Plants for Clay Soils in Central Texas

Plants for 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” for clay soils. Clay soils lack two things: [...]

By |2024-10-07T15:07:21-05:00October 7th, 2024|Vegetable Gardening, Plants, Trees, Palms|
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Why are My Tomatoes Not Ripening?

Why Aren’t My Tomatoes Ripening? It’s June, and some of you have been wondering why your tomatoes have continued to remain green and are failing to ripen. The short answer is TEMPERATURE.     The optimum temperature for tomatoes to ripen is 70° to 75°F. If you were a bit late getting your tomatoes planted and/or the temperature got above 85°-90°F early this year, the ripening process slows or even stops. At these high temperatures the pigments lycopene and carotene, which are responsible for giving the fruit the red or [...]

By |2024-06-09T15:35:52-05:00June 9th, 2024|Vegetable Gardening, Plants|
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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 |2024-03-27T15:29:22-05:00March 27th, 2024|Plants, Palms|
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Hard Freeze Preparation in Central Texas 2024

If you are reading this now, it is likely that a "freak" winter event is on its way. Central Texas is known for its variable weather patterns and wide swings in temperature are not unheard of. Weather prediction in Central Texas is difficult, so I would suggest that we prepare for the worst and hope for the best in any predicted extreme event. We are seeing forecast lows of anywhere from 10°F to 15°F  for much of our area, with below freezing temperatures lasting up to 60 hours or more [...]

By |2024-01-11T11:05:21-06:00January 11th, 2024|Vegetable Gardening, Plants, Trees|
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Aphids

Aphids can be difficult insects to control. But how much do we really need to control them? This article explores the aphid life cycle and some different ways to reduce their population without using toxic chemicals. Where do we see aphids?     Aphids are sucking insects which feed on fleshy new growth and the undersides of leaves. We look for them at the top of Crape Myrtles where new growth is abundant. We might find them on the flower buds of Tropical Hibiscus, new growth on any species of [...]

By |2023-11-04T12:38:57-05:00November 1st, 2023|Insects, Plants|
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Lantana Flower Gall Mite

  Have you seen deformed growth at the tips of your Lantana branches this summer? If so, your plant may be infested with a mite called the Lantana Flower Gall Mite.  This microscopic mite breeds inside the developing flower buds, stunting vegetative growth and preventing flowering and seed production. The distorted growth appears as a "witches broom" at the location of the tips of the branches where the flowers usually appear. This mite is destructive to ornamental plantings of Lantana in the landscape and affects the seed availability for birds.  [...]

By |2023-10-17T10:40:17-05:00October 16th, 2023|Uncategorized, Insects, Plants|
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Tropical Pitcher Plants

Tropical Pitcher Plant Nepenthes alata x ventricosa   The Tropical Pitcher Plant, also known as Monkey Cup, is a Carnivorous plant that is native to the Philippines. It is one of the easiest Pitcher Plants to grow and is great for beginners just starting their carnivorous plant collections. This Pitcher Plant grows 8” long red pendulous cups which are uniform at the top and bulbous at the base. The cups produce enzymes that will digest any insect that might enter. The inside of the cups has hairs that are oriented [...]

By |2023-10-02T10:35:50-05:00October 2nd, 2023|Plants, Houseplants|
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Fascinating Fasciation

Plants are always a wonder to me. They come in so many different forms and shapes and colors. As with most living things, they have mutations that occur either spontaneously or as a reaction to an outside agent. Fasciation is one of the most interesting of these mutations that occurs when the tissues in the growing point of the part of the plant called the apical meristem mutates. Fasciation, or cresting as it is sometimes known, can happen in stems, flower heads, fruit, or roots. The causes include viral, bacterial, [...]

By |2023-07-18T15:16:25-05:00July 18th, 2023|Plants, Trees|
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What to do When Plants Wilt

*If the plants are in the ground and the soil is moist, it is likely transpirational wilt. Check the soil moisture first, and if it is wet,  your plant is likely experiencing  "transpirational wilt". This occurs when the plant cannot take up water fast enough to replace the moisture loss in the leaves. This often occurs in high temperatures or windy conditions. You can spray down the leaves with water several times a day to raise the humidity and decrease moisture loss from the leaves. There is no need to [...]

By |2023-06-20T10:41:32-05:00June 20th, 2023|Plants, Trees|
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Nasturtiums in Central Texas

Nasturtiums in Central Texas Nasturtiums are a cool-season annual in Central Texas and are easily grown from seed in pots or seeded directly in the garden. Native to the mountain regions of Central Mexico, Argentina and Chile, they thrive in cool temperatures, but do not tolerate freeze or frost. The plants will fade when it gets hot, so planting when it is cool is mandatory. Nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed,  and are a fun project for late winter gardens.       Nasturtium seeds are large and have [...]

By |2023-01-17T11:48:53-06:00January 17th, 2023|Plants|
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Adaptive Perennial Color for Hot Texas Summers

  Pride of Barbados     Caesalpinia pulcherrima Full Sun, well-drained soil 8' x 8', reseeds readily Herbaceous perennial. Do not cut back until late winter. Will be late to emerge in the spring. Deer resistant in most areas. Zone 8   (W. Indies and subtropics of the Americas)     Tropical Milkweed     Asclepias currasavica Full Sun/Part Sun 3'-4' x 3'-4' Re-seeding annual. Collect seeds when seedpods are ripe and save to plant next year. Somewhat deer resistant, but not reliable. Zone 8 (S.Central, Central America)     Firecracker Fern    [...]

By |2023-01-16T12:19:14-06:00January 16th, 2023|Plants|
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Native Perennials for Central Texas

  Acanthus, Flame      Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii 3’-5’ by 3'-5' Sun. Summer blooms attract hummingbirds. May be trimmed to shape during the growing season. This is a deciduous woody shrub that may also be trimmed right before it flushes in the spring. Deer resistant.  Zone 7 (Edwards Plateau)     Betony, Texas     Stachys coccinea 12"-18" by 2'-3' Shade, Part Shade. Low growing herbaceous perennial with red flowers from April to October. Cut back to the ground in late February. Not reliably deer resistant. Zone 7. (Trans-Pecos region [...]

By |2023-01-17T11:25:07-06:00January 16th, 2023|Plants|
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