Our friends at Texas Gardener magazine publish a free weekly "Seeds" newsletter with short articles, news items, and a state-wide event calendar with links for more information. Sign up or check out the free archives online, HERE.
Enjoy!
And don't forget.....
Dig it!
bobbi c.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Fall gardening in Texas
I was happy to see a great article about fall gardening in the current issue of the Pedernales Electric Co-op magazine that we get here. I was also happy to see that they have the entire issue online as a PDF download. Check it out, not only is there the gardening article, but also other great articles on Texas history, an article about Larry McMurtry's bookstore, and as always, great recipes and recipe contests.
Enjoy!
bobbi c.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Homemade Hummingbird Food
Dear friends,
In the past, I shared "Husband's Homemade Hummingbird Hooch" with my readers, and thought I'd share it again here. Although we've had less hummers here this year than last, they are still voracious and go through a feeder every few days. We're careful to keep the feeders clean and filled for them.
I've also noticed them sipping at the huge volunteer sunflower plant that came up in the corner of the yard. Or, at least, they try to. Hard to say what they're getting from that!
Enjoy the birdies!
Oh, and dig it!
bobbi c.
In the past, I shared "Husband's Homemade Hummingbird Hooch" with my readers, and thought I'd share it again here. Although we've had less hummers here this year than last, they are still voracious and go through a feeder every few days. We're careful to keep the feeders clean and filled for them.
I've also noticed them sipping at the huge volunteer sunflower plant that came up in the corner of the yard. Or, at least, they try to. Hard to say what they're getting from that!
Enjoy the birdies!
Oh, and dig it!
bobbi c.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Saving Seed this Year
Hi guys,
I haven't been a big seed saver over the years since I didn't grow
that many heirlooms, BUT after this summer, I'm going to pay a lot of
attention to the veggies that survive, and if I can, I'm saving seed from them.
For example, one of the heirloom tomatoes I planted (maybe the Marglobes?) have had terrible problems with blossom end rot. The others haven't, and they are all planted in the same stuff and watered the same way. The Early Girl bush tomatoes dried up a month or so ago, but others are still alive.
I'm also saving seed from those volunteer pumpkins that came up.
Anybody notice any other varieties that are doing well in this nutzo droughty, searing blazing heat?
Oh, and my Italian green beans are blooming like crazy, but the beans
are tiny and staying that way...the others dried up a month ago, too.
I'm hoping to keep the Italians going for fall. If they perk up, I'm saving seed from them, too.
bobbi c.
I haven't been a big seed saver over the years since I didn't grow
that many heirlooms, BUT after this summer, I'm going to pay a lot of
attention to the veggies that survive, and if I can, I'm saving seed from them.
For example, one of the heirloom tomatoes I planted (maybe the Marglobes?) have had terrible problems with blossom end rot. The others haven't, and they are all planted in the same stuff and watered the same way. The Early Girl bush tomatoes dried up a month or so ago, but others are still alive.
I'm also saving seed from those volunteer pumpkins that came up.
Anybody notice any other varieties that are doing well in this nutzo droughty, searing blazing heat?
Oh, and my Italian green beans are blooming like crazy, but the beans
are tiny and staying that way...the others dried up a month ago, too.
I'm hoping to keep the Italians going for fall. If they perk up, I'm saving seed from them, too.
bobbi c.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Garden-Ville Products, where to buy in Texas...
I ran across this list of places in Texas that carry Garden-Ville organic products, and thought I'd share it with you. We've used Garden-Ville mulches, potting soils, garden soils, fertilizers and bug sprays over the 25+ years that I've gardened organically, and can recommend them all.
Dig it!
bobbi c.
Dig it!
bobbi c.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Timely words for our time....
Dear friends,
I'm in the process of revising The Frugal Gardener...More than 200 Ways to Save Resources (and Money) by Recycling in Your Garden, a book I wrote and published back in 1992 (written under my previous name, Bobbi A. McRae). The tips and ideas presented in the book are even more timely now than they perhaps were back then. I thought I'd share a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that I included in the book. It's from his Message to Congress, December 3, 1907.
"To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed."
Words, even more timely, now.
Dig it!
bobbi c.
I'm in the process of revising The Frugal Gardener...More than 200 Ways to Save Resources (and Money) by Recycling in Your Garden, a book I wrote and published back in 1992 (written under my previous name, Bobbi A. McRae). The tips and ideas presented in the book are even more timely now than they perhaps were back then. I thought I'd share a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that I included in the book. It's from his Message to Congress, December 3, 1907.
"To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed."
Words, even more timely, now.
Dig it!
bobbi c.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Global warming and the birds....
Dear friends,
Here is an excellent article on the Audubon Society site about how global warming affects our bird populations. Those of you who have been my readers from the beginning know how much I love birds, and how much we love feeding them and watching them from our backyard garden. I knew that the climate was affecting bird migrations, but didn't know to what extent. Please read this and pass it on to other bird lovers you might know.
In the meantime, enjoy this photo of our resident Mr. & Mrs. Barn (Mud) Swallow, who have graced us with their presence above our front porch. So far, we've had three batches of babies hatched from that spot!
Dig it!
bobbi c.
Here is an excellent article on the Audubon Society site about how global warming affects our bird populations. Those of you who have been my readers from the beginning know how much I love birds, and how much we love feeding them and watching them from our backyard garden. I knew that the climate was affecting bird migrations, but didn't know to what extent. Please read this and pass it on to other bird lovers you might know.
In the meantime, enjoy this photo of our resident Mr. & Mrs. Barn (Mud) Swallow, who have graced us with their presence above our front porch. So far, we've had three batches of babies hatched from that spot!
Dig it!
bobbi c.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Where to find organic seeds...
Just ran across this incredible database online courtesy of the Organic Materials Review Institute. You can search for suppliers of organic seeds for herbs, flowers, vegetables...you name it! This is an amazing free online resource. Check it out!
bobbi c.
bobbi c.
Xeriscape landscaping....
Dear friends,
As the unusually high temperatures here in central TX stay in the 100's and higher, we've had issues with keeping our veggie garden watered. It looks drab and crispy by now, and there's not much we can do about it but hope that we'll get some cooler weather.
Our landscape plants, however, are thriving! I learned about Xeriscape gardening over 15 years ago, and believe me, it works. The concept is simple....use native or highly adapted plants in your landscape that don't need a lot of water. Mulch like crazy, cut down on lawn areas or plant things like buffalograss that are native, low-water grasses.
A great resource for information on native plants, wildflowers and native grasses is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.
One of my favorite front yard shrubby plants is my vitex tree. This is a young one, planted just over a year ago. When full grown, it will probably be around six-feet tall.
The purple spikey flowers on it appear off and on in all the warm months, and look great against the yellow house. I'm glad to see that a lot of the landscapers around here are using vitex in their commercial designs now. The small, shrubby tree makes a great companion to rosemary. The bees love both, and once established, almost never need to be watered. Other plants I use in the front are autumn sages (salvias), artemesia, Russian sage, lavenders, salvia guaranetica and Texas bush sage. Notice all the sages/salvias? I use them because they are great plants, attract bees and butterflies, are drought tolerant, and are very hardy in this crazy climate.
This morning we're dumping another carload of mulch on the front to help keep the runoff in the yard instead of flowing down the street into the storm drains. That is, WHEN it rains.
For more information on low-water gardening using Xeriscaping, check out this website. Water conservation is already an issue here in Texas, and will become more so as years go by.
Oh, and for more information on Xeriscape landscapes, check out this website.
Dig it!
bobbi c.
As the unusually high temperatures here in central TX stay in the 100's and higher, we've had issues with keeping our veggie garden watered. It looks drab and crispy by now, and there's not much we can do about it but hope that we'll get some cooler weather.
Our landscape plants, however, are thriving! I learned about Xeriscape gardening over 15 years ago, and believe me, it works. The concept is simple....use native or highly adapted plants in your landscape that don't need a lot of water. Mulch like crazy, cut down on lawn areas or plant things like buffalograss that are native, low-water grasses.
A great resource for information on native plants, wildflowers and native grasses is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.
One of my favorite front yard shrubby plants is my vitex tree. This is a young one, planted just over a year ago. When full grown, it will probably be around six-feet tall.
The purple spikey flowers on it appear off and on in all the warm months, and look great against the yellow house. I'm glad to see that a lot of the landscapers around here are using vitex in their commercial designs now. The small, shrubby tree makes a great companion to rosemary. The bees love both, and once established, almost never need to be watered. Other plants I use in the front are autumn sages (salvias), artemesia, Russian sage, lavenders, salvia guaranetica and Texas bush sage. Notice all the sages/salvias? I use them because they are great plants, attract bees and butterflies, are drought tolerant, and are very hardy in this crazy climate.
This morning we're dumping another carload of mulch on the front to help keep the runoff in the yard instead of flowing down the street into the storm drains. That is, WHEN it rains.
For more information on low-water gardening using Xeriscaping, check out this website. Water conservation is already an issue here in Texas, and will become more so as years go by.
Oh, and for more information on Xeriscape landscapes, check out this website.
Dig it!
bobbi c.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
City of Austin Green Neighbor Program...Making a Difference, one 'hood at a Time
Dear friends,
Sometimes we wish we'd never moved away from Austin. For one thing, that's where all the things we love are situated....museums, big libraries, the University, live music, art exhibits, great bookstores, great restaurants and what-not. There are advantages to living in a small town, but right now, the only two I can think of is our wonderful local O'Leander cafe and less traffic. OK, three....not having to enter a parking garage to buy groceries.
Here's a link I just discovered about the City of Austin Green Neighbor Program. Check out the "Green Neighbor, Green City Challenge" website, it's truly an inspiration to see how a large city can make a difference, one 'hood at a time.
Check it out! And don't forget to....
dig it!
bobbi c.
Sometimes we wish we'd never moved away from Austin. For one thing, that's where all the things we love are situated....museums, big libraries, the University, live music, art exhibits, great bookstores, great restaurants and what-not. There are advantages to living in a small town, but right now, the only two I can think of is our wonderful local O'Leander cafe and less traffic. OK, three....not having to enter a parking garage to buy groceries.
Here's a link I just discovered about the City of Austin Green Neighbor Program. Check out the "Green Neighbor, Green City Challenge" website, it's truly an inspiration to see how a large city can make a difference, one 'hood at a time.
Check it out! And don't forget to....
dig it!
bobbi c.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
