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Chronicles from the Houston Area Garden

Starting in October 2009, our Garden Coordinator began sharing Garden Tips with us monthly.  Following are her chronicles in our Houston garden. 

Garden Tips... May 2011

As April comes to an end, we are hoping that we get some of the rain that continues to fall to the north.   This extended drought and heat has made us think more about how to conserve our energy and resources.  I am amazed at how many wild flowers continue to bloom, despite the lack of rain.  We saw abundant Coreopsis tinctoria  near Friendswood last weekend, and the Mexican hat and winecups are blooming as usual in our yard also.

 In order to conserve water in our gardens, we need to add compost so that the soil will be able to hold more water.  The added bonus is that our plants will get the added nutrients that they need.  Also, we should add two inches of mulch, which will conserve moisture, as well as adding organic matter as the mulch decomposes.

When planting herbs and vegetables this month, we are going to have to take extra care to get them established.  Some herbs to plant are: anise hyssop, basil, garlic chives, ginger, lemon verbena, lemon grass, Mexican mint marigold, Jamaica (roselle), patchouli, pineapple salvia, scented pelargoniums (need shade), and turmeric.  Warm-weather vegetables that can be planted now include:  cucumbers, eggplant, okra, Southern peas, peppers, sweet potatoes, long beans, lima beans, Malabar spinach, and tomatillos.

You may want to add some summer color in your garden, keeping in mind that you will have to be vigilant about watering and mulching.  The following list offers many choices:  ageratum, amaranth, angelonia, begonias, black-eyed Susans, bulbine, chrysanthemums, coneflowers, cosmos, cleome, coleus, crotons, cuphea, geraniums, globe amaranth, hibiscus, impatiens, lantana, marigolds, melampodium, pentas, periwinkles, plumbago, portulaca, purslane, rain lilies, salvias, scaevola, shrimp plants, society garlic, summer phlox, sunflowers, tithonia, torenia, verbena, and zinnias.

One good thing about the dry weather is that the silver plants seem to be doing well.  Lavenders are always a challenge in our heat and humidity.  However, we have had some success in the Fragrant Garden with Sweet Lavender (Lavandula heterophylla), Goodwin Creek Grey (Lavandula x ginginsii), French lavender (Lavandula dentata), and Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas).

If you are interested in a road trip to check out the lavender farms in Texas where you can cut your own lavender, visit texaslavenderassociation.org.  where you find out the bloom status at more than 25 lavender farms.  Also, you could choose to go to the Blanco Lavender Festival held June 10-12, 2011, or to Chappell Hill Lavender Festival which will take place August 13, 2011.

I was reminded the other day, while I was working in the Fragrant Garden, of how it serves as an oasis of peace, comfort, and pleasure for many people.  I spoke with several people who were waiting while their family members were undergoing surgery.  They seemed eager to learn about the herbs and enjoy some aromatherapy.  One lady who works at the Museum of Natural Science, told me that she is always excited to see what is new in the garden.  This experience reinforced my belief in the importance of the work that we continue to do in the garden.

I hope that you can get out in your garden and enjoy some aromatherapy this next month.

Garden Tips... April 2011

Spring arrived last week, but it surely felt like summer with temperatures in the 80's and high humidity that made it feel hotter.  We're harvesting dill, parsley, cilantro, and lettuce that is already bolting.  However, the warmer weather is good for the tomatoes that are blooming and setting fruit.  Also, warmer temperatures are helping the seedling basils that need to be divided and potted into four-inch pots.

In addition to planting basil seeds, you can consider planting anise hyssop, feverfew, and jamaica.  You can set out garlic chives, ginger and turmeric roots, basil plants, chamomile, horehound, hyssop, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemon grass, mint, oregano, patchouli, pineapple salvia, rosemary, sage, scented pelargoniums, sorrel, stevia, sweet marjoram, tansy, thyme, and winter savory.

Now is the time to begin adding colorful plants for your summer garden.  There are many warm-season flowers to choose from such as ageratum, amaranth, balsam, begonia, canna, celosia, cosmos, cleome, crinum, daylily, globe amaranth, hibiscus, impatiens, marigolds, nicotiana, pentas, periwinkles, perennial phlox, petunias, portulaca, purslane, Queen Ann's lace, rain lilies, salvias, sunflowers, tithonia, torenia, and verbena.  Don't forget about colorful foliage plants that love the heat such as coleus, crotons, and caladiums.

You might want to add some vertical color in your garden this year.  We have planted pink coral vine, black-eyed Susan vine, cypress vines, and climbing Gloriosa lily that return every year.  Hyacinth bean, morning glory, and moon vines that open their white flowers as it gets dark can also add interest to your summer garden.

Weeding has become a daily activity as we race to pull out as many as we can before they release seeds to become a bigger problem next year.  We need more mulch that will help make weeding easier and keep moisture in the soil during this extended dry period.

Another good thing to do this time of year is to look at your garden space and make note of things that you would like to do differently.  I have been taking photos of different areas and taking notes for next year.

April will bring the first ripe Sungold, Sweet Million, Sugary, and Matt's Wild cherry tomatoes, and I hope that we can get more of them than the opossum who haunts our backyard at night.  Hopefully, we'll also get enough April showers that will help our spring gardens flourish.

Garden Tips... March 2011

After experiencing two extreme cold blasts and working for hours in order to try to save as many plants as possible, we are glad that the threat of freezing temperatures may be coming to an end.  The last week of February has proved to be much warmer than normal, and so many of the cool weather vegetables such as arugula, Chinese broccoli, bok choy, and mustards are beginning to bolt.  Finally, the lettuces have started to grow, and we have bought tomato plants such as Early Girl, Celebrity, Sungold, Sugary, and Sweet Million with the usual high hopes that we may actually get to enjoy them this year.  However, with the fickle weather that we have experienced lately, we transplanted the tomatoes into gallon pots just in case of another cold blast.

As I have been working in the vegetable garden, I have noticed all the bees buzzing a mystery vegetable that has been growing at the edge of the garden all winter.  It has the yellow blossoms of the Cruciferous family that bees love.  Since I would like the bees to continue to visit and pollinate the warm season vegetables, and I would like to help the bees as well, I decided to read some more about bringing in the bees.

Herbs provide pollen, nectar and shelter for bees, and they love the tiny flowers of herbs such as rosemary, thyme, mints, basil, and lemon balm.  In order to bring more bees, you can edge your edible beds with anise hyssop, bee balm, borage, catnip, chamomile, cilantro, dill, fennel, feverfew, garlic chives, hyssop, horehound, lavender, marjoram, Mexican mint marigold, oregano, parsley, sage, and savory.

Flowers that you can add to your garden that bees will love are:  alyssum, asters, calendulas, cosmos, daisies, echinacea, single and signet marigolds, narcissus, stock, sunflowers, yarrow, and zinnias.  Other flowers that you can plant now include:  ageratum, butterfly weed, coneflowers, coreopsis, rimums, daylilies, geraniums, lantana, summer phlox, salvias, and verbena.

There are several other things that you can do in the garden this month.  You can plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and citrus such as lemons, satsumas, oranges and grapefruit.  When you are planting your tomatoes, add a French marigold and sweet basil plant nearby for every four tomatoes.  Also, you can continue to divide fall-blooming perennials.

I found a hint that may help you when you are planting basil seeds.  Coincidentally, Jacqui and Benée demonstrated this for us during their program on Herbal Seeds at the January meeting when we tasted different recipes.  When basil seeds are soaked in water, they become gelatinous.  Since this makes the seeds more visible, they can be spaced more efficiently when you are planting the seeds.  I plan to try this when I am planting more varieties of basil in the next week.

Hopefully, the coming weeks will be cool enough for spring to continue and for the sweet peas, poppies, larkspur, cornflowers, and delphiniums to have a long blooming period.  We also need cooler temperatures so that the new herbs that we plant in the Fragrant Garden in Hermann Park have time to settle in before Herb Day.  

When you are out in your garden, remember our friends, the bees, and try to do something to help them out so that they will be around to pollinate our vegetables and fruits in the future. The Mar/Apr 2011 issue of Texas Gardener has an article on 'Bee-Plus Herb Gardens.'

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips... February 2011

After cold and rainy gray days, there is nothing more rejuvenating than seeing color in the landscape.  A few days ago during a brief stop at the Houston Arboretum, we saw a red-berried Possumhaw holly tree in its full glory.  Earlier in the month between storms, we went to Rienzi to see blooming camelias, sweet olives, and deciduous magnolias with their swelling buds almost ready for spring. 

Seeing the magnolia buds reminded me that many seeds need to be planted in order to get a head start on the spring season.  Herb seeds that you can start now are: onion chives, cress, dill, fennel, parsley, and winter savory.  It is not too late to plant the following vegetable seeds:  arugula, beets, bok choy, chicory, endive, gailan (Chinese broccoli), kohlrabi, leaf lettuces, mache, mibuna, mizuna, mustard, nasturtium, quinoa, red radish, Swiss chard, tatsoi, and turnip (30 day).

You can set out plants of lemon balm, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic chive sets.  Also, you can plant broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, and multiplying onion sets.  If you want to take a chance on warmer temperatures, you can set out tomato plants after February 15.  Just be sure to have covers ready to throw on them if freezing temperatures return.  I have heard that some people were buying tomato plants in January and growing them up into larger sizes for transplanting later in February.

For added color in your garden in the next few months you can add transplants of alyssum, calendula, Chinese forget-me-nots, columbine, English daisy, delphinium,  Drummond phlox, Iceland poppies, nemesia, pansy, petunia, primrose, scabiosa, snapdragon, toadflax, viola, and verbena.

February is a good time to plant trees and shrubs since they are still dormant.  Also, it is time to prune trees and summer-blooming shrubs such as althea, butterfly bush, crape myrtle, hydrangea, vitex and modern hybrid roses.  Old-fashioned and shrub roses should be pruned lightly to shape.  Spring-blooming climbing roses should be pruned immediately after blooming by removing only dead or damaged canes and only one or two of the oldest canes in order to promote new growth.

I always like to plant wildflowers to add some variety and bring the butterflies to the garden.  You may be able to find some transplants of the following ones in your local nursery:  winecups, gaillardia, liatris, Gulf Coast penstemon, black-eyed Susans, pink scullcap, and salvias.  I have never grown Prairie phlox (phlox pilosa), but I have seen it in a garden in Bellaire.  I would love to trade some Gulf Coast penstemon for some of this phlox.  Another wildflower that I look forward to every year is the pink Horsemint, which has reseeded in our long front yard flowerbed.  The bluebonnets are up and growing in the flower bed and out in the grass on the corner, and hopefully are going to be helped along by all the recent rains after such a dry period last fall.

Before you know it, we'll be seeing more signs of spring in Houston.  In my neighborhood I always look for the early white-blooming plum trees.  In our yard we are already enjoying the Narcissus, and I look forward to the little white bell flowers of the Leucojum vernuum ("spring snowflake"), both of which we brought to our garden from my grandmother's garden over twenty years ago.  I also treasure the little yellow jonquils that a former neighbor shared years ago.  In order to see some more interesting early-blooming flowers and, hopefully, those beautiful magnolias in bloom, we need to go back to Rienzi in a few weeks.  That would be a great place to visit before or after a Valentine's Day lunch, don't you think?   

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips... January 2011

The temperatures of the past month from 82 degrees one day to 30 degrees the next day have been confusing to people and plants.  As I've been watching a monarch butterfly lay eggs on a milkweed outside for the last few minutes, I wonder if she's confused too.  However, the warmer temperatures allow time to get out and see what is growing and what needs to be done in the garden. 

In the herb garden this is a good time to plant seeds of chervil, cress, cilantro, and parsley.  Also, you can plant garlic chives, rosemary, sage, and thyme. 

Vegetables that can be planted now include:  arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chicory, collards, endive, kale, leeks, lettuce, mache, mizuna, mustard, mustard spinach, onions, peas (snow and sugar snap), potatoes, red radishes, tatsoi, and turnips.  You can sow seeds of peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant indoors in order to have them ready to set out in late February or early March.

 If you would like to add some flowers, the following would be good choices:  alyssum, calendula, dianthus, forget-me-nots, Drummond phlox, lobelia, nasturtiums, pansies, snapdragons, stock, toadflax, and violas.

Now through February is the time to get new shrubs, roses, and trees in the ground.  If you want to plant fruit trees, you might want to mark your calendar:

Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale

Saturday, January 15, from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m.  Note the new location at the University of Houston Robertson Stadium.

Good growing, good health, and peace to you in the coming new year!   

--- Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips... December 2010

This month we should be paying attention to the weather reports since we could be getting much colder weather.  Even though the temperatures are cooler, the north winds are drying and plants still need regular watering, especially if they are grown in containers.  If temperatures below 35 degrees are forecast, water well to protect all your plants.  Mulch to protect from cold and keep small weeds from growing larger.  We constantly search the neighborhood for bags of leaves (not pecan leaves) to add to the compost pile and for mulching.  Weeds love our mild winters and should be removed early to prevent problems later.  Also, resist the temptation to cut back hard when it is very cold because any new growth that is encouraged might be damaged by possible future freezes.

Set plants of calendula, delphinium, Iceland poppies, dianthus, daisy, pansy, viola, and violet. 

Herbs and vegetables that may be planted now include:  arugula, chives, chervil, garlic chives, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, Swiss chard, radishes, kale, cabbage, endive, lettuce, mustard, spinach, onion seeds, sets, and plants, shallots, leeks, garlic, snow peas, and sugar snap peas.

A good present to you and your family this season could be planting fruit trees.  You might consider pomegranate, pineapple guava or citrus.  We have planted Owari satsuma that are ready to eat in late November, Meyer lemon that are ripe now also, Meiwa kumquat, Mexican lime, and calamondin orange.  After many years of trying to grow apples, peaches, apricots, and pears, we have found that citrus is not as appealing to squirrels, and we get to enjoy the fruit instead.

When you are decorating for the holiday season, be sure to go out to the garden and cut fresh herbs to add to your wreath, or flower arrangements, and use the extra bounty to add fragrance and flavor to your holiday recipes.  Happy Herbal Holidays!   

Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips... November 2010

We welcome November with the hope of no more of the record heat and drought of October.  However, the prediction is for a warmer and dryer winter this year.  This should serve as a warning to us to be sure to water our gardens and containers consistently.  When dry cold fronts approach, be sure to water everything really well before the winds arrive and the temperatures drop.

As the thermometer dips to 50 degrees your basil plants will be declining, and you may want to fill the space with a salad garden for the winter.  Last year I loved saving money because I planted every few weeks and harvested organic lettuce until early April.  We like to grow leaf lettuces such as Salad Bowl, Black seeded Simpson, Oak Leaf, Green Ice, Mesclun lettuce blends, and a red and green Romaine type called Freckles.  We plant extra arugula, cilantro, Italian parsley, sorrel, and salad burnet.  Other salad herbs that would be good to add are cress, corn salad, and chervil.  Last year we planted a mesclun blend that included mizuna, a mild-flavored mustard.  Mibuna and spoon mustard or tatsoi are also mild-flavored mustards for winter salads.  Last winter I discovered tendergreens (also know as mustard spinach or Komatsuma) at the Urban Harvest Farmers' Market.  It also has a mild flavor, and we used it in stir-fry with bok choy and Chinese broccoli.  I found some seed at Southwest Fertilizer and plan to plant some soon.

This month you can plant the following herbs:  bay, borage, garlic chives, lemon balm, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme.  Also, you can plant cool season flowers such as alyssum, calendula, cornflower, dianthus, forget-me-not, nasturtiums, nigella, larkspur, lobelia, petunias, pansies, poppies, phlox, snapdragons, sweet peas, stock, verbena, violas, and violets.

Don't forget to use your leaves in your compost and for mulching your plants.  Use at least a 4- inch mulch to preserve moisture, moderate soil temperatures and reduce weed growth.

We're looking forward to November and the harvest of kumquats and satsumas that are slowly turning orange.  Hopefully, we'll enjoy a few more cold spells, and the leaves will add to the color and it will feel more like fall.

---Beth Murphy, Garden Chair

Garden Tips… October 2010

Last night we had a real treat - a harvest moon, the beginning of fall, and a prediction of a cold front for next week (maybe night temperatures in the low 60's).  This is encouraging since October is the ideal time to plant and cooler temperatures should help motivate us to get busy.

This month you can plant perennial herbs as well as cool weather annual herbs.  Perennial herbs such as bay, bee balm, lemon balm, lavender, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, salad burnet, sorrel, thyme, and winter savory will have enough time to establish roots with cooler temperatures and rains before freezing temperatures arrive.  This is the best time to put in garlic cloves, multiplying onion sets and leeks.  Remember to fertilize new plants with equal parts of fish emulsion, seaweed, and molasses a week or two after transplanting and repeat in 3-4 weeks.

Plant seeds of borage, chervil, caraway, cumin, chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, and parsley.  Parsley can be difficult to start from seed so you might try a hint that Madalene Hill used to suggest.  Put 3 seeds in each section of an ice cube tray, fill with water, and freeze.  Then plant the ice cube one inch deep and water in.

If you have room for vegetables there are many to consider planting now.  Some suggestions are:  arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, kale, lettuce, mustard, Swiss chard, radishes, sugar snap peas, snow peas, and turnips.

Don't forget to add cool season flowers as companions in your herb garden such as alyssum, cornflowers, forget-me-nots, nigella, larkspur, poppies, phlox, snapdragons, and stock.  Edible flowers are calendula, dianthus, daylilies, marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies, violas, and violets.  I like to grow heirloom bulbs such as lycoris, hardy red amaryllis, narcissus ('Campernelle' and 'Grand Primo'), snowflakes, and 'Fortune' daffodils.

I hope that these suggestions will inspire you to get out into the garden and make beautiful things happen that you will enjoy in the coming months.

Garden Tips… September 2010

I think that we can all agree that August has been miserable.  I watched every weather report after they started predicting that some dryer and cooler air was going to arrive this week.  Of course it didn't last long, but I went out each morning to feel that slight hint of cooler temperatures to come. 

When you are working in your garden, don't forget to harvest and dry flowers and herbs for the wreaths for Herb Fair.  I have been drying purple, pink, and orange globe amaranths to share with anyone who would like some for their wreath, so let me know if you would like to have some.  Also, we still need red-stemmed applemint, lemon verbena, lemon balm, and Mexican mint marigold for teas.

September is the time to divide perennials such as day lilies, iris and Shasta daisies.  These should be divided and reset every 2-4 years for good blooms. 

It is probably better to wait until the middle part of September to plant herbs and vegetables that prefer cooler weather.  Herbs that may be started from seeds are arugula, borage, cilantro, dill, fennel, and garlic chives.  Also, you can plant garlic cloves and horseradish roots.  Vegetable plants that can be set out are broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi.  You can start seeds of beets, mustard, lettuce, radish, turnips, and Swiss chard.

For added color in your fall garden, remember the yellow blossoms of Mexican mint marigold and Copper Canyon daisies.  These pair well with the purple blossoms of Salvia leucantha, asters, and chrysanthemums.

Calendulas and nasturtiums can be started from seeds, and cabbage, kale, leaf lettuce, spinach, and Swiss chard can be added as ornamentals in your flower garden.  If you want wild flowers, now is the time to plant the seeds.  Bluebonnets, Mexican hat, Drummond phlox, gaillardia, liatris, bluebells, lemon horsemint (Monarda citriodora), and plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) are a few that will add color to your garden and bring the butterflies.

Let's hope that a few more "cool fronts" bring us well-deserved cooler temperatures and dryer air so that we will be energized for work in the fall garden. 

---Beth Murphy,  Garden Chair

Garden Tips… July 2010

During the past month we have experienced above normal temperatures and a lack of rain.  It seemed as though no matter how much water was given to the container plants they still looked stressed, especially if they needed potting up into larger containers.  The plants that are in the ground and mulched were in much better shape.  Since the next two months are usually the hottest, we need to continue to mulch, water, and weed so that our plants have the best chances for survival until the temperatures go down a little.

In July you can continue to plant basil, garlic chives, rosemary, pole snap beans, long beans, lima beans, burpless/suyo cucumbers, okra, Southern peas, squash, and sweet potatoes.  Harvest basil for herbal vinegars, and red-stemmed applemint, lemon balm, lemon verbena, and Mexican mint marigold for herbal tea blends for the Herb Fair.

We have been enjoying the annual arrival of a multitude of butterflies and have been referring to our butterfly books in order to identify new ones.  We have noticed monarchs laying eggs on the butterfly weeds and black swallowtails laying on parsley, dill and fennel.  The giant swallowtails have been hovering around the citrus trees.  Even though we don't have a Passionflower vine, we have seen many gulf fritillaries.  In order to provide habitat for butterflies you can add the following plants to your garden: asters (Frikarti aster/autumn aster/Michaelmas daisy), buddleia, hummingbird bush, coral honeysuckle, gayfeather, gaillardias, lantana, Mexican mint marigold, purple coneflower, salvias, sunflowers, Turk's cap, trailing perennial verbenas, and zinnias.  Blue mist flower or eupatorium also provides nectar for butterflies, but it can become invasive so we grow it in a large pot.

The Fragrant Garden in Hermann Park is continuing to thrive despite the hot weather and small amounts of rainfall.  We need to continue to weed, trim the basils, and harvest herbs for teas.  Come and join us for the July Work Days in order to help keep the garden looking good throughout the summer.

---Beth Murphy, Garden Chair

Garden Tips… June 2010

As we approach the longest day of the year to welcome summer, we are seeing rewards of our hard work through the cold winter and the beautiful spring.  In our garden the beebalms are neon pink and red, the anise hyssops are light lavender, the oreganos are delicate pinks and white, and the lavenders are varied shades of purple.  When we went to check on the Fragrant Garden yesterday, I noticed the purple blooms of true hyssop, and the lavender blooms of the Russian Sage, the Goodwin Creek and Sweet lavenders that are blooming well in the Commercial Bed.  Soon the basils will be trying to bloom too, so we need to pinch them to encourage branching and harvest for the kitchen.

Since we have been experiencing hotter temperatures and no rain, watering slowly and deeply in the mornings and mulching remain priorities this month.  Continue to deadhead flowers for more blooms, and fertilize regularly.  Pull weeds and turn in organic matter to get ready for the fall garden.  Avoid trimming your herb plants too severely during periods of extreme heat.  Remember that when night temperatures don't go below 80 degrees, the plants don't get a chance to reduce respiration and rest.

We can continue planting herbs, but will have to be very diligent about watering, and checking for any signs of stress.  We usually shade the herbs or bedding plants with shade cloth stapled to four stakes to make a canopy for about a week until they get established in the heat.  Continue to check potted plants such as thymes, lavenders, rosemaries, sages, and mints to make sure that they are not root-bound and need re-potting.

Vegetables and herbs that can be planted from seeds this month are:  burpless/suyo cucumbers, okra, Southern peas, squash, long beans, lima beans, tomatillos, cantaloupe, watermelons, arugula, basil, garlic chives, and anise hyssop.  Eggplant, sweet potatoes, Cuban oregano, Mexican oregano, Flowers and foliage plants to add for summer color now are:  ageratum, amaranth, angelonia, balsam, begonias, black-eyed Susans, chrysanthemums, cleome, cockscomb, coleus, coral vine, cosmos, coreopsis, globe amaranth, hibiscus, impatiens, lantana, marigolds, moonflower vine, morning glory, nicotiana, pentas, periwinkles, plumbago, portulaca, purslane, summer phlox, sunflowers, tithonia, torenia, verbena, and zinnias.  

The next few months are definitely a challenge in the garden, but also we are enjoying freshly picked Sungold cherry tomatoes with basil and early fresh peaches from a friend.  I hope that you are enjoying the bounty of your garden in your kitchen.  Remember that after the longest day of summer, the cooler temperatures of fall are only several months away. 

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips…  May 2010

The beginning of May finds us outside earlier in order to beat the heat that is fast approaching.  We are trying to pot up all of the basil seedlings that germinated, move herbs into larger pots, and trim spent blooms off of the roses, sweet peas and the cornflowers in order to encourage more blooms.  We need to pull out lettuces that are going to seed and plant more basil and okra in the vegetable garden.

Other vegetables and herbs that can be planted now include long beans, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, sweet potatoes, arugula, anise hyssop, garlic chives, ginger, lemon verbena, lemon grass, jamaica, patchouli, pineapple salvia, rosemary, scented pelargoniums, sesame, and turmeric.

Flowers that can be planted for the summer garden are ageratum, amaranth, angelonia, begonias, black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, cosmos, cleome, geraniums, globe amaranth, hibiscus, impatiens, lantana, marigolds, melampodium, pentas, periwinkles, portulaca, purslane, salvias, scaevola, summer phlox, sunflowers, tithonia, torenia, verbena, and zinias.  Take care to move geraniums and scented pelargoniums into part shade or full shade if necessary during the hottest months.

This month is the best time to divide and reset chrysanthemums by planting new shoots as these make better plants than the old center roots.  I like to grow small-flowered pink daisy mums and yellow daisy mums near the oreganos in the back yard.  Also, I treasure the

'Country Girl' mum I received several years ago at the Herbal Forum and in October it was blooming beautifully in the Herb Gardens at Festival Hill.

Continue to add at least 2 inches of mulch to your garden in order to discourage weeds, conserve moisture and keep roots cooler.  Check potted plants frequently to make sure that they have not become root-bound because they can quickly become wilted and unhealthy.

Harvest seeds of coriander, dill, mustards, arugula, mizuna, poppy, and larkspur for planting next fall.

You will be happy that you have worked hard to get your garden into shape when June arrives with its much warmer temperatures.  By then we will be changing into summer gardening mode--gardening very early in the morning or late in the evening and seeking shade at every opportunity!!  So get out there, and start working to help you and your herbs beat the heat. 

---Beth Murphy Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips… April 2010

The beginning of spring this year has certainly been full of surprises in the garden.  We have the tallest purple bearded irises ever and some little white daffodils with an orange cup are blooming much better that in years past.  The bluebonnets on our corner are in full bloom, and we've started cutting the first bouquets of sweet peas.  However, we still have to protect some things.  We had to bring in the seed trays and the 8 flats of herbs that I brought home from the Herbal Forum because of the high winds and cold temperatures last weekend.  Today is the last Sunday in March, and we are anticipating low temperatures of 45 degrees tonight and tomorrow so we still have not planted any tomatoes or peppers in the ground.

This month the weeds will take over, and you will regret it if you don't pull them while they are small.   They will crowd your new plants and take away needed moisture and nutrients.  Put down dense mulch in order to smother weed seedlings and continue to fertilize cool-season annuals for more blooms.  Pay close attention to watering your plants since we are going to have higher temperatures and drying winds in the weeks to come.

Now is the time to plant herb seeds like anise hyssop, basil, cumin, fenugreek, feverfew, and jamaica (Hibiscus sabdariffa).  You can plant garlic chive sets and roots of ginger and turmeric.  Set out plants of basil, chamomile, horehound, hyssop, lemon verbena, lemon grass, mint, oregano, patchouli, pineapple salvia, rosemary, sage, scented pelargoniums, sorrel, stevia, sweet marjoram, tansy, and thyme.

You may want to add colorful warm-season flowers such as begonias, celosia, cosmos, globe amaranth, impatiens, mallow, marigolds, nicotiana (flowering tobacco), pentas, petunias, portulaca, purslane, sunflowers, tithonia, torenia, and verbena.

Native herbs and flowers are a great addition to our gardens for the beneficial insects, butterflies, and birds.  Some plants to consider are Hinkley's yellow columbine, red and yellow columbine, coreopsis, chili pequin, purple coneflower, and Monardas such as M. didyma (bee balm), M. fistulosa (wild bergamot), M. punctata (spotted bee balm), and M. citriadora (lemon mint).

There is nothing more enjoyable than to be out in the garden potting up seedlings or moving up plants into larger pots.  Sometimes we get additional treats never experienced before such as yesterday when we saw a group of whistling ducks flying low overhead.  I hope that everyone experiences some surprises of spring in the next month.

 ---Beth Murphy Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips… March 2010

We're still waiting for warmer temperatures to arrive, but I am not complaining as I watch the pictures of the record snowfall in the Northeast.  I am grateful for our Sweet Olive, which has been blooming for weeks throughout the freezing temperatures.  Pansies, violas, toadflax, calendulas, phlox, alyssum, narcissus, jonquils, and Iceland poppies continue to be beautiful, as well as the oreganos, thymes, rosemaries (in bloom), sages, and lavenders.

I have been reading about all the basils that we could plant in the Fragrant Garden soon.  There are so many to consider such as Red Rubin, Purple Petra, Genovese, Thai Siam Queen, Lemon Mrs. Burns, Greek Mini Yevani, Napoletano, Serrata, and Spicy Globe.  An interesting variety described as dark burgundy (almost black) is Amethyst Improved, which is available from Johnny's Selected Seeds.  Lemon Tabiz, Aussie Sweetie, Variegated Aussie Sweetie, Pistou, Purple Ruffles, Cinnamon, and Lime are some varieties from Nature's Herb Farm that were listed in the Houston Chronicle last June.  Last year we grew Perpetuo which has small light green leaves with creamy edges.  It was beautiful behind low-growing summer annuals.  At the other end of the bed we put an African Blue Basil, which was a bee magnet.

Although you should wait to plant basils until the temperatures get warmer, now you can continue to plant chives, horseradish, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon balm, and mint.  Also, you can set out lemon grass at the end of the month if it is warmer.  You may want to plant flowers such as coneflower, coreopsis, cosmos, daylilies, dianthus, geraniums, salvias, and verbena.  Citrus trees in bloom such as lemon, Satsuma, orange, and grapefruit are available now for planting.

We have much work to do in the Fragrant Garden in the next few months so I hope that the weather is good.  Hope to see you in the garden!

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips… February 2010

The warmer temperatures that we have experienced after the frigid cold earlier in the month have certainly been welcome hints of spring.  Even though the temperatures have not seemed that warm, the winds and lower humidity tend to dry out the soil.  We have had to water wilting potted plants and put the sprinkler on the beds.

This month it is important to plant herbs like chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage thyme, lemon balm, and mint.  You can set plants of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, leaf lettuces and onions.  You can still plant seeds like arugula, beets, carrots, leaf lettuces, Swiss chard, chicory (escarole), dill, endive, fennel, Chinese broccoli (gailan), garlic chives, mache, mibuna and mizuna.  Warm season annuals such as basil, anise hyssop, cockscomb, gomphrena, cosmos, marigold, portulaca, purslane, salvia, and verbena can be planted in flats or containers that can be moved and protected from temperatures below 50 degrees.

If you purchase small tomato or pepper plants, it is a good idea to move them into gallon-sized containers so that they can grow out in the sun during warm days and be moved in if colder temperatures arrive.  Other warm weather annuals could also benefit from being grown into larger sizes before going into the garden when the danger of frost is past.

Be sure to complete planting of fall-blooming perennials this month.  It is also helpful to mark the locations of perennials and bulbs that disappear for part of the year such as lycoris, oxblood lilies, leucojum (snow flakes), daffodils, and narcissus so that you will not destroy them by digging into the area or put a large potted plant over them.

Give yourself a Valentine by planting an antique rose.  You can prune your antique roses to shape the plant--any severe pruning is not necessary.  Prune spring-blooming climbers in May after they have bloomed by removing dead or damaged canes and one or two of the oldest canes in order to promote new growth.  When pruning it is a good idea to use alcohol or Lysol on your pruning shears in order to keep from spreading infections from plant to plant.

Remember that your cool season annuals need fertilizer every few weeks to keep on blooming well.  Add organic matter every time you plant and add 1-2 inches of mulch in order to retain moisture and keep down weeds.  Another old timer's advice to remember is to watch for the budding of pecan trees as this is most likely a sign that the danger of freezes is past and spring has arrived.  Happy Valentine's Day, and here's hoping that spring lingers for many weeks and that we don't jump from winter to summer!

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Water and Wait or… My Life with Phil

The winter of January 2010 reminded me of the last 2 really hard freezes in the Houston area. I remember the severe winters of 1983 and 1989. As a group we are all eager to get started repairing, refreshing and rearranging our gardens. But we keep hearing that we should not cut off dead brown material from our plants until the threat of freeze is over.

Madalene Hill used to say that many plants died during winter from lack of water rather than freezing weather. Just because things look brown on top, don’t forget to water at least once a week if we don’t have a significant amount of rain. You will be surprised at how many herbs and plants will pop up again from their roots once the weather warms. Patience is indeed a virtue, perhaps especially in gardening.

But how long must we wait? Well, that depends on the plant, tree or herb. You can do the fingernail test to see what’s still alive by scratching a bit off the stem or stalk to see if there is any green underneath. You can wait until shoots start appearing at ground level and if no more freezes are expected, clip back to new growth. Or you can just plain wait.

Kathy Huber, Donna Buchanan and I agree it’s safe to cut gingers back to the ground now. They will be easier to mulch if another freeze does comes our way and you can satisfy your urge to get rid of dead brown material. Gingers are sprouting back up right now in my garden.

An example of the benefits of waiting a long time comes to mind when I think of my first huge philodendron. I named him Phil, as in Phil O. Dendron. This was the early 70’s and I was surrounded by creative types while studying fine art at the University of Houston.  The name fit and Phil spent his early days with me in an art gallery on Fairview and then in another cooperative art gallery in downtown Houston. Phil could light up a room with his large cheerful leaves. Eventually he came home with me for good. Where is Phil now? He’s living in Bellaire, waiting to burst forth again.

In 1989 Phil was in a large redwood planter when I moved to a second floor apartment in the Heights. He was too big to come upstairs so I covered him snugly before the hard freeze, to no avail. I mourned leaving him outside to freeze, but I didn’t give up on him. It was May before he sprouted out again, much to my relief. You see, I had also struggled to protect him during Hurricane Alicia in 1983. After several “hurricane parties” which usually involved a blender and tequila, I realized Phil had to come inside. He was getting battered on the deck. It was quite the chore to move him in once the winds were howling outside, but we made it to safety. He was happy to stay inside until spring since it was bitterly cold just before Christmas 1983.

For those of you interested in connecting hurricanes to years of hard freezes, you may remember the following hurricane dates: Alicia: 8-18-83; Gilbert: 9-17-88 and Ike: 9-13-08. There does seem to be a pattern of unusually hard winters after these events. Please remember to water your gardens and be patient. Spring is just around the corner.

--- written by Susan Wood

 Garden Tips… January 2010

January brings thoughts of new beginnings, and that is certainly what most of us will be concerned with in our gardens after the hard freeze we experienced on December 4, 2009.  When I wrote last month that we should be paying attention to the weather reports, none of us realized how soon extreme cold would arrive. 

The loss of plants to the freeze brings possibilities for rethinking some spaces in beds or total redesign of the garden.  One way of organizing your plantings is by ethnic themes like the one that Lucinda Hudson designed at John Dromgoole's nursery, The Natural Gardener, in Austin about eight years ago.  Lucinda and John created a circular design with beds that feature herbs from around the world.  The outside circle has Mexican herbs, and the inside beds have herbs from Southeast Asia, Provence, the Mediterranean area, and one bed has lemon-lime herbs.  I have seen this garden in different seasons over the years and it is wonderful.

If you are beginning the new year by planting seeds, be sure to start with fresh seed-starting mix, and keep soil moist, but not soggy.  A good method to make sure that soil stays evenly moist is to plant seeds in moistened mix, and then put seed flats in clear plastic bags (like dry cleaning bags).  As soon as the seedlings begin to emerge, remove them from the bags.  Fertilize with a soluble plant food at the dilute rate.

This month you can plant seeds of the following herbs and vegetables:  arugula, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, chicory (escarole), chervil, cress, collard, endive, kale, lettuce, mustard, parsley, quinoa, red radish, peas (English, sugar snap, snow), tatsoi, and tender greens (mustard spinach).  If you want to start your own tomatoes and peppers from seed, now is the time to start them indoors.  I have used the Texas Gardener Magazine and Dr. Bob Randall's book, Year Round Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers for Metro Houston to gather much of this information.

You can set plants of rosemary, sage, thyme, leeks, garlic chives, multiplying onion bulbs, and horseradish roots.  If you need to divide and transplant fall-blooming perennials such as Mexican mint marigold or Salvia leucantha, do it this month in order to give them a chance to settle in before new growth in spring.

Mark your calendar for the Urban Harvest Fruit Tree sale on January 9, 8 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Rice University Football Stadium Concourse.  Visit the website, www.urbanharvest.org to find varieties for sale, description of each variety, and advice on how to plant and care for them.

A final note about new beginnings--Seed catalogues can provide much information and inspiration.  I can hardly wait to read the beautiful one from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (www.rareseeds.com) that arrived in the mail.  I hope that the new year will bring you good health and happy planting.

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips… December 2009

This month we should be paying attention to the weather reports since we could be getting much colder weather.  Even though the temperatures are cooler, the north winds are drying and plants still need regular watering, especially if they are grown in containers.  If temperatures below 35 degrees are forecast, water well to protect all your plants.  Mulch to protect from cold and keep small weeds from growing larger.  We constantly search the neighborhood for bags of leaves (not pecan leaves) to add to the compost pile and for mulching.  Weeds love our mild winters and should be removed early to prevent problems later.  Also, resist the temptation to cut back hard when it is very cold because any new growth that is encouraged might be damaged by possible future freezes.

A correction from last month about the larkspur and delphinium seeds--they should go into the freezer for 5 days to break dormancy.  Also, you can still plant seeds of calendula, cornflower, daisy, Drummond phlox, poppies, stock, and sweet peas.

Set plants of calendula, delphinium, Iceland poppies, dianthus, daisy, pansy, viola, and violet.

Herbs and vegetables that may be planted now include:  arugula. chives, chervil, garlic chives, parsley, rosemary. sage, thyme, Swiss chard, radishes, kale, cabbage, endive, lettuce, mustard, spinach, onion seeds, sets, and plants, shallots, leeks, garlic, snow peas, and sugar snap peas.

A good present to you and your family this season could be planting fruit trees.  You might consider pomegranate, pineapple guava or citrus.  We have planted Owari satsuma that are ready to eat in late November, Meyer lemon that are ripe now also, Meiwa kumquat, Mexican lime, and calamondin orange.  After many years of trying to grow apples, peaches, apricots, and pears, we have found that citrus is not as appealing to squirrels, and we get to enjoy the fruit instead.

When you are decorating for the holiday season, be sure to go out to the garden and cut fresh herbs to add to your wreath, or flower arrangements, and use the extra bounty to add fragrance and flavor to your holiday recipes.  Happy Herbal Holidays!  

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips… November 2009

As usual October has seemed to speed by, and I didn't plant as many seeds or plants as I would have liked.  However, now that the Herb Fair 2009 is behind us, we can focus on the garden in the cooler weather.

Start by getting all those herbs that you bought into larger pots or in a raised bed.  Don't forget to plant sage so you'll have plenty for turkey and dressing.  Continue to add dill, fennel, parsley, cilantro, borage and chives to your cool weather garden.  Remember to plant many wonderful greens from seed or transplants every few weeks such as arugula, lettuces, cabbage, bok choy, kale, Swiss chard, radicchio, endive, escarole and mustard.  Also you can plant beets and turnips for their baby greens.

We all need to grow more red-stemmed applemint since we needed more for the tea blends this year.  Take cuttings of your scented geraniums and pineapple salvia before the really cold weather comes.

This is the time to plant edible peas like snow peas and sugar snaps, as well as my favorite flower, sweet peas.  We plant them in a trench about 3-4 inches deep, and fill with soil as the plants grow.  You can plant any leftover seeds in peat pots so you can fill in the gaps for those seeds that don't come up.

Even though many sources say to begin planting larkspur, poppies, cornflowers, and nasturtiums in October, I usually don't get around to doing this until November because it is still too hot.  I've had trouble getting larkspur to sprout the last few years, and I was advised to put it in the refrigerator to chill before planting.

Finally, November is a good time to plant or transplant trees and shrubs.  Maybe you'd like to plant a bay tree, myrtle or some citrus in your garden.

Let us count our blessings, and be thankful for our families, dear friends, and the constant wonders of nature.

---Beth Murphy, Garden Coordination Chair

Garden Tips… October  2009

The first official day of fall has arrived, and we are enjoying the rain and cooler temperatures.  After starting seeds several weeks ago, Jim has set out transplants of arugula and bok choy, and we have Swiss chard and Chinese kale ready to plant out also. 

October is the best time to plant perennial herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, bee balm, sage, and lavender.  Planting this month gives the herbs time to get established before the colder temperatures and later, the summer heat.

This is the best time to plant seeds of dill, fennel, borage, caraway, chervil, cumin, chives, and parsley.  Remember to plant lettuces, arugula and cilantro in successive plantings several weeks apart for continuous harvesting in winter and spring.  Also plant garlic and divide multiplying onions.

In order to add a little color to your winter herb garden, plant edible flowers such as calendulas, pansies, violas, dianthus, nasturtiums, violets, pineapple salvia, daylilies, and marigolds.  Start searching for your favorite sweet peas, snow peas, and sugar snap peas to plant next month.  We have had the best luck with early-blooming or winter-blooming sweet peas.

I find that October usually flies by with so many opportunities to plant a wide variety of herbs and flowers so let's hope that we have cooler temperatures and not too many mosquitoes!  Happy Fall!