Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac

513 Pages·2007·64.79 MB·English

by  Douglas F. Welsh

Doug Welsh’s
 Texas Garden Almanac
AgriLife Research and Extension
Service Series
Craig Nessler and Edward G. Smith,
General Editors
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Illustrated by Aletha St. Romain
Texas A&M University Press College Station
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Copyright © 2007
by Douglas F. Welsh
Manufactured in China by
Everbest Printing Co. through
Four Colour Imports
All rights reserved
Second edition, 2011
The paper used in this book
meets the minimum requirements
of the American National Standard
for Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials,
Z39.48-1984.
Binding materials have been
chosen for durability.
The Library of Congress has cataloged
the First edition as follows:
Welsh, Douglas F.
Doug Welsh’s Texas garden almanac / Doug Welsh ; illus-
trated by Aletha St. Romain. —1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-58544-619-3 (flexbound : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-58544-619-X (flexbound : alk. paper)
1. Gardening—Texas. 2. Almanacs, American—
Texas. I. Title.
SB453.2.T4W45 2007
635.09764—dc22 2007007634
ISBN: 978-1-60344-478-1 (flex paper)
ISBN: 1-60344-478-5
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To my wife,
Laura,
for her loving support,
counsel & encouragement
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Contents
Select Plant List xiii
Almanac at a Glance xiv
Introduction 1
January: Heading toward Spring  4
Roses in the Landscape 6
Soils 101 for the Garden 15
Thinking Like a Plant 21
Growing Fruits and Nuts 26
“What can I do about bagworms covering my pecan tree?”
Timely Tips 41
February: Hints of Spring, Reminders of Winter  46
Annual Flowers . . . Icing on the Cake! 48
Mulch—Low Tech, High Impact 58
“Can mulching with sawdust or wood chips rob nitrogen
from the soil?”
“ How do you calculate how much mulch to buy?”
Is Your Irrigation System Ready for Spring? 62
Are You Ready to Have an Irrigation System Installed? 65
Pruning School 68
“Should I use pruning paint?”
Last and First Freeze Dates: What They Mean and Why They
Are Important 80
“Can I get a jump on spring by growing giant transplants?”
Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs 88
Timely Tips 92
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Contents
VIII
March: Spring—Get Busy  96
Spring Has Sprung When You See These Bloomers 98
When to Water, and How Long? 102
Saving Water Drip by Drip—Drip Irrigation for the Landscape
and Garden 107
“Should I place the drip lines under mulch?”
Lawn Fertilizing Made Simple 113
Will There Be a Next Generation of Vegetable Gardeners? 119
Vegetable Gardening Is for Everyone 120
Gardening with Kids 134
Timely Tips 138
April: Get Moving—Lots to Do  142
Weeds, Weeds, and More Weeds 144
“How do I get rid of grassburs in my large lawn?”
“Should I use a weed-and-feed product on my lawn?”
Fire Ant Management 153
“Is there an organic two-step method?”
Lawns 101 159
“Can I encourage one grass over the other in my Bermuda
and St. Augustine lawn, or will one win regardless?”
“Why won’t St. Augustine grass grow under my big trees?”
Herb-Growing Hints for Texas 177
“Are cilantro and coriander from the same plant?”
Timely Tips 187
May: Full Steam Ahead  190
What’s Wrong with My Plant? 192
“Why won’t my ____ plant bloom?”
“What is the black stuff on my crape myrtle leaves?”
Managing Plant Problems 203
“This spring I have aphids on my roses. What do I do?”
Pesticide Safety 213
Texas Produce: When to Purchase? 218
Timely Tips 221
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Contents
IX
June: Welcome to Texas Heat  224
Sizzling Summer Color for Texas Gardens 226
Attracting Birds to the Garden 229
“Can I prevent my bird seed from creating a weed problem
in the landscape?”
Irrigation Season Starts In Earnest 235
Drinking Water and Texas Landscapes 236
“What are the similarities and differences in rainwater
harvesting and rain gardens?”
Water Conservation for Texas Landscapes 239
“How do I water my huge live oak tree?”
“I have been watering, but my plant’s leaves are wilted and
yellowing, and some are brown. What is the cause?”
All Plants Welcome in Water-Efficient Landscapes 247
Desert Gardening: Plants for West Texas 249
Lawns Don’t Waste Water; People Do! 253
Timely Tips 255
July: Dog Days of Summer  260
Go Tropical! 262
Expand Gardening to Containers 269
Butterfly Gardening Made Simple 273
Vacation Time—What about the Plants? 278
Deer-Resistant Plants 280
“Will a scarecrow deter deer from visiting my landscape?”
Fall Vegetable Gardening Starts Now! 285
Timely Tips 288
August: Hot, Hot, Hot, and Dry Too!  292
Crape Myrtles—a Love Affair 294
Summer Rose Care: Preparations for Fall Bloom 306
Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac 308
“I see a couple of other vines similar to poison ivy in
the woods. Are they poisonous?”
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