Page 18 - MARCH NEWSWATCH

Mark your calendars: SHA Board Meeting | March12th | 7:00pm | Jones Creek Library
Gardening in Shenandoah
30% probability of frost free after March 8
Although frost dates are a good way to know approximately when to start gardening, always check the weather forecast before planting outdoors!
Start seeds outdoors
Mar 15-Apr 5
Kale Lettuce Swiss Chard
Cantaloupe Celery Cucumbers Eggplants Peppers Squash Sweet Potatoe Tomatoes
Mar 8-Mar 22
Beans Okra
Corn Potatoes
Transplant Seed- lings
Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Collards
Mar 22-Apr 12
Feb 22-Mar 15
Feb 15-Mar 8
Beets Carrots Onions Peas
Tomatoes - Selecting which kinds of tomatoes to grow is important. Personal preferences can be considered, but they usually give way to disease- resistant varieties that yield well in our hot, humid climate. An example is extra large beefsteak types that won’t do well here. If you must try for extra large, plant Beefmaster, Ponderosa, Delicious or Oxheart.
For an early crop, choose Early Girl, Fantastic, Sun Start or one of the cherry types.
For summer tomatoes, plant the seed of Florida 91, Sunchaser, Heatwave II, or try Sunmaster, Solar Set or Sunleaper. Be generous with nitrogen, and irrigate in the morning when needed. Control pests and weeds by spraying weekly if needed and cultivating. Remember, it takes the proper variety and care to produce tomatoes in our summer heat.
For a fall crop, choose 91, Spitfire, Solar Set, Heatwave II, Phoenix, Sunleaper, Sunmaster, Solar Fire or Talladega.
Choose a sunny spot to grow tomatoes. Ideally, tomatoes should receive full sunlight all day. If this is not practical, try to locate plants where they will receive the maximum amount of sunlight, but not fewer than 6 to 7 hours each day. Tomato plants become tall and spindly, setting few fruit, if any, when grown in too much shade.
Increase the organic matter of the soil as much as possible by adding leaf mold, peat moss, rotted manure, rotted sawdust or other humus. Tomatoes can be grown on most garden soils in the state, but a fertile, well-drained soil with high organic matter is best.
Tomatoes are heavy users of plant nutrients, so you’ll need to fertilize them. LSUagcenter.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN BATON ROUGE
FROM VISITBATONROUGE.COM
It’s no secret that in Baton Rouge, we enjoy our festivals and parades. No holiday goes uncelebrated here, including St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, the annual “Wearin’ of the Green” parade is one of Baton Rouge’s most acclaimed holiday celebrations! Put on your best green and get ready to celebrate St. Patty’s Day Baton Rouge style!
WEARIN’ OF THE GREEN, ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
March 16, 2019 - Hundred Oaks Baton Rouge 10:00am – 2:00pm
Daylight saving time 2019 in Louisiana will begin at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 10 and ends at 2:00 AM on Sunday, November 3
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www.swh.ashwaewbewbawtcaht.ccho.mcom