We may still be baking in the Austin summer sun, but experienced Austin gardeners know that fall planting season is here. If you can find time to take advantage of September’s cooler hours, there’s gardening to be done.
If you haven’t already, kick off your fall vegetable garden by planting eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, beans, peas, pumpkins and winter squash varieties such as butternut and acorn — these are all good warm weather plants. September is also a great month to add broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers and summer squash (i.e., yellow, zucchini) to the mix. And it’s the best time to plant native grass seeds.
Other items that are ready to go when the temps are still high are herbs (both seeds and plants) as well as flowers and ornamentals, native groundcover plants, and wildflower seeds (be sure to get them in before mid-November!). Fall is also the best time to plant shrubs and trees in Texas, but you might want to wait until things cool down just a bit and less water is required for them to get established.
You can also expand your plating coverage by simply dividing the perennials that are already growing in your garden. Plants such as irises, day lilies, daisies and others can be separated and transplanted elsewhere in your yard, or even better, — you can give them to friends or family for their gardens. For some great resources on gardening in Central Texas, check out the Central Texas Horticulture blog provided by the Travis County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office.
While you’re at it, why not take advantage of some of the great programs offered by the City of Austin? The city’s Grow Green program promotes sustainable landscaping practices and touches on such subjects as water conservation, recycling and environmentally friendly pest control. In addition, the city offers a number of rebates, grants and free landscaping items, including an extensive program aimed at water conservation.
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