I went out today to find the few plants that don't seem to mind the temps and the dryness. Thank goodness for natives.
Cowpen daisy...thank you Josephine
Aniscanthus doesn't care how hot it gets.
I do have a question about the cowpen daisies, when should I start to collect seed and when can I sow for next year?
I've got a five-footer that may be camphor weed. Too hot to take a photo... Or, you know, think...
Four nerve daisy, a few lingering coreopsis and greenthread, some blue sage, and some semi-shaded pigeonberry and lantana bits. Eso es todo. Quite a difference from a week ago, after we lucked up on a little thunderstorm.
Oh well. "At least it's not like last year."
When the flower heads dry up, you can harvest the seeds, Cheryl. Or, you can let them scatter where they will if you want the freestyle reseeding effect. It is an annual, so don't expect it to come back from the roots next year, like I did. I winter sowed mine starting in Jan or February and then transplanted in April or May.
As Stephanie said they will seed on their won but if you want them in a certain spot it is better to plant where you want them, although they are very easy to transplant.
Josephine.
I only have the one plant I got from Josephine at the spring RU so I think I would feel safer collecting some seeds and sowing in a few spots this winter. You should have seen this plant in early July, it was about half eaten by some rust and black caterpillers, it made a great recovery.
C
Oh boy, I bet those were Bordered Patch butterflies, I raised a very large group of those on my cowpen daisies, released them at the Fielder garden.
Cheryl, I only had one plant last year and I think I ended up with about 12 this year! LOL That's not counting the ones I pulled up because they were growing EVERYWHERE. I transplanted a couple to other places in my yard and also gave some away at the spring RU. They're great plants.
That's good to know because I do like the color of the leaves and their determination to thrive. What I did not know is how tall they are... mine is about 3.5-4 feet. Do you think I could start some in pots and have them survive the winter?
C
I don't know since they were one of the last things to come back for me this spring. They grow easily from seed, though.
They won't survive the winter outdoors, but if you start plants in the fall in pots, and you bring them in during the cold spells, they might survive and you might be able to get a jump start in the spring, although I don't know if it would be worth it.
You are probably right, better just to sow outside where I want them.
C
I love Cowpen Daisies -- those they reseed with a vengence. I would caution about putting seedlings out too soon. A group of seedlings came up very early for me this year, and were killed when it snowed in March. They thrive on heat and drought, but don't like cold weather. This is one of my favorite flowerbed plants ... though I do admit to saying a dirty word or two as I'm pulling up hundreds of seedlings each spring. :-)
Carla
If you ever get up toward McKinney in Collin County go to Myers Park and Event Center to see the trial garden that the Collin County Master Gardeners are developing. There are 3 each of 70 different perennials that were planted earlier this year. They are watered, but no fertilizer or pesticides are used on them. You can see how these plants perform and what they will look like in your garden.
I wonder if my cowpen daisies are getting too much water, they are sort of tall. I put them in a bed that really does get supplemental water.
C
Cheryl, cowpens do get tall, you might cut them back a little, but not too much or you will lose your big burst of fall bloom.
Would it benefit them to cut them back early in spring or would they grow just as tall?
C
Yes, you can keep them smaller by regular prunning.
Will try that next year and see how they turn out. What other TX annuals are good to grow?
C
Indian Blanket http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GAPU
Drummond's Phlox http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PHDR
Blackeyed Susan, http://wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RUHI2
and Bluebonnet are all very nice, but i have never had luck with the bluebonnet.
I put out some black eyed susans (hirta sp) and hopefully they will reseed. I like them much better than the perennial forms I have bought and tried. The Drummond phlox is lovely and I will look for some seed for that one. The one that is difficult is gallardia. I have planted several types of the perennials and they fail in my yard...too much water maybe? Is the annual type easier?
C
Did you try gallardia "Arizona Sun" I have also had trouble, but this one bloomed well for the last few years (until I didn't realize the sprinklers weren't reaching it)
I did have it a couple years ago and 2 out of 3 plants came up the next year. I moved it and all of them died.
C
That is a lot of my problem in my yard Anna..
Our sprinklers were put in when I only had about 4 or 5 flower beds. Now we have I think 24 at last count. Sprinklers were put in for grass not beds and not considering sunny and shady spots either. We have had to rework numerous ones when discovering dry spots, etc.
That is a tough lesson I'm having to learn. :( I think the guy who designed my new sprinkler system just came out and looked at the plat and spaced the sprinklers accordingly. He paid no attention to where anything was actually growing. He put NO heads in empty beds that I'm trying to re-landscape. I have sprinkler heads behind 4' pots. There's one that waters nothing but the pond. I end up running the system way too much just to stretch the water to far-reaching water-hungry things like hydrangeas. But hey, my grass sure is green.
We went out on a warm over-cast evening and turned them on like 3 min and walked through the 9 zones taking notes. Most errors we have corrected but not all.
One was a 1/2 nozzle and it was turned to the grass, we just loosened and flipped it around to the flower bed. Some the filters were clogged, just opened flushed and reassembled. One or two we did have to dig and straighten or replace. We may not be fast but we hated to pay $60+ per hour for someone to do it.
Great that you can do that. I have to learn how to do that flushing! My neighbor showed me how to use funny pipe. While it is more expensive than pvc, it is very flexible, so easier to work with around an established bed. I put it in one bed but there must be a leak somewhere b/c there is hardly any waterflow. That is what I am about to go fix...............
Automatic sprinklers are one of those opiate of the masses things. As long as it turns itself on, it's so easy to leave your brain turned off. Or even start doing things like planning your landscaping around the sprinkling...
Austin has started doing free sprinkler audits for large water customers (not just commercial, some residences even are spraying out an ark-load). http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/watercon/irrigation.htm They've got a little do it yourself checklist they're trying to get everyone else to use. All the same things yall are doing, I think, Sheila, along with putting out the tuna cans and running it long enough to measure the amount. (It seems sort of odd that no one promotes modular or expandable systems. Even if you have a very conventional lawn/tree/flower bed yard and don't plan to change anything, you know the tree is going to grow, which will change watering needs. It would be in the sprinkler people's interest to promote the idea of periodic readjustments.)
Anyways, gallardia, wow seems to take care of itself just fine for me. But it doesn't get watered except rain. Maybe the plants that survive to flower are adapted enough to come back next year...
I see around the neighborhood sections of lawn that have died. It makes sense to check those sprinklers. And doesn't it drive you crazy when you see a river flowing down the street. Thanks for the link.
I grew up in San Antonio where the water supply is not unlimited. We had to place bags of water in the tanks of our toilet so they'd use less water. This was obviously before low-flush toilets! We didn't water during the heat of the day (10a-6p). I was FLOORED when I moved to Fort Worth and they had no restrictions or guidelines. People would water in the heat of the day, water the driveway/sidewalk/street, and have no regard for the water resources!
Well... as a "greenie" I hate to say it... but I am not so sure those city regulations are all that great, at least so far. Garland has very strict rules in place now. A sprinkler system has to be designed and approved by the city BEFORE you can even apply for the permit. I am all for water conservation, but a lot of the rules don't make any sense. I have areas on my brand-new system that aren't getting any water at all because they're next to a sidewalk and we can't have even one drop hitting cement. And yet, there are NO regulations about how often I can run the system. That just makes no sense. I'd much rather cover everything once a week and lose a few drops on the sidewalk, than to have people watering gallons every single day if they want to.
I remember a few years ago when we had watering restrictions. We were only allowed to water on Wednesdays and Sundays. I could go longer than 4 days without watering, but I couldn't go 7 days. So, I ended up watering more than I would have on my own. In the meantime, I had neighbors who were able to, and did, water all night long twice a week, just to make sure.
Shrug. One size really doesn't fit all.
In Arlington right now the rules are, no sprinkling between 10am and 6pm but you can hand water, so that is not so bad, I don't have a sprinkler system, so I end up doing a lot of hand watering.
I find the commercial properties to be the most annoying. I have seen them watering during a rain storm! They also have a lot of broken heads that are more like gysers. This was especially bad during the year I lived in an apartment here. My water bills were awful but they wasted water like crazy.
C
In Colleyville they will fine you if the sprinklers are going during rain. Most people have rainsensors. I still see it happening, so I guess you have to be caught.
Businesses don't seem to have as many regulations and restrictions. I don't think they are required to have a rain sensor.
We have the 10-6 restriction too. One good thing about Garland's restrictions is that all drip systems are exempt from the other rules (except the time of day).
Loving the cooler temps., especially at night and it looks like some substantial rain is coming.
C
Fort Worth implemented permanent restrictions prior to 2008, maybe just before that. No outdoor watering with sprinklers from 10-6, hand watering or soaker hose anytime. Rain sensors are mandatory on new systems, and they have rain barrel classes at FW Botanic Garden and also classes for drought tollerant landscapes. I think most every City has something in place now days.
I agree with Cheryl the commercial properties are the worse rule breakers. They set the timers and don't have sensors. It can be pouring rain and they have them running. And water in the heat of the day and wonder why the grass is brown!
I was just in the Hill Country when the rain began there this week, and stopped at a store to ask about a poncho. The lady said we never stock them because it never rains, LOL! Boy it was that day!
