the Austin Garden | growing corn under IH-35

Fall Native Plant Sale: this year the Wildflower Center is spreading this popular event out over 7 weekends - from October 9 to November 22. The weekends begin on Fridays, open from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Wildflower Center ❦

Growing corn under IH-35: It is the last place in the world that you'd expect to see the splashes of yellow, green and puple of beautiful plants - but here we are in a homeless camp underneath I-35 on a mild weekend morning at Plug's Greenery, Austin's newest nursery, tenderly looked after by owner Travis "Sparkplug" Holloway. He learned about plants while growing up on a farm - and enjoys running this improvised nursery as something to do.

"You take something small and watch it grow, and it's a beautiful thing to witness," he said. Sparkplug took me to a green bell pepper that was starting to fill out - and purslane, and corn, and marvelled at the generosity of people who stop to buy something. (It's all by donation.) To visit Plug's Greenery, park on Crestwood Road at I-H-35 by St. George's Episcopal Church. near Airport Blvd. And fellow gardeners - if you have some extra plants to share, Sparkplug readily accepts donations. - Darrel Mayers ❦

Green Corn Project: support this noble, local non-profit this Saturday and all Saturdays in October at Boggy Creek Farm as they share an amazing array of fall veggies with Austin's gardeners. The mission of the Project is to help the city's underserved communities grow fresh, organic vegetables in their own backyards, schools and community centers. The plant sales will last from 9 - 1 p.m. Green Corn Project ❦

Miracle on Frate Barker: a few weekends back I visited the former site of the amazing nursery It's About Thyme. It was astonishing that something once so vibrant and beautiful could be so completely erased within a couple of years. Gone are the greenhouses, gone is the big old house, gone is the wooden payment shed, the model railway, the auditorium, and David and Dwight's vegetable gardens.

But then on the edge of the property, a muted flash of color caught my eye. I followed it and found myself next to an extremely lively and scruffy pomegranate tree, laden with its bountiful crop of tawny, imperfect fruit. It stood like a beacon of hope. I carefully picked a pomegranate, rested it on the passenger seat of my old Honda, and set off for home. - Darrel Mayers. Illustration by Linda Anderson ❦

Butterflies in India: when Mumbai nature photographer Rizwan Mithawala found himself stuck at home during quarantine, he decided to bring nature to his apartment. He spent $5 on a few water jugs and succulents. Soon his kalachoe succulent started to attract plenty of attention from hosts of red pierrot butterflies. Atlas Obscura ❦

Central Texas Gardener: Meet bee champions 15-year-old Mikaila Ulmer, founder and CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade, and Leslie Uppinghouse, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center horticulturist. Mikaila takes us on her childhood journey from bee sting to bee champion, social entrepreneur, and educator. In her book, "Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid," follow her path from to mission success. Leslie’s got the buzz on what we can plant this fall to feed the bees. KLRU ❦

Playing the Fiddle Leaf Fig

by Chris Winslow

With over 850 species of plants throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world, the family of plants known as “Figs “form one of the most useful groups of plants in the world.

Chances are when we hear the word fig, we thinks of the edible fruit varieties that are planted and harvested around the world and here in Central Texas.

This family of plants also provide us gardeners and plant lovers with abundant choices of tropical plants that are greatly suited for indoor use. With their growth habits from the tropical rainforest, they have adapted well to the lower light levels required as indoor plants.

One of my favorites is Fiddle-Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata). The large leaves are broad at the apex and narrow in the middle resembling the shape of a fiddle. This plant has been a common topic in Southern Living and Better Homes and Gardens magazines as an excellent choice for indoor gardens. You might say that Fiddle Leaf Fig is “Trending” now.

Another popular fig for indoors is Ficus benjamina or what is commonly called “the weeping fig”. Benjamina is a stately tree with weeping, shiny leaves that likes a bright place in the household. The weeping fig also has a variegated (green and white leaf) cultivar called Starlite that is very striking.

Another fig that is easy to grow in indoor light is Ficus elastica or what we commonly call “Rubber” plant. Beautiful broad leaves come in an array of colors. They are available in a green leaf form, 2 varieties of variegation, one with added red tones, and a black leafed form.

There also is a ground cover fig (Ficus rempens) that is commonly used in central Texas landscapes. Quite winter hardy, this clinging ground cover is used for covering walls and fences. It does best planted with east exposure and some protection from the hot afternoon sun.

All the above figs make suitable house plants. Success is at the start by choosing a premium container potting soil with great drainage. Best are soil-less mixes with a blend of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite.

A bright light indoor location is also best. Plants should be kept moist but not soggy. Alow the potting media to just dry out between waterings. Water a bit more in the warmer months and a little less throughout the short days of winter.

And by the way, indoor plants go a long way to help purify indoor air. One website said that indoor figs can detoxify air that has formaldehyde. Happy gardening everyone! ❦