Extension Education in Travis County

Watch the Vegetable Gardening in Central Texas Webinar

Easy Gardening Series Detailed tips from Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension on specific crops and practices.

Vegetable Gardening in Austin Resource hub for all things vegetables for Travis County

Monthly Gardening Calendar for Austin and Central Texas

About Paula Wolfel

Paula Wolfel joined the Travis County Master Gardener program in 2022 and has taken extra training to become a vegetable specialist. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago learning how to garden from both her father—a Sicilian vegetable and fruit tree gardener—and both her grandmothers, and then spent years in Virginia gardening. Paula loves gardening because she finds it to be a grounding force- it gets her out of her head and into the present. She loves the pride that comes with cooking a meal for her family with every ingredient coming from her garden… and then the humility she feels when she loses an entire crop because of Mother Nature. She finds gardening to be wisdom, lessons, best practices passed down generation to generation, season to season and hopes to share that with you.

What’s Happening in the Austin August Vegetable Garden

Posted on August 1, 2024 by sheryl.williams

The August Vegetable Garden Checklist by Paula Wolfel

What a treat we have gotten with this summer’s rain! My garden definitely looks different this August than it has looked the last few years at this time. Rain barrels are filled up and the plants that have survived the heat are looking happy. We are not out of the clear yet though. August usually brings high temperatures and little precipitation so keep an eye on the radar and supplement watering with irrigation and use shade cloth when your plants need a break. Consider signing up for weekly watering recommendations at TexasET Network based on the weather station located nearest you.

Last Call for Warm Season Vegetables

August is the last month to plant warm season crops. It is best to stick with varieties that produce in 60 days or less if you want a harvest before the winter frost arrives. This information should be on the seed packet or catalog description. The first frost date in Austin is usually the first week of December, although in 2019 it arrived as early as Halloween. You can deep dive into those numbers based on your closest weather station using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

If you are ready to move on from the warm season vegetables, then now is the time to start planning your fall garden. You can plant seeds inside under grow lights or outside in pots, placing them in bright shady spots. Seedlings will be ready to transplant in about 6 weeks. Just make sure they don’t dry out in the heat.

August Vegetable Garden To-Do List

FERTILIZE

Hold off on fertilizing this month. Heat stress plus fertilizer can kill your plants because they can’t get enough water when temperatures spike during the day. Wait until it cools down next month.

WATER

If the opportunity allows, it is most efficient to irrigate in the morning. For plants to most efficiently absorb water, their stomata need to be open. In most plants, the stomata are only open in the presence of sunlight. If you water at night, water is not being absorbed until the stomata are open. While the excess water sits in the soil during the night, it evaporates (causing inefficiency and water “loss”) and can increase the potential for fungal infection.
Water is important during the fruit stage of plant development so make sure plants like tomatoes, melons, okra, squashes, pumpkins, eggplant and Southern peas get a dependable and ample supply of moisture during flowering and fruit enlargement.

PLANTING

Seeds

Beans, snap and lima (all month)
Beets (late month)
Carrots (late month)
Corn (early-mid month)
Cucumber (all month)
Greens, warm season (early month)
Okra (early month)
Peas, Southern (early-mid month)
Potatoes, Irish (mid-late month)
Squash, Summer (all month)
Squash, Winter (early-late month)
Turnip (late month)

Seeds or Transplants

Chard, Swiss (late month)
Collards (late month)
Kholrabi (late month)
Mustard (late month)

Transplants

Broccoli (late month)
Brussels sprouts (late month)
Cabbage (late month)
Cauliflower (late month)
Eggplants (early-mid month)
Peppers (early-mid month)
Tomatoes (early-mid month)

SOIL

Mulch well to conserve moisture in the soil.
Get compost ready, or research soil yards for best compost to purchase, so you have plenty for next month when fall planting begins.

DISEASES/PEST

Watch out for mealy bug infestations.

Aphids, white flies, and mealybugs or scale continue to be a nuisance this month; they suck plant sap from leaves and stems. The best defense are natural predators such as lady bugs, lacewings, and praying mantis; they should arrive naturally. You can also treat with blasts of water or insecticidal soaps. Sooty mold fungi can grow on the excess honeydew secretions left from these insects. If this occurs, remove the leaves from the plant.
Leaf-footed bug
Conchuela stink bugs (Chlorochroa ligata), Leaf-footed Bugs (Leptoglossus phyllopus), Harlequin Bugs (Murgantia histrionica), and Squash Bugs (Anasa tristis) also continue to be a nuisance in the garden. All these bugs have piercing mouthparts that suck juices from plant leaves, stems, and fruits. They can be picked up and squashed, or thrown into a cup of soapy water. Check the bottom of leaves for eggs. They reproduce quickly so if left unchecked you will have dozens within days.

MAINTENANCE

Keep the leaves of your vegetable plants off the ground to help prevent the spread of disease.
Trim any leaves that have yellowed, or have succumbed to disease or pests
Pull any plants that are infested with pest damage or disease; whatever they are suffering from will get worse during the stress of the summer heat.
Melons, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant can handle Texas heat better than tomatoes. Keep them well watered mulched. Even if they pause production during summer’s peak heat, they will power through and produce bumper crops in the fall.
Check the underside of leaves for pest eggs.
Keep on top of weeds who are competing with your plants for water and providing cover for pests.

HARVEST

Sometimes it’s hard to tell when something should be picked. Here are a few tips.
Melons

When the tendril closes to the fruit becomes brown and dries up
When the spot where the fruit touches the ground becomes more prominent and changes color (typically yellow)
When tapped, ripe melons have a hollow, dull sound

Cucumbers, Squash, and Zucchini

They can be harvested at any size
They taste best when they are harvested smaller
The bigger they get the bigger the seeds inside, and they are more watery and bitter

Peppers

They are ready to be harvested when they change color; for jalapenos or other green peppers, this means a deepening to a dark green

Eggplant

When they are firm and shiny
You can’t pick them too early
Similar to cucumbers and squash, if the eggplants remain on the plant too long it will become bitter and have large seeds inside

Pumpkins

In general, pumpkins can be left on the vine until autumn but the longer it sits, the longer it is exposed to pests, animals, and the summer sun
Harvest 90-120 days after seeds are planted
When the vines begin to die back
When the stem that attaches a pumpkin to the vine turns from green to brown
The outer rind will become hard as it ripens
When the pumpkin reaches a deep version of its mature color (most will be orange, but some variants are green, white, yellow, red)

Tomatoes

When they a deep version of their mature color (become familiar with the color of the vegetable you are growing)
Tomatoes can be picked when they are green and have a tint of color change and then can ripens on your kitchen counter, especially near bananas or in a brown paper bag, or in a sunny window sill- this is especially useful if animals are eating your tomatoes or you plan to travel for a long period of time

Check out the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Dinner Tonight website for ideas and recipes for preparing fresh produce.

Additional Resources

Watch the Vegetable Gardening in Central Texas Webinar

Easy Gardening Series Detailed tips from Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension on specific crops and practices.

Vegetable Gardening in Austin Resource hub for all things vegetables for Travis County

Monthly Gardening Calendar for Austin and Central Texas

Watch the Vegetable Gardening in Central Texas Webinar

About Paula Wolfel

Fireflies

Posted on July 12, 2024 by sheryl.williams

What Are Those Flashing Bugs Called?

Adult Beetle – not all emit light

What do you call those flashing beetles that light up in the summertime? Is it a firefly or a lightingbug? Different areas of the U.S. call these beetles one or the other or, sometimes, use them terms interchangeably. Fireflies and lightningbugs refer to beetles in family, Lampyridae.

I recently visited my family in Ohio and got to return somewhat to my childhood, being giddy over the number of fireflies I discovered emerging with their gentle flashing patterns at dusk. Yes, I ran around like an idiot catching them, but after photos were released.

Larvae are nocturnal and feed on small animals, including snails. Larvae prefer moist environments, with some being subterranean or semi-aquatic. Some larvae can emit short glows which are used to warn predators that they are distasteful.

Adult firefly beetles are around ½ an inch long, slender, and soft-bodied. They have a shield-like structure, the pronotum, which covers their head from above. The last few abdominal segments may be modified to emit light, but not all Lampyridae are bioluminescent.

Some fireflies are bioluminescent which means they have a chemical reaction that occurs within their body causing them to light up. When fireflies combine oxygen with calcium, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the chemical luciferin in the presence of luciferase, a bioluminescent enzyme, light is produced. Light from a firefly does not give off heat which is important to ensure survival of the beetle. Fireflies control light flashing by controlling the oxygen that reacts with other chemicals needed to produce light.

Why Do They Flash?

firefly in hand emitting light Adults use flash patterns to identify those of the same species as well as determine location of the opposite sex. Female fireflies choose their mates based upon flash pattern characters; males with higher flash rates and increased flash intensity are preferred.

Adults feed on nectar, pollen, other fireflies, or many do not feed. One group of females in the genus Photuris lure in males from the genus Photinus by mimicking the flash pattern of female Photinus. When the male comes in to mate, instead of mating he is eaten.

Population in Decline

It is thought that disappearing habitat along with light pollution are playing a part in the decline of fireflies. How can you help fireflies? Turn off lights at night to help reduce light pollution (you’ll get the added benefit of less insects being drawn to areas where they can possibly get into your house). Create water features in your landscape to provide areas of moisture required for larvae. Target pesticide usage and make wise pesticide choices to reduce the possibility of effecting non-target organisms.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at ebrown@ag.tamu.edu.

This work is supported in part by the Crop Protection and Pest Management, Extension Implementation Program [award no. 2021- 70006-35347/project accession no. 1027036] from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Additional Resources

About Wizzie

Wizzie Brown
County Extension Program Specialist – Integrated Pest Management
Email:EBrown@ag.tamu.edu
Wizzie has been with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service since 2002 and has been playing with insects since she was a toddler. She is an Extension Program Specialist with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Wizzie holds a B.S. in entomology from The Ohio State University and a M.S. in entomology from Texas A&M University. The integrated pest management program provides identification, biological and management information to whomever needs help. Wizzie’s research focuses on imported fire ants, including community wide fire ant management. Wizzie also is happy to provide programs to area groups on a variety of arthropod-related topics. You can find insect and other arthropod information on Wizzie’s blog.

In the July Vegetable Garden

Posted on July 1, 2024 by sheryl.williams

Tomatoes and peppers arranged into a face

Enjoy your harvest! Photo courtesy of Kerry Drake, Sunshine Community Gardens

It’s Hot in the July Vegetable Garden

If you’re a new gardener in the Austin area, you’re probably wondering what you’ve gotten yourself into. The heat advisories have already started!

The U.S. Drought Monitor tells the story. Over 2/3 of Travis County is now tagged as Abnormally Dry. Dry conditions mean that the soil has a reduced capacity to capture and store heat, exacerbating the high temperatures we are already experiencing.

High nighttime temperatures cause many varieties of tomatoes to produce sterile pollen, which means your plants are going to stop fruiting (if they haven’t already.) Cherry tomatoes aren’t as impacted, but even they might be suffering in the heat. If your garden has become infested with scale, whiteflies, or overrun by beetles, it’s time to cut those plants off at the ground and contribute them to the compost bin. It’s not worth the water to try to keep stressed plants alive through the summer. Cut your losses and let’s get on with fall gardening!

Start Planning the Fall Garden

Yes, that’s right, it’s time to think about fall gardening. July is a great month to get your fall tomatoes and broccoli started. It’s also a good use of your time while hiding in the house from the heat. Choose varieties that mature in 65 days or less. Use a peat-free seed starting mix and find a location with bright indirect sunlight (or use grow lights.)

While choosing what to plant for fall, sketch out a rotation plan for growing vegetables. Crops within the same family are often susceptible to the same pests or diseases. Moving or rotating them to a different location helps break the pest/disease cycle.

If you’re still determined to slog it out in the heat, wear long sleeves and a wide-brimmed hat to protect yourself from the sun. I’m picking okra every day right now and have planted enough for a continuous harvest right through to frost. Okra is originally from Africa and can tolerate (and prefers) our hot summers. You can still plant sweet corn this month too. Just keep it watered until well established. Make sure to lightly mulch around the stalks to keep the soil from drying out. I like using composted leaves (from all those leaves I gathered from the neighborhood last fall.) Composted pine needles work great too. They usually come from East Texas, and you can find them at local nurseries or farm supply stores.

July Vegetable Garden Checklist:

Water

Irrigate deeply and as infrequently as possible to encourage deep root growth. Water in the morning so that plants can use the moisture during the heat of the day. Check out this resource for good irrigation tips: Watering Your Vegetables

Soil

Keep garden beds mulched, adding or replacing mulch as necessary. Be sure to mulch empty beds to conserve moisture and protect the soil and microorganisms from the heat in anticipation for fall planting.

Fertilize

Over-fertilizing in summer is a common plant killer. Excess fertilizer (especially nitrogen) can burn plants in dry weather. This happens because the salts in fertilizer draw moisture out of plants that they are not able to replenish from soil moisture or retain due to evaporation on hot days. Lack of moisture results in scorched leaves resembling fire damage, or “burn”. Use liquid fertilizers and be sure to water deeply.

Plant/Transplant

Peruse the seed catalogs and place your order for fall planting.
Tomato transplants should be planted in the garden by late July or early August in order to set fruit and produce a harvest before the first freeze. Grow your own from seed planted indoors the first week of July.
Plant pumpkins by mid-July to harvest before Halloween. Most varieties take 90-100 days to mature.
Plant zinnia and marigold seeds now for a vivid fall display. You’ll have to water them regularly.
It takes about 6 weeks to grow a broccoli or kale transplant from seed. Start planting seeds of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and other cole crops so they will be ready for setting in the garden by mid-September.

Start broccoli or kale seeds to transplant in fall.

You can still plant southern peas, okra, and sweet corn this month if you keep the soil moist while they are establishing deep roots.
Prepare for transplants by watering and mulching designated planting areas for a few days before adding plants.

Diseases/Pests to Look For

Cut off to the ground tomato plants infested with pest damage or disease. Whatever malady they are suffering from will get worse, not better, during the stress of summer heat. Use green tomatoes for roasted tomato salsa, chow-chow relish, fried green tomatoes, or chop and add to a vegetable sauté.

Maintenance

Peppers and eggplant handle Texas heat better than tomatoes. Keep them watered and mulched and, even if they pause production during summer’s peak, they will power through and produce a bumper crop this fall.
Provide birds fresh water daily during the summer. Place the birdbath in an open area with shrubs or trees nearby where birds can have easy access and observe possible threats. They will help control summer caterpillars and locusts.
Use shade cloth, old window screens, bed sheets or burlap to fashion a temporary shade covering for new transplants.
Providing shade cloth helps protect tender plants from afternoon sun. Fashion a temporary covering using shade cloth, old screens, umbrellas, etc.

Harvest

Harvest okra pods frequently before they get too big; over-grown okra is tough and stringy.
Beat the squirrels by harvesting tomatoes when they start to show some color. Bring the fruit inside the house to finish ripening on a table or a countertop.
Herb infused water is a great pick-me-up for hot days. Throw in a few cucumber slices if you have them.

Additional Resources

Vegetable Planting Calendar (English) (Español) (繁体中文)

Vegetable Gardening in Austin

Rootknot Nematode Management

Monthly Gardening Calendar for Austin and Central Texas

About Sheryl Williams

Sheryl Williams has been a Travis County Master Gardener since 2010 and currently works as the Horticulture Program Assistant at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Travis County. She was introduced to gardening by her mom and grandma and has been an avid vegetable gardener most of her life. Sheryl believes that there is nothing more satisfying than growing and preparing your own food. She likes gardening in Austin year round and concedes that means pulling weeds every day. She practices organic gardening principles and enjoys the challenge of outsmarting garden pests. Occasionally she loses these battles, but doesn’t mind sharing a good meal.

What’s Happening in the Austin June Vegetable Garden

Posted on June 1, 2024 by sheryl.williams

The June Vegetable Garden Checklist by Paula Wolfel

June is a fun month in the garden. Although the heat starts to set in, most Austin gardeners are still reveling in gratitude for April and May’s rain. Plants are green and growing and harvest is abundant. With that said, this time of year many Austin gardeners are disappointed to find what once was a thriving squash or pumpkin plant has died. If you grow a plant in the squash or pumpkin family then you are most likely very familiar with the squash vine borer who is the most likely suspect for killing your crop.

PEST HIGHLIGHT: SQUASH VINE BORER

A Daytime Moth That Mimics a Wasp

The adult squash vine borer resembles wasps.

The squash vine borer is a common clearwing moth who flies during the day, lays eggs on the stems, vines, and leaves of summer squash, winter squash, and pumpkin plants, and whose larvae feed inside the vines and crowns of these vegetables. It is active from mid-April through June. The larvae feed inside the vine and home gardeners are often not made aware of their presence until the damage is so severe that the plant is dead. Early signs of their presence are the yellowing and wilting of leaves.

hole in stem with maggot crawling on wood

The damage to a zucchini plant from the squash vine borer larvae, which resemble maggots.

When you look at the wilting plant closely, you might notice holes near the base of the plant. These holes are filled with moist greenish or orange sawdust-like material called frass. Over time, the base may become mushy or rot away altogether.

Nearly Impossible To Control

Squash vine borers are difficult to prevent or manage. Once the larvae invade the stem, they are protected from predators and any pesticide treatments. Gardeners should check squash plants daily for the presence of adult borers. In addition to their distinct coloring, they also have a loud buzzing sound when they fly. You can squash them or trap them with a yellow container filled with water and a drop of dish soap. Check for the presence of their eggs on stems. You can pick them off with your fingernail or use tape. You can use a physical barrier and cover the plants as soon as they sprout with row covers and hand pollinate with cotton swabs or artist paintbrushes.

Squash vine borer eggs are flat, brown, and about 1/25 inch long.

If you use a physical barrier then make sure you rotate crops because squash vine borers spend the winter in the soil near their host plants. Additionally, plant vine crops that are less susceptible to squash vine borers such as butternut squash. The thicker the vine, the better chance of survival. Finally, plant a second planting of summer squash in late-July and August after the female lays her eggs.

June Vegetable Garden Checklist

Enjoy your garden before it gets really hot! Here is what should be on your June vegetable garden checklist.

FERTILIZE

Feed vegetable plants with water-soluble fertilizer every other week as indicated by your soil test.
Be careful to apply liquid fertilizers directly to the soil to avoid a salt build-up on the leaves.

WATER

Water is the most important factor in the garden as the temperatures start to rise. Your plants prefer rain, but if there is none in the forecast, then make sure you are deeply watering plants
Remember to check your soil before watering- if soil is moist 6 inches below the surface then your plants do not need to be watered. If not, adjust your irrigation schedule to water longer and more frequently.
Irrigate in the morning so plants have time to dry before night, this helps prevent foliage diseases
Avoid getting water on leaves by applying water to where the plant meets the soil

PLANTING

Seeds

Cantaloupe (first part of month)
Greens, warm season (all month)
Okra (all month)
Pumpkin (all month)
Southern Peas (all month)
Squash, Winter (first part of month)

Transplants/Slips

Sweet Potato slips

SOIL

Keep your soil covered with mulch to protect the surface from weed seeds blowing in and to maintain moisture below the surface.

DISEASES/PEST

If using neem or other oil-based products, exercise care in timing applications to early morning/late evening to minimize the potential for leaf burn. Test for leaf burn in small scale trials prior to use.
Aphids will suck plant sap from leaves, and stems. The best defense is lady bugs and they should arrive naturally. If aphids become a problem, treat with blasts of water, insecticidal soaps, or horticultural oils sprayed on the underside of leaves.
Conchuela stink bugs (Chlorochroa ligata), Leaf-footed Bugs (Leptoglossus phyllopus), Harlequin Bugs (Murgantia histrionica), and Squash Bugs (Anasa tristis) are all a nuisance in the garden. All these bugs have piercing mouthparts that suck juices from plant leaves, stems, and fruits. They can be picked up and squashed, or thrown into a cup of soapy water. Check the bottom of leaves for eggs.
The striped cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittatum) and spotted cucumber beetles (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) feed on blossoms of flowering plants like cucumber, squash, and melons. During the early summer they are primarily found inside flowers. They lay eggs in the soil at the base of host plants and their larvae feed on plant roots and underground parts of stems. In the late summer, the feed on foliage of cucurbit plants. Be sure to rotate your planting beds since these pests will overwinter here in the Austin area.
Check for Mealy Bugs on tomato plants. Adult mealybugs hide and have a waxy cuticle, making contact pesticides ineffective. Insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, and neem oil can eliminate immature mealybugs only. If using neem oil, test for phytotoxicity. As temperatures rise, oils can harm your plants. You may have better luck removing them by hand.

MAINTENANCE

Keep the leaves of your vegetable plants off the ground to reduce rot and pest damage.
Keep on top of weeds

HARVEST

June is my favorite month to enjoy all the hard work you have put into the garden to date. Depending on when you got seeds or transplants in the ground, you could be harvesting a little of almost everything this month: zucchini, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, green beans and snap peas, watermelon and cantaloupe.

Additional Resources

Watch the Vegetable Gardening in Central Texas Webinar

Easy Gardening Series Detailed tips from Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension on specific crops and practices.

Vegetable Gardening in Austin Resource hub for all things vegetables for Travis County

Monthly Gardening Calendar for Austin and Central Texas

Annual and Perennial Flowers For Austin

About Paula Wolfel

Saltmarsh Caterpillars

Posted on May 13, 2024 by sheryl.williams

Woollybear Cousins Active Now

Saltmarsh caterpillars seem to be a common sight in gardens, lawns and traveling across roads and sidewalks. These caterpillars are a particular species, Estigmene acrea, and turn into saltmarsh moths. They are often mistakenly called “woollybears” which are a different species, Pyrrharctia isabella, that turn into Isabella tiger moths. The two species are related and in the same family Erebidae.

Many Fuzzy Colors

tan color saltmarsh caterpillar Saltmarsh caterpillars are extremely variable in color and have many setae in the late instar which creates a hairy or fuzzy appearance. They have striped or mottled bodies varying from black to brown to yellow and reaching lengths of 2.25 inches. Hairs, or setae, also vary in color and are mostly soft when touched. Hairs are not venomous and do not sting, but some people may be sensitive to the hairs.

Speedy Crawlers

fuzzy woollybear caterpillar of the Tiger Moth Saltmarsh caterpillars actively disperse, and late instar larvae can be seen moving quickly across lawns, landscape beds, sidewalks, roads, and other locations. These caterpillars can move easily into areas and begin to feed on plants. Their chewing mouthparts cause damage to plants by defoliation. They have a wide host range feeding on numerous broadleaf plants including trees, shrubs, crops, and others.

Adult Moths Light Colored

Peachy-white color moth with dots on the wings

Adult saltmarsh moths are medium sized and have white forewings with black dots. Hindwings are white in females and peachy yellow in males. The adult’s head and thorax are white, and abdomen is peachy yellow with black oblong spots.

Pupae occur in the soil or in leaf litter. Caterpillars spin a cocoon using silk and hairs from the body. There are multiple generations each year in Texas.

Management

Management can be as simple as removing caterpillars by hand; wear gloves while doing so. In backyard gardens, this typically is a feasible method of control. Pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, spinosad, or botanicals can be used against smaller stages of caterpillars (these are not as hairy as the late instars), but will not kill off late instar larvae.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at ebrown@ag.tamu.edu.

Additional Resources

About Wizzie

Texas Superstar – Bluebonnet Seed Harvesting

Posted on May 13, 2024 by sheryl.williams

Create Your Own Display By Harvesting Bluebonnet Seeds

bluebonnets blooming along a gravel driveway

The showy blooms attract visitors of all types.

Our Texas state flower, the Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis), is a low maintenance winter annual whose color is an early spring welcome and a reason for a Sunday drive. It’s now available in white, pink, classic blue, and royal blue. You might ask, how do you replicate the display of bluebonnets so prominent along the state highway? A little planning and effort right now will reward you next year, as you might notice the seed pods are currently ripening.

Let Your Bluebonnets Go To Seed

The first step in harvesting seeds is to allow your bluebonnets to form seed pods. So often, people mow the wilted flowers or throw them out before the plant has had time to set seed. The pods are a display of color all their own – initially appearing as a light fuzzy green growth after the blooms have faded away, sometimes 3 weeks or more after peak bloom. As the pods ripen, they will turn from light green, to goldish yellow, to light tan or cream, and finally to a darkened brown. Take as many trips to the bluebonnet patch as you desire to retrieve the pods as they ripen, since not all ripen at the same time. Remember you may want to allow some to open and blow away in the wind, distributing naturally. Each pod generates numerous seeds, so there is plenty to go around.


Bluebonnet seed pods change color as they ripen.

Harvesting Texas Bluebonnet Seeds

Once you identify the brown pods, take a pair of scissors to cut the seed pods off the plant and place in a bag or envelope in the event any seeds might fall out. Often at this stage any movement can evoke the pod to open to release the seeds. With your container of pods in hand, move to a working surface, such as a counter with a paper towel or piece of white paper as your backdrop. Having a white backdrop allows color contrast with the seeds so you don’t lose any as you work.

Shell Seeds Just Like Other Legumes

The easiest method to release the seeds is to treat each pod just like a peanut or pea pod. After all, the Bluebonnet is a lupine, or legume in the family Fabaceae. Other plants in this family include peanuts, peas, and beans and you’ll note the similarity when extracting the seeds. Start by stripping a pod from the stalk and the thin liner acts similar to a zipper to open the pod. If not completely opened, insert your nail as it should then open easily. You can also squeeze the pod, as you might a roasted peanut, and the pod will open to reveal a casing of seeds. Dump the seeds onto your working service or push out the seeds, if necessary. Continue to strip each pod and remove the seeds until all pods are emptied.

Storing Texas Bluebonnet Seeds

brown, round seeds extracted from the pod

Green and brown seeds.

When extracting the seeds, you may notice most seeds look like a little brown or tan rock. Sometimes you may extract a few green seeds that look more like small peas. Before storing the seeds, allow them to dry in a cool dark place for 24-48 hours. The green seeds will take longer to harden-off since they were less mature. All the seeds should have a hard shell and not sticky before storing. Label the envelope or other storage container you prefer to use and include the date. Bluebonnet seeds are viable for a year or two, with the best germination rate within one year. Store in a cool, dry place until fall.

Start Planting Seeds in Late August

Plant the seeds starting in late August and continue through October for Central Texas areas. Planting them in the heat of summer allows more time for the tough seed coat to wear down. If planting in October, you may need to scarify the seed to increase germination.

Sow directly onto the ground and cover very lightly with soil or gravel. Water in so the seeds don’t blow away, and then let Mother Nature take its course. Bluebonnets don’t like to be disturbed or need much water and will root in shallow soil. Once sown, just forget about them and you’ll begin to see the fruits of your efforts in mid-winter as the plants begin to emerge. Harvesting bluebonnet seeds is a straightforward process once you’ve discovered the brown pod. Follow these steps and you’ll have bluebonnets rewarding you with picture-worthy color year after year.

What is a Texas Superstar plant?

The Texas Superstar® program was created by horticulturists to identify and select plants that can be grown across the state of Texas with high confidence in the quality and reliability of the plant. Selections for the program are based upon observations made at replicated plots and demonstration trials across the state and final selection is made by the Texas Superstar® Executive Board.

Additional Resources

Wildflowers in Bloom

Texas Superstar Plants

About Yvonne Schneider

Yvonne was a 35+year veteran in the computer and information technology industry when she retired and moved from Houston to the Austin area. In 2018, Yvonne certified as a Travis County Texas Master Gardener to follow her passion for gardening and volunteering within the community. She has spent 20+ years enjoying gardening and working with bulbs and perennials. She now tackles the challenges presented by the Austin area wildlife, drought, and limestone soil.

Don’t Give Up on Pride of Barbados Plants

Posted on May 7, 2024 by sheryl.williams

Pride of Barbados orange flowers and compound leaves

The showy blooms of Pride of Barbados attract all types of pollinators.

Texas Superstar® – Pride of Barbados

Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima – means “very pretty”) is a tropical plant that is native to South America and the Caribbean and is a reliable perennial in Travis County. The alternate common names, such as flame tree, peacock flower, and flowering fence hint at its magnificent display. It is a fast-growing shrub or small tree that can reach heights of up to 10 feet and can be pruned to maintain its shape and size. Pride of Barbados is known for its showy, brightly colored flowers that bloom all summer. The typical flower color in our area is orange and red, but yellow is also available. This perennial is Austin-area tough – drought-tolerant, requires full sun, and needs well-drained soil. In fact, it thrives in our alkaline soils and is an Earth-Kind selection.

Plant Specifications at a Glance

Exposure: Full sun (will grow in light shade, with fewer blooms)
Size: Height – 8 to 12 feet
Plant Type: Summer annual, perennial, or woody shrub depending upon the severity of winter temperatures.
Planting time: Spring to early summer
Soil type: Extremely easy to grow in alkaline to acidic, well-drained soils.
Suggested uses: Use Pride of Barbados as a specimen or in a mixed shrub border.
Special notes: Plants tolerate very high temperatures and drought, but do not tolerate poorly drained soils; Pride–of–Barbados is best grown in raised beds in humid climates.

Don’t Give Up – Your Pride of Barbados is Alive

Pride of Barbados is one of the last plants to come out of winter dormancy, and yet one of the last to succumb to cooler temperatures. Because it prefers and thrives in our heat, locations with southern exposure tend to recover and grow quicker than those with northern exposure.

Pride of Barbados plant with orange blooms in full foliage

Figure 2: Pride of Barbados taken 5-19-23 in southern exposure area

Pride of Barbados plant barely starting to emerge from dormancy

Figure 3: Pride of Barbados taken 5-19-23 in northern exposure area

Micro-climates make all the difference. (See figure 2 and 3) This is why nurseries don’t start selling the plants until late May or June, as even the growers must wait for the plants to emerge from dormancy. Within 60 days of emerging from dormancy, the Pride of Barbados is peaking with color and tremendous growth. (Figure 4.)

Figure 4. Same northern exposure Pride of Barbados 60 days post dormancy break (2022)

Pride of Barbados is a beautiful and versatile plant. It’s great as a specimen plant, a hedge, or in a container. The flowers are spectacular in arrangements. Pride of Barbados is also an excellent choice for attracting birds and butterflies to your garden, but the deer will leave them alone as the leaves, flowers, and seeds of Pride of Barbados are poisonous.

Just be sure to give these beauties room to grow for the magnificent display every summer.

Propagation Takes Patience

Pride of Barbados is easy to propagate by seed or cuttings. In my yard, I find that I have plenty of volunteers sprouting from last year’s seeds that are easy to dig up and relocate. Sow seeds in the spring using a well-drained potting mix. Take cuttings from new growth in the spring or summer and root them in a well-drained potting mix.

New seedling in potting mix.

If working with the volunteers that have sprouted, carefully lift and replant when small, as a deep tap root develops quickly. I prefer to group 2-3 starters in a pot to obtain optimum growth and to prevent from over-watering when so young. But any way you decide to propagate, just do it! Small starters will develop and bloom within 1-2 years of planting. You can always find another spot worthy of the spectacular blooms or give the starters as a gift. This is one plant that is a showstopper as exemplified by the number of strangers that ask me about the plant growing in my front yard.

What is a Texas Superstar plant?

Additional Resources

Texas Superstar Plants

Earth-Kind® Landscaping

Native and Adapted Landscape Plants for Central Texas

About Yvonne Schneider

What’s Happening in the May Vegetable Garden

Posted on May 3, 2024 by sheryl.williams

Juane Flamme Tomato

Austin’s May Vegetable Garden Checklist Tips from Paula Wolfel

May provides a window when a few more vegetables can be planted before the summer heat arrives, but is mainly a month when Austin gardeners tend to the plants that were put in the ground earlier in the spring and start harvesting. Many gardeners are harvesting beans, peas, tomatoes, squashes, radishes, carrots, lettuces, and squashes, to name a few. Unfortunately, also in May, insects and diseases are in full force. Pill bugs, tiger moth caterpillar and the saltmarsh caterpillars have been spotted in abundance in gardens causing destruction eating leaves. May is usually the month that the squash vine borer appears in the Austin gardens. Make sure you check your plants regularly.

Plant Highlight: Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a popular garden vegetable crop in Texas. Texas gardeners can grow a variety of small- and large-fruited tomatoes, as well as those used commonly for tomato paste and sauce. Tomato plants are either classified as determinate—reach a certain plant height and then stop growing; ideal for gardeners who want most of their tomatoes at once—or indeterminate—continue to grow and produce tomatoes throughout the growing season. When selecting varieties, choose the plant that best fits your garden space and your culinary needs.

Best Varieties for Central Texas

Small Fruit:

Baxter’s Early Bush (Determinate)
Black Cherry (Indeterminate)
Cherry Grande (Determinate)
Juliet (Indeterminate)
Sun Gold (Indeterminate)
Sweet Baby Girl (Indeterminate)
Sweet 100 (Indeterminate)
Yellow Pear (Indeterminate)

Large Fruit:

Better Boy
Big Beef (Indeterminate)
Black Krim (Indeterminate)
Celebrity (Semi-determinate)
Cherokee Purple (Indeterminate)
Early Girl (Indeterminate)
Jaune Flamme (Indeterminate)
Tycoon (Determinate)
Stupice (Indeterminate)

Paste:

Roma (Determinate)
San Marzano (Indeterminate)
Viva Italia (Determinate)

Planting and Caring for Tomatoes

When it comes to growing tomatoes in Central Texas, it is important to plant transplants so you can get fruit to set before the summer heat arrives. Make the transplant holes 3 to 4 inches deep. Fill the holes with water and let the water soak in before placing transplants into the soil. Plant each transplant slightly deeper than it had been growing. Leave a slightly sunken area around each plant to hold water. Fertilize the plant after planting it—about 1 pint of starter solution or diluted fish emulsion around each plant— and then add mulch on top of the soil. Fertilize again once the first fruits are about 1 inch in diameter. Pull back the mulch (if using) and scatter 1 level tablespoon of fertilizer around each plant about 6 inches from the stalks. Work it into the soil and then water the plants after fertilizing and cover with mulch. Fertilize the plants every 3-4 weeks with 1 to 2 level tablespoons of fertilizer during the fruiting period.

Temperature’s Effect on Tomatoes

It is important to get tomato plants into the ground early in the season because heat causes problems in fruit development and pollination. When a tomato plant has consistent exposure to high temperatures (day/night temperatures of 95/80° F) the production of pollen grains is reduced. Ideal fruit set occurs within a very narrow range of night temperatures (60°-70°F). If tomato plants experience night temperatures above 75°F, interference with the growth of pollen tubes can occur preventing normal fertilization.

May Vegetable Garden Checklist

May is one of the busiest months for gardeners in Austin. Here is what should be on your May vegetable garden checklist.

FERTILIZE

May is Austin’s rainiest month and will wash liquid fertilizer so switch to granules unless the weather is dry.
Fertilize fruiting vegetables (tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers) when the first fruit appears, and again 3-4 weeks later.
Fertilize non-fruiting vegetables every two weeks while they are actively growing.

WATER

Watch the weather forecast, plants prefer rain water; consider signing up for weekly weather summaries for your area.
Be mindful of prolonged hot temperatures- plants will need more consistent watering depending on your specific soil and garden.
When you do irrigate, water deeply. Dig down into the soil 6” to see if the soil is moist. If not, adjust your irrigation schedule to water longer and more frequently.
Water in the morning so plants have time to dry before night, this helps prevent foliage diseases.
Different plants have different watering requirements and plants have different watering needs depending on where they are in their lifecycle. For more information check out Watering Your Vegetables.

PLANTING

Seeds

Beans, snap and lima
Cantaloupe
Greens, warm season
Okra
Peas, Southern
Pumpkin
Squash, Winter
Watermelon

Transplants

Peppers
Potato, sweet (slips)

SOIL

Remember to always keep your soil covered with mulch to protect the surface from weed seeds blowing in and to maintain moisture below the surface.

DISEASES/PEST

Caterpillars, especially the salt marsh moth and the tiger moth, are in abundance this spring and causing damage to leaves. Pick them off by hand or use an organic pesticide that contains Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis).
The spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) or the Southern corn rootworm is also already present in many Austin gardens. Do not let the name fool you, this insect does not stay only on cucumber and corn plants. They cause minimal damage unless the population gets too high. They can spread diseases such as bacterial wilt and squash mosaic virus. Two ways to try and prevent damage in the garden is to use trellises to get plants off the ground and to mulch heavily around plants. Treatment options are hot pepper wax or neem. Products containing bifenthrin would also treat the beetles.
Squash Bugs and Squash Vine Borers are two pests that will go after your squash plants. You can remove them by hand and put into soapy water or squash them. The Borer is a moth who lays eggs on leaves and stems of squash. The larvae burrows into the stems and can kill the plant. Plants with thicker stems such as some winter squashes and pumpkins can be more resistant to the borer.
Squash vine borer, Melittia cucurbitae
Aphids and white flies will be in abundance too. Blast them off with water aimed at the underside of leaves.
Yellow specks or stippling on the surface of leaves is an indication that spider mites are present on the underside sucking chlorophyll out of the leaf. It is important to take action immediately. Blast them off with a strong spray of water directed at the underside of the leaves or spray with insecticidal soap. Eggs hatch every 3-5 days.

MAINTENANCE

Keep the leaves of your vegetable plants off the ground.
Stake or cage tomato, pepper, and eggplant early; once they get tall and unruly it is difficult to stake or cage later.
Keep on top of weeds.

HARVEST

Its primetime for carrots. Harvest them before they bolt. As soon as you bring them into the kitchen cut off the green parts and store the green separate from the orange part; carrot greens can be used in soups, salads, and pesto.
Harvest onions when the top falls over or turns brown. Also harvest any onion that shoots up a flower stalk, they are edible and will not get any bigger
Late in the month is a good time to dig around the base of your potato plants and harvest a few small new potatoes. Once the leaves turn yellow and start to die back you can pull up the entire plant and harvest all the potatoes.
Squash blossoms are edible! Stuff the with cheese, batter the outside, and fry them, put them in quesadillas, or sautee with garlic and olive oil and eat over a bed of pasta.

Additional Resources

Watch the Vegetable Gardening in Central Texas Webinar

Easy Gardening Series Detailed tips from Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension on specific crops and practices.

Vegetable Gardening in Austin Resource hub for all things vegetables for Travis County

Monthly Gardening Calendar for Austin and Central Texas