An example of fasciation in a bluebonnet. Read more about it below. Courtesy photo
Whoo-hoo! The pecan leaves are coming out, and the scissortails are arriving. Spring has officially sprung.
GRASSHOPPERS
Begin the vigil for grasshoppers. We are getting close to the critical time of the first hatch. You can see them when you mow your yard; they are those little-bitty white things that try to stay ahead of the mower.
When you see grasshoppers, it’s time to get out the flour. Fifty pounds will be more than enough to do the average yard. All-purpose flour will work; self-rising flour is best. And grasshoppers aren’t gluten-free.
It is best to apply the flour of choice early in the morning when there is a heavy dew on the ground. Step 1 is to determine the direction of the wind (hint, hint). Step 2: Throw with the wind (hint, hint, hint, unless you want to look like the Pillsbury Doughboy). Step 3: Cast the flour by hand over the infested areas in your yard or garden. Repeat the process in about two to three weeks, when the next hatch begins.
BLUEBONNETS 303
We see God’s wondrous bouquet across our counties. Several things to remember when you stop to take photos or admire:
• Be respectful of property; don’t just drive onto someone’s flowers.
• Be wary of snakes and other critters (skunks) that are asleep in the wildflower patch.
• If you are stopping on Texas 29 (or another highway with beautiful flowers) make sure your car is completely on the shoulder and off the road. We have so many visitors this time of year that it can be a circus. Keep your eyes open for clowns.
Most important: Enjoy the beauty. We are blessed!
DID YOU KNOW? If you look closely at a bluebonnet you can see on some of the petals a white center and on others a pinkish to purplish center. The pinkish to purplish centers indicate the bloom has been pollinated. Since bluebonnets are composites, they have many pollinating stations. As bluebonnets mature into seed pods you’ll know it is time to mow when the seed pods shake like a baby rattle. When a seed pod disperses, its twisting action flings the seed about 10 feet. To insure propagation for longer than the next year, the seeds are a three-year plan. Meaning, one seed will grow the next year, one seed will germinate in two years, and one seed has a shelf life of three years.
Every now and then you will come across a Siamese twin bluebonnet. This is called fasciation. According to Hans Landel and Andrea DeLong-Amaya at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, “Fasciation can be caused by hormonal imbalances in the meristematic cells of plants, which are cells where growth can occur. Fasciation can also be caused by random genetic mutation.”
Evidently, fasciation, although rare, has been observed in more than 100 plant species. With our multitude of wildflowers, the odds are in our favor that one can be seen in the Highland Lakes. Keep your eyes open for these wondrous opportunities.
PLANT THIS MONTH
VEGETABLES: Tomatoes, lima beans, snap beans, beets, chard, okra, black-eyed peas, radishes, New Zealand spinach, summer squash.
HERBS: Anise, basil, bay, catnip, chives, comfrey, costmary, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, scented geranium, germander, horehound, horseradish, lamb’s ear, lavender, lemongrass, lemon verbena, Mexican mint marigold, oregano, perilla, rosemary, sage, santolina, summer savory, winter savory, sesame, sorrel, southern wood, tansy, tarragon, thyme, wormwood.
ANNUAL FLOWER/ORNAMENTAL SEEDS: Ageratum, balsam, castor bean, celosia, cleome, coleus, coreopsis, cosmos, cypress vine, four o’clock, globe amaranth (gomphrena), gourds, hyacinth bean vine, impatiens, marigold, moonflower vine, morning glory vine, periwinkle, sunflower, tithonia (Mexican sunflower), zinnia.
Remember to journal or take notes of where you planted what.
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 email him at bill@texasland.net. Contact Martelle Luedecke at Luedecke Photography at (512) 769-3179 or luedeckephotography@gmail.com.
