Hello Gardener,
Welcome to Emerald Gardens Newsletter  Chocolate Flower
 Perennial Texas native 'Berlandiera lyrata'
This under used wildflower is native from West Texas to Colorado and is tolerant of the worst growing conditions. Chocolate flower grows in any well drained soil and is very drought tolerant. Similar in size and growth to our local Four Nerve Daisy, it differs in many ways. Berlandiera forms a tight winter rosette and blooms from March to November, the bright yellow flowers are contrasted by a deep mahogany center looking like a miniature Blackeyed susan. The petals drop and leave behind a beautiful green seed head that slowly dries brown. Chocolate flower is a night bloomer and the scent of milk chocolate is very strong in the morning hours and fades in the afternoon as the flower petals drop.Free flowering means blooms, seed heads and buds are mixed throughout the season. Now available in Botanical Interests seeds and plants at Emerald Garden
Plant Fruit Trees, Grapes and Berries
January/ Febuary is fruit tree season and the early bird gets the best selection.
Fruit trees of all types, grapes, berries, and pecans will be arriving every week .
In stock are blueberries, muscadine grapes, blackberries, pomegranates, plums, apples and more. We also stock cold hardy satsuma oranges as proven with 12 deg. temps and extended freeze as well as grapefruit, Meyers lemon, kumquats, limes and calamondins.
Dont forget japanese Loquats for screening and fruit. Loquats are evergreen and very hardy as well as fast growing and tolerant of poor soil and drought. New container size Mangos and Brazos Belle Avacados are here. Plant fig trees for instant fruit (most figs bear the first year) and easy care. Watch for peaches , pears, strawberries, persimmons and more arriving soon.
Asparagus BedsGrowing a bed of asparagus is easy and will provide years of harvest with little care. First pick an out of the way spot so your asparagus stay to themselves and dont spread to unwanted areas. The bed can be lined on the sides with rubber liner or metal flashing. If your yard is big enough you could let them spread unchecked. Loosen soil to about 12" or more deep and work in sand and manure or rich compost.
Buy asparagus roots as starts or larger potted roots. Dig and divide any existing beds now and work in manure or rich compost . Plant roots with the fingers(roots) pointing down and at a slight angle in the soil, Water in well and watch how fast your bed grows. Allow plants to grow the first year, feed the bed by top dressing with a little manure or compost and get ready to harvest the fresh sprouts the following year. Cut thick sprouts when less than 8" tall and still tender, Some smaller and thinner harvests will continue for a few weeks and year after year.
Eucalyptus Trees
are fast growing drought dolerant trees mostly limited to growing in Florida or California. After years of weather and durability trials two readily available varieties have proven to be hardy and fast growing. The young trees showed light winter damage in 2003 after 17 deg and the same trees showed only winter coloring after the most recent 12 deg temp and are 20 feet tall with a full north exposure.
These trees should not be planted as the main trees in the yard, they are better used as evergreen screens and fast growing specimens for directional shade.
Graceful weeping habits are the common and look like some type of willow.
Trimmed trees would make good ornamental specimens between homes or streetside.Look for Eucalyptus Sideroxylon Rosea (Pink Iron Bark) and slightly less hardy and more willowy Eucalyptus Nicholii (Willow Leafed Peppermint).Plant Eucalyptus in any heavy or clay soil with amendments.
Soils with caliche are hard on Eucs and should be avoided.
Most all of central Austin soils would grow great Trees.
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