Thursday, May 22, 2008

How Do I Water My Trees?













We're nearing summer and our temperatures are rising to Hotter than Hades levels. This time of year can really harm a landscape that is either new or in marginal to poor health. And with trees, we often don't see potential damage until it's been done.





High winds, high temperatures, and low humidity all contribute to an accelerated rate of transpiration (or the plant losing moisture through its leaves). So how best to replace that water lost? Well, it depends (don't you love that answer?)
It depends on how established your tree is and the type of soil it is planted in. Sandy soils need watering more often. Generally, you should water a newly planted tree deeply every three days - then twice a week - then weekly. Heavier clay soils will hang on to the moisture a bit longer so you'll begin by watering twice a week, then once a week then every other week as needed.













So just what is "as needed"? Dig under the tree's drip line a shovel depth. Feel the soil - if it's damp, wait to water. If it's dry, give your tree a nice long drink.





Place a slow running hose in the tree's bed and water deeply. I keep my tree beds clear of grass as far out as the drip line and form up a little border so the bed can fill with water. Turn your hose on so that the water runs at about the width of your pinky finger. Let it run for about one hour to fill the bed. This should be enough water to irrigate the tree to a depth of a foot or more.

Letting the soil dry out in between waterings is equally important! The bed will dry out from the top down. That means the roots will grow DEEP into the moist soil. Having your roots grow deep will make your tree more drought tolerant.





















Many people think that their sprinkler system is going to water everything amply. If your system treats the lawn that same as the planting beds the same as the trees, your trees will need some supplemental irrigation the first couple of years.













Another wonderful thing you can do for your trees is to mulch the beds 2-4 inches deep. This will lower the ground temperature and retain moisture.


There is nothing that cleans the air or lowers the temperature as well as shade trees. You have invested alot of time and money on your landscape trees. Treat them well.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in Paradise

Flowering trees are taking center stage this month

. . . and the most stunning of all is the Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia. This deciduous tree is related to Mimosa. It begins blooming with a large flush and can continue for a number of months. The seed pods will be 1 - 2 feet in length.
This Jacaranda, Jacaranda mimosifolia, is growing at the Texas Tourist Bureau in Harlingen. It towers over the building flashing its iridescent purple blooms.

The blue flowers are really coming into their own right now.This was the first time I've planted Salvia 'Victoria Blue'. I'll definitely be looking for it again next spring.


This is Eupatoriam 'Padre Island'. I can't keep all the Eupatoriums straight - this one crawls along the ground and is very salt tolerant.

and finally, blue Porter Weed.




Pato de Chiva

One branch of my Yucca or Spanish Dagger, Yucca treculeana, waited until May to bloom.

Frangipani, Plumeria obtusa, has got to be the most fragrant plant in my garden.


Bottlebrush, Calistimon rigidus, is blooming for the second time this spring.

Angels Trumpets come out to play when it gets dark.



Louisiana Iris will bloom for months and months and months. Its a great pass-along plant.


Bougainvillea - another tropical that blooms and blooms and blooms!













This is a new Bleeding Heart, Clerodendrum Thomasoniae - I just love the contrast of the white and red.

and the vine pictured below was also labeled as a Bleeding Heart -








Oleander - a real tough cookie - but take care - its leaves are very toxic.











Coral Vine, Antigonon leptopus
An easy way to harvest seed from this vigorous growing vine is to place a sheet on the ground under the vine. In a day or two, gather seeds from the sheet.


Firecracker Bush

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Ponytail Palm Blooms!

Driving down West Harrison in Harlingen, I was amazed to see this sight at an old bakery! Did you know that ponytail palms bloom? Beaucarnea recurvata, a native of Mexico, is a water-wise, easy care, specimen plant. I have grown one in a pot since around 1982 when my mother decided it was too large to move to her new home. This plant is a great focal point for any low water garden.

The blooms look an awful lot like palm inflorescence - but ponytail palms are not actually in the palm family, but in the agave family.

gardening gold - and it's free!

Garden blogs are filled with beautiful pictures of perfect blossoms, appealing plant combinations, and incredible wildlife. Today I want to share with you the one thing I appreciate the most in a garden - the soil! The soil I prefer to work in (light and crumbly) is also the soil my plants prefer to grow in. One of the best things you can do for your garden is to add organic matter to your beds. I recently cleaned out one of my compost bins (something I will do once or twice a year) and came up with 7 five gallon buckets of rich compost to add to some new beds. This is one of my favorite garden chores - spreading this wonderful (and free) compost that I made from yard and kitchen trash!


When I was first composting, I screened my end product - but that took too much time. I always mulch the beds so a few leaves and twigs isn't any big deal.
The first 3 or 4 years, all of my compost went into my vegetable beds. Thankfully they are in good shape now and I can share it with the ornamentals.

This is what was left from the compost bin that I cleaned out. It will become my "starter". On top of this, I'll place all my kitchen waste (no protien or oils) - I now toss in paper towels and napkins too. I don't really know why I omitted them before because I have always included my shredded papers in the bin. Shredded paper is a great dry material during the summer when dry leaves are scarce.

This is my second bin. I stirred it up and sprinkled it with water and will just let it sit and "stew" for a few months. I am a lazy composter - no turning of the pile - no taking it's temperature - no adding compost booster. With time nature will do its job. But I am considering purchasing a compost tumbler to use as a finisher.

I find that gardeners are really stewards of the land - whether it's a tiny little townhouse lot or a 7 acre garden. We can all find a spot in our garden to recycle our yard and kitchen waste into gardening gold! Let me know how you do it!