News Stories - Page 63

The Brassicas are taking center stage! In the fall and winter seasons, we have always dabbled in flowering kale and cabbage, but it seems in the last couple of years that things are changing. The cruciferous crops are doing their part to create the wow factor in flower beds across Georgia. It’s not just flowering kale and cabbage on display, but edibles like the Toscano kale and – would you believe it – that old, Southern favorite, collards.

Keeping landscape plants alive during the current drought conditions in Georgia takes some forethought, but it’s not impossible or illegal with these tips from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the Georgia Urban Ag Council.

Prolonged dry weather has prompted an elevated drought response for northwest Georgia. But under all levels of drought response, new plant material can be installed under a 30-day exemption period. Once the establishment period has expired, the drought-response watering practices must be followed accordingly.

Mention fall-blooming camellias and the first thought is most likely the sasanqua camellia. There are many camellia varieties and each has the ability to provide the bones or evergreen structure needed in the home landscape.

Mari-mums are large-flower marigolds, known botanically as Tagetes erecta, that are reminiscent of chrysanthemums. Many of them really look like the old-fashioned homecoming mums of the ‘50s and ‘60s, only smaller.

After a hurricane, you find beauty and pleasure in simple things. In my case, it is the old-fashioned zinnia. Now I say “old-fashioned” because we grew them from generic seed packets, so I don’t know the variety. I would say it is the zinnia you grew up with as a kid.