The Really, Really Special… Plain Old H20

If you live away from the lake, as many of us on the “other side” of 306 do, the terrain is rocky and dry. No water this time of year, even in the hidden recesses of Suche Creek (ok, so we had some hurricane leftovers). Cracks in the soil and brown stubble cover the fields.

What can we do to attract wildlife to our yards and help them through the hot summer months? Water. It’s that simple. Doesn’thave to be large and impressive. A small pond or birdbath will do. The only requirements are that it be clean and permanent, so when the animals and birds come looking, the water source is reliable and constant. Soon after you fill it, ferns and other aquatic plants appear. Moss grows on the rocks. Water skippers and dragonflies and honeybees stop in for a drink.

Our first water feature was a hollowed out rock with a drip line on a timer. We put it in before our house was finished, and for 5 years we’ve looked out our window to see: foxes, turkeys, a hawk bathing, raccoons, porcupines, deer, frogs, water skippers, dragonflies, one very cute small Texas Ribbon Snake, Cedar Waxwings, robins, Painted Buntings, Summer Tanagers, and the list goes on. If you don’t do anything else outside during the entire month of July, build a small, permanent water source.

Our animal friends will love you for it!

The Bad….Sorghum halepense ~ Johnson Grass

You’ve seen it. Sticking up its tasseled head above the native grasses along the roadsides, or out in our back yards. This very aggressive weedy species is found throughout much of Texas. One of the largest grasses, it can reach 6 feet tall. The plant flowers from June to November and produces a natural toxin from its root system that prevents other plants from growing close to it, so it effectively serves as an “herbicide” to the competition. Refer to these web sites for control information:

http://www.texasinvasives.org/invasives_database/detail.php?symbol=SOHA

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/growgreen/downloads/invasiveplants.pdf

It’s July. It’s hot. All our plants are hunkered down, wilting in the afternoon, barely hanging on waiting for cooler weather. But what can we grow in our gardens that laughs at the heat and loves to show off all summer long?

The Good...Caesalpinia pulcherrima

With common names of Poinciana, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Pride of Barbados and Red Bird of Paradise, this heat loving plant draws oohs and aahs from all who see it. This summer-friendly addition to our gardens is available in local nurseries (I’ve even seen it at Home Depot!), but better yet, is very easily started from seed. Find the hottest, sunniest spot in your yard... seriously.

This plant does poorly in shade, gets leggy and bloom is reduced. I start mine by scooping out a shallow depression in the soil and scattering in 8-10 seeds, covered lightly by soil. A small coffee can of water once a day, and you will see sprouts in about a week. The plants in my yard grow at least three feet or more every summer. They freeze to the ground in winter, but not to worry. A layer of mulch protects them. All mine came back this year and if they survived our 10 degree winter, they will survive anything. Along about the middle of May start looking for new growth, and depending on our spring weather, they should sprout thru the mulch by the end of May. Collect seeds from the large pods that will form in late summer, and you will have a ready supply to share with all your neighbors! A more cold-tolerant, yellow-flowered cultivar is available. Caesalpinia gilliesii is a fave of Viv’s, my gardening neighbor up the street. Her yellow variety sprouted up much earlier this spring than my reds. OK, she gave me some seed so I don’t have to wait so long. Whichever you choose, you CAN’T GO WRONG! Well, the one thing you can do wrong is over-watering. Don’t do that. These plants are naturalized in Texas in spots where there is no water other than that from the skies. Stick one of these in the ground this summer & be happy!

http://www.pcmg-texas.org/pride_of_barbados.pdf

Mulch = Moisture

Mulching planting beds can help reduce the soil’s water evaporation and help protect plant roots from the upcoming summer heat. Mulching with shredded bark or similar materials mimics the natural woodland process where leaves and other tree materials blanket the ground and ultimately break down and add organic material to the earth.

Shredded bark mulches can protect your plants by keeping the soil at a more even temperature and reducing moisture lost to evaporation. Although mulches may absorb some water before allowing it to reach the soil, they reduce subsequent evaporation, and keep the soil from crusting over, which improves the soil’s ability to absorb water.

Bark mulches and other organic mulches are available from local soil companies and home improvement stores. The Comal County Brush Recycling facility provides shredded mulch free for pickup by county residents and accepts brush and tree cutting dropoffs. Loads of mulch must be covered when transported. For hours and location, visit their website at http://www.co.comal.tx.us/rec.htm

Gravel and stone can also be used to mulch planting beds, and do not absorb water. White rock mulches may reflect heat back to neighboring plants – a tan-colored stone may be more appropriate for plants that would not tolerate the additional heat and light.

Other Considerations:

Weeds and other pests may find the mulched areas attractive, or weed seeds may be present in mulch. Keep an eye out for invasive weeds such as bindweed and Johnson grass. Bindweed has a long brittle root and will regrow from small pieces left in the soil – persistent removal or glyphosate applications may be needed. Johnson grass (shown at right) has long roots that will also regenerate from pieces left in the soil.
Bindweed
Landscape fabric under the mulch will help reduce weeds, but will have to be cut when plant positions are changed. Cardboard or newspapers placed under the mulch provide a shorter-term weed deterrent.

To discourage pillbugs, snails and similar pests from living under mulch, there are pesticides available: some are harmful to cats and dogs, so check the label if that is a concern.

Cocoa shells are sometimes available as mulch materials, and contain a chocolate residue that may be harmful to cats and dogs if eaten.

Landscaping for Fire Prevention

Here in Hill Country in the summer, one of the greatest threats is grass fires. While we all want to keep our neighborhood as natural as possible, it is only prudent to protect our homes from wildfire. One important step is to landscape appropriately.

The Texas Forest Service has a lot of great information on line (http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu).

Here are some ideas that I gleaned from their site:
· Keep a zone of at least thirty (30’) feet around your home that is defensible. Keep this area irrigated and green. Use plants that are fire resistant and well spaced. This is a great place for green lawn. Also consider how sidewalks, stone mulches, driveways, masonry walls, etc. make the area defensible. Keep brush piles, firewood, highly flammable trees and shrubs (Pines, Juniper and Cedar), dead trees and branches out of this area.
· Select open branched , high moisture, easy to care for trees like oaks and maples. Plant small trees and shrubs away from the larger trees.
· Put down gravel or stone mulch under propane tanks.
· Have a secondary zone that goes out another 30 or so feet that has low growing, green vegetation. This area should have some irrigation to keep plants healthy.
· Keep extra feet of hose around on your property. You want to be able to reach as much of your property line as is reasonable until the fire trucks arrive. You may be fighting the fire by yourself for 15 minutes or so.
· In the natural areas that are further out, remember that cutting the wild grasses will help prevent the uncontrollable, rapid spread of fire. You may want to selectively thin and cut shrubs and trees in even this natural area to make it easier to control fires.

Be Aware of Invasive Pond Plants!

If you have a pond and are thinking about adding some plants, be aware that there are plants that are against the law to possess in Texas. These plants include water hyacinths, water lettuce, and water spinach. Also, Elephant Ears have been identified as being invasive in Texas. Since we live so close to creeks, the river and Canyon Lake, it is in our interest to keep these plants out of our yards.

Even native water lilies will take over your pond in a few years if left unchecked. Our mild winters will also not kill Papyrus. So, one tiny plant can become a 3’ x 3’ behemoth in two seasons. The remedy is to keep the plants in their pots and remove them from your pond at least once a year and trim them back. Elephant ears in particular will escape from their pots and are nearly impossible to completely eradicate.

Scarlet Firecracker Fern

When you are in nurseries in Austin, look for the little book Native and Adapted Landscape Plants. It is put out a group of conservation groups in the Austin area concerned with the protection of our wild areas and watershed. It costs $1 - $2 in San Antonio, but is frequently given away free in Austin (or go to http://www.growgreen.org/ to see the contents of the book and other information).

Among the many wonderful landscape plants that they suggest for our area is Scarlet Firecracker Fern. This little gem is a weeping evergreen shrub that does resemble a fern, but is not one. It is a native of Mexico, so it tolerates our heat and droughts (give it extra water the first year to get it established). It also did very well in my yard this past frigid winter. It likes some afternoon shade and can be pruned without any damage. If left unpruned, it can grow to a 3’X3’ shrub. In June and most of the summer it will be covered in red blooms that attract butterflies until frost.