(updated Jan.'24)

I've always been pretty busy during the spring season, so it never seems I can spend as much time in my garden as I would need or like! But I'm a sucker for a big flowery ephemeral display. To pull this off, there are a few key things I do in winter to ensure my spring garden can still put on a great show...even with my neglect

One planting method I love to use is naturalizing bulbs in my lawn. I'm a bit of a bulb fanatic and there's never enough room left in my garden beds for all the bulb I want to plant. So why not go into the bits of lawn I have left?

PC: Leslie F. Halleck, Zephyranthes candida

Naturalizing Bulbs in Turf

Clustering bulbs such as crocus, daffodils and other perennial bulbs in your lawn creates a natural woodland look in the spring garden.

If you haven’t yet gotten your hands on some spring-flowering bulbs, there’s still time, at least here in Texas and similar climates. You can continue planting certain perennial bulbs through January and early February. Some local garden centers and many online plant vendors will still have a selection of bulbs available for sale.

Now, what does "naturalizing" mean? It means planting species or varieties of bulbs that will not only perennialize (come back each year) but also reproduce and spread -or increase in clump size). Basically, letting the plants do the additional plantings for you!

The key to naturalizing bulbs in turfgrass, or lawns, is to choose tough, easy to grow bulbs that require minimal care in the garden. Often these will be species that are native to your area, or may be highly adapted.

Be aware that some hybrid bulb cultivars may not be as vigorous long-term, or may not be as good at naturalizing as some of the species or naturally occurring varieties. I encourage you to look for heirloom bulbs when you're looking to naturalize bulbs, not just perennialize them.

Some of My Favorite Bulbs for Naturalizing

Daffodils: (Narcissus spp.) are as tough as they come and look best when clustered in groups around the base of trees. Species and varieties will be better naturalizers (spreaders).

Good Heirloom Daffodils for naturalizing:

• Jonquil hybrids such as ‘Carlton’, ‘Texas Star’, ‘Twin Sisters’, ‘Butter & Eggs’, ‘Grand Primo’, Campernelle, ‘Double Roman’
• Triandrus daffodils, also called Angel's Tears. My favorite is 'Thalia', which is a late white blooming variety.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck, Narcissus in my "lawn"

Grape Hyacinth: Muscari armeniacum, Muscari neglectum The grape hyacinth imported from Holland are usually forms of Muscari armeniacum. This species has showier, larger blooms. Than other muscari. Muscari neglectum is a good species to naturalize in Texas. M. botryoides, is also available but it may not be as reliable a perennial or naturalizer.

Rain Lillies: Zephyranthes grandiflora has large pink blooms, adaptable to many soils. Giant Prairie Lily, Zephranthes drummondii, Large white blooms midsummer into fall. Drought tolerant & fragrant.

Texas Copper Lily: Habranthus tubispathus var. Texensis is ommon along roadsides and prairies. Foliage appears in spring, followed by copper colored summer blooms. Perfect for naturalizing in lawns.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck, Muscari armeniacum

Blue Starflower- Ipheion uniflorum This genus has about twenty species that are native to South America. Flowers may emerge as early as January and can continue through April. Ipheion can be planted directly into the turf and tolerate almost any soil.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck, Ipheion uniflorum

Crocus: Crocus spp. There are several types of spring blooming crocus available. While they don’t require a chilling period to bloom, they do benefit from one., so if we have a warmer than usual winter here in Texas they may not bloom as well. Crocus look best when planted directly into turf, groundcover, or natural areas. Most will return an bloom the following year.

A couple more bigger bulbs...These will be a bit taller than the other types, but if you have the space can still work in lawns.

Red Spider Lily and Surprise lilies: The heirloom strain of Lycoris radiata imported to North America in the late eighteenth century is distinct from the imported types that are currently imported from Japan, so try and shop for the heirloom type if you can. This species sends up foliage and blooms in autumn. Foliage is dormant in summer. There are other species of Lycoris and hybrids available but you'll find that L. radiata is usually the most reliable naturalizer.

Summer Snowflake: Leucojum aestivum - this species is often confused with “Snowdrops” (Galanthus), which do not perform as well in our hot climate. Leucojum aestivum Flowers March-May; full sun to partial shade. note that Leucojum vernum is not reliable in the South.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck, Crocus

How to Plant Bulbs in Your Lawn

For larger bulbs such as daffodils, you’ll either want to use a round bulb planter to slice out “plugs” of turf, then drop the bulb in the hole and replace the plug. Or, dig out an 8” deep hole to accommodate multiple bulbs. Be careful to retain the section of turf, place bulbs in the hole and then replace soil and pat the turf down on top.

Small bulbs, such as crocus and grape hyacinth, can simply be pressed into the soil, about 3” deep. If your soil is dry or hard, you may want to go ahead and use a bulb planter to remove a plug of soil and turf - or do what I do and just us the spikes of my garden fork to pierce small holes in the lawn then drop in the bulbs.

It’s best to plant a cluster of bulbs together so the planting looks more natural. Generally a grouping of approximately 8 to 12 bulbs looks best, especially with daffodils. But, plant them however you'd like to get the look you want...more natural and spread out, or in "woodland" like clumps. You do you!

Most of these bulbs will be up and blooming before your lawn begins to actively grow, so you normally won’t be mowing at the same time. But at some point you'll either need to let your lawn go fluffy for a while in spring, or only mow/trim around the clusters of bulbs. You'll need to let the bulb foliage yellow and start to die down naturally in late spring/early summer before you mow off the old foliage. This will ensure they have enough time to store food for next year’s growth and blooms.

All of these bulbs are also good for interplanting in other common groundcovers, not just turfgrass!

But Wait, Shouldn't You Rip Out Your Lawn?

SIDE NOTE on LAWNS: The main lawn area I have is a large easement adjacent to my property...I have to maintain it per city code, but I can't really landscape it, in case they need to rip up water pipes, etc., which - with my luck - is exactly what would happen if I decided to plant a bunch of things there!

I know there is a big "rip out your lawn" rhetoric going around social media right now, BUT you need to think critically about what is really the most sustainable solution in any given space. Legally, I'm not supposed to plant trees/shrubs or any other larger landscaping in this easement. Tearing out all the turfgrass and putting in gravel or hardscape is NOT a better more sustainable solution in my urban environment. Especially on my lot which is a a high point in my neighborhood and takes on huge amounts of runoff in our torrential downpours (erosion and runoff is a big issue). I live in a HOT climate in a huge city (Dallas) and the urban head index is getting to be a much bigger problem. We need more plants planted, with more permeable surfaces, to mitigate heat, control runoff and erosion, and improve air quality, etc.

Now, the issue is, are you maintaining turf in a responsible way...or not? Me? I barely EVER water (or fertilize) this turf- and rarely mow it, with a battery powered mower. I only water it a few times through summer when it really needs it, or I've thrown out some seed to fill in bare patches and control erosion. It's a jumble mix of grasses and other green weeds (they are GREEN so I don't care!) There are some wildflowers out there too (but I'm also not allowed to have anything growing over a certain height, which makes a mass wildflower/prairie type planting something that will get code called on me all the time.) Now, I may decide to fight that battle at some point, but as it stands, it's better to leave the existing grass and native weeds. Dropping in tough bulb species, however, is an easy and cost effective way to pretty up that space, without the threat of wasting tons of money and labor on plantings that could just get torn up by the city (which is their legal right in any city easement).

I'm so proud of my girls! This is a first...a five egg day. All five girls laid an egg on the same day. In 16 degree weather no less!

Ok, so I realize that Minnesota chicken farmers will probably laugh at me. And I'm sure my chickens are perfectly fine in this weather. They have been so far with all the cold we've had. They are still producing nicely despite the weather and short days.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

BUT, with temperatures forecasted in the low teens for a couple of days, I just don't want to take any chances, or have them suffer frostbite. So I've wrapped the coop with some frost cloth, just to act as a wind break...

Frost cloth
PC: Leslie F. Halleck

And then I added a ceramic "bulb" heat emitter, usually used for reptiles, etc. I've placed that above their roosting area. It seems like it should give them about 5-10 degrees extra heat in their "condo". I did not want to use a heat light so as not to disrupt their day length cycle at the moment. Notice that the roof of their roosting area is still exposed, only covered with hardware cloth (wire). You need to make sure there is always adequate ventilation. Putting a heater or heat bulb into a closed-in, un-ventilated space is never a good idea for chickens. The humidity that builds up is more harmful to them than the temperature usually is. Keeping them dry and keeping out drafts is most important.

But I just couldn't help it...had to give 'em a little heat!

A Hard Freeze is Coming, How do You Protect Your Plants?

UPDATED 2024

The time to plan for plant frost protection is well before the first frost! Getting surprised by an out-of-the-blue dip in temperatures is never fun for gardeners.

In Texas, weather can be very warm through fall, then suddenly we'll get hit with temperatures in the teens. One of the reasons so-called "frost hardy" plants can be damaged or killed in these situations is that they haven't had the time to respond to gradually cooling temperatures and acclimate/prepare for winter temperatures. They may still be growing new tender foliage or flowers that will be damaged by sudden drops in temperature.

Most hardy plants can handle the gradual progression to a hard frost. But if it's warm, then suddenly very cold, even hardy plants can suffer damage. If you're looking at temperatures that drop in to the low 20s or teens, that's them you'll want to get out the frost cloth. Make sure to buy some in early fall, or as soon as it's available at your local garden center, so you have it at the ready when temperatures suddenly drop.

Checklist for Protecting Your Plants from Freezing Temperatures

1. Water thoroughly the day before a hard freeze. Plants can resist freezing temperatures much better when they are fully turgid. Water stressed plants will take a hard hit. Consider watering herbaceous plants and vegetables with a root stimulator.

2. Cover all newly planted annuals, perennials or small shrubs using frost cloth. Cover any tender perennials or cool season vegetable crops, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce to keep from losing your harvest. While hardy plants and cool season vegetables will typically survive a 15 degree frost, the flower buds and fruit will most often be hardest hit. Cauliflower heads are especially sensitive to freezing temperatures.

3. A sheet of frost cloth will provide about up to 8 degrees of temperature protection. You can layer two sheets to give you extra protection. Purchase landscape staples to help secure the frost cloth in place.

4. Do not use plastic to cover plants. Areas of the plant that come in contact with plastic during a freeze often suffer damage. It's also better to leave some airspace above the plant as insulation, rather than pinning the frost cloth tightly down on top of the plants.

5. Fallen leaves or hay can also be used as a cover to insulate more hardy herbaceous plants.

6.You may leave frost cloth on plants for two or three days if freezing temperatures persist, but it's best to at least pull it back to allow enough sunlight to reach plants if warmer temperatures allow for it.

Don't forget to drip and cover all those outdoor faucets too!! While we typically don't drain irrigation systems for winter here, you may want to cut off the main valve to your property's system and insulate it just like you would your spigots.

So sorry I've been delinquent in my postings! Hard to come back from two weeks in the jungle and get hit with American Christmas! I have a ton of photos to sort through, but I promise I'll get at it this weekend. Here are just a few more I have handy...

My friend Kevin took this shot...nice how I color coordinate eh?

So many stunning majestic trees...

You didn't think I'd leave ya hangin' on chickens did you?? LOL..I actually took quite a few chicken pictures...more to come. So many breeds I've never seen before!

Check out this awesome Rhino beetle!!! Quite the friendly little bugger...

Look at this amazing flower! So much to ID...so little time...sigh

I'm still adjusting back to "regular" life after my time in the Amazon. Such a wonderful life changing experience...

Wow, what an amazing journey. Not only did I see some amazing natural sights in the Peruvian Amazon, but also made some great new friends. I have so many photos to go through that it's going to take me a bit, especially amidst the holidays. I'll try and post a few as I go.

Me on a sweaty jungle trek!

My ultimate score!!! Poison Dart Frog, Dendrobates reticulatus. Very hard to find and photograph! I believe this species is only native to the small area around the part of NE Peru where I was staying. So exciting.

Just one of the many beautiful and huge trees. Home to so many epiphytes such as bromeliads, philodendrons, orchids and ferns. Lovely!

Striking Helliconia. They were everywhere.

I'm officially obsessed with the fungi of the Peruvian rain forest. There is so much diversity. Every time I looked I found a new one! So beautiful.

Me and my new boyfriend Jose...LOL

Ok, folks! Here it is! I've been preoccupied this week and it's been icky, so I haven't wanted to even attempt to go look at my tiny 8 foot space. But, it's been pretty the last few days so I thought I'd take a gander at the garden.

What did find? Possibly too much lettuce. You are probably thinking "how can a person have too much lettuce?" Well, you can't, except I think I planted too many seeds in a 2x4 foot space. I essentially just took a few packets of some greens mixes (the red leaves being my favorite) and threw them out! No muss, no fuss! They are growing beautifully except I haven't really been eating lettuce lately so now they form a thick blanket of greens. I've probably stunted their growth. So I may not get the beautiful heads of butter lettuce i got last year. Unless I start harvesting soon, I also may not get the large stalks of romaine I enjoyed last year. My goal of the week is to eat at least 3 or 4 salads and harvest some for my neighbors. Maybe then the spinach won't be so scared to come up. I have a feeling the lettuce and spinach are fighting and it's not the spinach that's winning.

I've also included a picture of my whole raised bed. This is the raised bed we sell here at North Haven Gardens. I put it together all by myself except for one nail I needed help with from my husband. It then took about 30 bags of various soils and composts. Leslie has the soil recipe I used posted on here somewhere.

Anywho, I planted 6 broccoli, 2 brussels sprouts, 6 onions (red, white, yellow), 12 heads garlic, a TON of lettuce (ha!), spinach, 2 fava bean bushes (I should pull one), 1 cilantro and 1 parsley. I also had a few pansies left over from some pots so I stuck those in as well. I like to test the maximums on these things.

Man, I bet you are wishing for Leslie right about now!

I'm off to Peru early tomorrow morning and will be out of contact for a couple of weeks. My journey to the Amazon jungle will consist of flying to LA to meet up with my best friend Kimberly. From there we fly together to Lima, Peru. Then from Lima to Iquitos...the last city before...the jungle. We'll spend a night in Iquitos and then head out to our camp the next morning. I'm sure we're going to have an amazing experience. That area of the Amazon is one of the most bio diverse on the planet. We're both looking for a few things out of this trip...a break from modern life, a chance to reconnect with nature in a unique way, a spiritual lightening of the load so to speak...and for me, some poison dart frogs and snakes!! LOL. I'm so excited I can barely stand it.

As I will not have access to phone, computers, or electricity for that matter, there won't be any posts from me while I'm away. But Nikki, one of my guest authors, has promised to post some of the goings on in her garden while I'm away. I'm sure she'll also have some entertaining musings about what I'm up to as well.

So for now, Adios...see ya on the flip side...