When fig leaves start looking sad in late summer we get a lot of questions about what can be done. Figs are susceptible to a fungal disease called Fig Rust and it is not uncommon to see symptoms of this fungus on stressed trees. Fig Rust symptoms begin as angular yellow-green flecks on the leaf. The spots become more yellow and eventually turn a yellowish brown. On the underside of the leaf the spots appear as small blisters from [...]
Webs Forming at Tips of Tree Branches Has anyone seen tips of tree branches that are covered in spider webs? We have! Ground spiders will often form disorganized webs at the tips of tree branches and raise their brood of thousands of tiny spiders there. Fortunately most of these webs are made by these harmless and beneficial spiders, and not by pests at all. This web was made by a spider on a leaf of a young Live Oak. We have seen examples [...]
PECANS: Mix early and late pollinators for best nut set. All varieties do better with a pollinator. Mature height and canopy width of 30 x 30 ft. Remember, Pecan trees do best in deep soil. If planted in the home lawn always check labels on insecticides, fungicides and herbicides before applying them to the lawn. If the label says "do not apply under the canopy of fruit or nut trees" use another option Choctaw (Cho)– Late pollinating variety with very large nuts and soft-shell. Early bearing variety with good [...]
First, I'd like to say how sorry I am if your garden and landscape was damage by hail. While it is a fairly common occurrence in Central Texas, that doesn't make it any easier to take when one day you have a beautiful garden/yard and the next it is shredded. Assess the damage The first thing that you should do is to assess the damage. Since hail storms often involve high winds, inspect trees for any damaged or broken limbs and locate any plants or trees whose stems were broken [...]
Know your soil before you choose a tree for your landscape. Always perform a drainage test if drainage is questionable. Clay Soil Cedar Elm Lacebark Elm Canby Oak Live Oak Texas Red Oak Bur Oak Chinese Pistache Magnolia Bald Cypress Mex. Sycamore Caliche Soil Cedar Elm Lacey Oak [...]
When you arrive... When you arrive, please check in at the welcome booth. If you are planning on purchasing a tree that is 15 gallon size or larger you MUST sign in with your name and phone number. You will be helped in the order that you signed in. If there are people ahead of you, we will call your phone number when it is your turn to be helped. If necessary, you may request a salesperson with a golf cart to assist you. You will be asked if you [...]
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” [...]
Planting a Grow Bag Texas Mountain Laurel MEASURE from the bottom of the bag to the top of the soil. (NOT to the top of the bag) DIG a hole that is about two inches shallower than the measurement of the soil depth. TURN the bag on its side and cut the bottom off the bag with a sharp knife. PLACE the grow bag in [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
*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 [...]
I first became aware of this Decline of Post Oaks when visiting a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension booth at an annual trade show several years ago. I had been aware of how the severe drought in 2011 was continuing to plague our trees even more than a decade later, but had not heard of the Post Oak Decline. The incidence of Rapid Decline began in earnest after the severe drought of 2016. Since then I have experienced first hand the devastation this has caused to so many stately old trees. [...]
