Newspaper Page Text
The Upson Beacon Thursday, March 18, 2021 Page 1B
GARDENS
Carmen Johnston
Owner, Carmen Johnston Gardens
GARDEN, HOW TO
Winter Prep For Beautiful Spring Garden
Taking the time for winter prep can result in
a beautiful spring garden, so check out these
great tips and then grab that coat and gloves
and get to work!
Winter Prep For Beautiful Spring
Garden - Perennials
It is important to consider your location
and the current weather your area is experi
encing. Located here in South Georgia, we
have mild winters. If you live in a cooler re
gion, you will want to delay the following gar
den tasks until just before spring, but begin
with perennials.
Perennials are nature’s gift that keep giv
ing year after year. To keep them looking their
best, prune back perennials to the form and
size you desire. This will allow the plant to fill
in with new, lush growth when spring arrives.
Avoid pruning certain plants that bloom on
old wood. These types of plants formed their
buds the previous year and if they are re
moved, will not flower.
Roses - Start Pruning Late Winter
Roses are an essential component to any
garden. Late winter is the best time to prune
your roses back allowing for new, fresh
growth to occur when spring arrives. Remove
any dead canes and cut healthy stems back to
approximately 1/3 to 2/3 of the size of the
plant. Remove any suckers from the plant as
these will steal nutrients and stunt overall
growth.
Spray the rose plant thoroughly with hor
ticultural oil to rid of insects as well as their
eggs before they become active again in the
spring. Reward all of your hard work with
buying yourself a new beautiful rose bush to
add to your garden as now is a great time to
plant them.
New Plantings
Now is the perfect time to get new perennials,
shrubs, and trees planted in your garden, as
long as your area is safe from freezes. Plant
ing now allows plants’ root structures to form
Timeless, thoughtful design is
the foundation of Carmen
Johnston Gardens (CJG), lo
cated in Thomaston. From over
all aesthetic and design to the
creation of stunning outdoor liv
ing spaces and gardens, the CJG
team provides comprehensive
installation for new construction
and existing homes throughout
the Southeast, taking into con
sideration function, lifestyle, and
enhancement of long-term in
vestment.
well before the intense summer heat arrives.
Some of my favorite perennials to bring
gorgeous spring color into the garden are fox
glove (Digitalis purpurea), peony (Paeonia
lactiflora), African iris (Dietes iridioides), con-
eflower (Echinaceae sp.), and larkspur (Del
phinium sp.). My favorite evergreens to
incorporate are wintergreen boxwoods
(Buxus sinica var. insularis ‘Wintergreen’),
dwarf bur ford hollies (Ilex cornuta ‘Dwarf
Burford’), and distylium.
Fertilizing
If you are looking forward to a gorgeous
spring, make it even more beautiful by fertil
izing everything from curb to foundation, in
cluding your lawn, shrubs, and trees.
Choose a fertilizer that is of good quality
because it truly makes a difference. I like to
use my secret “go-go juice” Nelson plant food.
You will want a complete fertilizer, meaning it
has both macronutrients and micronutrients.
Turf
Last but not least, make sure to give your
lawn the love and attention it deserves. I rec
ommend having a soil test completed with
your local extension office to assess your
lawn’s nutrient needs.
Here in the South, our soils tend be quite
acidic, which most plants are not fond of. It is
likely your lawn needs to be limed, which will
neutralize the soil pH. This will improve nu
trient availability to your plants and improve
the overall health and structure of the soil.
One of the most important things you can
do for your lawn is known as scalping. This in
volves lowering your lawn mower setting each
time the grass is cut in order to clean up the
thatch. Thatch is the area of dead and living
grass that is between the soil and the lush
green grass that graces your lawn. By clean
ing up the thatch, you improve aeration, drai
nage, and nutrient absorption. Also, when the
grass is cut, make sure that the grass clip
pings are not left on the lawn during this time
of scalping.
Hunts Outdoor Services, LLC
A Local Tree Cutting & Landscaping Company
McCorkle Curve • Thomaston
3098
(706)
647
0103
Springtime electrical checklist
Southern Rivers Energy
It’s almost time to throw open the windows and welcome warm spring weather. It’s also
time to invest in a few springtime upgrades to keep your house more comfortable and help
use energy wisely.
Check off the following chores before it gets hot outside:
Inspect and maintain. Have a licensed HVAC technician inspect and maintain your air con
ditioning system. Paying a little now could prevent a huge expense this summer if your system
breaks down on a hot day and you have to have it repaired or replaced in a hurry. Maintenance
goes a long way toward preventing emergencies and can prolong the life of your equipment.
Clear and trim. While you’re outdoors planting and pruning, trim all of the bushes and pull all
of the weeds near your air conditioner’s outside condenser unit. Remove any tree limbs that
landed on it, brush off leaves on or around it and pick up trash that found its way there as it
sat unused all winter. Anything that touches the unit and prevents air from circulating around
it will make it perform inefficiently.
Plant and shade. While you’ve got your shovel and spade out, consider planting some shade
trees on the sunny side of your house. As they grow, they will filter the sun’s rays that can
beat so fiercely on your windows in the summer and make your air conditioner work harder.
Replace and upgrade. Speaking of windows, if your house still has single-pane versions, this
is a good time to replace them with double-pane models. Single-pane windows are energy in
efficient and can drive your air conditioning bills through the roof. You could save several hun
dred dollars on cooling and heating bills every year if you replace your drafty, old windows.
Clean and shine. Clean your windows, inside and out. Newer models are simple to clean be
cause you can tilt them toward the inside of the house so you can reach both sides. Clean win
dows let more sunlight into your house, which means you won’t have to turn on as many lights.
Spring is the perfect time for home improvement projects.
Let us help with a HomePlus Loan. Southern Rivers Energy members
can finance energy-efficient home upgrades with a HomePlus Loan.
Rates start as low as 7.99% APR! Learn more at southernriversenergy.com.
Southern Rivers Energy
A Touchstone Enererv* Coonerath
A Touchstone Energy* Cooperative
southernriversenergy.com
1367 Hwy 341 South
Barnesville, GA 30204
(770)358-1383
Apply online at southernriversenergy.com or contact Josh Hendricks
for more information: josh@srivers.netor 770-358-1383, ext. 349.
SOUTHERN RIVERS ENERGY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PROVIDER.