As things seem to be changing every day, please know that we at Alabama Extension are still here to help.
We know how much you miss getting together with family, friends and neighbors. Trust me we miss it too! After all, we spend many of our days interacting with a group of people, large or small, formal or informal. It’s not just what we do, but honestly who we are.
With many of you spending more time at home, your landscape and garden may get a lot more attention than usual. You now have time to get to the gardening chores that you never quite finished (or started in my case). You can finally get to work on the project that has been on your to-do list for a while, or maybe inspiration hits you and you start something completely new. Regardless of your mission, the Alabama Extension still wants to serve as your go-to point for all gardening work.
A wise person once said: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” While we haven’t invented all of the platforms currently in use, we try our best to get the most out of each of these platforms. We want to be as accessible and informative as possible during this time of social distancing.
See How Alabama Extension Agents Help Your Gardens Grow! Stay Safe and Happy Gardening!
Go outside with Alabama Smart Yards
This series of webinars takes place every Wednesday at noon on Zoom. Different topics related to your landscape and your garden will be discussed.
Make sure you “like” the St. Clair County, Alabama Extension Facebook page to see what topics we’ll be covering each week. If you can’t be there live, archived presentations can be found on the Alabama Smart Yards – Alabama Extension Facebook page.
Alabama Garden Chat
This Q&A session is held every Wednesday at 2pm via Zoom through August. Join agents and fellow gardeners from across the state to explore seasonal horticultural themes and answer your gardening questions.
If you have any questions about gardening, please send them to alabamagardenchat@gmail.com.
Alabama Smart Yards – Alabama Extension Facebook Page
This page is the central point of contact for details on all of the events listed above. We also publish helpful information on a variety of gardening topics related to ornamental plants, food, and lawns.
Planning for the home garden
A successful home garden requires planning and constant attention.
You need to carefully choose the site, plant at the right time, use the right amount of fertilizer, use adapted varieties, fight pests. then harvest at the right time. This information is available in our Alabama Vegetable Gardener Series, which is now available on the Alabama Extension website, www.aces.edu, and also on our Facebook pages.
Alabama Master Gardener Helpline
If you have specific questions about growing a particular vegetable or dealing with an insect pest, please contact the Alabama Master Gardener Helpline at 1-877-ALA-GROW.
Grow more, give more program
Alabama Extension’s Grow More, Give More project is helping. Experienced and inexperienced gardeners alike can find the information and resources they need for a successful garden through Grow More, Give More. The project also encourages gardeners to build an additional range and give back to their communities. So how does it work you ask?
Check out Alabama Extension’s abundant resources to increase your growth potential, whether you are growing in containers, raised beds, or in a traditional garden in the ground. At Give More, some gardeners may want to share with neighbors while others deliver their crops to a pantry or regional food bank.
If you have any questions about getting started with Grow More, Give More, just email GMGMhelpline@aces.edu. I am also available to answer your questions.
If you have not already done so, please visit the St. Clair County, Alabama Extension Office, and Alabama Smart Yards – Alabama Extension Facebook pages to access all of these resources now available to you. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me at (205) 612-9524 or email bao0004@aces.edu.
