Spring in Tyler-The Azalea Trails

If you did not grow up in Tyler you may be wondering what is an Azalea Trail, or an Azalea Belle?  In Tyler we have celebrated the spring show of beautiful blooming plants for 56 years.  We have a queen, a parade, a tea and numerous other events.  Many festivities and much hoopla are enjoyed surrounding the trails.
Historic home tours are my favorite.  Families that live on the trails open their homes to hundreds of people.  Allowing us a brief glimpse into their home, a docent tells the history of the neighborhood and their home.  There are many historical places on the tour.  Typically, the houses are close together and you can walk from one to the other.
Timing is everything for the trails.  From year to year the weather is always a major event.  We all hope that for the 3 weeks of the blooms there will be no wind, hail or other damaging weather.  I have seen all kinds, and then the poor plants are pitiful with their blooms barely hanging on.

Below is a link that gives all the details for dates and times of the trail.  There are many special events that you can enjoy.

http://www.tylertexasonline.com/tyler-texas-azalea-trail.htm










This is a group photo of the Azalea Bells.  They provide much to the atmosphere of the trails.  Dressed in Victorian era gowns, they smile and wave with their fans while the tourists are passing by.  All the little girls want to get their picture taken with the "princess".

Our shop is located right off one of the starting points of the trail.  We have been at this location since 1940, so we have seen every year.  It has been amazing to watch through the years.  The residents on the trail take great pride in their yards.  It really is like walking through a garden paradise.

Azaleas and other blooming plants do very well in East Texas due to the high humidity and lots of sunshine and our winters being somewhat mild.  They need to be planted in well drained soil.  You can use pine straw on top of the roots under the bush to protect the roots from drought and frost.  Your most important step in planting azaleas is to make sure the soil is ready.  Use a garden soil and add plenty of peat moss, or finely ground pine bark mulch.  Their favorite spot is in partial sun.  Too much afternoon sun and it will scorch the leaves, too little sun and they will not bloom.  There are numerous kinds and colors to choose from.  With a little shopping around you should be able to find something that fits with your garden perfectly.

Sherry

Excessive Spring Rain

Well, this spring in East Texas we are dealing with excessive rain.  I have been wondering what happens when the ground and plants can no longer soak up all this water.  Will it damage the yard, the flowerbeds?  During seasons of drought we have to replace a lot of outdoor plants when they die.  So now the question is, will plants die due to excessive moisture?

I researched this idea and came up with the following answers.  What I discovered is overly wet ground and air causes diseases via fungal and bacteria pathogens.  The first signs you might notice of plants with these problems are black spots on leaves and decay on the plant.  Also affected will be the pollinators.  The pollinators are what produce flowers and allow for fruit to be produced.  As the plant shows signs of these problems it will begin to wilt and look sick.

This is an example of spotting due to excessive water.  Anthracnose fungi is a disease of evergreen trees.  If this disease is not stopped it will affect the whole tree and possibly lead to the death of the tree.  If you notice this, create a drainage area for your trees if possible.  


This picture is an example of Powdery Mildew.  Sunlight and heat will kill this fungus. There are some types of chemicals and oils you can use to kill it.  Such as Neem Oil, Organic Fungicides with bacillus subtillis, and sulfur.  The need to be applied when you will have 24 hours of no rain.
The good news is most plants are in the just waking up from dormancy stage.  Because of this, they do not have much foliage and a lot of the fungus type diseases need foliage to attach to.   The best thing for your flower beds would be to have them in a raised bed.  This way the plants are always in a great drainage situation even in the worst of rainy weather.

If you find yourself in a situation where your plants are drowning during this spring you can create a quick drainage route for your bed.  You need to determine which way the area of your yard drains that you are having problems in.  Once there has been a heavy rain, go outside and determine which way your yard naturally drains.  For the time being, try to divert the excess water away from the flowerbeds with a small trench or large pvc pipe.

Most likely you will not have any long term bad effects from the moisture we have had this spring.  It seems to have been spread out over the days enough to allow for drainage.  If you do see negative effects attend to your plants immediately to ward off any long term damage.  I am sure this summer when it is dry and hot we will wish we had some of this rain.  In the meantime, watch your plants carefully and help them make it through this season.

Sherry