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Gill Garden Center + Landscape Co.

Corpus Christi, TX Garden Center

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It’s time to transition our gardens as we leap into Summer! Here’s our top priorities for June, which include joining us for DeAnna’s garden talk this Saturday, June 4th at 10am. Bring your questions!

Check out our June 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.  Join us for ‘Summer Garden Tips’ Garden Talk

This Saturday, June 4th at 10am, DeAnna Baumgartner, Gill’s manager, master gardener, and Texas Certified Nursery Professional with 40 years of Coastal Bend gardening experience will share her best tips for Summer gardening. She’ll cover Summer planting, proper watering techniques, identifying and treating pests and other issues, fertilizing, and lots more. Bring your questions – DeAnna’s got answers. One attendee will win a $100 Gill’s gift card! 

2. Plant heat-loving Summer color!

Revamp your old Spring annuals with some eye-popping, die-hard flowers for Summer. Flowers like Purslane, Zinnias, Moss Rose, Periwinkles, and Sweet Potato Vine will need water but thrive in our Summer heat. Try adding spineless Prickly Pear, Texas Sage, and other Summer-lovers that add color and form to landscapes.

3. Water… don’t go by the calendar!

With recent rains AND warmer weather, we need to be extra mindful of watering properly. That means we can’t rely on the calendar to tell us when to water. We need to pay closer attention to plants and check to be sure they need water. Pro tip:  Use a moisture meter! We carry them and can show you how easy they are to use. They’ve saved many plants! When it’s time to water, do it in the morning before 10am. Keep the water on the plants, soil, lawn, flowerbeds, not in the gutter, sidewalk, or street. Sprinkler systems are great for established lawns and landscapes but turn them off when we get rain, so you don’t over water and encourage fungal issues. Summer lawns need about 1 inch of water once a week.

4. Houseplants Inside aka Tropical Plants Outside!

Houseplants are beautiful indoors & help rid the air of pollutants from fabrics, carpets, paints, and other household items. They also look spectacular outside on a shady patio set in pretty pots. Check out Sansevieria, Philodendron, & Hoya varieties for easy care and big impact! Pro tip:  if you have a sad houseplant, try moving it to a shady spot outside for a few days to get some fresh air.

5. Watch for Summer lawn bugs!

Yes, they will be around more during the Summer. Treat the lawn with Bayer Season Long Grub Control if you see brown areas in the lawn that are easily pulled up, usually a sign of grubs eating the roots of your grass. Chinch bugs love hot dry areas in lawns. They make the lawn look dried out along sidewalks and pavement. Treat with Cyonara in easy ready-to-spray bottles. For organic control, use Spinosad or Diatomaceous Earth. Remember that healthy lawns are less susceptible to damage from bugs, heat stress, and common lawn disease like Take All Root Rot. Water lawns deeply (a good 1”) once a week this Summer and fertilize every 3 months. If you fertilized in April, wait to feed again in July.

6. Crape Myrtles – Choose While Blooming!

Crape Myrtle trees are just starting their Summer bloom cycle. Best to choose your color now while they’re in bloom, then plant and enjoy them for years to come. You must plan to water them or check them every day during this Summer. Crape Myrtles are water-needy when first planted. 

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. 

South Texas Summer is here, officially! Stay cool and garden on! Some plants need more love during the Summer, but lots of others don’t even start thriving and looking their best until temps stay above 90. Here are a few standouts to plant right now.

Firebush (Hamelia patens) 

Blooms all summer, top hummingbird plant, easily pruned/shaped, and grows 6-8’ tall – perfect for a fence line. Loves heat and can handle cold too. 

Esperanza (Tecoma stans) – all varieties

Loves summer temps and blazing sun. Classic yellow-blooming varieties that grow 6-8’ tall, or the pictured Sparklette variety that stays 3-4’ tall with golden-yellow trumpet flowers with red throats. Blooms all Summer and into the Fall, and the lightly fragrant blooms attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.

Duranta (Duranta erecta)

Starting to bloom all over town with consistent summer temps. Can be treated as a shrub or pruned up into a beautiful small tree. Hummingbirds and bees love it.  

Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis)

Lives up to its name with big sprays of bright red blooms. Prefers high temps and works well in rock beds or spilling over raised planters. 

Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) aka Dwarf Poinciana

Thrives in the hottest parts of summer, requires little water, feeds pollinators, and pairs well in the landscape with other tropicals and desert plants too. People in the Caribbean and South America have used the leaves of the plant to treat kidney stones, Malaria, and bronchitis. 

Fertilizing lawns now (before November 15th!) helps develop strong roots for healthy growth next Spring and Summer. And, if you’re concerned about weeds, now’s the time to take care of them. Here’s how!

Step 1:  Fertilize Now!

Fertilizing while it is still warm is best because lawns are still in their active growing season and taking up the nutrients provided. Once the weather starts cooling down, plants begin going into dormancy and therefore are not as likely to take up nutrients. Remember to water in your fertilizer with at least a half inch of irrigation. We recommend organic Medina Growin’ Green for lawns. We can lend you a fertilizer spreader as well – makes life a lot easier!

Step 2:  Apply Weed Control

Applying Crabgrass & Weed Preventer will prevent broadleaf weeds (including sticker burrs on the island!) from sprouting. Be sure to water it in with ¼” of irrigation after applying. Crabgrass & Weed Preventer can be used to control weeds in flower beds too. To take care of existing weeds in the lawn, use Weed-B-Gone hose end spray. Keep Weed-B-Gone out of flower beds, and do not water it in.

Step 3:  Slow Down Your Watering!

Watering once a week was appropriate in warmer temperatures, but we should water on average once every two weeks through November, and then turn off the sprinkler for December and January. 

If we go 3 weeks with no substantial rain, then water beds and lawns thoroughly one time. If freezing temperatures are in the forecast, run the sprinklers the previous afternoon to add heat to the soil and fill air spaces in the soil with water to exclude the cold air. 

December is here! These last few weeks of 2022 are sure to fly by. Our advice: make sure you spend some time in the garden to balance out the hectic holiday season. Here are our top to-do’s this month:  what to plant, gift ideas, holiday plant care, and more.  

Check out our December 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. Plant These in December

There’s always the BEST time to get plants growing and here’s a few that LOVE this season as much as we do!

Strawberries…who could resist picking these sweet jewels in the Spring?

Onions…we grow short-day onion varieties here in South Texas. Lucky for us the 1015 Texas Supersweet is one of those along with tasty Texas Early White & Southern Belle Red.

Roses…our mild winters are perfect for big, beautiful roses & the cooler temps will only make them prettier and the flower color richer.

Trees…shade, flowering, small, big, they all benefit from planting now. Good root development during the cooler months of winter gives them better growth in spring and a deeper, stronger root system to withstand the summer heat.

Ornamental Cabbage…these winter classics need to be planted early this month and enjoyed through the season! Easy care, vibrant colors, and unique texture in the garden.

Alyssum…gorgeous white blooms all winter long. Did you know Alyssum flowers and leaves are edible? They have a pungent horseradish-y flavor.

2. Tips for Holiday Plants

Fresh-cut Christmas Trees…we give all of our trees a fresh cut and get them in water immediately to preserve their freshness. Many customers ask us for another fresh cut before they take the tree home. If you decide to have us do another fresh cut, or if you do it yourself, keep in mind that you have 10 minutes to get the tree in water before that cut seals over! Check water in your tree stand daily and keep it full. If you have pets who like to drink or splash the water, try covering with a piece of foil.

Poinsettias…Think of poinsettias as succulents – because they are! They are a type of euphorbia. That means give them a good drink, but let them dry out between waterings. Also, the leaves bruise and break easily, so avoid touching them as much as possible. So tempting to touch!

Christmas Cactus…Probably the easiest of all holiday plants, and they can last a LONG time! There are stories of Christmas Cacti that have been gifted and passed down through families for 100+ years. They like well-lit areas, but not direct sunlight. Let dry between waterings, then mist the leaves as well as water the soil when its time to water.

Living Holiday Trees…Junipers, Norfolk Pines, Loblolly Pines, Magnolias and Ficus trees all make great Christmas trees that can be planted outside after the holidays. If you bring these in for decorating, be sure they have good bright natural light. Keep watered but not too much, and as soon as the holidays are done…take them outdoors for a breath of fresh air and get them in the ground.

3. Think Gifts for Gardeners!

If you have gardeners on your list this year, we’ve got you covered! Quality tools like these classic French pruning sets, plant-able Christmas cards with wildflowers seeds embedded in them, self-watering ceramic mushrooms, and lots more unique garden gifts. And of course, plants!! If they’re picky, you can’t go wrong with a Gill’s gift card.

4. Plant, Feed, Water Winter Flowers

Winter flowers are AMAZING right now! Violas and Pansies are breathtaking and Geraniums are full of buds and blooms. All that blooming makes them hungry, so take a moment and fertilize your beauties. We love Plant Tone and or Hasta Gro. Both are organic and give you big results. Have that “one more empty pot” to fill?

5. Adjust Your Houseplant Care for Winter

Most houseplants will not experience a complete dormancy period during winter, but they will slow down growth and react to climatic changes like drier conditions inside the house. Give your houseplants more light and less water as temperatures and the amount of daylight hours drop. Dust/shine leaves regularly to ward off insects. Cooler temps = drier conditions and less of the humidity that houseplants love. Try grouping them together to create more humidity, or use a humidifier.

Summertime is here! We’ve been fortunate to have rainfall that’s created some depth moisture in the soil which makes our transition into the warm summer season smoother. Here are our top priorities this month, including how to adjust watering, what to watch out for, and what to keep planting!

Check out our June 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. Adjust Your Watering… don’t go by the calendar!

With recent rains AND warmer weather, we need to be extra mindful of watering properly. That means we can’t rely on the calendar to tell us when to water. We need to pay closer attention to plants and check to be sure they need water. Pro tip:  Use a moisture meter! We carry them and can show you how easy they are to use. They’ve saved many plants! When it’s time to water, do it in the morning before 10am. Keep the water on the plants, soil, lawn, flowerbeds, not in the gutter, sidewalk, or street. Sprinkler systems are great for established lawns and landscapes but turn them off when we get rain, so you don’t over water and encourage fungal issues. Summer lawns need about 1 inch of water about once a week. Remember – it’s much easier to maintain depth moisture than it is to create it!

2. Watch for Summer Lawn Bugs!

Yes, bad bugs will be around more during the Summer, but don’t treat unless there’s significant damage. We can help identify the pest and if/how to treat. You don’t want to kill too many good bugs while trying to take care of the bad bugs! If you see brown areas in the lawn that are easily pulled up, it’s usually a sign of grubs eating the roots of your grass. You can control grubs with Bonide Insect and Grub Control. Chinch bugs love hot dry areas in lawns. They make the lawn look dried out along sidewalks and pavement. Spot-treat those areas with Cyonara in easy ready-to-spray bottles. For organic control, use Spinosad or Diatomaceous Earth. Remember that healthy lawns are less susceptible to damage from bugs, heat stress, and common lawn disease like Take All Root Rot. Water lawns deeply (a good 1”) once a week this Summer and fertilize every 3 months. If you fertilized in April, wait to feed again in July.

3. Crape Myrtles – Choose While Blooming!

Crape Myrtle trees are just starting their Summer bloom cycle. Best to choose your color now while they’re in bloom, then plant and enjoy them for years to come. You must plan to water them or check them every day during this Summer. Crape Myrtles are water-needy when first planted. 

4. Plant Native Milkweed for Monarchs!

We are thrilled to be able to offer a Texas native milkweed variety (Asclepias tuberosa) for Monarchs! Not only is this native milkweed a great host plant for Monarch butterflies, it’s also tough and great for summer! Our supplier gave us this advice: plant it in your hottest and sunniest spot, and don’t water it!! Of course that’s an exaggeration – it will need some water, but very little!

5. Succulent and Cacti Workshop at Gill’s June 10th!

We had so much fun at our May garden talks and events that we decided to add one more! Join us here at Gill’s on Saturday, June 10th at 10am for our Succulent and Cacti Workshop! We will have stations set up with new and unusual bare-root cacti and succulents + pots to choose from. For a fee, you’ll be able to choose your plants, choose your pot, and we’ll demonstrate and provide tips on how to pot them up. Come make a mess with us and leave with your own cool succulent or cacti creation! Stay tuned for more details.

We all know that fresh mulch is like a fresh coat of paint for your garden – instant makeover! But did you know that applying a proper 3” layer of natural mulch keeps underlying soil temps more than 20 degrees cooler?!

Gill’s Landscape Designer, Kathy Hubner recently attended a webinar presented by Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories in which they shared amazing results from a mulch study in San Antonio. Soil temperatures were measured at 6″ deep (where plant roots live) on a 105 F summer day. Bare soil, 6″ down was 102 F. Soil under grass was 92 F. Soil beneath a 3″ layer of mulch was only 76 F!! Mulch for the win!

Before a Fresh Mulch Layer…

Keeping plant roots cool helps them take up water and nutrients and prevents heat stress on the plant. Cooling powers alone are a great motivation to maintain a 3″ mulch layer, but there are lots of other key benefits. Mulch helps you water: it helps retain depth moisture in the soil when you water slow and deep.

A 3″ mulch layer also helps suppress weeds. It allows good water, oxygen, and nutrient transfer, but blocks light that weed seeds need in order to sprout. And speaking of nutrients, natural hardwood mulch or pine straw mulch breaks down over time and helps build healthier soil.

After Fresh Mulch!

To achieve a 3″ layer of mulch takes about 1 bag per 12 sq. ft. Be sure you spread the mulch evenly and avoid creating the dreaded “mulch volcano” around the trunks or main stems of plants and trees. Mounding mulch up against the trunk can invite disease. Best to mulch around trees and plants then pull mulch away from the trunk to create some space.

Pro tip: As your veggies finish their growth cycles this summer, pull them up and use a nice layer of pine straw mulch over your garden beds to keep weeds down and help keep your soil alive and ready for the next season.

KEEP COOL AND MULCH ON!

Summer is here for sure! Stay cool, stay hydrated, and get started gardening early! Some plants need more love during the Summer, but lots of others don’t even start thriving and looking their best until temps stay above 90. Here are a few standouts to plant right now.

Firebush (Hamelia patens) 

Blooms all summer, top hummingbird plant, easily pruned/shaped, and grows 6-8’ tall – perfect for a fence line. Loves heat and can handle cold too. 

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

If you’re looking for tough summer color in hanging baskets or beds, Purslane is for you. Loves full sun and can handle a variety of soil conditions. And Purslane is edible! High in omega-3s and minerals.

Esperanza (Tecoma stans) – all varieties

Loves summer temps and blazing sun. Classic yellow-blooming varieties that grow 6-8’ tall, or the pictured Sparklette variety that stays 3-4’ tall with golden-yellow trumpet flowers with red throats. Blooms all Summer and into the Fall, and the lightly fragrant blooms attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.

Mangave (Agave macroacantha)

A succulent hybrid of Agave and Manfreda that love summer temps. More sun = more cool color variations. Great for containers or as a statement plant in the landscape.

Duranta (Duranta erecta)

Starting to bloom all over town with consistent summer temps. Can be treated as a shrub or pruned up into a beautiful small tree. Hummingbirds and bees love it.  

Basil (Omicum basilicum)

Every gardener needs to have some basil growing for summertime salads! For bigger, bushier plants, pluck off the blooms. Or leave them if you want to attract more bees and butterflies!

Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis)

Lives up to its name with big sprays of bright red blooms. Prefers high temps and works well in rock beds or spilling over raised planters. 

Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) aka Dwarf Poinciana

Thrives in the hottest parts of summer, requires little water, feeds pollinators, and pairs well in the landscape with other tropicals and desert plants too. People in the Caribbean and South America have used the leaves of the plant to treat kidney stones, Malaria, and bronchitis. 

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