APR I L 201 4 SUNRAYS | 73
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Hurrah! It is spring—the season gar-
deners greet with open arms and tools
in-hand! To be water wise, we should
try to do most of our planting in the fall,
but it’s hard to resist a little planting in
such nice weather. With our efforts in
planting, we need also to help attract and
sustain pollinators. By having flowers
blooming throughout the growing season
(i.e., winter honeysuckle and violets in
spring; black-eyed Susan and coreop-
sis in summer; aster and goldenrod in
fall), we can help support our pollinators,
who help us and our plants in return.
The use and selection of native/adapted
plants are musts to be water wise and,
fortunately, these are usually ideal for
pollinators, as well. Plant in patches for
more efficient foraging. Remember, it is
also important to avoid or limit the use
of pesticides—try a hard blast of water
or hand-picking first!
Soil Amendments
The greatest part of a plant’s success is
determined before you put it in the soil.
Choosing the right plant for the right
place is important; but, did you add
amendments needed to be sure soil will
have good drainage and nutrients for the
plant? A rule to remember: Feed the soil
to feed the plant. Especially when plan-
April Tips for a Beautiful
Water Wise Landscape
Next month
:
Join me for wa-
ter wise suggestions and choosing
flowers to attract butterflies.
Winola is a Williamson County
Master Gardener, a member of
the Sun City Garden Club and a
member of the Sun City Water Wise
Task Force.
By Winola VanArtsdalen
ning a water-wise flowerbed, you need
to add organics. I used to add two inches
of compost, but now I add three inches
for a new bed, later adding organics in
spring and fall, and between plantings.
Protecting the Roots
Water the plants (and the planting hole
if it is very dry) the day before, or early
in the day of planting, so that the roots
are full of moisture. Dig a hole the same
depth as the root ball and two to three
times wider. When removing the plant
from the container, be sure to loosen the
edges around the root ball and remove
the container from the plant, rather than
pulling the plant from the container.
Check that the roots are not wrapping
around the root ball; if they do wrap
around the root ball, make four slits, top
to bottom, to stop this wrap-around; oth-
erwise, the plant will choke itself in time
and die, a disappointing loss. Now, you
can put the plant in the ground carefully
and water. Cover around the plant with
mulch, but be sure to keep the mulch
away from the stem.
Flower Suggestions
Try iris or penstemon, columbine, and
Veronica “Georgia-blue” in spring; fennel,
Mexican hat, and purple homestead ver-
bena, or Gregg’s mistflower all by itself in
summer; and butterfly weed or Mexican
mint marigold, fennel, and aster in fall.
You may want to plant in a flower bed,
a pot, or a trough/washtub—anything
unusual.
Right now, put a note on your calendar
for October 1 as a reminder to plant
wildflower seeds in some pots and your
yard. Then, you’ll be ready for spectacu-
lar spring blooms for pollinators next
spring, much like the bee shown in the
photo who is visiting a poppy grown from
seeds from my grandmother’s garden!
APRIL gardening tips:
• Perennials must be divided when
crowded, or they will gradually lose
strength to bloom.
• Plant seeds for summer and fall pol-
linators, such as Four-o’clocks and
cosmos.
• Prune groundcovers, climbing roses
and spring-flowering antique roses
after bloom.
• Do not prune oak trees February
through July.
• Fertilize Bermuda grass after second
mowing, buffalo and zoysia grasses in
late April to early May. If you spread
top dressing, skip this fertilization or
it will be too much nitrogen.
• If aphids invade, use hard water spray,
hand-picking, or insecticidal soap.
• Mulch to keep out weeds, moderate
soil temperature, and hold moisture.
Keep away from all stems, including
tree trunks, and always remember to
water deeply, but infrequently!
Source: Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
Service
