January and February is the time of year to plant asparagus while it is dormant. Check your local garden store for asparagus crowns. You can also separate your existing asparagus to transplant and/or share with friends.

Today at the teaching beds @ Zilker Botanical Gardens, we transplanted asparagus crowns next to our strawberry bed. 🍓👊✳️ They are great companions! Both are early spring crops that will begin to produce after your last frost date. They root on different levels to maximize the nutrient return in your garden. Both should be mulched to keep down weeds and to maximize yields.

Here are the steps to get them established at your location.
1. In FULL SUN Dig 12" d x 24" w trench.
2. In trench mound up mixture of compost & sand for drainage.
3. Drape crowns 18" apart over mound.
4. Cover with soil, then mulch.
5. Water in between rains.
6. Fertilize before and after your harvests.

Be patient, in a 2-3 years asparagus will be in full production. When conditions are favorable, buds arise from the crown and develop into edible spears. Fresh asparagus from the garden is like 🍬

You can also grow asparagus from seeds but it takes even longer to get established. 

Happy winter gardening. ❄️

SUPPORT OUR MISSION: All of our lessons from the garden are free and we are always looking for new members to help us support our mission. Become a member of the oldest organic garden club in America. Memberships are only $10 a year and 100% of dues go to the Zilker Botanical Garden.

Jan 21 - 27  
We just passed the first quarter and the moon is now in waxing gibbous going into a full moon. Now is also a time to seed-in peas, fava beans, and also plant transplants of strawberries, nut trees, fruit trees and berry bushes. Avoid planting tropical fruit trees and citrus until after the last frost. This is also a reminder to prune and trim your fruit trees while they are dormant. After February, plants start to bud and it will be too late. It’s always best to try to transplant and seed-in with the coming rains.

SEED-IN
English Peas: Snow, Snap, Sugar 
Fava Beans

TIP: For best results in germination, soak seeds overnight and then toss in a Rhizobium bacteria inoculant before planting in soil.

START INDOORS 

• Tomatoes
• Peppers

(Go to blog post)

TRANSPLANT
Apples
Peaches
Pecans
Pears
Pomegranates
Persimmons
Figs
Grapes
Raspberries
Blackberries
Strawberries

For more ideas on Ornamentals, Perennials, and Herbs, visit the Central Texas Gardener and The Natural Gardener lists online. Download the Texas A&M Extension Planting Chart and Varieties Chart at AustinOrganicGardners.org.

​SUPPORT OUR MISSION: All of our lessons from the garden are free and we are always looking for new members to help us support our mission. Become a member of the oldest organic garden club in America. Memberships are only $10 a year and 100% of dues go to the Zilker Botanical Garden.

It’s that time of year to start plants like tomatoes and peppers indoors. Here’s a few tips on starting them on a budget using items you can recycle around the house.

MATERIALS NEEDED
✓ Egg cartons
✓ Tomato & Pepper Seeds
✓ Scissors or sharp knife
✓ Pencil
✓ Organic Potting Soil
✓ Spray bottle
✓ Full spectrum LED or fluorescent bulb 
✓ Balanced, general-purpose organic liquid fertilizer

STEPS
1. Cut the lid from an egg carton with scissors or a sharp knife.
2. Poke a small drain hole in the bottom using the tip of a pencil or sharp object.
3. Place the egg carton lid under the bottom to create a drainage tray.
4. Fill the egg cells 3/4 full with organic potting soil. 
5. Plant two or three seeds on top of the potting mixture in each cell. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting mixture. Refer to the seed packet for specific depth requirements.
6. Water with a spray bottle or turkey baster. Mist as needed to keep the potting mixture lightly moist. Don't over-water, it will become anaerobic and encourage bacteria to grow.
7. Place the egg cartons in a warm area to encourage germination. Sunlight isn’t required during this stage. Most seeds germinate in temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. After seedlings sprout, thin to one seedling per cell. 
9. Place the seedlings under a full spectrum Fluorescent or LED bulb, with 6 inches between the bulb and the top of the seedlings. You can use a clamp lamp or if you are growing a lot, use a shop light.
10. Fertilize the plants once a week if the seedlings are pale green or yellowish green. Use a weak solution of a balanced, general-purpose liquid fertilizer with a ratio such as 14-14-14 or 20-20-20. Mix the solution at 1 tablespoon of fertilizer in 1 gallon of water.
11. In 10-12 weeks seedlings will be ready to be transplanted outdoors.

#seedstarting #organicgardening #zone8b #austin organicgardeners #growtomatoesindoors #startseedsineggcartons #recyclinginthegarden #thegrowthcycle

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