March 2025 Edition
Translated from Gnim by CMG Intern Erin A
Dear Comalito,
I’d like to incorporate more pollinator-friendly practices into my spring gardening this year. What are some things I can do to help our pollinator friends?
Sincerely,
Pollie Nator
Dear Pollie,
This is the perfect time of year to roll out the red carpet for the pollinators! Once the likelihood of frost has passed (we are generally outside of the likelihood of frost by mid-March), you can start by planting any number of native perennials that nourish our pollinators. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center webpage at wildflower.org is a wonderful resource for choosing native pollinator plants. You can certainly create entire beds dedicated to pollinator-friendly plants, but you can also intersperse these plants among your existing flower gardens or raised beds—every little bit helps! Now is also the time to prune your established perennials in anticipation of new growth—although it’s tempting to tidy up the old growth early in the winter, some beneficial insects need the hollow stalks and stems of existing plants to lay their eggs over the winter. (If you already pruned earlier in the winter, you’ll know for next year!) Finally, just like us, pollinators need to stay hydrated in the hot Texas summers! Providing ample water sources for pollinators will help attract them to your garden–you can include shallow dishes throughout your yard as pollinator hydration stations; bees and butterflies will also appreciate small protruding rocks placed inside the dish as a place to perch while they sip.
Dear Comalito,
I was late preparing my vegetable beds this year and missed the window to direct sow vegetable seeds in January/February. Is there anything I can direct sow this month?
Sincerely,
Pro Crastinator
Dear Pro,
Not to worry! Besides transplanting seedlings into your vegetable beds this month after the likelihood of frost has passed, there are still a few vegetable options that you can direct sow. In the New Braunfels area, you can sow Swiss chard or mustard greens early in the month. Further north in the Hill Country, you can also sow beets, turnips, or radishes early in the month (you’ll want to choose a fast-growing variety of radish). Additionally, some varieties of arugula can stand up to the warmer spring temperatures and can give you some tasty greens before they bolt.
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February 2025 Edition
Translated from Gnim by CMG Intern Peggy F
Dear Comalito,
I am anxious to start planning my spring sprucing of the landscape. With all the oak wilt in the Hill Country, how can I tell if compost is safe?
Let’s Organize and Mulch (LOAM)
Dear LOAM,
Congratulations on doing your preparations to start your spring gardening. First, let’s be clear about compost vs. mulch. Both are critical aspects of a healthy and thriving garden. Mulch added to the top in various depths can help maintain moisture and protect plants from excessive heat or cold. Compost is the result of de-composition of living materials into a soil-like organic material.
So how do you determine that the compost is safe from harmful fungus such as Bretziella fagacearum that causes oak wilt. The best option is to have the compost tested by a reputable laboratory. Compost piles that have achieved an internal temperature of 130-155 degrees F for a prolonged period should be safe. At this range, weed seeds and disease pathogens should be eliminated. But beware, excessive temperatures can kill off the desirable bacteria.
Happy spring sprucing!
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January 2025 Edition
Translated from Gnim by CMG Kay P
Dear Comalito,
Now that it’s “winter” in South Texas, I find myself with more time inside but wanting to do something garden related. What is your favorite indoor garden activity for winter days?
Let It Snow (LIS)
Dear LIS,
Planning is my very favorite, and there are so many things to plan that you can easily fill wintry days buried in seed catalogues and reading books on different types of gardens: herb gardens, veg gardens, cut flower gardens, rose gardens, cactus gardens. Depending on your interests, the world of gardening can easily be accessed from your favorite chair with a cup of hot chocolate! A well-developed garden plan will save you lots of time over the year as your plants will be grown timely, and you can reap the rewards of these spent hours. Determine what you want to plant; make a sketch of the space; lay out the garden. Make a timeline for seed starting, transplanting, watering, and feeding. Sounds like a lot of work? You’ll be glad you did!
Dear Comalito,
At last year’s CMG Spring Seminar, I bought a beautiful angel wing begonia. It’s gotten leggy since. How can I improve its shape?
Wings With Roots (WWR)
Dear WWR,
Good old-fashioned pinching works best, and don’t be afraid to go shorter, half of the stems’ length when pinching. It’s going to look like a bad haircut for a while, but in a month, you’ll have new leaves and in two months, the plant will be thicker and sturdier. Don’t throw out those pinched stems. Put them in water to root and be patient until you have a nice cluster of roots. You can propagate new plants as you groom the old one.
And thanks for the plug for the Comal Master Gardeners’ Spring Seminar, coming up this year on March 7, at the New Braunfels Civic Center. The vendors there will again have many great plants and products on offer. Check them out!
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December Edition
Dear Comalito,
I just moved to South Texas, and I want to plan a garden. What is the typical growing season here?
Newbie
Dear Newbie,
Welcome, and gardening is a great hobby to take up! Here we really have two growing seasons for annuals, spring, and fall. It’s a matter of timing and choosing flowers and vegetables that thrive in the coming season. Start summer vegetables, (squash, eggplant, tomato, peppers, green beans), and flowers, (zinnias, marigolds), inside in January and plant seedlings out in March after the last frost date. They will produce before late summer heat sets in. Then, repeat the process in late August for fall vegetables, (green beans, broccoli, kale, bok choy, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach), that can take a little frost. If you don’t want to start from seed, purchasing transplants makes growing produce even easier. You can also have a second crop of summer faves before a freeze.
Dear Comalito,
I’d like to add some colorful shrubs to my winter landscape. What are your favorites?
Mistle Toe
Dear Mistle,
My favorite shrub for a winter landscape is holly. The deep green leaves and bright red berries bring much seasonal interest, and birds love them. Holly is a very sturdy plant that will stand up to our weather extremes. Holly needs average water, but it’s well worth the effort. Several cultivars will thrive here, once established. Possum Haw Holly is a Texas native, deciduous, and the bright berries line every limb, making it a standout. Nellie R. Stevens Holly has a tough waxy leaf, evergreen, with red berries and a conical spread. Mary Nell Holly, related to Nellie R., is a more upright evergreen. Yaupon Holly, also native, has a finer leaf and smaller berries, upright growth, evergreen. Carolina Holly also is an evergreen tree type that produces flatter leaves and berries all along the stems. So many good choices! You can’t go wrong!
Translated from Gnim by CMG Amanda C
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November ’24 Edition
Dear Comalito,
When should I plant spring bulbs?
Two Lips
Dear Two,
Spring and summer bulbs can be planted around Thanksgiving or December 1. In this climate, planting sooner may result in fooling the bulbs into sprouting before they can get the winter chill period needed to bloom well in spring.
Dear Comalito,
Which bulbs have you had success growing and reblooming a second year here in south Texas?
Come Back Kid
Dear CBK, I have grown tulips, and they are a beautiful extravagance because they will not reliably “Come Back” for a second year. If you are wanting bulbs that will reliably bloom in subsequent years, I suggest instead corms like bearded iris and gladiolus! I have had good success with both reblooming. Daffodils will come back. The current droughty conditions mean that you will need to water all by hand.
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August ’24 Edition
Dear Comalito,
I lost so many squash to the dreaded squash vine borer, I was able to get a few harvested but wish I could have gotten more. Do you have any tips for next year to help combat them?
Sincerely, Butternut
Dear Butternut,
There are many different tips and trick such as wrapping plants with foil, injecting plants with BT (bacillus Thuringiensis), and even physically extracting the squash borer worm. The last one has been the most effective for me, but it does take time and if your garden is bigger, you may not catch them all. While it may seem like a never-ending battle, there is some good news–the squash vine borer usually stops laying her eggs by the end of July and will typically not start up again until May/June. There’s still plenty of time left in the summer to get another round of crops out before winter is here.
Dear Comalito,
I’m ready to get my winter crops going but I’m not sure what I should start with as there are so many options. This is my first year starting winter crops this early, please help?
Eager Beaver
Dear Eager Beaver,
There are a few things that you can get started right now. My suggestions would be starting them from seeds in a pot so if we continue to have higher temps you can bring your plants in when it gets too hot. Starting broccoli, cauliflower and some cabbages from seed indoors can give you an early start for your winter harvest–just be careful not to put them out too early if temperatures remain high.
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July ’24 Edition
Dear Comalito,
It’s been so hot this last month and it only looks like it’s going to get hotter. My plants are looking a little wimpy and are feeling the heat. Any idea how I can help them last the rest of the year?
Sincerely, Summer
Dear Summer,
Welcome to Texas! You’re correct, the forecast shows it is only going to get hotter as we move into July and August. Here are some tips to help you out; first to protect current plants you have consider if possible, moving them to shaded areas during the afternoon heat wave. If you have a raised bed or an area that is in ground where plants cannot be moved, consider using shade cloth that is rated for the garden. Using shade cloth can help reduce the amount of heat that the plants are being exposed to. However, if you use shade cloth that is rated for “patio/outdoor” you can limit the amount of sun your plant receives and stunt its growth.
Dear Comalito,
It’s been a great harvest year so far but now my garden production is slowing down. I’m fertilizing and providing water to my plants, but they just don’t seem to be producing much more fruit and veggies. A lot of them are suffering from powdery mildew or are being attacked by bugs. Is this the end of my harvest season?
Sincerely, Worry Wort
Dear Worry Wort,
It’s been another rough summer and some of the dramatic changes in temperatures we have had creates stress on our plants. Some varieties may just need some pruning and cleaning up, a little compost and should bounce back. But many of the plants that have been overtaken by disease and pests should be removed. We still have plenty of months left before winter to get a second harvest going. It may be difficult to find some vegetable starts so seeds may be your only option right now. Some seeds that germinate early and produce quick fruit are cucumbers, some smaller varieties of tomatoes such as cherry tomatoes, squash as they can also survive into some colder weather and even smaller melons and watermelons can produce in time before winter season.
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June ’24 Edition
Dear Comalito,
It’s getting so hot outside and I’m having to hand water my plants every other day to keep them happy. Any tips on how I can conserve water or extend my watering days?
The Guzzler
Dear Guzzler,
Consider putting in some drip irrigation. This can help in conserving not just water but your time as well. Irrigation can be placed on a timer to make it easy for you to keep you plants happy and your wallet a tad fuller. Another tip is using an “olla”, it’s a terracotta pot that you fill with water, it’s placed in the ground and water slowly disperses into the ground. Many places sell them, or you can even make your own.
Dear Comalito,
Some of my beds are looking a little bare after harvesting and removing a few things that just didn’t make it. We’re in the middle of summer, is there anything I can plant to fill the spaces.
Looking Sparse
Dear Sparse,
Consider planting some herbs like rosemary, dill, oregano, or thyme. Most herbs do well in the heat and will bush out making those spaces look less empty. It’s always nice to add a little bit of flavor from your garden in your home cooked meals.