bringing nature, nurseries and gardeners together Oct.4, 2018
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Nursery notes: the folks at the Great Outdoors host a Fairy Gar-
den Workshop on Saturday at 11 a.m. Tickets: $15. / Learn all about
Organic Veggie Gardening at the Natural Gardener on Sunday at
10 a.m. / On Saturday at 10:30 a.m. a free class on Trees and Roses
at the North Village Branch Library, 2505 Steck Ave, presented by
by the Travis Co. Master Gardeners./ Over at Barton Springs Nursery
the sales for this weekend include: summer snow plumbago $2. bee-
brush $4. American beautyberry $5. Apache plume $20. / For fans
thing to do with them - gloves, fertilizers, and the plants themselves.
Please help support local nurseries ; - ) ❦
Landscape uplighting: You can make your garden 'an evening
event' with the artistic use of illumination - to highlight some of
your prized plants, and to 'create nighttime drama with shadows,'
writes Janet Hall. Gardenista ❦
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Pecans and tariffs: Texas pecan growers, who export a large
chunk of their $85 million harvest to China each year, are finding
themselves in 'the front line of an international trade war,' writes
Bob Sechler, after China imposed a 47 percent tariff on them this
summer, in response to the Trump administration's 'America First'
trade policies. The nuts are hugely popular as delicacy served dur-
ing the Chinese New Year. Statesman ❦
A Visit to 'Texas's Best Tiny Nursery'
Such fun to discover Goodetree, a micro- nursery near the Mueller
devlopment over the weekend. John Goode, a cheerful plantsman,
offers plentiful amounts of herbs, cacti and succulents. His grand-
father, Dr. Walter V. Brown, was an eminent professor of botany
at UT from 1949 - 1977, 'and that's probably where I got the plant
bug,' said John. (Dr. Brown named over 200 species of grass.)
1302 E. 51st St, 78723. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Sat. and Sun. ❦
Stephanie Wang (with Jade on her back) was delighted with
Goodetree, and left with a delicate thimble cactus.
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The Austin Garden is sponsored by the.Hays Free Press
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Central Texas Gardener: this is the perfect time to add native
trees for shade, pollinators and screening. Some advice from Tim
Kiphart (Far South Nursery) on good choices for small gardens.
On tour, discover how Pease Park Conservancy saved this historic
park. See the show on Saturday 4 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. KLRU ❦
Nine Activies for October
by Chris Winslow
1. Plant fall-flowering perennials Look around and see what’s
blooming this fall. Some good choices are Mexican bush sage
(pictured above), pineapple sage, Mexican mint marigold, Copper
Canyon daisy, and fall asters. Don’t forget to check out fall bloom-
ing ornamental grasses. Tops on my list are Gulf Coast muhly, big
muhly, and maiden grass.
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2. Prepare grass for winter Now is a good time to fertilize the
lawn. We recommend Medina Growin' Green. Feeding now will
help the roots through winter dormancy. Inspect and treat for
brown patch, a disease common with cooling, moist weather con-
ditions. This is also a good time to apply corn gluten for weed
control, and to top-dress with manure-based compost.
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3. Plant a tree Choose from central Texas’s great selection of
native and adapted shade and ornamental trees. Plant one of the
many oaks or elms for shade. Or add color to your late winter
and spring season by planting a redbud, mountain laurel, orchid
tree, flowering peach or pear, or a Mexican plum.
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4. Plant a vegetable garden Now is the time for broccoli, cauli-
flower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts from transplants. Easily
grown from seed are collards, spinach, carrots, radishes, lettuce,
mustard and collard greens, beets, Swiss chard, spinach, and turn-
ips. Garlic and shallots (multiplying onions) can be planted now
with short day onions just around the corner in November.
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5. Plant snap dragons These wonderful, winter hardy flowers
should be planted now for a showy late winter and spring garden.
They almost guarantee a Yard of The Month sign in April. Other
bedding plants to choose from are dianthus, violas, pansies, stock
and flowering kale, and cabbage.
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6. Harvest basil and make pesto Also plant some winter-hardy
culinary herbs. Rosemary, oregano, parsley, cilantro, sage, thyme,
and chives love winter and can providesome fresh cut herbs for
the kitchen.
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7. Plant winter grass seed If you have a bare spot or would like
to get rid of a muddy patch, sow some rye grass or fescue. Rye
grass can also be planted in a vegetable garden area to provide
green compost in the spring and soil aeration. Elbon rye seed can
also be planted over winter in garden areas plagued by soil nema-
todes (a disaster to tomatoes).
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8. Plant wildflowers These need to be planted in the fall. They
will grow leaves and stems while the days are short during the
winter and will flower in the spring as the days get longer.
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9. Plant fall bulbs For spring flowers, some of the best choices
are daffodils, grape muscari, tulips, jonquils, ranunculus, anemo-
nes, hyacinths, and narcissus. When planting, remember to add
a little bonemeal to the root zone for some slow release organic
nutrition. Happy Gardening Everyone! ❦
