Joette Reger's archive

Palm imposter :Popular sago palm is not a palm at all

Dinosaurs probably snacked on the relatives of the cycads that you have in our yard today. Yes, cycads are those unique plants that resemble palm trees. The cycad family dominated the landscape during the Mesozoic era more than 150 million years ago. We are probably most familiar with the cycad called the sago palm.

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Plant a free tree

Someone is giving away free trees? Jefferson County Master Gardeners, under the volunteer guidance of Glen Watz, will be giving away one-year old, bare-rooted seedlings to the local community. Get there early to get yours. The Campbell group is sharing trees with area residents on Friday, Feb. 10, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Jefferson County Master Gardener test garden at the Jack Brooks Regional Airport.

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Know your climates and zones

We hear about the USDA hardiness zones and most garden centers sell plants with tags clearly marking which zone the plant is best suited for. With few exceptions, gardening success is vitally linked to selecting plants that suit your climate. Our area hardiness zones are Zone 8 and Zone 9.

If you want a low maintenance garden, stick with plants for your zone. But that being said, you can cheat the zones a little. It might be interesting to expand your plant palette and push the limits by creating microclimates.

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