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| FEBRUARY COVNA MEETING 7:00 p.m. Monday, February 21st PROGRAM NOTES Mr. Allgeier, a developer from NuRock Companies, will speak at this meeting. NuRock Companies plans to build Heritage Oak Hill, 9000 Manchaca Road, next to the Southwest Church of Christ. This complex will be a seniors apartment community comprised of approximately 96 units, of which 80% will target tenants with approximate incomes less than the area median. If awarded, this development would be ready for occupancy by approximately August 2012. Please come to the meeting to find out more information about this project and ask any questions you might have. |
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2011 MEMBERSHIP Dues are payable by the February meeting. It’s always a good time to show your support for the Castlewood-Oak Valley Neighborhood Association. $10 per household is a bargain to help keep our neighborhood strong. You can print a membership form by clicking here. |
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join the COVNA Email List, click below and Find out the latest neighborhood news and
developments. |
2011 MEETING SCHEDULE
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Advertise in the COVNA Newsletter Only $10.00/month. Reaches over 400 homes & Online at COVNA.org Email Hal Ferguson at: hferguson3@yahoo.com |
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GET RID OF YOUR LAWN And Let Austin Water Pay to
Do It (Editor's 2 cents—I print this with some reservations. I find entire yards and even parts of yards covered in gravel with no vegetation to be much uglier than unmown lawns or even bare dirt.) Tired of all the money and maintenance that goes into your lawn? Austin Water wants you to save on those high water bills by changing your landscape. Our new landscape conversion program is designed to remove turf and replace it with beautiful native plants or non irrigated areas such as mulch or gravel beds. The best part is you can get an incentive rebate amount of $100 to $150 dollars for every 500 square feet you convert depending on the type of conversion. Right now is the time to get your application in so you’ll be ready to plant as soon as spring arrives. Applications will be accepted until March 31 and all projects must be completed by June 1 to allow the plants time to establish before summer. How It Works: • Print out the application that can be found on our website at www.waterwiseaustin.org • With your application, you will need to submit a site plan (survey plots work great) showing the measurements of the turf that will be removed along with recent photos of the area. • Site plan must show a minimum conversion of 500 sq ft to be considered. Native bed areas will be rebated at $20 for every 100 square feet, Non-irrigated beds will be rebated at $30 for every 100 square feet. • Once received, Austin Water will contact you to schedule a site inspection. • If the project is approved, you may begin the conversion (All applications must be approved prior to starting). • When your project is complete, submit final receipts and photos of the area by June 1st. Austin Water will contact you for final inspection.
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| PRUNING
PERENIALS by Denise Delaney January, February and March are great months to cutback your perennials because they are dormant or at least semi-dormant. You just want to make sure you do it before they start to put growth on in the spring. The tougher question is often whether “to prune or not to prune” perennials. That often depends on how cold it gets and how long it stays cold. Since below freezing temperatures have occurred this year many plants have naturally died back. Your best bet is to look to your plants for the answer. If they have a nice shape and no damage to their foliage, just leave them alone. If the top part of the plant has freeze damage, don’t worry because perennials have extensive root systems that help them survive from year to year. Whether a particular species is affected by the cold has to do with the hardiness of its foliage. Herbaceous perennials and some semi-woody plants (that are truly native south of here) lose their top growth to freeze damage and probably need it removed every year. Examples include:
Semi-evergreen and semi-woody perennials are the most confusing because some years they die back and some years they don’t. If it gets cold enough to cause freeze damage cut them back at least far enough to find some green. They can be cut back further if desired but be sure to leave at least 4-5” of the base of the plant. Examples include:
Evergreen perennials are not affected by our average cold temperatures. If anything, these plants just need a little shaping and unsightly vegetation removed. Examples include:
For more information on specific species check the
Grow Green Native and Adapted Landscape Plants booklet available online
at www.growgreen.org or free
at most local nurseries and home improvement centers. Since it is a
slow time of year, nursery staff are more readily available to answer
specific plant questions. Or, you may call the Texas Cooperative Extension
Service at 854-9600. |
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CRIME
CORNER
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