Why Trees Change Color in Fall

What determines if a plant will have good fall color?   Fall color in tree leaves is determined by many factors. Any tree grown from a seed, such as an acorn, will have genetic variability in developing fall color. This is observed by watching our native “Spanish Oaks”, aka Texas Red Oak, as the leaves begin to turn in fall. Many will have beautiful red fall color, but we also observe some trees with leaves that simply turn brown and hang on the tree most of the winter…. (this is [...]

By |2023-11-15T13:37:47-06:00November 1st, 2017|Uncategorized|
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My Lawn is ALIVE!

Soooooo many calls the past two weeks about “creepy crawlies” on lawn grasses! What is going on, and what can we do about it? Many lawns were visited a month or so ago by hoards of 1-inch-wide tan or mottled gray moths. The moths laid eggs and the Armyworms have hatched! The rains last month gave these pests the conditions they needed to reproduce and cause rapid damage to lawns. Typically, these Armyworm larvae feed and are most active at night and on overcast days. In daylight, they will hide [...]

By |2021-08-20T07:36:15-05:00October 18th, 2017|Lawn Care, Insects|
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Brown Patch on Lawns

Brown Patch is a fungus that shows up in our lawns in the spring and fall, when temperatures begin to cool. Because it needs cool, moist conditions, we do not see brown patch fungus in the summer. If you have had brown patch in your lawn in the past, it is probable that you will see it again once the conditions are right for its development. St. Augustine is most often infected, but Bermuda and Zoysia will become infected under the right conditions. Over-watered and over-fertilized lawns are more susceptible [...]

By |2022-01-05T10:58:41-06:00October 11th, 2017|Lawn Care, Disease|
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Time to Plant Garlic!

Knowing when to plant different vegetables can be confusing. In Central Texas, we have a fairly mild winter. This means we are able to plant “cool-season” vegetables in the fall for harvest in the spring. Garlic is one of these cool weather plants. The ideal time to plant garlic here is in October and November. It is so easy, you will wonder why you haven’t been planting it all along! See the garlic plants on the right side of this photo? Garlic grows best in rich organic soil with good [...]

By |2021-12-29T09:34:49-06:00October 4th, 2017|Vegetable Gardening|
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Cool Season Color

Winter Annuals in Zone 8 Pansies are one of the most rewarding plants for cool-season planting. They require 6-8 hours of sun and a soil enriched with compost. Remember that winter is their season, and that they are HEAVY feeders-fertilize monthly with NutriStar Color Star time-release fertilizer, and the blooms will never stop! I have had them bloom in an ice storm! Dead-head the fading flowers when possible to encourage more blooms, and you will be greatly rewarded!               Violas are one of my [...]

By |2024-02-26T14:36:35-06:00September 26th, 2017|Plants|
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Mum’s the Word

Most of us think of mums as a fall flower to put in a pot by the front door to welcome in the cooler weather, and they certainly pair well with pumpkins as a fall decoration. When grown in a container, mums do not need additional fertilizer. Regular watering is a must, as wilting shortens the life of the flowers. Be sure to soak the soil thoroughly, and do not let water stand in a saucer beneath the pot. Water the soil, not the plant, as water on the flowers [...]

By |2023-10-23T14:16:28-05:00September 20th, 2017|Uncategorized|
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Fall Pre-Emergent

Remember the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? That certainly applies to the use of pre-emergent herbicides. Who wouldn’t prefer spreading a product on our lawns and beds that STOPS the weeds BEFORE they come up? A real no-brainer for me! The correct product with the correct timing ensures success! Because weeds are classified as “warm-season or cool-season”, according to the temperature at which they germinate, we can address a particular weed we have by timing the application of pre-emergent appropriately. I’ve said it [...]

By |2023-09-06T12:17:52-05:00September 14th, 2017|Lawn Care|
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I – September Gardening Checklist

    Vegetable Gardens:  If you haven’t already removed your old vegetable plants from spring, now is the time to do so! Compost whatever does not have disease or insects, and discard the rest. This is your “window” to add amendments to your garden! Choose from Happy Frog Soil Conditioner, or Heirloom Soils Leaf Mold Compost quality amendments for use in gardens and other plantings. Compost will add needed nutrients and texture to your soil, improving moisture holding capacity, microbe activity, and production.  If you need large amounts of compost [...]

By |2024-09-10T17:12:27-05:00September 5th, 2017|Monthly Gardening Checklist|
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Midges are a Nuisance!

There are a lot of perks that come with living near a lake or pond, especially in Texas. But in addition to swimming and boating, your summers might include large populations of mosquito-looking insects hatching in hordes! They infiltrate your outdoor spaces, fly in your mouth and up your nose, turn your patio into a dark mess of squashed bugs, hover around your porch lights, and generally cause a huge nuisance! Aquatic midges, also known as non-biting midges, are related to flies but look like mosquitoes. Females lay their eggs [...]

By |2017-08-24T13:10:43-05:00August 24th, 2017|Insects|
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Texas Ranger

August is the perfect time to look around your neighborhood and see what is thriving in this oppressive Central Texas heat. If you have been thinking about planting in a new area, adding screening or simply rejuvenating an existing landscape, observing what does well at the hottest time of the year should give you some great ideas of what will thrive in years to come. Texas Ranger, also known as Texas Sage, Cenizo, or Barometer Bush, has been giving us a particularly good show the past week. Abundant flowers appear [...]

By |2017-08-15T15:53:25-05:00August 15th, 2017|Plants|
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Preparing for a Fall Garden

It is so easy to get excited about planting a fall garden. The garden is looking bare from pulling out the old, tired plants from spring, and the thought of fresh broccoli and lettuce is making me hungry! So, let’s get started! Whether you have an existing garden or are establishing a new one, the preparation is basically the same. First, determine if your soil is clay-like, sandy or gravelly. Each type of soil requires a different type of amendment strategy, as well as a different fertilization program. Clay Soil, [...]

By |2019-09-08T15:01:56-05:00August 15th, 2017|Vegetable Gardening|
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Planting for Butterflies

Working in a nursery certainly has its advantages. When the butterflies are out in force, it is a show-stopping display! Most of you know that butterflies have less specific “nectar” plants for the adult butterflies and more specific “food” plants for the caterpillars. It is interesting that the adults will often scope out where to lay their eggs while they are feeding on nectar. For this reason, it is helpful to have some of the “food” plants nearby when planting your nectar garden. An example of a “food” plant for [...]

By |2020-07-22T16:37:46-05:00August 9th, 2017|Plants|
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