Wildflowers Spring 2016: Luciano Velez, Jean Bettencourt, Chuck Johnson

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Wildflowers Spring 2016: Luciano Velez, Jean Bettencourt, Chuck Johnson

Spring memories of wildflowers lives on, thanks to our viewer pictures!

Luciano Velez snapped these gorgeous white bluebonnets.
white bluebonnets luciano velez Central TExs garde
Jean and Stan Bettencourt sent in a picture of their cute dogs, Loki and his sister Layla, enjoying a glorious field of bluebonnets in Dripping Springs. Loki nuzzled into these blue jewels and almost buried himself in them!
loki dog in bluebonnets Central Texas Gardener
layla dog in bluebonnets Central Texas Gardener

And in Kingsland, Chuck Johnson spotted lots of gorgeous wildflowers on his road trips this spring, like Indian Blanket.
Indian Blanket Central Texas Gardener
And Mexican hat.
Mexican hat wildflower Central Texas Gardener
Plus he spotted this darling gaggle of Canadian goslings resting on his seawall.
Canadian goose and goslings Central Texas Gardener

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November To Do List

Plant: ornamental & wildlife

Perennials, shrubs, ornamental (clumping) grasses; fall is the best time to plant
Avoid planting cold tender plants like Pride of Barbardos, Esperanza, lantana, plumbago
Trees
Strawberries (best time to do it!)
Winter annuals, including calendula, snapdragon, pansy, viola, dusty miller, ornamental kale and cabbage, alyssum, stock, cyclamen, dusty miller, flowering kale and cabbage
Early to Thanksgiving: native wildflower seeds like bluebonnets, phlox, Mexican hat, Indian paintbrush, Indian blanket (gaillardia). Also, non-native poppies, larkspurs, hollyhocks
Early to Thanksgiving: spring bulbs

Plant: herbs

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

Plant: food crops

Keep planting winter crops for successive harvest
Water weekly with liquid seaweed
Spray cabbage loopers on broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Vegetable Planting Guides (Central Texas) http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/home-landscape/edible-gardens/growing-vegetables/

Prune

Avoid pruning shrubs right now unless you see damage
Okay to prune live oak and red oaks through January
Okay to prune trees
Thyme

Divide/Move

Shrubs, roses, trees, evergreen spring-blooming perennials

Prep

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

Lawn

If must mow, keep high to shade out germinating weeds
It’s really not a good idea to overseed with rye unless you have new, muddy construction and a dog!

Other tasks

Cut basil to freeze in oil in ice cube trays to use this winter in soups and stews
Collect seeds from summer annuals to dry and store indoors until next spring
Take cuttings of tender annuals to propagate in warmth to plant next spring
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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