This is a difficult time of year for those of us who love to be out in the yard enjoying and tending our plants. It is certainly not a good time to plant but is the perfect time to plan for Fall planting. What do you notice in your yard or your neighbor’s that still looks good in these drought conditions? That will guide you as to what to plant in the fall.
On a recent early morning I went out to trim back plants that I hope will bloom again. While trimming spent blooms from my mealy blue sage ( Salvia farinacea) I was delighted to be joined by a hummingbird and several bumble bees. The mealy blue was already putting our second blooms. This native grows best in the limestone soils we find in most of Wimberley. It is available in our local independent nurseries and grows fairly easily from seed. Once it is established (two to three years) it needs no additional water. I did water mine once this June. In a park near my home there is a totally unattended patch that is always beautiful.
May is usually one of the rainiest months in central Texas with June not far behind. We often enjoy four or more inches of rain it the months prior to the summer solstice. As you know, this year that was not the case. Average high temperatures for May are 88-93 degrees and for June 93-96 degrees. Again, that’s not the way it is this year. It will be our Texas native plants who survive these conditions. They have seen it all before.
The title of this article comes from a novel by the renowned Texas author Elmer Kelton (1926- 2009). The setting is the great drought of the 1950s. I read the book years ago; this summer would be a good time to read it.
Written by Becky Denton, Hays County Master Naturalist
