![]() ![]() From the bean-like seed pods, we can tell that they are in the Legume (or bean) family. So, come on out.Redbuds are an excellent indicator of warmer days ahead. This year, we may have a delayed start for strawberries, but that doesn’t mean we’ll have a shorter season. “It could have been much worse,” Garcia said. “It’s a great way to get outside, and, you know, with COVID last year and this year, it’s something you can do that’s still basically socially distancing but good for you as well,” she said.Īt Sweet Berry Farm, as staff surveyed the strawberries, tulips, and 400 apple trees, they saw signs of hope. And, if you watered your plants before the freeze, that water could have helped contain heat in the soil.ĭespite any damage from the freeze, Pope said people should keep gardening. Staff photo by Daniel CliftonĪ good bit of news post-storm, Pope said, is that the snow and ice actually acted as an insulator for the ground and plants, so it could have protected them from the extreme cold temperatures. Though the recent winter freeze knocked out some blooms, many survived, meaning there will be strawberries this year. Pope writes a regular gardening blog, and she’s put one together on the recent freeze.Ī blooming sign of spring and hope is found on one of the thousands of strawberry plants at Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls. If it’s collapsed and turned to mush, go ahead and remove that part otherwise, you might get bacteria in there, and that’s not something you want.” “The only thing we’re recommending is remove anything that’s turned to mush. “I know that’s tough, but it is the best thing to do right now,” Pope added. So, for now, we’re just asking people to be patient and see what happens. “This is so unprecedented, nobody is sure how plants will react or recover. “I get a lot of information from experts around the state and other places, people from Texas A&M (University) and horticulturists, and what everyone is saying right now is ‘Do nothing,’” she said. People might be tempted to cut back damaged plants right away, but Pope advised home gardeners to wait. The effects of the freeze also can be seen in yards and landscapes across the Highland Lakes. Pope said 10 deliveries are expected this week alone. Trucks are rolling into Backbone Valley Nursery, 4201 FM 1980 in Marble Falls, with spring plants. “I’m thankful for what we do get,” she said. Pope has begun ordering to replace damaged plants as well as those for the spring season, but growers can only ship what they have. Many commercial growers in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, which supply Central Texas nurseries, were also hit by the storm. “This one was, well, unprecedented, just terrible.”Ĭrews were able to save many of the plants, but the freeze came at the busiest time of the year for Texas nurseries: spring planting season. ![]() “I can remember the ’83, ’84, ’89, and 2011 freezes and was able to observe those storms’ effects on plants,” she said. Mary Kay Pope of Backbone Valley Nursery has been in the business for several decades and seen some of Texas’ toughest winter storms. ![]() The owners and staff who live nearby checked on the facility during the storm and even placed propane heaters in the greenhouses. Down the road from Sweet Berry Farm, the Backbone Valley Nursery crew scrambled ahead of the winter storm to move as many plants as they could into several greenhouses and cover others. The exceptionally cold weather coupled with snow and ice raised the anxiety levels for growers and nurseries. Before the storm, nursery staff were able to move many of the plants into a greenhouse on the property for protection, but some larger plants were left outside. “Some of the flowers that were up, they got burned (by the freeze), but it looks like they’ll be OK,” she said.īackbone Valley Nursery’s Robin Trahan prepares the nursery for spring as new plants, including tomatoes, arrive after the recent heavy freeze. However, across the road from the main patch, Raelynn Copeland’s 150,000 tulips look like they might be ready for plucking in about two weeks. They anticipate opening the attraction for berry picking toward the end of March. The Copeland family owns the pick-your-own farm at 1801 FM 1980 in Marble Falls. “We have live blooms on the plants, and it’s about 30 days from bloom until there’s a berry.” “Surprisingly, everything turned out pretty good,” Garcia said. 24, following the previous week’s hard freeze, Lacy Copeland Garcia and Raelynn Copeland breathed a sigh of relief. As Sweet Berry Farm crews pulled tarps off of rows and rows of strawberry plants Feb. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |