Collier's Garden Scoop
April 2022
The planting season has arrived and so have the plants! During April and May the nursery is full to the brim with an abundance of annuals, perennials, herbs, veggies, ferns, succulents and hanging baskets- the best selection and widest variety of the entire year, and something no gardener should miss out on. We hope to see you this spring and would love to help you create, add to or transform your garden.

Happy planting!  
Fresh organic vegetables. Autumn vegetables. Harvesting. Ingredients for the salad. Lettuce_ tomatoes_ cucumbers_ zucchini_ eggplant_ peppers_ chillies.
5 Warm-Season Veggies You Can Grow at Home

For those who love to grow their own edibles, this is the time of year we've been waiting for impatiently! Warm weather means all kinds of delicious produce & seasonings can be produced in your own garden. Come in this month to find baby tomato, pepper, squash, zucchini, cucumber, eggplant & okra plants, as well as more herbs than we can begin to name. Read on to discover more about several of the most popular veggies and some tips on how to grow them successfully.
12 Tips For a Successful Vegetable Garden
Plant vegetables in full sun (6 hours of direct sun, or more, each day).

Provide plants with loose, well-drained soil that contains plenty of organic matter.

Don't overcrowd; give each plant the amount of space it needs to grow and spread. Good air circulation between plants helps prevent disease.

If growing in containers, the larger the better. Aim for pots that are at least 12" inches in diameter and not too shallow.

Apply a fertilizer that is safe for edibles, such as Espoma Organic Garden-tone.

Water consistently and deeply. Keep soil moist, especially when plants are flowering and fruiting.
Avoid wetting the foliage when you water (water at the roots or use a soaker hose).

Apply a layer of mulch to retain soil moisture, keep roots cool and slow weeds down.

Stake plants or provide support. This keeps the fruit off of the ground and keeps branches from breaking under the weight of heavy fruit.

Remove diseased leaves and fruit immediately.

If possible, plant your vegetable garden in a different spot each year (or replace the soil in containers each year), as some diseases and insects can overwinter in the soil.
Consider adding the Southern Living Garden Problem Solver to your library. It's an excellent resource for info on identifying, diagnosing, preventing and treating common insect pests and diseases of vegetable plants (as well as many others).
marigold bloom
Plant Marigolds to Deter Common Vegetable Garden Pests
Not only do marigold flowers attract pollinators to the garden, the plants are thought to deter pesky insects both above and below ground. Marigolds are credited with repelling cabbage moths, tomato hornworms, Mexican bean beetles, squash bugs, thrips and whiteflies, as well as killing root nematodes in the soil. If that's not enough, they are also considered a "trap crop" for slugs, who love to munch on marigolds and will pass up more valuable crops (your vegetables) to do so. To top it off, marigold flowers are edible! You can add the petals to salads, or use the blooms as decoration on cakes and cupcakes.
Reliable Annuals for Containers & Flowerbeds
These are a few of our favorite tried-and-true annuals that are in stock now. Get your creative juices flowing with these idea combos and stop by the nursery if you'd like to add one or more of these beauties to your garden.
For Full or Partial Sun
In this combo:

Angelonia 'Archangel Cherry Red'
Coleus 'Alabama'
Cuphea 'FloriGlory Sofia'
Gomphrena 'Qis Carmine'
Lantana 'New Gold'
Salvia 'Mysty'
Vinca 'Cora Cascade Strawberry'
For Morning Sun and/or
Filtered Afternoon Sun
In this combo:

Begonia 'Dragon Wing Pink'
Caladium 'Aaron'
Coleus 'Kong Jr. Scarlet'
Impatien 'Patchwork Cosmic Orange'
Plectranthus 'Coleoides Variegated'
Torenia 'Summer Wave Bouquet Gold'
April Lawn Care
Apply fertilome For All Seasons to Bermuda, Saint Augustine and Zoysia lawns.
COLLIER'S NURSERY
2904 Old Rocky Ridge Road 35243
Call or Text: 205-822-3133
info@colliersnursery.com

Current Hours:
Monday through Saturday 9 to 5:30
Sunday 1 to 5
*Closed Easter Sunday, April 17th*