the Austin Garden | in the oak tree's shade | Johnson's falls silent

Congratulations to Barton Springs Nursery on their beautiful new outdoor classroom space. Yesterday evening a gathering of about 30 gardeners enjoyed a talk by Hill Country landscape architect Tait Moring as part of Pam Penick's Garden Spark series. ❦

_________________________________________________

Johnson's Backyard goes dark: mystery surrounds the abrupt closure of this massive organic gardening operation which has helped to keep many of us - and students at AISD - healthy with their bountiful organic produce. KXAN ❦

Korean Natural Farming: for their Oct 11 meeting, Austin Organic Gardeners have invited Austin Moline to share an intro to this unique approach to soil management, which uses 'indigenous soil biology to promote soil health.' AOG ❦

Cultivate: lots & lots happening in the upcoming month at this unique, way-south nursery. Sept 26: Rooted Rhythm and Herbalism, with Caroline Riley and members of Ley Line. This is an immersive day-long workshop weaving herbalism and song. / Sept. 29 + Oct 1: Fall Companion Planting Workshop / Oct 3: Fall Garden Makers Market Fair with tours, and vendors, and music by Bataristas Do Corazao. Details for all events: Cultivate ❦

_________________________________________________

A reader writes: I have a Monterrey oak tree that
was hit hard by the Feb 14 Snowpocalypse. The main problems seem to be powdery mildew and stunted growth and lot's of growth where suckers usually appear (lower down on the trunk). Is there anything I can do to nurse it back to health?" - Patrick

The February cold in the Austin area was close to too much for Monterrey oaks. Suckers lead me to believe it has lost it's top. Wettable powder sulfur can be mixed and sprayed on the powdery mildew leaves. Good luck! - Chris Winslow ❦

Joyous coneflowers: in this painting local artist Linda Anderson perfectly captures the beauty of Echinacea purpurea in springtime. Eighteenth century botanist Conrad Moench thought the spiny round seedhead resembled a hedgehog - and echinos is Greek for hedgehog. ❦

_________________________________________________

Support the Austin Garden. This newsletter relies on donations from readers. Please consider making a donation today. Many thanks ; - ) PayPal❦

Central Texas Gardener: with the recent passing of Mary Irish (1949 - 2021) the gardening world lost one of its greats. She was an acclaimed designer, and author of 'A Place All Of Our Own' (University of Arizona Press) and 'Texas Getting Started Garden Guide' (Cool Springs Press). Read Linda's CTG appreciation here: blog and watch her on CTG here: Mary Irish on Planting Trees in the Fall ❦

In the Oak Tree's Shade

by Chris Winslow

October is one of the best months for planting trees, and since it's coming at us fairly soon, now is a good time to start thinking about the size and type of tree that would work best in your landscape.

Given the recent roasting we are having this summer, my mind at the moment drifts quickly to shade trees, and my favorite shade trees of all time are the oaks.

Planted and watered properly, young trees will grow fast and can dramatically enhance our landscapes.

Apart from their beauty, there is a practical consideration too. If you plant them in the right place, shade trees will cool off the air around your home and help offset costly utility bills.

We have two native Texas oaks that are considered evergreen: the live oak and the Mexican white oak. Both hold their foliage throughout the winter months, but then shed their leaves around the end of February-early March. Spring growth follows in 2 to 3 weeks.

Evergreen oaks are also highly effective as windbreaks and privacy screens. In addition, when planted on the east, south, and west sides of a house, they’ll provide you with winter shade.

On the Texas Superstars list and one of my favorite Texas native shade trees is the Chinquapin oak.

What makes this deciduous shade tree so wonderful is its uncommon appearance. The leaves can be 6 to 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. The leaf color is deep green on top with a whitish underside. Unlike the smooth leaf of the live oak, the Chinquapin’s leaves are toothed or serrated. Sometimes we call it the ‘Saw Tooth Oak.’

This magnificent shade tree fits so well with the central Texas climate. It loves the heat and does well in our alkaline soil. It’s very drought resistant and has few problems with insects and disease pests.

Plant your Chinquapin in a well-drained location in full sun or just a little shade. With infrequent, deep waterings, this beauty can grow moderately fast, reaching an average height of 40 feet with an equal spread.

Chinquapin’s fall color is yellow to bronze, making it a top choice for fall color in the landscape. Their small acorns are loved by birds, squirrels, deer, and wild turkeys.

For fall color, the Shumards (commonly known as the Texas red oak) are hard to beat. They carry their brilliant red/orange fall colors throughout November and December, and late trees can hold these colors even into January.

The stately Bur oak sheds its big leaves without fall color change. However during the winter months you can enjoy the stark beauty of their bark and branching structure.

Considered slow growing, the oaks have often been overlooked by homeowners and property developers in their quest for fast growing shade trees. People have often made the mistake of choosing soft-wooded trees like Arizona ash, only to find a few years later that they are short lived and expensive to remove.

The oaks, however, when planted properly and watered on a regular basis, can grow as much as 3 feet a year in height and width. That’s fifteen feet in five years. Now that’s shade! ❦