North Texas Climate

As of September 6, 2023, it is almost a certainty that North Texas will slide into the #4 spot of record hot/dry summers, if we remain in triple digits for a couple more days.   

credit: Pete Delkus wfaa.com/weather

I wanted to share this presentation regarding our NTX weather and climate that was given to our Tarrant County Master Gardener group in August of 2021 by Ted Ryan with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, TX.     I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

Click 👉  HERE to watch.

 (Permission was granted by Mr. Ryan to share this video)

(I apologize, but I had to turn off comments on this page.)

It's time for Late Winter PRUNING

The ice has melted in North Texas, so let's sharpen those pruners and get busy in our gardens!   It's pruning time...

Click 👉 here for my Late Winter Pruning newsletter 

for tips to get your garden ready for spring growth!

Happy pruning!!!

Toni :-) 

Note:  If you have any questions, please post them on my Facebook or Instagram page.   I have disabled comments on my blog because of issues in the past.

Freeze December 2022

About a week after tornadoes touched down in Grapevine, TX, in December 2022, the first day of winter ushered in an arctic blast, and North Texas experienced a few days of freezing temps.   Our once lush, colorful gardens were reduced to either brown, crispy sticks or piles of mush.   

Back in 2017 I published a post about that year's freeze and how to determine if your plants are dead or dormant after the freeze.   

Click here to read my updated post: 

  👉 "After a Freeze:  Is it Dead or is it Dormant?"

 

Late Winter PRUNING 2022

Late January through the end of February is THE time for pruning most shrubs, trees, perennials, and ornamental grasses in North Central Texas, Zone 8.   

For how-to tips to tackle all your landscape pruning to get ready for spring growth, check out my late winter pruning newsletter... 

 click here 👉-- LATE WINTER PRUNING Newsletter  

Happy pruning!

Toni :-)

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @tonisignaturegardens

Late Winter Pruning

 LATE WINTER PRUNING 2021

Late January through the end of February is THE time for pruning most shrubs, trees, perennials, and ornamental grasses in North Texas, Zone 8.   

Here's my latest -- click here 👉-- LATE WINTER PRUNING Newsletter  with how-to tips to tackle all your garden pruning to get ready for spring growth.  

Happy pruning!

Toni :-)

Follow me on Facebook and Instrgram @tonisignaturegardens

Late Winter Pruning

It's time for late winter pruning in North Texas (Zone 7b/8a)

Check out my Late Winter Pruning newsletter for tips

Click HERE to watch a video of my pruning presentation.

Follow me on Facebook:    Signature Gardens

Late Winter "Diggin' in the Dirt" Newsletter

'Molly's White' Frostkiss Hellebore

It is time once again for late winter pruning in North Central Texas. 

See my "Diggin' in the Dirt" Newsletter for tips to tidy up your garden and get ready for spring!

Happy pruning...

Toni :-)

Blooms & Beyond: Year-Round Color for Your Garden

Wondering how to have year-round color in your garden?   I recently gave a presentation to the Grapevine Garden Club on this topic and the video was posted to YouTube.   Click HERE to check it out!

The plants mentioned in this talk are geared toward the Dallas/Fort Worth area in hardiness Zone 7/8, but if you live in other parts of the country, maybe it will inspire you to think through the seasons and how you can add color to your garden with plants that are hardy in your area.    Click HERE to see the plant list.

Below I've listed the garden centers and resources I mentioned in the presentation.

Here's to hoping you have something colorful in your garden all year long!

Toni :-)

Grapevine Garden Club
grapevinegardenclub.com

Stegall's Nursery & Plant Farm
stegallsnursery.com

Metro Maples
metromaples.com

Neil Sperry
neilsperry.com

aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu

TCMGA
tarrantmg.org

Fort Worth Botanic Gardens
fwbg.org

After a Freeze: Is it Dead or is it Dormant?

Tropical Giant Spider Lily - pile of mush

Turk's Cap - crispy sticks

Hard freezes in North Texas can render our once lush, colorful gardens to either brown, crispy sticks or piles of mush.   

For those new to gardening you might be thinking your treasured plants are dead.  But are they?    Let me run through a list of common plants in our area and help you discover...is it dead or is it dormant?    And if it's the latter, see instructions below on how to handle your plants to help them return to their pre-freeze glory next spring.

DEAD:

Plants that are only hardy to Zone 10 and above are considered annual plants/flowers in our Zone 7b/8a area. Annual summer flowers, such as Pentas, Periwinkles, Zinnias, Coleus, Caladiums, and Sweet Potato Vine will not survive freezes.  They can be removed now and replaced with cool season annuals like pansies and kale.

If you have a Zone 8b/9 plant, it is considered marginally hardy, and may or may not have been killed by the freeze.   For instance, some websites classify Esperanza Tecoma stans (Yellow Bells) as a Zone 9 plant.  Planted in the ground in a protected spot with a covering of mulch, it may well survive the freeze.    If planted in a container, plants lose one zone of protection from freezes, so it may not survive a freeze.   Mexican Milkweed Asclepias curassavica is another one of those marginally hardy plants.   It may come back from the root, or it may not.   It will usually reseed in our area, though, if it does not come back from the root. 

Look at your plant tag (or Google) to determine a particular plant's hardiness zone, and if it's a marginally hardy plant that has been damaged by the freeze, in late winter (late February), try cutting it back and then waiting for spring to see if it is going to return from the root. 


DORMANT:

Next we'll look at hardy perennials that were sent into dormancy with the freeze.    Their tops might look dead, but their roots are still very much alive and they will flourish again next season.   Here's a list of our most commonly used perennials and how to deal with their post-freeze state:

Any perennials that have turned to mush can be cut right after a freeze:

Daylily
Purple Heart

Garlic Chives
Canna 
Elephant Ear
Tropical Giant Spider Lily

Bear's Breeches
Ligularia/Farfugium (Leopard Plant)


The following perennials can be pruned to the ground after a freeze, but if they have any wildlife benefit (for instance, seed heads), consider waiting until late winter/early spring to cut:

Purple Coneflower
Black-Eyed Susan
Shasta and Ox-eye Daisy
Summer Phlox
Salvia leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage)
Mexican Mint Marigold
Chrysanthemum
Salvia farinacea (mealycup sage)
Salvia guaranitica (Black & Blue Salvia)
Russian Sage
Lantana
Zexmenia
Loosestrife
Flame Acanthus
Catmint
Bee Balm
Hardy Hibiscus
Turk's Cap
Datura
Dwarf Mexican Petunia (Katie's Ruellia) - after a freeze, on a dry day, just stomp on them and break the stems off at the ground and remove browned foliage.


Some perennials also add winter texture and interest, so save pruning for later:       

Salvia Greggii – Give it a slight haircut now to tidy up if desired, but save heavy pruning for February.   In mid-February cut it down to about 6 inches tall and wide.

Aster oblongifolius (Fall Aster) – You can cut it to the ground now; or leave for now for winter texture and interest - then cut to ground in February.

Ornamental grasses - After a hard freeze, the grasses will turn tan, but wait to prune in February.

Butterfly Bush, American Beautyberry:   Leave for now, but cut down to about 18 inches in February

Roses - Prune in February.  Be sure to REMOVE completely if infected with Rose Rosette Disease.


Some perennials are evergreen and may need no pruning after freezes:

Blackfoot Daisy, Calylophus, Pink Skullcap, Dianthus, 4-nerve Daisy, Creeping Phlox - Evergreen.   If no damage, no need to prune.   If any freeze damage, cut any damaged foliage in February.

Lamb's Ear:    Cut or pull away any browned leaves.

Columbine - They will be evergreen through the winter and will bloom in the spring.

Powis Castle Artemisia - Evergreen, but benefits from late winter pruning for fresh new growth.    Wait until February to cut back to about 6 inches tall

Liriope - Evergreen, but again benefits from late winter pruning for fresh new growth.    Wait until February to cut them to the ground (must be cut before March when spring growth starts).

Carex:   Some years they need no pruning at all, but any damaged foliage can be trimmed in late winter/early spring before new growth.  

Hardy Evergreen Herbs (Thyme, Oregano, Winter Savory, Salad Burnet) -  Any damaged foliage can be cut now or wait until February and they should produce new growth.

Cast Iron Plant:   Leave for now, but cut any damaged leaves to the ground late spring (new growth will come in April/May)

Hellebores:   These are winter bloomers.  Cut any damaged leaves to the ground before blooms start, but be careful to not cut any bloom stems that are starting to grow.


Some ferns are evergreen and some are deciduous:

Ferns - Holly Ferns and Autumn Ferns are evergreen, but some years sustain more damage than others.  Prune any browned foliage to the ground in February; sometimes that means cutting the whole fern to the ground; it will come back.  Wood Ferns and Japanese Painted Ferns will go dormant and turn brown after a freeze. Cut them to the ground and mulch.

Wood Fern - dormant after freeze

Dormant, but not pruned:

Macrophylla or Oakleaf Hydrangeas - Do NOT prune. Frozen leaves will fall off leaving only sticks.   Again, do not prune.  If necessary, the only time to prune is immediately after they finish blooming. Pruning now or in the spring will sacrifice next year's bloom.

Hydrangeas after freeze - Do NOT prune

Evergreen, but not frozen:

Some shrubs, like Aucubas, will simply wilt with freezing temps, but as soon as the temperatures are above freezing, they will rebound as if nothing happened.    So no need for action; just patience.

Gold Dust Aucuba wilted in freezing temps

Semi-Evergreen shrubs:

Some shrubs, like Abelias or Sunshine Ligustrum, may have freeze damage to their leaves, but their stems are still fine.  Wait until spring growth comes in the spring to determine extent of freeze damage and cut back to new growth, if needed.

'Rose Creek' Abelia - freeze damaged leaves only

Bottom line, if you have any question about whether a plant will return in the spring, just be patient and wait before you start cutting.

I hope this helps to relieve some concern about your plants after the freeze.     

Happy winter...stay warm and rest up to get ready for spring gardening!    Stay tuned for the Late Winter Pruning newsletter for more details on getting perennials and shrubs ready for spring.

Toni :-)

  

It's Not Nice to Rhyme With Ice

Have all the poppies perished? 

Are the columbines soon to croak?

Winter became reality,

the icy forecast was no joke!

March 2nd ice accumulation at my entryway

Have the roses come to ruin?

Oh, the salvias look so bad!

Will they live to bloom another day,

when now they look so sad?

The catmint looks all crinkled

The spiraea lost its buds.

Will they have a second flush of growth,

or are they merely duds?

Triumphator Lily June 2013

Will the Triumphator lily rise again

to toot its lovely horn?

Or will this winter be its end

and leave me so forlorn

The day the icy precip fell

and temps began to drop ...

 The daffodils once stood tall and bright...

Ice Follies the day before the ice

...then froze and took a flop

The pansies and the kale in pots

I fear are finally toast.

No containers full of color this year

about which I can boast.

Colorful containers February 2013

 About right now the warmth of spring

would really hit the spot. 

I'm so ready for winter to cash it in;

I just hope my plants have not!

A few buds remain to comfort me

Maybe spring's about to start.

A little sign to bring some hope

for my winter-weary heart.

I wrote this poem to lift my spirits

after a winter filled with ice.

And even though the words may rhyme,

this winter's been all but nice! 

Take care...and stay warm!

Toni :-)

Noel Love

"Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind has bought
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel" 
(The First Noel)

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Toni :-) 

Pictures from my garden...

N - flagstone path

o - birdhouse

e - wall hanging iron scroll

L - flower pot carving

o - flower pot handle

v - arbor iron scroll

e - potting bench iron scroll

created using piZap

Fall Leaves an Impression on Winter

Usually the leaves fall before the snow flies, but this year it was just the opposite.   When our weather went from balmy to brrr in just a matter of hours, the freezing rain and sleet fell before the trees had a chance to drop their leaves.

My neighbors' pretty Shumard Red Oak

At first the winter scene was rather impressive, but then in no time at all the white stuff was littered with fallen leaves.

 

Even though the temps remained at freezing or below for an impressive number of hours, the ice started to melt where the leaves were lying, leaving their impression in the frosty surface.

The leaves didn't make a lasting impression, because thankfully now that the temps have increased,  winter's brief presence is dwindling fast.

Now all I am left with is the carnage after the freeze.  Everywhere I look, the plants seem to be saying, "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!"

My beloved giant leopard plant,
once impressing me with its large shiny leaves...

... now looks like a deflated parachute!

The elephant ears are a big pile of green mush over a big pile of ice.  

Not too impressive, huh?

I'm not too impressed with the skunk-like odor 

of the frozen society garlic either.

I am, however, very impressed by the spicy fragrance that the Mexican mint marigold gives off even in its less-than-impressive condition.

And I'm also impressed at the resilience of the little plant they call... 

...a "pansy" 

If this leaves you with the impression that I don't much care for winter, that's just about right.    On the other hand, icy cold days do force me to stay inside and at least make an attempt at getting more organized.     And any time I can get a little more organized...well, that's pretty impressive!

For a look at some other impressive foliage, 

visit Pam @ Digging for Foliage Follow-Up.

Toni :-)

Frozen in Time

In my last post I shared pictures of the icy blast that hit our area the first week of December.

I have a decorative birdhouse that sits on the top shelf of my potting bench.   As you can see, it (along with everything else in my yard) was covered with ice.

As I looked closer at the icicles hanging from the roof of the birdhouse, I was amazed to see this single droplet of water frozen in a moment of time, suspended on a single strand of silk from a spider web.

It made me think about the critical timing of all of the elements that went into creating this scene.

 The spider had to spin this strand of silk at some point before it got too cold for the spider to survive the freezing temps, yet not so long ago that the strand could have been destroyed.   And then the rain had to fall in just the right spot that it landed on this strand, and the temperature had to be just the right degree to freeze this droplet of water before it fell off the strand.

Sometimes it's the little things in life that I marvel at most.

I hope during this busy holiday season that you are not so overwhelmed by the big things that you miss the opportunity to marvel at the little things.

Toni :-)

From Balmy to Brrrr

The first week of December in North Central Texas was a very interesting week of weather.

We started out the week quite balmy, with temperatures in the 70s.  Early Monday morning a light fog had rolled in and created a beautiful photo op as the sun was rising.

We have had a couple freezes this fall already, but only down to about 30 degrees.   Some of the most tender perennials were burned, but other perennials were not even fazed.    Some of the trees had already lost their leaves, some were at peak color, and some were just beginning to turn.

As the fog burned off later Monday morning, the Japanese maples in my garden were showing off their finest fall color.

Tuesday was a sunny and warm day, my kind of December :-)  I went with a client to my favorite Japanese maple nursery, Metro Maples, with the intention of purchasing some maples for her garden, but I just couldn't resist the urge to buy another maple for my garden, as well!

I came home with a new maple is called 'Koto No Ito,' which means "String of Old Harp."  It has an upright form with narrow strap leaves that have green spring color and yellow/orange/red fall colors.
  

I planted the new maple on Wednesday when it was sunny and 78 degrees! 

I originally had a 'Peaches & Cream' maple in this spot, but I transplanted it across the bed where I thought its highly variegated summer leaves would brighten a dark spot.

The 'Peaches & Cream' maple was added to my garden in December of 2010, and this is the first year I have seen good fall color on it.

Thursday morning the temperatures had dropped to the 40s (tolerable), but the forecast was calling for the temps to continue to drop throughout the day, with freezing rain and sleet arriving late afternoon and evening (not so tolerable).   

I knew this was probably going to be my last opportunity to get some good pictures of the fall color in my garden, so I grabbed my camera and headed outside to memorialize this beautiful season.

      In the picture below you can see the new orange 'Koto No Ito' to the right front, and the similarly fall colored 'Peaches & Cream' is behind the bench now on the other side of the bed.

 'Sango Kaku' (Coral Bark) Maple (below - center) has been more yellow in years past, but this year it is showing lots of red color.

I think this is one of the prettiest fall color seasons I have seen in the 27 years I have lived in Texas.  A little bit of rain this fall, cool nights, and sunny days have created the perfect environment for a spectacular fall show.

'Fireglow'

'Orange Dream'

'Tamukeyama' (foreground)  -  'Viridis' (background)

'Sango Kaku'

By late Thursday afternoon the temperatures had dropped into the 20s and the precipitation started falling...and freezing.  

On Friday morning my garden looked like this...brrrrr!

Thankfully I had drained and cleaned the fountain on Wednesday when it was nice and warm outside.   

The front hellstrip perennials are now under a covering of ice.  

 The Yaupon Holly tree in the front is splayed open from the weight of the ice.   Back in the winter of 2011 we lost several feet out of the top of this tree from the weight of about a foot of snow that fell in February.  

 

I am hoping once the ice melts it will be okay.

In the backyard, the arbor cover over the patio is dripping with tiny icicles.

The ornamental grasses near the pond that usually sway in the breeze are frozen stiff.

The maples that were so beautiful just one day earlier are now covered in ice and droop from the weight of the ice.

 

"He gives snow like wool;

He scatters the frost like ashes.

He casts forth His ice as fragments;

Who can stand before His cold?

He sends forth His word and melts them;

He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow."

Psalm 147:16-18

So until God sends a few warm breezes to thaw the ice that blankets our area, I guess I will just hunker down under a cozier type of blanket in my nice warm house, and treasure a few quiet days.

Take care....and stay warm!

Toni :-)