It finally happened. Temperatures dropped sharply and much of the Houston area received enough rain to offset the damage from one of the hottest and driest years on record. Like many Bayou City residents, I was in a state of panic this summer. The dogs were left off-leash. sports clothes were not worn. And the garden has not been cleaned for several months.
With no excuse for the weather, it was time to pay the pipe price. I had to see the chaos created in my rather large flower beds. Even though the sunny 75 degree day won me over to relax with a lemonade or a glass of wine, I could no longer drown out the moans and groans of my poor roses and bushes as they struggled through the two foot tall weeds. For five hours straight I pulled white weeds, weeds and various weeds under control. And to my surprise I found that most of the flora was still alive. Although gardening can be frustrating due to the ups and downs of keeping plants alive, there is also an incredible resilience in our plants that can survive even the worst climate changes. Yes, I lost some of my spring annuals and most of my vegetable garden, but most of them were still cyclic. I was very happy to see my azaleas coming back, albeit a little better from the wear and tear, and some of my roses starting to sprout again. And the lantana, which I had secretly hoped would disappear, bloomed again. At least the butterflies are happy. So here we are in the garden again. Unfortunately, planting my fall vegetables has been delayed by a few weeks. A recent trip to a local nursery sparked my gardening dreams. Cool weather is good for gardeners and plants. It's also time to plan for spring.
We have some tips for bringing color back to your landscape and preparing edible and ornamental plants that grow in the fall and even winter. We also have some long-term ideas for the future. And since we're not lawn care experts, we asked someone for some input.
So take off your gloves. It's time to shake off the summer heat and prepare for the fall transition.
Color, color, color For many Houstonians, hearts race when moms come out. They appear in grocery stores and gardens across the country in September, when we're still dealing with temperatures in the 90s. Wise people know to avoid temptation and wait a few weeks. October brings a refreshing burst of autumn chrysanthemums, and in the cooler air the flowers will last much longer.
Although mums aren't one of my favorite flowers, even I can't resist the allure of their colorful autumn leaves. I prefer to add burgundy or purple to my flowers after fall service. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't. However, I have two ten-year-old plants spread over the beds that bloom twice a year. One is white, the other is purple, and for now there are only a few weeks left until their performance. For those looking to get the most out of their ornamental plants, mums can last for years in the right place. They are not suitable for a small garden, but for those who want a plant that will return year after year without any maintenance, a well-placed chrysanthemum will do the trick. October is also a month full of cool, colorful weather for the nursery. Snappers are a dwarf, taller variety and often survive the winter if there are no hard freezes. Pancakes, like cereal, are always a good choice. Although there are some smaller carnations available as bedding plants, I like the big ones. Amazon beads have always been my favorite variety, but this year I'm trying Jolt beads. They are wonderful. For shade gardens, cyclamen is an excellent perennial that will survive Houston winters. Phlox is a good fall flowering plant and usually blooms in the spring and produces more plants. For those who like orange and yellow, calendula is a viable option. Nurseries also have petunias that are not hardy, but will survive most of fall and winter. My favorite cool-weather bedding plant that also works well for hanging pots and baskets is lobelia. I can't get enough of this garden horse. I prefer light and dark shades of blue, but there are also purple and pink options. This week I was lucky enough to find some lobelia plants at Plants for All Seasons. Hopefully, if we don't have another Uri winter storm, the lobelias will show their beautiful blue faces when the laurels come out with their yellow and peach blossoms. Gardeners will also find many tropical plants for sale in department stores. We don't know the reasons for this, but buyers should be careful with specimens that have nowhere to go for the winter. For those with indoor space, the plants offered today look very healthy, so this could be a good buy. A little extra work is needed to maintain tropical beauty until spring planting. Or they can be kept in pots all year round. October and early November are ideal times for planting shrubs, trees and roses. This gives them time to adapt to cool weather and develop a strong root system rather than aerial growth. However, many citrus fruits do not tolerate temperatures below 30 degrees. And limes don't like temperatures below 50 degrees. I keep my lime in a jar and bring it back when it turns 50. Figs can be planted now, in full sun, or gardeners can wait until spring. Although fall is a good time to plant roses, I haven't seen many roses for sale. It is important to water the new plantings well if no rain is forecast. For those who want drought tolerant shrubs, Texas sage can be planted and I have seen it at several nurseries recently. Its silvery leaves and purple flowers can replace hard-to-grow lavender in Houston as an ornamental. He does not like his feet wet, so additional watering should be done sparingly.
Autumn food While most of the fall garden should be planted with tomatoes, peppers and beans, there is still time to add cabbage, lettuce, mustard, spinach and kale. In fact, most vegetables can be grown from seed in November. Carrots, beets and other root vegetables should be planted from seed now, while the soil is warm enough to support germination. The soil should be slightly moist to promote germination. Radishes and turnips can be sown from seed until early December. There are many plants that do well in cool temperatures. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme aren't just lyrics for a Simon and Garfunkel song, they're the perfect herb for Houston's mild winters. Add some cilantro to Mexican and Asian dishes. My garden is full of Thai basil that has withstood the drought and heat. However, when it drops to 40, it will start to turn brown. Fresh winter basil is grown in a pot that can be moved indoors or outdoors depending on the forecast.
Herb lovers Personally, I don't think much of it for my lawn. My husband, Classic Rock Bob, cuts and sides. I water it occasionally. Some fake lions or strawberries don't bother me, but they really bother CRB. I won't let him get in the way of the weed killers, so we do a lot of hand weeding. It's not ideal, but we have animals and wildlife that I want to protect.
However, many Houstonians are concerned about their lawn extensions, like Hank King of the Hill . We turned to an expert for tips on how to achieve the lush lawn many people dream of. We asked about St. Augustine grass as most of us have it here in Houston.
Russell Taylor, vice president of Live Earth Products, responded by email that the preparation of St. Augustine grass is essential as winter approaches, especially after a hot summer. "You should apply 0.75 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet after the grass has stopped actively growing and mowing has decreased. Maintaining a balance is essential when fertilizing before winter, as applying too much nitrogen can encourage St. Augustine brown spot to grow in winter.Taylor adds that skipping winter fertilizer can help prevent brown spot, but a lack of nitrogen can cause dull yellow grass and slow growth in the spring.
“Winter fertilizers are formulated differently than similar summer fertilizers,” Taylor said. "They have less growth-promoting nutrients and are more focused on promoting green foliage and general lawn health." Taylor suggests using a balanced fertilizer, such as Live Earth Products 8-2-4, which uses a humic soil amendment, to treat established soil. lawns Houston Lawns can also be treated with a special solution, such as MicroLife Brown Patch 5-1-3, which promotes healthy growth while helping to eliminate conditions that can cause mold.
Get ready for spring While most gardeners are just fixing the damage caused by a brutal summer or decorating the front yard with mummies, pumpkins and giant skeletons, it's always important to look to the future. Flower beds must be cleaned, washed and covered. I usually paint lightly, but this fall I decided to do a little more. Although I appreciate nature's surprises when it comes to self-seeding flowers, this year I was confused by the weeds.
After applying the mulch, I remove a few bare patches to plant flower seeds that will last well through the winter and sprout in the spring. Larkspur is a reliable pastel colored spring flower. Mallow is a biennial plant that sometimes blooms in the spring if planted in the fall. I managed to find some mallow and foxglove plants which I hope will flower next year. The Houston Biennial can be tough, but gardeners like me keep trying. Sometimes we are rewarded and that is what makes us roll the dice.
Now is a good time to plant wildflower seeds for spring flowers. However, it will take several seasons for an area of wildflowers to truly recover. October and November are good months to plant small freesia bulbs, which bloom in early spring. These are truly some of my favorite fragrant flowers. I never seem to plant enough. Daffodil bulbs, like daffodils, can be planted in November and December. Tulip bulbs should be bought within the next few weeks and then stored in the fridge away from ripe fruit (especially apples) for 6 to 8 weeks. Tulip bulbs can be planted in late December and early January.
Unlike daffodils, tulips in Houston gardens do not naturalize and will not rebloom next year. Tulips are quite expensive and laborious, but worth it if you can get it right. There are early, middle and late bloomers, so with a little effort and a lot of money you can become the envy of your neighborhood.
