sun-loving bigroot morning glory (Ipomoea pandurata) shares much of butterfly weed's range. This climbing or spreading plant has up to 10-foot, purplish stems and heart-shaped, long-stalked green leaves. From early summer until frost, its purple-striped, white funnel flowers appear in fields and along dry, sandy roadsides.

Fall Flowers
* Blazing star (Liatris elegans) has 1- to 4-foot, slender stems with needle-thin green leaves and spikes of pinkish-lavender to purple flowers. The butterfly-attracting blooms open in descending order. The USDA reports wild blazing star populations in five Alabama counties. The 1- to 2-foot, annual slender false foxglove (Agalinis tenuifolia) also has needlelike leaves. Tiny, funnel-shaped light purple blooms -- with darker purple interior spots -- dangle from its reddish branches. It grows wild in extreme northeastern and west central Alabama. Both plants bloom from August to October. They like dry, sandy, well-drained soil and full sun.

Winter Flowers
* White fawnlily (Erythronium albidum) is native to northern Alabama's hardwood forests and thickets. Its elliptical, green leaves may have purple blotches. The 6- to 12-inch plant's backward-curving, white flowers occur between February and April. Fawnlily flourishes in fertile, acidic-to-pH-neutral soil and partial to full shade. Annual scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea) blooms from February until October in southwestern Alabama's warm, sandy soils. Standing up to 4 feet high, it has slender, branching stems with oval green leaves. Hummingbirds flock to its tubular, red, pink or white blooms. Scarlet sage thrives in heat and full sun to full shade.

Many people love to eat fresh foods and as such a vegetable garden is the way to go. For those Sparkles living in Alabama, the following is a list of veggies that grow well and when to plant them.


Winter
* Winter months make up part of the spring planting season in Alabama. From January to mid-February, gardeners can plant cabbage and cauliflower transplants; during mid-January to February, add lettuce transplants; in February, beets, peas and Irish potatoes can be planted; and in March, gardeners can add carrots, kohlrabi. Corn can be planted from mid-March to June.

Spring
* April heralds the time to plant beans, asparagus crowns, muskmelons, winter or summer squash, watermelons and tomato transplants. Between mid-April and mid-May, eggplant transplants and cucumbers should go into the garden.

Summer
* Starting in July, gardeners can add cucumbers and tomatoes, and eggplant and pepper transplants. From mid-July to mid-September, carrots and collards can be direct seeded. Late in July, pole beans, cauliflower and cabbage can be planted.

Fall
* August is a busy month for planting, with bush beans, Brussels sprouts and beets entering the garden, and cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, lettuce, Irish potatoes and summer squash added from early to mid-August. Kale can be planted starting in mid-August and Swiss chard in September.  

[One Witchy Woman]

Gardening In Alaska

Growing vegetables in Alaska is challenging---but not impossible---for gardeners. About 90 percent of the state's food is imported; the sunlight is filtered; only a small portion of the land is suitable for farming; and fertilizer and farm implements can be expensive to have shipped in. But you can harvest many kinds of vegetables in the northernmost state, even with a short growing season.

Root Crops
Root vegetables, such as carrots, celeriac, parsnip and beets actually do well in snowy weather. The snow acts as an insulator, holding warmth in the soil as the plants continue to grow underground.

Cole Crops
Cole crops, such as cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, Brussels sprouts and kale, grow best in cold weather. Further south, warm temperatures would cause these plants to bolt (start flowering and stop growing), but in Alaska they just keep growing. Cabbages in particular thrive in the Alaska weather. Giant specimens weighing more than 100 lb., have turned up at the state fair.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a summer staple, even in the far North. The key to growing them in Alaska is to use determinate tomatoes, rather than indeterminate. According to Linden Staciokas of NorthernGardening.com, the more compact, bushy determinates flower within a short span of time, and the fruit matures quickly. Another important factor is that determinates have less foliage, which means more light and heat reach the soil.

Other Vegetables
Zucchini, string beans, snap peas and potatoes all can grow in Alaska. Mulch the plants heavily and use cultivars specific to northern climates. Peppers, cucumbers and herbs grow well in containers, which warm up easily and can be moved to take advantage of the sun as it moves throughout the season.

Tips
Start your plants early. Use a grow light or place them in a greenhouse at least six weeks before the last frost. The last frost in Alaska can vary from mid-May until June 6. Place black plastic over your soil and anchor it with rocks or ties. The plastic will trap heat in the soil, which will give seedlings an extra boost when you transplant. Use raised beds to help with drainage from heavy winter snows.

The last frontier is famed for its low temperatures and long winters, which makes it seem impractile to flower-growing. Still, Alaska's harsh winters eventually yield to summer sunlight (24 hours a day during midsummer), making cultivation possible. Southeast and South-central Alaska, with more moderate climates, are home to the greatest variety of flowers. But even in Alaska's interior, myriad wildflowers color the spectacular scenery during June and July.

Wildflowers
The Alaska state flower is invasive and banned in some states.
You cannot visit Alaska in the summer without appreciating lupine, fireweed and forget-me-not lighting up prairies and hillsides. Lupine grows up to 2 feet tall. Its pea-like purple flowers spread over Alaska's dry slopes and roadsides in June. Every part of the plant is toxic. As lupine marks the beginning of an Alaskan summer, fireweed signals its end. This bright pink flower shoots up to 5 feet tall in late July and August throughout interior Alaska meadows and woods. Forget-me-nots are the state flower, with clear, bright blue blooms. Please note that forget-me-nots are considered invasive in many states and are thus illegal.

Southeast Alaska
Lobelia grows particularly well in Southeast Alaska gardens.
Juneau, Alaska's capital city, is in the state's warm belt, USDA zone 6. Many more flowers prosper here than in more northern parts of the state. According to the Juneau Cooperative Extension Experiment Station, any southeast Alaskan gardener can grow alyssum, lobelia, pansy and fuchsia. If your garden is particularly well placed, you can add zinnia, verbena, snapdragon, sweet-pea, marigold, dahlia, calendula, carnation and petunia. Mount Atlas daisys are a ground cover that does particularly well in high elevations and is quite pretty.

Anchorage Region
Bulbs do well in Southcentral Alaska.
Tulips and daffodils prefer a region with cold winters, cool springs and cool summers, such as the Anchorage region. In cold areas such as Southcentral Alaska, plant the bulbs early, in mid-September, so that the plant can establish itself before the winter freeze. Mulch the flower bed after planting with a thick layer of hay or leaves to keep the soil warm and prevent freeze damage to bulbs. Snowfall provides additional insulation.  

[One Witchy Woman]

Gardening in Arizona

Although Arizona is often known for its desert landscapes and dry heat, this Southwestern state has a variety of climates suitable for vegetable gardening. Northern Arizona experiences four seasons like most other areas of the country, but the unique weather conditions in the low desert require a specialized planting schedule.

Time Frame
In the Arizona desert, including Phoenix, gardeners can plant and grow vegetables practically year-round. While frost dictates the beginning and end of season in most areas of the country, heat is the main factor in planning Arizona gardens. June is generally the hottest month for garden plants to survive.

Spring Planting
Spring in Arizona, depending on where you are, begins anywhere between the beginning of January and the middle of March. As soon as the last frost has passed or the ground thaws, begin spring-flower planting. Spring flowers include daffodils, tulips and lilacs.

Summer Planting
Summer begins in Arizona between the month of March and mid-May. Plant summer flowers are soon as the ground warms and temperatures reach around 70 degrees F. Carnations, poppies and daylilies are popular summer flowers planted during this time.
Sprouting Trays
Sprouters, Organic Seed, Info, More Everything You Need To Grow Sprouts

Fall Planting
Arizona's fall season varies from mid-September to the beginning of October and lasts until November or December. Sedum Autumn Joy, goldenrod and chrysanthemums are examples of flowers planted for this season.
When to plant vegetables in the Arizona garden

Vegetables differ in their climatic requirements therefore making it necessary to know when to plant them in order to have a successful garden. Some vegetables will withstand cool and even slight freezing weather. Others need warmer conditions to germinate and to produce. Generally vegetables are placed in two categories : cool-season crops and warm-season crops.

Cool-season vegetables include beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, lettuce, onion, pea, potato, radish, spinach and turnip. Because they are hardy or frost tolerant and germinate in cold soil they can be planted in winter or early spring depending on location. For best quality these crops need to mature during cooler periods rather than in the heat of the summer. In Southern Arizona cool-season vegetables can also be planted in late summer when the crop will grow into the cooler fall months.

Warm-season vegetables include beans, cucumber, eggplant, melons, pepper, pumpkin, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato and tomato. These do not tolerate frost but need warm temperatures to set and properly mature fruit. However, temperatures too high reduce quality; ex.- sunburn fruit, poor colored tomatoes and poor ear fill in sweet corn.

Recommendations
Plant traditional summer vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers and melons, in mid-February so they are ready to harvest by late spring, before the scalding temperatures break. Start bush beans and squash from seed through the end of July for a late fall harvest. Cool-season vegetables, such as lettuce, turnips, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, can be started indoors during the summer heat and transplanted to an outdoor garden in late September to November.

Considerations
Elevation is indicative of climate. In Arizona we garden from almost sea level to over 7,000 feet.
Two problem periods exist - the hot summer at the lower elevations and the cold winter at the higher elevations.
Water conservation is an important practice in the desert, so deep, infrequent watering is an effective way to ensure that your plants receive an appropriate amount of water without much loss to surface evaporation. Water once weekly during spring and fall and twice weekly in the summer, providing enough water to soak the soil to a depth of 12 inches. Insert a yardstick in the soil to measure moisture depth. A top layer of mulch is a good way to help maintain soil moisture.  

[One Witchy Woman]

Gardening Guide in Arkansas

Arkansas covers part of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7b and 8, where temperatures rise to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and drop to freezing in winter. This wide temperature range requires strict timing when it comes to vegetable gardens.

Soil
All vegetables require quick-draining soil and nutrition from rich organic compost. Garden plots should be worked with a rake beforehand, to loosen the soil, mix in any soil amendments and remove rocks and weeds.

The last frost date in Arkansas falls between March 20 to April 20, so outdoor vegetables should be started during this period. Indoor vegetables should start mid-February to mid-March, for transplant into the outdoor garden after the last frost date. Good spring vegetables include tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplants and summer squash.

Time Frame
Radishes are among the first vegetables to be planted. Hardy vegetables like turnips, radishes, and onions can be planted as early as March 25 in the north. For most vegetables, though, the weather needs to be slightly warmer. Lettuce, kohlrabi, cauliflower, Irish potatoes, beets, asparagus and beans shouldn’t go in before April 1, and delicate vegetables like corn, lima beans, southern peas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and squash can be planted in early May. In the middle and southern parts of the state, planting times are moved as much as 6 weeks sooner.

Potential
Plant some crops again in the fall for a second harvest. Some crops can be planted twice for a fall harvest. Spinach, radishes, turnips and beets can be planted a second time at the beginning of August, while carrots, cauliflower, kohlrabi, cabbage and broccoli can be planted as late as the last week of September.

Considerations
Asparagus can be planted near the new year in southern Arkansas. Planting dates are approximate, and should be adjusted based on location within the state. In the south, early crops such as radishes, turnips, asparagus, lettuce and mustard can be planted as early as January 15. Late crops such as squash, lima beans, okra and cucumbers should be planted around April 1.

Fall Planting
The first fall frost in Arkansas ranges from October 20 to November 15. Gardeners who want to put in fall vegetable gardens should do their planting by September to allow the plants time to root and establish before frost. Good fall vegetables include winter squash, rutabagas, potatoes, turnips and beets.

Being that Arkansas never really gets too frigid any flower will grow here. Perennial plants are best planted in Spring and again in early fall. Annuals are best planted when it is mild outside so that they bloom well and have a good foothold when it is hotter.