the Austin Garden | May in the Garden | Natural Gardener to re-open May 12

With gardening near the top of lockdown trends, is it possible that gardeners have become - 'trendy'?! Completely out of the question of course, but a fun thought ; - ) This week there's good news as more nurseries open up in ways that suit their differing situations. D.M..

Lone Star Nursery: this mom 'n' pop organic garden in Manor offers free delivery on orders $30+ Lone Star

Barton Springs Nursery: curbside pickup: Barton Springs

The Great Outdoors: Curbside pickup and delivery. TGO

Wimberley Gardens: open Mon - Sat. 9 - 3. Sun: 11 - 2.

The Natural Gardener to re-open (in a limited way) on May 12. Guidelines: wear masks, practice social distancing, 2 people per vehicle; leave kids, pets at home. Hours: Tues - Sat. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Important: orders for on-line delivery service must be in by midnight tonight. Natural Gardener. ❦

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Clarification: the city of Austin is still picking up yard trimmings. It has only suspended large brush collection. Apologies for any confusion caused by the report in the previous newsletter. ❦

Plant coloring for kids/adults: the tea-making company Traditional Medicinals has created these cool coloring projects "to satisfy and sooth our creative spirits" in our current climate. A good pairing for this activity is, naturally enough, a cup of herbal tea. Traditional Medicinals ❦

How to build an arched trellis for $30: if you are busy planning your 2020 apocalypse garden, then having an arched trellis will greatly boost your capacity for veggies. In this video, Jess from Roots and Refuge Farm in Arkansas shows how it's done. (Cattle and hog panels available locally from Montopolis Supply Co) ❦

How to create a seed bomb: "Making seed bombs and throwing, concealing, digging, or just gently placing them in places you see that could use a little love . . . is a fun and productive way to get your hands dirty, and adds a little (or a lot) of beauty to your world." Edible Community ❦

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a d v e r t i s e m e n t

Thursday Morning Landscape

design and installation,

free consultation Call Dwight: 512 913 2189

Trumpet vine by Austin Garden artist Linda Anderson. This vigorous perennial isn't too fussy about soil, and can take full sun or partial shade. Be aware that in the right conditions it grows extremely fast, and can overwhelm trees and even buildings. ❦

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Central Texas Gardener: drought design expert Mary Irish explains how to create a mixed border that withstands low rainfall. Turn your flowers into liqueurs with Alejandra Rodriguez Boughton from La Flaca urban farm. Sat. 4 p.m. Sun. 9 a.m. KLRU ❦

Sunshine Community Gardens was lookin fabulous last Sunday

The Garden in May

by Chris Winslow

1. Plant flowers: This is a perfect time for flowering annuals and perennials. Begonias, zinnias, marigolds, moss-roses, purslanes, and vinca are all good choices. Perennials might include lantanas, salvias, and verbenas.

2 Vegetable garden care: Water deeply to encourage a deep, drought tolerant root system. Still time to add a few warm season crops: sweet and hot peppers, green beans, okra, eggplant, and black-eyed peas. Fertilize tomatoes.

3. Mulch: Place around all plants to conserve water and keep the temperature around the plant roots comfortable. Mixing some compost with the mulch will help replace nutrients as the plants grow.

4. Care of roses: Dead-head spring flowering roses to encourage a new flush of flowers. Apply fertilizer to produce new flowers. Watch for powdery mildew, black spot and western flower thrip. Treat with organic sprays: Neem oil and wettable-sulphur.

5 .Move houseplants outside: Put them out for a spring breather. Move them slowly towards their new light exposure. Too much sun too fast will burn the leaves. This is also a good time for transplanting.

6. Insect control: All this new spring growth is attractive to every kind of critter imaginable. Be nice to the environment (and to yourself) and only use organic sprays. If you have larvae (caterpillars) eating holes in your plants and trees, look for products that have B.T. as the main ingredient. If sucking insects like aphids, spider mites, whitefly, scale, and mealy bug are the problem, use Neem oil or Spinosad.

7. Maintain irrigation: If you own an automatic sprinkler system, it would save water and money to have it tuned up. Set the controller for deep, infrequent watering to encourage a deep, drought-resistant root system. Install rain sensor.

8. Fertilize lawn: Use an organic blend with a 3-1-2 ratio. Ten pounds per 1,000 square feet of turf area should be adequate.

9. Feed the birds: With lots of new birds in the area, keep those feeders full.

10. Grow basil: The top herb for the summer months is basil. With the nights getting warmer, this wonderful herb should finally have the temperatures it needs to take off. Happy Gardening Everyone! ❦