sequoia strawberries 🌵 cowardly lion begonias 🌿 nobleman's garden 🌿

tel: 512 280-1192 Thursday, Feb 11, 2016

Nursery Notes: Happy Valentine's weekend! See below for our

featured article on growing strawberries. Rather than the gift of cut-

flowers, may we suggest a beautiful hanging basket. We have ger-

aniums, wandering Jew, and million bells and double impatiens for

$14.99, and bougainvilleas for $19.99. / We have 20 varieties of

tomato, 10 varieties of pepper, and a new shipment of citrus: arc-

tic frost and orange frost satsumas, and a rare Meyer lemon with

variegated leaves and fruit! For people with lawns, we have corn

gluten in stock to stop weeds in their tracks and nourish the grass.

$44.99 for a 40 pound bag, or $1.25 a scoop./ Coming March 6 at

2 p.m.: a tomato lecture with Kevin Callaway.

A Nobleman's Garden: the buildings and grounds of an Italian

summer palace are given a make-over - with the landscape archi-

tects settling on a palette of 'moody purples, silvers and golds.' In

this photo, the silver is artemesia, the gold is Mexican feather grass,

and the purple is found in the spikes of Russian sage - all familiar

plants to Austin-area gardeners. Gardenista

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Green prescriptions: in the U.K. some family physicians are star-

ing to join a trend started in Australia and New Zealand – where

the prescription might be for 'an agreed activity outside' (such as

gardening), 'a weekly group walk, perhaps, or involvement in a local

conservation project,' writes Kate Hilpern in The Independent

How to prune fruit trees in 3 easy steps: 'Within a few years of

lovingly planting fruit trees, most folks find themselves with scragg-

ly overgrown bushes, rather than the Garden of Eden they had envis-

ioned,' writes Brian Barth in Modern Farmer. Learn how to 'clean

up, thin out and head back' in this well-written guide.

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Central Texas Gardener: an interview with hummingbird expert

Mark Klym, and herbalist Ellen Zimmerman joins Trisha for a chat

about foraging; on tour, a visit to the beautiful garden of Bostonian

designer Amy Voorhes, with vines, herbs and perennials aplenty.

On Sat. at 4 p.m., Sun. at 9 a.m. KLRU

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Cowardly Lion Begonia 'is one of my favorite 'houseplant' begon-

ias,' writes Amanda Moon. The large leaves curl in a pattern resem-

bling a lion's mane, and although it does not bloom often, the multi-

colored nature of the leaves brings a beautiful touch to typically

green potted plant collections. Give it well-drained soil and a little

morning sun and it will expand out to fill a 12 - 14" pot or hanging

basket. I use Metro Mix for mine and will also throw in a little de-

composed granite for good measure to ensure excellent drainage.

Potting mix that stays too wet or overwatering are the quickest ways

to do-in rhizomes-producing begonias. It is also good to protect them

from frost, although mine have gotten pretty close and still survived.

(In-stock in hanging baskets for $19.99.)

Strawberry Fields Forever

by Chris Winslow

As we approach Valentine's Day on Sunday where copious amounts

of chocolate-dipped strawberries are going to be given and consum-

ed, it's worth remembering that it is quite possible for Austin area

gardeners to grow this delicious fruit in the garden. And luckily

for us, they’re easy to grow.

There are two types to choose from for our garden plots: the June-

bearer and the ever-bearer.

June-bearing strawberries are usually planted in the fall and winter,

and produce fruit throughout the spring. They start in February and

if the spring is cool, they will continue to ripen strawberries through

June.

As the days begin to get long, these June-bearing strawberries will

send out runners (stolons) that will produce new plants. These will

begin to flower when the days get short again. Some June-bearer

varieties to look for are Chandler, Sequoia, and Douglas. (We have

Sequoias in stock: 4.5" pots for $1.99)

Ever-bearing strawberries bloom more in the summer when the

days are long. Our summers are usually a little too hot for great

success with this type of berry.

The most important tip I can pass on to fellow Central Texas gard-

eners is this: strawberries must have well drained soil. A good garden

mixture should include about 50% sand mixed with rich compost

and topsoil.

Strawberries also can flourish in raised beds when the drainage

is poor. Also you can grow your berries in containers such as hang-

ing baskets and strawberry pots.

When growing strawberries in pots, use a good soil-less potting

mix such as Metro, Sunshine or Miracle–Gro. These will provide

nutrients and drainage, so you won't have to mix amendments into

the soil.

The second most important tip? Mulch. Lots of it! If you mulch

generously around the plants, you will keep those roots warm in

the winter and cooler in the summer.

There is an added benefit to growing strawberries in containers:

when the temperatures begin to rise in the summer you can move

the pots to a shadier and cooler location. This portability is will

help their health and productivity. Happy Gardening everyone!

🌲 🌿 🌵