Asters are great plants to have in your garden for the monarch butterfly's fall migration. iStock image

Asters are great plants to have in your garden for the monarch butterfly’s fall migration. iStock image

After it rains, we know when there's plenty of water below by the emergence of rain lilies and the blooms on Texas sage, also known as Texas Ranger, cenizo, silverleaf, purple sage, and barometer bush. But did you know wild grasses are also indicators? 
You don’t need a dowsing or divining rod; just look for bushy bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), Vaseygrass (Paspalum urvillei), broadleaf woodoats (Elymus canadensis), bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris), Big Muhly (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri), canary grass (Phalaris canariensis), and fescue (Festuca arundinacea).

GET READY FOR FALL

Counting the days until we have cooler weather? Us, too. As we battle the heat, we can jumpstart our fall gardens. Take it easy and drink lots of water when you tackle these tasks:

  • Prune roses back about one-third to encourage fall blooms.
  • If you are starting seeds indoors for a fall harvest, we suggest staggering the plantings so your fall harvest is longer.
  • Peppers and eggplants enjoy a dose of water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks to help them through this season and to keep producing. Peppers and eggplants are hardy, producing up until the first frost.
  • Keep weeding. It’s important to not let them go to seed. If weeds go to seed, they’ll be more work next year.
  • Transplant fall bloomers, adding color to your gardens and yards.
  • Mulch, mulch, mulch!

Have you had your soil tested for your fall garden or next spring? There are several ways to do so. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension will test sent samples. Contact it for instructions at soiltesting@tamu.edu or 979-845-4816, or visit its soil testing webpage. You can also purchase home soil kits.

MONARCH MIGRATION

Texas is an important state in the fall migration tunnel for monarch butterflies. According to Texas Butterfly Ranch, monarchs need “water, ample nectar sources, trees or other protection at night for roosting, and connected habitats.” 
Some fall blooming nectar plants that you can get from your local nursery for monarchs are: asters (Machaeranthera bigelovii), autumn sage, cherry sage, Gregg salvia (Salvia greggii)  Blazing Star (Liatris mucronata), late flowering boneset (Eupatorium serotinum), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), cowpen (Verbesina encelioides), frostweed (Verbesina virginica), goldenrod (Solidago arguta), Gregg’s bluemist (Conoclinium greggii), pentas (Pentas lanceolata), sunflowers, Texas aster (Aster texanus), Texas lantana (Lantana horrida), and Western ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii).
Till next time.  Keep your souls and soles in your garden!
Remember the True Master Gardener: Jesus said, “I am the vine; my Father is the Gardener.” John 15:1
Contact Bill Luedecke at The Luedecke Group Realtors at 512-577-1463 or bill@texasland.net. Contact daughter Martelle Luedecke at 512-769-3179 or luedeckephotography@gmail.com.