H – August Gardening Checklist

Annuals and perennials: There is still time to plant heat-loving annuals in those bare spots in the landscape. Many of the heat-lovers, such as Vinca, Angelonia and Penta will thrive all the way until frost. Geraniums in pots may be trimmed and fertilized for a fall display of blooms. If you haven’t already, move them to afternoon shade. Some perennials are looking stressed, especially Lantana, which might have Lantana Lacebugs. Now is a good time to cut them back and fertilize them for a spectacular bloom throughout the fall. Don’t [...]

By |2021-12-29T10:33:29-06:00August 1st, 2017|Monthly Gardening Checklist|
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Lacebug Damage on Lantanas

Watch for Lacebug damage on Lantanas! The leaves will appear “bleached-out”, and there will be black specks on the back of the leaves. Damage usually appears in July and August. Cut these plants back pretty hard and then fertilize them. When new growth appears, protect the new foliage by spraying with a product labeled for lacebugs. Come consult our knowledgeable nursery staff for recommendations on appropriate fertilizers and insecticides. Spots on the back of Lantana leaves caused by lacebugs. Lacebugs on the back of lantana leaves. [...]

By |2020-07-22T16:38:41-05:00August 1st, 2017|Insects|
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Citrus Varieties in Central Texas

Improved Meyer Lemon:  The original Meyer lemon was introduced from China by plantsman Frank Meyer. It is believed to be a cross between and orange and a lemon, which gives the plant more cold-hardiness. The Meyer lemon was a popular backyard fruit tree for many years, until in the 1940’s it was identified as a carrier of a deadly citrus tristeza virus. Most of the Meyer lemons were destroyed to protect the citrus industry, and it wasn’t until the 1970’s that a virus-free strain, the “improved Meyer” lemon was introduced. [...]

By |2024-03-17T11:12:16-05:00July 27th, 2017|Fruit & Nuts|
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Take All Root Rot (TARR)

Most of the people I have talked to about their declining (dying) lawns this year have not heard about this rapidly spreading disease of lawns. Take-all root rot (TARR), or take-all patch, does just that. It is a fungus that kills ALL of the grass plant: roots, stolons (runners) and leaves. It is most common on St. Augustine, but has been observed on Bermuda and Zoysia as well. What are the symptoms of TARR? Symptoms of take-all patch usually appear as diseased patches of turf during late spring and early [...]

By |2023-06-27T16:14:42-05:00July 18th, 2017|Lawn Care, Disease|
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Avocado Growing in Central Texas

If you love avocados, try giving these “hardy” avocados a try! They may take a little extra work to grow in Texas, but the rewards are worth it! Please note that the winter hardiness stated is for trees established for 3 years or more. Trees will need protection in the first few years. ‘Joey’ has a small, egg-shaped fruit, with a dark purple skin and flavorful, nutty flesh. It ripens from August to October, and is cold hardy to 15 degrees F (for a short period of time). (Zone 8b) [...]

By |2021-01-11T11:53:58-06:00July 18th, 2017|Fruit & Nuts|
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Don’t Overlook Ornamental Grasses

A balanced landscape requires many elements, and ornamental grasses are a great choice to fill the need for a structural variation in foliage. While everyone loves the plants that give us color, we also need to “break up” the landscape to avoid monotony, and give texture to our plantings. We have a wonderful selection of native ornamental grasses available to us, and not only do they fill a design void, but they are often quite heat and drought tolerant as well. Be aware of the structural aspect of the grasses [...]

By |2019-08-25T02:52:11-05:00July 12th, 2017|Uncategorized|
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How to Choose a Crape Myrtle

It may seem kind of silly to write about “Choosing a Crape Myrtle”. Don’t you just decide what color you like and buy that one? Well, maybe. But there are other factors to consider as well. We now have a plethora of varieties to choose from, some with dark colored leaves, different colors of exfoliating bark, brilliant fall colors from red to orange, and a myriad of flower colors.  While all of these are important, remember to first identify the mature height of Crape Myrtle that would be appropriate for the [...]

By |2020-08-25T13:41:12-05:00June 21st, 2017|Trees|
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F – June Gardening Checklist

Annuals and Perennials: Some of the best heat-loving annuals are ready to be planted now! Vinca, Angelonia, Penta, Sweet Potato Vine, Coleus, Wax Begonias, Purslane and Portulaca will easily make it through our hot summer with attentive watering and monthly fertilization. Even Geraniums, when moved to dappled shade or part sun will produce abundant blooms all summer if deadheaded and fertilized monthly.                 Perennials should be establishing well if planted in the spring. If planting now, continue hand-watering daily for several weeks. Watering [...]

By |2023-05-31T10:25:26-05:00June 7th, 2017|Monthly Gardening Checklist|
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Crape Myrtle Aphids

It’s funny, we rarely get the question, “how do I control aphids on my Crape Myrtles?” More often, we are asked, “why are my Crape Myrtle leaves black?” Or, “what is dripping on my car from the Crape Myrtle trees?”  Both of these questions refer to an infestation of an insect called a Crape Myrtle aphid. Yes, they actually are named after the tree. That, in itself, tells us something. It is one of the most common pests of Crape Myrtles in the United States. Apparently it was introduce from [...]

By |2022-04-11T13:47:25-05:00May 30th, 2017|Insects|
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Insects in the Vegetable Garden

Do You Have Insects in the Vegetable Garden? As the temperatures warm, insects become more of problem in the home garden. We are seeing stink bugs hatching from their eggs, spider mites sucking sap from plant cells, and caterpillars munching on our crops!   Stink bugs are most easily controlled when they have just hatched and are in the “nymph” stage. Actually, they are most easily controlled when they are eggs, and you can simply pick them off the leaf and place in a can of soapy water! The eggs [...]

By |2024-05-19T15:03:48-05:00May 25th, 2017|Uncategorized|
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Is it CLEM-a-tis or clem-A-tis?

Whichever way you pronounce it, it is one of my favorite flowering vines, and I am excited to introduce it to you! Clematis, in nature, germinate their seed in the shade of other plants, and climb into the sun, keeping their roots in more cool temperatures. Hence, the adage “tops in the sun, roots in the shade”. This can be accomplished by planting a shrub to shade the roots (Liriope works well), or even by placing a large flat stone over the root area. A thick layer of mulch also [...]

By |2024-07-24T09:39:04-05:00May 11th, 2017|Plants|
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Peach Tree Blues

Peach Tree Chilling? Some varieties of fruit, such as peaches, plums, apricots, and apples, require a certain number of “chilling” hours in order to bloom and set fruit. This is usually calculated between October 1 and February 28/29, and is either calculated as the number of hours between 32 and 45 degrees or hours below 45 degrees F...depending on who is doing the calculating!  When selecting a variety for your area, it is important to remember that a chilling requirement is not a hard and fast rule- it is a [...]

By |2020-07-22T16:40:39-05:00May 2nd, 2017|Fruit & Nuts|
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