January 19 , 2012
Soil drought recovery|tree decay|how low can it go?
Troublesome Central Texas weather does have its top ! Most winters , seasons converge with greenery and flush , even as sleeping perennials take a break .
former bird Paperwhite narcissus starts the bulb parade .
Bees raced from one flower to another .
Then they checked out The Fairy rose , but slue off when they snoop me as an evil stalker . Normally pink in color , this early scout promptly change by reversal lily-white in the brief heat wave .
Even though we ’re in remission from last year ’s torture , we ’re in recovery mode . Our grunge is still damage , and until we restore its vim , our plant will struggle when we point into the next tough round coming before long .
This week , Tom and George AltgeltfromGeo Growersexplain what we want to do in good order now to restore our drought - damage soil and how to do it .
For days , George has mentored me ( and us all ! ) on grunge biological science . It ’s the key to winner , whatever soil you have . As he explains this calendar week , it ’s essential to nourish our soil horizons with compost , aeration and “ fuel ” like granular molasses or other microbic activators .
To keep soil horizon intact , George does n’t recommend tilling . He note , “ The top 4 - in layer includes thing that provide intellectual nourishment and nutrition for bird feeder roots . The further you go down , the more it switch into things that are holding wet and providing a backup of mineral . ”
Really , I ’ve come across the difference that alittle clip with a spading fork can doin make holes and top with compost . labor your spade mildly around bottom and plants to loosen things up , then top with some compost . In compacted areas , you ’ll point out the difference really fast . In beds , you ’ll also see plants perk up when melody and nutrients get to their roots .
After two winters of exceptionally hard halt , we ’ve all paid more attending to “ how low-down can it go ? ”
This week , Daphne explains what “ settle intrepid ” substance . Does the plant tag information on insensate hardiness refer to the soil or air temperature?She notes:“if a flora is name as “ sturdy ” to a sure temperature , it is likely to be killed if temperatures drop below that number . To protect your repeated and root dauntless plants in the wintertime , be sure to mulch very well before the first freeze , pile the mulch up much higher around the root zona than you normally might . ”
Daphne explains the relationship to air temperature . “In December when I had two nights in a row in the mid 20 ’s at my sign , I measured the temperature of the soil , and it was only 40 level . Because the air is frigid than the soil , many temperate geographical zone plants have develop the strategy of dropping their bid leave , or even sacrificing their entire body , to scrunch down into the stain , where it ’s comparatively warmer . Plants that have this scheme are called perennial if they ’re comparatively herbaceous , like our native echinaceas and gazanias , and root hardy if they ’re woody , like lantana and esperanza . ” Microclimates and how long the plant ’s been in the ground can also affect “ how low can it go . ”
Yikes , how many of us have operate into this ?
Or this ?
This hebdomad , Arbor Vitae Tree Care Certified Arborist Guy LeBlancanalyzes Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree radioactive decay fungus and what it means . Hypoxylon is one that we ’re seeing more often in drought condition .
Now , here ’s a happy story for youabout Christmas poinsettias , thanks to Jay Musfeldt in Leander .
Every year spectator postulate , “ Can I plant my poinsettia in the ground?”Get Daphne ’s answerand how Jay find the sorcerous blot in his garden for a reappearance carrying out a year afterward .
On tour , we recap a visitto Sue Ford ’s former garden in Fredericksburg . She anddesigner Patrick Kirwintook a moral from the past with waterwise industrial plant and no lawn in a cottage garden setting that reflects the menage ’s historical roots . passe rosiness join succulent , naturalize bulb and wildlife food in every season .
See you next week ! Linda
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