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Author Archives: sheryl.williams
February – the Rose Pruning Month by Carolyn Williams
Here in Central Texas, February is the month of on-and-off nasty weather, Valentine’s Day, and Presidents’ Day. All of these remind me it’s time to check on my roses. Choosing a mild day in Mid-February and arming myself with the necessary clothing (long sleeve shirt, hat, glasses, heavy gloves and no open toed shoes) I’m off to start the rose pruning process. Check your Tools First Before I start my rose pruning, I like to sharpen and then sterilize my clippers and pruners. Because you use your clippers/pruners… Read More →
The History of Roses by Carolyn Williams
Roses Cultivated for Over 5,000 Years The history of the rose goes back around 5,000 years ago to China. There is fossilized evidence of the rose plant eons earlier. The Romans grew them, the English fought a war symbolizing them, (white rose of York and red rose of Lancaster.) The French Empress Josephine Bonaparte became an early collector and breeder of them at her estate, Château de Malmaison, outside of Paris. Cultivated roses were introduced into Europe from China in the late 18th century. Roses in North America… Read More →
Please Participate in TexasSpeaks Survey
TexasSpeaks is being conducted in Travis County and across the State of Texas to allow the citizens of Texas to provide their input on the assets and issues in their communities. The local branch of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has a rich history of providing educational programs that address the most critical issues in the county, and invites your participation in the TexasSpeaks process. The AgriLife Extension Service highly values the opinions shared through the TexasSpeaks community assessment. The expectation is that the assessment will take… Read More →
In the February Vegetable Garden by Patty Leander
Last Chance to Plant Cool Season Vegetables Your February garden checklist should include your last opportunity to plant cool season vegetables. They need to have a chance to mature before the arrival of hot weather. It’s also a time for hard decisions. If we fill our garden beds with broccoli, lettuce and carrots this month, where will we put tomatoes, green beans and squash next month? With the exception of quick-growing radishes and mesclun greens, the vegetables we plant in February will take 2-3 months to reach harvest… Read More →
Compost Treasure Hunt Time! by Yvonne Schneider
Winter is Compost Prep Time You might consider winter a gloomy season with the trees shedding their leaves and perennials wilting with the cooler temperatures. But for gardeners, it’s compost treasure hunt time! This is the optimum time to begin gathering the ‘brown’ material needed for composting throughout the next year. My relatives (and husband) think I’m crazy about this time of year, as I scoop up as many leaves as possible, ask family to bag up their excess leaves, and volunteer to clear-off and bag-up my Mom’s… Read More →
The 2021 Drought to Deluge Austin Gardening Programs
Learn from Gardening Experts If you’re gardening in Austin, sometimes it feels like everything is conspiring against you. The weather, the soil, the topography, and the number of pests and diseases can overwhelm even the most experienced gardener. Help is on the way! Travis County Texas A&M AgriLife will be hosting several programs in 2021 to help Austin area gardeners be more successful. Topics range from Planning and Design to Vegetable Gardening. The program features experts from Texas A&M University, AgriLife Extension, Travis County Master Gardeners, and the… Read More →
Soil Solarization Eliminates Weeds and Pests
Your August Gardening Project Most people in the Austin area try to forget about the heat of summer, but there is one gardening project that is perfect for August. Research by horticulturists of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has found that soil solarization can suppress weeds both short and long term and is best done during the hottest days of the year. A Drastic Solution? Soil sterilization may sound like a drastic solution, but it’s actually an environmentally friendly way of using the sun to control soilborne… Read More →
In the January 2021 Vegetable Garden by Patty Leander
Keep Gardening! Happy New Year! Interest in growing and eating vegetables blossomed during the COVID shutdown last year. I’m hoping that everyone who started a vegetable garden during the pandemic will keep it going. Vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet for everyone, no matter who you are or how old you are. There are many benefits for everyone to gain from a plant strong diet. Eating vegetables safeguards our health, the process of growing them contributes to our movement and physical activity, and cultivating a… Read More →
One and Done Bulbs by Yvonne Schneider
Floral Treasures for Spring Looking for a pop of color or a unique bloom to boost your spring show? Bulbs may just be your answer! In the Austin area we have many bulb varieties that naturalize and bloom each year. However, our warmer winters are not kind to those bulbs requiring ‘chill hours’. ‘Chill hours’ are the minimum amount of time bulbs must stay below temperatures of 40F. But if you don’t mind a ‘one and done’ annual show, then your options are endless. Most bulbs, such as… Read More →
The Gift of Amaryllis Bulbs by Yvonne Schneider
Amaryllis Bulbs Popular Holiday Gift Amaryllis bulbs are a popular gift during the holiday season that you can find at local grocers, big box stores, nurseries, and even online. The Hardy Red Amaryllis (Hippeastrum x johnsonii) is a great variety for Central Texas, but you can find different shapes and colors (white, red, pink, salmon, and yellow hybrids) that grow well in our area. The great thing about Amaryllis is the large bloom, anywhere from 5-10 inches in diameter, depending upon the variety. The foliage grows up to… Read More →