2016 Holiday Gifts for the Gardener by Patty G. Leander

broccoli-transpalnts

Now is a good time to plant seeds of your favorite brassicas indoors under grow lights; in 5 or 6 weeks you will have transplants for a new season of vegetable gardening.

Baby, it’s cold outside! The weather forecasters have been talking about “plunging temperatures” – a sure sign that winter has arrived in Central Texas. We have already had a few light freezes here in Austin but at this point in the season I have to finally admit that winter is here and these colder temperatures will come more frequently and stick around a little longer. Broccoli, carrots, kale, collards and other cold hardy vegetables that are established in the garden generally make it through these “plunging temperatures”, but recently transplanted vegetables that haven’t had a chance to acclimate may suffer cold damage. Though I have harvested the last of the peppers, tomatoes, butter beans and eggplant my garden has taken a back seat to other obligations in my life recently so the cool-season vegetables I planted in fall will have to fend for themselves through the cold. Hopefully they will make it unscathed but if not I am prepared to start again in January.

As Christmas approaches you may still be thinking of a little something for the gardener in your life. Below are a few last minute ideas:

Trisha Shirey’s Vegetable Gardening in the Southwest and Skip Richter’s Texas Month-by-Month Gardening are great gist ideas for organic-minded gardeners in Texas

Trisha Shirey’s Vegetable Gardening in the Southwest and Skip Richter’s Texas Month-by-Month Gardening are great gist ideas for organic-minded gardeners in Texas

Garden Related Books – two recent publications include Trisha Shirey’s Vegetable Gardening in the Southwest and Skip Richter’s Texas Month-by-Month Gardening. Both Skip and Trisha are organic-minded gardeners with Texas roots and they share plenty of wisdom for gardening in the Lone Star State.

 

Dr. (Bill) William C.Welch, Greg Grant and Felder Rushing are all some of the most beloved horticulturists in working in the South. Books by this trio are perfect gifts for those of us that garden south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Dr. (Bill) William C.Welch, Greg Grant and Felder Rushing are some of the most beloved horticulturists working in the South. Books by this trio are perfect gifts for those of us that garden south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Heirloom Gardening in the South by William C. Welch and Greg Grant reminds us of the plants, customs and cultures that have contributed to our Southern heritage; the book includes numerous colorful photographs for inspiration. In Slow Gardening, fun-loving Felder Rushing shares his stress-free approach to gardening, encouraging us all to slow down, break a few horticultural rules and add some whimsy to the garden. A quote from his book: “Life has lots of pressures – why include them in the garden?”

 

This metal sign was purchased at Callahan’s General Store in Austin – it makes me smile and hum every time I see it.

Garden Bling – speaking of whimsy, how about a sculpture, a birdbath, a sign, metal artwork, sun catchers or other decorations that match the gardener’s personality?

coir-pots

A coconut coir block and transplantable coco pots

Coconut Coir Blocks – coconut coir is a by-product of the coconut industry. Marketed as a natural, renewable and disease-free planting medium, it is created from the coarse fibers of the outer husk of coconuts. The lightweight blocks or bricks of compressed coir fiber expand to several times their size when mixed with water.

coconut-coir-blocks

A block of coconut coir fiber the size of a brick expands to approximately 10 liters of planting medium when mixed with water.

Once hydrated, coir fiber can be used as an alternative to peat moss in seed starting or container mixes. A Master Gardener friend recently introduced me to coir fiber pots that can be used for growing transplants. Once seedlings have reached transplant size the entire pot can be planted directly into the garden. The coir pot will gradually decompose allowing the roots to grow unimpeded into the soil. A really cool idea!

garden-tools

All gardeners appreciate the tools that make their tasks easier!

Garden Tools– these tools make garden tasks easier and more efficient: a good pair of pruners, a CobraHead weeder, a moisture meter and a small, inexpensive knife to keep outside for harvesting (I like the white-handled brand called Dexter – it’s cheap, it’s sharp and it can be found at most restaurant supply stores). I recently acquired a weed-puller called Lawn Jaws. Like a pair of needle-nose pliers with back-slanted teeth, the Lawn Jaws grips weeds securely and pulls them out by the roots – works like a charm on tough weeds that invade my backyard. They run about $16; I bought mine at the Zilker Botanical Garden gift shop in Austin.

Laminated Field Guides – these foldout pamphlets offer quick and easy identification of snakes, birds, spiders, butterflies and more. Available at most bookstores, garden centers and gift shops at botanical gardens or nature centers.

 

Field guides make are incredibly useful in the garden and they are so easy to slip into a stocking.

A gift of seeds or books about growing and preparing vegetables is always appreciated by food gardeners.

Miscellaneous Ideas – any gardener would appreciate the gift of seeds, whether the latest tomato introduction or seed saved from your own garden. In addition, books about seed starting, seed saving or vegetable preparation are useful resources for anyone interested in growing their own food. And for the gardener who just wants to start small, how about a portable fabric planter called a Dirt Pot or Smart Pot? Filled with commercial planting mix these reusable containers can be planted with root crops, herbs or compact vegetable varieties. Look for the 7 or 10 gallon size for best results.

Cheers and warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy New Year!

fiber-pot

Fiber pots are great gifts for beginners or for experienced gardeners looking to expand their potting area.

Great Garden Reads by Patty Leander

Labor Day has passed, the kids are back in school, and as we enter the fall garden season I’d like to recommend two new garden books, both written by extremely knowledgeable, lifelong gardeners from Texas.

Month-By-Month Gardening

Good reading for great gardens

 

In the pages of Month-By-Month Gardening: Texas, Skip Richter guides us through the gardening year with common-sense advice for trees, shrubs, lawns, roses, annuals, perennials and edibles. I have known Skip for over 15 years and have learned much about gardening by following both his example and his teaching. We both relocated to Austin in 1998; as he was commencing his new job as the Travis County Extension Horticulture Agent I was frequenting the Extension Office as an eager yet anxious gardener, trying to figure out how to garden despite the layers upon layers of limestone in my southwest Austin backyard (ultimately the answers came in the form of native plants, raised beds, imported soil and layers upon layers of compost).

skip-richter

Skip’s comprehensive, easy-to-read book is laid out in a logical, month-to-month format, with practical tips and friendly guidance on the what-to and when-to throughout the gardening year.

Over the years I became a regular in the audience any time Skip presented on vegetable gardening, soil health or IPM (integrated pest management). This man knows his horticultural science and has a wonderful gift for imparting that knowledge with clarity along with a genuine interest in helping others to succeed. His comprehensive, easy-to-read book is laid out in a logical, month-to-month format, with practical tips and friendly guidance on the what-to and when-to throughout the gardening year. This excellent reference for Texas gardeners offers a holistic, earth-friendly approach to gardening, with an emphasis on prevention and problem-solving plus lots of color photographs and instructional boxes to support the plentiful how-to advice in every chapter.

Lake-Austin-Spa

The award-winning vegetable and herb garden at Lake Austin Spa and Resort

The pages of Trisha Shirey’s Vegetable Gardening in the Southwest are loaded with tips and techniques that she has used over the years to keep Lake Austin Spa Resort looking beautiful, welcoming and organic day in and day out. With the enviable title of Director of Flora and Fauna, Trisha helped transform the rugged, 19-acre Hill Country property west of Austin into an inviting oasis. Her skillful designs and plant combinations indulge all the senses, with a special emphasis on the showy vegetable and herb garden which provides year-round produce for the spa kitchen.

all-blue-potato

Harvesting ‘All Blue’ potatoes in the resort vegetable garden.

A lifelong organic gardener, Trisha draws on her extensive experience to provide methods for chemical-free pest control, formulas for natural plant tonics and recipes for homemade pest remedies. Each month’s chapter contains an at-a-glance summary of tasks that include planning, maintaining, planting and harvesting along with a comprehensive section on growing and harvesting over 40 edibles, as well as tips for growing herbs and edible flowers.

edible-flowers

Organically grown edible flowers add a nice spark of color and flavor to salads, herb butters and deviled eggs

Suggestions for simplifying garden chores, caring for tools and protecting plants from heat and cold are accompanied by helpful illustrations and how-to charts throughout. Her attention to detail and her organized approach to planting and harvesting in concert with the seasons are evident throughout this thorough and thoughtful guide to growing vegetables.

Japanese-soil-knife

One of Trisha’s favorite tools – a multitasking Japanese soil knife

Both Trisha and Skip are gifted educators and observant gardeners who skillfully guide us through the gardening year, reminding us to plan ahead and always focus on the big picture.