13th September, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I just got back this morning from a week in Costa Rica (that explains the lame and infrequent posts from last week – I wrote them before I left), and I had a lot of okra waiting for me when I got back. Go me!
30th August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - 2 Comments
pepper plants
Over the weekend I was able to visit the Natural Gardener, a garden center on Old Bee Caves Road in southwest Austin. I’d never been before, and it was so cool. Even if you’re not into gardening, it’s fun to stop by and see what they have because it’s such a big, interesting place. It’s set up with a lot of nature paths that lead to you different types of gardens, and the plants in various gardens are labeled so if you see something you like, you can find the same thing in the nursery. It has a large working vegetable garden that’s fun to check out, a small field with all sorts of different types of fruit trees, a green house, and pens with chickens, goats, and donkeys (and much more). I didn’t realize that the owner of the Natural Garden is also the owner of Lady Bug brand gardening products, an all organic line of soils, fertilizers, mulches, and composts – I have been using their turkey compost on my garden for several months while I wait for my own compost to be ready to use, and I think it’s helped my plants do well. The center has all different types of natural soil additives (interesting things like worm casings) that I had read about from this book, but didn’t know where to find. My husband and I ended up buying some garden soil – it’s a lot cheaper to buy it at the Natural Gardener if you bag it yourself than buying bags at Home Depot or Lowes, and they sell reusable bags so we can go back and use them again when we pick up compost or mulch, etc. I highly recommend checking it out!
cute goat
part of the veggie garden
gourds!
one of the gardens
selection of soil additives - there's a little container of each one so you can see what it is, with a description of what the additive is useful for
26th August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I got this information from the Sustainable Food Center – basically you can take 30 hours of hands-on training to learn how to restore wildlife habitat in Austin, learning about things like native plants and invasive species, and in return for the training you do 30 hours of community service using the skills you’ve learned, although there is also a $40 training fee. I kind of want to do it, but if you sign up you have to be able to attend all of the classes, and there are a few where I’ll be out of town. Below is all the info I was emailed:
The 2010 National Wildlife Federation Habitat Stewards Training application process is now open! Join the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) nationwide team of volunteers who serve their communities as Habitat Stewards™.
The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) and NWF, in partnership with Travis Audubon Society, are offering a specialized training to teach you how to help others create and restore wildlife habitat in backyards, schoolyards, and other private and public areas.
Training Topics Include:
Native Plants for Wildlife
Invasive Plants & Habitat Restoration
Attracting Birds & Butterflies
Landscape Design Principles
Habitat Stewards Receive:
· 30+ hours of intensive, hands-on training
· A comprehensive training manual including regional resources
· Advice and practical training from local conservation professionals
· Field trips and hands-on educational sessions with community members
In return for training, volunteers must provide 30 hours of service to NWF within one year of the training. Four of those hours must be spent volunteering with Austin PARD. Project examples include: helping neighbors transform their landscapes to benefit wildlife, writing an article for a local newspaper, distributing habitat information at a local festival or leading an invasive plant removal project.
Training fee: $40.00
All classes must be attended!
Thursday Sept. 9 6:00pm-9:00pm
Saturday Sept. 11 9:00am-3:00pm
Thursday Sept. 16 6:00pm-9:00pm
Saturday Sept. 18 9:00am-3:00pm
Thursday Sept. 23 6:00pm-9:00pm
Saturday Sept. 25 8:30am-12:00pm
Thursday Sept. 30 6:00pm-8:30pm
Saturday Oct. 2 8:30am-12:00pm
Registration deadline is August 27, 2010. Enrollment is limited. Application process required. Must have Austin address to register. Cancellation policy applicable, see website for more details: http://www.cityofaustin.org/parks/wildlifehabitat.htm.
23rd August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I finally have a little eggplant growing in the garden! Hang in there, little guy!
here's a sideways picture
And my okra is getting massive! The tomatoes are doing well too, but had some beets and squash die over the past few days.
18th August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
If you’re interested in learning more about gardening in Texas, check out the UT Go Native Classes that are being offered through the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Check out this link to register and look at prices and times. The classes are a little pricey but they are supposed to be really good. Here are the descriptions of the classes offered:
Native Plant Gardening: Design – Proper design will help ensure a successful native plant garden. In this class you will learn how to create a list of goals for your landscape, analyze your site (soils, light, water, drainage, slope, traffic patterns, neighboring conditions, etc.) and perform an inventory of existing features. You will also learn about base maps (what they are and how to create and use them) and designing a garden layout and conceptual plan. We will also discuss how to incorporate existing plants and other features into a fresh design and how to find resources or professional assistance. Dress for the weather (sunscreen, hat, water, etc.); some class time will be spent outdoors. Instructor: Ginger Hudson (mailto:ginarama@yahoo.com). Cost: $45.00.
Native Plant Gardening: Plants I – Choosing the right native plants for your garden is both art and science. In this class you will learn about common and botanical names, basic garden ecology, and plant requirements. We will also introduce native plants that will thrive in your garden and learn their characteristics (height, bloom color, bloom period, fragrance, seasonality, light requirements, deer resistance, etc.). Dress for the weather (sunscreen, hat, water, etc.); some class time will be spent outdoors. You may bring a camera to class. Instructor: Andrea DeLong-Amaya (adelongamaya@wildflower.org). Cost: $45.00.
Native Plant Gardening: Plants II – The Texas flora is so rich and native plant selection is so important, we have divided it into two parts. In Part II, you will continue to learn about the top natives for your garden, where to find them and where to go for more information. Native Plant Gardening: Plants I (#8363) is a recommended prior to enrollment in this class. Dress for the weather (sunscreen, hat, water, etc.); some class time will be spent outdoors. You may bring a camera to class. Instructor: Andrea DeLong-Amaya (adelongamaya@wildflower.org). Cost: $45.00.
Native Plant Gardening: Installation – Now that you have plants and a plan, you are ready to install your native plant garden. In this class we will cover site preparation (clearing, weeds and weed management, soil additives, earthworks, drainage), irrigation, best planting times and techniques, and mulches and mulch application. Where to go for additional resources and professional assistance will also be covered. Dress for the weather (sunscreen, hat, water, etc.); some class time will be spent outdoors. Instructor: Troy Nixon (tdnixon@mindspring.com). Cost: $45.00.
Native Plant Gardening: Maintenance – A common misconception about native plants is that once they are in the ground they require no maintenance. Topics will include basic plant morphology and physiology, selecting the right tools for the job, watering guidelines and water conservation, fertilizers, soil additives, mulches, pruning, trimming, mowing, grooming, cold and heat protection, gardening hazards and gardener’s health. Dress for the weather (sunscreen, hat, water, etc.); some class time will be spent outdoors. Instructor: Ginger Hudson (mailto:ginarama@yahoo.com). Cost: $45.00.
Native Plant Gardening: Pests – This class will introduce you to native plant diseases, garden pests, insects and weeds. In addition, you will learn about beneficial insects and their interaction with pests as an important part of understanding the ecological systems of our gardens. Topics will include basic identification, determination of threat to the garden and environment, integrated pest management, treatment and safety. Proper plant cultivation techniques to reduce pests and where to go for resources and assistance will also be covered. Dress for the weather (sunscreen, hat, water, etc.); some class time will be spent outdoors. Instructor: Grady Glenn (GJGlenn@ag.tamu.edu). Cost: $45.00.
17th August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I still haven’t had a ton of success in the garden, but I am continuing to get a lot of cayenne peppers, some jalapeños, and an occasional tomato. I’m most excited about my okra though – my husband and I came back from being out of town this weekend, and out of nowhere there was one okra ready to be eaten. I’m amazed that it grew so much in a few days. And look at this quiche my husband made using onions, tomatoes, parsley, and garlic chives from our garden! Delicious!
12th August, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I got an email from the Sustainable Food Center about the 2010 Fall Citizen Gardener Sessions. You can get more infor here, but basically there’s a choice of 4 different sessions, each that in a 10 hour class spread over 3 days will teach you about site design, making a raised bed, planting a square-foot garden, building a compost pile, learning about Austin climate, soil, planting times; building a mulch bed, turning compost, rain water collection, and more.
The cost is $30 due on the first day of class (cash or check made out to “Sustainable Food Center”). $10 dollars will be refunded if you complete 10 volunteer hours at one of their partner gardens.
Here are all of the session choices from their website:
-CG #15:
August 14 & 21 (Saturday mornings): 8:00am – 12:00pm, at Festival Beach Community Garden: Waller & Flores, Austin 78702
August 17 (Tuesday evening): 7:00pm – 8:30pm, at Terrazas Public Library: 1105 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702
Instructors: Dick Peterson (Lead) & Sandy Brazwell (Assistant)
-CG #16:
August 28 & September 4 (Saturdays mornings): 8:00am – 12:00pm, at Kipp Academy in East Austin, FM 969/MLK, past 183; right just before Decker Lake Rd; follow signs to Kipp and baloons to garden
Sept 1 (Wednesday evening) – 7:00pm – 8:30pm, location TBD
Instructor: Dick Pierce
-CG #17:
September 11 & 18 (Saturday mornings): 8:30am – 12:30pm
September 15 (Wednesday evening): 7:00pm – 8:30pm
All classes are held at The Rock Methodist Church: 2001 W. New Hope Road, Cedar Park
Instructor: Leslie Keller
-CG #18:
September 25 & October 2 (Saturday mornings): 8:30am – 12:30pm, location TBD
September 29 (Wednesday evening): 7:00pm – 8:30pm, location TBD
Instructor: Khaled Jafar
Check out their website to register for a session – it sounds like a great deal!
photo credit
29th July, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
Here’s an update on my recent gardening success:
- Tomatoes are finally starting to do well and produce more. Right now I count 17 little green tomatoes – still probably not enough to can my own pasta sauce like I planned, but maybe in the fall they will continue to do well.
- Of my 7 okra plants, one is doing really well and getting very large. I’ve never seen an okra plant before so I don’t know how tall it will get before it starts producing fruit.
- Our chili plant is doing really well and our little jalapeño plant is also doing well.
- And I have some butternut squash starting- hopefully they will do better than my summer squash.
15th July, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
Small and sad looking, but very tasty when roasted. Little beet, I hope there will be more like you!
14th July, 2010 - Posted by katherine - 1 Comment
I have been using Howard Garrett’s book “Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening: The Total Guide to Growing Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Other Edible Plants the Natural Way” ever since I started getting semi-serious about gardening this summer. It’s very useful- every common vegetable and fruit are covered alphabetically, and for each one, the book describes when to plant, what kind of soil treatments to use, and has a page of common problems for that particular plant (for example, plant not producing fruit, or plant covered in white spots), with the possible causes listed for each problem (for example, a certain disease or pest), followed by a solution (often treatment with materials you can easily find or make in your home, like compost, garlic, and red pepper). The book also has a section on organic additives, a section on common pests, and a section on beneficial insects. I found it very helpful and liked it so much that I am going to buy a used copy online (I checked out my copy from the library).
Even if you’re not totally committed to organic gardening, it’s useful if you’re new to gardening in Texas because it has Texas-specific planting times and Texas-specific pests, which I found very helpful.
not my garden, but so pretty!
photo credit
13th July, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
Earlier I posted that beginning July 1, the city of Austin was starting a new water conservation program where city residents can get rebates for converting turf areas to native landscapes/non-irrigation. I found more details about the program:
- Applications are accepted June-August, and again December-February.
- Applicants can either convert turf area to native landscape, or turf area to non-irrigated landscape.
- The rebate for converting to native is $20/ 100 sqft.
- The rebate for converting to non-irrigated is $30/ 100 sqft.
- Applicants can participate in both prgrams.
- A minium of 500 sqft must be converted.
- You must send in this application, plus a site plan and photo of the planting area.
Check out the application for more details.
photo credit
24th June, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I’ve recently been having an ant problem in my garden, and a friend had mentioned that when she was having insect problems in her garden, she spread coffee grounds around her plants and the problem went away. I google searched “insect repellent and coffee grounds” and found that along with indeed being an effective insect repellent, used coffee grounds have several other uses. You can find the top 10 here, which include flea repellent and pet hair softener, deodorizer, and cellulite reducer.
Coffee grounds are also great to add to your compost bin – at the city of Austin composting class Carsi and I attended (which counted toward me getting a rebate from the city on my composting bin), we were told that the soil in Austin tends to be basic (as opposed to acidic), so adding coffee grounds to your compost and then eventually adding that compost to your soil helps to neutralize your soil.
photo credit
23rd June, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I’ve still been really enjoying gardening, although I haven’t had a ton of success. But I’m learning a lot about when to plant things in Texas and all about organic methods, so hopefully I will have a nice fall garden. Here are some pics of what’s going on now in the garden, along with some facts and tips I’ve learned from reading this book:
My lettuce is doing well, but I’ve realized from my reading that lettuce does not like hot weather. My gardening book suggests planting lettuce August 10-September 30th for a fall garden, so I am going to try that too. I tasted a leaf from this plant though, and it was pretty good – not bitter at all, just slow growing.
My Serrano pepper plant is doing really well, which is expected in hot weather in Texas. I had at least 10 little peppers on my plant before I took off these 3 which were the largest. I used them on Sunday to make an Indian dish for dinner. We also harvested 1 jalapeño pepper already from another plant, which was very spicy and delicious.
This plant is the best of my beets. Apparently beets don’t love hot weather either, preferring either to be planted in very early spring or late summer. My gardening book suggests August 1-September 30th for fall beets, and I have plenty of seeds left so I am going to try again.
My tomato plants are doing ok – out of 7 only 3 have fruit, but 1 more is close to getting fruit. In Ohio, it’s so easy to grow tomatoes – I feel like they just go crazy with very little attention, so I’m a little disappointed. I’ve also never grown roma tomatoes before though, so maybe the plants just don’t get as big. I also think I waited too long to plant them, but tomatoes also can be grown in the fall, so I am going to leave these plants in and see if they start to do better in the fall. I’ve also planted some tomato plants inside that I’m starting for a fall crop, and they are a bigger variety, so maybe they will do well. My gardening book suggests planting for a fall crop between July 1st and August 5th.
On the squash field, things are more disappointing. I started 8 plants from seed, and have had a lot of flowers which never turned into fruit. Then I realized after reading my gardening book that I was having all male flowers! Every single one has been a little guy, destined to fade out and produce nothing. I don’t really know if it’s just bad luck or if there’s something about the conditions they are in that they aren’t producing female flowers, but I”m going to try again with a fall crop of a different variety.
eggplant coming up
2 of my 7 okra plants
I started these guys recently as some of the few vegetable plants that are supposed to really thrive in the hottest days of summer, so I’m excited to see what will happen.
22nd June, 2010 - Posted by carsi - No Comments
Check out this Austinist post about how City Council will vote on Thursday to consider funding research by UT and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on vegetated rooftops. This will be the first study that looks into the impact of green rooftops in a central Texas climate. Green rooftops can be cooling for a building and can clean water. Mark Simmons, a researcher at the Wildflower Center, told News 8 Austin that “Globally, there is so little research done in warm weather systems. We’ve attracted a lot of attention from around the world just because we’re looking at green roofs in hot climates.”
15th June, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
One of the great things about gardening in Texas is the long growing season. If you’re interested in trying to grow some tomatoes for this fall, Renee Studebaker of the Statesman has some great tips from her gardening blog:
— Growing tomatoes in the fall can be a lot easier than growing them in the spring. Fewer bugs and more moderate temperatures. Set out transplants in late July so you can harvest before the first frost.
— Choose an area that gets plenty of sun. Keep in mind that the fall sun will be lower in the southern sky, so try to situate your plants so that they will still get about 6 hours of direct sun even in October.
— Give your seedlings a good start with a couple of big shovelfuls of good compost worked into the soil around the planting hole. (If you’re putting in a new garden, consider a layered-bed approach instead of tilling. For more details, visit my previous posts on tomatoes.)
— You will need to give your young plants a steady supply of water and a bit of afternoon shade to help them get established during the heat of late summer. Try to keep the soil evenly moist, but not soggy. A 30-40 percent shade cloth draped over the western side of your tomato cages or stakes will help keep the plants and the soil a little cooler. A couple of inches of mulch around each plant and a weekly spraying with a dilute seaweed solution will help too.
26th May, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
The Zilker Botanical Garden has a number in interesting summer events coming up, including a flower and vegetable show and sale, basic landscape design principles, and a seminar on rainwater harvesting.
This Saturday is a free seminar about becoming a garden detective. Here’s the description:
Saturday, May 29, 2010 10am-Noon. Just when you think you’ve done everything right by your plants, one of them starts to go downhill. One of the biggest challenges for gardeners is correctly diagnosing plant problems and finding effective, safe solutions. Is your plant dying because of an insect, environmental or disease problem? Join us to learn the causes of plant problems, the process for diagnosing plant problems, and preventive garden management techniques.
For the full schedule, check here.
24th May, 2010 - Posted by katherine - 2 Comments
I did! And I’m really excited about it!
Why is composting green? Because food scraps that are put in your garbage go to a landfill, and once at the landfill, those materials become part of a huge pile of waste that doesn’t get any oxygen, and thus those materials never break down. Because they never break down, the nutrients from those materials don’t ever go back into the ground. And if you put your food scraps down the garbage disposal, energy is used up by the disposal unit, water is used up to work with the garbage disposal, and the water utility company has to use more energy and water to clean that water. But by composting, you can keep all of those great nutrients for your own garden and avoid sending your food scraps to the landfill or down the sink!
On to my composting system – I had wanted a new compost system for awhile and got a really nice one for my recent birthday from my husband. Most people would not want a composter as a birthday present, but I have always been fascinated by watching things decompose. Since we have a house now I feel like it’s easier to become more involved in gardening and make longer term plans about my garden, such as how awesome the soil is going to be once I have some compost (3-4 months) to add to it. When we were renting an apartment or house, I did a little gardening but I just never got into it as much, in part because I didn’t want to have to move a lot of heavy pots and gardening equipment (like a composter) once we eventually moved.
My new composter has 2 separate compartments so you can start one batch of compost in one compartment, and then once that compartment is pretty well along you can start in the other compartment. The whole thing can also be spun, which is supposed to mix it pretty well (which helps things decompose faster) without needing to use a pitchfork.
I’ve had the composter set up for about a week and things are looking good. Here’s a pic of the leaves and yard waste and cardboard scraps I started off with: 
Since then I’ve been putting all of our non-meat and non-dairy food scraps in as well. The ratio of “dry” material (like leaves, grass, and cardboard) versus wet material (food scraps) is supposed to be about 60-40 or 70-30. The compost is supposed to have the consistency of a washcloth you’ve gotten wet and then rung out – it should be a little wet but not too much. (I learned these facts and more and the composting class I took with Carsi a few months ago. Now if you take those classes and agree to switch to a 30 gallon trash can (if you don’t have one already) you can get a $75 rebate on a composting system. Check here for more information on the city of Austin program. )
19th May, 2010 - Posted by katherine - 3 Comments
I’ve had some more moderate gardening success since my last gardening post – It’s been very exciting to watch the veggie plants I’ve grown from seed get bigger. Here are a few pics:
a beet plant
a not-as-successful beet plant
summer squash
another summer squash grown in different soil than the first one - you can see it's not growing as fast
lettuce!
Pepper plants and lettuce
tomato plant
close up of tomato flowers - I count 12 so far!
6th May, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
Last weekend I went to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center with my parents. If you’ve never been before, now is a great time to visit – there are tons of wildflowers in bloom and it’s not super hot outside yet. The Wildflower Center is off of Mopac, fairly far South, so it can be a bit of a drive if you live in North Austin, but it’s well worth the trip and a good group activity. Before last weekend, I had only been to the Wildflower Center in December, so it was very different to see it in April. Tickets are normally $8, ($7 for seniors, $5 for children 5-12, and free for children under 5) but when I went with my parents last Friday, it was free for some reason.
Here’s some pictures I took:
(a very informative display of common wildflowers in bloom now in Austin)
(A lot of the plants inside the courtyard area had descriptions, which was very helpful)
Some of the beautiful flowers growing naturally along the trails:
bluebonnets
more bluebonnets
Indian paintbrush (I think)
(not sure what this is)
winecup
some false foxglove
Before I took this trip I could only identify bluebonnets, so I think I learned a lot about native plants. And it was neat to see example of gardens that use native plants and therefore don’t need to be watered as much.
Also, the Wildflower Center has the following information about this event coming up, which might be fun for families:
Nature Night: Plant Conservation
Friday, May 21, 2010, 6-9PM
- Hit the trails of the Wildflower Center and learn about rare and endangered plant species in Texas. We will explore hard to find plants, what makes them rare and endangered, lead you on habitat hikes and share programs that help you make a difference! $1 admission for non-members.
So check out the Wildflower Center – it’s an Austin treasure!
21st April, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments
I’ve gone from this to this 
basil, cilantro, and onions – plants purchased from store
grape tomato plant from store
all plants
close up of planter my husband built – mostly plants started from seeds with the exception of onion plants
pepper plants from store
Squash plant started from seed
Onions from store and beets started from seed
Hopefully I’ll get some tomatoes and peppers in the next few weeks from the plants I purchased from the store. Some of the leaves on my squash and tomato plants look a little yellow so I may be watering them too much – check back to see if I kill them all accidentally!!
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