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A New Tree Added, On Arbor Day
There are two oak trees in the front yard planted by the builder. Presumably eventually they will be big enough to shade the front yard, but they are growing very slowly and that time seems a long way off. In the meantime, I am using the sunny front yard as an annual wildflower meadow (currently Continue reading
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Increasing The Size Of Tree Circles
I generally try to give a tree mulched clear ground around its trunk up to at least its drip line, i.e., the edge of its canopy. This is most important when the tree is in a turf environment so that its roots don’t have to compete with water-hungry grass. Back in August 2023, I expanded Continue reading
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Cenizo Is Finally Blooming After More Than A Year
Cenizo aka Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) was one of the first things (2023 spring) that I planted in the bed in front of the house, what I now call the pollinator garden. It was a little thing then (back left with the grey-green leaves)… …and look at it now! One of the common names for Continue reading
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Mama Spider Has Gone
For weeks I have been watching with interest a large Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) who made her home just outside our garage door. I have seen her enhance and repair her large web, eat insects that she wrapped in silk, and produce two egg sacs two weeks apart [first, second]. The photo above was Continue reading
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Sideoats Grama
Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) is the state grass of Texas, a fact that I only recently learned. It’s a mid-height (2-3 ft) prairie grass that I thought would go well with the other grasses in my “tall grass” area: Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Waco Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans). I have purchased some Sideoats Grama seed, Continue reading
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Resting Dove
I see a lot of doves here, both White-Winged Doves and Mourning Doves. There is a very good supply of sunflower seeds on the ground and the doves walk around eating them. One day I found a dove just sitting on the ground. I don’t believe it was injured because it would periodically get up Continue reading
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More Standing Cypress Than I Knew
Last fall I scattered seed for Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis rubra) in a back area of the garden. This is a biennial plant with generally a short ferny rosette in the first year and a tall flower spike the second year. All I was expecting in this first year were the short rosettes, and I had Continue reading
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Clearing This Year’s Bumper Crop Of Sunflowers
In this first full year on the property, I let annual plants take the lead as I considered what more long-term plans could be for the garden. Annual plants fill space to capture water and reduce soil erosion, and encourage wildlife visitors (birds and insects). When they are finished and cut down, their decaying roots Continue reading
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Large Resting Dragonfly
Early one cool fall morning there was a large dragonfly resting on one of the oak trees. It was a Common Green Darner (Anax junius). This particular dragonfly is notable, not only for its size with a wingspan of up to 4 inches, but also because of its migratory behavior. According to the Wikipedia page, Continue reading
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Moving Texas Mountain Laurel To Bigger Pots
By way of experiment, I was able to germinate several Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) seeds a few weeks ago [post]. Until now, the seedlings have been in 4-inch pots indoors in our guest room. I was holding off moving them into bigger pots until it was cool enough outside to move them into the Continue reading
About Me
Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.
I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.
Rewilding My Lot 