Welcome to the very first episode of The ATXGardens Podcast! In this episode, landscape consultant and certified arborist Colleen Dieter shares exactly what Central Texas gardeners should be focusing on in late September to keep their plants, trees, and lawns healthy.

From fertilizing deadlines to transplanting tips, soil testing, fungal disease prevention, and preparing for fall planting, Colleen gives you a full seasonal checklist. She also explains why now is the best time to shop for trees, manage webworms, and get your hummingbird feeders ready.

If you’ve ever wondered when to fertilize, how to transplant, or what to do with fading summer veggies, this episode will set you up for success as the season changes.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why you shouldn’t trim trees, shrubs, or perennials right now
• The last chance to fertilize before October 1st
• How and why to get your soil tested this fall
• Tips for preventing fungal diseases and encouraging beneficial microbes
• When and how to transplant crowded plants
• Why fall is the best time to shop and plant trees
• Simple strategies to handle webworms in your trees
• How to get involved in the Seed to Tree Partnership 🌳
• Best perennials, bulbs, and grasses to plant and divide right now
• Seasonal updates for vegetables, herbs, and wildflowers
• Why cover crops matter for restoring soil health
• A fun recipe for wildflower planting—plus a dance to ask Mother Nature for rain!

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Make an appointment or shop at: ATXGardens.com
• _Connect on Instagram: __@‌atxgardens__
• ‘“Let’s Care for Texas Plants”_ maintenance guide_
• Arber Bio-Fungicide (commissions earned): https://amzn.to/47K5XdV
• Collect Tree Seeds with Seed to Tree Partnership: https://www.centexseedsavers.org/seed-to-tree-partnership
• Actinovate Bio-Fungicide (commissions earned): https://amzn.to/4mwznAV
• Texas Plant and Soil Lab soil testing: https://www.tpslab.com/
• Digging fork (commissions earned): https://amzn.to/45RnQFe
• Border spade (commissions earned): https://amzn.to/4n0T3g9

Austin’s climate can be tricky—but you don’t have to guess what to do in your yard anymore. Join landscape consultant and certified arborist Colleen Dieter every other week for simple, reliable gardening tips tailored to Central Texas. From when to plant trees to how to keep your yard thriving season by season, The ATXGardens Podcast makes gardening approachable for everyone—from DIYers to seasoned green thumbs.

In this episode of The ATXGardens Podcast, Colleen shares exactly what Central Texas gardeners should focus on in the first half of October. From adjusting your irrigation system to protecting tender veggies from early freezes, she covers practical tips to help your plants thrive as the seasons shift.

You’ll hear a real-life consultation story from Karina in East Austin, plus timely advice on why you should stop fertilizing, how to use seaweed as a soil supplement, and why now is the best time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennials. Colleen also shares her favorite tools, the importance of seed saving, and a full rundown of upcoming Central Texas gardening events and seed swaps.

Whether you’re tending a pocket prairie, managing a veggie patch, or just figuring out what to do with all those leaves, this episode will get you set up for fall gardening success.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How to adjust irrigation for Austin’s new watering schedule
• Why you should stop trimming and fertilizing this month
• The difference between fertilizers vs. soil amendments (and why seaweed is a great choice)
• Why fall is the best time to plant or transplant trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs
• Easy ways to save and share seeds through Central Texas Seed Savers
• Tools Colleen recommends for transplanting, watering, and dividing plants
• How to protect your cool-season veggies from the first freeze
• October’s best picks for herbs, lawns, and wildflower planting
• A roundup of upcoming seed swaps, workshops, and gardening festivals in Central Texas

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Make an appointment or shop at ATXGardens.com
• Connect on Instagram @atxgardens_
• Find your watering day if you are an Austin Water Customer. https://www.austintexas.gov/department/find-your-watering-day
• Maxicrop Seaweed: Maxicrop Liquid Seaweed (Kelp Extract, 32 Oz - Amazon Affiliate commissions earned.
• Little round yellow sprinkler: QVS 004113 Naan Irrigator Sprinkler 30 ' Round Carded, No Size, Yellow - Amazon Affiliate commissions earned.
• Root Slayer for digging up sapling trees: Radius Garden 22011 Root Slayer Shovel, Red - Amazon Affiliate commissions earned.
• “Let’s Care for Texas Plants” maintenance guide: https://www.atxgardens.com/store-books-and-info
• Native American Seed for wildflower seeds: seedsource.com

Upcoming events:

• Oct 12 – 9:30-11:30 Heirloom Fruit Tree Preservation Project talk (Austin Water Utilities Center For Environmental Research, Hornsby Bend)
• Oct 18 – 11:00-4:00 Healing Roots and Wings Festival (Givens Park, Organic Vegetable Gardening class)
• Nov 1 – Central Texas Seed Savers Fall Festival Fundraiser (Greensleeves Nursery, Pflugerville)
• Nov 8 – 11:00-1:00 Central Texas Seed Savers Annual Seed Swap (Austin Public Library Central)
• Nov 8 – Garden Conservancy Tour, Pollinator Paradise (designed by Leah Churner)
• Nov 17 – 6:30 Williamson County Master Gardeners Meeting (Tree Planting talk)

Find more on upcoming events.

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow Central Texas gardeners!

Welcome back to The ATXGardens Podcast! In this episode, landscape consultant and certified arborist Colleen Dieter shares exactly what to focus on in the second half of October to keep your Central Texas garden thriving.

This week, Colleen covers eco-friendly lawn care, transplanting do’s and don’ts, and what to plant now (perennials, roses, wildflowers) before the first freeze. She also answers a listener question about her “Everything Garden” experiment—what worked, what she’d change, and how to get lush results without high maintenance.

Whether you’re managing leaves, protecting tender plants from early cold snaps, or setting up your soil for winter success, this episode is packed with practical, local advice.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Hold the pruners: why late October isn’t the time to trim trees, shrubs, or perennials
• Planting window: best timing for trees, shrubs, woody vines, and roses
• Leaf strategy: how to “leave the leaves” for wildlife while avoiding smothering plants
• Fruit trees: fall clean-up to reduce disease pressure next year
• Listener Mail: updates on the Everything Garden design (sheet-mulching wins, fewer species, seasonal mowing)
• Last call: perennials, bulbs, grasses, and cool-season veggies you can still plant now
• Freeze prep: simple steps to protect young and cool-season crops
• Annual color: swapping warm-season pots for pansies, violas, snapdragons, cyclamen
• Lawns: when to do the final (high-deck) mow and how to mulch with chopped leaves
• Wildflowers: realistic watering expectations in a dry fall
• What’s on deck: upcoming classes, festivals, and seed-sharing events across Central Texas

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Make an appointment or shop at http://ATXGardens.com
• Connect on Instagram @‌atxgardens_
• Maxicrop Liquid Seaweed https://amzn.to/4hbuSdh
• Antique Rose Emporium https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorU423C6VIGcBmGKCxB0Yu27vZ_EO4D4bQgpU63NXp3y1OtzC57
• Xerces Society. https://www.xerces.org/
• Gloves: https://www.atxgardens.com/store-tools-and-accessories
• Horticulturati Episode: https://www.horticulturati.com/episodes/the-everything-garden
• Adjustable Leaf Rake: https://amzn.to/438ZzK6

Upcoming events:

• Oct 18 – Healing Roots & Wings Festival (Givens Park) – Organic Vegetable Gardening class 12–2
• Nov 1 – Central Texas Seed Savers Fall Festival Fundraiser (Greensleeves Nursery, Pflugerville) 5-8
• Nov 8 – Central Texas Seed Savers Annual Seed Swap (Austin Public Library – Central) 11-1
• Nov 8 – Garden Conservancy Open Days: Pollinator Paradise (Leah Churner)
• Nov 17 – Williamson County Master Gardeners: Tree Planting talk 6:30 pm

Find more on upcoming events.

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow Central Texas gardeners!