Limestone County Master Gardeners
Athens, Alabama
Teaching - Caring - Sharing
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An all-volunteer effort by the Master Gardeners of Limestone County, Alabama.
This site has two primary objectives. First and foremost is to provide useful information for the home gardeners of Limestone County. Additionally, this site will serve to inform Limestone County Master Gardeners about events, volunteer activities, and continuing education opportunities.
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Tri-County Master Gardener Class
The next Tri-County Master Gardener Class will start in August, 2013. The cost is $140.00 and is open to residents of Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties. Classes are held at the Tennessee Valley Research Station on Mooresville Road two miles north of Belle Mina in Limestone County (Exit 2, I-565). Seating is limited. Click here to sign up for the class. More information may be found under the MG Program menu link at the top of this page. Follow the current MG class through their training.
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Master Gardeners
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An educational and volunteer training program administered through the offices of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES). Volunteers receive advanced training in horticulture and environmental topics. In return, Master Gardeners share their time and knowledge on a variety of projects that benefit the community. Applications are being accepted for the next Master Gardener class.
Apply by Mail
Apply in Person
Read our Newsletter to learn more about what Master Gardeners do.
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• Search ACES •
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• "May Honey-dos" Around Your Yard •
(ANR-0047, Garden Calendar)
FRUITS AND NUTS- Continue spray program. Keep grass from around trees and strawberries. Peaches and apples can still be budded.
SHRUBS- Newly planted shrubs need extra care now and in coming weeks. Don't spray with oil emulsions when temperature is above 85F.
LAWNS- Now is the best time to start lawns from seed. Water new lawns as needed to prevent drying. Keep established lawns actively growing by watering, fertilizing, and mowing. Spray weeds in lawns with proper herbicide.
ROSES- Spray or dust for insects and diseases. Fertilize monthly with complete fertilizer or rose special. Container-grown plants in flower may be planted. Prune climbing roses after the first big flush of flowering.
ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS- Late plantings of bedding plants still have time to produce. Watch for insects on day lilies.
BULBS- Summer bulbs started in containers may still be planted. Do not remove foliage from spring flowering bulbs. Do not let seedheads form on tulips and other spring flowering bulbs.
VEGETABLE SEED- Plant heat-loving and tender vegetables. Start cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and celery in coldframe for fall garden.
VEGETABLE PLANTS- Plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and sweet potatoes.
MISCELLANEOUS:
• Mulch new shrub plantings if not already done.
• Avoid drying out new shrub, tree, and lawn plantings.
• Start watching for Japanese Beetles by late May. Destroying the early scouts may reduce your problems later.
• For natural pest control, include companion plants in your garden plans.
• Leafrolling worms will affect apples and blueberries. Prune off affected leaves and place pheromone traps or spray with approved pesticides.
• Trap moles and gophers as new mounds appear.
• Control spittle bugs and aphids in strawberries and ornamentals, if present; wash off or use insecticidal soap as a contact spray. Follow label directions.
• Fertilize rhododendrons and azaleas; remove spent blossoms.
• Plant chrysanthemums for fall color.
• Plant dahlias in mid-May.
• Spray cherries, plums, peaches, and apricots for brown rot blossom blight.
• Control aphids with insecticidal soap, a hard spray of water, hand removal; by promoting natural predators; or by using approved insecticides labeled for problem plant.
• Fertilize roses and control rose diseases such as mildew with a registered fungicide. When selecting new roses, choose plants labeled for resistance to diseases.
• Prevent root maggots when planting cabbage family, onions, and carrots, by covering with row covers, screens, or by applying appropriate pesticides.
• Divide your fall and winter blooming perennials.
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• Ask a Master Gardener •
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I am having to replace trees that were destroyed by our April tornado. I would like to put them close enough to the house for shade but also avoid foundation problems. What is too close? (MIC, Athens)
A good rule of thumb is to plant the tree at least half of its spread or width at maturity from a building. Also, in order to to be sure the tree is proportional to the house, be sure it won't get larger than twice the height of your home. For more advice on selecting a tree to match your urban or rural location contact the County Extension Office. They are located on Market Street across from the Post Office, 256-232-5510.
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Do you have a gardening question that we can help with? Our Ask a Master Gardener project gives you access to the training and years of experience of the Limestone County Master Gardeners. Click the link or email us.
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• MG HOTLINE •
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Yard & Garden Weeds
Henbit
Drive any rural roads now and Henbit is easy to spot. The lavendar ground cover is a winter annual weed of farm land, roadsides and landscaped areas. Dense infestations reduce crop yield significantly. Plants can grow to 16". Stems are greenish to purplish, tender, square. Reproduces by seed that germinates in the fall or winter. Distinctive reddish purple flowers. Flowers in spring and dies as temperatures increase. Quickly invades thin turf areas so maintain a dense, vigorous turf lawn. Can be hand dug and suppressed with the use of mulch. In landscapes glyphosate, a common ingredient in commercial weed killers, can be used for spot treatments around ornamental plants. Read and follow all label instructions when using herbicides.
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• Planting Your Garden •
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'Shoal Creek' Vitex
Vigorous growth habit, large flower spikes and blue-purple flowers, similar to lilac. Flowers attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. In our area normally trained as a small, multi-trunked tree, 10 to 15 feet tall and wide. Maintains fairly dense, symmetrical and rounded canopy. Prune off lower branches starting at the bottom and working up. Best done over several years, so do a little each year. Shoots growing from the lower parts of the trunk should be removed. Tolerates most soil conditions, provided they are well drained. water regularly during dry periods the first year or two after planting. But then quite drought tolerant. Will flourish in full sun. No serious insect or disease problems. Use in shrub borders, foundations, cottage gardens or butterfly gardens. Low maintenance. Grows quite fast and quickly fills in the landscape, expect rapid growth once established. New branch growth has a showy purple color that turns red-brown and lastly a pale gray color as the branch matures.
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Yard & Garden Pests
Beneficial Insects
Beneficial insects are species of insects that perform services like pollination and pest control. In our yard & gardens, beneficial insects enhance pest control and overall aesthetics of our landscape. Encouraging beneficial insects is a pest control strategy, often used in organic gardening, nurseries & greenhouses, and Integrated Pest Management. It is very important to identify the pest before attempting to removing from our gardens. It may be an insect we should keep around. There are numerous books and websites to help with identification. Here are two good places to start.
1. Garden Bugs
2. Bug Library at National Garden Association.
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Heart of the Valley Regional Master Gardeners
Ken Creel - Regional Master Gardener Coordinator
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• Limestone County •
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• Madison County •
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• Morgan County •
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