New year’s resolutions for the gardener

Turk’s Cap is an important native shrub that supports both hummingbirds and butterflies. (Courtesy photo)

Here are some resolutions to reduce garden maintenance, increase the number of birds and butterflies enjoying the garden, and help you conserve valuable resources, including water. Some of these are time sensitive, so grab your calendar to plan your gardening year.

1. Mulch the garden beds with wood chip mulch. This improves weed control, contributes to soil organic matter, helps to retain soil moisture, and regulate soil temperature. This is especially important during times with weather extremes.

2. Add a butterfly/hummingbird garden using native plants. A good resource booklet to start with, Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, by the Native Plant Project, provides information on butterflies supported by our native plants. This booklet is available at the Valley Nature Center in Weslaco and at the World Birding Centers.

3. Visit one of our World Birding Centers, nature centers, or state or federal parks to learn more about the ecology of south Texas. Each facility is unique, and they are always adding new features. Most of these facilities offer guided walks with staff ecologists.

Additionally, the Master Gardener volunteers, with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, in Hidalgo and in Cameron County, have demonstration gardens and provide educational workshops throughout the year. Pick up information on these events at the Farmers Market in McAllen’s Firemen’s Park every Saturday morning or call the Hidalgo County Extension office at (956) 380-2952.

4. Plant native trees and shrubs that are well adapted to the south Texas climate conditions. And when buying seeds, look for varieties that are recommended for Zones 9 or 10.

5. Trim trees and shrubs in January. January is also the time to trim citrus that is overgrown. Trim the top of the citrus flat, then angle the cut to the East. This will improve production near the trunk of the tree. Keep the “skirt” on the tree as this area provides 20% of the tree’s production and the skirt helps protect the tree from mowers and weed eaters that can damage the bark and lead to the death of the tree.

6. Plant the spring vegetable garden in mid-February and the fall garden in early October. A local Vegetable Planting Guide is available online at: hidalgo.agrilife.org or pick up a copy from the Master Gardeners at the Farmers Market at Firemen’s Park in McAllen at 201 North 1st Street, just off Business 83.

7. Plant flowers among your vegetables to support beneficial insects, as they can help control pests. And Marigolds are a great flower to add to the vegetable garden as it secretes a chemical from its roots that can ward off nematodes.

8. Plant wildflowers in late September to have a bountiful flower show in March and April. Locally owned nurseries will have seeds suitable for south Texas.

One of my favorite gardeners, Crucita Piña, loves sharing her knowledge about the insects that visit her garden. (Courtesy photo)

9. Learn about the benefits of composting and install a compost bin in a shady spot in the garden. Compost will feed the soil, the turf grass, vegetable garden, and perennial beds.

10. Install a rainwater capture barrel near the vegetable garden. The plants will love the rainwater and so will the birds. The Hidalgo County Master Gardeners offer classes on how to build a rainwater harvesting system. Inquire at (956) 383-1026 or check with them in person at the Farmers Market at Firemen’s Park in McAllen where they provide gardening information each week.

11. For 2025, make a commitment to share the wonder of nature with a child. Children have a natural curiosity about nature. Enjoy counting insects on the flowers and identify those that are beneficial and those that are harmful to the garden with a child. Research shows children who garden improve their understanding of science, test scores are higher, as is their vocabulary, and they have a better awareness of our responsibility to care for the environment than children who do not experience nature. (An excellent award-winning curriculum, developed by staff at Texas A&M University, to support gardening activities with children, can be purchased at www.jmgkids.us. They have just added an early childhood version, and their online teacher training is coming up in February.)

Hopefully, these small projects will bring you and your family much joy and inspiration in the coming year. Remember, you can contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service at (956) 383-1026 for information or check with the Master Gardeners every Saturday morning at the Farmers Market at Firemen’s Park in McAllen, 201 N. 1st St., from 9 to noon, where they provide free gardening information each week. And, this week’s market, under the covered park area, will have a bounty of locally grown winter produce, including microgreens, young fryers and eggs, artisan baked goods and more.

For information on the market contact (956) 330-6410.

Barbara Storz is a local horticulturist writing about plants that grow well in south Texas. You can follow her on Facebook.

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