Our Zoom meeting for May featured the much anticipated presentation of the Annual Photo Contest entries. Jenny Burdette is our judge this year and we’re delighted to have her. A self-taught nature and wildlife photographer, Jenny lives in Dacula, GA. A retired educator, she has combined her love of nature with her interest in photography to create a second career. Her work has appeared on the covers and pages of Georgia’s Great Places magazine, and her images are featured in the Visitor Centers at Red Top Mountain State Park in Cartersville, GA, and Providence Canyon State Park near Lumpkin, GA, as well as on postcards and promotional materials for Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites. Pictures will be up in the gallery soon.
Soil3 Fundraiser
March 1, 2021 by ·
Support the programs run by our member volunteers and get quality compost for your garden at a discounted price. Soil3 is certified for organic gardening.
Are you looking for the Big Yellow Bag – a cubic yard? Please go to Soil3.com and enter code MGGwinnett1 to receive your discount. Note that our code is only valid from March 16 – 30. The Mini Cube and Mini Garden Kit must be ordered on our website to obtain the discount.
The Mini Cube is 1 cubic foot of humus compost @ $13.99. The Soil3 Mini Garden Kit is a Mini Cube plus a 7 gallon root pouch @ $20.99. You can order here using the PayPal buttons below or print our Soil3 flyer and mail the flyer with a check. These orders must be placed by April 4th.
Pick up for the Mini Cubes and Garden Kits will be on April 10th
9AM-12PM at the Snellville Community Garden at Briscoe Park!
Note that any order that is not picked up (or arranged to be picked up) will be donated to the Community Garden.
Please choose either (or both) PayPal buttons to add items to your cart. PayPal will total the cart for you and you may use a credit card or your personal PayPal account to pay. You will receive a confirmation email.
Soil Mini Cube $13.99 each
Soil Garden Kit $20.99 each
2021 Grants
February 26, 2021 by ·
Our association is proud to announce awards totaling $5000 for these grant projects in Gwinnett County. We’re particularly glad to see five schools participate in their school gardens to educated young folks. These endeavors are:
- Berkley Lake Elementary
- Lilburn Camp Creek Greenway/Ladybugs
- Snellville Community Garden
- Ferguson Elementary
- GPLT/Mary Kistner Center
- McDaniel Farm Park
- Peachtree Elementary
- Riverside Elementary
- SE Gwinnett Food Coop
- St. John Neuman
- Vines Park
Gwinnett Hardiness Zone & Frost Dates
February 24, 2021 by ·
Hardiness Zone
The purpose of the USDA Hardiness Zones map is for growers and gardeners to determine which plants will tolerate the area’s climatic conditions. The map’s basis is the minimum extreme temperature that can potentially occur, which is divided into 14 separate zones across the country. Gwinnett County is in Zone 7b, meaning that the winter temperatures could drop to five to 10 degrees, although the occurrence is quite rare. Zone 7b is too far north for some plants, such as citrus plants, which prefer the hardiness zones in Central and Southern Florida. Georgia’s coastal counties are in zone 8b, meaning the temperature could drop to as low as 15 to 20 degrees. Plants that thrive on the coast and the rest of South Georgia, such as oleanders and sago palms, could suffer in our zone during an extreme cold weather event. Most plants for sale at local garden centers have USDA Hardiness Zones on their labels. Make sure your purchase ones that are adapted to Zone 7b.
First and Last Frost Dates
In addition to knowing your hardiness zone, every gardener should know the average frost dates. These dates are the key to successful planting. Just look at the instructions on a seed packet or plant tag. “Plant in spring after danger of frost has passed.” Or, “Plant six weeks before the first frost in fall”. Frost dates are also important when it comes to pruning and executing pest control measures.
Average frost dates are based on historical weather data and may or may not hold true every year. In the spring, planting instructions often refer to the average date of the last frost, which is the date on which the last frost has already occurred. Remember – this is an average. This means that if you plant after this date, there is a good chance there will not be any more frosts and frost-sensitive plants should be safe outdoors. Still, you should watch the weather forecasts and be prepared to provide protection … just in case.
The first frost date of autumn helps you time fall plantings, when to bring your tender houseplants indoors and when to harvest tender vegetables. Again, the first frost date is an average and frost may occur before then. It is best to keep an eye on the weather and be prepared.
Authors:
Timothy Daly, University of Georgia Extension Gwinnett County | Agriculture and Natural Resources County Extension Agent
Ann Langley, Master Gardener Extension Volunteer, Class of 2017
