FREE FRIDAY! and Summer is NOT the time to plant
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- WINNER 2010 Growing Good Kids AWARD (American Hort.Society and Jr. Master Gardeners), for ages 2-8
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- Wildflower legends abound, for ages 5-10.
To celebrate August, the end-of- summer (since schools start ever-earlier), I’ll have a FREE FRIDAY tomorrow. Go to my author FaceBook page and pick which one of my children’s books you want and I’ll pick you. Or Gus the Wonder Cat will pick for me. IF he’s in the mood for that kind of thing. He IS a cat, after all. If you don’t FB, just comment on this post to get your name in the hat.
Arkansas creek boulder Linda helped me find at A&A Stone. Thanks Linda!
Following an afternoon choosing boulders for my entry garden (I’ll show you the before/after soon), I distinctly heard my name called. Sensing the voice beckoned from the nearby garden center, I was compelled to stop and walk through the rows of newly arrived plant material to make certain my garden was not lacking. As any other gardener would have, I soon recognized my garden was indeed lacking and began piling necessities onto the wagon to remedy my plight.
My usual time for summer gardening is morning. And when I say “gardening” in the summer, it means making the rounds to be sure everyone is happy and healthy, yanking a few errant weeds: maintenance type chores. Theoretically, PLANTING is an autumn/winter/spring activity. However, since I do not practice what I preach, feel free to drive by and see WHY you should not put out plants in Texas’ summer, which typically lasts from April-October. Other than the desert-dwellers, my new babies are suffering tremendously. Even the true East Texas Pineywoods natives, with almost daily spritzes of hydration from the end of a hose, show a waning spirit.
I don’t blame them a bit. It is August, after all.
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- Understory beauty berry bush, like this variegated ‘Snow Storm’ variety, prefer cooler temps when planted and show distress at anything less.
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- Lantana..
I’m putting together a program on WHAT TO PLANT WHEN. If you want to know the answer to that age-old question, respond to this post and I’ll send you the chart.
I am always on the lookout for gardening instruction and would love to have your chart. I know better than to plant in August, but also find that if I go to the internet for an answer, frequently my gardening time disappears!
Ruth, I’m happy to get you a copy of the chart. And I know what you mean about the time dilemma, balancing learning about gardening with actual gardening. It’s a wheelbarrow I often dump! cc:
Cherie, please put my name in the drawing for either book as I must have them both for our 1st Grandchild’s Library- to be born in late Oct this year…A GIRL! for Wes and Lindsey. Love & Hugs from Thailand, Justine
Oh, Justine, what a blessing! Are you able to get back to the states for her arrival? cc:
I would love to know when to plant and when NOT to plant! I think I have a black thumb instead of a green one!!
Dayna, not to argue the color of your thumb, but I do not believe a past record of killing plants is necessarily a crystal ball telling your future gardening abilities. As you can see from photos at my house this week, even professional plant saviors quickly become murderers if they stray from what’s needed for a plant to thrive. WHEN and WHAT are huge considerations in planning landscapes. I’ll get you a chart ASAP! cc: