new to Texas

17 years ago

Seven months ago I moved to Weatherford, TX. I was an avid gardener on the Gulf Coast of AL for 22 yrs, had everything you could grow down south. Now, gardening here isn't even close to what I am accustomed to....I think it is going to be quite a challenge. For one, the soil here isn't soil, it's a blackish-gooey-sticky clay or on the other side of my property, it is rocky with some whitish-green goo about 2 inches below the surface -???? go figure - (at first, I thought I hit torqouise - hee hee). Anyway, is there anyone in Weatherford that would like a new friend that loves gardening, but doesn't know the first thing about zone 7 (I think I am in zone 7). So far, I haven't met any gardeners, and all in my neigborhood are from somewhere else and just as baffled as I am.

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Comments (16)

little_dani
17 years ago
HEeheehe.

Usually when you find that blackish, gooey clay stuff, you have to search for amendments to add to it to make it easier to work. It is usually very fertile, just doesn't have much air in it, is all. We call it 'Black Gumbo', and it will grow about anything.

Compost, compost compost. I don't know if they grow cotton around Weatherford, but if they do, the gin trash that is left is great for working into the soil. Just don't add a lot of sand, you are likely to make adobe. Bricks. LOL

I would say for you to call the Extension Agent in your county, and ask what they do around there. Ask if they have a Master Gardener group, you can get a lot of info from them too, as well as meet/make new friends.

All my friends are MG's. They are treasures.

You can hang around the nurseries, community gardens, find a garden club.

Seek them out, they are there.

Good Luck

Janie
remuda1
17 years ago
Donna,

I am about 30 miles south of you (in Granbury) and so is another GW member, Pam (pkponder). Janie's advice for the black clay is spot on. Compost, and lots of it.

I usually get to Weatherford about once a week. You've got some good garden centers there as well as a nice botanical garden. The farmer's market downtown is always a good spot for plants and produce (if you haven't already discovered that).

Later in the year (when it warms the heck up!), I'll give you a shout and maybe Pam and I can meet you for some nursery hopping. I just came in from feeding horses and for some reason, nursery hopping is less than appealing to me right now. Good grief, it's so crazy cold out there.

Welcome to the area and if you're new to GardenWeb, then welcome here too! Oh yeah, I have no idea what your green goo is. Never heard of such other than in swampy areas? Who knows, maybe it will turn out to be something fantastic that you can fertilize with ;).

Kristi
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carolann_z8
17 years ago
Welcome to Texas. I have a good friend that has a daughter who lives in Weatherford. I really like Weatherford, it's a nice town and just the right size.
My brother lived there for several years.

Maybe I'll look you up on my next visit there.

Carol
PKponder TX Z7B
17 years ago
Hi Donnalah,
Welcome to Texas! I had the black gumbo clay in another yard and it is fantastically fertile, just needs the organic matter to make it workable. Like everyone esle said...compost, compost and more compost. I tried sand, but it did not work. When you are ready to work the beds (or the place you want the beds to be) spray a mix of cheap dish soap (not antibacterial) and waterand wait a day. It helps break up the clay and keeps it from sticking to your shovel.

Pam
sally2_gw
17 years ago
Isn't the state chamion Pecan tree located in or near Weatherford? That might be something fun to check out.

Welcome to Texas. I don't live near Weatherford, but I do have clay soil. What Jani and others said is true - add lots of compost. The soil from around Dallas southward and westward is pretty alkaline - just the opposite I imagine from what you're used to. Say goodbye to azaleas and dogwoods, but say hello to beautiful shrubs such as Texas Sage, Texas Mountain Laurel (I think it is hardy to zone 7) and other plants that can take or even relish alkaline soil.

You're in for gardening culture shock, but once you get used to it, you might even learn to appreciate the plants that do grow here. Good luck.

Sally
pjtexgirl
17 years ago
Welcome! I'm right next to you in Benbrook. We have the same soil only mine has rocks and fossils(cool enough for me)too. So I plant plants native and adapted to black gumbo and decorate with rocks and fossils. Can you tell I'm lazy yet? If you want the more traditional gardening thing(did that for years nothing wrong with it.) I recommend raised beds. They don't neccessarily have to be a full-on waist high bed either. There is a lady here that has lovely beds made with foot wide wooden planks.Line the bottoms with cardboard/newspaper to kill off the weeds, fill them with some soil/compost whatever and you've got easier soil to work in at the very least. You also might want to look into solarization to clear an area too.PJ
Bev__
17 years ago
Hi....I'm in Granbury too. I'm about 20 mi from Weatherford.
I don't have your soil either. I have sand & clay. My flower & veggie beds are raised anywhere from 6" to about 2'. I have a small yard at this house and limited garden space. I make my compost, wish I had more.
One of these days the handful of us that live in this area are going to get together! You'll have to join us. There are a couple Weatherford gardners that post occasionally. Maybe one of them will pop up.
I think you need to post this on the main site too. I don't think I've seen the Weatherford folks here.
PJ says she's lazy....don't believe her. She's tall & willowy, young and works her butt off. Actually...she has no extra butt fat to work off!!! I'm soooo jealous.
rick_mcdaniel
17 years ago
That greenish, yellowish stuff is clay also. Just a little deeper down.

Make sure you think about the wind, in your plant selections, for Weatherford, because you tend to get some strong wind and strong thunderstorms over there.

Especially important, when considering trees.
dirtmecnanic
17 years ago
Hi,

Welcome to the land of extremes!! If you're a reader, make a trip to the library and get 'Gardening Success with Difficult Soils' by Scott Ogden. It is very specific to your area of North Texas and will help with coming to grips with plants and strategies and why our soil is REALLY different than what you are used to.
csmyers
17 years ago
Hi! Welcome to Weatherford.
As stated earlier it WAS a nice little
town until the City Manager lost his
mind and started building all the
shopping centers before he fixed our traffic
problems.
It is still a good town with great people.
I have lived here for 21 years.
Maybe we can get together some day and have lunch.
If you email me I can give you my phone number.
I have tons of seeds and am now in Brugmansias also!

Cynthia
remuda1
17 years ago
"it WAS a nice little
town until the City Manager lost his
mind and started building all the
shopping centers before he fixed our traffic
problems."

AMEN AND AMEN Cynthia!!!!!! Coming into Weatherford from Granbury on 51, right there by Lowe's is a nightmare!!! One day it took me a half hour to get from the church on the corner to the light by the feed store. That's about a 1/4 mile. Of course, this doesn't even address the problems around the square.

Kristi
pjtexgirl
17 years ago
I think your City Manager's brain disease is contagious! That is happening everywhere!
Bev's making me *blush*. I think you're gorgeous girlie! PJ
freezengirl
17 years ago
Hello,
I am also new to Texas. I am staying with my sister in Flower Mound, just north of Dallas. Does anybody know of any garden clubs in this area? I am a garden junkie and so excited about learning to garden in TX. I have several books on TX gardening and plan on trips to Dallas and Ft.Worth arboretums. I was so suprised to see how many plants I depend on in my northern Minnesota home also grow in this area. So far nothing here is like I thought it would be like, it is completely different and quite wonderful. TIA
Freezengirl (but not anymore!)
remuda1
17 years ago
"Freezengirl (but not anymore!)"

You're right....now your name can be sweatrunninginmyeyesgirl....or wishitwouldcooloffgirl.....or d*mnitisstinkinghotgirl :).

I live quite a way from you, but I am sure someone can hook you up. Me and pkponder (pam) visited the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens this week. Although there's not much in bloom, it sure was a beautiful day and we had a great time. Enjoy this temperate weather we're having right now and make sure your air conditioner is ready to go for the quickly approaching spring and summer! Welcome to the area.

Kristi
jolanaweb
17 years ago
Welcome to both of you, I am not in your area but I can holler some info once in a while from down here, lol
jolana
pjtexgirl
17 years ago
ROFL! Kristi couldn't be more right! I'm from the Mojave desert. The hottest/driest place in the Western Hemisphere for reals. Until you add a dose of TX humidity. Whhhooo-hoooo!!!!
I'm assuming you went from zone 3 to Flower Mound's 7b.
Here's the scoop. Winter is summer and Summer is winter.
Now you know how insane I am! Plant in the fall. A plant is more likely to live through the cold rather than intense summer heat and use less water planted in fall. (no joke here... a several hundred dollar water bill to just keep new plantings alive isn't uncommon in the summer.) We don't have a long growing season. That's mediteranian climates. We really have 2 short ones for us it's March 16-approx two weeks into July. Everything struggles and looks awful until fall rolls around from approx couple weeks into October until December.
Alkaline soil. You cannot grow blue berries or azaleas here. The soil is wrong. Find out if a plant can tolerate alkaline soil before planting it.
Plants that survive high heat tend to be less showy and have smaller leaves.
Also, what grew in "full sun" in Minnesota will fry here.
Try stuff in dappled shade or morning only sun at first.
Welcome!PJ

new to Texas

Comments (16)

little_dani

remuda1

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