The rain lilies are standing tall, the ring is around the moon, Oatmeal festival is upon us, rain is on the way. Praise God we certainly need it. Now that we have survived the Hottest Summer in Texas History we are certainly welcoming the cooler weather. Sad isn’t it that mid to high 90 degrees is considered cooler temperatures. Most droughts in Texas are two years long with the exception of the drought of the Fifties that lasted ten years.

Our friend, Bob Rose who is the meteorologist for LCRA, has confirmed that El Nino is coming later this month and we will have a wet Fall and Winter creating a beautiful Spring. I am even having my creek bed cleaned out. The last time I did that we had 9 inches of rain in three hours. Holy Cow, if I had my way I would like half of that at a time. My point to all of this is that weather is changing and we must prepare for it.

It is during these drought times that we really appreciate the use of Native plants and trees in our landscaping. With some folks and cities experiencing wells going dry and at best reduced capacity, the idea of Native plants and landscaping really proves to be of value. It is also during these times that we learn what plants, shrubs, and trees are really drought resistant. I have found that what else works during these times are drip systems and soaker hoses in order to place the water (that ever so precious commodity) exactly where we want and waste nothing. It is all about being better stewards of the land that we own.

Fall Garden and Wildflowers

This is the month that we can start planting our Fall gardens. I already have my Fall tomatoes in and they are doing well my peppers are still doing well. Check with your local garden centers and nurseries to see what Fall veggies they have on hand.

The end of the month and the first part of October is best to plant Wildflower seeds. Begin to think about where and what you are going to plant. Remember to go to Wild Seed Farm outside of Fredericksburg and see what all they have available by going to their web site, it is www.wildseedfarms.com or call them for directions and hours 800-848-0078. You are in for a real treat.

September is a great time for dividing bulbs for your daylilies, bearded iris, Shasta daises, liriope, and cannas. This is a wonderful time to share these with family, friends and fellow gardeners (hint, hint).

Now is the time to prepare your caladium bulbs for next season. They need to be harvested after their tops die. They need to be dug up before the first freeze (we have some time). There will be more on this subject next month. This is just a notice of what is to come.

Lawn care is critical this time of year. They need to have an application of beneficial nematodes, and separately a soap spray for fungicide. Also later this month the lawns need to be fertilized. Next month we will apply corn gluten for the control of sticker burrs.

There is a more extensive list of duties in my book “Gardening in the Texas Hill Country.

Till Next Month!

Keep your souls and your soles in your garden!

Remember the True Master Gardener: Jesus said, “I am the vine; my Father is the Gardener.” John 15:1

Have questions or comments? Contact Bill Luedecke at The Luedecke Group Realtors, P.O. Box 1632, Bertram, TX. 78605 (no Post Office in Oatmeal) or email bill@texasland.net. For additional gardening web sites, go to his web site; www.TexasLand.Net and click on links.