Spring is here! It's About Thyme

tel: 280-1192 March 12, 2010

In the nursery: with new shipments arriving every day, and a massive

renovation of the nursery almost complete, customers are letting us know

what they think of our changes. "The nursery has never looked
better," said one customer, " and your greenhouses are the best
in town!" Please come by for a visit. Some of the plants and pots we
currently have in store:

native perennials, including blackfoot daisy, salvias, skull caps, red yuccas.

mission olives: 5 gallon for $34.99; 15 gallon for $139.99. These amazing

trees have proven that they can survive the cold. Evergreen silver foliage.

citrus: thornless Mexican lime, Meyers Lemon, satsumas, Republic of Texas

oranges, Eureka lemons (pink inside). 5 gallon pots for $39.99.

pottery: terra cotta and white, Vietnamese and Italian from tiny to gigantic.

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Support KLRU's Central Texas Gardener

Every gardener's favorite TV show - Central Texas Gardener - is raising
funds for itself in a special show tomorrow (Sat.) from 4 - 5:30 p.m. Linda
Lehmusvirta and her talented team are a constant source of inspiration for
us all, and this is a chance for us to show our appreciation. Gifts for support
include Master Gardener guides, t-shirts and water-bottles. Click here to
make a donation: http://klru.org/support/central-texas-gardener/

[Was that our own very special master gardener Amanda Moon spotted
going into the KLRU studios yesterday? Look for her segment to be aired on
April 10.]

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A Fruit Dip Recipe from the Kitchen of Diane Winslow

This is especially good with fresh strawberries, although any fruit will do:
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp. orange liquor (optional)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
pineapple juice

Soften cream cheese, then whip with powdered sugar. Add the whipping
cream, lemon juice and orange liquor (if desired). Continue to beat, adding
just enough pineapple juice to achieve desired consistency. Serve with
fresh fruit(s) of your choice.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/woodi68/3517019076/

Spring: My Favorite Time of Year

by Chris Winslow

Sometime between the last week of February and the first week of this
month, Spring announces its triumphant return.

Wow, am I happy… especially when I see all of those beautiful flowers
that are appearing on our trees right now. Along Farm to Market Road
1626, for example, the Mexican plums have begun to show off their
amazing color. This native tree, growing wild along the roadside, blooms
white, contrasting well with its black trunks and branches. And oh so
sweet! A fragrance of oriental incense.

Another harbinger of spring is the redbud tree. Central Texas is loaded
with both wild and landscaped specimens. Keep an eye out for their
flowers, which are a shade of deep, reddish-purple.

Flowering quince is also putting on a show with its coral colored flowers.
Quince (Chaenomeles), a member of the rose family and related to
magnolias, is usually found in landscaped yards. (It isn’t native to central
Texas.) It’s a low growing, deciduous shrub that rarely grows larger than
4 to 5 feet.

Also at this time of year, the fruit trees start to blossom. Apples, peaches,
plums and pears all add their special, fresh colors to the landscape.

Most noteworthy are the fruitless varieties of peaches and pears.

Of these, the most spectacular is the Double Peppermint Peach: fully
double flowers of white and red both show on the same branches.

Sometimes you even see white and red on the same flower.

Other natives are sure to follow. Texas Mountain Laurels and Mexican
Buckeyes will probably flower next week.

Spring is also the time when our native trees begin to bud. Texas Live
Oaks are finally shedding last year’s leaves and new ones are emerging.
During this time, the oaks will also shed tons of gold colored pollen, hoping
to produce acorns for future generations.

What a great time of year!

Many people at the nursery and the farmers market on Saturdays have
been inquiring if I think it’s safe to plant a spring vegetable crop yet.

For tomatoes, peppers and other spring garden plants, it is still a risk.
Our last average frost date is this coming Monday, March 15. But please
remember, this is just an average.

I lost all my tomatoes from a late frost last spring (April 7). If you do
plant, remember to protect. Happy gardening everyone!
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Visit the website at www.itsaboutthyme.com Visit the
nursery at 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748 Tel. 512 280 1192