“Good Man” Fruit: Female Ash Juniper Tree. Male trees (“bad guys”) release copious amounts of pollen, which can cause allergies.
Initially our garden was a little bigger than planned. Our raised beds were too close together making it difficult to keep the grass and weeds growing between them.Next we planted fruit trees to provide shade while one of us harvested vegetables. I was. what was he thinking? Now that the fruit trees have grown and matured, shade is excellent for harvesters, but none of the planned vegetables will grow in shade.
Clearly, these mistakes were made before we became master gardeners and master naturalists. Please Note: We try everything on our own land before suggesting it to you.
Now, the stilts have been moved so that the vegetables and fruit trees are exposed to the sun separately. A raised bed is also close to home to do what we are writing about. Visit the garden daily to monitor conditions. It also changed not only what it should be, but what it should be. In addition, they were able to plan the long-term growth of trees and shrubs and improve drip irrigation.
document your garden and landscape
January is a great time to reassess what you did last year and plan what you will do this year. This brings us to the point about keeping a journal of your gardening activities. It doesn’t have to be complicated or sophisticated. It could be a spiral notebook from the grocery store or a note from Google Calendar. You should record what you did when, what results you got, and what changes you need to make (or questions you ask Martel or Bill). In addition to gently reminding you of what you planted where and when, it’s helpful to keep track of rainfall, freeze days (and how long), and watering schedules.
Ash Juniper ID
During this period, it is easy to distinguish between the “good guys” (females) and the “bad guys” (males). It’s confusing. Blue berries. The “bad guys” are red pollen about to explode in a completely red cloud. These are the ones that cause allergies.
You can use a can of surveyor’s paint (a shocking color works best) to mark the trunk for removal in the spring and summer. The “good” female trees, from which we make allergy-fighting teas and eat straight from the trees, do not rely on male trees to produce fruit. To keep things to a minimum, you can remove as many “bad guys” as your heart desires.
Martins are coming
A Scout of Purple Martins (Progne subis) arrives around Valentine’s Day. They are just like the Capistrano Swallows (Cliff Swallows, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), and they make an annual trek. So it’s time to drop those Martin Houses down and start cleaning up for the new arrivals.
Until next time.
Put your soul and the soles of your feet in your garden! Remember the True Master Gardener: Jesus said, my father is a gardener ”John 15:1
“In the Garden” was written by daughter and father gardening team Martel and Bill Ruedecke.If you have any gardening questions, please contact Martell at 512-769-3179 or luedeckephotography@gmail.com or bill 512-577-1463 or bill@texasland.net. Read more “In the garden” column01 Lawn & Garden Guide.
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