Some Help for Gardening in Tennessee

Warmer weather is finally here so it’s time to start thinking about our gardening plans for the coming season.

I usually get over-excited and put some flowers in on the first warm day… only to find that they weren’t quite ready for the cold overnight temperatures.

I’m already seeing some flowers for sale around here, but for most varieties it’s still too early.

Here in Brentwood, TN we are in Zone 6 (technically Zone ‘6b’, which covers most of Middle Tennessee).

Knowing that can help you determine the right time for planting.

For example, the directions on a packet of seed might list the planting times by zone. If you don’t already know, you can find out the zone you live in by checking out the USDA Hardiness Zones Map.

Thanks to the wonderful world of the Internet, we can research types of plants before we buy and plant.

Like many people — if it was pretty, I bought it. Then a few weeks later I would pull the dead plant out of the ground wondering what I did wrong.

In an effort to save my money (and the lives of other helpless plants) I started searching for information and came across GardenWeb, which has information on everything you can imagine related to gardening.

You can search for information by a specific type of plant, find a directory of garden retailers and find events in your area.

My favorite features of this site are the forums. They’re a place where people can post their questions about anything related to gardening, and get responses from other gardeners who have the answers. They also have a forum dedicated to Tennessee Gardening, which has helped me more than a few times. They also have forums by types of plants, by topic and by type of garden. For instance, if you’re wondering what to plant in a shady corner of your yard – they have an entire forum dedicated to Shade Gardens.

Good Luck and Happy Planting!