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Rose Care

It's Chop Back Your Rose Bush Day! Time to get out & prune back your roses and re-mulch your beds. Add some Rose Fertilizer or any plant food with a little extra nitrogen and iron in it. Do not be afraid to really prune them back. Leave at least 18 inches above the soil and cut all of the dead branches out. Do not smother the root knot with mulch if it is grafted. That graft needs to breath and get sun. Roses need 6 plus hrs of sun a day. Invest in the Bayer 3 in 1. A little price-y BUT good stuff to combat all the issues that may come up with roses. Roses can be high maintenance but well worth it! Keep your maintenance plan simple so it works for you! *Happy Valentine's Day!* 
Oh Yeah....Repeat this in August. =)

Mona Lavender Plectranthus

Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’ is a beautiful plant that provides heavy blooms in the spring and fall, but sporadic blooms through the summer. The plant is a cousin of the Swedish Ivy and is in the mint family. It does not spread and take over like mint. It is a sturdy plant with thick, dark green leaves. It shows a pretty purple on the bottom side of the leaves. Mona Lavender likes to be moist but not over-watered. Bright light, but not full sun. It is a fast grower when it is happy! Mona Lavender will get about 16-18" tall and spreads approx. 12" wide. Feed after the heavy blooming cycle. You should be able to find Mona Lavender year round in some nurseries but definitely right now 

Golden Rain Tree- you should have one!

Golden Rain Trees are a beautiful medium sized blooming tree. Koelreuteria paniculata.  They are fast growing and deciduous in the winter. In the fall the tree gets a ton of large blooming pods at the ends of the branches! Beautiful YELLOW Blooms! After the blooms have been on the tree for about 2 weeks or so, the seed pods form and they are a lantern shaped, pink-ish colored carrier of the seed. Usually 3 seeds each pod... The Seeds usually fall with a good wind storm and you will have babies in the spring! The new seedlings are easy to pull up and move or just mow over them and they eventually die out... The Golden Rain Tree gives great shade with its nice canopy shape and Lush green leaves.

Drought Tolorant Plants

I just wanted to start a list of plants that grow well here in the Gulf coast Area of Texas. I will add more later.....
Lantana
Daylilies
Cannas
Pentas
Plumbago
Coreopsis
Echinacea
Salvias
Rosemary
Mexican Heather
Blue Daze
Cigar Plant
Perennial Verbena
Hamelia 'Firebush'
Butterfly Weed
Iris'
Gaillardia
Purple Fountain Grass
Pampas Grass
Carolina Jassmine
Confederate Jasmine
Pink Muhly Grass
Vitex
Yuccas
Succulents
Cacti
Agave
Honeysuckle
Junipers
Crepe Myrtles
Flowering Quince
Mountain Laurel
Bottle Brush
Eleagnus
Fig Ivy
Purple Passion Vine
Ginger
Aloe
Sweet Olive
Texas Sage
Have any Questions??? Feel Free to Ask!

xeriscaping

What is Xeriscaping?? Planting water-wise plants. Planting native plants for your area....like perennials and other plants that don't need a lot of watering. More information to come soon!

We need some Rain!

I know I have only seen it rain once since January and it wasn't at my house! My grass needs some rain! Some natural nitrogen and perfect Ph watering... No chlorinated hose water! Well I know...I should be happy I can at least water! Most areas around me are in mandatory water conservation modes. It just makes me sad though when I drive around and the grasses and trees are all brown. They are in shock or worse...dead already. I know this will pass and we will complain that we are getting too much rain someday. I just get a little passionate about plants and I wish it would rain!! So now some tips:
1. Mulch your plants, but not too deep on the trunks or plants.
2. Deep root watering! Very important...water longer and less often when possible.
3. Plants the kinds of plants that will thrive in dry/ hot conditions. (Natives)
4. Simplify
5.Don't use weed killers. They sit close to the surface and the thirsty roots of trees and shrubs will pull the herbicides in and cause damage or worse.
6. Insects look for healthy and distressed plants. Keep an eye out for aphids, spider mites, scale, etc....
Use insecticidal soap or just plain dish soap and water to spray as needed. Use something stronger when this doesn't work.
7. Never water plants when they are in the hot sun. Late afternoon watering is better. Water well...not just on the surface.
8. Remember if a plant is wilted from lack of water....don't over water to correct. This can suffocate the roots and kill the plant.
9. Sometimes a plant will look fine, but the soil looks dry....if in doubt, stick your finger in and feel the soil about 1-2 inches deep.
10. It is okay to fertilize your plants during a drought. All the watering is washing the nutrients away. Use organic fertilizers when possible. Use low doses of fertilizers often and look for one with micro nutrients like iron, sulfur and magnesium. Add compost to your soil.

Super Bloom

Super Bloom! 55 percent Phosphorus is the key to making your yard a Spring wonderland full of blossoms and blooms! Use this water soluble plant food on whatever blooms to get more flowers and bigger blooms!

Awesome Lawn Fertilizer! Great Green Up!

Looking for a good Lawn Food?? This stuff is great! 22 percent nitrogen and 6% Iron= GREEN! I love it and if you use a lot of Bonus S, try to use this 3-4 times a yr and see if you don't have to use the weed and feed anymore! Green Max can be used carefully under tree and shrub drip lines for green-up and growth on trees and shrubs..... Happy Gardening!

Spring Clean-up

Ahhhh....Spring is here! Hard to believe it but 14 days ago we were freezing and we have had nothing but warm weather since. But the grass is greening up and the birds are coming back. The butterflies are fluttering around and the ants are making mounds....  Yes, that means I must come out of my hibernation and weed-eat the dead overgrowth and mow the Rye grass I put out in December. As I was working out in the yard today I noticed the spider mites had gotten to my plants in the garage. I got all of them outside and sprayed them with insecticidal soap after a good watering. I cut back some of my plants that were damaged from the freeze. They should be okay but you have to get the top stuff off that froze. I have Red Tip Photinia that needed a trimming and Fig Ivy on my house that I shaved down with the hedge trimmers. Next Week: Crepe Myrtles need to be cut back. If you have Roses, you need to prune them. They need a heavy pruning in Feb and Aug. with deadheading through the year. If you have any questions about what to do to get your yard in shape for Spring, just ask! Send me a message..... Happy Gardening!

Bacopa.... A lovely addition to your garden.

Bacopa is a beautiful plant. It does really well in zones 8-11. Bacopa grows to about 6 inches tall and it spreads approx. 12 inches or so.... It likes bright light to keep it blooming. Bacopa is wonderful in hanging baskets, deck boxes, container gardens or in raised beds. Make sure it doesn't get dry, it likes to be evenly moist. Bacopa should be showing up in the garden centers soon or get you some seed. Put them out as early as February to enjoy them all spring. Happy Gardening!

Rye Grass.....So pretty and green!

Hi Everyone I haven't posted in a while. It's coooooold outside...... I will be posting shortly though with all kinds of Spring Gardening info! I know it doesn't seem like it now, but Spring is right around the corner. I know I have a lot to do in my yard. Last week, before the cold weather moved in, we were having temps in the upper 60's. I decided to put out some Annual Rye Grass Seed. I LOVE the beautiful green grass. Rye Grass is a cool weather grass. You apply it by spreader or hand and it will germinate fast! Be careful not to get it in flowerbeds....
You will need to mow it to keep it manicured. (It can get tall and grow fast in warm weather.) Rye grass will die out in late spring when the weather warms up and stays warmer. Your St. Augustine or other grass will still be there and it will be healthier due to the added organic material. Rye grass is very green and soft. It adds a nice contrast to spring growth and flowers!
Rye usually will return the following Fall by volunteer seeds. It will thin over time and you will want to reapply seed. The seed is inexpensive. Don't be afraid to put it out thick. Rye grass helps to keep your soil in the yard where it belongs! If you have eroson problems or just muddy areas, put out some Rye Grass. If you have any questions...just ask! Happy Gardening!

Insecticidal Soap for Safe Insect Control

Safer's Insecticidal Soap: 500mL Concentrate


This is another product that I really LOVE! Insecticidal Soap is a really amazing and a SAFE way to control those little bugs that like to eat on your plants. The Insecticidal Soap will stick to the leaves really well and it works to kill the bugs fast. I like it because there are no dangerous chemicals in it. It has an odor, but its light and not too bad. You can safely use it on houseplants and tropical plants. You can also use it on shrubs and flowers like pansies and roses.. It works well on aphids, spider mites, scale and mealy bugs. Sometimes it may take a few spraying's to get rid of all the insects, but at least you don't have to break out the hard-core insecticides! Happy Gardening!

Ross Root Feeder's Rock!

Just a few products I really Love!!

I really endorse the Ross Root Feeder....It helps to water down where you really need to water, under the soil-line in the root zone. You can add Ross fertilizer to the Feeder and shoot the food straight to where its needed and you don't waste it. The plants in our South Texas soil LOVE this! Its hard to get the fertilizer to feed evenly with "gumbo" soil. The Ross Root feeder gets the job done. This is especially wonderful for trees and shrubs.... In a later post I will talk more about soils, mulches and other organic/ non-organic ammendments.

Brrrrr it's cold.......or not???

All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space!

Is it winter or not??? Here in South East Texas our weather will be cold one minute and if you blink....it's warm again!   Yes! Just two days ago we were close to 34 degrees and Today's high is 78. So what are our plants thinking.....Do I bloom or drop my leaves??? Unfortunately all we can do is go with it and try to keep them healthy and protected. When the temps are in the upper 60's to high 70's, our plant's are happy and lovin' it! But if it's 75 degrees today and tonight it will be in the 40's, our plant's are a little confused and it's possible to get some frost damage on the leaves and new growth. Since the plant's are getting new growth due to the warmer temps...you need to be diligent about protection. If the temps are going to dip more than 20 degrees in a day, you need to be concerned about certain plants. By now a lot of your annuals and perennials have already started to go to seed or die back. You can prune them back or collect seeds for next year. If its an annual and its time is up...pull it up and throw it in the compost pile! So how do you protect your plants??? Mulch..... any kind is good. Don't overdo it though, too much mulch is bad too. Use pine needles( for acid-loving plants), cedar, pine bark, redwood, hardwood...etc. Water your plants well before a freeze and most importantly..cover them up! Now when you cover them up, you want to use freeze blankets or sheets. You want to use something lightweight. Secure it well. Don't use plastic unless you absolutely have to. If you use plastic.....remove it before the sun can cause too much condensation. The condensation  can burn your plants. Here in Zone 9/10 we plant a lot of Tropical plants in our landscaping. We use palm trees, hibiscus and ixora's. oleanders and Ti plants. We even plant ficus trees outdoors. These are the plants that we need to protect. Also other plants like gardenias, mandevillas, ginger, banana trees, bougainvilleas. There are many others....Like citrus and avocados. If you have any questions about specific plants....leave me a comment below! Happy Gardening!

Root Stimulator

Because Fall is for Planting........Use Root Stimulator for success!
Root Stimulator is sold by many companies and is available in many garden centers.
Most root Stimulator's have a fertilizer ratio made up of low numbers, higher in the middle number (phosphorus). Some contain vitamins and hormones. Phosphorus rich plant foods encourage root growth, blooms, stronger stem growth and seed production. When you are planting any plant a root stimulator is going to help to get it established. It will make the smaller roots grow off the root ball and help the plant to thrive. It helps to keep the plant from going into "shock". If you planted some shrubs or trees in the late spring or summer but they dropped all their leaves chances are they are in shock. The new roots will try to grow off the root ball and then something causes them to die back. Maybe too much water, maybe not enough....maybe the wind blew too hard on your young trees. If they are still in the ground...give them Root Stimulator.
If you are moving plants that have already been planted to a new spot....Root Stimulator.
Houseplants....RS will encourage growth and you will have better luck with them.
Bedding plants....Sure!
Root Stimulator will help get them going so you wont need to water so much!
When planting new shrubs and trees from the garden center....dig your holes, add diluted Root Stimulator to the hole. Place your tree or shrub in the hole, replace soil around the root ball and water with RS. Use RS once a month or more often on any plants under a year old. Sometimes older plantings defiantly benefit from RS.
If you have any questions about new planting or Root Stimulator just ask in my comment box....... Happy Gardening!

Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae) There are almost 300 species of Dianthus. Did you know that the Carnation is a cousin to the Dianthus in your flower bed?? The dianthus flowers come in many colors and sizes. They smell sweet and they bloom a whole bunch! The wonderful thing about the Dianthus plant is that they last a long time. Unlike other annuals in this area, you can plant a bunch of Dianthus and if they are happy they will stay with you and perform for a year or two. They do reseed themselves, all you have to do is leave old blooms on the plant and they will go to seed. Let them drop on their own or collect them and redistribute. If you want to have happy Dianthus, follow these simple rules... give them about 6 hrs of sunlight a day, do not over water, but don't let them get wilted either. Fertilize with a blooming plant food (water soluble) and don't mulch up close to the plants. They like to be in well drained soil, built up a bit. Try to "dead-head" old blooms as much as possible to encourage rebloom. Just use garden scissors to cut away dead flower heads. Dianthus do not like acidic soil, so don't plant them with acid loving plants like Azaleas, and Gardenias. Remember that in our zone, it gets HOT in the summer even for plants that like the heat. Dianthus has learned to adapt to our heat but only if it is started in cooler weather and it has time to get established. Have fun with this durable and pretty flower! Happy Gardening!

CHRISTMAS CACTUS

I know....Thanksgiving isn't here yet but the Christmas Cactus are hitting all the stores already! I just wanted to give you some instructions on how to care for these beautiful plants in case you get one for the holidays......

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera Zygocactus)

Likes bright indirect light, loves humidity(recreate with a misting bottle) and "even" watering. Christmas cactus come in a few different colors and have very fragile joints so be careful they don't get knocked around too much. Prune them back about 4 weeks after blooming. Don't let them get too cold either. They will freeze. The Christmas cactus is not a true desert-like cactus. They originated from high up in the Brazilian forest, growing from tree limbs. Many times the healthy Christmas cactus will re bloom around Easter. They really like to be root- bound and to get them to bloom they need fertilizer and equal amounts of light and darkness. It is always best to leave the Christmas cactus in one "happy" place during blooming so it doesn't drop it's blooms. Hope you get one of these beautiful plants for the holidays this year! Happy Gardening!

Mums the Word....

Chrysanthemums or Mums....You see them in vases at the florist or big spirit mums at Homecoming games, but Mums are beautiful in the garden. Garden mums bloom profusely at least twice a year. Give them full sun 6 hrs a day to make them produce abundantly. Most garden centers will sell the garden mums in the Fall around September but some will get them in the spring too. If you are just getting them in the ground you need to know that they need plenty water when blooming. Now if you have already planted the mums.......AFTER they bloom, cut the plants back. Cut them back to 4 inches. Don't forget they are there, give them water still but not as much. Mums bloom around April-May and October. So after you cut them back they will come back out and Bloom again when it is time. Success Tip: Fertilize with Green Light Super Bloom starting at least one month before they should bloom ...... once a week, through the blooming period. A mistake some people make when they plant mums is that they think they are so pretty they plant them right at the front of a bed. Mums can get big! Give them room to grow ...at least 2 feet tall and wide! Remember if its at the front of your bed, you may block other plants..... Now for those of you that bought mums this Fall and they are still in pots, that's fine! Leave them in the pots till spring or plant them now. If you need to pull some up to re-plant, go for it! Our weather is so mild right now, it's a great time to plant!! Happy Gardening!

Pansies!

Pansies are here! Pretty Pansies swaying in the wind.........

There are only a few annuals that really do well here in the Fall- Winter months. Pansies are one of them. Pansies love the cooler weather and give you some much needed color! Pansies grow to 6-8 inches tall and each plant spreads about 6 inches wide. You can plant them close or space them as far apart as you want to. Pansies do well in a sunny location. The sun helps keep your pansies blooming. Pansies bloom a lot! =)

To fertilize your pansies you should put a pinch of Blood Meal in the hole before you plant. Then apply blood meal as needed to keep them happy. Pansies are acid loving plant's. The blood meal doesn't help with this but pine needle mulch and prepping your soil with soil acidifier will.

Keep your pansies evenly moist. Remember sunny, windy days will dry your soil out faster and pansies have a shallow root system. Blood meal is a organic source of nitrogen from poultry. It can be found in most garden centers or feed stores either in the fertilizer or the organic section. Happy Gardening!!!