Insects

James and I have a small courtyard off our kitchen and master bath, thanks to an architect friend’s brilliant idea some 20 years ago. Once construction was complete, James laid out the courtyard with Mexican pavers and planting beds accented with containers of fern and blooming plants. Directly out from our kitchen window, he planted a Possumhaw (Ilex decidua) which can be seen from both the kitchen and master bath. It has been the perfect tree!

Possumhaw is multi-trunked and considered an ornamental tree, in that it stays under 25′ (its actual finished height is around 15′). The birds love this tree! It produces red berries in the fall that the mockingbirds devour, and all kinds of migrating birds stop off in our courtyard to get water from our re-circulating birdbath and rest in our tree. It does lose about 3/4 of its leaves in the winter, but because the leaves are small, it isn’t a chore to clean up. They can be expected to live 25-50 years and very hardy against cold and heat. I have never had to spray this tree for insects!

I found some small outdoor iron birds, made in Portland, Oregon, at the Botanical Gardens in Portland. I love the way they adorn our tree…and… after a little research, I found the artist & manufacturer and was able to bring them to Gill’s!

A relative of Possumhaw is the Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria). We have one on the side of our house along Santa Fe Street. The Texas hill country is covered with Yaupon Holly; naturally, they grow under oak trees. They also grow to about 15′, have red berries, small leaves and yes, the birds love them! And again, no bugs that I’ve found bother this tree either.

I am quick to recommend both these trees. Planted in front of windows but far enough out to not catch the eave of your home, they bring nature indoors and can create nice filtered light for your interior, and for the icing on the cake, you get to watch the birds!

-Sally Gill

Six years ago, my wife Sally and I traveled to Madagascar, a beautiful and fascinating island off the southeast coast of Africa. Home to lemurs, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, incredibly bejeweled chameleons, 10 foot tall and 1000 lb. elephant birds (now extinct), and magnificent Baobab trees.

Baobab trees commonly live for 400-500 years, and some reportedly have lived over 2000 years. They are used as wayposts, and were even planted to mark the grave of notable persons, as they will be around for so long. Known as the “Tree of Life” throughout most of Africa, and “Mother of the Forest” in much of Madagascar, their survival skills and adaptation to their environment is remarkable.

Their huge swollen trunks soak up and store enough water from their short rainy season to last through the long drought. They leaf out and grow for only a very short time, then drop those leaves. Also, with rains, the Baobabs put out a profusion of beautiful flowers, and bats, beetles, moths, and other insects feed on sweet nectar. The resulting fruit is about the size of a large coconut, and is eaten by lemurs, as well as being an important food for humans, high in carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

The bark of the baobab is used as a fiber for rope, cloth, nets, baskets, and paper. The tree provides welcome shade, even when leafless. So, while the brush surrounding Baobabs is frequently removed for agriculture or other uses, Baobabs are usually left in place.

Another important reason for leaving them in place is the Melagasy indigenous belief of “fady“. Baobabs are seen as either sacred, or taboo, or both. They are inhabited by spirits both good and evil, and if you cut down a Baobab, those spirits will be offended and very troublesome.

Unfortunately, higher average temperatures and more severe droughts seem to be resulting in decline and death for some of the oldest and grandest Baobabs. I fear that as the Baobabs, lemurs, and other marvelous Madagascar wonders go the way of the elephant bird, our children may be dealing with more and more offended and troublesome spirits.

-James

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.

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. 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.

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

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

As the Fall season comes around, so does a breath of new flowers to plant. Annuals like Impatiens, Violas, Begonia, Petunias, Snapdragons, & Lobelia are some local favorites. Warm days & cool nights are a big help & here’s a few tips to add to your success!

Choose the right flowers for your area, sun or shade
Use Premium Potting Mix if planting in pots, amend flower beds with Nature’s Blend compost for ground planting. Nature’s Blend sweetens your soil and feeds the good microbes.
Space your plants so they have room to mature.
Fertilize with Bio-tone or Plant Tone mixed with your soil. Both of these have live microbes to promote healthy plant growth!
Mulch flower beds. Pine straw looks great but any good mulch will do.
Keep plants hydrated, water the soil not the foliage.
Spend time with them, watch for new growth & flower buds forming. This helps with any special needs that come up like more plant food, less water, insects.
Fertilize with Hasta Gro once a month.

Enjoy your garden & the Fall Season!

–Debbie

Webbing on tree bark, white stuff on plants, & what’s cutting circles in my leaves?

Bark Lice: Good

We get lots of calls about webbing on tree trunks this time of year. These are good bugs called bark lice. They create a protective webbing around their colony and go to work cleaning the bark of your trees. Do Not Spray. These beneficial insects help maintain your trees’ health…absolutely free!

Image c/o Texas A&M Agrilife

Mealy Bugs: Bad

White cottony clumps on tips, stems, and undersides of leaves in summer are most likely mealy bugs! They are bad 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. Treat naturally with Safer Insect Killing Soap or Neem Oil during cooler evening hours. You can also spray Broad Spectrum Insecticide which controls mealy bugs and other nuisance insects. Always follow label directions.

Leafcutter Bees: Good

Surprise! Your plant has bees, not worms, cutting circles in their leaves. Leafcutter bees are all the buzz in area gardens as they build their nests. These are good bees! No need to spray or treat. The female will cut leaves in perfect circular patterns from thin leaves like Roses, Crape Myrtles, and Plumbago to block their nest openings. This only lasts a couple of weeks and your plants will be just fine. Like many bees, they are passive, but they can sting if harassed or aggravated.

–Debbie

Years ago, my mother-in-law, Ruth Bayne Gill, aka “Bayne”, bought a parcel of land on Mill Creek, between Vanderpool and Medina, Texas. It’s a beautiful piece of Texas Hill Country, with creek bottom habitat including Bald Cypress and other water loving plants and a nice size hill rising toward the rear of the property covered with juniper, Texas mountain laurel, red oak, and blue oak. The hill is tall enough to hike up and look out over the valley to the opposing ridges and hills and is itself capped with huge and magnificent boulders painted with colorful yellow, white, and rust orange lichens and green Hill Country ferns. Bayne spent a lot of time visiting her land, dreaming how she would put a small Texas “Dog Run” cabin on it. In the meantime, she thinned the cedar just a little and explored her acreage from bottom to top.

*(Clockwise from top left) The Hill, Mill Creek, Boulders at The Top of The Hill, Lichen and Fern on a Rock*

Bayne’s love for nature was infectious. In the summer of 2000, our oldest son, Stuart, took a job with the Texas Nature Conservancy in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, clearing fire breaks. Towards the end of the summer, James and I, along with our younger son Trevor, and Bayne, drove out to the Davis Mountains for a visit. On our visit, we hiked and hiked and hiked. As usual, Bayne marveled at the plants, the bugs, the sky… anything and everything Mother Nature. She could name all the birds, insects, and other animals, the plants, and understood the complexity of their interactions. We often paused so she could collect a few seeds of notable plants.

Bayne passed away in the spring of 2013, surrounded by her family, in her country cottage in the woods outside of Goliad, Texas.

Fast forward to March of 2019. James and I drove up to Mill Creek to camp for the night. Visiting the Mill Creek land she passed to her children always makes us feel closer to Bayne. We can almost hear her voice ringing with joy while telling us some delightful natural history tidbit or Native lore.

Early the next morning, James got up to hike across the creek and up the hill. I stayed back, enjoying the quiet morning air. Later in the morning, I started hiking around the property, checking on some bigtooth maple trees (of Lost Maples fame) that James’ older brother William had planted some years back. As I was walking, I spied a small glass jar with a rusted lid on the ground near a clump of old cedar trees. I picked it up; there was paper inside. I’ve always dreamed of finding a message in a bottle. Doesn’t everybody? I knew immediately it was Bayne’s handwriting. And some seed. I very carefully opened the bottle. The paper was yellowed and cracking, but I was able to read, “Alligator Juniper – Aug 2000.” She had collected that seed with us on our Davis Mountains family trip almost 20 years ago!

I felt like I had won the lottery a thousand times over. Actually, I already had. Bayne was the best mother-in-law I could dream of; I loved her dearly. I knew at that moment, her spirit was with me and always will be.

Growing up, I was always happiest outdoors. Joining the Gill family took me to a whole new level of love for the miracles of nature. James and I, along with our amazing Gill team, are thankful and humbled by your support in allowing us to share our love of plants and the outdoors with you.

Thank you for being a part of Gill’s and Happy Mother’s Day to you!

-Sally