First Winter Ice 2009

Living in Central Texas we normally don't see such frigid temperatures. We had our first hard freeze due to an Artic front. Temperatures got down to 22 degrees at my home. The day before we were told to expect 1-3 " of snow, but I guess we were a little too north of the moisture coming from the coast. Houston and the Gulf area saw record snows.

Here are a few photos my husband took of my garden the morning of the freeze. It looked like a winter wonderland of ice. Oh how a few weeks can make such a difference in the garden. At Thanksgivng we were still enjoying the flowers bloomng and butterflies.

Until next tme Happy Gardening.

Blessings

Laurie

Ode to the "Okra" Tree

These photos are of my okra that grew in my garden. I planted 6 seeds back in April 2009 and they just sat there no more than 6" tall. So many times I wanted to pull the plants up thinking with extreme triple digit temperatures and drought, these plants were done in, but I just left them in the garden. What would I loose. Anyway I think that when we finally got cooler temperatures and rain in September the chicken manure just really made these veggies take off. We lovingly knicknamed them our Okra trees since the stems were the size of tree trunks and grew to over 6'6" tall, not to mention the chickens would seek shelter from the hot sun underneath.

"Ode to the Okra Tree"

Oh okra tree how tall you grew

Not that anyone would guess, no one knew

That such a small beginning from a seed

No taller for months than a weed.

Then one day how tall you would get

Even the chickens were found sitting under it.

You provided much needed relief

Not only food to eat, but humor to lookers in total disbelief.

Now sadly the day has come around

When it was time to dig you out of the ground.

So for now good bye, you served this gardener's family well

Next year when I plant some of your seeds again, how they will grow no one can tell.

Until next time. Happy gardening.

Laurie

Taking Care of Roses in the Fall

More about roses..............If buying potted roses best to buy two gallon pots....Hybrid Teas should have 36" center..............minimum of 30" centers.

Felco pruners are best. Goat Skin Gloves best....can be purchased for $9.00 at Lowes Elmers Glue seals canes after pruning. Roses should be pruned in the shape of a vase and open in the center and don't leave stubs on bud union. When pruning remove one half to two thirds of growth.

Sugar Cane Litter is best mulch for roses Pine Bark Mulch with Pine Straw is next best mulch.

Planting Wildflower Seeds in Texas

I don't know how many times I have been dissapointed to plant seeds in the Fall and in the Spring few if any new plants showed up. So here are a few tips that were published in the "Wildflower" magazine Fall 2009 issue on Planting Wildflower Seeds.

They say there are really only 4 steps to sowing wildflower seeds
1) Remove any existing weeds, grass and break up the soil surface. Broadcast the seeds. I use a little playground sand mixed with the seed to help it spread more evenly. Water until you see sprouts. Try to time your sowing to correspond with incoming storms to enchance germination and reduce supplemental watering.
2) Make sure your seeds are in good contact with the soil, but not buried. They should be no more than 1/4" in the soil.
3) Seeds will germinate better if sown when the temperatures are between 70-80 degrees during the daytime and 40-50 degrees at night. In the Southwest October, November is the best time.
4) If wildlife threatens to eat your seed, then protect them. Using a birdseed block is a good way to form a decoy.

Then after all of your beautiful Spring flowers have stopped blooming. You can collect the dried ripe seeds. Then compost the dried plant parts. Some flowers like poppies need to be covered with a paper bag to collect their seeds before they explode open on their own and go where they want. Save this seed and build up a "seed bank" for your garden. Ready for the next Fall growing season.

New Form of Plant Propagation

This information was taken from an article published in "Wildflowers" magazine, Fall 2009, entitled "How To Make A Rooting Chamber."

I personally have not tried this method, but love to experiment. Fall and Spring are perfect times to propagate most plants. Then you can expand your garden or share/swap with other gardeners.

Here is how to make this simple and inexpensive chamber.

First you will need to gather these items for each chamber you will need:
1- empty and washed 2 Liter plastic soda bottle.
1 -6 ounce yogart cup
Scissors
Rooting Hormone
light-sterile potting medium
Utility knife
Clear tape
Sharpie Marker

Cut the bottle in half. Then cut a 1 inch "v" on four sides of the top of the bottle so it will fit back over the bottom half and be more secure. Also be sure to leave the cap on the top of the bottle.

Next poke 6 drainage holes in the bottom of the yogart cup. Fill the cup with potting medium. Poke hole in the soil for plant to go into.

Prepare plant for cutting. Cut a 3-5 inch section of plant you want to propagate. Remove the lower leaves from the stem, keeping just enough top leaves for the plant to photosynthesize.

Dip stem end into rooting hormone and gently place in the hole you made in the soil. Then carefully press the surrounding soil around stem until is it upright.

Place the yogart cup into the base of the bottle. Fill the base with water just until 1/4" up the side of the yogart cup.

Now place the top portion of the soda bottle onto the bottom portion. Secure with tape all around sides. Mark the date on outside of bottle. Place bottle in indirect lighting inside a window ledge.

Leave in chamber for a few weeks to allow new roots to form, then place the yogart cup only in a light shaded place for the plant to harden for a few days to a week. Then you may remove your new plant from the cup and place it into the garden.

Meeting Notes for October 17, 2009

We held our second garden club meeting at the home of Carolyn Guillotte. It was a beautiful Fall day. Carolyn shared information about French Intensive or Permiculture gardening. This will be discussed in a more detailed blog posting.

It was decided that she would provide information to share with this blog site and its' followers. Carolyn has been involved in some intensive garden seminars at Texas A & M. Dr. Joe Novak has primarily been the keynote speaker and is known for his expertise in this area.

Member Barbara McDougald brought a Wildflower Center magazine to share not only how to plant wildflowers, but how to propagate plants. Look for the details in another blog posting.

We also enjoyed touring her garden area and seeing the beginning stages of a Burm. Burms are mounds of sand, leaves, and later top soil placed on top of old fallen tree limbs. She informed us that these piles are perfect areas to grow an herb garden.

The group also enjoyed wonderful refreshments of cheesecake and beverages. Not to mention before we all left we were given wildflower seeds to plant for the Spring.

Our meetings for now will be not on a monthly basis, but a quarterly one. Be sure to check the website for all of the updates of what the group will be doing in 2010.

Happy gardening!

Creative Water Gardens