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Gill Garden Center + Landscape Co.

Corpus Christi, TX Garden Center

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hibiscus

You had beautiful roses in the spring, but now they’re looking like they might croak. Don’t worry! This is totally normal. Large flowering plants like roses or hibiscus can get stressed from this summer heat, so they might stop blooming, or even stop growing. martaContinue watering them through this heat spell, and when the temperatures drop in the fall your roses should flush back out. Using organic fertilizers help build up your soil conditions to keep your roses healthy! We recommend Rose Glo or Medina Hasta Gro.

-Marta

The asps are out! It’s been years since we’ve had a big asp outbreak. These stinging hump back caterpillars love oak trees, yaupons hollies, burford hollies, hawthorns, altheas, and hibiscus. I saw a fresh hatching no bigger than a pea on some hollies the other day. Take a close look at your plants and see if you find any skeletonized leaves. Spray thoroughly on the tops and bottoms of the leaves with Spinosad, or Liquid Sevin as a contact kill. Thuricide can also be used, but the caterpillar has to ingest the leaves to be killed and that takes a couple of days.

Leafcutter bees are also a problem now. These bees are generally passive and not very aggressive. However they can sting and will do so if handled or aggravated. You usually never see the bee, but you do see the damage left behind. They cut perfect semi-circles out of the leaves of soft tissued plants such as crape myrtles, hibiscus, plumbago and roses. We first noticed the damage on our kapok trees. They take the leaves and roll them into perfect tubes to block their nest openings. deannaNo treatment is necessary since the nesting period of the female is usually just a couple of weeks. The scalloping of the leaves will not kill your plants, it just leaves them unsightly to some. These bees are great pollinators, so I say, “let them do their thing”.

-DeAnna

I spent much of last Saturday cleaning up the front yard, making plans to hang Christmas lights in another week or two. I had someone stop and ask me about my cutting back the Purple Showers ruellia along the sidewalk. It has taken over about half the sidewalk. I explained that this plant can take shearing back most any time of year and that by cutting it now, it has time to regrow some and be nice for the holidays. Most all plants can be trimmed to shape right now. Roses and most winter hardy shrubs can take a harder prune but no more than a ¼ of the plants’ size. Plants that are sensitive to cold, like ixora, hibiscus and bougainvilleas should not be pruned hard. They need their foliage to help stay warm. Plus new growth that appears after trimming is more sensitive to cold damage.  If you’re not sure to prune or not to prune, check with us…we are always here to help!

debbie-Debbie

Pre Spring tips…do now & save time later!
Do
  • Apply Pre-emergents Amaze or Hi Yield Weed and Grass Preventor with Dimension to prevent spring weeds.
  • Spray All Seasons Oil to kill and prevent scale insects this spring on flax lily, cast iron plant, irises, pittosporums & hollies.
  • Treat for lawn fungus as a cure and preventative due to damp weather with F-Stop or Bayer Lawn Fungus Control, organically with Serenade or Natures Blend.
  • Prepare veggie gardens for spring plantings. Pull up all old vegetables, and rework the soil with Cotton Burr Compost or Natures Blend.
Don’t
  • Prune indian hawthorns, azaleas, or carolina jasmine since they are an early spring bloomer.
  • Prune tropicals, ex. hibiscus, bougainvilleas, lantanas, plumbagos, etc..
  • Spray a weed killer (it is too cold to be effective).

Don’t Worry About Leafcutter Bees!

Leaf cutters always cut extremely neat semi-circles and ovals, unlike caterpillars which leave irregular holes in leaves. They prefer soft tissue plants such as roses, plumbago, hibiscus and crape myrtles. There is no chemical control since they do not eat the leaves they cut. Nesting season is very short, so after a week or two, they go away… thank goodness!

Feed Your Veggies

Vegetables are heavy feeders. Use Espoma Plant Tone once a month to keep your vegetables producing through the season.

Watch Out For Cabbage Loopers

It’s time for tiny green looper worms to be eating the leaves of your broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Use
Hi-Yield Thuricude or Fertilome Dipel Dust to control these pesky worms. It is completely organic and safe up to the day of harvest. Just rinse and eat!

New For Your Garden: Watercolor Rose

It’s a color extravaganza! The flowers may be simple in style, but they’re captivating to watch as they change colors completely with each day. Hues of yellow, pink, cerise & ruby are carried atop loads of clean deep green leaves on a very bushy full plant. Dark red new shoots add to the show. This beauty is delicate to look at and tough as nails when it comes to garden performance. Complimented with a moderate apple fragrance; we think you’ll enjoy this one in your rose garden!

Mealybugs are here! Look on the tips, stems, and undersides of the leaves for these white insects clustered together. If they go unnoticed for a short period of time , they will produce a protective cottony barrier over their bodies to protect themselves. Many times we hear “I have a white fungus on my plants.” Safer’s Insecticidal Soap and Natural Guard Neem Oil can be used to kill these pests. Multiple applications may be needed. Thorough coverage is a must, and I usually recommend spraying once a week for 2-3 weeks to make sure you have killed them all. If you only have a few clusters of them at the tips of your plants you could smash them with your fingers and rinse, or cut off the affected tips and throw away the bugs in a sealed bag. Be a bug scout. Keep your eyes open and search. These pests usually last most of the summer.

Photo: tamu.edu

deanna-DeAnna

march-garden-guide

What To Plant

Most annuals and perennials can now be purchased as transplants this month. Here is a list of some of our favorites: (L-R) caladiums (plants and bulbs), larkspur, petunias, salvia, gerbera daisy, alyssum, false heather, celosia, lantana, coleus.

Read: Fuel For Your Hungry Hummers

 

Vegetable Seeds

Beans, okra, radish, pumpkins, and watermelons, squash, cantaloupe, basil, corn

Vegetable Transplants

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, and strawberries
Garden Guide: Vegetable Planting Dates

Hardy Trees, Shrubs, Vines, Grasses

All hardy and tropical trees, shrubs, vines and grasses. I can’t think of one that can’t be planted now!

Bulbs & Caladiums

Late spring and summer bulbs such as caladiums, and elephant ears

 

Houseplants

March is a great time to clean, trim, and feed your houseplants. As the sun becomes stronger, plants may require more waterings. Check more often. Consider repotting in Spring. Over Winter, houseplant roots can outgrow their existing pots.

Fertilize

AZALEAS, GARDENIAS, MAGNOLIAS

Fertilize organically with Maestro Gro-Rose Glo or Espoma Azalea Tone.

HIBISCUS & TROPICAL BLOOMERS

Fertilize all hibiscus and tropical bloomers organically with Maestro Gro-Rose Glo, or conventionally with Hibiscus Food.

ALL TREES & SHRUBS

Fertilize organically with Milorganite, Medina Growin Green, Plant Tone, or Hasta Gro. 

ANNUALS & PERENNIALS

Fertilize organically with Medina Growing Green, Hasta Gro, Maestro Rose Glo, or Plant Tone, or conventionally with Osmocote Time Release Granules.

ESTABLISHED ROSES

Fertilize organically with Maestro Rose Glo or Plant Tone.

ESTABLISHED CITRUS TREES

Fertilize organically with Citrus Tone.
Read: Fertilize Your Citrus Now

All granular fertilizer should be watered in well.

Prune

  • All dead and freeze damaged wood from hardy and tropical trees, shrubs, vines and perennials
  • Wait to prune early spring bloomers like Azaleas, Carolina Jessamine, climbing roses, Texas Mountain Laurels, and Indian Hawthorn until after they finish their bloom.

Water

  • During current drought restrictions, you CAN hand water everything except for your turfgrass lawn. You CAN use drip irrigation on your watering day every other week. And you CAN still apply for a temporary watering rules exemption to get new plantings established.
  • Keep in mind - outdoor potted plants dry out quickly, as do hanging baskets and small annuals.
  • Mulch all plants and trees to help hold moisture. Don't mulch right up to the trunks/main stems of plants - give them a little breathing room. And never create a "mulch volcano" against tree trunks!
  • Catch rainwater and A/C condensate to help conserve water - plants love both!

Garden Guide: Good Water Practice for Established Trees, Shrubs, and Lawns

What to Watch Out For

Protect your Lawn from Oak Leaves

Live oaks are following their natural pattern of dropping old leaves before the new leaves come on. Now it’s time to get those oak leaves off your lawn before it suffocates the grass. Under large oaks, since the grass is often thin and stressed anyway because of shade, using a blower is less stressful on the weak turf than a rake.

Control Aphids, Pillbugs, & Caterpillars in Your Veggie Garden

Keep organic Spinosad soap handy for Aphids and Pillbugs, or release some ladybugs. Caterpillars can be controlled organically using Bt (Thuricide spray or Dipel dust). Inspect your veggies every day and you'll catch most pests before they become a problem. 

 

Lawn Care

Rethink Lawn Spaces

Given our drought situation/lawn watering restrictions, many of us are deciding to reduce lawn space. Traditional turfgrass lawns require lots of water and they don't provide much, if any, benefit to pollinators. Plus, much of our lawn space sits unused. Does every square foot need to be turfgrass, or could you create new beds for blooming perennials? Could you convert areas to native groundcovers like Frogfruit? Could you add some nice pathways or seating areas with a nice firepit? So many options!

Weed Control

Given our drought situation/lawn watering restrictions, decide whether you really want to control weeds. Weeds are green and they don't need much water! Plus they'll help keep the ground cooler. Many of us are choosing to mow the weeds down to keep them from reseeding rather than spraying or removing them. 

If you do need to spray/control, spot treat existing weeds growing now with natural horticultural vinegar or Captain Jack's Deadweed Brew. Both will burn any foliage so take care to not spray your plants or lawn. 

If you want to prevent weeds, apply Hi Yield Grass and Weed Stopper or Weed Beater Complete to help control existing weeds and prevent new ones.

If you want to kill existing weeds, apply Weed-B-Gon for Southern Lawns or Image once our weather warms up to 70-80 degrees with no rain for about 5 days. They are safe for Floratam & Raleigh St. Augustine and Bermuda. Give them 2 weeks to fully work and then it should be time to fertilize the lawn. This is why we don't recommend or sell "weed & feed" type products. Take care of weeds first, then fertilize. 

Fertilize

Fertilize when the grass is actively growing. You can't be too late, you can only be too early in spring. Apply organic Medina Growin Green or Milorganite and water in well (approximately 30 minutes per area). Normally, we wouldn't recommend trying to time your fertilizing with rainfall, since heavy rains can wash away the fertilizer. However, given current watering restrictions, try to take advantage of a light/moderate rain. Lay new sod anytime, bermuda seed anytime this month.

Read: Treat For Take-All Patch in Lawns

Watch: How to Collect a Grass Sample

april-garden-guide

What To Plant

Late spring/summer blooming annuals and perennials:

For sunny areas:
Zinnias, periwinkles, moss rose, purslane, lantana, blue daze, false heather, salvia, ice plant, gomphrena, ruellia, coreopsis, and pentas.

Read: Create Your Own Butterfly Garden

For shady areas:
Shrimp plant, ageratum, agapanthus, caladiums, coleus, begonia

Vegetables

Seeds:
Okra, beans, black eyed peas, watermelon, ornamental gourds, cantaloupe

 

Transplants:
Peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, okra

 

 

Indoor Plants

Pro Tips for Houseplants

  • If your houseplant looks unhappy, think location first. It may need to be moved to a different spot with different lighting.
  • Keep them away from the AC vents (they like humidity and the AC dries them out)
  • General rule for watering; water well then re-water once the soil feels dry to the touch
  • Spring is time to start fertilizing your houseplants. Your plants will love organic Hasta Gro
  • If they are getting too big for their pots, bump up to a slightly larger pot. Watch video

Read: Plants, the Perfect Rx for Clean Air, Pro Planting Tip: Not Too Deep

Fertilize

Established citrus trees

(3 years or older)

Fertilize organically with Citrus Tone, Medina Growin’ Green, Hasta Gro, or Plant Tone.

Azaleas, gardenias, and magnolias

Fertilize organically with Maestro Gro-Rose Glo, or Espoma Azalea Tone.

Annuals and perennials

Fertilize organically with Medina Growin’ Green,  Hasta Gro, Maestro Rose Glo, PlantTone, or conventionally with Hibiscus Food.

Established roses

Treat organically with Maestro Rose Glo, PlantTone, or conventionally with Hibiscus Food

Trees and shrubs

Fertilize trees organically with Medina Growin’ Green or Milorganite. Feed shrubs organically with Medina Growin’ Green, Plant Tone, or Liquid Hasta Gro. 

Warm weather vegetables

Fertilize organically with Medina Growin’ Green, Hasta Gro, Maestro Rose Glo, or Plant Tone.

Prune

Early spring bloomers:

Early spring bloomers: Including azaleas, indian hawthorn and caroline jessamine – wait to prune until AFTER they bloom

Hedges:

Trim hedges as needed to maintain good form.

Poinsettias:

Prune to approximately 12” tall.

Watch Out For

Watch out for pest outbreaks on everything from vegetables to trees. They should be out in full force and hungry. Watch for powdery mildew and blackspot on roses.

Read: With The Spring Flush Comes Insects

Caterpillars:

Treat organically with Spinosad or Thuricide, or conventionally with Cyonara.

Read: Caterpillar Alert!
Read: Are Your Bougainvilleas Being Chewed?

Scale:

Treat organically with Neem Oil Spray, Spinosad Soap, Bee Safe 3 in 1, or conventionally with Cyonara.
Read: Does Your Hackberry Have Wooly Aphids?

Beetles, Aphids:

Treat organically with Spinosad Soap, Diatomaceous Earth, Bee Safe 3 in 1, or conventionally with Cyonara.

Fungus, Powdery Mildew:

Treat organically with Neem Oil or Revitalize Fungicide 5, or  conventionally with Fertilome Broad Spectrum Fungicide, Systemic Fungicide

White Fly:

Treat organically with Insecticidal Soap, Neem Oil, Bee Safe 3 in 1, or conventionally with Cyonara.

Mulch

Apply mulch around trees, flowerbeds and vegetable gardens to reduce weeds and help retain moisture. Good mulch layer = less watering!

We recommend:  Hardwood, black velvet, cedar, and pine straw mulch. These reduce weeds well and will not float away. They're all natural and will break down over time and add nutrients to your soil. Plus, they keep underlying roots up to 20 degrees cooler! 

Lawn Care

Fertilize when the grass is actively growing

Feed organically with Medina Growin’ Green or Milorganite. Organic lawn food is best for long-term root and soil health.

Eliminate broadleaf weeds

Treat with Ortho Weed B Gon for Southern Lawns for broadleaf weeds, Image for grassy weeds and sticker burrs.

If you treat for weeds, wait 3 weeks before you fertilize.

Read: Time to Fertilize and Get Rid of the Weeds!

Lay new sod

Lay new sod or plant Bermuda seed anytime this month.

Read: St. Augustine Turf Grass: Varieties We Sell and Their Characteristics

Watch: How to Repair Dead Patches in Your Lawn
Watch: How to Collect a Grass Sample

Water

*While turfgrass lawn watering with city water is prohibited during current watering restrictions, residents can use free reclaimed water from the Oso Wastewater Treatment Plant. Apply for a permit here. Residents can also hand water trees, which should be done at the drip line, therefore lawns can get some benefit from good tree watering. 

 

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