By Carolyn Williams
Time to cut-back, prune, replace and mulch! Photo: Liath Appleton
I’d like to start out by saying that this has not been our average Central Texas winter! We’ve had a true winter season with below-average temperatures that lasted several days, on several occasions. Our fireplace roared for days on end—just like in the movies! And we have not had the luxury to start much of our spring preparations that get us up and moving for outdoor activities in the garden.
First, I really try to find the time to clean, disinfect, and sharpen my main garden tools, i.e., trowel, hoe and looper. It’s a good idea to pull out whatever tools you really depend on, and if you have not cleaned and sharpened them over winter, you should get them ready. It makes your work much faster with a cleaner cut. Enough said!
Cutting back many of the sages and salvias that grow so well in our area is a must in my garden. Even with our freezing temps, the new growth has probably already started. Cut back the dead stems to allow them to grow throughout the spring and summer. Of course, roses need to be trimmed (UNLESS they only bloom in spring) making sure all the old, dead wood is removed and the rose has a decent shape.
Remember, if it blooms in spring, divide it in fall and vice-a-versa. So now is a great time to divide up large clumps of your fall bloomers like sages, salvias, Mexican Mint Marigold, etc.
Next it’s time to add compost and your “go to” fertilizers. Spread over roses, add some rain, and spring-time will pop with gorgeous rose blooms!
Creating new beds and plantings are such a fun, creative way to enjoy your garden area. This is the perfect season to get the ground prepared, composted and new plants purchased. Even better, transplant some from other parts of your garden to share with your gardening friends. I absolutely love it when someone gives me a start from a treasured plant that they have enjoyed!
It’s always good to take a slow walk around your garden (especially after these hard freezes) to see what made it through and what did not. The plants from warmer climates that are not native or adapted to our area may be quite dead! We all need to learn from our mistakes, make notes and replace with something a bit better suited for Austin. I certainly have had my own fair share of trying something I’ve seen in magazines or nurseries and then found they could not handle either our hot summers or a cold blast of wintertime.
Herbs love growing in our cool seasons of spring and fall. Cilantro and dill come to mind, as I love having them in the herb beds this time of year. Summer heat arrives and they head north! Cilantro is extra easy to grow from seed, give it try. Just don’t plant too deep that it takes forever for the seed to make it up to the light. Remember, some of our springs only last a few weeks and then summer heat gets its grip on us all. We need to get everything up and growing!!
That brings me to my beloved tomato plants. One thing I have learned is that planting as early as possible means more tomatoes. Procrastinate and you’ll harvest very few! I always cover them the first month or so with row cover that can easily be closed up in case of a blast of late cold weather, heavy winds or hail. Anything to protect those precious early blooms!
When starting seeds up for spring and summer blooms, I soak them overnight in a solution of seaweed. Works well on morning glories, cosmos, sunflowers, marigolds, etc.
So much to do, but what a joy to be outdoors after our seemingly long winter! I realize that it does not compare to living in our northern states, but then, that’s one big reason we don’t live in those northern states!!
Happy Spring Gardening!
Photo: Liath Appleton
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