Based on the statistical reports and the number and types of questions I get in response to my columns and my Gardening South Texas Radio Show every Saturday and Sunday noon on KLUP, it is evident that many new families are moving to San Antonio, who have an interest in gardening. It is also evident that many of the gardeners who asked questions learned their gardening in areas with different weather, soils, and plants.
I will continue to answer individual questions, but I would like to make the new gardeners aware of some other educational resources as well.
The Gardening Volunteers of South Texas will begin theirs WaterSaver Landscape Design School The presentations will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from May 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th, 24th and 26th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Each of the classes includes a talk and 30 minutes of questions and answers with the audience.
The courses will cover topics such as soil preparation, irrigation, mulching, landscaping, hardscape, local water restrictions, pest control and container gardening.
There is a $ 30 registration fee for the courses and four publications: SAWS Landscape Care Guide, AgriLife Plant List from Grow Green City of Austin, San Antonio 100 Best Garden Style Plants, and the GVST Landscape Design Handbook. It also includes a unique no-touch consultation session with a knowledgeable GVST volunteer over the phone or via video after the volunteer visits your countryside.
I will be introducing the class on May 26th which will include plants for 12 months of color, water efficiency, butterfly gardening and also growing vegetables. I will also tell you where we are on our landscape plants reacting to the freezing in February.
Participation in the WaterSaver Landscape Design School is limited to 50 people. So act quickly.
To register and get more information, go to gardeningvolunteers.org.
Plantanswers.com is a Jerry Parsons website that archives my articles and has an active question-and-answer section. It’s a particularly good resource from AgriLife Extension experts like Greg Grant and Larry Stein.
The San Antonio Water System has good landscape information on its website. GardenStyleSA.com . Better still, sign up to receive the weekly email newsletter. It provides new garden information every week and shows how much water your lawn needs to thrive based on last week’s weather.
The newsletter is free and you don’t have to be a SAWS customer to receive one every week.
Calvin Finch is a retired horticulturalist from Texas A&M. Calvinrfinch@gmail.com
Transplant zinnias, begonias, cosmos, vinca, and pentas to replace snapdragons and other annuals in cool weather once the warm weather is in. Zinnias and cosmos can be grown from seeds if transplants are not available.
It is believed that viburnum, sago palms, and xylosma, which have not shown new growth as yet, will not. Replace them with new sagos and hollies.
If you continue to have problems with gourd borers in your summer squash, try replacing it with calabacita (Mexican squash). They taste the same and are good for recipes and don’t seem prone to the gourd borers.
It is likely that unripe peaches will fall from the early blooming peach trees like Florida King and Texstar because they were damaged by the frost on Halloween week last year. Later flowers should lose less fruit.
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