September
2003
"In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain
of sand there is the story of the earth."
-- Rachel Carson (1907 -- 1964) American biologist, environmentalist,
author
"One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a package
of garden seeds."
-- Dan Bennett
"Change is a measure of time and, in the autumn, time seems speeded
up. What was is not and never again will be; what is is change."
-- Edwin Way Teale (1899-1980) American naturalist, writer, photographer
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.
We know we cannot live without the fruits of nature which constitute
our gustatory sustenance. Ah, food! Some simply give thanks at mealtime.
Many people work in the millions of jobs that revolve around getting humans
fed, from the farmer and the migrant farm worker to the grocer to the
packaged food manufacturer and the restauranteur. Some delight in food
so much that they become chefs, or organic farming activists, or perhaps
restaurant critics. (What a great job -- getting paid to eat in a variety
of restaurants and write about it!)
We also know that life would be very different without the materials
-- from wood to plastic -- which make up the "things" we use from birth
to death. All of our waking and sleeping life, we are in an intimate relationship
with nature, sleeping on cotton sheets, typing on little plastic keys
which owe their existence to dinosaurs long dead, buried, and compressed
into oil reserves, and driving around in steel boxes whose original source
is the earth.
Just as our friends and family reflect the color and style of our human
relationships, our home landscape reflects our relationship with nature.
Just as our relationships change and evolve over time, so does our perspective
on nature. Our relationship with nature, like our relationships with people,
were first shaped directly from what we were taught in our original family.
As we grow and evolve, so do our relationships, thank goodness! What did
we learn about nature from our family? What do our gardens and landscape
say about us now? Do we control and manipulate the landscape so that it
more closely resembles man-made structures, or do we let it go wild? Are
our gardens somewhere in between, a balance of organized chaos, an explosion
of designed color, a cacophony of form, line, texture, and all of the
other principles of art?
Humans are such an interesting animal species. I would rather watch
a documentary on human behavior than animal behavior. I just love seeing
the myriad ways that we humans respond to our family training, our environment,
and our own inner motivation and genetic makeup. I could never be a solo
gardener or a farmer; I much prefer to work with nature AND people together.
So, reader, where does that leave us right now? Here we are, gardeners
and nature lovers in all stages of adoration and expertise, contemplating
the month of September. It is a divine month here in Texas. In the first
half, we still have enough heat to enjoy swimming and other summertime
activities. Sooner or later, however, we get that first hint of the cooler
season, the slight shift in the air that makes us stop and take notice.
How do we react to this change? It is not quite like the transformation
of Winter into Spring, where we seem to have a biological urge to burst
outside and start planting things. Some folks, myself included, feel a
sense of melancholy at the approaching autumn. However, autumn is the
more appropriate season to plant things here than spring. September and
October are the ideal months to plant trees, shrubs, hardy perennials,
and ground covers. As indicated in the "To Do" list, it is a delicious
month for starting a vegetable garden. Some of these vegetable plants,
depending on the weather and our persistence at protecting them, will
supply us with fresh produce throughout the winter. Likewise, the landscape
plants that we introduce in our yard now will have the fall, winter, and
spring to become established, three relatively mild seasons to settle
in before the severity of summer tests their survivability.
If you were wishing you had a stand of those lovely Bluebonnet blooms
last March or April, now is the time to plant their little rocky seeds.
September through mid-October is prime time for planting wildflower seeds.
A wildflower meadow can be incorporated into almost any landscape, just
so long as the chosen location receives full sun, and the proprietor is
willing to maintain the meadow throughout its evolution.
While planting wildflowers in the Hill Country is more like creating
a rock garden, planting a wildflower meadow in central or east Austin
is an act of habitat restoration. Central Texas contains the southernmost
edge of the once great Blackland Prairie. The Blackland Prairie was once
over twelve million acres. Now, we only have about 5,000 acres remaining
in its natural state, making this one of the most endangered ecosystems
in the world. When a home gardener thinks about creating a wildflower
meadow, he or she should think about grasses. A prairie ecosystem consists
of 50% - 80% grasses, with the remainder being those beautiful wildflowers
we know and love. To recreate this beautiful ecosystem in your landscape,
on the scale of a small garden or larger acreage, it is a good idea to
mimic these proportions.
A plethora of information on all native plant subjects can be found
through the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Their article entitled
Meadow Gardening is perfect for this project, and you may find their articles,
Large Scale Wildflower Planting or Planting Wildflowers Along Roadsides
helpful, also. To get a free copy of this article, go to their web site,
www.wildflower.org.
Go to "The Plants" tab, then "Clearinghouse Publications," then "Native
Plant Library." The articles are .pdf files. If you don't have access
to the internet, you may call the Clearinghouse at 512-292-4200, extension
152, or visit the Wildflower Center on a weekday. However, to get a printed
copy is not free; call first for details.
In the Meadow Gardening article, we discover why grasses are such an
important consideration when planning a wildflower meadow. The grasses
form the backbone of this system. "(Grasses) provide support and protection
for tall flowers; they fill in spaces around wildflowers otherwise occupied
by weeds; they add color and texture to the landscape; they prevent soil
erosion; and they provide food and cover for wildlife." According to the
Botanical Research Institute of Texas, "75 to 85% of the biomass (of a
grass plant) is below ground." This explains why grasses are so effective
at erosion control: their extensive root systems form a matrix that keeps
the soil in place. Some roots can extend to twenty feet! Even if you're
not considering a wildflower meadow, always include some native grasses
in your landscape, especially where there are erosion problems. They can
be quite ornamental and dynamic, all year long.
How does a home gardener incorporate a wildflower meadow into their
landscape? The first step is to choose the right location. Full sun is
a requirement for Bluebonnets and most wildflowers that we are familiar
with. If there are existing plants, weeds, or non-native grasses, these
must be eliminated first. The July issue of The Homesteader gives step-by-step
instructions on how to get rid of an area of lawn or weeds in preparation
for planting. If you don't have a copy of the July issue, check out the
article on the new Homesteader web site: www.austinhomesteader.com.
If you have access to neither of the above, call The Natural Gardener
for help. If you need to get rid of the lawn or weeds, start right now
in order to be finished in time to plant wildflower seeds. It may take
at least a month to get rid of the most stubborn weeds, such as Bermuda
grass or Johnson grass. Avoid the toxic herbicides. Using organic methods
are effective and preserve the life in the soil. Life in the soil is crucial
to life above the soil, including grasses, wildflowers, and us.
The next step is to choose the proper wildflower seeds or seed mix for
your location. The Native American Seed Company in Junction, Texas is
the best source for wildflower seeds and information. Their seeds can
be found in many good nurseries in town, including ours. (For more information
and guidance, visit their web site at www.seedsource.com.
You may also call them for information and/or a catalog at 1-800-728-4043).
Their seed mixes only contain accurate native species -- no fillers or
exotic species are added. For example, their "Comanche Mix" is designed
for Hill Country soils and contains the Bluebonnet, Huisache Daisy, Prairie
Verbena, Lazy Daisy, Indian Blanket, and Greenthread. Their "Native Texas
Mix" is good for the Blackland Prairie soils (the clay soils of central
and east Austin), and contains the Bluebonnet, Indian Blanket, Black-eyed
Susan, Prairie Coneflower, Clasping Coneflower, Lemon Mint (also known
as Horsemint), Mexican Hat, and Plains Coreopsis. They have other wildflower
mixes for the Blackland Prairie and the Hill Country, containing slightly
different blends, including one for part shade locations and one for wetland
areas. Be sure to know your area before choosing.
Once you have chosen your seeds and the soil is bare, the soil must
be prepared for seeding. Wildflowers are native, so they prefer the native
soil to any imported mix. However, if your native soil is highly compacted
or its health has been compromised by chemical fertilizers and weed killers,
you may want to add a thin layer (a half-inch or so) of good garden mix
or compost, and mix it in to a depth of no more than an inch. According
to the Native American Seed Company, "The least amount of soil disturbance
will have the most favorable results." The more deeply the soil is dug
or disturbed, the more dormant weed seeds are brought to the surface where
they can germinate. Rake away large clods or rocks, and smooth the surface.
Try to avoid compacting the soil by walking on it at this point. One design
idea which could help define the wildflower meadow and add a constant
supply of native grass seed is to plant a border of native grass plants
around the edge of the meadow. Fall is a good time to plant the grasses,
and you will get the instant benefit of erosion control from the grasses
surrounding the wildflower meadow. Be sure to space the grass plants the
proper distance apart, according to their mature size.
Now you're ready to plant wildflower seed! Be sure to use the recommended
amount of seed for your square footage. The goal is to make sure each
seed has good contact with the soil. Native American Seed recommends spreading
the seed by hand for smaller areas, like "feeding the chickens." For larger
areas, you could use a broadcast spreader. To make distribution easier
and more even, you could mix one part seed with four parts damp sand or
fine soil. Then, use half of the seed, spreading it evenly as you walk
in one direction over your entire wildflower seed bed (for example, north
to south). Then spread the other half of the seed walking in the other
direction (east to west). Most seeds are tiny and do not need to be buried.
Now the soil should be firmed lightly. The best thing to use to firm the
soil, if you have access to one, is a roller specifically made for this
purpose. Otherwise, tamp down the seedbed lightly by gently walking over
it, preferably with flat soled shoes that won't pick up the soil and seeds
as you walk along. You could also place a piece of plywood or a series
of 1"x 6" planks on top of the bed, walking on top of these to firm the
soil. After firming the soil, you may want to spread a very thin layer
of pine straw or clean hay (without weed seeds) on top. Remember, the
tender seedlings have to be able to emerge, and some prefer not to be
covered at all, so keep it more like a lacy coverage than a solid layer.
If the planting is on a slope, you should lay down some jute netting on
top of the seedbed instead to minimize erosion.
To irrigate or not to irrigate, that is the question. You may either
wait for rain, as true wildflowers must, or irrigate. If you begin to
irrigate, you must keep up with it until the seedlings are established.
Most wildflowers will sprout in the fall, within two weeks or so. They
will grow in the winter, getting established and maturing so that when
spring and summer come they are ready to bloom! Water lightly and frequently
to keep the top layer of soil moist. Once the first tender roots emerge,
they can easily die back if allowed to dry out. Hopefully, fall rains
will take care of much of the watering needs, but if not, you may have
to water lightly once a day or so, depending on your soil. Always feel
the soil first before watering; some clay soils can hold water a long
time. When the seedlings are about an inch tall, water more deeply and
less frequently.
As the wildflower plants develop, it may become necessary to carefully
and consistently pluck out any weeds before they get established. If we
don't get a good one-inch rain for two to three weeks in the winter, it
may be a good idea to irrigate lightly.
From the Native American Seed Company catalog: "Nature's plan goes on
with us and without us. Be patient. Those who plant a seed play an intimate
role in the experience of life. Connecting the miracle of a seed to the
forces of earth and sky brings immeasurable joy to one's heart."
After you enjoy your wildflower display in the spring and summer, don't
be too anxious to mow. Be sure to allow the wildflowers to go to seed
before mowing, so that next year's wildflowers are even more lush. Next
spring, also consider planting some native grass seed in any bare spots
between wildflowers to create that more authentic, self-sustaining wildflower
meadow. If you want four- to five-foot grasses in your wildflower prairie,
choose Native American Seed's "Prairie Starter Mix" in the spring. If
you prefer a shorter prairie, use a mixture of two-thirds buffalo grass
seed to one-third blue grama grass seed.
Wildflowers make beautiful flower arrangements, they keep us linked
to the natural heritage of Texas, and keep us connected to the seasons
and the ecology of our Central Texas home. If you have always wanted to
go wild, now is the time! Turn a corner of your yard into a wildflower
meadow and help recreate one of the most endangered ecosystems in North
America. Enjoy!
September
2002
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.
Change is afoot in the world of farming and gardening, as in the rest
of life. People are recognizing that the way we’ve been doing things
is not necessarily the best way. We are learning that there is so much
more complexity to Life than we thought before. A spoonful of that soil
beneath our feet is not just an inert substrate for plant roots to hold
onto. Healthy soil is teeming with life. Healthy soil is defined by the
interconnected relationships between minerals and gasses, bacteria and
humus, water and protozoa - all affecting the nature of plants present
and how they grow. What we do to this soil right here in one day may affect
Life for decades to come.
What if we have a gooey clay soil, and we want to grow vegetables? What
if we have two inches of soil, and we want to plant a tree to shade our
home? How do we amend our soil in a way that is the most beneficial to
all? When I first began learning about horticulture, the answer was “peat
moss.” It came in those neat, rectangular bales encased in plastic,
it hardly had any odor, and was relatively inexpensive. It took a while
to make it absorb water, but once it did, it was like a sponge. It was
organic; I didn’t have to worry about it being chemical-laden. When
I mixed the peat moss into my needy soil on a hot summer’s day, I
could think of those extensive peat bogs up in Canada, where it was cool
and moist.
The learning process is amazing, isn’t it? Come to find out, those
peat bogs are not that extensive, and the demand for peat moss is destroying
a habitat that is very slow to regenerate from over-harvesting. Not only
that, but to truck a product such as peat moss from Canada to Texas leaves
a trail of pollution in its wake, and requires a lot more fossil fuel
than, say, to transport bat guano from Bracken Cave here within Texas.
The more I learn, the more I refine my ways. (For more information on
bat guano and Bracken Cave, go to the Bat Conservation International web
site at www.batcon.org
or directly to an article by Sara Keleher on the subject at www.batcon.org/batsmag/v14n1-7.html.
You may also write to BCI at P.O. Box 162603, Austin, TX 78716, or call
(512) 327-9721).
What is the substitute for peat moss, when a gardener needs to dig a
new flower bed or vegetable garden? The answer is compost. Manure is magic.
Just ask any long-time organic gardener what are the top three ingredients
they couldn’t garden without, and I’ll bet one of the ingredients
is compost. Why? Like peat moss, compost adds water-holding capacity to
the soil. Similarly, it helps improve the tilth of any soil, sand or clay.
This is where any similarity stops, however. A high-quality compost adds
nutrients. Such a compost adds complexity to the soil as well. Unlike
peat moss, which is “dead,” compost adds beneficial microorganisms
and enzymes. When a lawn or garden has been on a diet of chemical fertilizers,
even for a short time, a good manure compost can bring it back to life.
Compost returns those enzymes and microorganisms to the soil which have
been killed by the use of the salt-based chemical fertilizers. Enzymes
and microorganisms are responsible for making nutrients available to the
plants - thus feeding the plants continuously in a self-sustaining, slow
release fashion.
Therefore, when planting a native tree or shrub this fall, the best
way to amend the soil is to mix in no more than 20 to 30 per cent compost
or compost-rich soil in with the backfill. Even if we have poor soil,
we should return 70 to 80 per cent of the original soil back into the
planting hole. Otherwise, if we plant the tree or shrub in a “bowl”
of great soil, when the roots finally reach the surrounding soil in a
year or two, they will start to circle as though they are in a pot. Eventually
growth and health of the plant will diminish, it will become topheavy,
and trees and shrubs can topple in a strong wind. It is best to get these
plants used to the soil they will be living in, with the help of just
a little compost.
On the other hand, if we are planting a vegetable garden or annual flower
bed, we can mix in up to 40 per cent compost into our existing soil, tilled
in to a depth of four to ten inches. These plants have shallower roots
and a shorter life, and appreciate a richer soil. A perennial flower bed,
especially one planted in natives and well-adapted plants, would tolerate
less compost, but would be served well by the addition of no more than
40 per cent compost, as well.
There is a distinction between plain old compost and high-quality compost.
Now that organic gardening is more popular, consumers may find all kinds
of compost vendors out there. Not all compost is created equal, however.
Quality in, quality out, and the opposite is true, as well. Compost can
be made out of just about anything, with little or no effort. If you have
ever cleaned out old food from a refrigerator, you can attest to this
fact. Compost can be made out of waste paper and Coca-cola or Orange Crush,
with shredded wood for bulk, in anaerobic piles that are allowed to sit
until they simply rot. Conversely, compost can be made from the manure
of lactating dairy cattle, rice hulls and other organic matter, in aerobic
piles which are turned and tested regularly for microbial content. As
the demand for better and more efficient organic products has increased,
the process of composting has been refined to a more exact science. For
example, we have discovered that applying a poorly-made compost may actually
increase the presence of disease in the garden, whereas a properly made
compost can actually be used to fight disease.
Let us not be intimidated by the professional science of composting
when it comes to our own compost at home, however. By following some basic
guidelines and avoiding the addition of any obviously diseased plant material
to our compost pile, we can be very successful at not only reducing our
contribution to the waste stream, but in producing quality organic matter
to add to our landscape and garden. Two books which can enlighten us to
the home science of decomposing matter are Let It Rot! by Stu Campbell
and The Rodale Book of Composting.
We’ve come a long way in our quest for the better organic garden.
Compost, and its offspring compost tea, was in the spotlight recently
as the subject of a National Public Radio story. Listen to the story of
compost tea-making and read the accompanying article on their web site,
www.npr.org, entitled “Talking Plants: Compost Tea.” (Therein,
you can also find a link to “Homemade Compost Tea Instructions”
from Organic Gardening magazine.)
In this article on the subject of compost tea, NPR’s gardening
expert Ketzel Levine defers to Dr. Elaine Ingham, a microbial ecologist
and president of Soil Foodweb Incorporated, “The lab measuring the
life in your soil.” Their fascinating web site, www.soilfoodweb.com,
contains information on “What is Healthy Soil?,” “Effects
of Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers,” and “Managing the
Soil Food Web,” among other subjects. From their web site, here is
a clear picture of just how important is the life under our feet:
The soil food web is a complex, interdependent, mutually beneficial
group of organisms ranging in size from bacteria to worms and beetles.
They develop good soil structure by sticking the little pieces of soil
(clay and silt) together and breaking down large clods. This makes possible
good movement of air and water, which are both vital to the health of
plants and the soil food web itself. While it seems contradictory, good
soil structure both allows water to drain from too wet soil and helps
soil to hold water when soils start to dry out.
When considering living organisms, it is true that "everything eats,
everything excretes, and everything is food for something". These soil
food web organisms feed on plant residues, breaking them down and capturing
the nutrients. They hold these nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, calcium, iron,
potassium, phosphorus, etc.) in their bodies, preventing their loss through
leaching, and make them available to plants when and where the plants
need them, in the form and amounts the plants need. Completing the cycle,
plants excrete materials from their roots which are additional food for
the soil organisms.
For more information on the soil food web under your feet, go to the
web site listed above, or contact Soil Foodweb, Inc. at 1128 NE 2nd St.,
Suite 120, Corvallis, OR 97330 (541) 752-5066 .
There is so much to learn about the life present all around us and under
our feet. As we step out into our world this month, planting a tree or
watching a sunset with a friend, here’s hoping we can now have a
greater appreciation for the life that we don’t even see. Wishing
all of you a peaceful autumn.
September
2001
"In the teaching and practice of good gardening the fact can never be
too persistently urged nor too trustfully accepted, that the best effects
are accomplished by the simplest means."
-- Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932)
"Change is a measure of time and, in the autumn, time seems speeded
up. What was is not and never again will be; what is is change."
-- Edwin Way Teale
As I write this, my copy is late, so that I may be one of only a few
writers in September's issue to speak to the tragedy of September 11th.
I cannot write without saying something; nothing is "business as usual"
now. Yet there are few words which could express our collective grief.
May readers forgive my brevity and personal sentiment in broaching this
tender subject. May Our Creator bless us All in our search for peace
and unity in our grief. Working with the earth and its beauty can be
a path of solace at any time. Right now, may we all find comfort in
such acts of nurturance and numinousness as gardening, and also speaking,
acting in kind words, deeds to our neighbors and loved ones.
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.
It is probably worth repeating all the little things one can do to get
plantings off to a good start. First, mix in 20 - 40% good manure compost
either with the backfill (as in planting a tree or shrub) or uniformly
throughout a flower and/or shrub bed. Use the lesser amount of compost
when planting native trees, shrubs and perennials, and more compost when
planting fruit trees, vegetables, annuals, and other non-natives. At the
same time you mix in the compost, mix in some greensand or Volcanite as
a mineral source. Right before putting the plant in, sprinkle some rock
phosphate or bone meal into the hole so that the roots will touch it directly,
unless your soil test shows high phosphorus already. Plant all plants
so that the soil level on the root ball is even with the existing soil
level. Water immediately and deeply, and follow with a chaser of rooting
hormone or better yet, seaweed solution, drenched into the rootball area.
(Never water a dry plant with anything but plain water, as even the mildest
solution could burn dry roots). Thereafter it is helpful to spray the
leaves of new plantings (and established plantings) weekly with seaweed
solution, early morning or late evening only.
What are those products for? The rock phosphate or bone meal provides
the nutrient that the roots need to get established right away - phosphorus.
The seaweed provides a rooting hormone to stimulate rooting from a different
angle. The reason why I would choose seaweed over plain rooting hormone,
such as the hormone-like vitamin B-1, is that it is so versatile. Seaweed
has been used since ancient times to give plants a wide range of hormones
and trace minerals. My friend Margaret is from an Irish background, and
passes on the story of how her ancestors would navigate rough waters in
tiny wooden boats to gather seaweed for their crops. Fortunately the seaweed
is now available in water-soluble form, and plants receiving a regular
feeding of it can withstand heat and cold better, and resist diseases
and pests better. It's kind of like an apple a day... For more in-depth
study on the subject, read Seaweed and Plant Growth by T. L. Senn,
Ph.D.
If you are lucky enough to have any space left in your yard in which
to plant trees, shrubs, or perennials this fall, where do you start? There
are so many good, well-adapted or native plants, how do you make a choice?
One way to bring focus and purpose into your yard is to landscape for
wildlife. Even in an urban setting, you can attract birds, hummingbirds,
butterflies, and other creatures worth having in your yard. Aside from
the obvious benefit of the beautiful presence of cardinals or ruby-throated
hummingbirds, there are other benefits to the gardener when more diverse
life is present. Birds, even hummingbirds sometimes, feed on insects and
often keep pest numbers in check. In their book, Texas Wildscapes:
Gardening for Wildlife, authors Noreen Damude and Kelly Conrad Bender
explain many other benefits of what they call "wildscaping."
"There are educational, environmental, economic, and aesthetic benefits
to creating backyard habitat to attract wildlife. …By maintaining
a healthy wildlife habitat, we create healthier living for people. Plants
in richly vegetated open spaces in urban and suburban (and rural! ? S.N.)
areas absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, thus renewing our air
supply. Plant foliage captures dust and other pollutants…. Vegetated
areas aid in erosion control and the conservation of soils. …A diverse
landscape containing many species of native plants not only supports an
abundance of wildlife, it also is less prone to large-scale devastation
from insect pests or diseases. …The economic benefits of creating
a backyard habitat are also significant. Maintaining expansive manicured
lawns, clipped hedges, and water-guzzling exotic plants can be many times
more expensive than caring for native vegetation. Once established, native
plant species require only minimal attention from the home gardener. This
translates into a reduction of extensive soil amendments, less watering,
and a reduced need for chemical pest control, chemical fertilizers, and
pampering. Not only that, properly placed trees and shrubs can save home
heating and cooling costs. Planted on the west or southwest side of a
home, large deciduous shade trees will shelter the home from the onslaught
of the hot summer sun. In the winter, the trees lose their leaves and
allow the sun's rays to warm the house."
Damude and Bender's book, published by Texas Parks and Wildlife Press,
contains an extensively researched body of information on wildlife gardening
for Texans. It is a rich resource for designing a home garden, even if
you weren't focusing on wildlife. If you do want to focus on providing
habitat, by planting one plant, one corner, or one little butterfly garden,
the information is here. Unlike some national magazines or books, there
is no need here to "translate" the given information to the climate, soils,
and rainfall (or lack thereof) of our specific ecological region. Therefore,
this is somewhat of a book review, being that most of the information
herein can be found in the Wildscapes book.
Just like humans, wildlife need food, shelter, and water. (Fortunately
we don't have to attend to their clothing needs.) Water can be provided
by a simple birdbath, or an elaborate pond ecosystem. In this book you'll
find a step-by-step overview for designing and constructing a backyard
pond. If you are a handyman or mechanically-minded, these might be all
the instructions you need to successfully build a peaceful water feature
in your yard. The rest of us would get a very good idea of what to do,
with the help of a mechanically-inclined friend. "By providing fresh,
clean dependable water, you can attract a variety of bird life." Once
we begin to provide water for wildlife, we are taking on a new relationship
and a responsibility, like a pet. We must keep a consistent source of
water available - especially in the summer (when it dries out faster and
gets much more use) and winter (when we forget about it, or it becomes
frozen). Be sure to place the water source where it can be seen and enjoyed
from your home, and also where it is convenient for you to clean and refill,
of course. Butterflies, beneficial wasps, dragonflies and many other creatures
will visit your water source, as well. For butterflies it is helpful to
submerge a large rock or several rocks into the pond or bath so that these
and other tiny winged beauties have access to an area of very shallow
water.
Once water has been provided, move on to shelter. "By providing shelter,
you can be assured that wildlife will find the one component that will
most allow them to survive in your habitat: protection for themselves
and their offspring from the weather and predators." Damude and Bender
ask us to consider the following in our landscape for this purpose: shrubs,
brush piles, snags, nest boxes, loose stones, and fallen logs. Shrubs,
especially dense evergreens, provide hiding places and shelter for birds,
rabbits, and squirrels, as well as nesting places for birds. Because shrubs
can also be hiding places for predators, keep shrubs a safe distance from
other wildlife living spaces, such as bird baths and feeders. Brush piles
to some may seem unsightly. But when placed at some distance from the
home, and with perhaps an attractive vine-like Old Man's Beard or Clematis
drummondii growing over it, it can be a very beautiful and valuable shelter
for rabbits, lizards and birds. A snag is a dead tree left standing. A
neighbor of mine has discovered a beautiful way to allow a snag to remain.
He or she has carved images into the outer layers of the tree so as to
create a totem pole. It is a beautiful and creative landmark of our neighborhood.
Snags are an asset to wildlife by being both shelter and a food source.
Woodpeckers and chimney swifts, raccoons and bats have been known to nest
in dead trees. In turn, the insects, fungi, and microorganisms which live
by decomposing the tree become a feast for feathered, furred, or cold-blooded
critters.
Do not fear! The types of insects, fungi, and microorganisms which are
decomposers rarely, if ever, attack our precious garden plants, or us
for that matter! Nor should you believe any negative rumors about bats.
Bats are responsible, however, for consuming mass quantities of those
insects which are pests to us, especially mosquitoes. If all this critter
talk is starting to creep you out, I encourage you to get to know that
part of the population that you fear. Remember that only two percent of
the kerjillions of insect species are even pests to humans. An even smaller
percentage of those pests are harmful to us, and you probably know who
they are. Knowledge is power. Get to know your neighbors! They're not
all bad! Make it a regular part of your life to take a walk in the woods.
At the risk of repeating myself, we can learn a lot just by observing
the greatest landscape designers in the world: Mother and Father Nature.
Back to the mechanics of wildscaping, birdhouses provide obvious shelter
for our fine-feathered friends. There are almost as many different kinds
of birdhouses as there are birds. In our Wildscapes book, you will find
the exact dimensions required for building or purchasing birdhouses for
22 different species. Our hairless friends, the amphibians, will probably
thank us for leaving stepping stones uncemented and placing beautiful
rocks and fallen logs as landscape features. We may be graced by the sound
of a frog's croak or the sight of a scurrying lizard or a basking turtle.
We may not know it, but a frog or toad could be enjoying the cool moist
area she found underneath the stone or log.
The final consideration is how to provide a year-round supply of food
with your plant choices. Of course you can put out a bird feeder or a
hummingbird feeder, but for the best variety of bird and other wildlife
species in your new backyard habitat, adding the perfect plant material
is more natural and can be more rewarding. Who wants to get hummingbirds
hooked on the same type of junk food we're hooked on? (Sugar!?) Choose
native trees, shrubs, and vines that produce fruit, such as juniper, yaupon,
sumacs, and Virginia creeper. Know what plants to avoid, such as Wax Leaf
Ligustrum. Ligustrum berries, for example, are eaten by birds; their seeds
are dropped in wild habitats, where they become "exotic invasive" species.
Because they are not native, they can spread rapidly, crowd out natives,
and create a monoculture.
Of course, diversity is the name of the game when it comes to a healthy
habitat. Again, when planting for wildlife, and therefore diversity, take
another hint from Nature. Aim for several layers in the landscape. Start
with the tallest trees which form the uppermost canopy, such as oaks,
hackberries, and even the infamous Ashe juniper. Then plant understory
trees such as Mexican Plum, Carolina Buckthorn, and Texas or Mexican Redbud.
Intersperse within this copse a variety of shade-loving perennials such
as pigeon berry, columbine, and cardinal flower.
Butterfly gardens must be in the full sun. There are four distinct stages
in a butterfly's life cycle which must be taken into account if the garden
is to be wildly successful. The stages of egg, larva, chrysalis, and butterfly
can all be played out right before your watchful eyes if the garden is
planned right. The butterfly lays her eggs on or near the larval food
plants, which may be eaten to the ground when the caterpillars hatch out.
When they have eaten and grown and eaten until they're stuffed, the caterpillars
attach themselves someplace where they can hang out. It is at this stage
that the supernatural occurs. The caterpillar, within the shelter of the
chrysalis, rearranges its DNA to become a butterfly. Then, of course,
the butterfly seeks out his or her favorite flower to sip.
There is a good chart in this Wildscapes book spelling out which plants
to choose for which butterfly. If all you would like to do is focus on
butterfly gardening, a most beautiful and extensive resource is Geyata
Ajilvsgi's Butterfly Gardening for the South. Whether we want to plant
one wildlife plant or a complete wildlife-based landscape design, there
are more and more resources available to help us make wise choices. When
we begin to create wildlife habitat in our own backyards (and front yards!)
we are not only doing wildlife a favor, but ourselves and our neighbors
as well. As my fellow weekend nursery warrioress Merrin likes to say,
"There is no monoculture in nature." Creating diversity in our landscape
is sure to bring us a diversity of pleasure as we observe the cycles and
complexities of Nature.
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8648
Old Bee Cave Road
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.