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Gardening in an Exceptional Drought
An exceptional drought is a period of unusually dry weather that is significantly longer and more severe than a normal drought. These droughts can have a devastating impact on plants, animals, and ecosystems. Over the past month, due to our lack of significant rain, Travis County has sadly progressed from a state of extreme drought to a state of exceptional drought. And no, there is no drought level worse than exceptional. Just like in July, we continue to have a high pressure dome reside over Texas, causing those triple-digit temps and no sign of significant rain. If you are gardening in an exceptional drought, it is important to take extra…
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August in the Garden – 2023 Edition
Greetings, Lakeway gardeners! Welcome to the latest episode of Survivor: Garden Edition, also known as the wickedly hot Central Texas summer of 2023. All the wilting plants know Lakeway is officially in a state of extreme drought. Yes, just like last month, thanks to the stubborn subtropical ridge over Texas, we still have ridiculously high triple-digit temps outside with no sign of significant rain for the next two weeks. However, early August is a great time to stay inside, grab a cold lemonade and start focusing on your fall garden including getting your next crop of veggies growing. Of course if you’re determined to slog it out in the stifling heat this month, keep in mind that…
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Let’s Grow: Pollinator Gardens for Monarch Butterflies
Monarch butterflies are a beautiful and important part of our natural world in Central Texas. They are also in decline, due to habitat loss and other factors. One way to help monarch butterflies is to plant a pollinator garden. A pollinator garden is a garden that is designed to attract and support pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Pollinators are essential for the health of our planet, as they help to pollinate plants, which is essential for food production. Below is a great pollinator plant chart (PDF – printer version) that you can print and take with you to your local garden nursery to pick out your selections. When…
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July in the Garden – 2023 Edition
Greetings, Lakeway gardeners! This month it is all about staying cool. After June’s extreme temps, we should only expect that July will likely set new heat records. As thermometers continue to rise, many new Texas gardeners start to wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into (!) while veteran Texas gardeners escape the summer heat in Colorado or elsewhere… Luckily from the sanctuary of air conditioning, you can start your fall garden planning this month. Resilient vegetable gardeners know to set up shade cloths to protect tender transplants of tomatoes and peppers during this sweltering month. Tomato varieties like Celebrity, Lemon Boy, Flame, Ponderosa, Cherokee Purple, and Tie Dye Green are some colorful and delicious favorites and worth a try…
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Saving your Vegetable Seeds for Next Year
Many of the vegetables we grow in our gardens produce seeds, which, if harvested and stored correctly, have the potential to grace us with free plants. And late summer is the perfect time to start collecting them. Heirlooms versus Hybrids Make sure the plants from which you’re collecting seeds are heirloom, or open-pollinated, varieties. These are plants in their original forms whose seeds will produce plants with the same qualities as their parent. Hybrid varieties, on the other hand, are created by breeding two or more different types to capture the best qualities of each. Attempting to grow seeds collected from hybrids will yield a harvest of disappointment, as the…
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June in the Garden – 2023 Edition
Greetings, Lakeway gardeners! June is a time of great abundance in Lakeway gardens. The summer heat is in full swing, and your garden is starting to bear the fruits of your dedicated labor. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and zucchini are all in season, and you can start to harvest them. In addition to harvesting crops, there are three main things to keep in mind as you tend your garden this month. Water your plants regularly, especially during hot, dry weather. Fertilize your plants every few weeks to help them continue to produce. Finally, keep an eye out for pests and diseases. If you see any problems, take action immediately to prevent them…
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Be Water Wise and Build a Rain Garden
Rain gardens are a great way to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and add beauty to your yard. They are shallow, vegetated depressions that are designed to capture and filter stormwater runoff and are especially beneficial in areas like Central Texas, a region that is prone to flooding. Here are some easy steps to create a rain garden in your yard: Choose a location. The best location for a rain garden is in a low-lying area that is close to your home’s downspouts. This will help to ensure that the rain garden captures as much stormwater runoff as possible. Prepare the soil. The soil in the rain garden should be…
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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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May in the Garden – 2023 Edition
Greetings, Lakeway gardeners! The month of May can be an exuberant (and sometimes an exhausting) time in Lakeway. There is just so much to see and do in the garden! Roses are blooming, birds are singing and pollinators are buzzing with all the flowering excitement in our gardens. The humidity and severe storm chances are starting to rise, so an early morning garden work habit is key to staying cool. And remember to get out there and start weeding before they take over and make your yard work much, much harder! Thanks so much to everyone who attended our first ever Lakeway Garden Club Open House celebrating Earth Day on…
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Five Easy Steps for Creative Ikebana
Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. It is a centuries-old tradition that has evolved over time, but it still retains its core principles of simplicity, asymmetry, and harmony. Ikebana is a great way to bring beauty and peace into your home, and it can also be a fun and creative outlet. Here are 5 easy steps for beautiful floral arrangements. Remember there is no right or wrong way to create an ikebana arrangement! The important thing is to have fun and create something that you find beautiful! Choose Your Container Start by selecting your container for the arrangement. Ikebana containers are typically low and shallow but they can…
