Tips
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November in the Garden
Feel that brisk chill in the air each morning? November is the month that finally feels like fall has arrived here in Central Texas. If it cools down enough at night, we may even see some fall color in the trees and shrubs. Of course that also means that deciduous plants will begin to shed their leaves in earnest, providing plenty of raw material for homemade mulch and compost. The average first freeze for Austin (Camp Mabry) is anywhere from November 29th through December 5th depending on the period of record. See below for things that should be on your November gardening to-dos. Happy gardening! November Garden Tips Flowers to…
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October in the Garden
Finally! It is officially fall in Central Texas and that means the oppressive summer heat has broken and we can all rush back outside to garden in earnest. Rains hopefully will arrive mid month to replenish soil moisture and rainwater harvesting tanks. See below for things that should be on your October gardening to-dos. Happy gardening! October Garden Tips Flowers to Plant Allyssum, Sweet Calendula Centaurea Dusty Miller Johnny Jump Up Larkspur Nasturtium Pansies (mid October) Poppies Snapdragon Sweet Pea Seeds to Sow Beets Carrots Fava Beans Greens – cool season Leeks (early-mid Oct) Onions – bulbing Onions – bunching, multiplying Peas – English, snow, snap (early Oct) Radishes Turnips…
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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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September in the Garden
The calendar says September is the beginning of the fall season, but the Central Texas “weather break” (flipping the switch from hot to cool) may not actually happen until late in the month or October. But look on the bright side: the shorter days will trigger fall blooms for asters and other perennials and allow us to plant cool-season flowering plants like snapdragons, dianthus, alyssum, pansies and nasturtium. These bloomers like cool growing conditions so don’t plant until later in the month. Plant sugar snap peas and snow peas during the last two weeks of September too. See below for things that should be on your September gardening to-dos. Happy…
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August in the Garden
Yes, it’s still crazy hot and there is no sign of rain, but it is time to start your fall garden! July and August are great months to get your fall veggies started. It’s also a good use of your time while hiding in the house from the heat. If you’re still determined to slog it out in the heat, wear long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat to protect yourself from the sun. Okra, originally from Africa, loves our Texas heat and is abundant right now right through to frost. Harvest okra pods frequently before they get too big; over-grown okra is tough and stringy. Beat the squirrels by harvesting…
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Supercharge your Garden with Texas Superstar Plants
The new Texas Superstar Guide to strong and stunning plants for Texans, created by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Department of Agriculture, is available online. 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 should ensure the plants are not only widely available throughout Texas but also reasonably priced. 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. The designation was applied to all the…
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July in the Garden
The sweltering month of July is all about the star vegetable of the hot summer: Tomatoes. Varieties like Celebrity, Lemon Boy, Flame, Ponderosa, Cherokee Purple, and Tie Dye Green are some colorful favorites and worth a try in your garden. Now is the perfect time to make the classic southern recipe, Fried Green Tomatoes, from your own harvest. Bon appetit! If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to join the Lakeway Garden Club. Our goal is to build a local community of fellow garden enthusiasts to share tips and help each other’s gardening endeavors. It is free and open to all. We are planning some in person garden tours later this year. Let us know if you would like…
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June in the Garden
The month of June is a time of great abundance in Lakeway. Seeds sowed and veggies transplanted many weeks ago are beginning to bear the colorful fruits of all that hard work. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and zucchini are starting to abound. Now is the perfect time to make the most famous recipe of all Provençal cuisine, Ratatouille, from your own backyard. Bon appetit! If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to join the Lakeway Garden Club. Our goal is to build a local community of fellow garden enthusiasts to share tips and help each other’s gardening endeavors. It is free and open to all. We are planning some in…
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May in the Garden
The month of May can be an exhausting and exuberant time in Lakeway. Roses are blooming (like the fragrant Rosa ‘Sea Foam’ above), birds are singing and the bees are buzzing everywhere we look in our gardens. The severs storm chances and humidity are starting to rise, so early garden work is key. And remember to get out there and start weeding before it is too late! If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to join the Lakeway Garden Club. Our goal is to build a local community of fellow garden enthusiasts to share tips and help each other’s gardening endeavors. It is free and open to all. We…
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What is Hugulkultur?
When you don’t have a giant property, it is important to strategize to get the most use of the garden you have, and that includes planting vegetables and herbs in raised beds and containers. I’ve been growing vegetables and herbs in two 4-by-8-foot raised beds built years ago, and every few years, I invest in copious amounts of compost and organic topsoil to refill them. Some friends garden in much larger beds and the cost to fill them would make your salad spin. But there is a better method: “Hugelkultur,” is said to have been used in Germany and eastern Europe for centuries as part of a more extensive permaculture…
