Gardening/Yard questions (Austin, Pflugerville, Center: house, work, university)

[jhwest]

First of all, when will my lawn turn green? I thought there wasn't much of a winter here, but my lawn doesn't know that!
Can you plant tulips/daffodils or do they not grow here?
I have heard that trying to grow a garden here is a joke. Is it the soil? The weather? What does work well here? Are there any sort of gardening classes around town?
Are there fireflies here in Austin?

[Trainwreck20]

First of all, when will my lawn turn green? I thought there wasn't much of a winter here, but my lawn doesn't know that!

I haven't really paid attention to the date, but at least by March things will begin to green up.

Can you plant tulips/daffodils or do they not grow here?

No idea

I have heard that trying to grow a garden here is a joke. Is it the soil? The weather? What does work well here? Are there any sort of gardening classes around town?

There is very little soil, regardless of quality, on the rocky side of town, and due to the limestone, it tends toward the high pH range. This makes it difficult for many plants. Raised beds are a potential solution in many places...we used a couple of raised beds for a few veggies, but nothing extensive. Native plants, of course, seem to do fine, but I gather you are talking about food gardening, not just flowers and such? The wildflower center has lots on native gardening (including classes), so maybe they have something along those lines as well (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin)

Are there fireflies here in Austin?

You still see them occasionally along the creeks and such, but there are more in G'town and Buda than in the city proper. I suspect the bats take care of them .

[Rae']

I've heard of several people with veggie gardens. The clay is hard to get through and down right annoying, so I second Trainwreck on the raised gardens if that's a choice.
We have fireflies, aka lightning bugs, at our house in south austin all summer...especially those hot and humid nights.

[love roses]

We garden in ground and do really well with it, but we do mix things in with the soil to fortify it. But I live East of 35 and have blackland prairie dirt/clayish soil, and west of 35 is rockier, thinner soil. My husband loves to watch Central Texas Gardener. They are chock full of tips for gardening in Austin and surrounding areas. There are websites for this show and the natural gardener. There is also a gardening show on 950am on Sundays, I think it is (could be Saturdays) and it's a call in show for gardening in Austin. It's tied in with the Natural Gardener and Central Texas Gardener and The Wildflower Center. You may be able to find a schedule for it on the website.

[tibbar]

Someone is gardening!
I was getting a google map of an address and couldn't figure out what was across the street...zoomed in and it looks like a community garden. If the link doesn't work the address I used in google is 1100 W 49th St 78756


Google Maps

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by jhwest

First of all, when will my lawn turn green? I thought there wasn't much of a winter here, but my lawn doesn't know that!
Can you plant tulips/daffodils or do they not grow here?
I have heard that trying to grow a garden here is a joke. Is it the soil? The weather? What does work well here? Are there any sort of gardening classes around town?
Are there fireflies here in Austin?

You can overseed with winter rye and your grass will be a very lush green all winter.

[southdown]

Originally Posted by tibbar

Someone is gardening!
I was getting a google map of an address and couldn't figure out what was across the street...zoomed in and it looks like a community garden. If the link doesn't work the address I used in google is 1100 W 49th St 78756


Google Maps

That's Sunshine Community Gardens

Sunshine Gardens

[tibbar]

***That's Sunshine Community Gardens

Sunshine Gardens
***
Neat! I may have to attend the plant sale. Thanks!

[jhwest]

So if I overseed will I have to keep mowing all winter long too, or does it just kind of stay green but dormant?

[HappyTexan]

No you will have to mow as it will grow and get unsightly. Just leave it go dormant and enjoy the non-mowing season

Growing bulbs is very iffy here due to us not having "real" seasons. I planted some bulbs years ago (forgot the name) and some years they come up and others they don't. I leave them in the ground and don't dig them up.

For gardening, I stick to natives and they do very well. I have 5 rose bushes that thrive and I don't do much to them except trim every year. I don't grow any flower beds though as I have acreage and I do the wildflower thing

Try to find a local nursery (not your HD or Lowes) and just wander around and talk to the employees. You can get lots of info and help from them and learn about natives.

In the Pflugerville area I can recommend Green 'n Growing on 1825 right across from Timmerman Elementary.

As far as vegetables..go to Travis County Master Gardener's Association website for lots of helpful information. Any book by Howard J. Garrett is good (I have Texas Organic Vegetables Gardening). The Texas A&M site is good too for info.