In some mythologies the rose was thought to bar the way of undead or malevolent spirits, this was why rose were often laid upon a casket…so the recently deceased would never rise again. The rose is also thought to be one of the most potent ingredients in many love potions. It is believed that rose leaves thrown into a fire will bring good luck. Rose hips are edible and can be used as a minor Vitamin C supplement, they can be boiled down and made into jam, jelly, and marmalade. Why I’ve even had rose flavored ice cream! Now onto some history…

The rose is native to the United States as the oldest fossilized rose was discovered on a slate deposit in Florissant, Colorado and is estimated to be more than 35 million years old. The rose was officially designated to be the National Floral emblem when President Reagan signed the legislation into law in 1986; it is also the state flower of Iowa, North Dakota, Georgia, and New York. The oldest growing rose in existence is growing on the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany and is believed to be more than 1000 years old. The largest private rose garden is located in Italy and is home to over 7,500 different varieties. And finally some basic care tips…

Roses get a bad rap, and quite unnecessarily I might add. Roses will be star performers in any garden so long as they get enough light and a deep drink of water weekly. Prune back your roses on about Valentines Day and feed them a little rose food to promote some new spring growth. Always water your roses from the base if possible; water on the leaves will promote fungal problems. Above all remember growing any plant isn’t an exact science…I’ve been growing plants for years, am still learning and having fun along the way.

I leave you with a gem of quote by Abraham Lincoln “We can complain that rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice that thorn bushes have roses.” Well said Mr. Lincoln, well said.

By Doyle Fitz

Doyle has a BS in Horticulture from that little university down in College Station. He has gotten into arguments with rose bushes and is an avid plant lover and front porch gardener. When asked why he majored in horticulture by his father he simply responded ’Plants are cool’.

He can be reached any time for questions via email doyle@countrysideaustin.com

How long does a monarch live?

Monarchs live for about 2 weeks but the last generation of the year live much longer as they hibernate and live 6-8 months until the following Spring.

What’s the monarch’s life cycle?

Monarch butterfly begins its life from… egg to caterpillar, chrysalis and finally a butterfly. It grows inside the egg that’s been layed on milkweed leaves for about 4 days and hatch into a caterpillar (larvae) after 2 more weeks. The caterpillar’s life inside the chrysalis (pupa) lasts about 10 days. An adult butterfly lasts from 2 – 6 weeks.

Why do they lay their eggs on milkweed?

The milkweed contains a poison that the monarchs use as a defense. While the poison doesn’t hurt the monarchs, it makes them taste bad to birds and other predators. Predators soon learn to avoid the bright colors of the monarch caterpillars and butterflies.

What kind of plants to butterflies like?

Larval Host Plants: Common Milkweed, Butterflyweed, Tropical Milkweed, and Showy Weed, Swamp Milkweed, etc. (Asclepias sp.)

Note: The Cynanchum genus of milkweed family (Swallow wort) is TOXIC to Monarch caterpillars.

DO NOT use milkweed in the Cynanchum genus.

Nectar Source (adults): Asters, Bee Balm, Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Coneflower, Cosmos, Frogfruit, Gayfeather, Gregg’s Mist Flower, Joe Pye Weed , Lantana, Marigolds, Mexican Sunflower Torch, Milkweeds, Scabiosa,Verbena, Vervain,Viburnums, Wooly Butterfly Bush, Zinnias, plus more

Why do monarchs migrate?

They do this in the Fall to hibernate and survive the cold weather and have an opportunity to continue the life cycle.  As the weather gets colder, monarchs begin their annual migration south. Tens of millions of these butterflies spend the winter in a mountain forest in Central Mexico.

As it warms up in the Spring they start their long migration North where they lay their eggs along the way. When these eggs hatch into caterpillars, the whole cycle starts over again.

You can find more extensive information and tools on Monarch Watch.

FRESH compost tea is a brewed compost mixture aerated to bring it alive, it will begin working immediately to feed and balance your plants and soil.

What Can You Use the Tea For?

All plants, gardens, trees and shrub areas that you want to bring life to the soil!

When/How Do You Apply Our Freshly Brewed Compost Tea?

Application: Early Morning or Late Evening Hours to prevent tea from evaporating in the afternoon heat.

Water to Tea Ratio : 1 gallon of compost tea to 1 gallon of water

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Set out tap water 12 – 24 hours prior to picking up your tea to allow the chlorine to evaporate. It’s imperative you do so because chlorine will kill the living beneficial microbes in the compost tea.

How do I get it & for how much?

It’s fresh brewed every Saturday morning.  Bring a container and get it while supplies last for just $5 a gallon. We recommend you use it immediately for best results.

You wake up one  morning and smell the fresh air, you can hear the birds chirping and feel the sun’s warm rays heating up the day. It’s always tempting to go out early when we get a couple of nice spring days, and plant frost tender seedlings. Fight the temptation to plant things when it is just a little too early for that plant. We have to keep in mind that our average last frost date in the Central Texas is mid-March. We still will get a few more freeze spells that can last for days so planting frost-tender plants is just not a good idea.

There are still many plants that can be planted now and enjoyed in the next couple of months. Consider all the cool-weather vegetables and herbs such as cilantro, chives, fennel, dill and many others. You still have time to plant one last crop of cool weather vegetables so get your greens, onion sets, & spinach planted. There’s still plenty to do! Until then keep busy by following the To Do List below and you can still keep gardening.

Monthly To Do List & Advice

Start tomato & pepper seeds indoors.

Plant strawberries.

Plant vegetable seeds: Beets, broccoli, carrot, chard, collards, endive, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, parsnip, peas, seed potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, shallot, turnips

Plant vegetable plants: Artichoke and asparagus crowns, Asian greens, broccoli, cabbage, chard, collards, lettuce, mustard greens, onion sets, & spinach.

Plant herbs: All hardy perennial herbs, such as chives, oregano, and thyme; and cool-season annuals or biennials such as dill, fennel, and parsley. Be sure dill and fennel are watered and protected before any freezes.

Plant Trees, Shrubs & ALL Hardy Perennials Plants:  EVERYTHING can be planted during our cool season.

Plant Fruit Trees & Shrubs: Bare-root and container grown fruit trees available.  Make sure to plant properly and to spray with dormant oil. This will control scale and other insect problems. You should also spray apple, peach, pear, and plum trees with copper when you see the buds begin to swell.

Prune Roses: Now would be great to cut back dead limbs or even shape your rose shrubs & climbers. Make sure you do all your pruning in mid February around Valentine’s Day.

Weed Control: Apply corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent in February. It won’t kill weeds already growing but it suppresses the root system of the seedlings. This natural pre-emergent is also a natural source of nitrogen. Follow the instructions on the bag so you don’t waste it.

Before a Freeze: Water plants well before a freeze. This will keep roots warmer and help avoid freeze damage. Avoid overwatering in the winter. Cover susceptible plants in advance of a freeze with frost cloth. Make sure to  secure the fabric well at the soil with landscape pins .

Keep Your Garden Happy: Now is when you should work in compost and organic plant food to garden beds before planting your warm weather vegetables and annual flowers. Roses can also benefit from a little greensand and Epson salt. It’s always best to add greensand or volcanite for natural mineral source. This can be done once a year for greensand and every 2- 4 years for the volcanite. Spray your garden & lawn on a weekly basis with liquid seaweed to help plants adapt to cooler weather.  Nature’s Guide Seaweed & Medina Plus are great options!

January is the time to start working in compost and amendments to make your soil ready for Spring gardening. There are several kinds of compost but all should be should be worked in the top 4 to 6 inches. Remember to never work wet soil. Instead, wait for a dry spell to come along. Saturated soil will compact and it’s structure ruin if worked when it’s too wet.

Before you decide to add any amendments we suggest you get your soil tested. You can send a sample for testing at different labs such as Texas Plant & Soil Lab or Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Once you have your results you’re ready to add the needed  amendments to improve your soil.

Here a few suggestions what you might need:

Minerals Plus contains three types of paramagnetic volcanic rock & trace minerals.  This is great if your soil is lacking minerals.

Greensand is a non burning natural source of iron. Great for ammending iron-deficient, high alkaline soils.

Granite Sand great source of potash and helps soil workability and improves drainage.

Lava Sand accelerates the ability to hold and make available mineral nutrients that already exist in your soil. ‘Unlocks’ nutrients.

Expanded Shale helps with drainage and water retention.  This is ideal for poorly aerated clay soils. You’re plants will enjoy more extensive and healthier root systems.

Volcanite mineral rich amendment that helps to make plants hardy and robust by energizing the soil. It’s also known to give plants frost, insect and herbicide resistance.

Gypsum improves soils structure allowing for increased oxygen and water to penetrate soil. It supplies calcium and sulfur allowing  root growth and thus  promoting strong, healthy plants.

Dolomite also known as garden lime. It provides both calcium and magnesium.

Cosmos:

This summer annual tolerates the drought,  our poor soil & thrives in our Central Texas heat. Enjoy their lacy foliage & colorful blooms from vibrant yellow and orange to the pretty pinks and whites!!

Purslane:

This gorgeous bloomer brightens the garden with large, colorful flowers that really take our heat and are considered to be relatively drought tolerant. Flowers open up in the morning until sunset. They look great in rock gardens & planted in masses.

Portulaca (Moss Rose):

This low growing annual has terrific vigor and quick takeoff in the landscape. Their brightly colored blooms open in the bright sunlight. They do great in containers and attractively trail over.

Celosia (Cockscomb):

Super heat tolerant, this annual is as unique as they come. Loves full sun and they provide texture and color in the landscape.  They can be used as borders or edging in landscape as well as great accent plants in containers.

½ c  sour cream

½ c ricotta cheese

½ c fresh herbs; a mix any of the following:

• chives
• tarragon
• rosemary
• basil
• thyme
• sage
• dill

1 clove garlic

½ t freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Mix sour cream & ricotta cheese together in a bowl.

Finely mince the herbs and garlic and stir into the dip base.

Add fresh ground black pepper; fold well.

Serve with fresh vegetables.

Notes This dip gets better after a day or two in the fridge.

Revive your plants:

As hydrogen peroxide breaks down, it releases oxygen that can help a plant’s root development, reverse root rot, and even deter pests. Mix 1 oz. hydrogen peroxide into 1 quart of water for regular watering and misting.

Starting seeds:

Soak seeds overnight in a solution of 1 oz. hydrogen peroxide and 1 pint of water.

Baking Soda

Insect bites, poison ivy, prickly heat:

Palmful of baking soda, enough water to make paste. Spread on affected areas.

Horticultural Corn Meal

Lawn Fungicide:

Dry: Work 2 pounds of cornmeal into the soil for every 100 square feet. Water well, to activate the fungus killing properties. One application per season is usually sufficient, but repeat applications won’t hurt anything.

Spray: Soak 1 cup of cornmeal in 1 gallon of water overnight. Strain the liquid and use as a spray on susceptible plants.

Milk

Controls Powdery Mildew as effectively as other synthetic fungicides. Apply  at a rate of 1 part milk to 9 parts water on a weekly basis. Too much milk and it’ll backfire helping another kind of fungus to grow.

Garlic

Mosquitoes can be repelled by spraying dried minced garlic. 3 to 5 pounds should cover about 1000 sq ft.

Coffee Grounds

Apply directly to the soil around acid loving plants such as camellias, hydrangeas, azaleas & magnolias.  They are highly acidic and it will help balance the soil Ph as well as improve soil structure.

Top dressing benefits the lawn as it builds up the quality of the soil over a period of time. Sandy soils will be able to retain moisture better, and so the lawn will be more resistant to drought. Clay soils will drain better, thus improving root development. Another benefit of top dressing the lawn is that it will help to even out any lumps and bumps that are present on an uneven lawn, filling in any small hollows that may develop.

Top dressing also stimulates the grass to produce new shoots and so results in denser grass cover, which helps combat the onset of weed and moss infestation.

• Prevent loss of water from the soil by evaporation.
• Reduce the growth of weeds.
• Keep soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
• Prevent soil splashing, stops erosion.
• Prevent crusting of the soil surface, thus improving the absorption and movement of water into the soil.
• Prevent soil compaction.
• Add to the beauty of the landscape by providing a cover of uniform color and interesting texture to the surface.