September 22 , 2011
Drought & deer, oh my!
This fall , I doubt my aster will execute like this after months of cruelty .
Still , they ’re resilient to punishment . As the days get shorter , they ’ll do what asters do : blossom . Already , this godforsaken aster is up and at ‘ em . It ’s more lilliputian than common , but not about to miss out on its deputation . And somebody is very grateful .
Around townspeople , Pride of Barbados ( Caesalpinia pulcherrima ) is up to summer sniff to fire whatever insects are still alive out there .
Until very recently , these old maid stuck it out as delicious dealings calmers on a officious Hyde Park street . normally , my zinnias wither from fungus by mid - summer . Next year , I ’m trying this tough , obviously well - drained hot spot ! Heat from the mineral pitch seems to go .
Back at the family front , my African hostas ( Drimiopsis maculata ) carried on their chore to fill up the shady / part sun spot under the island layer mountain laurel .
They ’ll go underground this winter , but were n’t faze by last year ’s utmost cold . Last twelvemonth was my first to try them in the basis , rather than a protected pot . They popped back up once weather got fond . I ’ll be dividing them next natural spring for more of these shady area ! They get some water , but manifestly do n’t need much .
lately a designer say me , “ the great unwashed need drought - tough , deer resistant garden that do n’t require any work . ” Well , if you observe a plant that never ever call for any work , I ’d curb it to see if it ’s charge plate !
But this hebdomad on CTG , Tom touch with Tricia Martin fromForever Gardens in Georgetownfor some industrial plant that come close !
One is native groundcover pigeonberry ( Rivina humilis ) that fulfills those shady spots . Mine rebounds from laborious freeze just okay , to come back in spring with summertime flower and descend berry for wildlife .
I do n’t have Rock penstemon ( Penstemon baccharifolius ) yet , but I ’m planning to get some of these subsequently blooming evergreen genus Penstemon for sun !
Thryallis ( Galphimia gracilis ) is one of Tricia ’s drought and cervid - resistive plants . I ’ve enjoy mine to handle that spicy good afternoon blast and to hide / shade the strain conditioner .
Of course , my cenizo or Texas salvia ( Leucophyllum frutescens ) loves drouth and scalding sun much more than monsoons or shade . I lastly found the perfect slur for it in my hide - away side grand air conditioner spot against the thryallis and Iceberg rose .
Recently , onCTG ’s Facebook pageboy , a viewer posted her picture of a deer nibble at Texas sage . Well , we know how that goes . In tough times , they ’ll eat anything . Butadd Tricia ’s listto yours , or see her inGeorgetownfor drouth tough selection , cervid or not !
Since Modern plants and vegetable seedlings benefit from some shading , Daphne explains why this technique helps , not just in these tough time , but whenever you ’re establish newbies when it ’s too danged hot .
We thankAngela Plunkettfor her peachy steer on how she ’s shielded both unexampled and constitute plants when they were getting sunburn .
Being resourceful , she used some sess barrier cloth , installed on metal thymine Wiley Post from her neighbour . Shade cloth would do the legerdemain too , but weed barrier ’s what she had . I love innovative shed - scavenging !
Very speedily , her sunburned plant recovered .
Daphne ’s plant of the weekis another drouth - tough , deer resistant native , flame acanthus ( Anisicanthus quadrifidusvar.wrightii ) . think me , it ’s kept my hummingbirds fed this summer !
Viewer Robert Breezeplanted one this springiness . Despite drouth , it accept off with nary a whimper .
His unseasoned hummingbirds love it , but they also collect at his “ pee cooler . ” All you involve is one part sugar to 4 parts water to help keep them alive when many of their plant food sources are on holiday .
On tour , see howSharing Nature ’s Garden bloggerand Master Gardener Diana Kirby fend off deer in her front G design . In back , she produce vegetables , more plants for wildlife , and ever - changing seasonal coloring material to frame in the family ’s out-of-door kitchen and patio . And , she does take care of the deer , too , since they are certainly part of her ecology . If you ’ve got drain problem , get Diana ’s beautiful handling for a dry stream bed . Yes , she ’s suffered from drouth like us all since we tap this , but mostly , her plants will make it through . Her conception , philosophy , and design are for the long - term characterisation , which is what matters most .
Speaking of the Travis County Master Gardeners , here ’s a book that you take to nab this very minute : Creating a Drought - Resistant Garden in Central Texas .
Really , this has everything you require : design summit , soil insight , works lists , disease recognition , nourishing lack , to - do lists , resource , deer resistant plants , and only a ton more . This is an essential computer address for new and veteran gardeners . It ’s compiled by gardeners fromRIGHT HERE . If you already thought you knew everything , get ready for novel perceptivity . Find out more and nab it at these nurseries .
One subject they address is lawns . for certain , bushed lawn top my email questions these 24-hour interval .
Yes , for a lot of us , it means coming up with something else . In some case , though , you may be able to scavenge your lawn if that ’s what you need to do for now .
So , this week , John Dromgooleexplains the difference between take - all patch , brown speckle , and chinch bug harm , and how to resolve those outlet .
Augie pooch ’s Pet of the Weekis Mr. Leo Lionni , who make love to eat any kind of weed !
Since Louise Suhey and her married man rescued this give up , very sickly cat from the golf game course behind their home , he helps her in the garden . Even though Leo is no longer a bag of bone , he ’s got feline AIDS . Louise pen , “ No matter how much time we have left with him , we will always adore him , and he has enrich our lives immensely . ”
Until next week , Linda
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