Comparison page, images of our
garden 1997 - 2001
These pages are designed as a comparison
in order to examine and to note the similarities or differences
of our garden plants and palms from 1997 to 2000 (three full
growing seasons). We are not strict organic gardeners, but we
do try to stay within the organic principles and guidelines to
protect and preserve nature (our planet earth) and all friendly
critters within. Because of our high humidity along the coast
of South Texas, we have been forced in the past to use fungicides
from time to time, this year we started using Neem Oil and Physan
the later being recommended by John Anderson with excellent results.
We try and use good sound garden hygiene practices and hand pick
the bad bugs from our plants whenever possible. The use of compost,
Aspergillus inoculants and
organic fertilizers like "Golden
Harvest" and an "EcoSane" combination,
on a regular consistent schedule, suits our requirements and
garden needs well.
1996-1997
Jana and I moved to Corpus Christi Texas
in November of 1996, and having to leave a lush (Pacific Northwest
Tropical Garden) that we designed, developed and nurtured for
5 years wasn't all that easy. When we arrived in South Texas
to our new home there wasn't a palm or tropical plant in our
yard. That soon changed, we had two palms in the ground before
our furniture arrived, and when spring came we were busy digging
and planting seven days a week. By the end of summer 1997 we
had almost 70 palms in the ground along with many tropical plants,
built a deck with a spa and proceeded to enjoy the warm pleasant
fall months in our newly planted tropical garden.
I can remember sitting in the hot tub looking
all around and wondering how big our plants would get next year,
like a kid with a new toy I was truly in a paradise of a wealth
of greenery and exotic flora, yet on the other hand I worried
about the coming winter months and wondered if I'd have anything
left, come spring. As the winter came and went, we were blessed
with a mild season, even after a few nights below freezing cold
weather, we didn't lose one plant or palm.
1998-1999
As the spring of '98 approached Jana and
I once again started to work in the garden, this time cleaning
up after the winter (month) and planting more tropicals and palms.
The summer of 1998 was hot and dry (record all time high of 103°),
we we're clearly in a drought and on restricted watering, yet
our garden grew despite the lack of rain or a regular watering
champaign. We began working on our cacti garden, designing new
beds, moving plants to a more suited spot and making plans for
what to plant in other areas of our garden. The summer passed
too fast and soon November was upon us and we were ready to face
a new winter, again I worried about an Arctic outbreak of cold
frigid weather.
By the middle of December my fears of a
cold snap came to pass, and the weather people all predicted
doom and gloom for us tropical gardeners. It did get cold, well
anyway for me, as I became acclimated to the hot Texas summer
heat and any thing below 50°F was chilling. December
1998 (Christmas day freeze) Sky cleared about 4:00 pm and temperatures
dropped to 31°F and lasted all day on the 26th, and
went above freezing the next day. It was too cold for me to get
out and wrap any of our plants so they went unprotected. We also
had two hard frosts, the first was from 4:00am to about 7:30
pm low temperature was 31F the next was 6:00pm to about 7:00pm
low temperature was 32°F on both days temperatures
went up to the 60's within a few hours, I did take the garden
hose and tried to wash the frost off before sunrise (was it ever
cold, it took me most of the day to thaw myself out). Again none
of our palms were protected during this freeze or cold spell.
As Mike Burnett
said of a nursery in, I believe San Antonio, whose motto is,
"We try and kill our plants, the ones that 'live', we sell!"
this is the way I feel about my plants because when and if they
do get large(r), trying to cover them would be next to impossible
(still I worry like some mother hen especially now that they
are getting bigger). Out of this cold spell and frost our tender
palms did sustain some damage, but all recovered well.
1999-2000
Though rainfall was sparse in '99, and
the fact we had a near miss with a hurricane (Bret) which did
some damage to our plants and palms, it has was by far, the best
growing season (our second) since moving here from our cool tropics
in Oregon. During November Jana and I put over two tons of cotton
mulch to a depth of 3 to 4 inches on top of the garden beds and
around some palms. This past winter 1999-2000 was very mild our
lowest temperature 31°F at the airport and 33°F
our garden in fact we had a couple days where temperatures were
in the 90's during the day both in January and February. Nothing
was damaged out side of some minor wind ware and tear. December
I started a new garden bed, in which Manahot, Syagrus romanzoffiana,
Livistona chinensis, Carica papaya, Cuphea sp., Phoenix roebelenii,
Phoenix humilis among other plants, were planted and are for
the most growing very fast as of June, 2000.
July and August 2000 brought little rain
the the Texas Riviera, temperatures were in the mid to high 90s
while lows never went below 72°. September brought record
breaking temperatures. First the old record of 103° (set
in June of 1998), were broken several times 106°, 107°
and 109°, in fact we stayed in the century mark for one week,
this is indeed a rarity for Corpus Christi.
October 2000 brought on the first cold
front of the season, temperatures went from 96° to an all
time record low of 44°. During this time an all time record
high-low of 45° was recorded along with about 1 inch of badly
needed rain.
Fall and early winter brought cooler than
normal temperatures to the Coastal Bend. Unlike last years winter
(1999-2000) in which temperatures were 5-10 degrees above normal,
this winter season the temperatures are about 5-10 degrees cooler.
Lowest temperature recorded this year was 28°F but with out
frost. For more information on this years winter weather Winter
Weather 2000-2001 a summary of events & damage. One final note;
We leave this year with a deficient of about 9 inches of rain,
making Y2k, a very dry year.
2000-2001
This by far was the coldest winter, we
have experienced sense moving to Corpus Christi. The average
day and night time temperatures were from 2 to 5 degrees below
normal. Although we only had three frost and temperatures never
went below 30° F, the cool days and night made for mighty
slow growing. Spring came early to South Texas (February 3rd.)
and by March things really starting growing again. Summer temperatures
were somewhat normal with no real hot spells (over 100°)
but the lack of rain hit home real hard and we were forced to
use water rationing by the end of August 2001. Some new palms
were planted this year Livistona carinensis, Sabal
mauritiiformis, a Livistona hybrid from San Antonio
Botanical Gardens and a Queen Sago.
Remember, a well managed soil, which is
kept active and healthy, equals healthy and actively growing
plants. The use of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides only
destroys the microorganisms in the soil, thus a low biota count
causes plants to get stressed and the plants will not properly
take in nutrients. Poor soil equals poor growth and unhealthy
plants. Feed the soil and the soil feeds the plants, the plants
provide compost and the compost feeds the biota, simple soil
bionomics, mother nature has been doing it for millions of years.
I'd like to think that this same school of thought, is why our
garden literally exploded in growth these past few years. I guess
as the saying goes, "The first year your garden sleeps,
the second year your garden creeps, the third year your garden
leaps!"
Below and at the top of this page, are
some links, to images of our garden from 1997 to 2001, as words
can sometimes become confusing and misleading, seeing is believing,
and a picture (side-by-side) is worth a thousand words. Compare
for yourself and see after three years of growing, just how much
our garden did grow, "you be the judge!" Remember,
safe gardening is of all our concern, organic is best, but if
you do use chemicals and poisons please read the instructions
very carefully and always follow the directions, use the right
equipment, ware the proper clothing and eye protection spray
safe. Remember always beware, that some plants and palms
have barbs, spines and needles, so be extra
cautious! Enjoy!
1997-1998 (Getting
Started), (1998 Image Gallery) removed from internet
1998-1999 (1998 Image Gallery), (1999 Image Gallery) removed from internet
1999-2000 (1999 Image Gallery), (2000 Image Gallery, part
1 &
part
2)
2000-2001 (2000
Winter Image Gallery), (2001
Winter Image Gallery)
2001
Spring Image Gallery
2001
Summer Image Gallery
Our
Garden: Corpus Christi, Texas
Lat. 27
46N : Long. 097 30W : Elv. 13'
Growing Season Days - 330 : First Frost - Dec.25 : Last Frost
- Feb.4
Average
Monthly Temperatures
Jan.
56.3° : Feb. 59.3° : Mar. 65.9° : Apr. 73° :
May 78° : June 82.7°
July 84.9° : Aug. 85° : Sept. 81.5° : Oct. 74°
: Nov. 65° : Dec. 59.1°
Yearly Annual Rainfall 30 inches
Zone 9
Year we started our garden spring 1997
Bio-Organic
Technology
The
secret is deep within the roots
Beneficial microorganisms "Aspergillus"
inoculants |
