Learn the ‘When, How, Where and Why’ of wildflowers

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MARBLE FALLS — The bloom of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes on roadsides and in fields and home gardens makes the Highland Lakes a wonder to behold in the spring.

For those wondering if it’s too late to plant these beloved wildflowers and how best to care for the seeds, the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society is hosting a program just for you Feb. 5 at the Marble Falls Public Library, 101 Main St.

A program on “When, How, Where and Why to Plant Wildflowers” is 10 a.m. A social gathering precedes it at 9:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to both.

Backbone Valley Nursery’s Jessica Robertson, a seventh-generation Texas gardener, is leading the discussion.

“There are so many questions about planting wildflowers and how to take care of them,” she said. “My goal with this program is to, hopefully, answer some of those questions. There are quite a few tricks to planting wildflowers, and I’ll be sharing those as well.”

The common belief is that for wildflowers to bloom in the spring, you must plant them in the fall.

Well, a quick check of the calendar shows we’re in February. So does that mean all is lost for spring wildflowers?

Maybe not.

“Mother Nature really plays in when wildflowers bloom, but there certain things we can do to help them along,” Robertson said.

Typically, wildflower seeds are planted in the fall and then Mother Nature does her job with rain to help the seeds germinate. Then, Robertson added, more rainfall is required in the weeks and days leading up to the spring blooming season to get flowers such as bluebonnets up and at ’em. Even then, there are no guarantees. She pointed out a year or two ago, Mother Nature set up everything for a banner wildflower spring but dashed those hopes with a late freeze.

Despite Mother Nature playing the main role, Robertson said gardeners and wildflower enthusiasts can help the blooms along — this spring and in future seasons. Though Robertson has a lot of horticulture and botany knowledge, she still likes to touch base with other experts, especially those with specific knowledge on a subject such as wildflowers. In preparation for the Feb. 5 talk, she contacted a friend at the Native American Seed Co. in Junction.

He pointed out that native plants come programed with all the information about when and how to bloom.

“He said it’s not really when you plant but when you expect them to sprout,” Robertson said. “It’s about perception at times. They’ll come, not always on our timeline, but they will come. So, I’ll just try to instill confidence in people.”

Robertson will also discuss plants people can grow that will attract pollinators, especially monarch butterflies.

“There’s a lot of interest in helping monarchs,” she said. “There are several plants people plant that give monarchs food, a place to rest and a place to lay eggs.”

And don’t forget, spring isn’t the only time wildflowers bloom in the Highland Lakes. A little time spent learning about wildflower seeding can go a long ways to making your garden, your yard and the Highland Lakes a lot more colorful.

If you’re also looking for information and tips on pruning, you might want to check out Robertson’s workshop 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at Backbone Valley Nursery, 4201 FM 1980 in Tobyville (about two miles north of the 1980 and RR 1431 intersection between Marble Falls and Granite Shoals.)

“I talked a bit about pruning during the bare-foot fruit tree workshop (Jan. 10), but that was more about fruit trees,” Robertson said. “This one is more general on how you prune trees and shrubs you have growing in your yard.”

Along with pruning tips and a demonstration, Robertson will go over the best tools to use as well as their care.

Go to www.yantislakesidegardens.com for more information on the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society and the upcoming program. Go to www.backbonevalleynursery.com for programs at Backbone Valley Nursery.

daniel@thepicayune.com