Gardening is not supposed to be depressing. I felt like a garden slacker;
I could only see the jobs I hadn’t finished, and it wasn’t fun anymore.

Until I Found the Cure in Three Easy Steps!

By Dottie Love, Master Gardener Intern

STEP ONE: Clean it up!

Jump up and spray the patio down. Instant gratification!

Gather your trash can collection, cardboard recycling pile, fertilizer bags, empty black pots, and garden ornaments you’re sure you’ll use someday, and take them away. Or stack them behind a tree. A big tree.

Hide the mop. Twirl all the hoses into pretty spirals (it makes people think you have patience).

Arrange empty pots so they look quaint. Don’t ask me how, I can never accomplish that. So behind the tree they go.

Where do all your shovels ‘n’ stuff live? They need to be invisible but accessible. Is there still room behind that tree?

STEP TWO: The Green Things 

Mow if necessary.

Edge. You may think of edging as just trimming the grass between the lawn and the driveway, or weed eating around stones or bricks. What I mean when I say “edge” is: create a definite division, a demarcation between ground and plant. Don’t let either blur the boundaries. 

I guarantee your garden’s look will improve instantly with this structure of defined shapes. Now, you may want to have a cute little ground cover curling over the hardscape or lawn. That’s fine! It gives the impression of spontaneity and a relaxed feel. What I like to do is lift the tendrils and sweep or hose the dirt from under them.

STEP THREE: Bedtime

Now, weed. There are two approaches: permanent removal, and they-gotta-be-gone-today. If you begin by simply pulling weeds, you’ll cut your hands on Bermuda grass or get pricked by a thistle. If you plunge into a mass of Johnson grass, you’ll get stung by a wasp. Been there, done that. And, oh—if you notice the dirt suddenly warmer—your hand’s in a fire ant nest. Instead, cut the weeds with shears or even scissors. Yeah, I just said that. Do pull up the spurge and purslane though; they’re fun.

I know: all those weeds will be back in no time. Remind yourself that you’re in Garden Panic Mode: this is the “feel-better-quick” solution. Once Garden Guilt no longer defines you, you can calmly evaluate weed control options and begin to implement them.  And, before you know it you’ll reach Serene Supreme Steward Mode, where weeds wilt at your glance, you never lose your pruning shears, your rakes aren’t rusty and fall over all the time, your hose never leaks, and you never, ever, step on a slug barefoot.

Read the First Two Articles in the Series:

Gardening Guilt- Part Two - By Dottie Love, Master Gardener Intern You can find Garding Guilt- Part One here if you missed it.  So. Last month I confessed what a slacker gardener I am. Before... Read More →

Gardening Guilt. What is wrong with me? - By Dottie Love, Master Gardener Intern I have a flower garden. That’s the “Ornamentals” category of horticulture. Criteria for success? Pretty. Yeah yeah yeah: design, scale, harmony, variety, “mood”; it... Read More →

Monarch butterflies have been in a steady decline for years and recently the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the monarch as endangered. Habitat loss, climate change, pesticides and disease are some of the factors contributing to fewer butterflies each year.
Butterflies don’t live long enough to migrate far, so multiple generations make the trip from summer homes in the United States and Canada to overwintering in Mexican forests and back in the spring. To support the spring and late summer/fall migrations, we can provide food to both baby monarchs (caterpillars) and to adults.

Monarchs seek milkweed to lay eggs. As land becomes streets and houses, it is important to plant milkweed in gardens to raise generations of future butterflies. Plant as much milkweed as you can since caterpillars are HUNGRY! The most common milkweeds for our area are Green Milkweed (Asciepius viridis) and Antelope Horns Milkweed (Asciepius asperula) but other types also grow here. Fall is an excellent time to plant seed for milkweed and other wildflowers.

Molly Keck, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist for Bexar County recommends cutting milkweed down in October to discourage monarchs from laying eggs that will not hatch, grow and fly before food dries up or a freeze comes.

There are many flowering plants that provide nectar for adult monarchs and other butterflies. Monarchs are especially attracted to Gregg’s Mist Flower (Eupatorium greggi), Sunflowers, and salvias such as Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii).

Butterflies and their food plants are hurt by herbicide and pesticide use. Always use herbicides or pesticides after trying less deadly methods first. Then, if you need to use them, read and carefully follow label instructions. Take care that herbicides or pesticides are limited to problem areas and not broadcast into the whole neighborhood.

Traveling monarchs also appreciate a source of moisture. Hanging a butterfly feeder with old fruit or fruit peels will provide nutrients and moisture. A saucer with stones and water will enable butterflies to drink from firm footing.

www.monarchwatch.org (http://www.monarchwatch.org/)

AgriLife Today (https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2022/08/01/monarch-butterflies-facing-battle-royal-for-survival/)

Article by Marj McClung, Master Gardener

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Here are some “quick wins” for the fall garden. These seeds are fast germinators, they mature quickly and, some chilly nights will actually enhance their flavor. There’s no need to start any of these indoors.

Turnips (Sep)

Just Right Hybrid, Purple Top White Globe, Royal Crown, Royal Globe, Tokyo Cross, White Lady

Turnips can be used either for greens or for roots. A variety developed for root production can be harvested for greens. However, a variety developed for greens may not produce a good root. Turnip seeds germinate within days, and tender greens are ready to pick within a month. Young, smaller turnips can also be harvested in about 30 days and full sized in about 40–50 days. Turnips are tolerant of moderate frost as mature plants in fall.

Carrots (Sep)

Imperator 58, Nantes Half Long, Red Core Chantenay

Direct sow seeds no later than 10 weeks before the first frost. Carrots grow best in sandy loam soil. Always plant seeds directly into your garden; never start in pots. The seeds can take up to three weeks to germinate. Thin out seedlings to allow room for the roots to develop. These vegetables may be bitter, tough, misshapen, and undersized if they don’t get enough water. You can harvest carrots any time they reach a usable size.

Kohlrabi (Sep)

Early Purple Vienna, Early White Vienna, Grand Duke, Kolibri, Purple Danube, Winner

Kohlrabi” Means “Cabbage Turnip. Kohlrabi is fast-growing and a cousin of cabbage and broccoli. This is a great plant to direct sow in fall up to one month before the first frost. Harvest as needed. It’s winter hardy and will store in-ground until you’re ready to harvest.

Beets (Sep 15)

Detroit Dark Red, Ruby Queen

For a fall harvest, plant beets 10-12 weeks before the first frost. Seeds germinate in about 5-days. Beets can also be started indoors for a jump on the growing season. Beets can be grown all winter in many South Texas areas, however soil temperature must be at least 40F for beet seeds to sprout. Beets can be planted in partial shade and grow best in deep, well drained soils. Beets have deep roots that can reach depths of 36 to 48 inches.

Garlic (cloves) (Oct)

California Early, California White, Elephant Garlic

In Texas, garlic is a perennial plant. Garlic can be planted in the late fall. It is extremely frost hardy, and if planted in October, may have tops showing above the soil and be well rooted by November. By late May or early summer, you should have all the garlic bulbs you’ll need for the rest of the year. Garlic should be direct sown, not started indoors

Onions (seed) (Oct)

Super Sweet, Early Grano

Plant super sweet, short-to-intermediate daylength onion types in Texas zones III (USDA Zones 8 and 9). Seeds can be sown directly into the garden, covered with one-fourth inch of soil
and should sprout within 7- 10 days. Fertilization of onion plants is vital to success. Texas A&M research findings indicate that onion growth and yield can be greatly enhanced by banding phosphorus 2-3 inches below seed at planting time. Make a trench 3 inches deep, distributing one-half cup of super phosphate per 10 row feet, cover the phosphate with soil, sow seed and cover lightly with one-half inch or less of soil. Once established, onion plants should receive additional amounts of fertilizer (21-0-0 – Ammonium sulfate or Ammonium nitrate) as a side- dress application every month.

References

• https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/homehort/archives-of-weekly-arti- cles-davids-plant-of-the-week/garlic/
• https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2013/09/ EHT-056.pdf
• https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/asset-external/easy-garden- ing-turnip-and-mustard-greens
• https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2013/09/ EHT-050.pdf
• https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/ vegetabletravelers/kohlrabi.html

Article by: Kim Rainey, Master Gardner

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Oxblood (Schoolhouse) lilies, Red Spider lilies and Rain lilies are or will soon be popping up, but this article isn’t about them. Put these bulbs on your “Plant in Spring” list. Fall is the time to plant spring blooming bulbs and September is the time to find sources, buy bulbs and corms, plan your spring garden, and prepare your soil for a show that starts five to six months from now.

Late September through November is the time to plant most bulbs for spring in our area. Dutch hyacinths and tulips need weeks of chilling and are planted in late November or December. Plant most bulbs and corms two to three times the height of the bulb. With Crinum Lilies, you can see at the top of the bulb where foliage starts. Plant so that foliage starts at ground level.

Spring bulbs can be planted in areas that get springtime sun, including under deciduous trees. By the time our blistering Texas summer sun is out, the listed plants except for the Crinums will have lost their foliage and gone dormant. Most Crinums are tough enough to thrive in heat and are drought tolerant although they like supplemental watering.

Loosen up your soil with compost in areas with good drainage. Plant in clusters for a good show while blooming. Put bulbs in beds where you can put annuals in between bulbs since they will go dormant and disappear after spring. Seeding annuals over the bulbs will prevent a bare flower bed. You can also plant some of the smaller bulbs out in the lawn, but the plants need their foliage to store nutrients in the bulbs to produce blossoms in the next year. You can’t mow them down until the foliage dies.

The following bulbs and corms are old fashioned varieties that naturalize to come back each spring.

Amaryllis, St. Joseph lily (Hippeastrum x johnsonii) This fragrant flower is red with white stripes and was the first hybrid amaryllis ever produced (1790).

Byzantine gladiolus (Gladiolus communis spp. Byzantinus) Not a bulb, but a corm, this plant has a stalk of magenta flowers with sword shaped leaves.

Crinum lilies (Crinum spp.) Large bulbs make a large (3’ to 7’) mound of strappy leaves. They send up a stalk with several blooms at various times from late spring to early fall. Try these varieties:

• Crinum x “Mrs. James Hendry” White flowers with pink tips,
• Crinum bulbispermum Varieties have white, pink or striped flowers. This Crinum was mentioned in Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species”,
• Milk and wine (Crinum x gowenii) White flower with pink stripes,
• Crinum asiaticum White, narrow petals for a “spider flower” look

Dutch hyacinths. Chill in a 45-degree refrigerator (i.e. vegetable bin, not freezer) for at least 45 days before planting in December. Grow as annuals although some may naturalize if left in the flower bed. Naturalized, they will have fewer blooms until well acclimated (after several years).

Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum), (Muscari neglectum) These small (4-6”) plants are sized and shaped like Bluebonnets with blue to purple flowers. These look good planted in a lawn.

Narcissus, jonquils, daffodils (Narcissus spp.) Not all varieties of this best-loved spring flower do well in our area. Try the following:

• Campernelle jonquils (Narcissus x odorus) Has large yellow flowers,
• Grand Primo narcissus (Narcissus tazetta x “Grand Primo”) A cluster of white flowers with pale yellow inside the cups,
• Narcissus tazetta italicus white with lemon yellow cups,
• Narcissus tazetta x “Erlicheer” A double form of Grand Primo,
• Narcissus tazetta x “GoldenDawn” A cluster of yellow flowers with golden cups,
• Narcissus tazetta x “Ice Follies” A medium sized flower in white with a pale-yellow cup,
• Narcissus tazetta x “Carlton” Single yellow flowers with a darker yellow cup,
• Paperwhites (N. tazetta papyraceous) White clusters of small flowers,
• Chinese sacred lilies (Narcissus tazetta orientalis) White flower with a yellow cup

Oxalis (Oxalis crassipes) Also known as wood sorrel, this plant grows in small clumps of green shamrock shaped leaves and pink or white blossoms.

Oxalis, purple-leafed (Oxalis triangularis) White blossoms really show up against the dark color of the leaves. In shade and well-watered, this variety does well in containers and may not go dormant in summer.

Philippine lilies, Formosa lilies (Lilium philippinense or Lilium formosanum), White flowers with a pale maroon stripe resemble Easter lilies with a trumpet shape.

Roman hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis albulus) These plants make a blue or white fragrant spike with fewer flowers than Dutch hyacinths. They are small (8”) plants.

Starflower (pheon uniflorum) White to blue six petaled flowers grace this small (6”) plant. This is another plant that looks good in a lawn.

Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) This is a small (10”) plant that sends up a stalk of white flowers with greenish/pale yellow centers. It has grass-like foliage.

Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) These are the bell-shaped white flowers with green dots at the tips. The plants are about 10” tall.

Tulip (Tulipa spp.) Most tulips don’t get enough hours of cold temperatures to do well in Texas and are grown as annuals. Buy and store in a 45-degree refrigerator for 45- 60 days. Wait until our first freeze to plant.

References

https//aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/newsletter/horticulture/2012/oct/spring-flowering-bulbs.

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/flowers/BULBS.html

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/syllabi/308/Slides/PLTL4.pdf

The Bulb Hunter, Chris Wiesinger & William C. Welch, Texas A&M University Press, College Station, TX, 2013

Lone Star Gardening, Neil Sperry, Neil Sperry’s Gardening Magazine, McKinney, TX, 2014

Heirloom Gardening in the South, Yesterday’s Plants for Today’s Gardens, William C. Welch & Greg Grant, Texas A & M University Press, College Station, TX, 2011

Article by Marj McClung, Master Gardener

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This question came to the Master Gardener booth at the Waxahachie Farmers Market.

My neighbor has been telling me I should grow and use Holy Basil. What is it and how do I grow it?

~Cynthia

Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum/sanctum) is a distant relative of sweet basil and Thai basil. It is commonly used as a medicinal herb in India; It also makes a wonderful tea. Holy basil is sometimes distinguished from the other basils by being called Tulsi.

Holy basil is native to tropical and subtropical Asia. It’s an aromatic plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is spicier than other basils and quicker to go to seed, but still usable when covered with purple flowers. Plants will grow to 12-24 inches tall and wide, with hairy stems and simple, green leaves that are strongly scented. Leaves are ovate, up to almost 2 inches long, usually slightly toothed. The flowers are purplish in close elongated whorls. It is a perennial in it’s homeland, but acts as an annual here in Texas.

To grow, direct seed when soil warms up in late spring or transplant after danger of frost in well-drained moderately rich soil. I was able to find seeds on Amazon. The seeds are VERY tiny. Young seedlings will damp off if heavily watered during cool cloudy weather. Thin to 8–12”, pinch off the tops of mature plants to induce branching and increase total yield. Harvest before plants blossom. Holy Basil is heat loving and more tolerant of cold than most basils but absolutely intolerant of frost and damaged by temperatures in the 30s.

As far as the medicinal properties of Holy Basil go, although they sound wonderful, they are mostly unsubstantiated. However, from personal experience, I can tell you the tea is delicious.

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I love to watch YouTube videos about gardening techniques!

Kim Rainey, MG

But I will be the first to admit that when watching YouTube you sometimes get lame information, or sometimes you get great information but for a completely different climate than where we live. And then, sometimes you get a wonderful little gem that’s worth pursuing.

One of my happy “gems” has been a “new-to-me” technique for holding up tomatoes. It may not be for everybody, but I’m using it this year and so far, I’m very happy with the results.

Posts were put in at each end of my raised tomato bed. Half inch conduit was run through pvc T’s on the posts. Strings are dropped down from the conduit to each plant and attached to a tent peg. This string is wound around the main stalk of each tomato vine. Suckers are trimmed off regularly.

Check out the “A Trellis to make you Jealous” YouTube video.

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