A lot of folks are asking how to get their tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers to put on more fruit. The answer might be as simple as you need more bees! Pollinators like bees and butterflies are a critical part of any successful garden, so make some space for bee attracting plants. Some of our favorites are Pink Fairy Duster, African Blue Basil and Calendula.
Whether you call it Texas Tarragon, Mexican Mint Marigold, or Tagetes lucida, I call it an absolute beauty for fragrance, flavor, and color every South Texas Autumn! Known for its liquorish anise flavor, it makes the perfect sub for true tarragon that struggles to grow in our area. I love it just as much for the golden flowers that attract many butterflies and honey bees. Their bloom is best and most showy during the Fall season. Trim them early spring to keep tidy. Full to part sun average soil and water. No bugs or diseases. They are a breath of fresh sweet air every morning in my courtyard.
-Debbie
This stuff works! We tried it out last week on a patch of weeds here in the nursery in a side by side comparison with 20% Vinegar. Within about 5 minutes (I kid you not!) the weeds started drooping. They were dead within an hour. It was amazing! I was floored by its effects. Not only did all the weeds die (even tough ones like spurge, sedge, plantain and horse herb), but they stayed dead. The Vinegar made the weeds droop, but within 3 days they were back with a vengeance. Burn Out is made of clove oil and citric acid, so it smells great and is pet and people friendly. It kills the root without translocating to other plants, making it perfect for veggie gardens! We really like it, so we got a concentrate and a ready-to-use spray. We think this is a winner!
-Marta
Folks have been bringing in oak leaves with lumps, bumps, and fuzzies, wanting to know, what is this and what do I do about it? Several different insects can cause galls, but predominantly it is different species of small wasps. I collected these three most common types of oak leaf galls off just one branch of my tree. The wasp flies in and lays eggs on the leaf or stem, in a fresh and growing portion of the tree. When the larva emerges from the egg, it starts secreting a chemical that causes the oak to grow abnormal tissue in which the larva shelters and feeds. It is usually just a cosmetic issue, not a threat to tree health, and other than the stem galls, other galls fall away as the leaves drop, with seemingly little carryover from one year to the next. Insecticide treatments are not recommended in home landscapes, only in commercial oak nurseries where the trees are relatively small and in dense blocks, and aesthetics are paramount to salability. Factoid- in medieval times, ink was made by crushing oak galls to release tannic and gallic acids, in which iron scraps were dissolved, the resulting mess, after filtering, and gum arabic added, making black ink. This was the standard writing ink for over 1400 years, and is still manufactured for use by some artists.
–James
Artichokes are gorgeous plants. They’re just pretty! They have large arching silver spiked leaves, and add drama to any landscape. If you want a good crop of artichokes, try these tips to improve your harvest. Artichokes are deep rooted, so prep your soil at least 8 inches deep with Cattle Manure or Cotton Burr Compost spaded or tilled in. We have small pots of artichoke in stock or you can plant by seed. Keep your seedling or seeds moist but not soaked for at least a month. Artichokes grow for about 100 days before you’ll see any harvest potential, so be patient! They’re very slow growing in the cold, but actually need those chilled hours to build their root system. Harvest the buds before they bloom, and you’ll be munching on artichoke hearts in no time. But if you want to see something extraordinary, let them bloom! You’ll be amazed.
-Marta
Anything that didn’t get done in October, do it now! If you need to fertilize, prevent weeds, check for insects or think about preventing fungus caused by heavy rains or overwatering, we have everything you need and we can help identify any problems you may have. James also did a great you tube video on identifying and treating for brown patch fungus. You can find it on our website under “Garden Tips”, then “Videos”, then “Brown Patch”. We also have a great selection of fall and winter flowers ready to plant. Petunias, Snapdragons, Dianthus, Violas, Impatiens, Begonias, Geraniums and more. Pansies will be here mid November. Work Nature’s Blend into the soil before planting and add Actinovate or Actino-Iron to the soil to help prevent and control fungus.
-DeAnna
I am an honorary aunt to two adorable little girls who enjoy games and craft projects. Every Sunday I try to find a fun activity that will teach and entertain them. I came across these ideas that incorporate my love of gardening and responsibility to do my part to recycle.
Ever wonder what to do with those Capri Sun empty pouches? They make a great instant flower pot. Just rinse them out and poke holes in the bottom. Fill with dirt and plant a seed or bedding plant of your choice.
Plastic gallon milk jugs are another great opportunity to recycle. Just cut in half and poke holes in the bottom and plant a cooking herb. Keep the top half to use as a cover for cold protection. What fun to cook with fresh ingredients.
Both of these ideas are fun learning opportunities and inexpensive group activities.
-Mary
“What smells so good in the kitchen?” my family asks. “Just sautéing the onions.” I reply. Funny how the pungent tear evoking root awakens our noses and our stomachs that something incredibly good is bound to come from of it. Its onion planting time and the first ones are here and ready to plant…just in time for the holidays! Onions need lots of sun, good drainage, fertilizer, and time if you want larger bulb onions. Harvesting green onions is just a month or so of growing, plucking and eating. Because onions are a root vegetable, they can rot in our hard clay soil but planting them in raised gardens or large pots to help soil moisture makes it easy and more successful. We grow short day onion varieties in South Texas and our favorites are Bermuda White, Southern Belle Red, and the famous 1015Y Texas Super Sweet . See our Garden Guide on growing onions in South Texas. You’ll soon be hearing…” What smells so good in the kitchen?”
-Debbie
