My Charlotte NC Garden
My Charlotte NC garden is my passion. My husband and I built our current home seven years ago. Because we are both avid gardeners, choosing the right lot for our new home was just as important as choosing the right floor plan. We needed a lot that would give us the opportunity to garden in both sun and shade and provide the wooded privacy that we wanted in the back. We were lucky to find a lot near Matthew NC that met these criteria and more. We were in love with the lot and still love it after seven years of gardening.
I am going to share my passion for gardening with you in a series called My Charlotte NC Garden. My years of work as a real estate agent have reinforced the importance of an attractive landscape when selling a home. There are basic things to know about gardening in Charlotte and the surrounding areas that will help you maintain a nice garden. If you love gardening as I do, then Charlotte is a glorious place to live and garden. I hope to share some of my favorite outdoor spots, including gardens and garden centers. And I'll include in-depth information for those of you who spend as much time in the yard as I do.
Let's start with the basics of gardening in Charlotte NC.
- Charlotte is in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Most of the soil in the Piedmont is a heavy red clay. You can maintain a nice lawn and garden in red clay if you know how. You don't have to truck in topsoil.
- Charlotte has a mild climate. January is the coolest month with average highs and lows of 51 degrees and 32 degrees. July is the warmest month with average highs of 90 degrees and lows of 71 degrees. The temperatures can be very variable within a short period of time. This week we will have two days with record low temperatures and two days with record high temperatures.
- When you are choosing plants, you need to know that Charlotte is in Climate Zone 7. The line between Zone 7a and Zone 7b runs east to west through the middle of Charlotte. This means that temperatures on the south side of town are slightly warmer than temperatures on the north side of town.
- Charlotte usually gets a fair amount of rainfall. The average annual rainfall is about 43 inches. Charlotte does go through periods of drought so it's important to plan for plants that can survive dry conditions.
- The best planting time for grass, trees and shrubs in Charlotte is in the fall after the heat of the summer is gone. The median date for the last frost in Charlotte is April 15. You should wait to plant annuals after that date even if the days are warm.
This should get you started if you are new to Charlotte NC or new to gardening.
Click here to learn more about homes and neighborhoods in Charlotte NC and area small towns.
About the author: Carol Fox of Allen Tate Realtors is a veteran agent who has been gardening in Matthews NC for over twenty years.
Copyright 2009. Carol Fox. All rights reserved. *My Charlotte NC Garden*