GARDENING CALENDAR

TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE

BEXAR COUNTY BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

August 15, 2009

Time is running out in planting fall fruiting tomato transplants. Look for reliable heat setting Extension recommended varieties such as Heatwave select, Sunpride, Sunmaster, and Surefire. Do not forget the fabulous producing BHN 968 ‘Sweet Cherry.’

A modern landscape should consist of no more then 50% turfgrass by area. Thus, converting dead or dying areas of lawn to hardscapes, flower beds, walkways or a simple three inch layer of mulch, would surely save on watering.

Make sure when applying supplemental irrigation to the lawn and landscape, that your sprinkler system is not watering the driveway, sidewalk or street.

Encourage summer-blooming perennials to re-bloom through fall once 80% of there flowers are spent. Trimming them back one-third and fertilizing with one cup of slow-release 19-5-9. They will need water afterwards and a replenishing of mulch.

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.