Jesse Jenkins

On occasion, we hear new gardeners (kids and adults) being fearful of the creatures that live in our outdoor spaces. Almost everyone loves birds & butterflies – I’m talking about the other workhorses of the garden… toads, frogs, lizards, spiders, bees, and wasps. I have to admit that as a child, I was very fearful of bees & anything that flew my direction, as if I were their target. Now I know that of course I wasn’t.

These creatures are garden-friendly! Not only do we get entertainment and pure joy from watching them in our landscapes – they are incredibly beneficial for controlling unwanted pests. Many wasps are predatory and devour other chewing insects. Most lizards, particularly Leopard Geckos, eat cockroaches. Beetles, unwanted caterpillars, stink bugs, and flies are kept in check naturally. No chemicals & no work necessary on our part. In the case of bees, they support the pollination of blooming and food-producing plants.

It’s important to not use chemicals that may cause harm to your beneficial creatures. Use organics – they’re safe and effective. If a chemical is necessary, use the least harmful, use only what you need, and use as directed on the label.

Diversity in nature is a key to garden success. Learn to appreciate all creatures & let’s help children to find wonder not fear in gardens. There are numerous places around the Coastal Bend to discover more about biodiversity in our area. Here’s a few:

HAPPY GARDENING!

-Debbie

Recent rains are WONDERFUL for our gardens and landscapes, but they also bring unwanted pests: mosquitoes. Before dousing yourself and your gardens with sprays, learn about using plants and other natural solutions that help repel these vampires and look beautiful in your outdoor space.

Our favorite plant for repelling mosquitoes is Citronella Scented Geranium. This is not the true Citronella plant (which does not grow in our area), but a Geranium that has Citronella oil in the plant. They are easily grown in containers and perfect for setting around gathering areas and doorways. Yes, they keep their fragrance for the life of the plant. Mine is 4-5 years old and still just as fragrant!

Several other plants repel mosquitoes AND grow well in our area. Pro tip: fragrant foliage needs to be touched or brushed against to release their mosquito-repelling scents. Be sure to place them near walkways, doorways, and patios.

**Clockwise from top left:** Basil, Rosemary, Marigolds, Mint, Catmint, Lemongrass

Combine these plants with the natural Mosquito Beater Granules, Skeeter Eggs, and Skeeter Incense and you’re ready to enjoy summer with less bites.…chemical free!

Happy summer!

– Debbie

Summer heat is here, and proper watering is crucial for good plant health! A dry, stressed plant loses young feeder roots and is the first to be attacked by insects. Here are some of our best tips for ensuring that your plants are getting the water they need to thrive through Summer.

Water in the Morning

It is much better to water in the morning, don’t wait until evening, to make sure the plants are well hydrated going into the heat of the day. I always say if a plant has to wait for water until the evening, it’s like running a marathon, but you cannot drink until the race is over. Think how thirsty those plants must be when our temperatures are mid to high 90s and they are dry until you get home from work!

New Plants Need More Water

Since new plants have a much smaller root system that has not spread throughout the surrounding soil, they are not yet able to absorb extra moisture. It is very important to saturate the root ball of the plant at each watering – the best way is to use a hand-held watering wand. A good rule of thumb is to water new plants twice a day (depending on the plant variety) for the first week, then once a day for 10 days to 2 weeks, then every other day for 2 weeks, then twice a week through the Summer until the weather starts cooling down. For example, if you planted new plants on June 12, this would be a good watering schedule:

Established Plants Still Need Watering

Remember: “established” means over a year old. Sprinkler systems and drip irrigation are great for established landscapes with large root systems. Now that the root system has spread out, it can pull moisture from a larger surrounding area. If you don’t have a sprinkler system or irrigation system, you can set up a hose-end sprinkler with large droplets or water by hand.

Use a Moisture Meter – its not cheating!

Some plants show signs of heat stress and wilt even though they have been watered well (ex. Coleus and Impatiens). To help determine if any plant has been watered to the right moisture level, we carry Moisture Meters – just stick it into the root ball of the plant and the meter tells you whether you need to water or not. No guessing! If you know you have watered, but the plant still looks thirsty, wait till sundown, and look at the plant again; it’s usually perked back up and happy. Plants wilt and fold up to protect themselves, then perk up once the sun goes down and temperatures drop.

Happy Gardening!

– DeAnna

The Potting Shed is up and running at Gill’s, so we thought we’d go over a few pro tips to help ensure success with indoor and outdoor potted plants.

1. Pick the right size pot

Generally, it’s good to pick a pot that allows for some room to grow all the way around the root ball when you plant. You don’t want to go too big because the soil will hold too much moisture.

2. Use a good potting soil (potting mix)

Potting soil (potting mix) is made for use in pots – its’ specially blended to have the right drainage. You notice that it’s a lot lighter and looser than topsoil or soil you dig out of the ground.

3. Give your plant some food!

We recommend using organic Bio-tone fertilizer when planting to help your plant get a great start. Then use a good organic such as liquid Medina Hastagro once every 2-4 weeks.

4. Plant at the proper depth

All plants have surface level roots that you do not want to cover up with soil, so don’t plant too deep. You also don’t want soil all the way up to the lip of your pot or it will overflow when you water!

5. Use a Moisture Meter

Quick and easy way to tell if you are watering too much, not enough, or just right!

Happy Potting,

Wyatt

It’s transition time for South Texas backyard farmers. It’s good to remove your tired plants that have finished their growing cycles, yet bare ground in the Summer can turn into a weedy mess… and fast! Help your garden and your muscles by planting a cover crop. These are plants that grow quickly, provide weed control, and help reduce soil compaction, which will make prepping for planting veggies this Fall a lot easier.

One of the best for Summer are Cowpeas aka Black-eyed peas. They are considered one of the most heat-adapted legumes in the US. They have dense growth to suppress weeds, provide nitrogen to the soil, and will help improve the soil once they are turned under. Extra benefit – you just might get to harvest fresh black-eyed peas from your own garden! They’re easily grown from seed.

If you love flowers, Zinnias are one of our favorites and you can enjoy their bouquets all Summer, while keeping weeds from taking over! Sunflowers are also fun to plant. Both of these also grow easily from seed.

How to plant….

Once you’ve cleared your area, do a quick turn of the soil, sprinkle an organic plant food… we love Espoma Bio-Tone or Medina Growin Green, follow the seed planting guide on package, and water. Give them a daily watering and soon you’ll have a new garden that looks great & helps keep your soil ready for planting Fall veggies!

Happy Summer Gardening,

-Debbie

From 10,000 to 5000 years ago, the Sahara Desert was wet, green, and covered with lakes! Over those thousands of years, minerals precipitated out of the water and were deposited on the lake beds. Now that it is a dry desert, high temperatures cause rapidly rising hot air currents to lift those minerals high into the atmosphere, where prevailing western winds carry the dust across the Atlantic to the Americas.

While the dust movement varies in intensity over time, it is almost always present to some degree. In the winter, dust is typically sent to South America. In the summer, it sends the clouds toward North America.

The effects of the dust on human respiratory allergies are regrettable, but plants love the minerals contained in the dust, primarily the phosphorus and iron. Saharan dust is a primary nutrient source of the Amazon rain forest, the “lungs of the world”, enabling the production of oxygen and the sequestering of carbon dioxide. For plants, and us, as we depend on them, this brown cloud does have a silver lining.

-James Gill

In the past few weeks, lots of customers have been bringing us grass samples and photos of their lawns with tell-tale signs of 3 of the most common summertime pests: Take All Root Rot (fungus), chinch bugs, and grubworms. Here’s what to look for and some tips for prevention and treatment.

1. Take All Root Rot

TARR is the most serious and may be the most likely. We have seen lot of cases this year and it’s becoming a more common problem. Be on the lookout for yellowing areas in the lawn that eventually die leaving weakened brown or black dead roots. Spread Natures Blend compost over the area if the symptoms are mild or Disease X fungicide if more widespread. To be sure – bring us a grass sample and we can diagnose.

2. Chinch Bugs

Watch the edges of lawn near the sidewalk and driveway that look dry and wilted after you know you have watered well. Watch our quick video on how to check for chinch bugs, or bring us a grass sample and we can diagnose. Once you determine that chinch bugs are present, you can treat with hose-end Cyonara or Diatomaceaus Earth for an organic control.

Chinch bugs are more likely to attack a dry stressed lawn before a healthy, well-hydrated lawn. Look at your grass blades early in the morning. If the blades are folded, then the lawn is dry and ready to be watered. It will naturally be folded in the heat of the day which is why you should check early in the morning.

3. Grubworms

Areas of the lawn show signs of wilt even after you have watered. Dig down and look for grubworms under the soil. They eat the roots off your grass and other plants as well. You can treat for grubs with Season Long Grubworm Killer or Bayer 24 hour Grub Killer. Temperatures are too warm right now, but a good organic solution is to apply beneficial nematodes in the Spring so that they can colonize and be ready to eat grubs when they arrive in late Summer.

-DeAnna

Summertime is a great time for succulents. We’ve got a big selection of fun and unusual varieties for lots of color and texture combinations. Check out our quick video and tips for keeping your succulents happy.

1. Use ½ soil + ½ perlite or sand for happy succulents

We recommend using a mixture of half perlite or sand and half potting soil as the medium for your succulents to be potted into. Don’t use beach sand because it has too much salt! Having well-draining soil is especially important for succulents and cacti to help prevent them from being overwatered and rotting.

2. Succulents need food and water too!

Succulents and cacti prefer not to sit in wet soil for very long. Our favorite way to check the dampness of the soil is by using a moisture meter to make sure that all of the soil in the pot is dry before watering again. To keep your succulents happy and healthy, fertilize during the Spring and Summer seasons – we like using organic Hastagro every 2-3 weeks.

3. Most succulents need morning sun

Most succulents thrive in direct morning sun and afternoon shade, while most cacti make great all-day direct sun plants. Keep that in mind when looking for the perfect spot. Succulents do great outside, but if you want to keep them indoors, find a place that gets bright light.