Southern Gardening

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The first spring in my Mississippi home, built in the late 1800's, several plants really humbled this horticulturist. Although I probably destroyed some thinking they were weeds, many survivors have endeared themselves to me.

One timeless classic I immediately fell in love with had bright orange-red flowers. It kept me guessing for a while, but turned out to be crocosmia, or monbretia.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Tropicanna just may be the most beautiful canna ever developed and is renewing interest in this traditional Southern plant with its brightly colored, variegated leaves and orange flowers.

While I am not much of a fan of orange flowers, the foliage of this new variety is awesome enough to make you want to grow the plant. Most Southern natives grew up with cannas.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Most Mississippians think spring is the best time for gardening. But if you haven't tried a fall garden, consider putting one in now because it can be the best garden you have.

Fall-grown produce is better because it ripens in a cooler, less stressful time of the season. It suffers less from sunburn or sunscald, and fall has fewer insects and diseases.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

A cup full of fresh cilantro is the herbal key to success when company is coming over for fajitas. As a horticulturist who got his feet wet on the Rio Grande and spent considerable time in the Bad Lands of New Mexico, I know cilantro is the secret to fajitas, salsa or pico de gallo.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Want to enjoy flowering plants all season without labor-intensive care? Zinnia angustifolia Crystal White, one of the All-American Selection flowers for 1997, is the answer.

This group of zinnias have proven to be heat and drought tolerant and have superior flowering in spite of weather conditions. Additional colors include golden-orange, yellow and another white variety named Classic white.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Gardeners are always asking me what they can plant for color in the shade. Many people overlook foliage plants like coleus, and the new varieties of coleus will amaze you.

With the advent of the SuperSun coleus, we have varieties that will work right out in the middle of a pasture. Texas A & M has been evaluating coleus for full sun conditions in scorching hot cities like El Paso, Houston, Amarillo and Dallas/Fort Worth.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Heirloom plants are making huge comebacks for gardeners everywhere, particularly in the South.

One heirloom plant regaining attention is the Vitex agnus-cactus, or the Lilac Chaste tree. They are for sale at many nurseries, but you probably don't recognize this member of the verbena family.

The gorgeous, lilac-blue flowers are fragrant and produce over a long period during the summer. Even the leaves release a spicy odor when crushed.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Weeds by any other name often do smell as sweet. The name "weed" conjures up thoughts of nutgrass, Johnson grass, crabgrass and dandelions. Weeds we love to hate.

Butterfly weed and Joe Pye weed are at least two instances where taxonomists or botanists gave plants names that turn off gardeners, but butterflies (and many gardeners) love these two Mississippi natives.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

California is home to two of the most beautiful trees in the world, the redwood and the giant sequoia. If you have ever seen them, you were probably like me and just stood there in awe.

More than likely you returned to Mississippi wishing you could grow such spectacular trees. You can. Both the redwood and sequoia are in the redwood family.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Some of our best summer color can be grown in the shade or partially shady areas.

Impatiens are impressive with their vibrant colors that can yield tremendous floral displays in the fall if watered thoroughly throughout the summer. The plants need a well-drained, organic amended bed. Space plants 15 to 20 inches apart depending on the variety.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Many of the tropical plants grown in the beautiful Caribbean islands are for sale at your local garden center and nursery. With careful thought and planning, you can create your own little garden of paradise.

Thanks to 250 plus days between freezing temperatures, and more than 50 inches of annual rainfall, Mississippi is a great place to create a mini Montego Bay in the landscape.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Many plants are good for attracting butterflies.

The hummingbird clethra is a butterfly plant you need to try for beauty, fragrance and ease of growing. It provides spicy-fragrant flowers during July and August when color and fragrance are limited.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

A reader asked me to put together a list of my top 10 flowers to try in 1997. Since people accuse me of never meeting a plant I don't like, selecting favorites was a huge challenge.

But here's my list.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Strawberry jars can be the focal point of your porch, patio or deck. Before you're distracted by visions of tiny plants in glass jelly jars, let me explain what a strawberry jar is.

A strawberry jar is a terra-cotta pot with fairly large holes around it. They come in 1, 2, 3 and 5 gallon sizes. Many of you pass them by because those holes look like more of a problem than a wonderful opportunity, or you have no intention of planting strawberries.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Fertilizing our lawns, gardens and landscape plantings is one of homeowners least understood practices. Every year countless home gardeners apply fertilizer and cross their fingers for good luck.

While managing a tourist site with 61 rose gardens, I noticed a huge difference in the plants' performance based on proper fertilizing efforts. The gardens mostly had been taken care of by volunteers.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

There's a new belle in the South, and her name is not Scarlet. This time it's New Wonder, Scaevola aemula, an Australian import that's drawing widespread attention in the floral industry.

New Wonder recently garnered top honors from the Cooperative Extension Services in Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia where it was named Mississippi Medallion, Louisiana Select and Georgia Gold Medal Winner for 1997.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Tapien verbena is all the rage at nurseries and with home gardeners across the state. Tapien was hybridized in Japan by the same breeders that brought us the Surfinia petunias.

Limited supplies were available last year and Tapiens quickly sold out as gardeners were amazed at the profusion of blooms. They are available at most nurseries right now, but I suspect they will disappear fast again.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Mulching is one of the most important things we can do for our shrubs, trees and flower beds, and planting time is a good chance to show you care.

Buying mulch or landscape soil mix can be a challenge when you don't know how much you need. People often try to look like they know what they are doing even when they don't.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Phlox are some of the most beautiful flowers in the world, and Mother Nature endowed the United States with an abundance of species. Thanks to the diligent work of hybrid developers, we have hundreds of selections to choose from.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

All landscapes reach a point where they need a little re-engineering. A tornado destroyed giant trees in our yard before we bought the house and repair efforts continue each year.

Re-engineering is a popular word today. Corporations use it to describe changes they are making in their market focus or their corporate structure. Re-engineering basically means looking at where you are and assessing how you can capitalize on what you have.