by CMG Adrienne M
Lisianthus, Eustoma grandiflorum from TheSpruce.com by K. Dave
“From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens: the garden outdoors, the garden of pots and bowls in the house, and the garden of the mind’s eye.” ~Katherine S. White~
There will hopefully be those glorious days this month that will be perfect for digging, sowing, mulching, and transplanting beautiful things for our spring gardens. Many selections of transplants are arriving in garden centers, and stocks of packaged and bulk seeds for this season have arrived. As a precaution, tender plants need to be protected from freeze, as well as from damaging wind. The last frost date for New Braunfels, elevation 620 feet, is March 15; for the higher elevations of Comal County, it is March 30 or later.
Lisianthus, Eustoma grandiflorum from Gardenia.net
- The bell-shaped blossoms of Lisianthus are often seen in floral arrangements. As a cut-flower, these stunning, rose-like blooms will last for 10 days to two weeks, longer if a flower preservative is used. Lisianthus is perfect for beds and borders. These plants love full sun, with some afternoon shade in our area; they bloom in summer and fall. Plant transplants 2 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost, as they need a period of cool soil. They do best in neutral or slightly acidic soil (pH 6.5-7.0) that drains well and is enriched with compost. Lisianthus grows to a height of 1-to-3-feet, and 9-to-12-inches wide. It comes in a variety of colors, including white, pink, purple, and blue; there are bicolor and double-petal varieties. Native to the southern United States, Mexico, and northern South America. Zone 8-10.
White Evening Primrose. Oenothera pallida from TxMG.org HendersonMG
- Evening Primrose will add a scent of almond to an afternoon/evening garden. The scalloped flowers of four, white, heart-shaped petals open in the late afternoon, attracting bees, and butterflies, and remaining open in the evening, attracting a different set of nighttime pollinators. Plant in well-draining soil in full sun. Primrose White Evening, a Texas Native, is easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun, but tolerates some afternoon part shade; it is drought-resistant. This perennial plant needs to become established with roots and foliage during the cooler early months of spring to flower well during the summer. The scalloped flowers appear on branching and trailing stems forming a lax mound to 30” tall and across; it can be trained to a trellis.
‘Leading Lady Pink’ Bee Balm from ProvenWinners.com
- Bee Balm has proven to be a successful spring- and summer-blooming perennial in South Central Texas. Usually seen in the scarlet color, “Leading Lady Pink” Bee Balm is a Monarda hybrid from Proven Winners, that blooms earlier than other bee balms. It grows to 14-inches tall and 22-inches wide at maturity, making it perfect for filling a container with color, fronting a bed, or for mass planting. Bee Balm has blue-green foliage. The colorful flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This hardy plant is drought- and deer-resistant, prefers sun and moist, rich soil, but performs well in part shade and ordinary garden soil. An article in Wildflower.org magazine has information on other varieties of Monarda.
Rocket’s Red Glare, kniphofia from ProvenWinners.com
- Pyromania® ‘Rocket’s Red Glare’ variety of red hot poker (kniphofia) will add a lively spot to a garden, with its vibrant spiky flowers and grass-like foliage. This long-blooming perennial grows to 3-feet in height and 2-feet in width, loves full sun, and grows in average, fertile soil. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are attracted to the upright spikes, which bloom from early- through late-summer. It works well in a garden as a border plant, as a specimen plant or focal point, or in a container. Other varieties of kniphofia have flower spikes in hues of red, orange, yellow, chartreuse, or cream. Zones 6a-9.
- Take advantage of a nice day to transplant herbs into beds and containers. Thyme, oregano, parsley, chives, rue, dill, and summer savory will enjoy the cool weather, but will need to be covered in case of a freeze. Mints can also survive a winter chill here; try the new varieties such as orange, and lemon mint.
- Plan to reduce water usage by increasing the areas of groundcover. Plants such as creeping juniper, liriope, creeping germander, or the mounding variety of artemisia (Artemisia arborescens) are a couple of suggestions. The name “artemisia” derives from the Greek goddess Artemis (Roman: Diana), the namesake of Greek Queens Artemisia I and II. A more specific reference may be to Artemisia II of Caria, a botanist and medical researcher who died in 350 BC.
- The soil in flower and vegetable gardens should be prepared for planting by adding organic mulch such as decayed leaves, and time-released fertilizer. Turn the soil well, water, and rake smooth. Cover with more leaves to deter weeds from germinating.
- Blackberry plants will be available soon. Prepare the sites you have selected for planting by digging a fairly large, deep hole and prepare it with compost. Most berry plants arrive in the bare-root form, and will need to be planted soon after purchase. Having a place ready and waiting for them will help to get them planted quickly.
‘Southern Sensation Seedless’ Grapes from SmallFruits.org
- Developed in cooperative effort between the University of Arkansas and Texas A&M, this “Pierce’s Disease” resistant grape gives the gardeners of south central Texas an opportunity to grow a table grape in the home orchard. Bexar County Master Gardeners give more information. According to the March 2023 article a limited supply of bare-root plants were available in the spring of 2023 at local nurseries. Perhaps they will be available this year too. A telephone search may be necessary for those interested in purchasing this variety.
- VEGETABLES available now at plant outlets include short-day onions, such as Southern Belle Red, along with several white varieties, long-day shallot bundles in several varieties, and bundles of asparagus roots for green (UN 157), white (Jersey Giant) and purple (Mary Washington) varieties. Bonnie Plants offers Growing Tips for Asparagus and Texas A&M has a 5-page PDF brochure on asparagus in the Easy Gardening Series, plus information on many more vegetables.
- Small tomato plants are also available now in 6-packs for “potting up” until ground temperature reaches a planting temperature of 70° F. A soil thermometer is an essential tool for many plantings; they can be bought at garden centers for as little as $8.
By CMG Adrienne
Sources: These, and other sites: aggie-horticulture.tamu; thespruce.com; texasinvasives.org; BHG.com; Gardenia.net; BonniePlants.com; ProvenWinners.com; facebook.com/thePlantHausNB.