GARDENING CALENDAR

TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE

BEXAR COUNTY  BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

October 9, 2010

The cooler fall weather is the ideal time to establish plants throughout the winter season. This leads to optimal spring growth and development. New trees, shrubs, and most landscape plants would be happier in being established throughout our mild winters then in our extremely hot summers.

There is still time to add to your winter vegetable garden. Beets, Chinese cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, mustard, parsley, garden peas, spinach, radishes, and turnips just to name a few.

We need to put all established landscape plants like trees, shrubs, and turfgrass happily to sleep for the winter with an ample food supply, which provides for a better spring green up. Fertilize with a 3-1-2 ratio like 18-6-12 or a 15-5-10.

One of the best ways to minimize and control weeds in your turfgrass is through proper lawn maintenance. You will be surprised that a properly maintained lawn mower is a great tool in weed control if it used correctly and often.

David Rodriguez is the County Extension Agent-Horticulture with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County. For more information, call the Master Gardener “Hotline” (210) 467-6575 or visit our County Extension website at http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.