It’s still Winter, but February is the perfect time to some early planting to give trees and shrubs time to grow feeder roots before the leaves begin to sprout. If you’re new to Central Texas, or just looking for some hardy and low-maintenance plants, we talked to some of Georgetown’s Master Gardeners to help even the worst of us keep our yards looking healthy and happy.
Step one is to seek out native and adaptive plants. Central Texas has its own set of weather, soil and climate conditions that sets it apart from the rest of the state, making it important to choose plants that match the environment. In our region, look for plants that are drought-tolerant, resistant to diseases and pests, require fewer chemicals, and use less water.
The climate in CTX is considered humid subtropical with mild winters and hot summers. It’s also known to have higher amounts of rainfall and flooding compared to other parts of the state, especially in the past few years.
McIntire’s Garden Center in Georgetown says native fruit trees, nut trees, and shade trees should be planted or moved now. As well, hardy shrubs like holly, nandina, Indian hawthorn, photinia, and wax myrtle are very tolerant of cold and can be planted now. They also have an extensive list of deer-resistant plants for those in west Georgetown with cervine visitors. (mcintiresgarden.com)
Experts Say
Susan Blackledge is not only the Manager of Berry Springs Park and Preserve, she is a Master Gardener as well. Her advice to anyone who has trouble sustaining green things is, “You can’t lose with cactus.”
More species of cacti, or succulents, are found in Texas than in any other state; many of them have great color and there are quite a few needle- and sword-free specimens that should do pretty well in the hotter spots of your garden when things get or stay above 90°.
The Hedgehog Cactus (below) has a classic cactus look and short spines. On the plus side, it produces full, bright red flowers and works as well in a pot as it does outside. This plant loves the heat and a lot of sun and is perfect for a xeriscape or as a pop of color in your garden.
Cereus, also known as Queen of the Night, is a good cactus for beginners. They grow very tall and large and produce delicate white flowers that bloom at night with a very pleasant fragrance; there are even commercial perfumes named for it. It is popular in rock gardens and can be grown from stem cuttings. Don’t get discouraged; most of the time it looks like a dried-up bush, but rest assured this plant grows well even in dry sand.
Aeoniums (top) have something to offer everyone; from those who struggle to maintain anything green, to the green thumbs looking to cut down on watering. These cacti have waxy leaves that grow straight out of their stems to form delicate rosettes. These are low-maintenance because new offshoots emerge from one flower head without any help from the gardener. They come in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes.
Kate Whitney is a local Horticulture Extension Agent with the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. She coordinates their master gardener program works with volunteers for agriculture education, and shared of few of her favorite, low-maintenance plants as well.
Rosemary is green year-round and doubles as a fragrant herb for cooking. There are many varieties and it doesn’t take a lot of water. Kate says in the garden, they make good borders, but they are also great on a skewer on the grill with cheese and tomatoes.
Her favorite shrub is Texas Sage, which pop with purple flowers before a rain. For that reason, “many growers call it the barometer bush because it almost seems to sense when water is coming.”
If you want bright colors, she recommends Turks Cap Hibiscus (below). “They are making an old-fashioned comeback. They have beautiful, small flowers that come in red, pink, or white. They are also great because they grow in the shade too.”
Kate says all of these can be picked up at local nurseries or big box stores. “Just be sure to inspect the plant well, even pull it out of the container to see if the roots are healthy and not root-bound in the pot.”