Palms Archives

Gardening in Clay Soils in Central Texas
Gallery
Gardening in Clay Soils in Central Texas

Vegetable Gardening, Plants, Trees, Palms

Gardening in Clay Soils in Central Texas

Why is it hard to find information on gardening in clay soils? If you have been gardening in clay soil for very long you have probably had your fair share of failures. It is hard to find lists of plants that will thrive in heavy soil, as no one really wants to stick their neck out with recommendations in case it doesn’t work. Of course, there are many variables that need to be considered, and growing conditions are never identical, so please consider this a list of “plants to try” [...]

By Mary Kay Pope|2025-05-03T08:54:27-05:00October 7th, 2024|Vegetable Gardening, Plants, Trees, Palms|

Hardy Palms for Central Texas

Let's face it, Central Texas has unpredictable winters. It seems that every 10 years or so we will get a killing freeze that separates the hardy palms from the non-hardy palms. Some non-hardy palms such as the Mexican Fan Palm will be damaged more often than that, and may or may not survive even a "normal" winter. There are palms that will survive all but the most brutal Central Texas winters, and I'd like to introduce you to them here. What is our Hardiness Zone? According to the USDA 2023 [...]

By Mary Kay Pope|2024-03-27T15:29:22-05:00March 27th, 2024|Plants, Palms|

Hard Freeze Preparation in Central Texas

Prepare for a Hard Freeze in Central Texas: A Gardener’s Guide As a horticulturist in Central Texas, I know one thing for sure—our weather keeps us on our toes. Sudden temperature swings are common, and winter forecasts can change quickly. When a hard freeze is predicted, the best approach is simple: prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Current forecasts show lows between 15°F and 25°F, with below-freezing temperatures lasting up to 60 hours or more in some areas. Low-lying valleys often drop colder than higher elevations. Because [...]

By Mary Kay Pope|2026-01-21T14:59:45-06:00January 11th, 2024|Vegetable Gardening, Fruit & Nuts, Plants, Trees, Houseplants, Succulents and Cacti, Yucca and Agave, Palms, Ornamental Trees|