Gardening And More

August Gardening Calendar July and August forecast is predicting above average temperatures for most of the United States. For the past two weeks there have been heat advisory warnings daily and to use precautions while working outdoors. The best times to garden in an area that has heat advisories is early morning or late afternoon. When we garden during these heat advisories it is recommended to protect yourself from heat dangers by: ·          Stay out of the sun, if possible. ·          Drink plenty of cool water whether you are thirsty or not. ·          Wear loose, light-colored clothing, and sun screen. Try wearing clothes that use the Dri-Fit technology. ·          Try to schedule outdoor activities early mornings or late afternoons. ·          While working outdoors pace...

July Gardening Calendar Extreme heat began earlier this year than previous years. In the past five years, each summer we currently break last year’s record.   Extreme temperatures were recorded around the world in June 2024 and we have two to three more months of the summer. Currently there are 11 states that are under extreme heat warnings: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.  Lantana camara ‘Miss Huff’ The CDC recommends these precautions for anyone who is involved in outdoor work or activities during extreme heat weather. Drink plenty of water and don’t wait until you are thirsty. Avoid alcohol and sugary drinks. Always where sunscreen and reapply as directed on label. Try to avoid working in mid-day heat and ask if the task can be rescheduled. Where loose fit clothing in light colors. Dri-fit is a brand of clothing that helps keep one cool during work or exercising. Where a large, brimm...

  In March the weather teases gardeners into believing spring is almost around the corner, with lots of continuous sunny and warm days. During this time of year, the weather is very unpredictable for planning and the weather is like a roller coaster, one day it’s nice and sunny, then the next day it’s cold and rainy.   As gardeners we get antsy, we want to get out in our garden and play in the dirt. But we know better, the last average frost date is still a month or two months away, depending on your gardening zone. This is when we can start planning for this year’s spring garden. Spring is a good time to check out new gardening books. There are two gardening books I would like to recommend  Southeast Style Gardening and Gardening for the Butterflies   and the books are on sale on Amazon. Here are the links: Southeast Style Gardening and Gardening for the Butterflies. The books can help you plan your garden for spring. March Gardening Chores As we patiently wait...