3:58 PM Fri, Jun 20, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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My landscape is crunchy... so now what?
The following news release came into the newsroom a few days ago, and I wanted to share it. It's pretty good info about what do do now that we're faced with seemingly endless days of high temperatures and little rain.
Seems like a good topic now that summer is officially on our doorstep...
Welcome summer!
Gardening in the Hill Country
By Elizabeth Drozda-Freeman, LCRA Conservation Landscape Specialist
Summer arrived early this year in Central Texas. With several weeks of record-breaking heat already behind us and the specter of a long, hot summer on the horizon, many of us are tempted to turn up the volume on our sprinkler systems.
At the same time, both the City of Austin and the Lower Colorado River Authority now have mandatory watering schedules that allow watering no more than two days a week. The question on many minds is: "Will I be able to keep my yard alive watering just two days a week?"
The answer is YES.
Applying a half inch of water to your landscape twice a week is enough to keep turf and landscape plants healthy. However, there are four things you can do to reduce the stress on your landscape even more during the heat of summer.
1) Be sure that your shrub, flower and vegetable beds are mulched. A two- to three-inch layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture and keeps soil cooler.
2) Water slowly. Many of us have tight clay soils. If your sprinklers apply water too quickly, or your yard is sloped, the water you apply may not be sinking into your soil. Slow the flow by using drip and soaker hoses wherever possible. If you have spray-type sprinkler heads, set your controller for multiple start times of shorter duration to allow water to penetrate the soil rather than run off.
3) Water during the required hours (between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m.). During this dark, less windy time period, evaporation is lowest. If you water during the heat of the day, up to 40 percent of the water you apply can be lost to evaporation.
4) Work on your soil. Soil is the sponge in the landscape capturing and holding the water that you apply. If your soil is very shallow or of poor quality, your landscape will dry out quickly. Consider topdressing lawns with a quarter inch of compost in spring and/or fall, and incorporating compost into flower and shrub beds.
Finally, if you do see your plants drooping a bit as the mercury passes 100 degrees during the afternoon, don't panic. Temporary drooping is a natural response of many plants to extreme heat. Dig a little at the base of the plant to see if the soil is moist. If you are following the twice-per-week watering schedule, chances are the plants have enough moisture and will perk up when the sun goes down. If you dig and find the soil is dry, consider the four tips above for a healthier, more drought-tolerant landscape.
3:46 PM Mon, Jun 09, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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Where have the butterflies gone?
Have you noticed fewer butterflies in your garden this year?
I know I have. Last year, the flowers were covered in butterflies during the day. This year, I'm lucky to see two at a time, and I've only seen a few caterpillars eating the dill.
Well, there is an answer, but it doesn't look like it's as terrible as what's been afflicting the honeybees. Read the Dallas Morning News story.
4:58 PM Fri, Jun 06, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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Watermelon wonders
I've got a watermelon vine growing in my garden this summer. It's my first attempt since I tried planting a seedling in Nashville that merely shriveled up and died.
I was pleasantly surprised to find not one, but three little watermelons growing on the vie the other day. And the really cool thing is that they seem to grow larger every day.
I check on them every time I come home. I noticed them when they were about marble sized. I think they're closer to kiwi size now.
I picked up the vine as a seedling at my favorite nursery a coupld of months ago -- and it seems easy enough to grow. It loves its location -- tons of sunlight. I try to make sure it has enough water to develop good fruit. And I made sure it has enough space, since melons love to spread out, and it's mulched, so the melons aren't sitting directly on the soil.
I'm not sure how long it will take for the watermelons to mature, but they sure do look yummy.
I can't wait!
