>> HI THERE, I'M TOM SPENCER.

THIS WEEK ON CENTRAL TEXAS

GARDENER, HORTICULTURIST

GREG GRANT KEEPS THE HARVEST

GOING WITH LATE WINTER AND

SPRING VEGETABLES.

ON TOUR SEE HOW A NEW

GARDENER TURNED A FIELD OF

WEEDS INTO RAISED BEDS OF

FOOD.

DAPHNE EXPLAINS WHY TO PRUNE

TREES NOW AND GIVES YOU THE

TIMELINE FOR OAKS AND TRISHA

HAS BASIC BACKYARD TIPS.

LET'S GET GOING RIGHT NOW.

>> SUPPORT FOR CENTRAL TEXAS
GARDENER COMES FROM

GEOGROWERS, OFFERING CUSTOM

SOIL BLENDS FOR LAWN,

GARDENS XERISCAPING AND

ORGANIC LANDSCAPING SUPPLY.

MORE INFORMATION AT

GEOGROWERS.NET.

>> [MUSIC PLAYING].

>> YOUR FIRST GARDEN IS BOTH

THE HARDEST AND THE MOST

EXCITING.

IT'S ESPECIALLY POWERFUL IF

YOU MOVE TO AUSTIN JUST AS

DROUGHT HITS.

SEE HOW NEW GARDENER ELLIE

HANLON TOOK ON THE

CHALLENGE.

>> ELLIE HANLON IS GROWING

HER FIRST GARDEN.

NOT ONLY THAT, SINCE SHE

HAILS FROM FLORIDA AND

BROOKLYN, SHE TACKLED PLANTS

AND TEXAS TOUGH AT THE SAME

TIME.

AT LEAST WHEN SHE AND

HUSBAND L.B. DEYO BOUGHT

THEIR HOUSE IN 2009 THEY DID

INHERIT AMENDED SOIL FROM

THE PREVIOUS OWNERS'

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

>> THERE HAD BEEN A PERIOD

OF MAYBE EIGHT MONTHS WHERE

THE HOUSE HAD BEEN VACANT,

AND SO WEEDS HAD TAKEN OVER

AND THERE WERE SUNFLOWERS,

MAYBE 14 FEET HIGH, AND THE

STEM, I DON'T EVEN THINK YOU

COULD CALL THEM STEMS.

THEY WERE LIKE TREE TRUNKS.

THEY WERE HUGE.

IT WAS A LITTLE

OVERWHELMING.

>> HER GOOD FRIEND, CHLOE

CERWINKA, AN ARCHITECT AND

GARDENER, CAME TO ASSIST.

>> SO SHE CAME DOWN HERE AND

SPENT ABOUT TEN DAYS.

ACTUALLY WE HADN'T MOVED

INTO THE HOUSE YET BUT WE

CAME OVER HERE EVERY DAY AND

MEASURED AND SORT OF WATCHED

WHERE THE SUN WAS HITTING,

AND THAT'S HOW THE GARDEN

WAS PLANNED.

>> ELLIE WANTED A TOTAL

GARDEN EXPERIENCE, WHERE

ROSES AND PERENNIAL FLOWERS

MINGLE WITH FOOD FOR THE

KITCHEN.

INSTEAD OF THE FORMER ROWS,

THEY DESIGNED BEDS FRAMED

WITH SCAVENGED ROCKS AND

MULCHED PATHWAYS.

>> EVEN THOUGH I KNEW I

WANTED TO DO VEGETABLES, I

STILL WANTED IT TO BE KIND

OF A PRETTY GARDEN, AND I

THINK ROWS ARE NICE, BUT

THEY'RE MORE FOR EFFICIENCY.

SO I WANTED SOMETHING WHERE

YOU COULD LIKE WALK -- YOU

KNOW, WALK AROUND, SEE

DIFFERENT THINGS AND JUST

SORT OF EXPLORE A LITTLE BIT

MORE.

IT WAS HARD TO MOVE AROUND

WHEN IT WAS JUST ROWS SO

THAT FIRST WINTER 2009, WE

PUT CARDBOARD DOWN AND

COVERED IT WITH MULCH TO

SORT OF KILL ALL THE GRASS

AND THE WEEDS THAT HAD GROWN

UP, AND THEN THAT WAS ALSO

WHEN WE PUT IN THE FIRST

WINTER GARDEN.

AND SO WE HAD LETTUCE,

COLLARDS, TRIED TO DO SOME

BRUSSELS SPROUTS.

THAT DIDN'T WORK BUT WE HAD

BROCCOLI.

IT WAS AMAZING, AND EVEN

THOUGH IT WAS SORT OF

CRAZY-LOOKING BECAUSE

EVERYTHING WAS GROWING UP

WITH CARDBOARD AROUND IT, IT

WAS STILL DELICIOUS.

>> WARM SEASON CROPS THRIVE

IN AN ORGANIC REGIMEN TOO,

ALONG WITH FRESH PICKS FOR

DINNER, ELLIE LEARNED HOW TO

CAN AND PRESERVE FOR THE

FIRST TIME.

SHE ALSO WANTS TO FEED THE

WILDLIFE IN HER NEW HOME AND

SEE THEM UP CLOSE.

>> WELL, I KNEW THAT THE

BORDERS, I WANTED THOSE TO

ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES AND

HUMMINGBIRDS.

>> AND FLOWERS BRING ON THE

BEES TO POLLINATE HER CROPS.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN SOME

BIRDS VISITING THAT HAVE

BEEN SITTING ON THE SWISS

CHARD AND EATING THE BUGS

OFF OF IT, AND I THOUGHT,

OH, HOW WONDERFUL.

SO I LOOKED INTO MY TEXAS

BIRD BOOK AND I FOUND THAT

THEY'RE THE HOUSE SPARROW.

[LAUGHTER]

THOUGHT IT WAS THIS EXOTIC

BIRD, BUT IT WAS A HOUSE

SPARROW.

>> ALONG WITH THAT NATURAL

PEST CONTROL MANY BIRDS NOW

LOVED THE NOW TAMED

SUNFLOWER VOLUNTEERS THAT

ALSO ACT AS A TRAP CROP FOR

TOMATO STINKBUGS.

>> I ALSO OFTEN COME OVER

HERE IN THE MORNING AFTER

WALKING THE DOG SO I'LL HAVE

HIS LEASH WITH ME AND IT HAS

DOG BAGS ATTACHED TO IT.

I WAS SITTING OVER THERE BY

THE POND ONE MORNING

ENJOYING MY COFFEE AND I

LOOKED OVER AND SAW A LEAF

ON ONE OF THE SUNFLOWERS

COVERED, THERE MUST HAVE

BEEN 50 OR 60 STINKBUG

BABIES.

AND SO I JUST WENT OVER WITH

THE DOG BAG AND GRABBED THE

LEAF AND TIED IT UP AND

TOSSED IT IN THE TRASH.

>> TO FEND OFF SOILBORNE

TOMATO NEMATODES AND

NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES ELLIE

ROTATES CROPS.

>> THEY STARTED UP ON THE

NORTH END AND I'VE BEEN

MOVING THEM SOUTH EACH TIME.

>> LATER SHE ADD THE AN

ANCHOR TO SIGNIFY THE

CENTRAL PATH.

THE ARBOR'S PRACTICAL JOB IS

TO SUPPORT CUCUMBERS SEEDED

IN MID-SPRING.

ELLIE'S TACTIC IN 2012 WAS

ONE SHE LEARNED EARLY ON.

>> ON ONE SIDE I HAD

ARMENIAN CUCUMBERS, WHICH I

GUESS AREN'T REALLY

CUCUMBERS.

THEY'RE MORE IN THE GOURD

FAMILY, AND THOSE REALLY

COULD WITHSTAND THE HEAT AND

THE DROUGHT.

SO I PLANTED THOSE AGAIN ON

THE WEST SIDE, AND THEN

STRAIGHT EIGHTS ON THE EAST

SIDE HOPING THEY'LL GET A

LITTLE BIT OF SHADE FROM THE

ARMENIAN CUCUMBERS.

>> IN 2010 SHE INSTALLED A

STOCK TANK POND THAT GIVES

THE WANDERING GARDENER A

PLACE TO STOP AND REFLECT.

FILLED WITH PLANTS AND FISH

IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH CARE.

>> IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN.

I LIKE TO SIT OUT BY IT AND

DRINK MY COFFEE IN THE

MORNING.

>> THAT'S WHEN SHE'LL TURN

ON THE DRIP SYSTEM, IF

NECESSARY.

SHE SET IT UP ON TWO MAIN

CONTROLS TO SERVE EACH SIDE

OF THE GARDEN.

>> EACH BED IS ON A SEPARATE

VALVE, SO IF THERE ISN'T

ANYTHING GROWING IN A BED

RIGHT NOW OR IF IT'S

SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T NEED

WATER AT THAT MOMENT, I JUST

TURN OFF THE VALVE AND DON'T

EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT.

IT'S VERY PRECISE WATERING.

IT'S A DRIP SYSTEM SO IT'S

GOING STRAIGHT WHERE THE

PLANTS NEED IT INTO THE

SOIL.

THERE ISN'T A LOT OF WATER

BEING BLOWN AROUND BECAUSE

IT'S AT THE GROUND LEVEL.

AND I CAN ALSO ADJUST IT AS

NEEDED.

I ALSO, JUST LAST WEEK,

ACTUALLY, I HOOKED UP A

FERTILIZER RESERVOIR FOR MY

DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND I

FILLED THAT WITH FISH FORT

WORTH FERTILIZER SO WE'LL

SEE THAT WORKS.

>> FOR HAND-WATERING SHE

TAPS FROM THE LINKED RAIN

BARRELS.

SHE ALSO USES THEIR WATER

FOR HER PATIO PLANTS

INCLUDING FRAGRANT SOME TIME

EVENING BLOOMERS, LIKE FOUR

O'CLOCKS AND VINING WHITE

MOONFLOWER TO SCENT THEIR

AFTER-HOURS PATIO DOWNTIME.

>> I BOUGHT STOCK TANKS AND

FILLED THEM WITH ROCKS AND

SOIL ROCKS ON THE BOTTOM FOR

DRAINAGE AND I DRILLED

HOLES.

>> MINIATURE PONDS COMPLETE

THE REFRESHMENT ON A WARM

SUMMER EVENING.

ALONG WITH THE FRESH FOOD

AND MEETING A NEW CHALLENGE,

THE GARDEN'S BEEN A

NEIGHBORLY LAUNCH PAD FOR

ELLIE, L.B. AND PRESTO.

>> WE HAD A TRADING GROUP

WHERE ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS

WITH CHICKENS OFFERED FREE

WONDERFUL EGGS IN EXCHANGE

FOR HOMEGROWN VEGETABLES.

WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER MEMBER

WHO MADE SOAP, BEAUTIFUL

ORGANIC SOAP, AND SO WE

WOULD TRADE AND I ALSO WAS

LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET SOME

POPPYSEEDS FROM ONE OF MY

NEIGHBORS, AND THESE POPPIES

ARE REALLY THICK AND FRILLY.

THEY ALMOST LOOK LIKE ROSES.

I'VE NEVER SEEN POPPIES LIKE

THEM BEFORE.

AND I ASKED HER RECENTLY

WHERE SHE GOT THE SEED, AND

SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN

THEM FROM MR. CRUTCHFIELD ON

AVENUE G 30 YEARS AGO.

AND SHE HAS BEEN PLANTING

THEM AND, YOU KNOW,

SOMETIMES SHE'LL THROW IN

SOME OTHER POPPYSEEDS THAT

SHE'S PURCHASED OR GOTTEN

FROM A FRIEND.

AND SO THEY'VE JUST

DEVELOPED THIS NEW STRAIN OF

POPPY THAT WE'RE CALLING

HYDE PARK POPPIES.

>> FOLLOW ELLIE'S STEP BY

STEP EXPERIENCE AS A NEW

GARDENER ON HER BLOG, MOSTLY

WEEDS, WHERE THEY TURNED

WEEDS INTO WONDER.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR

SHARING YOUR GARDEN WITH US,

AND RIGHT NOW ONE OF MY

FAVORITE GUESTS ON CENTRAL

TEXAS GARDENER MAKING REPEAT

APPEARANCE, GREG GRANT,

DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM EAST

TEXAS TO BE WITH US TODAY.

GREG, GREAT TO SEE YOU

AGAIN.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT

VEGETABLE PLANTING AND YOUR

NEW BOOK, WHICH IS TEXAS BE

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE

GARDENING.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> IT'S A GREAT RESOURCES

AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO

GIVE PEOPLE AN OVERVIEW OF

WHAT'S IN THE BOOK AND THEN

TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT

SHOULD BE ON PEOPLE'S

CALENDARS THIS TIME OF YEAR

BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING PRETTY

DARN CLOSE TO SPRINGTIME

HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> SO LET'S START OFF BY

TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE

TRYING TO INCLUDE IN THE

BOOK.

THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT

THINGS THERE, BUT IN TERMS

OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, FOR

EXAMPLE, THERE'S A LOT OF

INFORMATION ABOUT PLANTING

SEEDS, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU CAN'T REALLY GARDEN,

PARTICULARLY VEGETABLE

GARDEN WITHOUT KNOWING

SOMETHING ABOUT GERMINATION

OF SEEDS.

SO YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO

START, NOT ALL VEGETABLE

PLANTS BUT A LOT OF THEM

FROM SEED, PARTICULARLY SOME

OF THE LARGER VEGETABLES.

AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW

WHERE PLANTS COME FROM.

>> EXACTLY.

>> AND THEY ALL START FROM A

SEED, EITHER IN YOUR GARDEN

OFFER THE NURSERY.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE

UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS.

>> AND I THINK THERE'S A

SPECIAL PLEASURE IN GROWING

A PLANT FROM SEED COMPARED

TO BUYING ONE IN THE

NURSERY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I'VE BEEN A SEED SAVER AND

COLLECTOR SINCE I WAS A

CHILD, AS WITH ANYTHING I

WRITE, ARE I DON'T DO A POLL

OF WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR.

I HAVE THIS STUFF IN MY HEAD

THAT WANTS TO COME OUT.

BOTH MY PARENTS WERE

TEACHERS SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH

THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND

WHAT I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO

KNOW WHEN I GOT INTO

VEGETABLE GARDENING AND I

TURNED AROUND AND SHARE THAT

WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND I

START WITH SEEDS AND I THINK

THAT'S WHERE THEY NEED TO

START TOO.

>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT SETS

THIS BOOK APART, IS YOUR

PERSONALITY COMES THROUGH IN

THE BOOK, AND THAT'S ONE OF

THE CHARMS OF BUYING A BOOK

WRITTEN BY GREG GRANT, IS

IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE

THE HOW-TO KIND OF

INFORMATION.

THERE'S GOING TO BE LET'S

SAY LOCAL FLAVOR.

>> UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S WHAT

YOU GET WHEN IT COMES OUT OF

MY HEAD.

[LAUGHTER]

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN

WRITE.

>> WELL, IT COMES WITH THE

TERRITORY, I THINK OUT THERE

IN EAST TEXAS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ANOTHER THING YOU SPENT

TIME ON IS TALKING ABOUT

SOIL TYPES.

>> CHRIS, TEXAS IS A BIG

STATE AND THE FALL IS

EXTREMELY VARIABLE, AND I'M

ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE IN

THE -- IN THE INDUSTRY THAT

HAS LIVED IN THE DIFFERENT

AREAS WITH THE DIFFERENT

SOIL TYPES.

SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT

LIVED IN EAST TEXAS ALL

THEIR LIFE AND THEY CAN TELL

YOU ABOUT SANDY ACID SOILS

AND YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO

SPENT THEIR LIFE IN BLACK

CALICHE GUMBO AND THEY CAN

TELL YOU ABOUT IT.

I LOVE GARDENING AND JUMPED

AT EVERY JOB OFFER THAT CAME

MY WAY.

I'VE WORKED FROM EXTREMELY

ACID TO ALKALINE AND NORTH

TO SOUTH TEXAS.

I HAVE A BACKGROUND TO

UNDERSTAND THE SOIL TYPES

AND MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE

IN VEGETABLE GARDENING.

WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL IN

COLLEGE STATION AND TRIED TO

GARDEN BLACK CLAY I WASN'T

SUPPOSED TO.

THEY DIDN'T COME UP.

I ENTOMBED THE SEEDS AND

THEY GRADED US ON IT.

AND THE FIRST TIME THERE'S

GREG WITH AN F BECAUSE

THERE'S NOTHING IN MY

GARDEN.

I LEARNED QUICKLY DIFFERENT

SOILS NEED DIFFERENT

TECHNIQUES TO GROW THINGS.

THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO

FIND OUT BEFORE YOU EVEN PUT

A SEED IN THE GROUND IS WHAT

KIND OF SOIL DO I HAVE

BECAUSE IT DETERMINES WHAT

KIND OF SOIL AND HOW DEEP

YOU'LL PLANT IT.

>> YOU ALSO SPENT TIME

TALKING ABOUT CONTAINER

GARDENING, WHICH IS

INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN OUR

MORE URBAN LIFE-STYLES.

>> I LOVE CONTAINERS AND

I'VE HAD GOBS OF CONTAINERS

IN MY LIFE AND OF COURSE

LOVE TO GO TO THE NORTH AND

EUROPE AND SEE BEAUTIFUL

CONTAINERS, BUT IT'S TRICKY

IN TEXAS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU

RAISE UP A PLANT AND LIMIT

THE ROOT BALL AND THE SIZE

OF THE SOIL, THEY DRY OUT SO

MUCH QUICKER.

SO YOU HAVE TO KNOW AHEAD OF

TIME.

IT LOOKS CUTE BUT MAIN THING

IN TEXAS, YOU GOT TO LOOK

ABOUT HOW AM I GOING TO KEEP

THAT THING WATERED WHICH

SOMETIMES CAN BE AS MUCH AS

TWICE A DAY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T

WILLING TO DO THAT.

SO REAL SPECIFIC INFORMATION

YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

CONTAINER GARDENING.

>> AS IT GETS UP TO

110 DEGREES AS IT IS

ROUTINELY NOW IN AUSTIN,

WATERING TWICE A DAY

SOMETIMES IS A REALITY IN A

CONTAINER GARDEN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> BUYER BEWARE ON THAT.

HEADS-UP.

ONE THING THAT IS REALLY

COOL IN THE BOOK IS DETAILED

INFORMATION ABOUT NUTRIENT

DEFICIENCIES, AND THIS IS

SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN

REALLY HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC

TOOL WITH YOU WHEN YOU WALK

OUT INTO THE GARDEN.

>> TO BE HONEST, IT LOOKS

GOOD WHEN YOU FLASH ALL THE

NUTRIENTS UP THERE AND

DESCRIBE THE DEFICIENCY

SYMPTOMS, BUT MOST OF THE

TIME IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

AND WHERE ALL THE MAIN

CULPRIT IS A LACK OF

NITROGEN, BECAUSE VEGETABLES

ARE HEAVY FEEDERS.

IT'S A LOT TO ASK OF A PLANT

TO NOT ONLY GROW BUT PRODUCE

LOTS OF STUFF TO FEED US.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW

ALL OF THIS, BUT ABOUT 93%

OF THE TIME PEOPLE WILL RUN

INTO NITROGEN DEFICIENCY, SO

IF I CAN GET THEM TO LEARN

THAT THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH

THERE.

>> OKAY.

WELL, I'M GOING TO REMEMBER

THAT IN MY GARDEN SHOW.

MY DEFAULT --

>> GREG SAID NITROGEN.

[LAUGHTER]

>> RIGHT.

ABSOLUTELY.

ALSO INCLUDED IN THE BOOK,

THIS IS WHERE I THINK MORE

OF YOUR PERSONALITY COMES

THROUGH IS THERE ARE A LOT

OF RECIPES.

>> I LOVE TO EAT.

I LIKE TO COOK.

MY MOM LIKED TO COOK.

MY GRANDMOTHER LIKED TO COOK

SO THAT'S SORT OF PASSED

DOWN THROUGH THE FAMILY.

BUT TO ME THE REASON WE GROW

VEGETABLES IS TO EAT THEM,

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF

PEOPLE OUT THERE.

AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG

WITH EATING A VEGETABLE RAW

OFF THE PLANT.

THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE

DOING ANYWAY BUT A LOT OF

PEOPLE DON'T LIKE VEGETABLES

BECAUSE YOU BOIL IT IN A POT

OF WATER AND THROW IT ON THE

PLATE.

I HAVE NEPHEWS WHO REFUSE TO

EAT THEM.

YOU HAVE TO THINK OF

CREATIVE WAYS TO MAKE THEM

LOOK AND TASTE GOOD.

A FEW TRICKS OF THE TRADE

THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAD A LOT

OF PEOPLE EATING VEGETABLES.

AUSTIN MAY BE DIFFERENT.

THERE'S SOME EDUCATED FOLKS

IN AUSTIN THAT KNOW JUST A

GOOD NUTRITIOUS VEGETABLE IS

FINE WITHOUT ADULTERATION,

BUT OTHER PEOPLE ARE USED

TO -- IT FLOWING THROUGH

THEIR VEINS OR SLOP OUT OF A

CAN WITH POPEYE'S PICTURE ON

THERE.

RECIPE IS IMPORTANT.

EVEN SIMPLE ONES.

>> WELL, YEAH, AND SIMPLER

THE BETTER.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> JUST ROASTING THEM IS MY

FAVORITE THING TO DO NOW.

OKAY.

SO WE'RE AT THE TIME OF

YEAR.

AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING

OF THE INTERVIEW, WHERE

PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT

THAT SPRING GARDEN.

THEY SHOULD BE PREPARING

SOIL, IF NOTHING ELSE AT

THIS POINT, BUT YOUR BOOK

HAS LOTS OF GREAT DETAILED

INFORMATION ABOUT THE

DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLANTS

YOU GROW IN THE GARDEN AND

FOR EACH PLANT YOU HAVE

SPECIFICS ABOUT WHEN DO YOU

PLANT IT, WHERE DO YOU PLANT

IT, THE CARE AND HARVEST OF

THE PLANT AND ALSO, YOU

KNOW, BE LITTLE TIPS ABOUT

IT, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,

ABOUT WHICH VARIETIES DO

BEST IN OUR REGION.

SO LET'S -- WHAT ARE YOU

GOING TO BE PLANTING THIS

SPRING?

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE

PLANTS?

>> THE IMPORTANT THING TO

GET OUT OF THE WAY FIRST IS

WHAT IS SPRING.

THE REST OF THE WORLD --

>> UH-HUH.

>> OUR CALENDAR DOESN'T LINE

UP WITH THE REST OF THE

WORLD'S GARDENING CALENDAR

AND A LOT OF BEGINNING

GARDENERS DON'T KNOW --

GARDENERS DON'T KNOW WHAT TO

PLANT.

MOST PEOPLE, 75% OF THE

GARDENING WORLD, DON'T

GARDEN IN THE SUMMER, DON'T

GARDEN IN THE FALL, DON'T

GARDEN IN THE WINTER.

BUT THEY JUMP OUT IN THE

SPRINGTIME AND TRY TO GROW

ALL THE THINGS THEY LIKE.

UNLESS IT FITS THAT SEASON

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE

SUCCESSFUL.

AND SO WHEN YOU'RE STARTING

OUT WITH EARLY SPRING

GARDEN, FEBRUARY, MARCH,

STILL GOT A CHANCE OF FROST,

YOU CAN'T GO OUT THERE WITH

PEPPERS AND TOMATOES AND SO

THOSE ARE -- YOU'RE LOOKING

AT COOL SEASON PLANTS THAT

CAN TOLERATE A FROST.

AND SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT

WE HAVE FOR SPRING

CONDITIONS, WHERE WE GROW

OUR SPRING CROPS, THAT'S

WHAT A LOT OF THE REST OF

THE WORLD IS GOING TO HAVE

FOR THEIR MID-SPRING AND

SUMMER CROPS.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING IN

WITH THINGS WITH LETTUCE AND

BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER AND

TURNIP GROUPS, TURNIP

GREENS, ALL THOSE THINGS

THAT LOVE COOL WEATHER AND

FROSTY NIGHTS.

SAME PLANTS CAN BE PLANTED

IN THE FALL.

SO WE GET TWO FALL GARDENS

IN TEXAS, TWO SPRING GARDENS

IN TEXAS, BY SPRING I'M

TALKING LATER AFTER FROST,

SO YOU CAN DO TOMATOES AND

PEPPERS IN SPRING, DO

TOMATOES AND PEPPERS AGAIN

IN THE FALL AND THEN GET ONE

SUMMER GARDEN THAT THE REST

OF THE WORLD IS NOT FAMILIAR

WITH WHEN WE CAN DO THINGS

LIKE PEAS AND OKRA THAT HAVE

TO TAKE INFERNO FOR HEAT.

SO WE LITERALLY HAVE THREE

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CROPS AND

FIVE DIFFERENT SEASONS TOO

THAT WE GET TO DUPLICATE,

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TRY TO

CRAM ALL THAT INTO ONE

SPRING GARDEN AND IT JUST

DOESN'T WORK.

SO WHAT'S COMING UP NOW ARE

COOL SEASON CROPS THAT CAN

TOLERATE, A LOT OF GREENS, A

LOT OF GOOD NUTRITIOUS

STUFF.

>> LET'S TAKE ONE EXAMPLE

AND FILTER IT THROUGH THE

WAY YOU DO IT IN THE BOOK.

LET'S TAKE LETTUCE, WHICH IS

REAL POPULAR TO GROW THIS

TIME OF YEAR.

>> OF COURSE YOU HAVE ALL

DIFFERENT KINDS OF LETTUCE

NOW.

EVERYBODY GREW UP JUST

EATING ICEBERG LETTUCE AND

NOW WE HAVE THIS AMAZING

ARRAY OF DIFFERENT --

PARTICULARLY LEAF LETTUCE,

EVERYTHING FROM GREEN TO

BURGUNDY TO SPOTTED TO RICE.

IT LIKES COOL WEATHER SO IF

YOU PLANT IT WITH TOMATOES

AND PEPPERS IN APRIL IT'S

TOO LATE.

IT'S GOT TO BE PLANTED

FEBRUARY, MARCH MAYBE AT THE

LATEST.

ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW

LETTUCE NEEDS LIGHT TO

GERMINATE SO IF YOU MAKE

TRENCHES AND PUT YOUR

LETTUCE SEED IN IT AND COVER

THEM LIKE YOU'RE PLANTING

BEANS IT WON'T COME UP.

THERE ARE CERTAIN SEEDS THAT

HAVE TO HAVE LIGHT TO

GERMINATE.

LETTUCE IS ONE.

SO YOU CULTIVATE A PERFECT

CUSHY BED AND YOU LITERALLY

SPRINKLE THEM ON THERE,

SCRATCH THEM IN A LITTLE BIT

MAYBE, BUT YOU'RE NOT

PLANTING SEEDS.

>> SCATTERING.

>> POPPYSEEDS ON A ROLL.

SO THAT'S -- OF COURSE

THEY'RE DELICATE LITTLE

PLANTS AND UP NEED A

WEED-FREE GARDEN BECAUSE

YOUR WEEDS WILL ALL COME UP

AT THE SAME TIME, AND SO

HAVING SOME NICE CLEAN

COMPOST, SOMETHING THAT

DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF WEEDS

IN THERE, AND KNOWING THE

DIFFERENCE AND JUST A MATTER

OF GETTING THEM GOING.

THEN ALL OF THESE COOL

SEASON CROPS, PARTICULARLY

LEAFY GREENS, ARE HEAVY

FEEDERS AND SO YOU HAVE TO

FERTILIZE THEM, NOT ONLY

WHILE THEY'RE GROWING BUT

BEFORE, OTHERWISE YOU'LL

HAVE STUNTED LITTLE TINY

LETTUCE PLANTS.

THERE'S NOT A LOT TO EAT ON

TINY LETTUCE LEAVES.

YOU HAVE BIG SALADS AND

FREQUENT SALADS AND THAT

MEANS FEEDING THEM SO THEY

CAN FEED US SO.

>> SO IN A NUTSHELL, IN A

CONDENSED VERSION WHAT YOU

JUST SAID, PEOPLE CAN

EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY GET THE

BOOK AND GO THROUGH ALL THE

DIFFERENT CROPS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE BREAK IT DOWN.

MY MOM WAS THE FIRST GREAT

TEACHER.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING

FOR THE EXTENSION SERVICE,

DR. PARSONS WAS MY MENTOR, I

CHOSE THE WORK OF BEGINNING

GARDENERS.

WHEN I FOUND OUT 50% OF THE

WORLD DIDN'T GARDEN, I SAID,

WHY?

THEY'RE MISSING OUT.

SO I'D MUCH RATHER WORK WITH

THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW

ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL A

STEP-BY-STEP ABC APPROACH IS

GOOD.

THERE ARE GOOD GARDENERS

THAT COULD HAVE WRITTEN THIS

BOOK SO THEY DON'T NEED THE

INFORMATION BUT A LOT DON'T

KNOW THE INFORMATION.

WE TRIED TO MAKE IT SIMPLE

FOR THEM.

>> I'M MORE AND MORE

CONVINCED WE'RE ALL

BEGINNING GARDENERS.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

I'VE BEEN DOING IT MY WHOLE

LIFE AND THERE'S GIANT

MISTAKES.

I THINK, WHY DIDN'T YOU KNOW

THAT?

THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW IT

ALL.

THAT'S WHY GARDENERS LIVE TO

BE 107, BECAUSE THERE'S

SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN EVERY

DAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR

GUEST ON CENTRAL TEXAS

GARDENER.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

AND COMING UP NEXT IS OUR

FRIEND DAPHNE.

[MUSIC PLAYING].

>> HI, I'M DAPHNE RICHARDS.

OUR QUESTION THIS WEEK IS,

"WHY DO SOME PLANTS DIE IN

FREEZING WEATHER?"

WELL, THIS IS A GREAT

QUESTION!

AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY A FEW

WAYS THAT FREEZE DAMAGE

OCCURS ON PLANTS, BUT MOST

COMMONLY IT HAPPENS WHEN THE

FROZEN WATER IN THE PLANT

THAWS OUT.

JERRY PARSONS, ONE OF MY

FAVORITE RETIRED EXTENSION

SPECIALISTS, ALWAYS

EXPLAINED THIS QUESTION WITH

THE CHALLENGE OF AN

EXPERIMENT.

FILL A GLASS HALF FULL WITH

WATER AND PUT IT IN YOUR

FREEZER.

TAKE IT OUT THE NEXT DAY

ONCE IT'S THOROUGHLY FROZEN

AND IMMEDIATELY PLACE IT

UNDER A WARM STREAM OF TAP

WATER AND WATCH WHAT

HAPPENS.

IF YOU'RE NOT A SCIENCE NERD

LIKE ME THEN I'LL SPARE YOU

THE EXPERIMENT AND TELL YOU

WHAT HAPPENS.

BUT I BET YOU CAN GUESS.

THE GLASS WILL SHATTER AS

SOON AS THE ICE STARTS TO

THAT YOU AND CRACK, EXACTLY

AS THAWING PLANT CELLS WILL

DIE AS SOON AS THE

TEMPERATURES WARM UP.

SOME PLANTS CONTAIN MORE

WATER THAN OTHERS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR LEAVES.

A PINE TREE HAS VERY LITTLE

WATER STORED IN ITS LEAVES,

SO PINE TREES DON'T

GENERALLY FREEZE.

BUT TROPICAL PLANTS ARE FROM

CLIMATES WHERE THE HUMIDITY

IS HIGH AND RAIN IS USUALLY

PLENTIFUL, SO THEY HAVE LOTS

OF WATER IN THEIR LEAVES,

MAKING THEM VERY SUSCEPTIBLE

TO COLD TEMPERATURES.

MANY PLANTS ALSO RETAIN HIGH

AMOUNTS OF WATER IN THEIR

FLESHY STEMS, SO THOSE TOO

MAY FREEZE.

PLANTS HAVE DIFFERENT

STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH

COLD.

SOME DIE COMPLETELY, LEAVING

THE NEXT GENERATION TO CARRY

ON IN THEIR SEEDS.

OTHERS ONLY LOSE THEIR

TENDER LEAVES AND PERHAPS

ANY TENDER NEW STEM GROWTH,

WHILE OTHERS DIE ALL THE WAY

BACK TO THE GROUND BUT HAVE

HARDY ROOT SYSTEMS ALLOWING

THEM TO EMERGE AFTER THE

HARSH, COLD WEATHER HAS

PASSED.

OUR PLANT THIS WEEK IS

HEARTLEAF SKULLCAP,

SCUTELLARIA OVATA.

THIS PARTICULAR SCUTELLARIA

LOOKS LIKE BLUE FLOWERING

SALVIAS.

AND THERE'S A GOOD REASON

FOR THAT, THEY'RE IN THE

SAME PLANT FAMILY, THE MINT

FAMILY.

EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS TENDER

IT'S A VERY COLD-TOLERANT

NATIVE PLANT THAT IS

NORMALLY EVERGREEN IN

CENTRAL TEXAS.

YOU MAY SEE THEM PUTTING ON

NEW GROWTH AT THIS TIME OF

YEAR, PREPARING FOR PRODUCE

THEIR LOVELY TOWERING PURPLE

FLOWERS SPIKE IN THE SPRING.

IN FACT, IT PREFERS THE COLD

SO MUCH IT MAY GO DORMANT TO

AVOID OUR OVERBEARING

CENTRAL TEXAS HEAT.

I WISH I COULD DO THAT.

HEARTLEAF SKULLCAP GROWS

VIGOROUSLY VIA ITS FLESHY

ROOTS AND WILL CREEP AROUND

YOUR GARDEN.

BE PREPARED TO TAME IT BACK

IF IT MOVES INTO UNWANTED

AREAS.

THE OIL IN ITS LEAVES ALSO

CONFERS SOME DEER RESISTANCE

AND THE NECTAR IN ITS

FLOWERS SERVES AS A

HUMMINGBIRD ATTRACTANT.

HEART SHAPED LEAVES ARE ALSO

VERY PRETTY WITH PURPLISH

STEMS AND FUZZY SURFACE.

HEARTLEAF SKULLCAP PREFERS

TO BE KEPT A LITTLE ON THE

DRY SIDE, IN DAPPLED

SUNLIGHT.

IT CAN BE A LITTLE

CHALLENGING TO FIND IN

NURSERIES, BUT IF YOU KNOW

ANYONE WHO HAS SOME, JUST

ASK AND I BET THEY'LL DIG UP

A CHUNK FOR YOU.

TO DO IN YOUR GARDEN THIS

WEEK, CONSIDER PLANTING SOME

ASPARAGUS CROWNS AND MAYBE

EVEN SOME COLD-LOVING HERBS,

LIKE GARLIC CHIVES AND

PARSLEY.

>> WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM

YOU SO PLEASE VISIT
KLRU.ORG/CTG, TO SEND US
YOUR QUESTIONS OR PLANTS OF
THE WEEK FROM YOUR GARDEN.

>> LET'S CHECK IN WITH

TRISHA SHIREY WITH BACKYARD

BASICS.

>> HI, I'M TRISHA SHIREY AND

THIS IS BACKYARD BASICS.

TODAY WE'RE HERE IN MY

BACKYARD AT LAKE AUSTIN SPA

RESORT.

AND THERE COMES A TIME WHEN

ALL GARDENERS NEED TO GIVE

PLANTS EXTRA NUTRITION AND

ONE OF THE WAYS I LIKE TO DO

THAT THAT'S VERY INEXPENSIVE

IS TO MAKE YOUR OWN

FERTILIZER BY MAKING A

COMPOST TEA OR NUTRIENT TEA.

IT'S SIMPLE.

TAKE A GOOD QUALITY MANURE

COMPOST, PUT IT IN A

5-GALLON BUCKET AND COVER IT

WITH WATER, PREFERABLY

RAINWATER OR NON-CHLORINE

AND STIR IT A COUPLE TIMES A

DAY TO INTRODUCE AIR INTO

IT.

YOU COULD LITTLE DO THE SAME

THING WITH EARTHWORM

CASTINGS AND MAKE AN

EXCELLENT FERTILIZER THAT

WAY TOO.

YOU CAN ALSO ADD COFFEE

GROUNDS, TEA GROUNDS TO THAT

SAME MIX AND GIVE YOUR

PLANTS THE NUTRIENTS FROM

THOSE, BECAUSE COFFEE

GROUNDS ARE HIGH IN

NITROGEN.

SO THAT'S A GOOD DRINK FOR

YOUR PLANTS.

NOW, I LET IT SIT FOR A DAY

OR TWO AND THEN THE COMPOST

WILL SETTLE TO THE BOTTOM SO

I STRAIN THE LIQUID OFF THE

TOP, DILUTE IT AND PUT A

LITTLE AROUND THE BASE OF

EACH PLANT.

HERE'S ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN

DO THIS.

TO MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER

TO USE, USE AN OLD PILLOW

CASE AND PUT YOUR COMPOST IN

THE PILLOW CASE AND TIE IT

UP AND TIE IT TO THE HANDLE

OF THE BUCKET, AND THEN THAT

WAY IT ACTS LIKE A GIANT

TEABAG.

YOU COULD PULL THAT OUT AND

NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT

STRAINING THAT BEFORE YOU

PUT IT IN THE GARDEN.

THIS IS NOT TRUE AEROBIC

COMPOST TEA SO THIS IS NOT

SOMETHING I WOULD PUT

DIRECTLY ON THE FOLIAGE OF

THE PLANTS.

THIS IS MORE AS A ROOT

FERTILIZER.

SO I PUT IT TOWARD THE BASE

OF THE PLANT.

NOW, I HAVE MY PLANTS

MULCHED WITH COMPOST AND

THEN A SHREDDED HARDWOOD

MULCH, SO AS YOU'RE PUTTING

THAT NUTRIENT ON THE PLANT

IT'S HASHED TO GET IT TO THE

MULCH.

SO I BURY POTS IN THE

GROUND, SMALLER, LIKE A

ONE-QUART FOR THE SMALLER

PLANTS OR GALLON POTS FOR

LARGER PLANTS, LIKE

TOMATOES, AND PUT ONE POT

BETWEEN TWO PLANTS OR EVEN

THREE PLANTS.

AS LONG AS IT'S 12 TO

18 INCHES FROM THE ROOT ZONE

OF THE PLANT THAT FERTILIZER

WILL LEACH OUT INTO THE ROOT

ZONE OF THE PLANT.

AND IT'S INTERESTING WHEN

I'VE PULLED THESE POTS UP

AND THE PLANTS UP AFTER THE

GARDEN SEASON IS OVER, I SEE

LOTS OF ROOTS JUST REALLY

AROUND THOSE POTS WHERE

THEY'VE BEEN GOING FOR THE

NUTRIENTS.

YOU CAN USE THOSE SAME POTS

FOR PUTTING KILL MEAL,

COTTONSEED MEAL, EPSOM

SALTS, GIVING YOUR PLANTS

MORE NUTRITION IN THE POTS

AND PUT A WATER HOSE IN AND

GIVE THE PLANTS A DRENCH OF

GOOD FERTILIZER.

ADD FISH EMULSION,

SUPER-THRIVE, ANY OF THOSE

EXTRA NUTRIENTS TO THE

COMPOST SEED AND YOU CAN

REALLY GIVE YOUR PLANTS A

BALANCED AND HEALTHY DRINK.

THIS FERTILIZING CAN BE DONE

AS OFTEN AS THEY LOOK LIKE

THEY NEED A PUSH.

I TEND TO USE THEM EVERY TWO

WEEKS AS THEY'RE GETTING

STARTED AND MAYBE ONCE A

MONTH AS THEY BECOME MORE

ESTABLISHED IN THE GARDEN.

IT WORKS VERY WELL.

ONCE YOU FINISH WITH THE

COMPOST YOU CAN USUALLY

REBREW IT A SECOND TIME AND

THEN THAT COMPOST CAN GO

AROUND THE BASE OF YOUR

PLANTS, ADD IT TO YOUR

COMPOST PILE SO IT'S NOT

WASTED BUT YOU'VE GOTTEN A

LOT OF MILEAGE OUT OF THAT

SHOVELFUL OF COMPOST.

THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO FEED

YOUR PLANTS.

FOR BACKYARD BASICS, I'M

TRISHA SHIREY.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> FIND OUT MORE AT

KLRU.ORG/CTG, AND BE SURE TO

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK.

NEXT WEEK GET A NEW

PERSPECTIVE ON DROUGHTS.

UNTIL THAT I'LL SEE YOU IN

THE GARDEN.

[MUSIC PLAYING].

>> TO LEARN ABOUT TODAY'S

PROGRAM WATCH ON-LINE AND

FOLLOW CTG'S BLOG, CHECK OUT

KLRU.ORG/CTG.

>> OFFERING CUSTOM SOIL

BLENDS FOR LAWNS, GARDENS,

XERISCAPING AND ORGANIC

LANDSCAPING SUPPLIES, MORE

INFORMATION AT

GEOGROWERS.NET.