Gardening tips for spring in Western North Carolina
By Lilly Knoepp
April 16, 2025 at 12:52 PM EDT
It’s gardening season in Western North Carolina. The green of the mountains promises new growth - and for many people in the region that means planting a garden. While locals don’t recommend planting outside until after Mother’s Day, a local gardening expert said there are many ways to get your garden ready now.
Mindy Daughtry, the NC Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent for Jackson and Swain Counties, has taught horticulture across the state since 2007.
“Man, I have the coolest job in the world. I work with the mysteries of the universe right there in your face,” Daughtry said.
She leads classes and shares information about local agriculture. She said the first step to planning your garden is to understand your soil.
“Here in Western North Carolina, we could throw a rock from here to the office next door and we can hit a different kind of soil profile,” Daughtry said.
The extension offers a soil test service to better understand your garden such as the pH and soil fertility. This year, the test is free for 27 counties and the Qualla Boundary that were impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Soil pH levels in North Carolina range anywhere from a very acidic 3.5 to a basic 8.0 or higher, according to the extension website.
Most ornamental plants, vegetables, fruits, and lawns prefer to grow in soils where the pH is 5.5 to 6.5, though some plants need more acidic soils such as azaleas, camellias, and blueberries prefer a soil pH between 5.0 and 5.5.
Daughtry said the results of the soil test will include how to make sure your crops thrive in your soil.
“You'll get the forms and the boxes. Here in Jackson and Swain, I put in a couple of little cheat sheets on how to take the sample correctly,” Daughtry said. “For example, you want to use a clean plastic bucket and nothing metal to throw off the results.”
Daughtry said this year she received a number of requests for gardening workshops as high grocery prices have sparked more conversations about growing fruits and vegetables.
“When you have times like we're experiencing right now, people are more interested in growing their own gardens and being more self-reliant, which is fantastic. Anytime I can get somebody out in the garden, that's a win,” she said.
To find out when fruits and vegetables should be planted, Daughtry recommends checking out the Western North Carolina Planting Annual Calendar. The calendar features the ideal dates to plant in the region as well as how long until the plant will be ready to harvest. When asked what to plant in the region, Daughtry said it depends on your climate, elevation and soil.
“Of course, you can never get too many tomatoes,” she said.
“People love to have tomatoes in the garden and peppers, and some folks like radishes. But it depends on your site situation because again you're a matchmaker. You need to match what you can grow in that spot and what that plant can expect from you.”
Daughtry reminded gardeners to read the seed packets of the plants that they purchase for helpful tips on planting depths, best-by date and more important information.
Another extension office tool, Daughtry recommended is The North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. The toolbox is an online database with detailed descriptions and photographs of 4,659 plants that grow in and around the state.
The toolbox can help you find suitable plants for your landscape based on the space available to plant, the climate, soil and more.
Mindy Daughtry, the NC Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent for Jackson and Swain Counties, has taught horticulture across the state since 2007.
“Man, I have the coolest job in the world. I work with the mysteries of the universe right there in your face,” Daughtry said.
She leads classes and shares information about local agriculture. She said the first step to planning your garden is to understand your soil.
“Here in Western North Carolina, we could throw a rock from here to the office next door and we can hit a different kind of soil profile,” Daughtry said.
The extension offers a soil test service to better understand your garden such as the pH and soil fertility. This year, the test is free for 27 counties and the Qualla Boundary that were impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Soil pH levels in North Carolina range anywhere from a very acidic 3.5 to a basic 8.0 or higher, according to the extension website.
Most ornamental plants, vegetables, fruits, and lawns prefer to grow in soils where the pH is 5.5 to 6.5, though some plants need more acidic soils such as azaleas, camellias, and blueberries prefer a soil pH between 5.0 and 5.5.
Daughtry said the results of the soil test will include how to make sure your crops thrive in your soil.
“You'll get the forms and the boxes. Here in Jackson and Swain, I put in a couple of little cheat sheets on how to take the sample correctly,” Daughtry said. “For example, you want to use a clean plastic bucket and nothing metal to throw off the results.”
Daughtry said this year she received a number of requests for gardening workshops as high grocery prices have sparked more conversations about growing fruits and vegetables.
“When you have times like we're experiencing right now, people are more interested in growing their own gardens and being more self-reliant, which is fantastic. Anytime I can get somebody out in the garden, that's a win,” she said.
To find out when fruits and vegetables should be planted, Daughtry recommends checking out the Western North Carolina Planting Annual Calendar. The calendar features the ideal dates to plant in the region as well as how long until the plant will be ready to harvest. When asked what to plant in the region, Daughtry said it depends on your climate, elevation and soil.
“Of course, you can never get too many tomatoes,” she said.
“People love to have tomatoes in the garden and peppers, and some folks like radishes. But it depends on your site situation because again you're a matchmaker. You need to match what you can grow in that spot and what that plant can expect from you.”
Daughtry reminded gardeners to read the seed packets of the plants that they purchase for helpful tips on planting depths, best-by date and more important information.
Another extension office tool, Daughtry recommended is The North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. The toolbox is an online database with detailed descriptions and photographs of 4,659 plants that grow in and around the state.
The toolbox can help you find suitable plants for your landscape based on the space available to plant, the climate, soil and more.