Master's Garden
Which fruit tree is blooming? The peach tree blooms typically feature delicate pink petals, often with hints of white or darker pink at the center, forming clusters of five-petaled flowers that emerge before the leaves.
Pear tree blossoms are characterized by their pure white petals, often tinged with a subtle hint of pink, arranged in clusters along the branches.
Plum tree blooms appear as small, white flowers clustered together, covering the branches in a profusion of delicate blossoms.
One way to differentiate between these blooms is by their color and arrangement: peach blossoms are pink with five petals, pear blossoms are pure white with a hint of pink, and plum blossoms are small and white, often appearing more clustered compared to the others.
Additionally, observing the shape and size of the leaves and fruits that follow the blossoms can also help in identifying the type of fruit tree.
Soil Savers
Clover relatives are some of the quiet workhorses of the landscape, improving soil while supporting wildlife. Among the most striking is purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea), a native wildflower that sends up slender stems topped with cylindrical blooms that flower in a ring moving upward around the cone.
Alongside it, white clover (Trifolium repens) spreads low across the ground, forming a living carpet that helps shade soil and retain moisture. Members of this legume family host nitrogen-fixing bacteria on their roots, allowing them to convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available nutrients.
In practical terms, these plants act as a natural fertilizer system— quietly enriching the soil for neighboring grasses, herbs, and wildflowers without any added inputs.
Several droughtadapted Dalea species are also well suited to the limestone soils and dry summers common across the region.
Black dalea (Dalea frutescens), a small woody shrub, produces delicate purple flowers that attract native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators throughout the warm months.
These hardy legumes evolved to thrive in thin, rocky soils where many plants struggle, sending deep roots down through caliche and fractured limestone.
Their resilience makes them valuable not only for pollinators but also for land stewardship helping stabilize soil, improve fertility over time, and add subtle seasonal color to native landscapes.
Even when overlooked among grasses and wildflowers, these clover relatives are quietly performing ecological heavy lifting.
Grocery List
Not sure how to choose which vegetables to plant this Spring, or how to decide how much space to give each vegetable or herb?
Here’s an idea. Do you have a running grocery list on your refrigerator, dry erase board or a notepad?
Use these to learn which vegetables are your staples. How often do you buy potatoes, corn, tomatoes or green beans for instance?
Convert your grocery list to your very own produce section in your garden. If possible, stagger your plantings so that you don’t yield all your vegetables in one week..
Garden Show
The 26th Annual Hill Country Lawn and Garden Show, sponsored by the Highland Lakes Master Gardener Association and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, will be held on Saturday, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event takes place at the Burnet County AgriLife Extension Auditorium located at 607 North Vandeveer in Burnet, Texas 78611.
Till next time. Keep your souls and soles in your garden! Remember the True Master Gardener: Jesus said, "I am the vine; my Fa-ther is the Gardener." John 15:1 Have questions or comments? Contact Martelle Luedecke (512) 769-3179 at [email protected] or email Bill at [email protected].
