Dying to Get Out in the Yard: What Can I plant now??? (growing, Butterfly Bush)
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So I am in zone 7 (a or b, not sure). The days are sunny, hot, (80s) dry and the nights are cool, down to the 40s or so and there has been almost no evidence of frost in my yard, yet. The Maple has lost 3/4 of the leaves. But other trees around here have not lost much. I already feel like gardening is over for the year. Maybe it isn't? Could I plant something now? If so, what? In the spring I will do a raised bed but right now, I am looking for shrubs, or trees, or ???
Heck, I just planted several shrubs today and I am in Zone 7 as well. This is the best time of year to plant trees and shrubs that are appropriate for this zone, as the soil will remain warm pretty much into December. I still have a bunch of smaller perennials to get into the ground, as well as all of my bulbs, then I'll mulch everything and tidy up for the year. Your biggest problem is actually finding anything to plant. The best place to look is at actual nurseries - you can get some crazy good bargains this time of year though.
I'm in Zone 7B. Garden all year round, unless it's ridiculously cold or snow on the ground.
I agree with Bungalove, some of the best plants I've gotten, and at the cheapest prices I may add, have been at the end of what people think are the end of the planting season. I've gotten plants up to 90% off. I have some coral bells that need to be planted still, a butterfly bush, pestimon, and a couple others. I am using my small greenhouse for the first time and just put them in there until I am ready to plant. In years past I had plants being put in throughout winter.
This winter I am focusing on cleaning up my garden, mulching, pruning and weeding, lots of weeding!!!
AZgarden - Dave Owens, aka "the Garden Guy" on Channel 3 has a FB page with lots of ideas and advice, and he also has a Pinterest page. I know he has a place up in Payson, so he may have some advice for the higher elevations too.
I, too, like to buy "orphans" off the clearance rack. With some TLC, they usually come around!
Maybe you could go take a walk in a more established residential neighborhood and see what is successfully growing. Or join the local garden club?
Contact your local Cooperative Extension Board and they will probably be able to email you some articles on what you can plant specific to your area. The other suggestion is to look for a master gardener in the local area or nursery for advice.
I'm in Zone 4. The only thing I can plant here now is my bigbutt in a chair in front of the fireplace and read a book until I can start some seeds inside in Feb.
For Zone 7, maybe some cool weather crops like lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots-- especially in a cold frame?
Location: The Land Mass Between NOLA and Mobile, AL
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Originally Posted by AZgarden
So I am in zone 7 (a or b, not sure). The days are sunny, hot, (80s) dry and the nights are cool, down to the 40s or so and there has been almost no evidence of frost in my yard, yet. The Maple has lost 3/4 of the leaves. But other trees around here have not lost much. I already feel like gardening is over for the year. Maybe it isn't? Could I plant something now? If so, what? In the spring I will do a raised bed but right now, I am looking for shrubs, or trees, or ???
Right here, we are in a bit of a drought, so I'm planting things like aloe later than in previous years. I don't know if that will work in AZ. It dropped to 32-35 here for two nights in a row, but that won't kill succulents. Cacti are another thing entirely. I know they grow here, because I have seen big ones, but they need a drier environment.
Gardening for me is part luck, part hobby, and part experimentation, so take that for what it's worth. Local nurseries are usually great for advice as well as good close-out deals, as others have said.
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