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Native Treasures Create Mowing Obstacle Course

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Published: Saturday, 17 May 2014 12:00
Written by Donna Murray, Brazos County Master Gardener

Ladies tresses & Rudbeckia

My husband commented, “You missed a spot.” I knew he was talking about the area where a native orchid - “Ladies Tresses” - grows each spring. It was there intentionally, because I “catch and release” wildflowers, transplant perennials and gather seeds of annuals to plant in my yard. An assortment of wildflowers pop up in our yard and are spared the mowing blade. Spring time mowing is an obstacle course driving to preserve these treasured collectibles.

Besides iconic Bluebonnets- there are Brown-Eyed Susan’s, prostrate Wine-Cups, Spiderwort, Blue Eyed Grass, Baby Blue Eyes, Drummond’s Wild Onion, Phlox, Lyre leaf sage, Dock, Toad Flax, Milk Weed, Southern Corydalis, and Meadow pink. I could go on but this is not about lists.

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Saved Seeds- Mistake, Magic, or Mystery

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Published: Sunday, 06 April 2014 10:00
Written by Donna Murray, Brazos County Master Gardener

Mixed Greens

Getting ready to plant, I found my seed planting basket. Hidden in the bottom were leftover lettuce packages dated 2010. A warning sign should have flashed-MISTAKE. But, the frugal-to-the-point-of-stupid side of my brain reasoned that plants have been grown from seeds found in the pyramids- so give them a try. With a new 2014 package of seeds and my found ones, I’d compare results. Three weeks later the patch sown with the 2010 seeds looked as pristine brown as the day planted and the area sown with new seeds was MAGIC to behold-and eat.

Of course, you can save seeds, but how they are stored IS important. You wouldn’t keep rib-eyes in the back of the closet so why expect a seed to be viable when stored without some safeguards.

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