GARDENING CALENDAR

TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE

BEXAR COUNTY BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

November 7, 2009

Minimize weed and erosion issues in unused sections of your winter vegetable garden by sowing a special blend of Austrian Peas and Elbon rye at a rate of one pound per 100 square feet. This cover crop will also help control root knot nematode populations, increase the organic matter content of the soil and once tilled under; provide a source of nitrogen for spring planted vegetables.

Clean martin houses of sparrow debris and close them up until mid February.

With all this rain, pill bugs, snails, and slugs will feast on newly planted pansies, bluebonnets and other young seasonal color plants. Applying a slug and snail bait, properly watering, and fertilizing will help overcome damage from those pesky critters.

This is a good time to begin feeding sunflower seeds and thistle seed to cardinals, doves, chickadees, titmice and jays. Finches enjoy the thistle.

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.