Regional Reminders
March 30, 2006
Middle South
By
Suzanne DeJohn,
Candler, NC
Sow Carrots
Freshly harvested carrots are so sweet, it's worth it to set aside a row in your garden for them. Go light on fertilizer to avoid forked roots. Sow seeds 1 inch apart, and thin plants to 3 inches apart after they are up and growing.
Divide Mums
Chrysanthemums that survived winter should be showing tufts of leaves. It's the perfect time to dig and divide them. If you don't want to give up space for them in your flowerbeds, move them to a sunny spot in the vegetable garden where they can grow freely until they bloom in the fall.
Grow Easy-Care Geraniums
Geraniums (botanically speaking, pelargoniums) are the perfect flowers for large containers and window boxes, and they're available in a range of colors. They grow best in a gritty potting soil that drains well. Feed plants regularly with a balanced liquid fertilizer, and enjoy their exuberant colors all summer long.
Start Herbs
You can plant many herbs now, including sage, rosemary, lavender, thyme, and parsley. Hold off on setting out basil plants until temperatures are consistently warm. You can plant your basil in a container if you're diligent about moving it indoors when temperatures drop into the 50s.
Plant Dianthus
Many dianthus that are sold as annual bedding plants will stick around for two or three seasons as short-lived perennials in our climate. They look great next to other annuals. Pair deep pinks with soft gray dusty miller, or give red dianthus a companion with white blooms, such as sweet alyssum.
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