Drought and our water supply issues.

The North Texas Municipal Water District says that in order to break the current drought and increase our water supply to pre-drought levels we will need to receive a widely distributed rainfall of 12 - 15 inches in one month or 20 - 30 inches in a 6 month period.
 In SeSeptember the National Climatic Data Center, NOAA, estimated that the probability of receiving the needed rain fall in the next 6 months is 0 -7.11%. In other words, we will probably be enduring this drought for at least 6 more months or longer.
 Effective November 1, Stage 3 water restrictions will go into effect for most cities in the Metroplex. This means outdoor watering will only be allowed twice a month. Check with your city for details on allowed watering days.

This is a serious drought event. However, our water supply problems are also caused by the loss of Lake Texoma as a water source. Due to the invasion of the Zebra mussel into the waters of Lake Texoma the North Texas Municipal Water District lost 28% of the water supply. This has greatly intensified our water shortage.

Remember to water conscious at all times so that we can conserve this precious resource.
More to come on dealing with the Texas drought next week.

Add a little flagstone in your life.

A flagstone patio set in decomposed granite, rather than concrete, may be just the solution to create a usable space for relaxation or entertaining. This patio was created without any concrete. We have large peices of flagstone that are at least 2.5" thick set on a 4" base of compacted decomposed garnite. The joints are also filled with decomposed granite. the advantages of this method over flagstone set in concrete are that soil movement will not crack the mortar, signifacant soil movement damage is easily repaired and its less expensive than flagstone in concrete. 

Its almost time to plant spring color!

For beautiful spring color, you can't beat the Petunia

Most of us have planted a lonely Petunia in a pot at some point in the past, but too few of us have fully discovered the impact that these versatile plants can have on our home landscapes. 

Available in every color but orange, sun-loving Petunas are long-lasting, colorful, pest-tolerant, and easy to grow, enhancing any home gardening situation that can sustain the 6 hours minimum a day of direct sunlight required by all members of this plant family.  All Petunias have a sprawling, low growth habit, and thus lend themselves well to containers, window boxes, borders, and mass plantings, requiring only minimal care to produce blooms for virtually the entire season. 

Before the hybridizers discovered them, all Petunias in their natural form bore pink flowers.  Indeed, the most robust and least problematic Petunias to this day sport the color pink, with red being the weakest and most troublesome.  All the other colors come in between, but all (including the reds) will still do satisfactorily if their basic care and watering requirements are met.  Petunias can also be fragrant, with purple, pink, and white being generally the best choices as far as fragrance is concerned.  In most cases, this fragrance is more pronounced at night.

Petunias don't need much to thrive, but a sunny spot with reasonably fertile, well-drained soil is a must.  Work in some organic compost before planting, and mulch to prevent the leaves from touching the ground, which could cause problems with diseases.  Keep the soil moist, and water early so that the leaves have time to dry before nightfall to prevent problems.  Deadhead where practical, but if you have a large stand, cut the plants back uniformly by 1/3 in mid-summer when they begin to look tired.  This rejuvenates the plants and removes many seed pods, thereby stimulating more bloom production. 

Petunias can be started from seed 6-10 weeks before the last frost, bought in flats at the garden store, or propagated by stem cuttings.  If planting store-bought plants, disturb the roots a bit without twisting or bending the main stem to encourage root spread once the plant is in the ground.  When taking cuttings, cut a stem a few inches long just below the leaf node and place in moist soil in a shady place.  It takes a couple of weeks for the cutting to start putting out roots.

Petunias are one of the edible flowers and I have heard that you can use the flowers as wraps for various finger snacks and such, much like squash flowers.  However, I have tasted both the blooms and the petals and personally, I think they taste a bit grassy to be of much use in the kitchen. 

Petunias can add color to cut flower arrangements, but they do tend to droop, and they don't last as long as many other cut flowers, making them a borderline choice for the cutting garden.  If you want their bright color in arrangements, however, they can be strengthened by attaching the stems to florist's wire.    

Problems with Petunias are few, and I hear more complaints about lack of flowering than anything else.  This is one plant that demands at least 6 hours of sun per day, and though it will survive, it will bloom poorly or not at all with too much shade.  It will also not tolerate a poorly drained soil, so do prepare your soil thoroughly before planting to sidestep potential problems. 

As annuals, Petunias die off at the first, frost. However, a few of the newer varieties, including the award-winning "Wave" series are remarkably frost tolerant and may even make it through to the next season if in a sheltered position in zone 7 or up.

All in all, Petunias pack about the most color you can get for the buck in the home landscaping world.  If you haven't really given them a try, do so this year.  If you give them what they want, you won't be disappointed!