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Community Gardening: The Gardens at the Center for Children & Young Adults, Part 2, by Guest Blogger Maureen Lok

Community Gardening: The Gardens at the Center for Children & Young Adults, Part 2, by Guest Blogger Maureen Lok

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A team of 7 Master Gardeners volunteer weekly over a ten-month calendar in the garden. They maintained the CCYA Garden throughout the pandemic, being categorized as essential workers and grew over 1,800 pounds of produce to feed the kids during unprecedented times. Currently, with funding from the Food Well Alliance, our part-time garden manager and part-time chef, culinarily trained, maintains the CCYA garden under direction of Master Gardeners and provides continuity of care when Master Gardeners are unavailable. Quarterly, large volunteer groups from local corporations spend a day on campus assisting with a variety of large garden projects that assist the Master Gardeners. Groups from Home Depot, Six Flags and others help us cut down trees…

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Community Gardening: The Gardens at the Center for Children & Young Adults, Part 1, by Guest Blogger Maureen Lok

Community Gardening: The Gardens at the Center for Children & Young Adults, Part 1, by Guest Blogger Maureen Lok

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The Center for Children & Young Adults (CCYA) is located in Marietta, Georgia on a 4.5 acre campus. CCYA is a 501©3 group home dedicated to providing safe and suitable housing, youth development activities and comprehensive supportive housing services for at-risk homeless youth ages 12-20…CCYA is a very special place in that we provide our kids with a nurturing atmosphere in a home-like cottage setting.

For almost 20 years, Cobb and Douglas County Master Gardeners have volunteered at CCYA cultivating the atmosphere. What began with a single raised bed where tulips and herbs were planted has grown to a 1.5 acre succession of gardens that together provide fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and more to over 100 youth annually at the Center…

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Tasks for the Georgia Gardener in January & February by RGC Blogger Suzy Crowe

Tasks for the Georgia Gardener in January & February by RGC Blogger Suzy Crowe

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For several years I’ve been a little late trimming the liriope. Determined to get a jump on it this year, I did some research and found great info on what I can do right now, not just with the liriope, but with my gardens…

Gwinnett County UGA Extensions office’s Tips for the Landscape & Garden: January says it’s time to:

  • Plan & prep new construction projects and planting zones…
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Christmas Cactus FAQs by RGC Bloggers King Trousdale, Lisa Ethridge & Suzy Crowe

Christmas Cactus FAQs by RGC Bloggers King Trousdale, Lisa Ethridge & Suzy Crowe

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A Christmas Cactus is a succulent plant from the Brazilian rain forest. It is at home in a jungle, not a desert. Treat your Christmas Cactus right and it will live and bloom for decades. Here are some FAQs to help you treat your Christmas Cactus just right.

Should I repot my Christmas Cactus?

  • If your Christmas Cactus came in a small pot, it needs to be transplanted to thrive
  • Select a medium pot and fill it with a mix of potting soil and perlite
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Plants: Winterizing Your Dahlias by RGC Blogger Donna Feit

Plants: Winterizing Your Dahlias by RGC Blogger Donna Feit

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I love my dahlias. I bought some tubers a few years ago, planted them as soon as they arrived, and several weeks later was delighted with beautiful pink and sunset-orange blossoms. They bloomed throughout the latter part of summer right up until the first frost. I left them in the ground for the winter and they returned the following year.

After that, I wanted to learn more and started to research growing dahlias. I was surprised to learn that they don’t “winter” well and are often killed by freezing cold weather. I was fortunate in that the first winter was an especially mild one and my tubers survived.

I don’t want to run the risk of losing my beautiful dahlias, so this year, I’m going to dig up the tubers and store them properly over the winter. Since we’ve already had a couple of frosts, now is the time!

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Baby It’s Cold Outside: Show Your Plants Some Love by RGC Blogger Lisa Ethridge

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Cooler temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight throughout the fall initiate the cold-acclimation process which enables plants to withstand winter temperatures. The best way to prevent cold damage is to select plants that can tolerate temperatures where you live. Georgia has different climatic zones, so it’s important to select plants that meet the minimum cold-hardy requirements for our area. For North Fulton that’s zone 7B.

Cold temperatures and wind can damage all parts of the plant including fruit, stems, leaves, trunk, and roots. Carefully selected plants can survive a freeze but may not survive a prolonged period of below-freezing temperatures.

Healthy plants have a better chance of surviving cold weather. A soil sample is the best method to determine what nutrients plants need. Contact the UGA extension agent to get information about soil testing.

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National Garden Week: A Look at Some of our Favorite Gardens by RGC Members

National Garden Week: A Look at Some of our Favorite Gardens by RGC Members

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We are closing out our National Garden Week posts with a look at favorite gardens members have visited, pictures from Lisa’s recent visit to Gibbs Garden, and pics from a few members’ gardens–the feature image for this post is from Mary Ann Booth Cabot’s backyard. We hope you are as inspired by these gardens as we are. Thanks for celebrating National Garden Week with us.

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National Garden Week: Go Green with a 100% Solar Powered Fountain by RGC Blogger Suzy Crowe

National Garden Week: Go Green with a 100% Solar Powered Fountain by RGC Blogger Suzy Crowe

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I love fountains. Their sound is soothing, happy music to me, they attract wildlife, and they give birds a place to drink and bathe. This spring I decided to convert a wet area in my landscape to a fountain. The wet area was a bog I created with reeds and yellow iris in my grandfather’s 55 gallon cast iron scalding pot. I was planning to go with a fountain with an electric pump until I came across the cute little ZETIY 100% solar bird bath fountain that doesn’t require a battery or electricity. You can’t get any greener than that! In addition, it only cost $16.70. It sounded like a win-win for me and for the birds.

When the fountain came in, I decided to test it before clearing out the boggy mess in the scalding pot that would become a fountain. The fountain was very easy to put together — I just had to put the pump into a clamp on the underside of the fountain and test out the 4 nozzles that came with the fountain. It took me a little while to figure out how the pump fit in the clamp, so…

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National Garden Week: What are RGC Members Doing During the Stay-at-Home?

National Garden Week: What are RGC Members Doing During the Stay-at-Home?

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Here are RGC member responses to How have you spent your time during the virus?

From Dotty E

While honoring guidelines, I have spent my time doing projects around my home that I had put off for a long time–still lots to do. But I was able to do some organizing, exterior siding replacement and painting, and some interior painting.

Lots of reflection on what I truly value as we have had to isolate and even refrain from gathering at our places of worship. I have decided that I will more mindfully give thanks daily for all my blessings large and small and to help others along the way.

I have not done a lot of additional planting in the garden, but I have been formulating some plans for the type outcome I desire and will resume some planting in the fall. But lots of weeding was done during this time.

We adopted an abused dog and have had to work really hard to help him overcome his fears and challenges. He has come a long way but still a long way to go. It has been heartbreaking to realize how scared he has been before us, and we are determined to make a difference.

From Dorothy J

The time I had during lockdown I spent working in my garden. I was able to clean and manicure my flower beds to get ready for planting. I also did some craft projects like painting some big flower pots…

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