Today is Arbor Day in Georgia

National Arbor Day is April 24, but Georgia's Arbor Day is the 3rd Friday in February each year, and that is TODAY!

February is a much better time to plant trees here in Georgia and Alabama. Trees planted here in April have trouble transitioning, and often even die, because it gets so hot right afterward. Trees and shrubs planted in winter get a chance to dig their roots in before being forced to suffer Georgia heat and drought. However, I would suggest Arbor Day be moved for us to sometime in the Fall. I like November better for planting shrubs and trees. When planted in November, they have even more time to grow deeper roots. 

Honestly though, it is just too cold out there for me today. Instead, I'll be celebrating Arbor Day tomorrow, February 21, along with the city of Auburn, Alabama. Our forecast for tomorrow is perfect for tree planting--around 60 degrees with some chances of evening rain! And being the "plant collector" (a.k.a. hoarder) that I am, I have a bunch of trees and shrubs set aside already, just waiting on that perfect tree-planting weather.

Tomorrow I'll be planting:

• Redbud, because I can always use another Redbud.
• Laceleaf Japanese Maple, because I've wanted one for years!
• Witch Hazel, because the one I planted in the summer a few years ago died.
• Camellias, because I can't ever get enough camellias.
• Edgeworthia, because I've sold it for years and never got around to planting one for myself.
• Daphne odora with white blooms, because it smells like fresh lemons, and I don't have a white one.
• Sourwood, for my honeybees. Maybe I'll get some Sourwood Honey!
• Althea, because I must have every color I can get of this summer-blooming beauty!
• Chinese Snowball Bush, because the one I planted last Spring did not make it.
• I actually could go on and on, because I have several more trees and shrubs out there that need to be planted. Many because they've lost their labels, and I can't sell a plant if I don't know what it is!

Think I can get all that done in just one day?