Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

We don't want to rain on your wedding, but if it doesn't rain on Central Texas in the Fall and Winter, there will be slim pickings when you start looking for flowers to gather for your wedding. That's what happened to wildflower season this year; fortunately, those seeds that didn't get enough water to sprout this year will be waiting in the soil for next year and, hopefully, rain at the right time. That is as close as we can come to predicting, a year in advance, what kind of wildflower season we will have.

In terms of not doing harm, don't pull a whole plant out of the ground when it is in bloom. Until those blooms have been pollinated and they have died back to make room for the seeds to develop and drop to the ground, there will be no assurance that the same plants will grow in the same place next year.

Central Texas is a good place to find wildflowers, and generally, the middle of Spring, March and April, provide the most abundant show. The iconic bluebonnet usually is around for about 6 weeks, more prolifically in late March to early April.

Please be sure you have a backup plan, and your logistics worked out. Most wildflowers grow, bloom and go to seed very quickly; flowers cut today, even though they are put in water, may be drooping tomorrow. A sudden cold spell, hard-pelting rain or an insect invasion can all damage the possibilities.

We have two articles on our website that we hope will give you some help. The first is from our "Just for Texans" lists on our Recommended Species page:Cut-flower suitable species. The second is from our How-To Articles: Wildflower Arrangements. Be sure and observe the advice on locating stands of flowers to cut, obtaining permission to do so, and not overcutting an area.