Image

I get my green thumb from my sweet, sweet grandma. She was an avid organic gardener long before the term was coined. Her beautiful vegetable and flower gardens mesmerized me and instilled a love and wonder for the beauty of nature within my soul. I bet she chuckles in heaven, accepting that I am usually too busy to adopt her old fashioned ways of planting from seed. I usually begin with starter plants, but a busy girl has to do what a busy girl has to do.

My Grandma Atkinson always did everything the old-fashioned way, meaning plants were propagated from cutting or by seed and everything got a good dash of rich, smelly cow manure from time to time. She even saved seeds from her beloved garden babies and set them aside for future generations.

A couple of years ago I decided to grow sunflowers, my grandma’s way, from seed. Once they were up and blooming, even my husband Mike fell in love with them. That year the smash hit ended with us harvesting the seeds for the birds!

This year Mike purchased some sunflower seeds from Gill’s at the end of May. I started numerous varieties, more babies than I had room to plant in my garden. So many that I was able to share some with Gill staff! I staggered the seed plantings so the plants would set bloom over a period of weeks. The seedlings this year were sown in starter flats. They also can be successfully started in other types of containers like recycled milk cartons (Grandma’s favorite) or even straight into your flowerbed. The key to success is water. Keep the soil damp enough that the seeds are able to break out of their heavy shells and emerge as seedlings. Once they emerge, don’t splash water on their foliage because that can cause downy mildew. Find that sweet spot where they do not drown from being kept too wet, and yet never allow the soil to completely dry out.

Prior to my second set of seedlings being transplanted to the ground, I did a show and tell with them at Gill’s at one of my garden talks. After the talk, it was time. My seedlings were large enough to endure being transplanted, so into the garden they went. I mixed Plant Tone into the soil for good organic matter. I was rewarded with a ton of rain shortly thereafter. They started growing by leaps and bounds.

The week of July 4th, they started revealing their happy faces one by one all over my backyard almost as if to announce, “Summer is here!” As a result, my Facebook page was filled to the brim with happy sunflowers that warmed everyone’s hearts and vases were filled with sunshine flowers I shared with friends.

Gill’s has sunflower seeds now and no, it’s not too late to plant for a beautiful fall harvest! Hope you enjoy them as much as my family has!

-Grace

Last week James and I were visiting some friends of ours, Anita & Rolf Nelson, also in the garden center business. They own Nelson’s Water Gardens in Katy, Texas. Anita reads our blogs and read what we recommended for whitefly.

She shared with me their way of controlling whitefly in the garden, organically. They spread worm castings in late spring at the base of plants that are susceptible to white fly. The digestive system of earthworms produces an enzyme called chitinase, which repels insects. They recommend working into the top few inches of soil and then watering in. Then in the dog days of summer when insects abound, your plants become a repellant to the sucking insects.

Great to know! Next May we’ll post in our monthly to do’s to add worm castings to your soil! Thank you Anita and Rolf!

-Sally

Yes, it is time to begin preparing the vegetable gardens for your tomatoes and peppers!

Work in Cotton Burr compost or Natures Blend to enrich your garden for the new season. A good dose of Espoma Bio Tone containing mycorrhizae worked into the soil before planting will help to develop a strong deep root system for healthier plants this Fall season. After 2 weeks of having your vegetables planted, work Worm Castings into the soil to help guard against whitefly, aphids and spider mites. After 2 more weeks, you can begin fertilizing monthly with Espoma Plant tone.

Timing is a key to your garden success. It’s the time to plant tomatoes, peppers, squash and many other warm season crops. Watermelon, Cantaloupe and Pumpkins need to planted now if you have the space. They need a lot of room to spread. Stop by and pick up a Nueces County planting guide to help you plan what and when to plant your favorite veggies. Then you can check out the new Botanical Interest Seeds for 2018/ 2019. With a great selection of veggies, herbs, flowers & sprouts; most are certified organic & they’re all non-GMO.

It’s too early to plant Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower since the temperatures are still too hot but it’s right around the corner so plan now. You will also need to wait a little longer before planting seeds of lettuce, carrots, spinach, kale and other leafy greens until we begin to cool down a little in September.

So get planning, get your hands in the dirt, and grow your own veggies. Nothing tastes better than homegrown!

View Nueces County Vegetable Planting Schedule

-DeAnna

As gardeners, we know you want the most up to date solutions and newest plant varieties that will thrive in our part of South Texas.

That’s why we make a point to attend the Texas Nursery Landscape Association Expo held every August. We have attended for 40 years; since we opened! James Gill served on the education committee for many years, helping to develop an up to date curriculum for those wanting a career in horticulture.

TNLA Expo is a gathering of growers, manufacturers, retailers & landscapers who service the “Green Industry”. There are education classes, keynote speakers, and lots of people like us who love gardening and helping others to enjoy it too! This year, 7 of us attended. We talked to suppliers, found new growers, attended classes and visited with longtime friends.

We are excited about the Texas Superstar tomato called BHN968 or sweet cherry surprise. It’s 4x sweeter than any other cherry tomato! We also found a new tropical fruit supplier that will ship mangos, papaya and other yummy fruit to our area in Spring 2019.

Gardening is ever changing. New plants, better solutions, fresh ideas. It’s about growing. Plants grow & we grow in our knowledge and creativity!

It is our connection and commitment to you!

-Debbie Pinkerton

-Whitney

It’s the best time to plant your early fall veggies and herbs! Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, and zucchini have plenty of time to produce a nice harvest. Fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme, mint and cilantro will love the upcoming weather.

Don’t forget to help your plants thrive! Mix Nature’s Blend Compost with your soil. Add Bio-Tone plant starter when you plant. Fertilize with Hasta Gro during the growing season. And water regularly….:-)

PS…Mark your calendar to plant cool-cold weather veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and greens mid to late September. They will be much happier and so will you.

– Debbie Pinkerton

What can a well-planned landscape do for you? First it gives you a place to retreat from hectic daily schedules. Studies confirm the benefits of getting outside at least fifteen minutes daily. Second, it gives you additional space to cook, dine, entertain, exercise, listen to music, play games, or watch a movie. Third it adds value to your home, making it a good investment you will recoup when you sell your house.

If your yard doesn’t make you smile when you pull into the drive way or walk out the back door then it is time to plan an outdoor space that improves your quality of life. Here are a few tips to start planning your landscape:

Find your site survey with measurements of your home and lot
Identify your homes architectural style so the new landscape compliments the house
Take pictures of plants you like
Make a “wish list” of things you want in your new space such as pool, patio, walks, shade structure, hammock, children’s play area, dining, outdoor kitchen, hobbies, etc.
Check your soil type, i.e. sandy or clay
Identify sun and shade areas as well as prevailing wind direction
Identify your growing zone, i.e. winter low temperatures

Next step, draw your lot and home to scale on graph paper so you can make sure your landscape works in the space as you envisioned.

And if you are not up for doing the homework – call a professional landscape designer. Trust me, we live to do the dirty work so you can enjoy the good life with a well-designed landscape!

-Kathy Hubner APLD, TCNP, Gill Nursery

Growing food is all the trend as farmers markets, farm to table restaurants, and the phrase “locally grown” gives credit that the food will be the freshest available! But to grow your own? Even better!

Fall is about the best time to grow food and especially true if you are new to South Texas gardening. Days are getting shorter, a little cooler (don’t laugh), less bugs, and less problems. Selections are virtually endless. Beans, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, all kinds of greens, carrots, turnips; and the list goes on! You’ll be amazed at how delicious and easy food gardening can be!

Top to plant now? Tomatoes and peppers. Both of these need the warm days and will appreciate cool nights. There are tons of tomato varieties. Celebrity & Tycoon are favorites for slicing; Sweet 100 & Juliet are delicious cherry tomatoes. The best pepper to plant? You can’t go wrong with a jalapeno or serrano. Good flavor, usually not too hot, & great for salsa. A great way to check how hot a pepper is; cut the top off enough to catch a little of the pepper core. Place the core top on your tongue. You will know how mild or hot it is and how much to use.

Mid-September and it’s time to start planting cool weather veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, turnips, beets, spinach, kale, and a garden of culinary herbs. Don’t be afraid to try your hand at planting by seed. Botanical Interest is a fantastic seed company, all non-GMO with great organic varieties.

Do you need a large planting space? Not at all! A 4×8 space with at least half a day sun is plenty for a family of 4. Water troughs and large pots make great planters for food.

Help your soil to help your plants. Adding compost, dried molasses, and organic fertilizer to new and existing garden areas will feed the soil microbes that also feed your plants. Our favorite compost is Natures’ Blend Compost by Back To Nature. If you are planting in containers, use a good potting mix.

Plan to water and fertilize with a good organic fertilizer. We love Medina Hasta Gro, Espoma Plant-Tone, and Bio-Tone fertilizer. Find more details about watering and care of your garden through out the fall season on our website.

The most important part? Have fun gardening. Enjoy your harvest!

-Debbie

Image

Yes, it is time to begin preparing the vegetable gardens for your tomatoes and peppers!

View Nueces County Vegetable Planting Schedule

Footer