Whether you’re spring cleaning this season or spring digging, we’ve got you covered. Grab your gloves and roll up your sleeves as we dive into what you need to know about starting your own green space.
City Editor Kellina spoke with Extension Horticulture Agent Leslie Rose about tips to help you grow a healthy garden this season.
What’s the best season to plant a garden?
Spring and fall are good seasons for planting in the Piedmont region of NC. It’s cooler and easier to keep your plants watered than in the hotter summer or in the winter. In the spring, you can plant perennial and annual flowers, trees, shrubs, and also summer vegetables. In the fall, you can plant perennial flowers, trees, shrubs, and fall vegetables.
Do you have any tips when growing those plants?
Soil test before planting and follow the recommendations, especially when it comes to adjusting the soil pH. The soil pH helps determine nutrient availability, so you want it to be in the correct range for what you are growing. Also, take time to look up what the plants need and make sure you can provide that in your yard before you purchase any plants.
Here are some native plants to look for:
- Wild Indigo (Baptisia): This flower blooms from late spring to early summer and can survive drought and dry conditions.
- Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis): This perennial attracts bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. It is best to plant in full sun to light shade
- Purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia): This flower grows well when fully exposed to the sun and in well-drained soil.
Find more native pollinator plants in NC.
What are the benefits of cultivating your own garden?
Growing a garden adds a lot of beauty and can attract wildlife, such as insects and birds, to your yard. It is fun to enjoy the colors of the flowers and foliage and the wildlife. I personally think there is a huge sense of accomplishment that comes with planting something and watching it grow and develop [...] you are supporting local wildlife and pollinators, which is great for the environment and local ecosystems.
N.C. Cooperative Extension offers free gardening classes seasonally. Start your spring garden by attending the annual spring plant sale at the Arboretum at Tanglewood Park Friday, May 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
