Onions Are Here!

By Jannie Vaught At LLano Feed and Supply, onion starts have arrived, The varieties are 1015Y, Yellow Granex, Texas Legend, Sweet Red, White Granex, and White Bermuda. Josh Rhode called to let us know and Hopefully, Leeks will arrive with the next shipment. I have covered the 1015Y in previous columns, Let’s look at the others. The Yellow Granex was developed in Carrizo Texas by … Continue reading Onions Are Here!

The Whole Picture Of The Garden

By Jannie Vaught Our gardens are beginning to shape up! Our potatoes have been hilled for the first time, Compost and Phosphorus and Tomato Tone along with some Calcium Nitrate granules all measured and mixed into the compost, wheelbarrow going down the rows and placed at each plant and a handful between for the growing roots to find. All this done or still in process. … Continue reading The Whole Picture Of The Garden

The Mid-Shoulder Season

By Jannie Vaught, Planting in mid -season or shoulder season, generally there are 2 garden seasons, but if your are a gardener in a warmer climate with less frost or deep freezing the shoulder or mid-season are very productive. We have annual and perennial plants in our gardens. And many of the annuals are actually perennial, meaning they will grow year round for m zone … Continue reading The Mid-Shoulder Season

July In The Garden

  By; Jannie Vaught Well here we are almost at the end of a hot July!  What to do in the garden? Sow seeds: Amaranth, Black eye peas, Corn, Cucumbers, New Zealand spinach, Okra, Pumpkin, Squash (winter and summer). Fruit: Cantaloupe and Watermelon. Herbs: Anise, Basil, Bay Laurel, Catnip, Cumin, Horehound, Lavender, Oregano, Perilla, Rosemary, Sage, Santolina, Savory, Sorrel, Tansy, Tarragon, Thyme, Transplant: Eggplant, Peppers, … Continue reading July In The Garden

The Topic For Today Is Kitchen Gardens

By Jannie Vaught Marion-Webster definition, a garden in which plants (such as vegetables or herbs) for use in the kitchen are cultivated. Location is an important subject. It is close to the kitchen door.  Some who like to figure measurements say 25 steps away. Or you walk past if from the car to the door. Or off the patio where you can gather and enjoy … Continue reading The Topic For Today Is Kitchen Gardens

Butterflies Need More Than Flowers And Nectar

  By Jannie Vaught Let’s dive a little deeper on this subject. Habitat, his can be a wooded country site or an urban car park. This is determined by the food plant of the caterpillar and the nectar source of the butterfly. Some butterflies are happy with several food sources habitat and breeding areas while some are fussier and require very specific places and plants. … Continue reading Butterflies Need More Than Flowers And Nectar

The Uninspired Garden

By Jannie Vaught Just when your garden is struggling and your enthusiasm is at an all-time low, something or someone steps into your path and shares with you something that sets that spark a light. This happened this Saturday at our LLano farmers market. Elizabeth Mcmahon “Beth” horticulture county extension agent for Gilespie county, regularly comes to Llano farmers market and has her lovely produce … Continue reading The Uninspired Garden

The Weird List Of Summer Special And Unusual Problems

By Jannie Vaught This time of the gardening season always presents some very special and unusual problems and things that make me go huum? Here is a few. Tassel-ear corn, vine borers, no cucumbers and fire ants in the tomatoes. Let’s tackle these with a fine clear mind of interest. The weirdest on this list is tassel-ear corn. This seems to be very popular this … Continue reading The Weird List Of Summer Special And Unusual Problems

Rain! A Respite From The Searing Heat

By: Jannie Vaught For this Gardner, it is a big Thank You! The heat did cause some heat issues and with consistent and deep watering most of the garden is still in production, although slowed down or gone off the rails with ripening. I got plums galore and my later ripening peaches have slowed a bit. The blackberries for me are recovering from a full-on … Continue reading Rain! A Respite From The Searing Heat

The Days Of Spring Are filled With Work and Wonder

By Jannie Vaugh Wonder and beauty for all the flowers and garden plants breaking into the sun and the next wonder. I wonder what the wacky weather is going to do now! First, let’s take a look at the Native flowers and grasses that are blooming. For a good reference online go to uswildflowers.com Texas. And Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Although we are Bluebonnet focused … Continue reading The Days Of Spring Are filled With Work and Wonder

Spring Has Sprung With the Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush, and Yellow Asters

  By Jannie Vaugh We have been waiting for this day. Also arriving are the sneaky garden bugs. Have a look at the underside of your cabbage and mustard leaves for aphids or the dreaded stinkbug! Get the soap and water in the sprayer ready. It could be another buggy year. I have been told that Rescue stinkbug traps are worth trying and are just … Continue reading Spring Has Sprung With the Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush, and Yellow Asters

After The Storms

By: Jannie Vaught After all the rain storms, flooding loss and grief, the clean up continues. Now the beautiful abundance has turned into a problem. After moving, weed whacking, pulling weeds, and hauling into a large pile of limbs there is still too much! So today I decided to focus on the raised beds. The grass was as high as an elephants eye and the grass … Continue reading After The Storms

Learning New Ways to Help Natives Plants To Thrive

  By: Jannie Vaught A few Saturdays ago in the afternoon I had the opportunity to sit in on the Highland Lakes Native Plant Society of Texas at the Marble Falls Library. The speaker was Hans Landel, Ph.D . Current Interim Invasive Species coordinator at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. First of all the group is fun and enthusiastic and really, “Into” invasive species. … Continue reading Learning New Ways to Help Natives Plants To Thrive