November Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Sasanqua Camellia

Right in the middle of the Fall harvest season not much thought is given to flowers. This is the time when our homes and front porches are decorated with hay bales, pumpkins, and scarecrows.  Fall or Autumn is my favorite season for many reasons, and I love decorating with the usual harvest items like pumpkins and gourds. But I still want to see flowers in my garden.

Sasanqua Camellias give me just that. Available in many bloom colors, Sasanquas bloom reliably in the Fall every year. 

I’ll never forget the first time I saw a Camellia in bloom. I was young, and I was new at gardening. I was driving through a residential area when I noticed a large, bushy, green shrub with large red blooms that looked like roses. Believe it or not, it took me a while to find out what it was! You’re probably laughing at me now, but thank goodness I’ve learned a few things about camellias since then. 

It wasn’t until attending the Master Gardener Course that I learned of the Sasanqua Camellia. Sasanquas are early bloomers, usually blooming October – December, so there is less chance of frost damaging the blooms. The fall blooming Sasanquas make great holiday decorations and gifts. Sasanqua camellias seem to be faster growing and are often larger growing than Japonica. Dwarf Sasanquas are available too--great for small gardens or even containers. Some varieties bloom so profusely that the blooms hide the foliage! 

Sasanqua Camellias prefer a sheltered site away from drying winter winds. The blooms are more delicate than those of Japonica Camellias. Bright, filtered shade beneath tall trees is ideal. Moist, well-drained soil is best, but camellias are drought tolerant once established. 

Although our garden has received no rain in over 8 weeks and Troup County is under a severe drought , the Sasanquas are beginning to bloom anyway. 

Remember that deer will eat the blooms on all camellias, so consider using a deer deterrent around them. Your local Humane Society or Animal Shelter has plenty of inexpensive deer-deterrent—the all-natural kind. Just ask the attendant which dogs are frisky enough for deer control! 

Troup County Master Gardeners Plant Sale & Swap

Saturday, April 26, 2014

9am until 2pm

Location: Agriculture Building on Vulcan Materials Road, 

LaGrange, Georgia - off Highway 27, across from Sam Walker Drive

• Perennials for sun and shade
• Vegetable Plants
• Native Plants
• Shrubs
• House Plants
• Groundcovers
• Spring Annuals

Buy locally grown plants, grown by local gardeners, that will thrive in your garden.

Get answers for your difficult gardening questions.

Swap divisions of your plants at the exchange area, no money needed.

Proceeds from sale funds local Master Gardener projects and scholarships.

Open to the Public!

The Troup County Master Gardener Volunteer Program is provided by the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service.

Troup County Extension Office to Hold Master Gardener Course in LaGrange, Georgia

Plans are underway to hold a Master Gardener Course in LaGrange, Georgia, during the Summer of 2014. 

If you are interested in serving your community as a Master Gardener, please call the Troup County Extension Office at 706-883-1675. 

Georgia Drought Monitor

I don't yet know what I can do with this information, but my despair prompted me to get online to find out if the drought is as serious as I think it is. I found this site which confirms my suspicions:

Georgia Drought Monitor.

Troup County is where we attempt to garden. And sure enough there we are, right there in a section labeled extreme/exceptional. And the "exceptional" section fills up most of Troup County, so I can be sure that includes us. Upon closer examination, I found that yes, of course, we are in that spot. I didn't really need to see this, because I know when I look at the ground outside that we are suffering.

Master Gardener Class Offered in Troup County, Georgia

Master Gardener Class for 2009 Do you want to learn more about how to make your garden grow, identify plants, and meet other people who are also interested in gardening? If so, applications are now being taken for the 2009 Master Gardener Class in Troup County. 

The class is open to residents of Troup, Harris, Heard, Meriwether, Muscogee and Coweta Counties in Georgia and also Lee, Chambers and Randolph Counties in Alabama. Gardeners receive training in a variety of areas such as landscape design, soil and plant nutrition, plant physiology, turf grass maintenance and other related topics. 

Those participating will then volunteer to assist the local County Agents and local gardeners to answer their gardening questions and participate in special gardening projects with other Master Gardeners. 

The classes are taught by professionals in their field, University professors and other well qualified individuals. Classes will be held at the Troup County Agriculture Center, 21 Vulcan Materials Road, LaGrange and will meet from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday from January 27 through April 2, 2009. Cost for the program is $125.00 and includes the textbook, all classroom materials, a name badge and certificate. A minimum of $75.00 is required with the application. 

In the first year following completion of the course, class members are required to contribute 50 hours of volunteer time in the Community and to the Extension Service to receive their certification as a Master Gardener. To retain certification, 25 hours of volunteer service are required each year. For an application or more information, call the Troup County Extension Service at 706-883-1675 or stop in at the Extension Office, Suite 2200 in the County Government Center at 200 Ridley Avenue, LaGrange. Applications must be received in the office by December 15, 2008.