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Monthly Reflections on Life and Organic Gardening
by Stacey (Rosina) Newton
  Stacey
(Rosina) Newton is a graduate of the Texas A&M University (Aggieland)
Horticulture Department, class of 1984, and has been in the environmental/horticulture
field ever since. She learned everything she knows about organic gardening
while working at The Natural Gardener. She began her odyssey at The Natural
Gardener in 1997.
Her essays are a healthy blend of local gardening instruction, quotations
from the wise, horticultural lore, Central Texas history, and reflections
on how global issues are very much personal issues, too.
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The season of increasing light is upon us! We who live here in Texas
do not have much to complain about in the winter compared to, say, Buffalo,
New York where they have just received as of this writing 82.3 inches
of snow. That is almost seven feet of snow, folks! Yet even with our relatively
balmy winters, many of us still rejoice when, starting at the winter solstice,
we see the days getting longer. Perhaps we notice it being a little lighter
outside when we leave our workplace, or arrive home in the evening. It
seems like it is the "dead" of winter, but the light shows us that we
are on our way to spring.
[read more]
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There is a different scent to each season. I must confess that one of
the signs of winter for me is the smell of the central heat coming on
in the house for the first time, and Christmas is heralded in by the scent
of Scotch tape. (I am as much of a homebody as I am a green thumb). However,
I know I will be missing the cold, crisp, dry scent of the winter air
soon, because the lively, flowery, energetic scent of spring is in the
air. The changing of the seasons is like a new friend coming to visit
from out of town, displacing the old one who was here for a while. This
new friend is someone different, yet very familiar. Our memory of this
friend, Spring, has been only two-dimensional, but when she finally arrives,
we remember her personality full-force, her energy infusing our lungs
and our personality with new energy. Let's hope she stays for a very long
while, as she did last year, before Summer bullies her out of town again.
[read more]
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Now we are entering the marvelous season of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Last month I talked about the scent of the season and the unique smells
of our Central Texas region. Now we are ushering in the delicious scents
of fresh peaches, tomatoes, and cantaloupes. Oh, sure, thanks to industrial,
global agriculture, our grocery stores may have had these fruits available
all winter. However, a peach or a tomato that has spent days or weeks
of its semi-ripe adult life in transit from some distant sunny clime cannot
hold a candle to a Texas peach, at least not to a Texas eater. Better
yet, what about the fruit that we can pick, sun-warmed and fully ripened
from an even closer location our own backyard? That is heaven.
[read more]
Aaaahh! THIS is why we live in Texas! While our more northern neighbors
are still shoveling snow, bless their hearts, we are sleeveless, outside,
perhaps getting our first sunburn, admiring daffodils and smelling the
blossoms of plums, peaches, winter honeysuckle and the like. By the time
you read this, we may be experiencing an ice storm ourselves, but to have
those days - even in February - where the temperatures reach the 70's
is enough to give us bragging rights. Never mind that those same friends
in Michigan or New York will be calling us in July and August to return
the favor...
[read more]
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Welcome to April in Texas! Old-timers don't need this reminder, but if
you happen to be new here, savor every morsel of this month and perhaps
part of May, because June, July, and August may be pure survival. April,
however, can be delicious. April is wildflowers, (hopefully) moderate
temperatures, and (hopefully) ample rainfall balanced with delectable
sunshine. This is the perfect month for us to be romping on God's green
earth doing all those activities we enjoy in the out-of-doors: kite-flying,
frisbeeing, soccer, rugby, golf, hiking, or simply laying about on a small
expanse of lawn. This is when we go without air conditioning in our homes
for as long as possible. We throw open those windows and let the fresh,
oxygenated air in-doors. We get to know the smell of real air (as much
as one can in the city, anyway): not heated air, not air conditioned air,
not air that is permeated with the subtle scents of sheetrock, paint,
carpet fumes, and last night's cooking. We can hear the birds, the crickets,
and perhaps if we are lucky, the toads, if we leave our windows open.
[read more]
Did you spend March waiting for a break in the rain, or waiting for the
soil to dry out a bit, so that you could plant those luscious plants you
found at your favorite nursery? Many of us who endured last summer's severe
drought (and the summer before, and...) don't really want to complain
about the rain. However, here's hoping that April will retain some lower
springtime temperatures, while allowing us some sunshine to work in the
garden or landscape. Many folks may not even realize that it is best not
to work the soil when it is wet. Digging in wet soil can ruin soil texture
for years. The shovel or other digging tool forces soil particles together
into solid clumps, destroying that "chocolate cake" texture for which
we are striving.
[read more]
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Last year in April, it was rainy and 50 degrees. This year in April,
we were breaking records with 90-something-degree days, and when a "cool
front" brought in 85 degrees here in early May, we were relieved. Welcome
to Texas in spring! We are only in an illusion if we think that we, mere
humans, are in control here, with our air conditioning and our flat, weed-free
sidewalks and highways, and hedges pruned into circus animal shapes.
[read more]
What a nice, slow, unusually cool progression into spring we have had!
As one gardener reported, there is never a normal season around here;
each year brings a different sequence of weather with a different set
of benefits and problems. By the time you read this, you may be asking
"Cool? What cool?" and you may have forgotten the rain and the below-50-degree
temperatures we had in April.
[read more]
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It is no wonder that the weather is the quintessential topic of conversation.
Unlike religion or politics, we can hardly get into trouble discussing
weather. It is usually a rather benign subject. It is also a subject that
we all can talk about -- no matter our religion or politics, no matter
our background, race, gender, or age. It is good to find topics that we
all have in common. We are all subject to weather's influence. The merciful,
refreshing rainfall, the blazing heat, the slippery ice storm, the tornado,
and the hurricane remind us that we are not fully in control here. We
all -- to a greater or lesser degree -- are at the mercy of Nature.
[read more]
June is the beginning of the season to simply putter in the yard, if
we do anything at all. There is no need to knock ourselves out doing strenuous
work that has little payoff in the heat anyway, risking heat exhaustion
or heat stroke to boot. (Now is a good time for us to learn about the
symptoms of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and avoid them by drinking
plenty of water and listening to our bodies). Puttering and planning are
the goals for the heat of the summer, along with watering, of course.
Mulching should be finished by now. To avoid all that time, energy, and
water wasted, why not also consider a drip irrigation system? The easiest
system would include soaker hoses, often made from recycled tires, and
hooked up to a regular water faucet. A helpful addition is a water timer,
or at the very least, we can use that kitchen timer to avoid flooding
our garden and wasting water.
[read more]
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What does a gardener do when summer hits in the Sunbelt? What could possibly
be construed as a reasonable landscaping activity when the temperatures
edge towards the triple-digits? Of course this is no time to do strenuous
physical labor in the yard -- that should be reserved for the cooler months.
Well, when it is too hot to plant -- plan! Our prime planting season is
at least two months away, so why not take the opportunity in the summertime
to plan and design future planting projects?
[read more]
What should we do in the garden in July? July is to Texas gardening as
January is to gardening in, say, North Dakota or Maine. For those of you
who are new to the area, July and August are our fallow times. It is the
dormant season now time to plan, not to plant. This is the season
not to sit by the fire with seed catalogs dreaming of the thaw but to
sit by the fan reading books on permaculture, the biology of soil, and/or
landscape design, sipping lemonade or iced tea, and praying for rain.
[read more]
"Have you spent a summer here yet?" Newcomers to Texas will inevitably
get this question. The person asking will likely have a suspicious grin,
or even a superior, haughty look about them when they ask, as if they'd
climbed Mt. Everest, and you had not. ("Nya-nya nya-nya-nya.") While surviving
summers here is no Mt. Everest, it is still quite a challenge. It may
make us even more grateful for air conditioning. It may make us gain an
appreciation for those who pioneered before us and those who live even
nowadays without air conditioning. I have lived one summer here without
air conditioning in the house, and one summer without air conditioning
in my car, and I am here to say it is possible. ("Nya-nya nya-nya-nya!")
There are ways to acclimate.
[read more]
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In times like these, we need inspiration. Since the garden is almost
always an analogy for the broader picture of Life, we can often look to
the garden for the lessons of Life. In the midst of summer in the Sunbelt
-- when the tomatoes may have succumbed to a blight or stink bugs or spider
mites; when the landscape may be showing signs of "tapwater-itis"; when
the heat may addle our brain occasionally -- we need resources to help
us keep our peace of mind until the weather cools. August is no time to
be doing very much hard labor in the yard. This month, rather, we can
dip into our own personal treasure chest of creativity and find the gems
of wisdom there.
[read more]
What a surprise July was! After the torrential rains we received, our
landscapes began responding as if it were spring again. It seems like
just another meteorological reminder that we are not in complete control
here. However, now that we are back into what seems to be a normal, hot
summer, except for the extra moisture in the ground, it is still time
to let the landscape rest. Goodness knows we shouldn't be sweating and
grunting around the yard, with no body of water in sight, planting poor,
defenseless plants in 100-degree-plus weather! While there are a few veggie
seeds, like okra, corn, beans, and squash, which must be planted by the
end of the month, or else it's a no-go for the season, most everything
else would prefer to be planted in September or October.
[read more]
August. It is our last sure chance to go to the beach, to the Pedernales,
to Barton Springs, Hamilton Pool, or Krause Springs for cool relief from
the blazing heat. While September is likely to have some August-like temperatures,
this month is our sure-fire opportunity to get that Texas heat soaked
into the marrow of our bones, enough to last the whole winter. Let's grab
the sunscreen, the wide-brim hat, the drinking water, and go!
[read more]
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Everyone has their story. Each human being has a unique relationship
with nature, whether it seems to be -- on the surface -- one of avoidance
or worship or something in between. Upon closer inspection, however, we
all know we are totally dependent on our natural environment. Everyone
sings their daily praises of nature differently. For example, we all know
that we cannot live without the oxygen that is freely given to us from
the trees and the extensive green plants of the ocean. Some folks rejoice
in this fact directly, perhaps by verbally giving thanks for this air
we breathe, or doing a daily meditation focusing on the breath. Others
take a more active role, rejoicing in a vigorous swim or hike or 5K Fun
Run. Still others work diligently to protect legislation that ensures
clean air, clean oceans, or the preservation of rainforests.
[read more]
Our world is transforming. Miracles are happening. In the month ahead,
the oven that we call the out-of-doors will just barely begin to feel
more like a refrigerator. In mid-August we sometimes feel as though it
will never happen, but it does every year. These are cycles of change
that we can depend upon. We may not be able to predict or control exactly
how the transformation takes place, but we can be reasonably sure that
it takes place.
[read more]
The recent rains and drop in temperatures have made it look and feel
almost like spring outside. You might even be seeing some mushrooms popping
up after a rain. Mushrooms are not only one of the most interesting living
creatures, but also a sign of healthy life in the soil. September is the
month we can begin to work out in the garden again. In Texas, fall is
for planting. While our biological urges make us want to plant beaucoup
plant material in the spring, we just end up watching them struggle when
the summer hits. However, those perennials, shrubs, and trees that we
plant now have a relatively mild fall, winter, and spring to get their
little roots and tops acclimated before July and August arrive.
[read more]
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Sharon Truett has been an avid gardener for nine or ten years now. She
has been the nursery manager for three out of the four years that she
has been at The Natural Gardener. Her home garden is an exhibit of her
love of plants, and reflects her colorful, spirited personality. One Saturday
in September, Sharon presented a free class on the subject of "Fall Garden
Design" for the customers at The Natural Gardener. Since fall is the time
to plant here in Central Texas, the class was very timely. In fact, attendees
to the class and readers alike could take this information to create a
garden of their own this month. The focus of Sharon's presentation was
on achieving year-round interest: a design approach that makes a garden
dynamic and lush. When some plants only remain blooming or even visible
for part of the year, how do you minimize bald spots in the garden? Sharon
answered this question with her characteristic humor and candor.
[read more]
As much as possible, our homes should be a peaceful oasis. The peace
and comfort of home extends from our bedroom to the rest of our house,
outside into our yard, into our community, our country, and our world.
Within our sphere of influence, our home and our country can also reflect
our dedication to personal and human freedom. If we want a pink house
with a shrub pruned into the shape of an elephant, so be it. This is America.
Our homes are an outward expression of our personality, our values, and
our creativity, not another sphere of subjugation by those who would have
us all look and act the same. Living in the land of the free, we accept
the potential risk of living next door to the pink house with the elephant
shrub; we value and honor our freedom - and the next person's freedom
- that much.
[read more]
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Well, if this rain don't beat all! It is amazing how weather can toy
with us, and be so consistently surprising. The July and October (and
November?) rains of 2002 are now added to the Unusual Weather Pattern
Hall of Fame for Central Texas. If we add this to the long list of similarly
unusual weather patterns and occurrences across the country and the world,
we might scratch our head and wonder aloud, "Golly, I wonder if there
IS something to that there 'global warming' idea?" Hmmm.
[read more]
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Will it ever get cold? Will winter ever really arrive this year? Perhaps
by the time you read this, the warm season will have let go of its grasp
on us, allowing the dormant chill to take its rightful place. However,
as of this writing, one of our plum trees at The Natural Gardener is so
confused by the predominantly warm temperatures, it has begun producing
a few puzzled blooms. The miniature donkeys here, Chico and Kiko, have
started putting on their thicker, fuzzier coats for the winter. On these
80-something degree days we’ve been having, those poor guys must
be sweltering!
[read more]
Here in Texas, we do not have the snow banks, the months of endless gray
skies, the true season of hibernation that our northern neighbors do.
Listening to Garrison Keillor's radio program "A Prairie Home Companion"
about all the folks in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, we might gather that growing
up in starkly different climates can shape our personalities differently.
The climates certainly shape our ecosystems differently. While plants
in Minnesota have adapted to withstand the brutality of winter, our native
plants are custom-made to withstand the ravages of our summer. Nature's
complexity is truly awesome, the closer we look.
[read more]
So here we are in the twelfth month. It could be 70 degrees or 17 degrees
as you read this. But we have had our first frost, and those tender basil,
tomato, and zinnia plants of the summer have long ago withered and made
way for broccoli, greens and pansies. (There was a mournful spell there
in November after the first frost as our gardener Roger was cutting down
the tomatoes and peppers). Our holly of the season is the Yaupon (and
the deciduous Possumhaw), if the birds haven't eaten up her berries already.
Native wreaths and swags made of mustang or muscadine grape vines with
Yaupon holly, juniper, agarita, and other winter ornamentals tucked in
are quite beautiful, fragrant and fit in well in our Texas homes. It's
a natural progression to make seasonal decorations for the home out of
the native plants, since it is the right time to prune anyway, and it
is nice to bring a little of the outdoors in. 'Tis the season for candles,
too. Did you know that the early American settlers boiled the leaves and
fruits of our lovely Southern Wax Myrtle to get wax which they used to
make bayberry candles? This information comes from Plants for the South:
A Guide for Landscape Design by Neil Odenwald and James Turner. I
am not sure if this book is still in print, but it is a good reference
book for landscape plants and even houseplants.
[read more]
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©2004 The Natural Gardener and John Dromgoole
Phone: (512) 288-6113 | 8648 Old Bee Caves Road Austin, Texas 78735
USA
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8648
Old Bee Cave Road
