Diana C. Kirby, Author at Diana's Designs Austin

About Diana C. Kirby

Diana Kirby is a lifelong gardener and longtime Austinite, who loves the Central Texas climate for the almost year-round opportunities it offers for active gardening and seasonal splendor. Known as an impassioned and successful gardener, Diana began by helping friends design and implement their landscapes. Soon, she was contracted as a professional designer by a popular local landscaping installation firm, where she designed landscapes for residential and commercial clients for several years. In 2007, her new passion blossomed with the launch of her own firm, Diana’s Designs. ... Diana is a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, the Garden Writers Association of America, and she writes a monthly gardening column for the Austin American-Statesman. Diana teaches the Landscape Design classes for several county Texas Agrilife Extension Service Master Gardener certification programs and speaks about gardening and design for garden centers and other groups. Learn more about presentation topics, availability and speaking fees.

Summer keeps hanging on in the garden…

It’s December 15th, and it’s not beginning to look even a little bit like Christmas here in Central Texas!

Unseasonably warm days have my garden confused.

Many summer plants are still thriving, or even putting on a second bloom.

While we’ve had a few close calls, I haven’t had a real freeze at my house yet this season.

Some plants had a few leaves turn and die but the lowest temperature I have measured is 33F.

I love living here — where we can garden almost 12 months a year. Sometimes that means the plants and I don’t get a long winter’s nap.

Having lived several times in much colder climates, I would like to see a little snow in the winter.

That’s why there are airplanes!

The dogs, Tanner (the tan one!) and Dakota, don’t mind one bit. Indian summer suits them just fine as they enjoy watching me work in the garden.

In the cutting garden, I’ve had these daisies blooming for months.

The Katy Road Carefree Beauty rose is very happy and producing wonderfully fragrant blooms.
Mexican Oregano is flourishing and has bloomed non-stop since the Spring.
The fall-blooming Mexican Mint Marigold, which began blooming in September, is also experiencing a long bloom season. I normally have fewer Fall-blooming plants in the garden, but this year, the Mexican Mint Marigold has had to compete for the spotlight.

This creeping Wegelia perennial groundcover, whose bloom is winding its way through this variegated grass, seems to come into it’s own very late in the summer and doesn’t last long. I’ve seen more growth than ever this year with these warmer days.
My Black and blue salvia was overshadowed by other growing plants this summer and had virtually died back. This brand new shoot came up from the roots a few weeks ago and burst into bloom.
Exotic red blooms cover my Bottle Brush tree, blowing in the breezes above a blue agave.
And, the ever-reliable button mums just keep coming back year after year to put on a big Fall show.

For a garden tour of what’s blooming all over the world, you can visit Carol, at May Dreams Gardens, where she hosts Garden Bloggers Bloom Day on the 15th of each month.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:25-06:00December 15th, 2010|Blog, Bottle Brush tree, carefree beauty rose, dogs, GBBD, Mexican Mint Marigold, Mexican Oregano, mums, salvia, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

Some plants like bare feet in the winter

By now, most central Texas gardeners have experienced at least a light frost if not a hard freeze. Our summer-loving perennials are fading, losing blooms, dropping leaves and going to seed in preparation for winter dormancy.

While it may seem like it’s break time in the garden, now is actually a great time to plant a number of things. Nurseries are now stocking up on bare root plants – a wide variety of plants, vegetables and trees that are available for sale with their roots exposed instead of planted in containers with soil.

Bare root plants are dormant, dug up by the grower and kept cold until they are shipped. They weigh less without soil and containers and are much easier to ship, therefore, they are a great value because they cost less. Once the plant is placed in the ground and watered, it will begin to grow again.

According to Jeff Ferris, of the Natural Gardener, “It is less expensive to plant a bare root tree. If a bare root tree and a container tree are planted at the same time, with the exact same care and conditions, they will reach the same height at the same time.”

Larger container trees take longer to overcome the setbacks and shock of transplanting from the grower and having their roots cut to place them in containers. So buying a smaller, bare root tree will give it a better start and cost less, too.

What kinds of plants are available bare root?

Fruit and nut trees
Berries
Vegetables
Roses

Fruit trees

Most fruit trees require a specific number of “chilling hours” to grow and fruit properly.

This is the number of hours of winter temperatures between 32° to 45° F to break dormancy and induce normal bloom and vegetative growth. Varieties with a chilling requirement that is too low are likely to bloom early and be more susceptible to frost. If the chilling requirement is too high, they may be very slow to break dormancy and may abort fruit.

According to Texas A&M University’s Agricultural Extension Service, Travis County has approximately 700 average chill hours. (Bear in mind, “average” is a very slippery slope for central Texas gardeners, given our seesawing weather patterns in recent years.)

The specific varieties listed below meet the appropriate chilling requirements for the Travis County. (In an “average” year!)

Peaches (Well-adapted to our extreme climate swings)

TexStar
La Feliciana
Spring Gold
June Gold
Bicentennial
Sentinel
Harvester
Red Gold
Dixiland

Plums

Methley
Morris
Ozark
Premier
Alfred
Bruce

Pears (Easy fruit trees to grow, require least pruning and insect control)

Ayers
Magness
Orient
Maxine
Keiffer
LeConte
Moonglow

These are generally the most popular fruit trees grown in our area. Apples, apricots, citrus, figs, pecans, persimmons and others can also be grown successfully in central Texas. Ask your local nursery expert about well-adapted varieties of these trees.

Some trees are self-pollinating, however most fruit trees require cross-pollination. These trees need pollen from another tree to produce fruit, and the tree must be a different cultivar. Pollen from its own flowers or those of another tree of the same cultivar will not successfully pollinate the female parts of the flowers, due to incompatible timing. Be sure to check with the nursery to determine if a specific variety needs a pollinator to produce fruit.

Berries

Grapes (Nearly half of all species of grapes are native to Texas. While wild mustang grapes are prolific here, they aren’t as versatile for table use.)

Blanc Du Bois
Champanel
Golden Muscat
Carlos
Jumbo
Magnolia

Black berries

Brazos
Womack
Shawnee
Rosborough
Navajo
Arapaho
Brison

Strawberries

Chandler
Sequoia
Douglas
Tioga, Fresno, Tangi

Raspberries

Dorman Red

Vegetables

Artichokes

Green Globe
Imperial Star

Asparagus

Martha Washington
UC 157
Jersey Giant
UC 72
Jade Cross
Long Island Improved
Diablo

Roses

There are at least 100 varieties of roses that grow well in central Texas – far too many to list. For specific varieties, from climbers to floribundas, the A&M horticulture website has an extensive listing at:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/PLANTanswers/publications/roses/south.html

How to know if the plant is healthy

If you’ve never bought bare root plants before, they might look like dead sticks. But there are ways to make sure you’re getting a good specimen.

Check for mold or mildew on the roots. If the mold coverage is very light, you can clean it off. But, if mold covers the roots or the root feels soft, the plant is dead.

A healthy specimen will have lots of intact root “hairs.” Check for broken roots, you can cut off the root at the bend but never cut a healthy root to accommodate the size of your hole.

The plant may smell earthy, but should not smell bad or rotten .

The branches should not be damaged. A few broken twigs are okay.

Roots, rhizomes, and other parts should feel heavy. If they feel light and dried
out then the plant probably will not grow.

At most local nurseries, customers wrap and bag their own fruits and vegetables – placing the plant and some sand in newspaper, wetting the newspaper and then placing it in a plastic bag around the plant. I always get a kick out of the process, feeling like I somehow have a more personal connection with the plant after I’ve lovingly wrapped it up to bring home.

How to plant and care for bare root plants

Once you’ve taken your plants home, remove any packing material, such as sawdust or sand and soak the root portion of the plant in water, several hours for woody plants and 10-20 minutes for perennials, asparagus, strawberries, etc. It is important to get bare root plants into the ground quickly.

Dig a hole that is wide enough and deep enough to put the plant in without

bending or crowding the roots. Place the plant in the hole at the same level it was grown by the nursery — where the roots start and top shoots begin (the crown). Don’t cover the root graft or the crown of your plants. Spread the roots out evenly and don’t backfill the holes of trees with anything other than the soil that was dug out to create the hole.

Water the plant thoroughly, making sure that the soil around the roots is moist. And finally, mulch the plant to help protect it. Water new plants regularly until established.

Bare root trees will probably need to be staked for one year.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:25-06:00December 10th, 2010|Articles|0 Comments

Beautiful bursts for fall foliage follow-up…

Fall has arrived in Central Texas.

Thank Goodness!

We’ve been eagerly awaiting its arrival, having tired of endless summer.

But the days are in the 70s and the nights have even dipped down to 40 a time or two.

Our prodigious perennials have begun to wane, blooms fading, leaves yellowing and stalks turning spindly.

I love fall.

It’s a great time to grow fall vegetables. And I’m always amazed at the fall color.

We certainly don’t get the brilliant displays of color like gardeners in the north and east, but we do get some small bursts by certain trees and shrubs.

This small Crape Myrtle in my front bed has transformed itself with these beautiful hues of yellow and orange that almost make it look illuminated.

The big Burr Oak has some warm color, too, though it’s a little slower to change — perhaps this lumbering giant is slow to do many things. But it does drop the biggest leaves on the planet! (I might be exaggerating just a bit here.)
The Loropetalum love the chill – their deep plum-colored leaves provide a wonderful contrast in the garden.
My other Crape Myrtles – at least 15 feet tall – are reaching into the big blue sky with their fall colors and seed balls.
This Dwarf Pomegranate is still green as green can be, but the fruit is ready to ripen and bringing on its own fall color.
And one of my favorite color combinations – a coleus and a potato vine. Both seem unfazed by the cooler weather and I’m so glad.

Pam of Digging invites us to share our fabulous foliage photos on the 16th of each month and this month, there’s much to see.

What’s your favorite foliage in the garden now?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:25-06:00November 16th, 2010|Blog, Bur Oak, coleus, Crape Myrtle, fall foliage, loropetalum, pomegranate, Potato vine, Sharing Nature's Garden|1 Comment

With cold weather on the way, prepare now to protect your plants

The recent dip in nighttime temperatures had many people (including me) scurrying around outside at night to protect their tender plants.

It is that time of year, when we play chicken with Mother Nature. Will it really get that cold? Am I in a little pocket that’s warmer/colder/somehow different than the forecast? Some of us are in perpetual denial, while the rest (like me) run around like Henny Penny thinking the sky is falling.

Depending on the source you check, the average first frost in Austin is said to be anywhere between November 28 and December 5. That means the time to prepare is now.

What’s the difference between a frost and a freeze? Frost occurs when temperatures drop and moisture in the air condenses to dew and freezes on plants when it reaches 32F. (Plants lose heat faster than air, so it’s important to remember that plants can be damaged even if air temperatures don’t actually reach freezing.)

Frost may then turn into a freeze when temperatures fall below 32F. At that point, ice crystals may form inside plant cells, rupturing them. When the temperature rises again, the cells leak, turning to mush and the resulting black foliage.

A “hard” freeze occurs when the temperature drops to 28F or below. Long, hard freezes, such as those we experienced last winter, are almost impossible to protect against.

But, in an average Central Texas winter, there are many things you can do protect plants from frosts or freezes.

First, water moderately before the freeze. Water loses its heat more slowly than air throughout the night. Combined with covering plants or even a heat source, watering can help make a real difference by a few critical degrees.

Sheets, blankets and heavyweight row cover can all help protect plants from a freeze. But it’s important to note that it’s not the cover that keeps the plant warm, it’s the radiant heat coming up from the ground that is held in by the cover. Drape the cover all the way down to the ground and secure it like a tent with rocks, bricks or my favorite – canned vegetables (lighter than rocks, easier to find in a pinch, and they don’t mess up your sheets and blankets).

Do not, however, drape something over the top of the plant and then tie it around the trunk like a giant lollipop. This is pointless, because you are actually keeping the heat away from the plant. If you have plants that can’t withstand the weight of a blanket or sheet, you can plan ahead and use tomato cages, large boxes or PVC hoops or frames – really, anything to hold up the cover.

For particularly tender plants or a really cold night, you can also add a droplight or the large-bulb Christmas lights under the cover to create some additional heat. Be careful not to let the bulb touch either plant or cover.

If temperatures rise above freezing – remove covers the next day to allow the plants to absorb the next day’s heat and recover as necessary.

Protecting container plants is a little trickier. Their roots are much less insulated than plants in the ground and will get much colder. To protect them, you can group them against your house and use the same techniques as you would for in-ground plants. Even the littlest radiant heat from the house can help make a difference on a cold night.

But what do you do when we have a colder winter, or you have larger or more tender plants, that just need more protection.

If you have one, you can put them in a greenhouse. There are many on the market – from traditional glass structures to mini houses made of plastic. But beware, in the cold of winter, the temperature inside is usually the same as it is outside. A greenhouse will require a heater to protect plants. And, with our wildly fluctuating day and night-time temps, you will frequently have to open it all up and water daily when the days are nice and warm. Even though the nighttime cold doesn’t change the inside temperature, the daytime sun most definitely does! My greenhouse can be 20 degrees hotter inside than the outside temperature on a really warm day – so be prepared to tend to the plants often and open and close the greenhouse daily.

Having spent years putting big pots of plants in the garage, this is also a great way to overwinter them, with a few conditions. Remember, plants need light, and overhead light won’t cut it. If you don’t have windows in your garage, make sure you open the garage door to let in sunlight and fresh air when temperatures allow. In the garage, some plants will go dormant for the winter reserving their energy in their roots for the next spring. Water them sparingly and let them rest for the winter. Once indoors, these plants require less water since there is no wind, and winter

daylight hours are shorter and lighting levels lower. More houseplants are lost to over watering than under watering. Water only when the top 1/2-inch of soil is dry to the touch. When their leaves drop, don’t worry and don’t fertilize them to try to push them into growth while they are inside.

How do you decide what to cover? Different plants have varying cold hardiness – more established and mature plants have stronger, deeper root systems and can withstand more than tender plants or newly planted plants. You may want to take extra care if you’ve put in a new fall bed or have recently planted new perennials.

Let’s say you weren’t watching the weather forecast and you lost some perennials. What do you do now? Don’t prune them. I know it’s tempting to take that dead stuff off so you don’t have to look at it. But, those freeze-damaged stems provide some protection for the plant for the rest of the winter. And pruning encourages growth – the last thing you want now when there are several more freezes to come. A repeat cycle of growing and freezing is hard on the plants. Just consider them items of sculptural interest in your garden!

So, plan now – collect your sheets and blankets, find some tomato cages, lights and canned goods and you’ll be ready to go when a surprise weather forecast sets you scurrying at 5 p.m.

Frost tolerance of fall vegetables:

Possible damage by light frost: Beans, cucumbers, eggplants, cantaloupe, Okra, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, tomatoes

Can tolerate light frost: Artichokes, beets, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, peas, Swiss chard

Can tolerate hard frost: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, onions, parsley, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips.

And remember, frost can make leafy greens and root vegetables sweeter, so leave some of your chard and carrots in the ground until you are ready to eat them.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:25-06:00November 13th, 2010|Articles|0 Comments

All ready for a long winter’s nap …

Last week’s cold weather scare sent many gardeners (including me) scurrying for sheets and towels and shoving plants up against the house.

And of course it did not freeze. Not even close. But that’s the nature of, well…Mother Nature.
Because I heard the freeze warning late in the day, there was no way to get all the plants into the greenhouse, especially the big monsters that I simply cannot budge.
So, today I got some help to move the giant pots to get the hardest part of the move situated. Then I spent most of the day putting in the rest of the children…I mean, plants…
The biggest challenge is using sun-lovers to provide enough shade for more delicate plants that spend their summers under the part-time protection of the back patio and the cabana. So plants have to be carefully placed so as not to scorch or get leggy. Then there’s the issue of enough room for me to get in there and reach back windows and have some space to work.
This is the work space – just enough for repotting, cleaning up plants and preparing seeds.

The daily watering starts again now — with the cooler weather, these plants have gone up to 3 days without water around the back patio area. In the greenhouse, it will be too warm yet during the days to let most of them go more than a day.

With a forecast of 60s for the low tonight, they are sleeping with the windows and door open tonight. The cold front arrives tomorrow – 58, and next week we’ll be in the low 40s at night. Then the plants will be very glad to be in the greenhouse with the heater on.

Let the winter begin! Are you ready?

By Diana C. Kirby|2016-04-14T02:40:11-05:00November 11th, 2010|Blog, freeze, greenhouse, Sharing Nature's Garden, winter|0 Comments

Previous 697071 Next

Diana C. Kirby