April 7 , 2011
Bee ecstatic; citrus tips; backyard chickens
Bee ecstatic , even with one little flower .
Here ’s a bee perfect in on Gulf Coast genus Penstemon ( Penstemon tenuis ) . Beyond , Salvia microphylla‘La Trinidad Pink ’ stimulate its turn by and by .
For dessert , they hit the pink evening primula , ( Oenothera speciosa ) , a native wild flower that just showed up in my garden . It ’s so fun look out them sway and bun !
They also like the native spiderworts ( Tradescantia gigantea ) and non - aboriginal , but tough candytuft ( Iberis sempervirens ) .
Penstemons and poppies were n’t lone from morning until evening .
correctly now , the khat cove is really the “ bee cove , ” though the silvery greyness here and there is catmint for you know who .
The bees will head for the catmint when it flowers , but until now , they ’re going for empurpled and lily-white winecups and pink evening primula .
We may not have as many bees on our citrus plants that suffer in the rough coldness . This workweek on CTG , Tom meets with Monte Nesbitt from Texas AgriLife Extension at A&M University to choose the hardiest fruits , how to tell if a plant ’s going to revive , and how to fertilise them . Get his listing and details on citrus choice and care .
Although my ‘ Mr. Mac ’ satsuma mandarin put on a few flowers , the tiny yield fall off . It ’s still alive and booming , though , so if I miss out this year , it ’ll be around for the futurity .
I ’d love to have a go at it how your citrus plants fared this year and what ’s happen in your microclimate !
Monte cautions us about Citrus Greening , a serious problem get by the Asian citrus fruit psyllid . Texas has quarantine that prevent importing plants from outside the state . Although no septic psyllids have been detect in Texas , they should be master
According to Monte , they exemplify some peril of disease broadcast and will damage the foliage of the plant they colonise and feed on . He add : Citrus Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree proprietor should be wakeful for mistrustful signs of CG transmission , including blotchy leaf mottling .
If that bechance , call the Texas Department of Agriculture ( 800 - TELL TDA ) for help in drive the tree tested . In home garden , psyllids can be controlled with oil and soap spray . Do n’t use these spray in the heat of day since they can burn the leave . It ’s always easier to get a lineal hit on insect in the other morning , too , when they ’re sluggish like us ! Get more information about Citrus Greening , along with photographs onTAMU ’s web site .
Daphne continues the citrus motif with a question from Garron Guszakabout his potted young Meyer ’s lemon ( not a unfeigned lemon ) which had n’t yet flowered in mid - February , even in his glasshouse . As it turn out , it did blossom since then . But very young plant may not flower much or keep their yield , and freeze - damage ones that survived may be belated or may not bloom this year at all .
On tour , see how Molly O’Halloran and David Brearley revivify their 1915 house and the former car - park front yard in east Austin with sustainable , beautiful , and creative idea on a budget . In their sunny front 1000 , textural structure and silvers link organic vegetables .
Then , they fell in sexual love with chickens . Get their hands - on gratuity learned from “ scratch ” for happy chickens good from predators . They even explain why yolk color varies by the time of year . But every day , they pick up warm eggs that do n’t require Easter dye to be simply lovely and delicious .
We thank musicianGurf Morlixfor the outstanding euphony . I selected “ Need You Now ” and “ Windows Open , Windows Closed ” from his albumBirth to Boneyard .
If you ’ve been a little chicken about raising chicken ( but really want to do it ) , hold out theAustin Funky Chicken Coop touron Saturday , April 23 for more ideas and advice to have a brood of your own .
John Dromgooleshows how to take cutting to insert into the extension box he built last weekend . This is such an wanton mode to propagate plant , including tomatoes you need to regenerate this summertime , or favourite cold-blooded - tender plants you want to save next winter to replant in spring .
Daphne ’s plant of the weekis a diminutive native that packs a pollinator slug : Four - brass daisy ( Tetraneuris scaposa ) .
You may hear it called Hymenoxys . I do love this long - blooming perennial , but it ’s not happy in my impenetrable stain . If you ca n’t provide well - drained territory , pot it up with decomposed granite mixed into a loose potting admixture . For gardeners with built up berms for American aloe and yucca , this would be an salient colorful addition .
This spring , watch for it in the wild !
That picture is from my docudrama , Wildflowers|Seeds of History . If you missed it , view in online or watch onKLRUApril 10 at 6 p.m. and April 14 at 7:30 . learn your local itemisation since it will be coming your path ! Plus , do n’t forget theLady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centerspring industrial plant sale this weekend to nab the natives on your lean !
Until next week , Linda
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