Emerald Garden Nursery

and Watergardens

Emerald e-News October 2011

In This Issue

Cool Nights

Plant profile

Temple Bamboo

Tree Sale

Pond Plant Sale

Ask Our Experts

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Hill country Alliance

Great New Calender

Hello Gardener,

Welcome to Emerald Gardens Newsletter

Cool Nights

Signal the end of summer and even though some days are still hot the nights have cooled of a lot . This gives plants a much needed break allowing their natural functions to spend energy on growth and not just survival. It is time to plant , That means any thing and everything that doesn't freeze. Austin has such a mild Fall and early Winter season it equals a complete growing season in other areas.Plants planted now will have 2 1/2 months to establish before severe cold. Compare that to planting in late March where 21/2 months puts you into June and the plants are starting to heat stress already.You will use far less water to establish plants when it is cool and maybe rainy, so Fall is also the most ecological planting season. People will always plant in the spring but those that Fall plant are a half a year ahead of the rest.

Plant profile

Temple Bamboo "Semiarundinaria fastuosa " is a hard to find vigorous spreading bamboo that is commonly used in Asia as a forest bamboo planted around temples. It creates a vertical wall alongside walks and trails giving the feel of seclusion without weeping into the walk. Temple bamboo has larger leaves than most and gives the appearance of full thick leafed columns.

It grows to 30 feet but makes a very full canopy if topped at a desired height. Used for thick screens it fills in well and spreads fast after establishment. The individual outer canes look like fox-tails and give a unique look. Individual canes can mature to 1.5 inches thick and are very winter hardy and darken with the cold to a reddish bronze color. Spreading bamboo must be contained or planted appropriately so it can be controlled as needed. This variety grows well indoors and makes a great specimen house or poolside plant. A Japan native it is in a different family of bamboo then commonly seen.

A must have for collectors and patio specimens at restaurants and hotels.

Fall Tree Sale !