Limestone County Master Gardeners
Athens, Alabama
Teaching - Caring - Sharing
|
 |
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. This site was last updated on August 1, 2008.
|
 |
Tri-County Master Gardener Class
The next Tri-County Master Gardener Class will start in January 2009. The cost is $120.00 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 Fall '08 class through their training.
|
 |
Ask A Master Gardener
The Limestone County Master Gardener Helpline has certified Alabama Master Gardeners ready to answer your questions. We will be there to take your calls on M-W-F from 9:00am to 1:00pm, but please call anytime to leave a message.
(256) 232-5510, Ext 15)
|
Master Gardeners
|
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.
|
Search ACES
|
"August Honey-dos" Around Your Yard
(ANR-0047, Garden Calendar)
FRUITS AND NUTS- Protect figs and other ripening fruit from birds.
SHRUBS- Continue to root shrub cuttings until late in the month and mulch to keep soil moist. Remove faded blooms promptly from crape myrtle and other summer-blooming plants.
LAWNS- Watch for diseases. Mow regularly Water as needed.
Roses- Keep roses healthy and actively growing. Apply fertilizer. Wash off foliage to prevent burning if any fertilizer falls on plants.
ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS- Water as needed to keep plants active.
BULBS- Iris and spider lilies may be planted late this month.
VEGETABLE SEED - Plant beans, field peas, rutabagas, squash, New Zealand
spinach, and Irish potatoes. Plant cabbage, collards, broccoli,
cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and celery for the fall crop.
VEGETABLE PLANTS- Plant tomatoes in Central and North Alabama.
MISCELLANEOUS:
Early morning is the best time to water vegetable and flower gardens to reduce evaporation. Water deeply and infrequently. Lawns need at least 1 inch of water per week this month.
Hanging baskets of flowers or vegetable plantings need careful attention to watering and feeding during extended periods of hot weather.
Midsummer plantings of beets, bush beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, kale, and peas will provide fall and winter crops.
Pick beans often to improve production.
Spray peach and prune trees for root borers.
Cover blueberry bushes with netting to keep birds from eating all the crop.
Stake tomatoes, watch for blight (prune for air circulation, pick off affected leaves, treat with approved fungicide).
Monitor rhododendrons for root weevil adults. Look for fresh evidence of feeding (notching). Try sticky trap products on plant trunks to trap adult weevils.
Check leafy vegetables for caterpillars. Control with Bacillus thuringiensis or Sevin. Never use Sevin during bloom period or in the presence of bees.
For natural pest control, include companion plants in your garden plans.
Watch for signs of spider mites on arborvitae hedges (dusty-looking foliage, loss of color, presence of tiny mites). Wash infested areas with water or spray with appropriate pesticides.
Dig spring bulbs when tops have died down; divide and store or replant.
Stake tall-growing flowering plants such as delphinium, hollyhocks, and lupine.
Aerate lawns for more effective water and fertilizer usage.
|
Ask a Master Gardener
|
Several of my plants have a grayish-white powder on the leaves. What is it and what can I do?
Powdery mildew is a fungus that appears as white, powdery masses of spores on leaves. It is spread through the air and can overwinter on leaves and infected plants. If the mildew is severe enough, you may get premature leaf drop. Some plants may be almost completely defoliated by the end of summer. Be sure your plants receive a good amount of air circulation by placing them away from buildings or solid wood fences and keeping the center open through proper pruning. You might spray a sulfur-based fungicide but it is usually best to use proper care & maintenance and just ignore a few mildewed leaves.
|
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.
|
|
MG HOTLINE
A single statewide telephone number lets you access any of the many Alabama Master Gardener Help Lines around the state.
877-ALA-GROW (877-252-4769)
|
|
What's Happening?
|
Learning Opportunities Huntsville Botanical Garden offers programs for adults and children to expand their knowledge of nature.
View the schedule.
|
|
Plant of the Month
|
Chinese Lilac
One of the "old-fashioned" shrubs with large, showy, flowers. Purple, violet, or white, 4" to 6" long, profusely fragrant, narrow pyramidal inflorescences, often arising in pairs from the terminal floral buds. Flowers in early- and mid-May and lasting for one to two weeks. While dead-heading will slightly improve the overall vigor and appearance of the shrub, it is usually impractical to perform except on young shrubs. Usually a vigorous, relatively trouble-free shrub, except for the annual infection of powdery mildew that arrives in late August and persists until leaf drop. Medium-sized ornamental, 10' x 10' wide. Upright oval growth habit, becoming leggy and spreading with age. Medium growth rate. Full to partial shade. Best performance occurs in full sun in moist, well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic soils of average fertility, in areas with good air circulation. It is highly adaptable to poor soils, soils of various pH, drought, and pollution, but declines under the heat and high humidity of the Tennessee Vally. A specimen shrub for borders, entranceways, large foundations, rows, group plantings, or deciduous screens.
|
|
What's Happening?
|
Dinosaur Uproar 2008 is Huntsville Botanical Garden's 20th anniversary. To celebrate they have many special events planned for throughout the year. View the schedule
|
|
Weed of the Month
Buckhorn Plaintain
A cool season perennial. Reproduces by seeds and roots. Forms a spreading rosette above a long, sturdy taproot. Leaves narrow, up to 8" long with distinctive parallel venation. Many small flowers tightly clustered at the ends of long stems. Flowers occur May to October. Common in low-quality turfs of low to moderate soil fertility throughout the growing season. Control by maintaining turf density and health, especially fertilization. Mechanically pull removing as much of the taproot as possible. Chemical control - apply postemergence herbicides in spring-early summer and/or mid-late autumn when weeds are growing actively. Preemergence herbicides can be applied before seed germination.
|
|
What's Bugging You?
Over-watering

Symptoms include rapid defoliation, wilting, stunted plants, spotted foliage, and gray fuzzy mould. A major factor of water need is rate of evapotranspiration - the two ways that plants lose water. Evaporation is natural loss of water into the air. Transpiration is loss of water by the plant itself, usually through the leaves or the stem. To properly water: examine soil to see where it is too dry and crumbly, or where it's too wet and muddy. Checking often will avoid over watering or under watering. Water slowly to avoid runoff. Water deeply so more than just the top layer of soil receives water. Water early when it's cool. Daytime heat speeds evaporation. Watering at night causes disease and fungal growth.
|
|
Heart of the Valley Regional Master Gardeners Ken Creel - Regional Master Gardener Coordinator
|
Limestone County
|
Madison County
|
Morgan County
|
|