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Backyard Basics John on Mosquito Control

by John Dromgoole

Tools

Root Jack for getting out those hackberries, ligustrums or other unwanted self-seeders along a fence line
‘Bug Buster’ hose end attachment to direct water directly under leaves (great to blast out spider mites)

Disease control

Compost tea
Serenade (bacterial and fungal control)
Garlic GP (fungicide)

Mosquitoes

Mosquito Barrier
Garlic Barrier, insect repellent

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John Dromgoole

Recent Episodes

Garden for Birds and Pollinators

Bird populations have declined dramatically in recent years. Wildlife biologist Rufus Stephens, co-author of Land Stewardship for Birds with Jan Wrede, explores how to give our birds a helping hand, even in our backyards. Chris Garza sheet mulched his small front yard to kill weedy Bermuda grass to restore soil health and wildlife diversity. Watch | watch episode →

Changing the Winter-Tidy Mindset

Explore nature-to-garden perceptions with Dr. Bob Duke and Dr. Art Markman of KUT’s podcast, Two Guys on Your Head, produced by Rebecca McInroy. A Army Veteran’s new backyard lacked personality until she dug into gardening. Find out where beneficial insects snuggle down in winter with entomologist Wizzie Brown and get the secret to composting with | watch episode →

February To Do List

Plant: ornamental & wildlife

Annual transplants: pansies, violas, calendula (wildlife plant), snapdragon, stock, larkspur, ornamental kale & cabbage, bluebonnet transplants, poppies. Transplants are preferred over seeds at this point.
Evergreen perennials & vines
Trees, shrubs, roses
Evergreen groundcovers like monkey grass, liriope, creeping germander, frogfruit

Plant: herbs

Calendula, chervil, cilantro, chives, dill, parsley, feverfew, oregano, sorrel, thyme, garlic chives
Protect cilantro and chives in below freezing weather.

Plant: food crops

Artichokes, asparagus, onions, greens, lettuce, spinach, radish, carrots, beets, bok choy, collards, kale, peas, turnips, leeks, broccoli, shallot bulbs, cabbage
Potatoes
Get tomatoes and peppers to move to pots. Late month: plant if well protected from late freezes.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Vegetable Planting Guides (Central Texas) http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/home-landscape/edible-gardens/growing-vegetables/

Plant: fruit

Apples, peaches, pecans, pears, pomegranates, persimmons, figs, almonds, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries

Prune

Roses
Prune dormant perennials and ornamental (clumping) grasses.
Prune grapes, fruit trees, blackberries
Cut asters and chrysanthemums to rosettes
Late month: prune woody salvias as much as ⅔ to encourage new growth
Trees: DO NOT prune red oaks and live oaks unless damaged. Spray immediately with clear varnish.
No need to apply pruning paint to other trees
Avoid topping crape myrtles: simply remove sprouts or entire limbs at the trunk.
Prune rosemary and oregano
Late month: prune evergreen shrubs as they start to set new growth

Divide/Move

Dormant perennials, roses, shrubs and trees. This is the best time to move plants!

Prep

Add compost to vegetable gardens along with organic fertilizer in prep for another round of winter vegetables
Soil test

Fertilize

Roses
Iris. Use a fertilizer with a higher middle number (phosphorus)
Add compost to beds as you cut back dormant perennials. Fertilize with slow-release granular late in the month or as dormant perennials leaf out
Add compost around trees and fertilize. Be sure to dig out grass several feet from the trunk, ideally to the drip line of the tree canopy.

Other tasks

Keep floating row cover available; avoid covering plants with plastic
Spray fruit trees with dormant oil to control overwintering scale, plum curculio and other pests.
WEED!

Tips

When planting, dig hole twice as wide as root ball but no deeper than where it sits in the pot.
Backfill and water until it sinks in.
Continue filling in.
Water again until it sinks in and pack the soil down.
Mulch.

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