The 2026 Hall County Master Gardener Spring Expo comes to the Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center April 3rd & 4th.
As spring nears, consider planting trees and shrubs before the end of March. Once the weather starts to warm and move into the heat of summer, you’re putting more stress on landscape plants you intend to install.
Whatever you plant you MUST water regularly. Because the weather is still cool, plants still need plenty of water to thrive and prepare for summer’s heat.
Change your privacy ‘settings’
Leyland cypress were all the rage 15 or 20 years ago for residential privacy screens. They replaced the 1980s look created by the Red Tip Photinia that homeowners and builders frequently planted around HVAC units or between houses to give a natural look to a visual barrier. But when disease wiped out many of Red Tip Photinias in the late 1980s and early 1990s, people turned to Leylands.
Here’s the problem with fast-growing Leylands. They’re disease prone, can grow as much as 25 to 30 feet in less than a dozen years, and they develop multiple trunks that can easily break off in heavy winds.
Arborvitae, like Green Thuja Giant and Emerald Green, look similar to Leylands, but do much better at delivering the goods. Plant them at least 8 to 12 feet off centers – measuring from trunk to trunk – and use a zig-zag pattern for interest and better airflow.
Consider seeking out a new arborvitae cultivar, American Pillar, that’s extremely fast-growing with a tall, narrow growth habit that can be planted around four feet apart. It was developed in Cherokee County in the last 1990s and has become very popular across the country.
Walter Reeves’ suggestions
Here are a few of Walter’s suggestions for privacy screens:
Various species of holly – consider Emily Brunner, Nellie Stevens, Foster or Savannah varieties. These are hard reliable evergreens that require little maintenance or pruning.
Hybrid magnolias – Little Gem Dwarf Magnolia or D.D. Blanchard Magnolia are excellent. With their glossy dark-green leaves and fragrant white blossoms in the summer, you really can’t go wrong. Check the specifications and give them enough room to gracefully spread, plus room to grow up to 20 or 25 feet, even the dwarfs.
Arborvitae – similar to Leylands, these evergreens are sturdier and come in several varieties, including Green Giant and Emerald Green. One of the newest is American Pillar, developed in Woodstock in Northwest Georgia. They have a very upright growth habit, achieving heights of 20 to 25 feet with widths of only four or five feet. They should be planted about 3 feet off centers and are resistant to high wind damage.
Reeves’ website is filled with a plethora of gardening and plant information. Although he’s no longer on the radio, his website is still active. I check it regularly for reminders and tips. His month-by-month gardening calendar is indispensable and his lawn care calendar for both warm- and cool-season grasses can be a lifesaver. See WalterReeves.com
Get your spring plants here!
What: Hall County Master Gardener’s Spring Expo
When: Friday, April 3, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, April 4, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center, 855 Calgary Church Rd., Gainesville
Cost: $2 for per person for anyone age 12 and over. Please no pets. Plenty of available handicapped parking
The covered open-air arena at Chicopee Woods Ag Center is filled with more than 60 gardening vendors offering, plants, shrubs, trees, annuals and perennials, plus tools, art and hand-crafted gifts from the garden.
Bring your plant questions to the Ask-A-Master-Gardener booth for answers to your gardening questions for free.
Plus gardening workshops and door prizes.
For info: hallmastergardeners.com or 770 535-8293.
Photo: by Don Linke
