Landscaping Ideas Texas
Spring is holding on with relatively mild temperatures and abundant rainfall. Of course, Texas summer time conditions are right around the corner with hotter and usually dryer weather. Here are some tips to help you be more successful in your June garden. Make plans to attend the free Horticulture Field Day on June 25, at the Texas A&M Agrilife Research and Extension Center in Overton, where you will get a firsthand look at the very latest plant introductions. This all-day program starts off in the morning with a…
There is a little cluster of educational programs coming up that should inspire and supply you with ideas for your own garden. First up is this Saturday with the Home Garden Tours sponsored by the Smith County Master Gardeners, a volunteer organization supporting Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service programs. They have selected 4 gardens of varying styles that you can stroll through to learn, ask questions and get ideas. Viewing times are from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m., rain or shine. Advance Tickets on sale thru May 29…
I’d like to introduce you to a different kind of evergreen groundcover that may fill a niche in your landscape. If you are originally from more northern parts of the U.S., you are no doubt familiar with the common evergreen shrub known as Yew (Taxus), which does not fare well in our area. Similar in appearance, but much more tolerant of our southern heat is Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus). This is a great plant that deserves wider use in the South. Plum yews have feathery, dark evergreen, needle-like…
Springtime! Finally azaleas and other spring flowering plants are bursting into their spring glory. This is a perfect time for not only enjoying the fabulous scenery and landscapes in East Texas, but also for getting out into your own yard for planting, cleaning up and creating your own personal paradise. There’s plenty of gardening things to do in the month of April, and here a few items for your list. Upcoming Programs. The East Texas Garden Lecture Series continues this month on April 11 with “The Backyard Buffet…
Despite the recent cold and cloudy weather slowing down the start of our azalea blooming season, the official Tyler Azalea Trail annual celebration kicks off Sunday, March 22 with a ribbon cutting at the Pyron’s lovely garden on Dobbs Street in Tyler. Some nice sunny and warm days should speed up bud break and the wonderful display, not only on the Tyler Azalea Trail, but all across our region. I have written about azaleas many times before, and why not? Our climate and soils are so well-suited for…
As the gardening season gears up, one of the common questions we get as A&M AgriLife Extension agents is about fertilizing our plants. Vegetables, fruit trees, flowers and lawns all need an adequate amount of nutrients to grow and deliver peak performance. You can have a plant with the best genetics, but if it is “starving”, it will not grow as expected. While we might be able provide generalities about a particular plant’s nutrient needs, we are not going to have a clue about your particular soil’s nutrient…
Whether its according to the phase of the moon, or by George Washington’s birthday, mid -February is time to plant Irish potatoes. The Almanac indicates February 10-17 as moon-favorabile dates for planting potatoes, and those who garden according to the weather say about 4 weeks before average last freeze, both put it about now for potato planting time! Potatoes grow and produce best between 60 and 75 degrees during the day and 45 to 55 degrees at night, which doesn’t happen for very long each spring. Potatoes must…