North Mississippi Gardening Tips
May, 2007
Flowers
Annuals add flash and dazzle to our landscapes. When you take into consideration that with proper care these plants will bloom their heads off partially all season, they are a real bargain. They’re not permanent, so we are free to try new plants, new combinations, every year. What a deal! For low maintenance and bloom all season try these tough annuals: spider flower (cleome), melampodium, globe amaranth, rose moss (portulaca), cosmos, narrowleaf zinnia, periwinkle. Look for these annual vines: moonflower, Spanish flag (Mina lobata), cypress vine, ‘Heavenly Blue’ morning glory, Love-in-a-Puff (Cardiospermum halicacabum).
Container Gardens
Have you ever thought of making a moss container? No? Well, get ready because you are about to learn how to make one of these spiffy little garden accessories. Look for green sheet moss at a florist’s shop or crafts store or do like I do and collect fresh moss from the woods. I use a flat-blade shovel or just my fingers to gently scrape the green moss from the ground. Try to keep it together and not break it apart as you remove as much of the soil as possible. Wrapping these sheets of moss around plastic or clay pots, baskets, or wooden crates can transform these items into charming centerpieces. All you need to attach the moss to the container is white glue or you could use a hot glue gun if you’re the impatient type. Bark, twigs and raffia wraps can be added to the container to create interesting shapes or textural contrast. Woodsy-type plants like ferns, violets, or any rustic-type floral arrangement look great in these moss-covered containers.
Over time, the moss will fade and turn brown. To keep the moss looking fresh, spray the surface of the moss with this mixture: combine one and one-half cups of water with three drops of green food coloring and one drop of yellow food coloring. Lightly mist the moss with the dye and let it dry.
Fruit
May means fresh strawberries from the garden! These are among the easiest of home fruits to grow. The only problem I have encountered with a bed of strawberries is keeping it in bounds. This is the method I use. As the mother plants begin to send out runners after the strawberry harvest is over, I gently turn all runners so that they will all grow to the same side of the mother plants. That way, all the new plants will be growing on the same side of the row and I can grub out or till up the older less productive mother plants without destroying the baby plants. As you do this over a number of years your strawberry bed will literally move across the garden as you continue to move the runners in the same direction every year! This method works well for me because it is easy to identify and remove the older plants. Also, disease problems are less because the strawberries are not occupying the same site year after year. This “moving row” method of growing strawberries deviates somewhat from the “matted row” method where you have to grub out a third of the less productive plants in the “stationary” bed every year.
Groundcovers and Lawns
Ground covers are used where shade is too dense or the terrain is too rough for turf grass. Many types of ground covers can provide color and texture differences in the landscape and keep soil in place. Ground covers are typically less than 18 inches in height and generally require little maintenance once they are established. Some, such as mondo grass, resemble grass in growth form while others, such as violets and thrift (Phlox subulata), are grown as much for flower color as for the foliage.
Herbs
Basil is the top selling culinary herb for most garden centers and with good reason. The clove-like fragrance and attractive growth habit of the plant makes it a must for cooks and gardeners alike.
The aromatic cooking qualities of basil are often associated with Italian cooking, since the sweet basil that we are most familiar with combines so well with tomatoes and garlic. Basil has been enjoyed in American gardens for over 200 years. Abundant quantities of the herb were grown in the gardens at Mount Vernon and dried in the rafters of the kitchen. Basil enlivens many dishes, blending nicely with fish, poultry, beans, cheese, and eggs, as well as a wide range of vegetables. Basil even combines well with other herbs: oregano, sweet marjoram, thyme, and parsley. It's no wonder that basil is the cook's choice and a favorite culinary herb in today's kitchen.
It is a tender annual, so you will need to replant each spring after the weather is warm and settled. It thrives in hot, humid weather; therefore, it does great in our area of the South.
The easiest way to grow basil is by buying transplants from your local plant supplier. You can grow it from seed, but, of course, if takes longer to harvest.
Grow basil in a full sun location and harvest leaves as you need them for fresh use. To extend the life of the plants, pinch off the flower buds as they appear. For bushier growth, fertilize after a heavy clipping of leaves with liquid 20-20-20.
Lelia Scott Kelly, Ph.D., writes North Mississippi Gardening Tips monthly and is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.