tel: 512 280-1192 Tuesday, Dec 31 2013
A big THANK YOU to all of our customers for supporting our
nursery this year. We really appreciate it, and look forward to help-
ing you create the garden of your dreams in 2014.
THANK YOU also to all of our wonderful speakers who visited us
on Sundays: Tim Miller, Kevin Callaway, Walter Stewart, Diana
Kirby, Pam Penick, C.L. Williams, Norris Sebastian, Caroline
Foley, Amanda Moon, Sap Apisaksiri, Mick Vann, Mark Bradley,
DeAnne Pearson, and Walter Schumacher (Bee Rescue). 2013 was
also the year that Model Trains arrived in a big way at the nursery.
Thank you to Ralph Harman & Crew for all your hard work. In add-
ition the readership of the Thyme newsletter grew to close to 1,500
readers. Thanks for signing up! (Next newsletter will publish on
Friday, Jan.10th.) The nursery's goal for the new year: 'Happy plants,
Happy gardeners.' Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous 2014!
- Diane & Chris Winslow
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On sale: 20% off all winter hardy palms; 50% off metal yard art.
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One resolution to add to the list below might be: Help Save the
Butterflies! In the case of the dwindling number of Monarchs, the
plant they need is milkweed - as highlighted in a recent article in
the New York Times: milkweed
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Gardening Resolutions 2014
by Chris Winslow
Promises and resolutions for me – with encouragement from mem-
bers of my family – normally include eating better and exercising
more. But as a gardener, naturally enough, my favorite list is the
alternative one with my goals for the garden in the upcoming year.
Some of my 2014 garden resolutions for myself and fellow gard-
deners:
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1. Shrink the lawn. With Pam Penick’s book ‘Lawn Gone!’ (Ten
Speed Press) as a guide, we are all realizing that there are a myriad
of options for replacing the lawn with pretty, drought tolerant plants
that will save you money and time… and help save the planet as
we become accustomed to gardening in drought conditions.
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2. Hang up the phone and garden. As cell phones continue to take
over our lives, gardening can be a haven and a sanctuary from the
encroaching world of technology.
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3. Plant more trees: I would like to plant one a month. Trees add
value to a home and can help with the utility bills as well. By
planting evergreen trees on the north side of your home, they can
act as a windbreak from the cold, north winter winds. Shade trees
planted close to the house provide cooling shade in the spring,
summer, and fall.
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4. Plant or expand the vegetable garden. By growing your own
vegetables, you become more independent – less trips to the
grocery and less trips to the filling station. Working the soil and
eating the produce that you have grown is highly rewarding. Gar-
dening is also great exercise.
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5. Start composting. By saving and composting grass clippings,
leaves, and kitchen scraps, you can make rich compost and mulch
for your garden and flower beds. The material is free and just takes
a little bit of effort to convert it to something useful. Compost will
save you money and will help to limit the waste that goes to the
landfill.
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6 Start and expand your use of organic practices. Besides making
your own compost, use organic fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides,
and herbicides. This will make the environment less toxic. There
has never been as many organic alternatives on the market as there
are now. In addition, consider setting up a system of rain barrels,
and shift to drip and soaker hose irrigation.
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7. Start gardening projects with your neighbor or perhaps the
community. Target a piece of ground that’s going to waste and
produce some vegetables for the Food Bank. Reap the mental
rewards of volunteering!
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8 Besides vegetables, establish other forms of food you can grow.
Central Texas is a perfect place for asparagus, grapes, berries, arti-
chokes, peaches, pears, apples, plums, olives, apricots, nectarines,
and pomegranates. These plants are perennials and will produce
year after year without replanting.
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Well, that’s a start for 2014. Tomorrow I'll start on my first tree
planting... of course after eating my good luck food: cornbread for
gold, collards for dollar bills, and black-eyed peas for pennies.
Happy 2014 everyone!
Visit the website: www.itsaboutthyme.com Visit the nursery:11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, 78748 Like us
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