By Chris Winslow

This is a month of transition, as we move from the doldrums of summer into what can be one of the busiest of seasons for central Texas gardeners. Some guidelines for this month: 

 1. Cutback annual summer flowers, mulch and feed. We have approximately 75 to 90 days till the first frost. Plenty of time to get a renewed flush of color.

 2. Depending on the amount of rain we’re having, be ready to water your trees, shrubs, turf grass and landscape beds. Slow, deep watering will encourage a deep root system and make your landscape more able to withstand drought.

3. Plant new vegetables for fall and winter harvests during the last week of this month: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

4. Buy bulbs. The season to plant tulips, hyacinths, crocus, jonquils, daffodils, grape hyacinths and anemones is just around the corner.

5. Mulch all beds and trees with compost mixed with mulch. This mixture will protect plant roots from heat and cold extremes, and conserve water.

6. Inspect trees for fall webworms, and if you find them, come up with a strategy to get rid of them using Thuricide or Dipel.  

7. Fertilize lawn towards the end of the month. (Please choose an organic fertilizer.)

8. Be on ‘brown patch alert’ for your grass, and be ready to treat this disease with the organic Actinovate.  

9. Keep on the lookout for a world of fall bedding (annual) plants. As temperatures cool, we can begin to plant dianthus, snapdragons, and petunias.

10. Watch for black spot and mildew on roses. With cooler weather, these pesky rose diseases will begin to show up. An organic spray of neem oil or wettable sulfur should help in keeping it at bay. 

Happy gardening everyone! 

If you have a  question for Chris Winslow,  send it to him via mail: iathyme@yahoo.com.  Or mail your question to Chris at: It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748