Congratulations and welcome to Alabama. We may still have a hard freeze as late as early March so i wouldn't plant anyting yet but be preparing your soil. The sooner it is turned the better as you will expose eggs and pupae of insects overwintering underground and frost will kill them. Then you'll have fewer problems next summer. You might get away with planting dormant bulbs of lillies, tulips or crocus' but as warm as it is now they may sprout and then get killed by a later freeze. They are usually planted earlier in the autum, Oct. or Nov., and get settled in during colder weather but we've had such a warm fall and winter I'd worry about late planting. They'll think it's spring too soon.
By late Feb or early March you should be able to plant them and other cold weather plants such as onions, cabbage, turnips, beets, etc. I'm a veggie gardener not much knowlege on flowers.Lol

Sue, welcome to Alabama. Glad you finally made it. Ted gives good advise. Turn your ground as soon as it is dry enough. You are up in the NE corner in the Lookout Mtn area so it may be some colder there than Birmingham. In February you should be able to plant some cabbage plants, onions, mustard seeds and other greens. Call your Auburn Univ. county extension agent to ask specific questions about what and when to plant. He is at your local county courthouse.

Hi Sue (and "Welcome!" to Alabama!),

This is an excellent time of year to plant shrubs and trees, even most perennials, in central Alabama. During winter, our generally mild temperatures and abundant ground moisture are perfect for establishing healthy roots systems before the heat and drought of sumnmer raise their ugly heads.

Sorry about your mishaps along the way, but "Welcome!" to your new home and forum! P.S. - you are cordially invited to begin hating AU at your earliest convenience! LOL!

Nelson ;-D

Nelson is only half right. I did forget to tell you to plant trees and shrubs before they break dormancy in spring. There's an excellent nursery in Arab about 40 miles west of you ( That's pronounded A' rab ).
Auburn, my Alma Mater, is the site of one of the best agricultural schools in the world and the base of the home extension offices in each county. Also has beaten Alabama football team for the last five years and the only team to beat Florida, the national champions, last year.

Welcome to Alabama Butterflyer!!

A friend of mime is a chicken farmer in Haneger. :) I don't know, but if you needed some fertilizer maybe he could help you out? Just a thought. Not sure what he does with his waste, but he is a stand up guy and if he could help you he would.

I couldn't say what part of town he lives in, so you probrably know more than I on this.

Anyway, if interested I can contact him and put you guys together if you would like. His name is Tony BTW, maybe you guys have already met. :)

my email inshoreslam@gmail.com "fishing related ;)"

Hi everyone,
thanks for all those nice replies here..
We are still in unpacking mode and also decorating etc..The owners before us,left it in a very dirty and messy condition but now it is finally coming together..
I will send pictures soon..
Since I brought some sunshine with me from Florida the weather is nice here, besides yesterday , brrrrr that was chilly..lol
The very few plants I brought are in winter sleep now, the blooms gone etc, but on my last trip to Florida next month I will pick up the rest and hope they will be ok..
I still have the headache but never wanted to go to Hospital since I was in a shock and did not wanted to leave my son and Uhaul alone..
My SUV is totalled and their Insurance Company is working things out with me right now..
They gave me a nice Dodge which I am loving for a rental vehicle...
I just love this peace here in Alabama and all those friendly caring people..
Everyone is very helpful...
Geni,I bet your Lantana is looking like mine right now,lol,kinda lost with those chilly nights, but I hope they will recover soon..
Oh, btw, we have another PUPPY now, besides our BOXER and LAB: she is a LAB-SHEPHARD mix and adorable..
7 weeks old and we got her free..
I will take pictures of property and Puppy soon..
Love y'all...
Susanne(SUE)

I just moved to Huntsville Alabama from Colorado Springs. If anyone lives in this area that loves gardening like I do please feel free to email. I just moved into our home in November still unpacking. It looks like I am going to start all over making gardens on our property. I would really like to get clipping of rubarb. If anyone is interested in trading in the Huntsville and meridianville area please feel free to let me know. I have alot to learn about growing things in Alabama. I just join this group today. So I really hope to get to know some of u on this group. (looks exciting) Have a great gardening day

greenthumb, welcome to you, too. If you have any questions in the future, you might want to start your very own topic by posting your own question. You are likely to get better 'person to person' help that way. This is butterflyer's thread. But we want to welcome you, too, so I look forward to seeing you post in the future.

I hate to tell you this, but this isn't Rhubarb country....you'd have to move further north for that. Also rhubard isn't propagated by clippings, but by clump divisions. You might be able to get some seeds to come up and grow for the cold season, but this plant won't like our warm/hot spring/summer/fall.

I would have written you in person, but you did not attach your email address to your member page (which you don't have to do, but some of us choose to do).

BUTTERFLYER, have you learned how to pronounce 'Dekalb' yet?

Dorie,
are you far from me??
I believe I am also in Zone 7 or???
I still have to change my Zone and my profile..
I will have lots of questions soon, but I know I am not alone here...Help is everywhere...
Well, since I am in Jackson County, right at border from Henagar and Pisgah I heard everyone pronouncing "Dekalb"
and my son is picking up the accent pretty fast..
I have more problems speaking it and everyone knows I am not from here...Don't forget I am originally from Germany..lol
Have a good one y'all ;-)
Susanne(SUE)

Hey! You're doing great with that Y'all. You spelled it right and used it correctly as a plural, never singular. Even when spoken to an individual it means that individual AND his/her family or associates.
Maybe my wife and I can have lunch or dinner with y'all sometime when we're up in DeKalb.

Hey Ted,
would love to have lunch with you and your wife sometime... Wish I could take a look at someones garden before I start planting in spring.. Can you recommend a good book for me?? I checked my Florida Books but they are too different with hardiness etc..
Stay warm and safe tonight
Greetings
Susanne(SUE)

Sue...so how did you like your SNOW last night? LOL! It's still hanging around on the shrubs and lawns in spite of the rainfall and warmer temperatures of this morning. I'm assuming that it hit you as well as Huntsville, where I live.

Call your local extension office to find out the exact climate zone in which you live. Someone there might be able to tell you, too, if you happen to live in a little micro-climate (often due to topography) of warmer or colder 'expectations'.

Rhizo,
I was surely surprised last night, when I let the dogs out around 3.30 am and saw all the snow..
Since I am a BAVARIAN GIRL(Germany) I am enjoying the cold weather even I was living in FLorida the past 7 years..
There is never a bad weather only the wrong clothes, my Mom always says..
For the gardening part yes, I miss the warmer climate a lil bit but know how much different things I will be able to plant soon..
Since we are living right after the DEKalb/Jackson County Border I am wondering if anyone from this Forum is close to me..
So much for today
See ya'all
Susanne(SUE)

You are definitely in zone 7A unless you have one of those special conditions that Rizo mentioned. I do. I'm in the northern part of zone 7B but due to the proximity of Lake Neely Henry in my backyard it's almost like 8A. I had frost in my front yard this morning but none in the back.

Sorry I don't have any books on gardening in this region but Rizo is right to contact the Agricultural Extension office for detailed info on specific plants.
Southern Living Magazine has a good book with general information on plants found in the southeast, but not very good on the how to.
You probably can find it in a library and check it out before buying.

The plural of y'all is: ALL Y'ALL!

In all my 78 years I've never heard a True Southerner use Y'all in the second person singular. Sometimes it's spoken to an individual but it means you and your family or you and your associates.
Y'all is plural just as You is plural. Up Nauth, you'se is singular and you'se guys is plural.

OMG,
y'all are so funny...lol
Right now we are adjusting to the cold, after 7years Florida heat is it quite a change..
My knee was always hurting in Florida(after surgery) up here,I have barely any problems with it..So, the weather is good for me for sure..lol
I am leaving for my last trip to Florida probably next week to get the rest of the stuff and also get a realtor involved down there..Having the recent tornados do not really help selling now even though the West Side of Florida got hit so hard..:(
I am thinking of joining the Birmingham Plant digging or whatever it is called, but I know already I will get lost there before even getting there..:(
So maybe that has to wait til next time..
I am still learning my way around here, but everyone is so helpful and friendly I hardly get lost..
The fence for our dogs is up and they can run around like crazy outside..
My Lab who is the Northern Type with the thick furr is loving it here, he barely sheds which he did so much in Florida...
Now my next step after the trip to Florida is getting me a job, hopefully I find something in a Nursery since I love gardening so much..
Keep your fingers crossed..
Have a good night y'all..... :)
Greetings
Susanne(SUE)

This months Kiplinger Magazine has several tips for sellers in todays buyers market.
First and formost. get a prominent local realtor. They average 20% -25% more for a property than a self sale. Only agree to 90 days exclusive listing. After that it must go into multiple listing or get another realtor.
If someone is interested but can't quiet afford the monthly payments, you may want to offer to pay some of the points of the loan. This reduces their payments for the first two years more than reducing the price by the same amount.
If someone makes an attractive offer with the contingency that they have to find a buyer first or a buyers loan application has to be approved, accept only with the "Kicker" that you will continue to show the property and if an equal or better offer materializes they will get a 72 hours notice to match it or you can sell to the second offerer.