Organic Gardening
SEED STARTING TIPS FROM HIGH MOWING SEEDS
- Tuesday, August 13, 2019
HIgh Mowing Organic Seeds started with a vision that we still hold today:
it is our goal to leverage the power of seed to transform our world.
OUR HISTORY
High Mowing Organic Seeds began in 1996 with just 28 varieties, many of which originated in founder Tom Stearns’ backyard. Since then, our company has grown exponentially, and what started as a one-man operation is now a thriving business making available to home gardeners and commercial growers over 600 heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seed. True to our roots, High Mowing Organic Seeds continues to source many of the varieties we sell directly from independent, passionate organic seed farmers, including from the 40 acre working farm owned and operated by Tom Stearns here in northern Vermont.
Click this link to see a video from High Mowing Seeds with great advice for having success when starting your seeds:
KEYHOLE GARDENING
- Wednesday, May 08, 2019
This description is from Wikipedia:
A keyhole garden is a wide circular raised garden with a keyhole-shaped indentation on one side. The indentation allows gardeners to add uncooked vegetable scraps, greywater, and manure into a composting basket that sits in the center of the bed. In this way, composting materials can be added to the basket throughout the growing season to provide nutrients for the plants. The upper layer of soil is hilled up against the center basket so the soil slopes gently down from the center to the sides. Most keyhole gardens rise about one meter above the ground and have walls made of stone. The stone wall not only gives the garden its form, but helps trap moisture within the bed. Keyhole gardens originated in Lesotho and are well adapted to dry arid lands and deserts. In Africa they are positioned close to the kitchen and used to raise leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, and spinach; herbs; and root crops such as onions, garlic, carrots, and beets. Keyhole gardens are ideal for intensive planting, a technique in which plants are placed close together to maximize production. Plants with wide reaching root systems such as tomatoes and zucchini may not perform well in a keyhole garden.
In this video a wire fencing is used as the surround. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYsbSBEEMeI
EASY VEGGIES TO GROW
- Sunday, April 07, 2019
by Texas A&M AgriLife
https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/solutions/easy-vegetables-to-grow/
WHEN TO PLANT IN NORTH TEXAS
- Saturday, August 04, 2018
Refer to this planting schedule when planning your veggie garden: http://agrilife.org/urbantarranthorticulture/files/2010/06/Recommended_Planting_Dates_for_North_Texas1.pdf
PLANTS THAT LOVE TO GROW HERE
- Saturday, September 24, 2016
Plants That Love to Grow Here -Native & Adapted Plants
Presented by Chrissy Cortez-Mathis to GDOGC August, 2016
Dallas County Master Gardener
To have a successful landscape in North Texas, you need to use plants that love to grow in our conditions. Lots of SUN, sporadic rainfall & clay soil.
My favorites:
Groundcovers:
*Horse herb –spreading perennial groundcover-It can be mown or leave it to grow to 8-10 inches. It
does die back with a freeze but comes back faithfully. Sun to shade.
*Frogfruit – spreading semi evergreen groundcover-host plant for some butterfly species. Sun.
*Plumbago Larpentae –spreading perennial with beautiful blue flowers summer to fall with bronze
leaves after frost. Part shade to sun.
*Dwarf Mexican Petunia-Ruella –spreading perennial -Texas Superstar Part shade to sun. Blooms
summer to frost.
*Pipevine -3’ mound – host of the pipevine swallowtail. Morning sun & afternoon shade
Perennial Plants:
*Gregg’s Mist – 2’ perennial – small purple flowers all summer. Butterfly attractor. Sun to part sun
*Purple Hearts -perennial-sun to part shade -easily propagated -pink flowers -melts with freeze but
comes back every year. Sun to part shade.
*Mealy Blue Sage – 1-3’ – sprawling blue flowers all summer. Sun. Good for hummingbirds &
butterflies
*Zexmenia – 1-3’-yellow flowers from May to Nov. Part shade to sun .
*Echinacea – 2-3’ – pink flowers from spring to summer – Part shade to sun.
*Inland Sea Oats – semi evergreen 2’ –Interesting seed pod, needs a little more water to establish &
may spread everywhere. Shade.
*Turk's cap-perennial-hummingbird favorite -can grow to 6'. The more sun you give it the taller it
gets but it tolerates shade well too. Excellent plant!
*Flame Acanthus -3x3 woody native perennial with red/orange tubular flowers. Hummingbird &
butterfly attractor. Sun to part shade.
*Russian Sage -perennial -Tall plant w/ lots of small purple flowers. The bees love it. Blooms from
spring to frost. Nice branches in the winter. Cut back in late winter. 3x5' -Sun to part sun.
*Oregano -evergreen -many varieties -some grow low & others grow tall -10-12".
*Thyme -evergreen -many varieties -great as a border.
*Lemon Balm & Mint – perennial herbs– all are part shade to sun. Will spread.
*Autumn Joy Sedum – 6-12” upright plant -Flower spike in late summer to fall. Sun-part -shade
Evergreen & Semi-Evergreen Plants:
*Rosemary -evergreen -3x6' – purple blooms in the spring & fall. Sun to part shade.
*Texas Betony – 2'– sprawling foliage with red tubular flowers March-Oct. Part shade to shade.
Tx. Columbine – evergreen 2x2' -feathery foliage & yellow unusual flowers in the spring. Shade.
*Clara Mum – spreading evergreen daisy like mum. Pink blooms in the fall. Sun to part shade.
*Bearded Iris – evergreen – flowers in spring. Many varieties. 2.5’ tall & spreads. Doesn’t like too much
mulch. Divide or plant in fall. Sun to part shade.
*Salvia Greggii -evergreen -red flowered shrub -great native plant that comes in many colors.
*Hummingbirds love the nectar. Can get 3x3 but you can always prune back. Can tolerate shade/sun.
*Catmint – 1x3’ semi evergreen mounding herb. Small lavender flowers all summer.
*Passion Vine -Unusual flowers, host plant for Gulf Fritillary butterfly – Sun to part shade.
*Rock Rose – semi-evergreen 2.5 x 3’-pink flowers May–Nov. Cut back in winter. Pt shade to sun.
*Knock Out Rose -evergreen -6x6 -Sun to dappled shade. Disease resistant, no need to prune & it
deadheads itself.
*Abelia -evergreen-6’-White flowers all summer -birds, butterflies & bees love it. Sun-part shade.
Tx.
*Sage – evergreen -5-8’-silver leaves with pink flowers after rain. Shade to sun.
*Nandina -evergreen-Many varieties-dwarf to standard size 6x7. Berries & fall color. Sun-shade.
*Oak Leaf Hydrangea – -3-5’ deciduous shrub – White flowers early spring to early summer. Beautiful
fall foliage. Do not cut back in winter. Shade-part shade
*Feathergrass – evergreen 1-2’ – Sun to part shade. Reseeds freely
A few tips to keep your plants happy:
***Mulch to 3-4” twice a year – Native Hardwood is preferred. Leaves & tree trimmings from
your yard is the best.
*Be sure not to touch the stem of the plant -Suppresses weeds
*Protects the soil -Conserves soil moisture
*Keeps root systems cooler -Your bed looks finished & uniform
Water Efficiently
*Turn off your sprinkler system if you have one -Water when needed not by the calendar
*Use a rain gauge & a moisture meter -Use rain water
*Only water 1” per week for turf & thirsty annuals, less for perennials, shrubs & trees.
*Use drip & soaker hoses go directly to the plant roots & there is no evaporation
Great websites & Resources:
• http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/ TX A&M Earth Kind
• http://www.wildflower.org/plants/ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• http://www.txsmartscape.com/ Texas Smartscapes
• http://www.seedsource.com/ Native American Seed
• Your public library for books on Texas Gardening
• Master Gardener Help Desk 214-904-3053
Happy Gardening