County Extension

The rock band “Foreigner” had a song in the early 1980s titled “Cold as Ice.” They were, of course, lamenting the emotional cold of a failed relationship, but the real cold and ice have been recent visitors here in southeastern North Carolina. The logical question is, “What’s all this cold weather done to our plants?” 

By Susan Brown
Brunswick County Extension

These days with the struggling economy, people are looking for ways to save money. One way to cut corners is to grow your own food. It might actually be the first time you could answer questions like where was your food grown, what type of soils and fertilizers were used in its production and were any pesticides or fungicides applied to the plant material? 

I was listening to meteorologist Joe Bastardi on the radio several days ago talking about the cold December on the East Coast. He said this pattern repeats itself every 11 years based on sunspot activity. I do seem to remember that December 1999 was pretty cold, but December 1988 was too long ago for my synapses to fire on that. Whatever the reason, it looks like December will be either the coldest or the second coldest on record. 

By Susan Brown
Brunswick County Extension

Winter can be a drab, blah time in the garden but it certainly doesn’t have to be. In spring and summer, it is easy to find color for any spot in your landscape. There aren’t many plants that bloom this time of year. To add interest during the off-season, focus on interesting textures, colors and shapes. Evergreen trees and shrubs are a good choice to liven up a winter landscape. It is not hard to find a variety that will suit your needs.