Education
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Planting “Deer Resistant” Flower Gardens in Central Texas
Deer are a common sight in Lakeway and Central Texas, and they can be a nuisance to gardeners. They love to eat young transplants of all kinds and will often nibble on most plants to “test” them out even if they are considered “deer resistant”. But if you’re looking for ways to keep deer out of your flower beds, there are a few things you can do. One option is to plant native deer resistant flowers. There are many different types of deer resistant flowers available, so you can find ones that will fit your garden style. Some popular deer resistant flowers for Central Texas include: Black-eyed Susans Bluebonnets Coneflowers…
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Know the 6 D’s of container gardening
To be successful at container gardening requires more than just a pot and a plant. The “6 D’s of Container Gardening Success,” as presented by Texas Master Gardener Kirk Walden, highlights how to have better plant-growing results, with the information given in manageable — and memorable D-letter — chunks. The six D’s are: Design Dirt Diameter Depth Drainage Daylight Of course, each topic has subsets of information. Design Gardeners need to keep in mind how much space is needed. Also, they should bear in mind the purpose of the garden, such as whether it is ornamental or intended to grow fruits or vegetables. There are numerous styles of gardens ranging…
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Join us at the Earth Day Open House Celebration
Save the date for the Lakeway Garden Club Earth Day Open House celebration at the Lake Travis Community Library on April 22nd from 12noon to 2pm. All are welcome to join us for some light refreshments and to learn about gardening in our area including native plants, vegetable gardening, container gardens, water wise planting etc. We will even have a fun Earth Day activity for kids to enjoy. See you there!
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2023 Earth-Kind Field Day
Join us at the 2023 Earth-Kind Field Day this spring! Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Travis County Master Gardeners announce their spring 2023 Earth-Kind Gardening Field Day to be held Saturday, March 25th from 9 am to 1 pm at the Travis County AgriLife Extension office located at 1600 Smith Road, Austin, TX 78721 (map). Parking is available along Smith Road. The event is free and open to the public. The spring 2023 theme is Container Gardening 101 – for indoor and outdoor gardening. The first 100 attendees will receive a free 5.5″ eco-container and saucer. Workshops will teach participants about houseplant care, growing ornamentals or vegetables in pots,…
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Helping Damaged Trees after an Ice Storm
If your oak trees were damaged by a recent ice storm, you may be wondering what you should (and shouldn’t) do to clean up the damage while also protecting them from oak wilt. While painting fresh wounds on oak trees is important to prevent the spread of oak wilt, wounds that were caused by the ice storm are no longer fresh. In cold conditions, trees quickly stop exuding sap and sap-feeding beetles are not active, so it is unlikely that oak wilt will spread as a result of an initial ice storm event. Things that should be addressed right away include: Broken limbs on roofs, fences or other structures Limbs…
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Successful Gardens Create Thriving Habitats for Birds
What’s a garden without birds? As gardeners, watching birds perched on a branch or visiting a feeder can impart a certain connection to nature that little else does, and many believe listening to their melodies alleviates stress. Birds are the most cost-effective way of reducing the number of pests in your garden. Their young are ravenous consumers of insects, including aphids, whiteflies, cabbage worms, cucumber beetles, grubs, earwigs, stinkbugs and, especially, caterpillars. According to Doug Tallamy, a University of Delaware professor of entomology, one clutch of chickadees, for instance, requires 6,000 to 9,000 caterpillars, delivered by their parents, to sustain them from birth through first flight, which is just over…
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Wildflower Center 40th Anniversary Celebration
Join us to celebrate the first 40 years of the Wildflower Center by spending Saturday, Oct. 22, in the Lady Bird Johnson’s gardens! Guests can enjoy live music, crafts and more. Admission is free all day, but most of the performances and activities will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. In 1982, Lady Bird Johnson and Helen Hayes established the National Wildflower Research Center on 60 acres of undeveloped land in East Austin. The Center moved to its current location at La Crosse Avenue in 1995 and was renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in 1997. The Center has been committed to inspiring the conservation of native…
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All About Mint
Most mints prefer full sun to part shade (especially afternoon shade) and moist soil without having their feet wet. Too much water or overhead watering can promote diseases and pests. Keep it deadheaded to encourage tender leaves and stems with the best oil quality. If the intent is to dry leaves, then allow the flower stem to form, but not bloom, at harvest. To prevent problems of aggressiveness, plant in a pot or sunken container to limit runner and root growth that can get out of control. Remember to experiment with different ways to use it. More ideas for Growing and Using Mint: Mint in the Garden Mint Tea Mint…
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Newest 2022 Additions to the Texas Superstar Program
The Texas Superstar program began as a regional program in the early 1980s and became a statewide effort in 1989. The name Texas Superstar was coined in 1997. To be designated a “Texas Superstar”, a plant must be beautiful and perform well for consumers and growers throughout the state. Superstars must be easy to propagate, which ensures the plants are not only widely available throughout Texas but also reasonably priced. To find out more, you can download and read the latest Texas Superstar guide in PDF format. Here are 3 newest introductions for 2022. Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora): Red Yucca is a herbaceous shrubby perennial with evergreen foliage and a…
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Must Have Planting Calendar for Vegetable Gardeners
Have you ever wondered when you needed to seed, sow or transplant your vegetable garden? Now you have the answer! Many veggie gardeners here in Central Texas find the fall season to be more productive than spring in our area, so check out the Veggie Planting Calendar to plan your fall veggie garden. The Texas AgriLife Extension Vegetable Garden Planting Guide will show you all the ideal times to plant in order to maximize your garden bounty! You can download a printable PDF of the calendar to post by your garden or bring with you to your favorite plant nursery.
