Your Top Gardening Questions Answered!
1. How do I stop the deer from eating everything?
Answer: In Lakeway, deer-proofing is the first priority. Focus on native plants they find unappealing, such as Texas Sage, Mountain Laurel, Lantana, and Salvia. For flowers, Zinnias and Vincas are generally safer bets. No plant is 100% “deer-proof” if they are hungry enough, so using a repellent like Deer Away (applied every few weeks and after rain) can help protect your more vulnerable plants.
2. When is the best time to plant vegetables?
Answer: We have two distinct growing seasons. For spring, move transplants like tomatoes and peppers into the ground in late March or early April once the threat of frost has passed (our last freeze is usually mid-to-late February). For a fall garden, start your seeds in August (indoors) and move them outside in September to take advantage of the milder autumn temperatures before the first winter frost.
3. What should I do about the rocky “soil” in my yard?
Answer: Much of Lakeway sits on limestone and thin, clay-heavy soil. If you are planting directly in the ground, it is almost always necessary to amend with compost or organic matter to improve drainage and nutrients. For many Lakeway residents, raised beds or large containers are the easiest way to bypass the “rock pile” and provide a healthy environment for vegetables and herbs.
4. My plants are wilting in July even though I water them. Why?
Answer: In Central Texas, the “heat of the day” (3:00 PM to 6:00 PM) can reach temperatures that cause plants to shut down to conserve moisture. If your soil is damp but the plant looks wilted, it’s likely heat stress. Try using shade cloth to block the harshest afternoon sun or add a thick layer of mulch (2–3 inches) to keep the root zones cool and retain moisture.
5. What is the plant hardiness zone for Lakeway, TX, and why does it matter?
Answer: Lakeway is located in Zone 9a. As of the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map update, Lakeway shifted from Zone 8b to Zone 9a. This change reflects a warming trend in our average annual minimum winter temperatures, which are now categorized between 20°F and 25°F (instead of 15°F–20°F).You can experiment more confidently with “marginal” plants that love the heat, like certain varieties of Citrus, Hibiscus, or Esperanza, which might have struggled in previous decades. Even though we are officially 9a, Central Texas is famous for “Blue Northers” and extreme weather events (like the 2021 freeze). It’s still wise to have frost cloth ready for those rare nights when the temperature dips below the 9a average. In Lakeway, the summer heat is often harder on plants than the winter cold. Always check that your Zone 9a plants are also “Heat Hardy” enough to survive a Texas July!
6. What is Lakeway’s current drought status and how does it affect my garden?
Answer: We are currently in a Severe to Extreme Drought. While rain in late 2025 helped significantly compared to the record lows of early 2025, Lake Travis is still only about 73%–74% full (roughly 17 feet below its “full” conservation pool of 681 feet). With the drought persisting, adding 3 inches of mulch to your beds is the single best thing you can do to prevent evaporation and keep root zones cool as we head into May. Check the specific watering schedule for your yard with your local MUD.
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Updated Spring 2026.
