We know what time of year it is by what vegetation is doing. Thanks to the Tropical Storms we received so much rain that now we have Maximilian Sunflowers, Gay Feathers, and lots of other native plants blooming away. Unfortunately we also have the dreaded insidious KR Bluestem. This grass KR Bluestem is so difficult to mow that you either have to set your mower real low to almost scalp your lawn or pastures or you have to mow over again and again. One day we will find a way to control this terrible grass.

The mornings are cool and the afternoons warm ideal Fall weather to be enjoyed by all. Have you seen the berries that the Ashe Junipers (cedar trees) are putting on? This is going to be a rough Winter and a really bad one for folks that are allergic to Cedar pollen. Of course, there is a solution to the Cedar Fever (check with your doctor before using the Cedar Tea. The berries will be ready in November to pick for the tea. We will discuss the making of the tea more next month. Sue Kersey I have your berries already marked and will be delivered to you in time., not to worry.

Busy October

Now is the time to apply Corn Gluten for the lawns. I have not done my lawn yet because with out moisture it would be a waste. Remember to apply at the rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Water it in gently and reapply next February or right before the last freeze this next year. I am going to apply in late January. Warning: Never apply any fertilizers just before a rain. The rains will carry off your application and you will have wasted your money, time, and effort. Corn Gluten is high in Nitrogen (10%) and that is what knocks out the grass burrs.

Prepare your plants for winter by applying John Dromgole’s formula to your plants, trees, and almost any vegetation. This application builds up the plants to either heat or cold and Lord knows we have both in our winters. This formula is best if used as a foliar spray. The recipe is 2 tablespoons of fish emulsions, 1 tablespoon Medina Soil Activator, 1 tablespoon of Maxicrop Seaweed, 1 tablespoon of G-V Blackstrap Molasses all combined in 1 gallon of water

Have you purchased and placed your Tulip and Hyacinth bulbs in the refrigerator? After 60 days of them chilling, then in late in December you can plant them for spring color. The other bulb plants can be planted this month. Later this is also the time to dig up and prepare for saving till next year the Caladium bulbs. Check with your local nursery or look at pages 135 and140 of my book Gardening in the Texas Hill Country.

Don’t start pruning yet wait till at least the first freeze. However, you can be thinking about where you want to plant which trees in November through February.

If you have been gathering seeds and preparing them, now you can place them in containers properly labeled. Warning: Be absolutely sure that you have properly dried the seeds before putting away for the season. This is an excellent year to collect native grass seeds. With our first half year being so wet, the grasses have been plentiful and some are growing that we have not seen here in years. Always collect from country roads, as they have not herbicides applied by local and state governmental agencies.

It is time to feed your Azaleas, Camellias, and Rhododendrons with bone meal.

This is the month to plant those wildflowers that you have been collecting or purchasing. On every packet that you purchase at Wild Seed Farms has instructions on how to plant. I think that their web site has instructions as well. (www.wildseedfarms.com)

Cut the tops off all the herbaceous perennials that have completed their flowering cycle or when the first freeze has killed their leaves.

Start planning where you are going to plant which trees in the November to February planting time. Make your list, and consult with your local nursery and garden center folks as they know best what your soils are and the weather patterns.

When all the leaves start falling and our grasses are brown is a great time to start a compost bin or pile. This is one of the best things you can do for your garden and lawn. The end product will be applied to both lawn and garden come next spring when you will be looking for some really rich compost.

If you are having a hard time locating my book just email me or have your favorite garden center, feed store or nursery email or call me and we will make sure they get the amount they request. Christmas is right around the corner and what a better stocking stuffer than Gardening in the Texas Hill Country.

Till Next Month!Keep your souls and your soles in your garden!

Remember the True Master Gardener: Jesus said, “I am the vine; my Father is the Gardener.” John 15:1

Have questions or comments? Contact Bill Luedecke at The Luedecke Group Realtors, P.O. Box 1632, Bertram, TX. 78605 (no Post Office in Oatmeal) or email bill@texasland.net. For additional gardening web sites, go to his web site; www.TexasLand.Net and click on links. Soon there will be WWW.TexasGardener.org