Sponsored by Louisiana Nursery

Last summer your neighbor proudly strutted over to present you with a basket of tomatoes and cucumbers. “I grew them myself,” she said, beaming through her mask. “We have way more than we can eat, and they’re just too good not to share!” This summer, you can be the produce hero with a garden of your own. It’s easier than you think.

It’s warming up, and that means it’s prime time to begin planting. The Mayes family has been keeping Baton Rouge gardens blooming since 1983. Louisiana Nursery is one of the 10 largest independent retail gardening centers in the south, with three locations, each uniquely different and sprawling more than 2.5 acres each. Louisiana Nursery stores are fun to visit and its team of Certified Nursery Specialists will answer your gardening questions and help you plan what will work best for your yard.

GREEN YOUR THUMB 

A few considerations before you hit the garden center.

1. What do you want to grow? What do you like and what do you want to do with it? Tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, green beans, carrots, bell peppers? You can’t beat the fresh taste of these veggies straight from the backyard. Don’t forget the fresh herbs like rosemary, basil, mint and more that enhance flavors of everything from meats and veggies to cocktails. And then there’s fruits like blueberries, blackberries, and figs that all thrive here in Louisiana summers.

2. Where will it thrive? A successful garden starts with lots of sun—about six to eight hours a day—combined with rich, well-drained soil. Take a look at your yard throughout the day to figure out which spots receive full sun versus partial or full shade. If you don’t have the right space for a garden bed, try container gardening. Growing plants in decorative pots, hanging baskets and window boxes allows you to plant in small spaces. If you’re looking for something in between a large garden and smaller container garden, many people choose to build or buy raised bed gardens. As far as fertilizer and insect repellant, advice from the pros at Louisiana Nursery is free, just ask.

3. Healthy plants that will perform the best. Selecting premium quality plants specifically chosen for South Louisiana is a must. Independent garden centers like Louisiana Nursery buy from the best growers and offer technologically superior plants and super varieties that are genetically enhanced and disease resistant. In addition, Louisiana Nursery will always have a much larger variety of edibles. For example, while some garden centers may only have a couple of types of mint, Louisiana Nursery will have regular mint as well as chocolate, lemon, pineapple, peppermint, pennyroyal, spearmint and catmint.

By thinking ahead and carefully planning your garden for the upcoming season you’ll have a more productive garden to enjoy when it comes time to harvest your crop. Stop by Louisiana Nursery on Coursey, Perkins or on Hwy 42 in Prairieville to get inspired and start growing. You can also find them on social media @LouisianaNurseryHomeAndGardenShowplace.