Natural Weed Control with Corn Gluten | hanging baskets of petunias

tel: 512-280-1192 Friday, Feb 10, 2012

Nursery Notes: Lots of colorful hanging baskets for sale, with

pansies, verbena, impatiens and petunias: $14.99. Six inch pots

of begonias $5.00. Sun or shade cylamens, white, red and pink

4" round pots for $4.99. Our first shipment of landscape plants

has arrived. Big selection of shrubs and vines. Fruit Trees are

looking good too: apple, apricot, peach, plum and pear: $29.99.

Come by for a visit!

_____________________________________________________

Zen Gardens of Japan: with their raked gravel (water), stones

(islands) and maple and cherry trees, the gardens of Japan

invite meditation and peace to all who enter. An article from

Outdoora Blog by Mindy McIntosh-Shetter on how to add Zen

elements to your garden: zen gardening

_____________________________________________________

Central Texas Gardener (KLRU-TV): advice from Pat McNeal

(McNeal Growers), and a visit to the miracle of Mueller's restored

gardens, prairies and lakes over former airport runways and parking

lots. Sat., noon or 4 p.m., or Sun: 9 a.m. www.klru.org/ctg/

_____________________________________________________

Sad news from San Marcos: an historic bur oak on the Texas State

campus to be felled tomorrow after being deemed 'too diseased to

live.' It's part of a grove of oaks where Sam Houston gave a stump

speech while running for governor in 1857, reports the Austin

American Statesman: Kissing Oak

by Chris Winslow

For many gardeners, the easiest and most effective way to control

weeds is to grab a bag of ‘Weed and Feed’ and spread it over the

lawn.

The ‘weed’ part is an herbicide that kills unwanted lawn weeds

before they emerge. These products have names like Turflan and

Surflan, and when applied at the right time they control most turf

weeds for an entire season.

There are, however, problems with this approach… big problems.

These chemical controls are toxic. They will poison kids and pets

and songbirds… and anyone or anything that comes into contact

with them. They also contaminate surface water and groundwater.

Since most of us have kids and dogs and drink water from the high-

land lakes or wells, it is safe to say that these chemical herbicides

are not a good idea.

However I do have some good news. There is a product called corn

gluten that’s organic and safe. It looks a lot like cornmeal, and is a

by-product of the cornmeal milling process.

(The nursery has 40 lb bags of corn gluten for sale for $42.99 -

to cover 4,000 sq feet or 1/8th of acre.)

Corn gluten contains natural chemical elements that stop seeds

from forming roots. For this product to work, the most important

thing is timing. You must spread it on before the winter/spring and

summer weeds germinate.

A first treatment right now and into early March will control summer

weeds like dandelions and crabgrass. To control the winter/spring

weeds, apply it during the fall before germination.

There is another huge benefit. Corn gluten contains 9 % nitrogen –

so it also works as a ‘weed and feed.’ It helps to green up those plants

that are growing while stopping the weed roots from forming. Use

it also for weed control in flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. Just

let the marigolds and beans sprout first.

Happy gardening everyone!

Visit the website: www.itsaboutthyme.com

Visit the nursery:11726 Manchaca Road, Austin 78748

facebookthyme