tel: 512 280-1192 Thursday, August 4, 2016
Nursery notes: pottery summer madness sale! 20% off all pott-
ery, including the crazy colorful Talavera pottery from Mexico.
The 2 gal. perennial sale continues: prides of Barbados, plumbago
(blue), esperanza, bougainvilleas all $12.99 for 2 gal. pots (reg.
$15.99). Chris warns gardeners that 'the window for fall planting
for tomato and pepper transplants will be closing soon.' The nursery
is well stocked. (Texas A&M recommends getting the plants in the
ground by mid-August.) Please come by for a visit! 🌷
Talavera is a historic Italian-style pottery created exclusively in Puebla, Mexico.
Hydrate, gardeners. The experts tell us that women are meant to
drink 9 cups of water a day, and men 13. (Really?) Why not make
it more fun and flavorful by throwing watermelon chunks and basil
in a big jug and leave it overnight - or lemongrass with grated
ginger? Lots of great ideas from CTG's Trisha Shirey: H20🌷
Layout for the new It's About Thyme: in a recent newsletter
we mistakenly published a masterplan for our current nursery, in-
stead of the one for our new enterprise by the Marbridge Foundat-
ion. Apologies for any confusion. The correct plan is above.🌷
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Praying mantis video: a big thank you to our customer Stephanie
Lyon, who earlier this year bought a praying mantis egg sac from
It's About Thyme. She carefully documented the birth of the babies
with her camera... and here is the final video (set to the music of
Edvard Grieg) 'Thanks for being the best garden shop around! :-)
wrote Stephanie. Metanoia of the Mantis🌷
___________________________________________________ Central Texas Gardener: interview with designer Ginger Hudson.
On tour, a rocky hillside garden that handles drought and rain bombs.
Daphne explains why established irises formed seeds this spring?
(Happy birthday to producer Linda Lehmisvirta!) Saturday: 4 p.m.
Sunday at 9 a.m. or on-line. KLRU. 🌷
Tips for Gardens in August
by Chris Winslow
1. Mulch and water: Your vegetable garden, landscape, flowerbeds
and trees need some help to make it through this torrid month. Mulch
generously, and water deeply.
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2. Lawn care: Your grass also needs deep, infrequent watering (5
day schedule) and keep the cutting height for your lawnmower as
high as possible. This will help shade the roots and conserve water.
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3. Vegetables: This is the month to start sweet corn, okra, snap
beans, cream peas and black-eyed peas from seed. Because the
first frost (on average Nov. 27) is likely to occur within 120 days,
use transplants for your peppers and tomatoes. During the second
half of this month, plant your broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts.
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4. Survive! While it is nice of you to nurse your plants through
this brutal month, it is perhaps even more important that you look
after yourself. Here are three gardening rules that you must follow!
1. Garden early in the morning. 2. Wear effective sunscreen and a
large brimmed hat (such as the Tula in photo above). 3. Drink
gallons of water!
by Chris Winslow
1. Water: Set up a birdbath in your garden. Keep it topped up every
day, and clean once a week. Keep the area nearby clear, so that pred-
atory cats have nowhere to hide.
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2. Food: Help our feathered friends survive with good quality seeds.
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2. Food: Help our feathered friends survive with good quality seeds.
Buy in bulk from feed stores to save money.
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3. Hummingbirds: Mix 4 parts water to 1 part sugar and place in
a feeder, and enjoy the magic of the visiting hummers. Make sure
your feeder is red (their favorite color), and you can tie a red ribbon
nearby to help them find their way.
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4. Brush piles: While out in the yard, create little brush piles here
and there out of twigs and branches. This will protect the birds so
they can feed on the ground, and if a cat appears or a hawk swoops
down, they’ll have somewhere to retreat.
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5. Native landscapes: Our native birds grew up with native berries,
and they are the best form of nourishment. Keep this in mind when
shopping for plants. Sunflowers, salvias, yaupon holly, possum haw
holly, agarita, coral berry, American beautyberry and Turks caps are
all good choices. (More details at www.travisaudubon.org)
Happy Gardening Everyone!
Contact newsletter editor Darrel Mayers 🌷🌲 🌿 🌵 ☀️ 
🌻
🌻 with any ideas for articles or interesting links:
internationalrain@yahoo.com (hitting 'reply' to this email won't work)
Visit the website: It's About Thyme And here for facebook
internationalrain@yahoo.com (hitting 'reply' to this email won't work)
Visit the website: It's About Thyme And here for facebook
