heat

Since we stayed cool so long in early Spring, most of us weren’t thinking about watering. But now that we’re in a long period of no rain, high winds, and warmer temps, good watering is critical. Here are our tips to make sure your lawn and plants are properly hydrated.

Depth Moisture: Water Longer and Deeper, Not Just More Frequently

Watering frequently seems like a logical thing to do, but lawns and plants benefit more from deeper drinks, less often. The goal should be to create depth moisture, so plant roots grow deeper in search of water. If you water frequently but not deeply, plant roots will stay shallow where the water is, which makes them less resistant to dry conditions, less resistant to pests and disease, and generally punier!

For lawns in clay soil areas (most of the Coastal Bend) right now, water deeply once a week. Try the tuna can trick: place an empty tuna or cat food can in your lawn, then water the area until the can is full. For clay soil, keep in mind that water runs off faster than it can soak in, so we need to use the TAMU Cycle and Soak Method. For sandy soil (Flour Bluff, Rockport, Padre Island, Port Aransas) you should water more frequently with less volume.

For landscape plants, water deeply at ground level to get water down into the root ball. Don’t shower from above. To prevent runoff, give each plant a short burst, then revisit each plant several times. Also keep in mind that too much water will rot the roots and not allow the plant to take up water and nutrients. Too much water/not enough water will result in very similar symptoms. Best to use a moisture meter – more on that below!

Water in the Morning

If you were running a race, would you rather have a good drink of water at the beginning of the race or no water until the end? Same goes for lawns and plants – they benefit from watering in the morning so they can sustain themselves through the heat of the day.

Moisture Meter – a Gardener’s Best Friend!

Take out the guesswork and use a moisture meter. We promise it’s not cheating! Take it around with you when you’re watering, poke it into the root ball of each plant, get an accurate moisture reading, and water accordingly. So easy to use and SO helpful. Can’t go wrong for about $10.

Try Moisture Retention Technology?

We are planning to experiment with a biodegradable product called Hydretain which uses “a liquid group of hygroscopic and humectant components that attracts moisture. In other words, by acting like tiny “water magnets,” they form microscopic droplets within the root zone. As a result, this process allows plants to utilize soil moisture which would otherwise be lost to evaporation.” If we can stand behind the results, we will likely carry it here at Gill’s.

August is the homestretch to that next great planting season…Fall! So, no surprise August is about getting ready for cooler days ahead while keeping everything hydrated and pretty.

Check out our August Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!

1. Prepare gardens for planting

Clean out, pull up tired veggies, herbs, & flowers. Weed garden beds, add Cotton Burr Compost or Nature’s Blend Compost to your planting areas. Healthy soil makes healthy plants!

2. Keep Your Lawn and Landscape Watered

So important that plants, trees, and your lawn get enough H2O. Established trees, shrubs and lawns need an average of 1 inch of water per week if we don’t get rain. Newly planted plants & grass need more.

3. An Oasis for Wildlife

With summer heat, local wildlife is searching for water. Add a place you can keep a birdbath or shallow dish with fresh water for birds, butterflies, frogs, lizards, and others to get a much-needed drink. Change it often.

4. Start Seeds & Transplant

Start them in small pots to transplant later in the month or plant transplants & sow directly into the soil. Keep seed beds and starter plants shaded from afternoon sun until they acclimate to full sun. Tomatoes, peppers, and host of veggies & herbs will be here in seed and transplants. If you want pumpkins for Halloween, you need to start the seeds this month!

5. Feed Your Plants

Most tropical plants & summer bloomers will need a good meal by now. Plant Tone, Rose Glo, and Hasta Gro are all effective organic fertilizers that help your plants and soil. Hibiscus Food is a favorite for many as well. All will give your plants a good feeding.

What a joy to see green everywhere! You can feel the big sigh of relief from plants and people too. All this rain is FANTASTIC news for fall gardens! Here are our top must-do’s this month as we head into our best planting season.

Check out our September Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!

1. Choose Plants for Birds, Butterflies, and Bees

Fall is our best planting season here in the Coastal Bend. We are bringing in lots of new plants with our pollinator friends in mind! While you’re choosing what to plant, consider adding Texas Natives like Turk’s Cap and Lantana that birds and bees love. If you want to attract and support butterflies, try butterfly weed, Gregg’s mist flower, and lots of different blooming salvias.

2. Plant Veggies, Herbs, Citrus, and Fruits!

It’s time! Tomatoes, peppers, & warm weather edibles should be planted by now, or at least early this month. Plant cool weather veggies & herbs anytime this month and remember to shelter them from scorching sun and keep watered. Seeds of cool weather crops like turnips, beets, and radish should be started now. Carrots and greens should be planted later in September and into October. Here is our Fall veggie planting schedule. And save space for citrus trees, figs & other fruits to round off your garden grocery store! Revisit Josh’s guide to planting citrus trees.

3. Pull Weeds While the Ground is Soft

Pulling weeds – part of the gardening full-body workout plan! And a great stress reliever too. With the ground saturated from recent rains, most weeds are so easy to pull. Make sure to get the root, then add mulch to the area 2-3” deep to prevent new weeds from sprouting.

4. Plant Trees and Shrubs for the Best Start

Plants that are cold hardy (trees and woody shrubs) will benefit greatly by planting during our Fall season. They’re under less heat stress, and they grow more roots, making them stronger and ready to “take off” next Spring. More roots, stronger plants, better success! Oak trees, Crape Myrtles, Hawthorns, Lantana, Plumbago, Boxwoods and a host of others should be planted starting this month.

5. Trap and Prevent Mosquitos

Setting simple traps with organic Mosquito Dunks or Mosquito Bits is perhaps the most effective method for controlling mosquitos. It couldn’t be easier – grab a 5-gallon bucket, fill it with water and add a few handfuls of straw, leaves, weeds, food waste, etc. This will start to stagnate and attract female mosquitos to lay their eggs. After a day or 2, toss in a Mosquito dunk or a spoonful of mosquito bits which will kill the mosquito larvae. Try a few traps plus some repellant granules and incense!

6. Sow Wildflower Seeds!

September is the best time to plant wildflower seeds. Fall rains help wildflowers like Bluebonnets grow strong and have beautiful blooms next Spring. Choose an area with good sunlight and cleared of weeds or unwanted plants. Rake clean, sow seeds, cover with soil, water, and wait for the transformation!

Welcome to 2022! January is the planning month for South Texas gardeners. Time to think about what/where/when/how, and most importantly, why to plant! Here are our top January to-do’s to set you up for a fun and successful Spring.

Check out our January Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!

1. Set Your Gardening Intention

What are your reasons for gardening this year? Could be for stress relief, exercise, improving the environment, growing and cooking delicious food, attracting birds, or just enjoying being outside. Think about why you want to garden first, then use the month to plan your new garden spaces, clean up beds, and prepare your planting areas.

2. Keep Planting – But Watch The Weather

Our South Texas Spring is only about 45 days away! Pleasant weather brings the itch to start planting everything, but January weather is quite unpredictable, and temps can drop suddenly. January is a perfect time to plant trees & shrubs, greens & herbs, and cool weather flowers, just hold off on the tender tropicals.

3. Fertilize Your Citrus Trees

Use organic Citrus Tone by Espoma once you’ve finished your harvest. This helps your citrus get ready to bloom this Spring and produce a bumper crop next Fall-Winter. Reapply in June. You can feed in between with organic Hasta Gro.

4. Plant Climbing Roses

Our favorite climbing rose, the Peggy Martin variety, are blooming like crazy right now. Climbing roses benefit from being planted now and should not be cut back until after they have totally gone out of bloom. Other shrub roses should be cut back late January/early Feb to promote new growth and more Spring blooms.

5. Houseplants – Find a Good Spot

The key to vibrant and healthy houseplants is often just finding the right spot. A good starting point is to place near windows that get good indirect light for at least some portion of the day. Be sure to keep houseplants away from A/C and heat vents, which will dry them out. This Pilea is happy on a high shelf about 5 feet from a Western-facing window that gets indirect/dappled light through the trees outside.

6. Lawn Care

This Winter we’ve been diagnosing and treating fungal issues in lawns including the dreaded Take-All Root Rot. Check out our tips for prevention which include applying Peat Moss and making sure that you are not overwatering. For weeds, Bonide Weed & Crabgrass Preventer will help stop weed seeds from sprouting. Weed Beater Complete kills existing weeds and helps stop new weeds from sprouting.

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

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

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

August is almost here! It’s time to start making the transition into an exciting new Fall planting season. Here are our top must-do’s for this coming month.

1. Choose Plants that Provide for Wildlife

Important fact: birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. Plants attract and provide food for them to keep the cycle going. For example – plant Zinnia and sunflower seeds now, and they’ll be ready to feed migrating birds this Fall. Take it a step further and plant Texas natives! They provide for pollinators and require less water once established.

2. Pick Out Your Seeds

Watching your plants grow from a tiny seed is exciting and rewarding! Our Fall Vegetable Planting Guide provides the specific seed-planting dates to help plan your Fall garden. Most new seeds are already here! Look out for some of the rare and heirloom seeds we’re bringing in over the next couple weeks! We’ve been researching how to use liquid seaweed to improve seed germination. Worth a try! Another tip: use peat pots or seed starting trays to start seeds indoors, then move to a covered patio once they sprout. This will protect the seedlings and slowly acclimate them to the outdoor heat.

3. Prepare Your Garden Beds

August is the time to start preparing for Fall vegetables. Clean out beds and pull weeds. To get your soil ready, we recommend mixing Nature’s Blend Compost or Cotton Burr Compost into your soil to replenish nutrients and loosen the soil before planting. About 1 bag per 12 sq. ft. is good. Once prepped, add a thick layer of pine straw mulch, which will help retain moisture, keep weeds from sprouting, and keep the soil cooler until you’re ready to plant. As you plan your space, think crop rotation – don’t plant the same veggies in the exact same place you planted them last season, or you encourage pests and diseases.

4. Water Sufficiently AND Efficiently

With our temps and lack of rain, it’s vital to water your plants and lawn sufficiently AND efficiently. The goal with summer watering (with or without watering restrictions) should be to create depth moisture. For lawns and established plants and trees, this means watering less frequently, but watering deeply when you water. New plantings will require water every day to get the roots established. Use a water wand with a cut-off valve to make it easy on you and conserve water. Pro tip: Conserve water by watering at ground level, not spraying from above. This way, water soaks down to the roots rather than evaporating off the leaves.

5. Mulch for Moisture Retention

We know fresh mulch is the quickest way to refresh the look of your landscape. Proper mulching has other big benefits, especially during dry and hot weather. A good 2-3” deep layer of mulch will keep your plants and the soil moist and cool for longer after you water. Give the main trunks or stems of your plants a little space – mulch 2-3” deep throughout the bed, but no more than 1” deep against the main trunks/stems of plants.

6. Beware of Bad Bugs

White cottony clumps on tips, stems, and undersides of leaves in summer are most likely mealy bugs! People often think these are a fungus because of their appearance but one squish with your fingers will tell you they’re insects feeding on your plants. They especially love Hibiscus, Jatropha and some Salvias. We’ve been seeing a lot of spider mites too. You’ll notice a fine webbing and small sandy speckles (see photo). The mites themselves are usually on the underside of leaves. Both can be treated organically with Spinosad soap, Bee Safe 3-in-1 spray, or Neem Oil during cooler evening hours.