Planting Pretty Ponds and Gardens, Seed Saving Libraries

The Show

Planting Pretty Ponds and Gardens, Seed Saving Libraries

air date: May 18, 2024

Enchant your garden with easy-care, wildlife-friendly pond plants. Steve Kainer from Hill Country Water Gardens and Nursery explains how to fertilize and divide. Nancy Hall’s garden started from scratch and grew beyond fence lines with philosophy and art. Prevent extinction of valuable plants right in your own backyard! Landscape consultant Colleen Dieter from Central Texas Seed Savers packages seeds for local libraries to checkout to gardeners. Learn how to get involved and contribute seeds from your garden. Blackshear Elementary student Adler Asher shows why prairies matter to our future.

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Episode Segments

On Tour

One Bed at a Time!

When Nancy Hall bought her house in 1985, the heavy clay soil hosted a lawn and a stark chain link fence. As a new gardener, the plants–both adapted and native–taught her their ways. Gradually, she layered foliage and flowers, accented with artwork from local artists. Then she added a small pond and inviting patio to watch all the wildlife that come visit.

Watch more "On Tour" videos on YouTube →

Interview

Make a Splash with Water Gardens: Steve Kainer

Enchant your garden with easy-care, wildlife-friendly pond and bog plants. Steve Kainer from Hill Country Water Gardens and Nursery explains how to fertilize and divide both colorful and foliar plants.

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Question of the Week

Why Do Prairies Matter?

Blackshear Elementary student Adler Asher explores why prairies disappeared and why restoration now matters so much to our future ecology. Prairies are great at locking carbon in the soil as soil organic carbon. They support prairie dogs that in turn support the endangered black-footed ferret and prairie chicken. Because many prairie plants have deep roots, they help stabilize soil and conserve water. They also provide habitat and food for wildlife and nourish our sense of wonder and beauty.

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Backyard Basics

Central Texas Seed Savers

Landscape consultant Colleen Dieter from Central Texas Seed Savers packages seeds for local libraries to checkout to gardeners. Learn how to get involved and contribute seeds from your garden.

Watch more Backyard Basics videos on YouTube →

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CTG Episode Archive

December To Do List

Plant: ornamental & wildlife

Hardy perennials, shrubs
Trees
Roses (best time!)
Winter annuals, including calendula, snapdragon, pansy, viola, dusty miller, ornamental kale and cabbage, alyssum, stock, cyclamen, dusty miller, flowering kale and cabbage
Avoid planting cold tender plants like Pride of Barbardos, Esperanza, lantana, plumbago

Plant: herbs

Perennials thyme, oregano
Avoid planting rosemary
Cilantro transplants, parsley, dill, fennel , chervil, summer savory, borage, rue, chives
Be prepared to cover in case of deep freeze

Plant: food crops

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Vegetable Planting Guides (Central Texas) http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/home-landscape/edible-gardens/growing-vegetables/

Prune

Prune freeze damaged plants or not? Best to leave seeds on plants for birds and protect root system. If picky relatives coming, okay to prune
Avoid pruning shrubs right now unless you see damage
Do not prune oak trees unless you have damage: paint wound immediately
Okay to prune trees other than red oaks and live oaks

Divide/Move

Shrubs, roses, trees, evergreen spring-blooming perennials while dormant
Asters and other fall-bloomers which are dormant

Prep

Select spots where you want fruit trees, grapes, or berries to plant in January; for now, prep with compost
Mulch cold tender plants like gingers, Esperanza and semi-tropicals
Keep that row cover ready! Do not protect plants with plastic!

Lawn

Pluck out early weeds.

Other tasks

Rake leaves into beds to mulch over winter and return nutrients to the soil
Mow leaves on grass (if not raking to beds or compost) to break them down
Collect leaves from neighbors to add to compost pile!
Deeply water new plants; keep new seedlings moist but not drenched

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