jOhN typed:
snip
bitterness of the small peppers, tepins & pequins.

It's not too late for okra; it's the only thing I've found that
truly thrives in our August heat. Beautiful cream colored
hibiscus looking flowers (they're related), and you can't kill
them with a baseball bat.
Mike Harris
Austin, TX

Oh no, thanks to that last comment we'll soon see another Saturday
night wasted on the Sci-Fi Channel - Bio-engineered Hibiscus
esculentus gone berserk and sliming those silly human pests ;-)

"When we got there, sheriff, the Parkins family was completely
gumbo'd. However, they needed a bit more salt to my taste."

*snicker* I'm going to grow some just for the flowers.
Cindy

"Cindy" wrote in message
news
jOhN typed:
snip
bitterness of the small peppers, tepins & pequins.

It's not too late for okra; it's the only thing I've found that
truly thrives in our August heat. Beautiful cream colored
hibiscus looking flowers (they're related), and you can't kill
them with a baseball bat.
Mike Harris
Austin, TX

Oh no, thanks to that last comment we'll soon see another Saturday
night wasted on the Sci-Fi Channel - Bio-engineered Hibiscus
esculentus gone berserk and sliming those silly human pests ;-)

"When we got there, sheriff, the Parkins family was completely
gumbo'd. However, they needed a bit more salt to my taste."

*snicker* I'm going to grow some just for the flowers.
Cindy


Sure, snicker away. "We had to dig her out from under the most peculiar
things I ever saw. I don't know what they are, I never saw them before.
They looked like great big seed pods." Don't say you weren't warned.
--
Mike Harris
Austin, TX

It's not too late for okra; it's the only thing I've found that truly
thrives in our August heat. Beautiful cream colored hibiscus looking
flowers (they're related), and you can't kill them with a baseball bat.

--
Mike Harris
Austin, TX

It would make an even more colorful post to know that you had actually tried
this. Inquiring minds want to know...... ;-)

Julie

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
C'mon Kathy. Prickly pear cactus grows wild out here. Don't have to
plant
it, water it, or otherwise. Expect flowers in a couple of months from
it.
Had to knock down a mess of it so I could get to back in end of land on
foot
last year.

Yeah, I had problems getting it to grow where I wanted it because the deer
were pulling it up last year. Now it has little buds all over it.

DH *loves* jalapenos! I bought 2 plants yesterday, 6-pack of banana and a
couple bell pepper plants. I need to get them planted tonight. He would
love okra and green beans but all my 'gardening' is done in containers, in
a
very sunny space on the deck. Perhaps I should get a bit... is it too
late
for an okra plant? Do they love the sun?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen


Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil isn't
too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping Springs
sells good topsoil by the truckload.
--
Jonny

If you got a husband or whatever, feed him lotsa jalapenos. Good for
killing prostrate cancer. No, I'm not kidding.

Too warm for strawberries, and it going to get worse as you know. But,
along the same lines (cool weather), my leaf lettuce is growing well
despite
the heat. Jalapenoes just sprouted their 3rd set of leaves, still small.
One major tomato plant, with 4 others struggling. Many tomato seedling
deaths, followed by replants here. Had to replant okra and green beans
due
to last frost, planted west of some trees. Too much early morning shade.
--
Jonny
"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
My onions are thriving.
I plan to get some peppers in this weekend, bell, banana, and some
jalapeno.
My amaryllis just bloomed and my cannas are starting to come up again.
The rosemary is doing great and the roses are blooming.
My bluebonnets didn't come up at all... hopefully next year they will
all
bloom at once.
Strawberries didn't make it, I made DH promise that he would remind me
this
year that I *really* *don't* need strawberry plants because I just
don't
take care of them.
I think that's it here... oh, my cactus (one prickly one and one
without,
can't remember the names) are all doing great. Hmmmmm... was cacti
plural?
With hope and heart,
Kathleen, also in Wimberley

--
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality
and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense
of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the
beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse
the true with the false and the false with the true.
~ Martin Luther King Jr.




"Scott Sexton" wrote in message
...

...
How are the rest of you progressing? This is the best time of year
for gardening , but so few posts. Just wondering.

Things are popping up all over my yard.

The Zoysia seems to be coming in pretty well, planted it in late
January. anyone know how long I need to keep watering it to get it
established?
Roses are blooming up a storm.
1 Calla lily has bloomed with others on the way.
Stargazers are about to open up also
Tiger lily's look like they will follow the stargazers about a week or
two afterwards.
Castor Beans are popping up. I expect they will make it to 10-12'
this
year.
Passion Flower (both Red and regular) are starting to come back from
the
roots. They froze down to the groud this winter.
Mexican Plum finished blooming a while back
Texas Orchid just finished blooming
Althea/Rose of Sharon is coming out nicely it usually doesn't bloom
until later.
Mountain Laurel has already run it's course and is doing fine.

Basically the garden is coming up nicely, I love this time of year!

Take care, time to go smell the roses!

*************************************************
Scott H. Sexton help@
www.sexton.com sexton.com
Eeyore's Birthday Party http://eeyores.sexton.com
*************************************************

My church doesn't recommend it.

OmManiPadmiOmlet wrote:
In article ,
J Kolenovsky wrote:


Hey, looks like you got a good thread going on this topic. You said,
"Most of the native fauna is flowering right now.". Did you mean "Flora"
which stands for plants? I don't think I've ever seen an "animal"
flower. At least not from my parts.

J. Kolenovsky
TCNP



You never watched "Farscape" did you. ;-)

Jonny wrote:
"Kathleen" wrote in message
...

C'mon Kathy. Prickly pear cactus grows wild out here. Don't have to

plant

it, water it, or otherwise. Expect flowers in a couple of months from
it.
Had to knock down a mess of it so I could get to back in end of land on

foot

last year.

Yeah, I had problems getting it to grow where I wanted it because the deer
were pulling it up last year. Now it has little buds all over it.

DH *loves* jalapenos! I bought 2 plants yesterday, 6-pack of banana and a
couple bell pepper plants. I need to get them planted tonight. He would
love okra and green beans but all my 'gardening' is done in containers, in
a
very sunny space on the deck. Perhaps I should get a bit... is it too
late
for an okra plant? Do they love the sun?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil isn't
too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping Springs
sells good topsoil by the truckload.

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00028.asp

Jonny wrote:
"Kathleen" wrote in message
...

C'mon Kathy. Prickly pear cactus grows wild out here. Don't have to

plant

it, water it, or otherwise. Expect flowers in a couple of months from
it.
Had to knock down a mess of it so I could get to back in end of land on

foot

last year.

Yeah, I had problems getting it to grow where I wanted it because the deer
were pulling it up last year. Now it has little buds all over it.

DH *loves* jalapenos! I bought 2 plants yesterday, 6-pack of banana and a
couple bell pepper plants. I need to get them planted tonight. He would
love okra and green beans but all my 'gardening' is done in containers, in
a
very sunny space on the deck. Perhaps I should get a bit... is it too
late
for an okra plant? Do they love the sun?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil isn't
too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping Springs
sells good topsoil by the truckload.

I shy away from chemically treated wood for food gardening. Here is an
article that looks at both sides.

"jOhN" wrote in message
et...
Jonny wrote:
"Kathleen" wrote in message
...

C'mon Kathy. Prickly pear cactus grows wild out here. Don't have to

plant

it, water it, or otherwise. Expect flowers in a couple of months from
it.
Had to knock down a mess of it so I could get to back in end of land on

foot

last year.

Yeah, I had problems getting it to grow where I wanted it because the
deer
were pulling it up last year. Now it has little buds all over it.

DH *loves* jalapenos! I bought 2 plants yesterday, 6-pack of banana and
a
couple bell pepper plants. I need to get them planted tonight. He would
love okra and green beans but all my 'gardening' is done in containers,
in a
very sunny space on the deck. Perhaps I should get a bit... is it too
late
for an okra plant? Do they love the sun?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil
isn't too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping
Springs sells good topsoil by the truckload.

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00028.asp

The arsenic type pressure treated wood went away over 3 years ago. The new
type eats plain iron nails. Ask any framing carpenter. This is ACQ lumber,
and is common now. As opposed when the author wrote the webpage you quoted.

I use one high landscape timber. Reason is for the new growth easy to
start, and spread its roots. Original soil is simply unable to hold
moisture, but is fertile enough due to my treating it with decaying food
leftovers etc. for two years. Putting sandy soil w/peat over this soil did
the trick for holding moisture.

Another tip, if your soil is high alkaline, put a chicken coop and fenced
running area over it for a year or two. The manure is high in acid, and
very fertile. The chickens scratch it into the ground. Labor free. Rotate
the chicken coop every 3 years, with a garden location.
--
Jonny

Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil
isn't
too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping Springs
sells good topsoil by the truckload.
--
Jonny

And how do you keep the deer out?
I think that option is out of the question for me. Small scale container
gardening seems to work best here. So far the deer and chickens don't get
on our deck!
With hope and heart,
Kathleen

Jonny wrote:
"jOhN" wrote in message
et...

Jonny wrote:

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...


C'mon Kathy. Prickly pear cactus grows wild out here. Don't have to

plant


it, water it, or otherwise. Expect flowers in a couple of months from
it.
Had to knock down a mess of it so I could get to back in end of land on

foot


last year.

Yeah, I had problems getting it to grow where I wanted it because the
deer
were pulling it up last year. Now it has little buds all over it.

DH *loves* jalapenos! I bought 2 plants yesterday, 6-pack of banana and
a
couple bell pepper plants. I need to get them planted tonight. He would
love okra and green beans but all my 'gardening' is done in containers,
in a
very sunny space on the deck. Perhaps I should get a bit... is it too
late
for an okra plant? Do they love the sun?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil
isn't too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping
Springs sells good topsoil by the truckload.

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00028.asp


The arsenic type pressure treated wood went away over 3 years ago. The new
type eats plain iron nails. Ask any framing carpenter. This is ACQ lumber,
and is common now. As opposed when the author wrote the webpage you quoted.

I use one high landscape timber. Reason is for the new growth easy to
start, and spread its roots. Original soil is simply unable to hold
moisture, but is fertile enough due to my treating it with decaying food
leftovers etc. for two years. Putting sandy soil w/peat over this soil did
the trick for holding moisture.

Another tip, if your soil is high alkaline, put a chicken coop and fenced
running area over it for a year or two. The manure is high in acid, and
very fertile. The chickens scratch it into the ground. Labor free. Rotate
the chicken coop every 3 years, with a garden location.

With an possible 40-year life it seemed appropriate to throw in some
info regarding the arsenic treated stuff. I know I've reused assorted
treated wood for many things - including raised beds. Generally the
urban rumor stuff about the deadly consequences of treated wood used in
gardening seems to be an over reaction. I don't use it myself probably
due to some of that "spin" but I just don't feel comfortable with it.

"jOhN" wrote in message
. net...
Jonny wrote:
"jOhN" wrote in message
et...

Jonny wrote:

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...


C'mon Kathy. Prickly pear cactus grows wild out here. Don't have to

plant


it, water it, or otherwise. Expect flowers in a couple of months from
it.
Had to knock down a mess of it so I could get to back in end of land
on

foot


last year.

Yeah, I had problems getting it to grow where I wanted it because the
deer
were pulling it up last year. Now it has little buds all over it.

DH *loves* jalapenos! I bought 2 plants yesterday, 6-pack of banana
and a
couple bell pepper plants. I need to get them planted tonight. He
would
love okra and green beans but all my 'gardening' is done in containers,
in a
very sunny space on the deck. Perhaps I should get a bit... is it too
late
for an okra plant? Do they love the sun?

With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil
isn't too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping
Springs sells good topsoil by the truckload.

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00028.asp


The arsenic type pressure treated wood went away over 3 years ago. The
new type eats plain iron nails. Ask any framing carpenter. This is ACQ
lumber, and is common now. As opposed when the author wrote the webpage
you quoted.

I use one high landscape timber. Reason is for the new growth easy to
start, and spread its roots. Original soil is simply unable to hold
moisture, but is fertile enough due to my treating it with decaying food
leftovers etc. for two years. Putting sandy soil w/peat over this soil
did the trick for holding moisture.

Another tip, if your soil is high alkaline, put a chicken coop and fenced
running area over it for a year or two. The manure is high in acid, and
very fertile. The chickens scratch it into the ground. Labor free.
Rotate the chicken coop every 3 years, with a garden location.

With an possible 40-year life it seemed appropriate to throw in some info
regarding the arsenic treated stuff. I know I've reused assorted treated
wood for many things - including raised beds. Generally the urban rumor
stuff about the deadly consequences of treated wood used in gardening
seems to be an over reaction. I don't use it myself probably due to some
of that "spin" but I just don't feel comfortable with it.

See your point. However, you can't buy CCA treated wood anymore. Its
illegal to make or sell.
--
Jonny

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
Okra is another garden variety selection for heat tolerance.

Many people out here make a raised bed for a garden. Old well seasoned
railroad ties or landscape timbers work. As you know, the native soil
isn't
too good for most common variety garden plants. Place in Dripping
Springs
sells good topsoil by the truckload.
--
Jonny

And how do you keep the deer out?
I think that option is out of the question for me. Small scale container
gardening seems to work best here. So far the deer and chickens don't get
on our deck!
With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Some call it pasture fencing. The size of the slots I chose are 2 by 3
inches rectangular. 5 feet high.
Used treated 2X4s for uprights in the corners nailed to the landscape
timbers, and at the gate entrance. Cut 2X4 braces at 45 degrees to hold the
uprights in place from angular movement. Slapped a 2X4 on top to make the
rail. South end protected external to the fence from wind with plastic
nailed to this framing, and overlapped with 2X4s on edges.

If you live in Wimberley proper near the river and close to Hwy 12, you
probably are frequented by those almost tame whitetail deer. There's also a
flock of turkey that are just as tame that frequent the area. Most often
seen in early morning off of Lange Rd. A variety of ducks do frequent the
river near the county road 1492 crossing.

Loose chickens, I've not seen anywhere.
--
Jonny

Some call it pasture fencing. The size of the slots I chose are 2 by 3
inches rectangular. 5 feet high.
Used treated 2X4s for uprights in the corners nailed to the landscape
timbers, and at the gate entrance. Cut 2X4 braces at 45 degrees to hold
the
uprights in place from angular movement. Slapped a 2X4 on top to make the
rail. South end protected external to the fence from wind with plastic
nailed to this framing, and overlapped with 2X4s on edges.

If you live in Wimberley proper near the river and close to Hwy 12, you
probably are frequented by those almost tame whitetail deer. There's also
a
flock of turkey that are just as tame that frequent the area. Most often
seen in early morning off of Lange Rd. A variety of ducks do frequent the
river near the county road 1492 crossing.

Loose chickens, I've not seen anywhere.
--
Jonny

I don't want a garden enough to spend that kind of money fencing it!! lol
I am sending your description to DH in case he decides he might like to try
it. I live behind the high school, just outside city limits, and the
chickens belong to us. They don't roam very far. I've seen that flock of
turkeys, they are something else! And a particularly nasty pair of peacocks
try to live at (one of) my client's house on the river.
With hope and heart,
Kathleen

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
Some call it pasture fencing. The size of the slots I chose are 2 by 3
inches rectangular. 5 feet high.
Used treated 2X4s for uprights in the corners nailed to the landscape
timbers, and at the gate entrance. Cut 2X4 braces at 45 degrees to hold
the
uprights in place from angular movement. Slapped a 2X4 on top to make
the
rail. South end protected external to the fence from wind with plastic
nailed to this framing, and overlapped with 2X4s on edges.

If you live in Wimberley proper near the river and close to Hwy 12, you
probably are frequented by those almost tame whitetail deer. There's
also
a
flock of turkey that are just as tame that frequent the area. Most often
seen in early morning off of Lange Rd. A variety of ducks do frequent
the
river near the county road 1492 crossing.

Loose chickens, I've not seen anywhere.
--
Jonny

I don't want a garden enough to spend that kind of money fencing it!! lol
I am sending your description to DH in case he decides he might like to
try
it. I live behind the high school, just outside city limits, and the
chickens belong to us. They don't roam very far. I've seen that flock of
turkeys, they are something else! And a particularly nasty pair of
peacocks
try to live at (one of) my client's house on the river.
With hope and heart,
Kathleen



Know where you're at. The Dollar General is right across the street from
the high school. If you want to see tame deer and turkey, head into town
just before sunup. Turn right on 12 at the Ozona Bank on River Road. Take
the first street on the right (Lange Rd). The seniors in the area feed
both. All this may go away soon as an alcoholic treatment facility is due
to go up on the big vacant lot out there.

Not suggesting you use my method, just relating. Planters are easiest to
maintain. Not alot of work compared to making the rocky ground out here
compatible with a garden. Reasonably high garden fence is mandatory due to
whitetail deer.

I've been considering raising chickens. Have heard red-tailed hawks are a
problem as they like chicks and chickens for dinner. You got any topcover
over the chicken coop area?
--
Jonny

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
Know where you're at. The Dollar General is right across the street from
the high school. If you want to see tame deer and turkey, head into town
just before sunup. Turn right on 12 at the Ozona Bank on River Road.
Take
the first street on the right (Lange Rd). The seniors in the area feed
both. All this may go away soon as an alcoholic treatment facility is
due
to go up on the big vacant lot out there.

I've seen those turkeys! I have a friend who lives on Rhodes who would
just
as soon shoot them.
I hadn't heard about the alcoholic treatment facility.


Son-in-law, daughter, and 2 grandsons live across the street from the lot
where they intend to build this treatment facility. Guess Wimberley city
council is waiting till last minute to let folks know about it. Seems
common about Wimberley city officials and letting people know about stuff.

Son-in-law says there's 2 squads of people in the area. Some like the
"tame" turkey. Others run out of their houses to chase them off. Kinda
like people and cats. You love em or hate em.

Not suggesting you use my method, just relating. Planters are easiest to
maintain. Not alot of work compared to making the rocky ground out here
compatible with a garden. Reasonably high garden fence is mandatory due
to
whitetail deer.

I've been considering raising chickens. Have heard red-tailed hawks are
a
problem as they like chicks and chickens for dinner. You got any
topcover
over the chicken coop area?
--
Jonny

We made a 'coop' out of PVC pipe and chicken wire. A coon or possum could
get in there if they wanted to, but we trap predators and have 2 big dogs.
The dogs sleep inside at night so I'm not sure if having them helps or
not.
We have lost 1 out of 7 chicks so far, but it looked sickly and one day
just
didn't come home.

Chickens are great entertainment! We have 1 rooster, 4 hens and 5 babies
that will be given away when they get bigger. 5 is a good number for this
family.
With hope and heart,
Kathleen



When I was young, my dad raised a dozen chickens at a time, Rhode Island
Reds. He rotated the chicken yard area between the garden area every two
years. He fed them standard chicken feed, food scraps, and finely ground
chicken egg shells. The egg shell thing prevented soft eggshells, always
firm. The ground was originally bright white caliche. Those chickens
really fertilize well!

You got me thinking about the chicken raising more seriously. Will put the
coop out next to the garden, same idea of rotation my dad used. The PVC
frame caging sounds easy to move to boot. They will need some shade
however.
--
Jonny