About Mary Kay Pope

Mary Kay is an asset to Backbone and a wealth of knowledge! Many customers come in and ask for her by name for all their plant questions. It's no wonder why, as Mary Kay has 47 years of experience in the horticulture field. She holds a B.S. in Horticulture from Ohio State University, a TMCNP and a TCLP from Texas Association of Nurserymen, a Specialist in Urban Trees Certification from Texas A&M, and is a Certified Arborist.

Gummosis in Fruit Trees

Gummosis is a term that refers to the presence of  amber-colored sap oozing from the trunk or branches of a tree. It is important to understand that the term “gummosis” is a symptom, not a cause of a tree ailment. Anything that stresses the tree can be a causal factor. It is necessary to determine the cause of the stress in order to mitigate future damage to the tree. Gummosis has a variety of causes: Environmental stress: Compacted soils, poorly drained soils, light sandy soils, use of weed and feed [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:09:08-06:00July 7th, 2021|Trees, Plants, Insects, Fruit & Nuts, Disease|
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Early Blight of Tomato

What is Early Blight? Early Blight is a common fungal disease of tomatoes caused by the fungal organism Alternaria solani. As with most diseases, stressed plants or plants in poor health are more susceptible. This disease can also affect potatoes. The Early Blight fungus generally starts at the bottom of the plant, affecting leaves, stems, and fruits. Dark spots with concentric rings develop on the leaves, and if the fruit is affected spots begin at the stem end, forming a dark sunken area with concentric rings. How do we prevent [...]

By |2023-05-02T09:23:19-05:00June 29th, 2021|Disease, Vegetable Gardening|
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Watering Guidelines for New Plants

First of all, I’d like you to know that this is a difficult subject to write about. There is no “one size fits all” for watering newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials. Soils are different, climatic conditions are variable, and plants are different in their water needs and rate at which they establish. That being said, I will attempt to give you some “guidelines”.  I am sure that you will need to adjust them to your own set of conditions. Trees *Newly planted trees will require from 1-5 years of [...]

By |2024-10-27T16:22:02-05:00June 23rd, 2021|Plants, Trees|
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Fungus Gnats in Houseplants

Almost all of us have wondered about those little black gnats that seem to come with our houseplants. What are they and how can we get rid of them? Fungus gnats are interesting little insects. The adults, which are what you see flying around and being a nuisance, have not been found to do much of anything but lay eggs in soil. They do not feed on the plants and do not bite, and they only live for about eight days.               Fungus gnat [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:17:05-06:00June 22nd, 2021|Insects, Houseplants|
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Azaleas in Central Texas

Yes, we CAN grow acid-loving Azaleas in Central Texas! It does take some preparation and TLC, but the rewards are tremendous. Most of the Azaleas available today are “repeat bloomers” that will put on a stunning show in the spring, scattered blooms throughout the summer and a re-bloom in the fall. Azaleas will do well in north or east exposures in Central Texas, where they are protected from the harsh afternoon sun. Dappled sun under trees with an hour or two of morning sun is also acceptable. Avoid more than [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:26:09-06:00June 22nd, 2021|Plants|
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Imported Fire Ant Control

Face it, we have all had run-ins with Fire Ant mounds and the painful blisters that form after they bite. Children, pets, and wildlife are especially vulnerable, as they are often unaware of the mounds until the ants begin biting. There are several options for controlling (but unfortunately not eradicating) Imported Fire Ants: The Two Step Method: Step One involves broadcasting a fire ant bait over the entire area once or twice a year. This has the potential for reducing the colonies by 80-90%. Apply baits in the evening when [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:27:23-06:00May 19th, 2021|Vegetable Gardening, Insects, Lawn Care|
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Bacterial Leaf Spot on Peppers

This devastating disease can infect peppers and tomatoes. Prevention is the key, as once the disease has taken hold treatment is not effective. Bacterial leaf spot causes lesions that look like they are soaked with water. The spots usually appear on the lower leaves first, and as the disease progresses the spots are purple brown with a light brown center. When the spots appear on the peppers, they cause spotting and raised cracks, which open the fruit up to infection by other disease organisms. There are no resistant varieties and [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:28:04-06:00May 12th, 2021|Disease, Vegetable Gardening|
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Tomato Leaf Curl

Most gardeners have experienced leaf curl on tomatoes at one time or another. It is important to understand the cause so that you can make the decision on whether it is necessary to remove the plant from the garden or not. Some causes are environmental and may be attributed to physiological conditions. When this is the case, removal of the plant is unnecessary. Leaf Roll, aka Physiological Leaf Curl, is often seen during excessively moist, cool conditions. The leaf rolls “upward” and becomes leathery in texture. Curling leaves may also [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:28:56-06:00May 12th, 2021|Disease, Vegetable Gardening|
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Pepper Leaf Spot

I know that I am not the only one who has had this disease on their peppers. It appears in the late spring to summer when we have had frequent rainfall. Of course, if you are overhead watering, you would see it as well. Bacterial leaf spot on peppers can be a devastating disease if not caught and treated early. This is why I always preach that your garden needs to be in sight of your house so that you can check it often. This disease is often fatal once [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:29:54-06:00May 5th, 2021|Vegetable Gardening, Disease|
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Germanders for The Garden

Germanders are a welcome addition to a drought resistant garden. Native to the Mediterranean, they adapt well in Central Texas, as long as they have well-drained soils. Read about the varieties available, and try some in your landscape. You won't be disappointed!   Silver Bush Germander                Teucrium fruticans This evergreen mounding shrub with fragrant silver-gray leaves hails from the Mediterranean, where conditions are similar to our part of Texas. It is native to rocky limestone soils but will tolerate most soils as long as they are well-drained. It grows 4’-6’ [...]

By |2022-01-15T12:30:37-06:00May 4th, 2021|Plants|
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2021 Freeze Update April 1

2011 Freeze Update April 1 So many questions!!! Is it dead or alive? Do I cut it back or wait? Should I replace it with something else? Unfortunately, it is impossible to provide a “blanket answer” to these important questions. Each situation is different, and each outcome will also be different. Is it dead or alive?   At this point, if it has not begun leafing out, the best way to evaluate it is to see if the twigs are still flexible. If they snap, cut them down. They may still [...]

By |2021-11-22T08:57:18-06:00March 31st, 2021|Plants, Trees|
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2021 Freeze- 5 weeks after

2021 Freeze-5 weeks after Thankfully, many plants are beginning to show new growth after being assaulted by record-low temperatures in February. However, we are still not “out of the woods” yet, as some plants may be late to show signs of life. There are many that we KNOW either will not come back or will not come back satisfactorily, so they may be removed/replaced now. I’d also like to remind everyone that although we did get a bit of rain this week, we have been and are currently under drought [...]

By |2021-11-22T08:57:35-06:00March 23rd, 2021|Plants, Trees|
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