2023 Japanese Maple Varieties
PRINTABLE: 2023-24 Japanese Maple Varieties
Rose Pruning Basics
Mid-February is one of the busiest times in the garden-we have plants that have died back this winter to cut back, and most importantly, it is time to prune our roses! Timing is important with all pruning endeavors, and roses should be pruned before they have started to put out new growth and expended precious reserves they will need to put out spring growth and blooms. I have talked to many people who are hesitant to prune roses, thinking that they might harm them. Trust me, roses are tougher that [...]
Seiridium Canker of Leyland, Arizona and Italian Cypress
With the increased use of these three evergreen members of the Cupressaceae family in Central Texas, it is inevitable that we have begun seeing increased incidences of this common canker disease. Although Italian Cypress seems to be the most common species to be affected due to its prevalence in the landscape, this disease can also infect juniper and arborvitae. Leyland Cypress is now showing more symptoms in Central Texas, most likely because it is planted in soil that is not as well-drained or as high in organic content that the [...]
Onion Varieties for Central Texas
Short Day Onion Varieties for Central Texas: “Short-day” onion varieties quit forming leaves and begin forming bulbs when the day length reaches 10-12 hours, and are best for Southern Gardens. The following varieties have proven to be the best for Central Texas. 1015Y: This globe-shaped onion up to 6” wide is named after the ideal date the seed is planted (October 15). The off-white flesh is sweet and great for cooking, salads, etc. It takes about 115 days from planting to harvest. Storage potential is 2-3 months. Photo [...]
Growing Carrots in Central Texas
Growing Carrots from Seed Carrots can be a rewarding crop to grow in Central Texas. Soil preparation and proper planting time will ensure a good harvest. We have a fall planting time from late August to early November and a spring planting time of mid-January to early March in Central Texas. If you take advantage of both growing periods you will have a long harvest of delicious carrots to enjoy. Carrots require a deep, well-drained soil to thrive. Adding 3”-4” of organic matter and a light application of organic [...]
Tree Care and Maintenance
Tree Care and Maintenance Watering: -Water your tree religiously for at least one year using the following guidelines, and subsequent years during the hottest months or if we experience high heat or drought conditions. It can take approximately 1 year per inch caliper of the tree for the tree to fully establish. Careful monitoring of watering during this time will ensure a healthy tree. -At the time of planting the tree needs to be deeply watered. Two days after planting the tree needs to be deeply watered again. You can [...]
Ganoderma Butt Rot
The presence of a “fruiting body”, or conk, at the base of a tree or palm is a sign that the tree may be infected by a species of fungus called Ganoderma. There are several species of this fungus that affect different hosts. This one is Ganoderma sessile, and it affects oaks, maples, honeylocusts and other hardwoods. The conks appear annually in summer and fall at the base of the tree or on a lateral root close to the trunk. The fungus enters through wounds in the trunk commonly made [...]
Germinating Parsley from Seed
Parsley is an essential in the herb garden. High in vitamin A and C, as well as calcium and iron, it is a biennial plant usually grown in Zones 5-9. Italian, or flat-leaf parsley, is used more in cooking while curly leaf parsley is used more as a garnish. Many herb books include an adage about parsley going to the devil and back seven times before germinating. This obviously refers to the long germination time-often up to 6 weeks-which parsley requires! Seed should be sown indoors about 6 weeks before [...]
Moving Houseplants Inside in the Winter
Most houseplants are from tropical locales where cold temperatures are rare and temperatures average 72°F. Although they do well in our yards during the summer, they will need to be moved inside before temperatures reach the 40’s to 50’s at night. Ideally, if your plants are in sun or part sun outside, such as Bougainvillea or Tropical Hibiscus, they would benefit from being moved to light shade for a week or so before transitioning them to the indoors. This will cut down on the stress that causes their leaves to [...]
Redbuds-Harbingers of Spring
Redbuds are an excellent indicator of warmer days ahead. From the bean-like seed pods, we can tell that they are in the Legume (or bean) family. Their flowers come in a range of shades of deep rose, pink, purple and white, as well as a range of forms such as single trunk, multi-trunk and weeping. Although we often see the native Redbuds growing and blooming in full sun, they also do quite well as an understory tree, tolerating partial shade very well. To avoid the ever-present “leaf-scorch” in late summer, [...]
Khaki Weed Control
Khaki Weed (Alternanthera caracasana) is a perennial weed from tropical America that has invaded the southern U.S. at an alarming rate. Because it has a tremendous tap root, it is difficult to control in its mature stage. Repeated sprays and use of surfactant is necessary. Surfactants (spreader-stickers) break down the surface tension on the leaf and allows the herbicide to penetrate better and be more effective. The best control is to not let the plant go to seed. If it does go to seed, pre-emergent control can be effective. The [...]