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Creative kid & adult garden projects during Corona virus

With Covid-19 virus protocols in place across the country, staying home for an undetermined length of time may be daunting.  As time goes on, the walls may start to close in a little.  Working, learning, and playing together at home can raise anxiety and frustrations for everyone.

If you need a respite,  how about a mini-makeover for your backyard so you can relax and rejuvenate outdoors?  Need a restorative garden project to engage the kids?  We’re lucky to live in a part of the country where we can enjoy the outdoors many months of the year.  Now, more than ever, the benefits of fresh air and a safe change of scenery can make a big difference.

Here are a few simple ideas to freshen up your outdoor space and engage your kids in interesting projects while you and your family are spending most or all of your time at home.

Shop in your own house and garden

Do you have empty pots sitting in your garage or your shed?  With a little bit of soil, you may be able to create something new and pretty to set on the table.  Other containers can also be used, as long as the plant is in a container with a hole in the bottom for adequate drainage.

 

Many of us have plants that produce pups or offshoots that can be planted into a new pot.  Think airplane plants, succulents, agaves, pothos ivy among others.  Walk out into the landscape and look for mini-me plants.  Dig them up carefully and be sure to get as much of the root as possible.

This is a great time to engage your kids.  Have them help with clipping and filling the pot with soil and ongoing watering.  Have them do the research about the plant’s light and water needs.  Once the plant takes root and starts to grow — voila — instant home science lesson!

Pillows and other decor

You don’t need fancy outdoor furniture, to perk up your patio or yard.  Move a few indoor pillows outside (when it’s not raining) to add some cheer and make your space more inviting.

Add a little side table or t.v. tray or whatever you have sitting around inside — it can even be a crate with a tray on top of it and a placemat.  Add a cup of coffee or a cocktail and take a deep breath.

Light up the night

No outdoor lighting?  Not a problem.  Chances are you have some holiday lights stuffed in a corner of the garage or up in your attic.  Pull them out and tape or tack them around a few lawn chairs.    A simple string or two of miniature lights draped from the ceiling or a pergola or even run along the fence can be very quaint and inviting. Or, find a few empty glass jars from the back of a kitchen cabinet and help the kids stuff most of the little lights into the jar and plug in the other end.  Take the kids outside around dusk and tell stories sitting in the yard.

Make eating fun

If you don’t have marshmallows in the house, think about other goodies you could put on the end of a skewer or cleaned-up stick and pretend to roast marshmallows around a fire.  Kids won’t care – they’d be just as happy playing make believe and eating a skewered cupcake or bite of banana bread.  Heck, even a piece of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Creativity is key.

A little night  music

What better to add to the calming effect of your new instant backyard paradise than the sound of bubbling water?  Google meditation music with water sounds and sit together and listen to the sound of waves on the beach somewhere.  Or, find some soothing music to provide background sound to sit and watch the stars

There are lots of ways to spruce up your yard and patio to create your own family retreat during these uncertain times.

 

Landscape Designer Diana Kirby provides landscaping tips on Facebook at Diana’s Designs and writes a gardening blog at www.dianasdesignsaustin.com where she is also available for social distance consulting via photos and phone. You can also sign up for quarterly email tips and online DIY workshops.

 

 

 

 

By |2020-03-26T12:36:57-05:00March 26th, 2020|Agave, Articles, children, children's garden, planters, pots, projects, propagation, squid agave|1 Comment
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Create an indoor oasis with houseplants to escape Covid stress

Thanks to Covid-19 and the summer heat, we’re all spending more time at home and indoors.  The desire to escape and relax in your own oasis is real, and making a few changes inside can give you that peaceful feeling that’s more important than ever right now.

So, I am surrounding myself with houseplants.  Not only do indoor plants brighten up a room, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, helping to clean the air.  And, most importantly, they make me happy.  Pretty plants, pretty pots, I love everything about indoor plants.

All houseplants need three basic elements to thrive – light, water and nutrients.

Light

Plants depend on sunlight for photosynthesis.  Because the specific needs for each plant will vary, it’s important to survey your indoor space to evaluate the amount of light available where you’d like to add plants.  Make sure you consider both the duration and the intensity of the light. You can fill your windows with full-sun plants and save less well-lit spaces for plants that don’t need full light.  While it’s never a substitute for the sun, fluorescent lighting can also help to supplement natural light.

Most plants at nurseries are tagged with some growing information like whether they need low, medium or high light.  If they aren’t, check with sales staff or research your plants online to make sure what you choose will be a good fit for your space.

If your plant begins to lean significantly toward the light, it should be moved, as this is a sign that it’s not getting enough sun. You should also turn your plants regularly so each side gets equal sun exposure.

Water

The two most common causes of houseplant death are over- and under-watering.  Many sources recommend watering plants once a week, but that’s just a guideline.  To really gauge your plant’s water needs, you should use your finger to test the moisture of the soil just below the surface.  If it’s still moist, don’t water it yet. For most plants, the best plan is to saturate the soil, then let it dry out before watering again.  After a few cycles, your plants will let you know how long to go between waterings. If the plant is droopy or wilting, water less frequently.

Nutrients

Unlike the plants in your landscape, the correct houseplant potting medium is potting soil, which is typically a mix of peat, perlite, and vermiculite. Natural soils typically do not drain well, and so are not well suited to potted plants.  Many of today’s potting soil mixes even come with additional nutrients to get you off to a good start.

Over time, those initial nutrients will leach out of the soil and will need to be replenished.  An occasional fertilizer feeding will be necessary to keep plants healthy. Many good premixed houseplant fertilizers are available – just remember – it’s better to under-fertilize than to over-fertilize.  Over-fertilizing can burn plants.

Temperature

Most common houseplants are native to climates similar to the temperature and conditions inside our homes. They do best at 65 to 75 degrees during the day and slightly cooler nighttime temperatures.  Don’t place plants directly in the line of a heater, fan or air conditioner.

Pots and containers

Choosing the correct sized pot can be key to your plant’s health.  A pot that is too small will limit plant growth and an over-sized pot can cause root rot when too much water is retained in the pot.  Adequate drainage is critical.

You will periodically need to repot your plants.  If the roots are straining out of the bottom of the pot, it’s time to move to a larger container.  Generally, a new pot should just be a few inches bigger than the old one.

Air Root Plant – Also called Mother of Thousands, the babies form along the outer edges of the leaves of the mother plant. It likes full sun light.

Aloe – This full-sun-loving classic succulent has a sap that can help heal burns.

False Aralia – This wispy, upright plant is typically a floor plant as it gets four to eight feet tall. They like high humidity and moist soil with moderate light.

Begonia – This beautiful and colorful plant likes diffused light and a little extra moisture.

Dracaena – Also called Corn Plant, this is a simple plant to grow and likes strong or full sunlight.  It can grow well over six feet tall.

Weeping Fig – This is an evergreen tree with a strong growth habit. This plant hates to be moved. Even a few inches to the right or left and it will drop its leaves.

Philodendron – This is an easy plant to grow. The heart-shaped leaves are tough and adaptable.

Pothos Ivy – A great starter houseplant, pothos ivy is nearly impossible to kill. The plant can be started from cuttings placed in soil or water and can be left in water for long periods of time.

Rubber Tree – This traditional and simple plant requires little fuss and has pretty, glossy leaves that are striking. It has average water needs.

Snake Plant or Mother-In-Law Tongue – This is a very traditional houseplant. It seems to thrive on neglect.

Spider Plant – This delicate plant that grows new plants from shoots off the sides. It is great in hanging baskets. It likes diffused light and moist soil.

By |2020-07-20T12:01:18-05:00December 24th, 2016|Articles|0 Comments
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Garden and indoor décor gifts sure to please

As the holiday season kicks into full swing, the challenge of finding the perfect gift grows greater as the days pass.  If you’re trying to find something for the gardener or nature lover in your life, today’s trends include a long list of great choices.

Even the most experienced gardener with a shed full of tools will always appreciate new gloves, clogs, tub trugs or top-of-the-line pruners and other hand tools like Felcos, Fiskars or Coronas.  Built to last, gardeners don’t always buy these high quality tools for themselves, so they make great gifts. If you’ve got even more to spend, consider giving a garden cart, tiller, bird bath, or small fountain.  And, if you’re sure you won’t offend with a utilitarian gift, a lightweight, battery-operated blower makes taking care of leaves a breeze.

Today’s home décor trends bring the outdoors in.  Plants make wonderful gifts, especially indoor plants that perk up a house during winter.  Easy-care plants like bromeliads, dracaenas, pothos ivy, peperomia, ponytail palms and tillandsias (also known as air plants), grow well indoors.

An intriguing way to display plants, glass terrariums come in every shape and size. Add a few pieces of ephemera, like seashells you collected from the beach, pretty pebbles or colored glass, a few acorns, or chips of bark.  Whether you purchase one ready-made or put together a do-it-yourself kit for your gift recipient, these creative containers are sure to please. Last year, I was given such a kit, along with the book, Terrariums: Gardens Under Glass, by Maria Colletti, and I relished building my little glass piece of paradise. Other great books about creative indoor plant style include Indoor Plant Décor: The Design Stylebook for Houseplants by Kylee Baumle and Jenny Peterson, and Rooted in Design by Tara Heibel and Tassy de Give.

Finding homes for Tillandsias is even easier – they don’t need a pot or soil, just a periodic mist of water from a spray bottle.  Pretty glass plates, pieces of driftwood, shells, and stylish ceramic bowls all make wonderful vessels for Tillandsias that will match any décor. Drop a plant, a container and a small spray bottle into a gift bag, and voila – instant gift.

Cloches are another clever display option for indoor plants.  French for “bell,” cloches are glass bell-shaped jars that were used in 19th century France to place over plants during cool weather, acting as miniature greenhouses for individual plants.  Grouped together or arranged with other bottles or jars, plants inside cloches add a touch of style to coffee tables and shelves.

Other home décor items reflect today’s nature craze, too.  Home accessory shops are filled with vases, ceramic plates and bowls, wooden boxes, and trays made from natural products reflecting elements of nature.  Botanical prints and nature photographs fill the wall art departments.

Presenting someone with outdoor garden design books in the middle of winter is sure to inspire sweet garden dreams and plans for the spring.  A few of my favorites include Plant Driven Design by Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden, The Layered Garden by David Culp and Rob Cardillo, and Garden Up by Susan Morrison and Rebecca Sweet.  I’d love to curl up on a cold day with a cup of hot chocolate and these books and imagine what the spring will bring.

Whether you’re looking for something functional, decorative, or inspirational, the wide array of available choices this season will make shopping easier than ever.

By |2019-01-08T17:12:11-06:00November 26th, 2016|Articles|0 Comments
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Wildlife habitat brings nature to your doorstep

Slightly cooler temperatures have many Texans venturing back outside to embrace nature in their favorite outdoor spaces.

Supporting wildlife in your garden can help maintain the balance of nature in an urban setting.  Watching or photographing the antics of wildlife creatures can provide hours of enjoyment for children and grown-ups alike.  And listening to the songs and chirps of birds, toads, frogs and others will be music to your ears. It can be like having the National Geographic channel in your own back yard.

Many people hang bird feeders or houses in their yards, but with a little garden habitat planning, you can bring a whole new variety of wildlife to your landscape.  Birds, bats, toads, frogs, lizards, snakes, turtles, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and many other small creatures can bring you hours of enjoyment. While some people might not care to invite all of these animals into their yards, most of them are harmless.  Many even eat destructive insects or rodents.

How do you go about creating a friendly and successful habitat for wildlife?  There are four primary elements necessary to help wildlife survive in your garden.

  • Shelter
  • Food
  • Water
  • Places to raise young

Shelter

For wildlife to thrive, animals need shelter from predators and weather extremes – the blazing summer heat, winter’s cold and rain, and our central Texas droughts.

Many garden plants can provide both food and shelter. Trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, groundcovers and vines can all provide protection.

For example, some birds thrive in the underbrush and like small, dense shrubs for shelter, while others prefer wide-open spaces in which they can keep an eye out for predators.

Frogs, toads and lizards like rocks, piles of leaves, stumps and logs.  If you don’t have an area in your yard to leave wild or natural, you can pile some leaves and rocks in shady parts of a flowerbed to welcome these creatures.

Food

Native plants can provide food for all kinds of wildlife with their nuts, berries, foliage, fruits, sap, and seeds.

Different species like different sources of food. Most native and adapted flowers are nectar sources for hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. Beautyberry, coral berry, holly, juniper, sumac, wax myrtle, viburnum, native Texas persimmon, oak, pyracantha, nandina, yaupon holly and fruit trees are just some of the things you can plant in your garden to support wildlife.

In addition to seed from native wildflowers, birds also eat insects, worms, fruits, nuts and berries.  While many birds eat sunflowers placed in feeders, there are other kinds of seeds you can provide to entice many new species of birds into your back yard.

Some birds, including titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers and mockingbirds will eat bits of fruit like oranges, apples and raisins.  Woodpeckers and chickadees also like suet blocks, which is birdseed in a block of rendered fat and provides extra energy – an excellent source of winter food. Nyjer seed – also commonly known as thistle seed – is popular with many backyard bird species, particularly finches.

Small frogs and toads eat insects, worms and snails.  Lizards, like our native Anoles and Spiny lizards, eat crickets, spiders, roaches and grubs.  We know squirrels eat nuts, but they also like seeds, grains and fruit. Rabbits will eat many different plants, so while you want to keep them out of your vegetable garden, they will also eat berries, flowers shrubs and grasses.

Water

We all need water to survive, and animals in central Texas have greater needs than some because of our frequent and severe drought conditions.

In addition to ponds and standing birdbaths, shallow birdbaths or saucers on the ground can help provide water to many other species.  Logs, rocks and other shallow structures are good water sources for turtles, frogs, toads, lizards and even butterflies.

Change the water frequently, though, to keep it fresh and clean and prevent mosquito breeding.

Places to raise young

Most habitats that provide adequate cover also provide animals with the right conditions for raising their young.

Small mammals will burrow in areas ranging from wildflower beds to basic garden undergrowth.  Frogs, toads and lizards need groundcover and moisture. They like a carpet of leaves and groundcover to shield the.  And the nesting preferences of birds are as varied as the species themselves, including dense shrubs, trees, birdhouses and even potted plants.  Because birds use many different materials to build their nests, you can help by hanging a mesh net or something similar with fiber scraps, wool, or lint in a tree, and then watch them draw from it to craft their homes.

To provide a safe habitat for wildlife in your yard, it is important not to use insecticides, pesticides, and other chemical products like lawn weed & feeds or weed killers, as these can kill both the animals and the food sources on which they depend in the wild.

As temperatures begin to drop and perennials and wildflowers lose their leaves and go dormant, resist the urge to prune everything bare for the sake of neatness.  Your woodland friends will thank you when winter arrives and they have sheltered habitat areas in which to weather the winter.

By |2019-01-08T17:17:18-06:00October 22nd, 2016|Articles|0 Comments
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Turn sidewalk strip into curb appeal

Let’s talk about sidewalk strips.  You know, that slimmest sliver of dry, cracked soil between the street curb and your sidewalk.  Where grass just won’t grow, no matter how hard you try.

Erratic rains, then drought, and foot traffic all take their toll on these tiny pieces of turf.  Alternating between crispy brown grass, dusty dirt, or tattered weeds, these hot spots often bake like an entrée in an oven in the hottest stretches of summer.

Watering grass in these strips is a challenge, and usually results either under-watering grass or wastefully over-watering sidewalks and pavement.

While it may be one of the toughest spots in which to grow grass, it’s also the very first impression your guests will have of your home.  Imagine visiting with neighbors over a flowing flowerbed, or children watching hummingbirds light on pollinator-friendly plants. Or, if your family or friends often park along this area, wouldn’t it be nice to have a place for them to step out of their vehicles without wearing a footpath in your grass?

So, how do you create curb appeal in a challenging sidewalk strip?

First, assess your use patterns.  Will people park there often and want to step out onto the strip?  Will kids ride their bikes on the sidewalk and veer into that area repeatedly?  Perhaps neighbors walk their dogs along the sidewalk, strategically turning the other way when Fido finds the perfect spot right on your struggling grass?

Would you like a pop of plant color that beckons visitors into your garden?  Or do you prefer the structure of native grasses or agaves? Are you looking for seasonal interest all year long?

Do you fantasize of pouring concrete there so that you can spend less time watering in the heat?   Perhaps you can think of better ways to spend your money than your astronomical water bill?

Fortunately, there are many creative options, depending on your particular taste.

If your forlorn sidewalk strip remains safe from pedestrians and kids, you might consider removing the grass entirely, adding some good garden soil, and creating a ribbon of tough, drought-tolerant, low-profile native and adapted plants.  Choose plants best suited for the space; assess the amount of sun or shade they will receive and how much you will water.

Make sure you know how big your plants will get, and believe the labels.  You don’t want your next problem to be searching for a machete to cut back an overgrown, tangled monster that threatens to take your sidewalk hostage.

Blackfoot daisy, Mexican feather grass, Queen Victoria agave, pink or purple skullcap, damianita, zexmenia, catmint, evening primrose and euphorbia would all make good water-wise choices for a small space.

Looking for a low to no-maintenance, yet attractive solution for a higher-traffic strip?  Forget the concrete and consider creating a patio-like ribbon with your favorite flagstone and some decomposed granite.  You can also add just a few water-wise plants to add interest, yet retain enough space for friends to step out of their cars.

Whether you’re looking for a pop of native curb appeal color or want to simplify your space,

there are many creative plant and hardscape options if you want to ditch the turf in your sidewalk strip.

By |2020-05-12T21:12:16-05:00August 27th, 2016|Articles|3 Comments
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Water-wise agaves add sculptural structure in the garden

Someone turned the thermostat up outside last week and I’m afraid it’s going to be stuck this way for a while.  That means gardeners will ramp up their search for drought-tolerant plants to keep their landscapes beautiful and thriving through the dog days of summer.

Some of the most drought-tolerant plants available to us are succulents. Succulents store water in their leaves, stems and/or roots and can tolerate extreme drought, high heat, and poor soil. They generally have few insect pests or problems with disease.

More than 50 plant families are considered succulents. Agaves, aloes, euphorbias, sedums and yuccas are just a few of the categories. Agaves are among the most striking succulents, belonging to the family Agavaceae. While agaves and cacti are both succulents, agaves are not cacti.  The name Agave comes from the Greek agauos – of kings and heroes, illustrious, hence, noble.

Not all agaves mature into 6-foot-tall giants that devour landscapes and relentlessly spread pups. There are many, much smaller and more manageable species that can be used as focal points in the landscape and beautiful potted plant arrangements. Some of the smaller agaves that do well here and are suitable for small gardens and containers include squid, quadricolor, blue glow and Queen Victoria agaves.  These succulents are ideal for gardeners with limited space.

The thick, juicy stems of agaves add interesting structure, texture, variety and color to a landscape. Mixing textures in landscape design makes a garden more interesting.  Some of my favorite design combinations include large, structural agaves next to soft, flowering plants like Mexican bush sage, salvias, or grasses.

Agaves are generally very low maintenance. They have low water needs (not no water), but they are prone to rot if overwatered, a common occurrence when gardeners water them on the same schedule as thirstier plants.  They need fast-draining soil, and experts recommend a soil mix that includes a little bit of sand and a little decomposed granite.

Not all agaves like full sun, either. This is a common myth — some of them actually prefer partial shade with bright, but not direct sunlight.

Agaves are primarily monocarpic, meaning that they flower, bloom, set seeds, and then die.  The commonly used term “century plant” is a misnomer, as most agaves bloom much sooner than that, especially in manmade landscapes. As the agave begins to flower, the rosette will produce a tall stem and then horizontal branches, covered with small, cylindrical blooms.

The buds open in succession up the stem with the flowers on the lower branches opening first and drying out by the time the uppermost flowers open. This process can take 3-4 weeks or more.  When the flowers open, they release pistils and stamens, attracting bees, bats, birds and other insects.

The flowering itself doesn’t kill the mother plant. Once the blooms are finished, the production of fruits and seeds and the resulting chemical changes within the plant leave it spent and it dies.

Most agaves also produce offsets, or ‘pups,’ that come from the base of the mother plant underground.  Many species are prolific producers of pups, while others never develop them. Because removal of pups can be a lot of ongoing maintenance, be sure to do your research before you buy an agave.  You’ll want to know the right sun conditions, cold hardiness, full size at maturity, and likeliness to pup. Growth and pupping will, of course, depend on the soil and watering conditions in your garden.

There are more than 200 species of Agave, ranging from 4” x 6” to 8’ x 12.’ From emerald to shades of blue and vibrant variegated stripes, there is sure to be one that’s just right for your garden.

By |2019-01-08T17:26:58-06:00June 25th, 2016|Articles|0 Comments
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Escape in the garden

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