Robbi Will

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Robbi Will

From pruning to fertilizing, get the best ever spring prep tips with Robbi Will from the Antique Rose Emporium.

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Springtime Tips

Recent Episodes

Square Foot Gardening

Why is Mel Bartholomew’s innovative square foot gardening concept so valuable today? Son Steve Bartholomew from the Square Foot Gardening Foundation explains why his dad developed the concept, easy steps to make one, and how its global impact conquers hunger. In Leander, Ellen and Rick Bickling turned the kids’ old basketball court into square foot | watch episode →

Half-Pint Urban Prairie + Native Fruit Tress

Let’s get growing native fruit trees! Horticulturist Karen Beaty from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center plucks a few for big and small gardens to feed us, the birds, and beneficial pollinators. To demonstrate the beauty and value of the Blackland Prairie, University of Texas at Austin students are seeding the future at the Half-Pint | watch episode →

December To Do List

Plant: ornamental & wildlife

Hardy perennials, shrubs
Trees
Roses (best time!)
Winter annuals, including calendula, snapdragon, pansy, viola, dusty miller, ornamental kale and cabbage, alyssum, stock, cyclamen, dusty miller, flowering kale and cabbage
Avoid planting cold tender plants like Pride of Barbardos, Esperanza, lantana, plumbago

Plant: herbs

Perennials thyme, oregano
Avoid planting rosemary
Cilantro transplants, parsley, dill, fennel , chervil, summer savory, borage, rue, chives
Be prepared to cover in case of deep freeze

Plant: food crops

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Vegetable Planting Guides (Central Texas) http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/home-landscape/edible-gardens/growing-vegetables/

Prune

Prune freeze damaged plants or not? Best to leave seeds on plants for birds and protect root system. If picky relatives coming, okay to prune
Avoid pruning shrubs right now unless you see damage
Do not prune oak trees unless you have damage: paint wound immediately
Okay to prune trees other than red oaks and live oaks

Divide/Move

Shrubs, roses, trees, evergreen spring-blooming perennials while dormant
Asters and other fall-bloomers which are dormant

Prep

Select spots where you want fruit trees, grapes, or berries to plant in January; for now, prep with compost
Mulch cold tender plants like gingers, Esperanza and semi-tropicals
Keep that row cover ready! Do not protect plants with plastic!

Lawn

Pluck out early weeds.

Other tasks

Rake leaves into beds to mulch over winter and return nutrients to the soil
Mow leaves on grass (if not raking to beds or compost) to break them down
Collect leaves from neighbors to add to compost pile!
Deeply water new plants; keep new seedlings moist but not drenched

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