Central Alabama Master Gardener Association (CAMGA)

10/31/2026

October 31 — Plant a Tree or Shrub 🌳

🌿 SATURDAY IN THE GARDEN 🌿
Halloween Isn’t the Only Reason October Is a Great Time to Dig! 🎃

If you’ve been waiting to add a tree or shrub to your landscape, the beginning of our cooler season is an excellent time.

Alabama Extension says the ideal planting season for woody landscape plants begins in October and continues through January, with early fall particularly desirable. Roots can continue establishing during fall and winter before plants face the demands of spring growth and Alabama summer heat.

🌳 Don’t plant too deep. One of the most important rules is to avoid burying the root system too deeply. Alabama Extension recommends a planting hole that is wider, but never deeper, than the root ball.

💧 Water is still essential. Newly planted trees and shrubs require supplemental water while establishing—even plants considered drought tolerant once mature.

✂️ Skip unnecessary pruning. At planting, pruning generally isn’t necessary except for dead, broken or rubbing branches.

💡 Saturday garden task: Identify one place in your landscape that needs a tree or shrub, then evaluate its sunlight, available mature growing space and soil conditions before choosing the plant.

📚 Sources: Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Woody Landscape Plants: Management, Tree Selection, Planting & Care, and Smart Yard Landscapes.

Alabama Extension's tree planting guidance⁠

Image description: A young tree being planted correctly in a broad, shallow planting hole in a fall landscape, with the root flare visible near soil level.

10/25/2026

We’d like to thank everyone for stopping by our booth, today, at the Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival! Master Gardener Rebecca Ridley discussed planting bulbs, interpreting fertilizer NPK numbers, and the proper way to plant perennials. Congratulations to our Encore Azalea winners! The Kelly Fitzgerald Center for the Arts supplied our plants, bulbs, and fertilizer, for today’s event. The city of Wetumpka provided wildflower seeds as part of a city-wide initiative to promote pollinator gardens in our community. Very special thanks to Master Gardeners Bob Sheilds, Sherri Davidson, Pattie Brown, and Intern Deb Watson for assisting with today’s event!

10/24/2026

October 24 — Don’t Bag Those Leaves! 🍂

🌿 SATURDAY IN THE GARDEN 🌿
Those Fall Leaves Are a Garden Resource

Before you rake leaves into bags and send them away, consider putting them back to work in your landscape.

Alabama Extension recommends recycling leaves as mulch or compost. Shredded leaves can conserve moisture, suppress weeds and help moderate soil-temperature fluctuations.

🍂 Shred them. Running leaves through a mower reduces their volume and makes them easier to use as mulch.

🌿 Use them in landscape beds. Alabama Extension recommends about 2–3 inches of chopped leaves on predominantly clay soils; well-drained sandy or loamy soils can accommodate more.

🌺 Have azaleas or camellias? Shredded oak leaves are especially useful as mulch around acid-loving plants such as azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons.

♻️ Or compost them. Fall leaves provide an excellent source of carbon for a compost pile.

💡 Saturday garden task: Instead of bagging this week’s leaves, shred a batch and use them in one landscape bed.

📚 Sources: Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Recycling Leaves and Mulches for the Home Landscape.

Learn more about recycling leaves⁠

Image description: Autumn leaves being shredded with a lawn mower and then spread as mulch beneath shrubs in a garden bed.

10/24/2026

Today we hosted A SEASON FOR SUCCULENTS workshop.
We want to thank Autauga County Master Gardener Jane McCarthy for leading a fantastic program on succulents. Participants got to create their own living centerpieces and enjoy some delicious treats, too!

10/23/2026

Come visit us at the old fountain in Goldstar Park, tomorrow! We will be supporting the Wildlife Arts Festival with a program on pollinator gardens, planting daffodils, and perennials! Live Demos and a take-home gift as long as they last!!!

10/23/2026

Calhoun County Master Gardener, Betty Clarke, provides tips on setting up a successful winter garden.

Calhoun County, AL – October brings cooler temperatures and an opportunity for gardeners to organize outdoor spaces, protect soil, and prepare for the upcoming winter season. From cleaning containers to planting cool-season vegetables, fall gardening tasks can help establish a foundation for healt...

10/19/2026

🌸🌿 LOVE GARDENING? GROW WITH US! 🌿🌸

🌱 Become an Extension Master Gardener! Classes will be hosted in Montgomery, but will include Elmore, Montgomery, and Autauga counties.

Do you love plants, enjoy learning new things, and want to make a difference in your community? The Spring 2027 Master Gardener Intern Training Program may be just what you’re looking for!

🌼 No gardening experience required! All you need is curiosity, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn and volunteer.

During this 14-week program, you’ll explore Alabama gardening through expert instruction and hands-on learning. Topics include:

🌿 Soils and plant science

🌺 Plant propagation and diseases

🥕 Vegetable gardening

🌳 Lawns and landscape care

🐝 And much more!

You’ll also make new friends, connect with fellow plant lovers, and discover rewarding ways to give back to your community!

📅 CLASS DETAILS

• Dates: January 21 – April 29, 2027

• When: Thursdays, 10 AM – 2 PM

• Where: Montgomery County Extension Office, 6281 Trotman Road, Montgomery, AL

📝 REGISTRATION: NOVEMBER 2 – DECEMBER 11

💰 Registration Fees:

• Early Bird (Nov. 2–15): $150

• Regular (Nov. 16–29): $175

• Late (Nov. 30–Dec. 11): $200

Registration fees are nonrefundable. A background check is required after registration.

🌻 Ready to grow your gardening knowledge and your community?

Learn more and find registration information at:

🔗 https://www.aces.edu/go/mgschedule

📞 Questions? Call (334) 245-8053.

🌸 You don’t have to be a gardening expert to become a Master Gardener. You just have to be ready to grow!

Tag a friend who would love to join you! 🌱

10/17/2026

🌿 SATURDAY IN THE GARDEN 🌿
Want Better-Established Perennials? Plant Them in Fall!

We often associate spring with planting, but for Central Alabama perennial beds, October is an excellent planting time.

Why? Newly planted perennials have the cooler months to develop their root systems before facing Alabama’s summer heat. Alabama Extension specifically recommends October for establishing perennial beds in Central Alabama.

🌱 Match the plant to the site. Consider mature size, sunlight and soil drainage before planting.

💧 Don’t forget the water. Cooler weather doesn’t eliminate the need to water newly installed plants while roots become established.

🌼 Think beyond next spring. Choose perennials with different bloom periods to provide color—and potentially floral resources for insects—through more of the growing season.

💡 Saturday garden task: Is there a perennial you’ve been wanting to add? This is a good month to get it established.

📚 Source: Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Adding Perennial Beds to a Landscape.

Read the Alabama Extension guidance⁠

Image description: A colorful perennial garden being planted in fall, with established flowers and newly planted perennials.

10/16/2026

Check out the 2026 Fall intern class. They helped perform community service at the Governor’s mansion, yesterday. Jane McCarthy demonstrated proper pruning techniques and performed close oversight as the class practiced their new skills.