landscaping

We are excited to share that Kathy Hubner, one of our landscape designers here at Gill Landscape Nursery, has become only the second Texan and first from Corpus Christi to be named a fellow of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD)! Kathy is one of only 83 APLD Fellows in the United States. She will receive her designation during the 2019 APLD Conference this summer in Seattle.

As an APLD Fellow, Kathy has been recognized for her significant design contributions, as well as service to the profession of landscape design. She served eight years on the Board of Directors of the APLD from 2000-2007, has been Chair of the APLD Awards Committee since 2014 and has been Treasurer of the Texas Chapter of the APLD since 2012. “It is an honor to receive this designation from my peers in the APLD,” Kathy said. “I’ve dedicated my career to enhancing the professionalism and standards and continuously learning about landscaping technology, science, and practices that translate into quality products for our customers.”

Kathy is one of APLD’s most award-winning designers specializing in complete landscape planning for residential, commercial, and ranch country properties, including patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, water features, shade structures, and updates for existing landscapes. She also specializes in Xeriscape (low water use) planning. Kathy is certified to prepare landscape ordinance plans for commercial projects. In her 30-year career at Gill’s, she has designed and installed landscaping projects throughout the Coastal Bend and South Texas in a wide variety of styles; from Mediterranean to Contemporary to Hill Country/Ranch style.

Visit our landscape department online, call us at 361.992.9674, or stop by 2810 Airline Road to start planning your project with Kathy or any of our other professional landscape designers.

We have a passion for teaching and seeing your gardening success, and we know that gardening can seem challenging to the beginner since there’s so much to learn. That’s also the beauty of it – you can spend a lifetime gardening and still be learning!

We thought it would be fun to hold a talk for newcomers (either new to gardening or new to South Texas) to teach some secrets specific to our area. Here’s what James and Wyatt say would be their #1 piece of advice for newcomers. They’ll be discussing these topics and more this Saturday here at Gill’s – free and open to everyone!

James Gill – South Texas native, landscape designer, Texas Master Certified Nursery Professional (TMCNP), 42 years gardening and landscaping experience:

“Timing is so important! You don’t get beautiful tomatoes in April by planting them in March. And you’ll harvest way more strawberries in Spring by planting them in Fall. Maintaining a healthy lawn is much easier if you anticipate the seasonal periods that potential lawn problems are most likely to occur. Consistent gardening success is based on planning ahead, and we are here to help you with that.”

Wyatt Page – South Texas transplant, avid gardener, Garden Center Assistant Manager – 5 years gardening experience:

“Always start with the soil! It’s the home for your root system – the health of your plants is based on the quality of your soil. Here in South Texas, we have a somewhat tough soil for planting, but learning how to work with it will make you a successful gardener.”

Thank you for trusting Gill’s with your gardening and landscaping needs this year. From all of us to you – HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

What a gift running into Joyce Barnette this past Saturday while visiting Gill’s. Joyce has been a weekly visitor of Gill’s since we opened our doors 46 years ago. She and her husband Jim have lived in the Country Club Estates neighborhood since the early 70’s, raising three boys and now blessed with daughter-in-laws and seven grandchildren. Joyce reminds me often how much Jim loves flowers and how much she loves to garden. They make a great team!

Joyce grew up in Mississippi. She credits her mother for her love of gardening. Most days, unless she’s adventuring the world with her sister or other family, she’s out in the garden repotting, planting, trimming, or weeding. Their front yard includes oaks, junipers, hollies, roses, and beautiful ferns on either side of her front door. Instead of pulling the hose up to water, she keeps bottles of water just inside her front door for the ferns. They have a terra cotta stone texture front walk and driveway with a beautiful side yard garden anchored with hill country limestone boulders her sons collected over the years for her. Private seating with pergola, container planting, hanging baskets, and art create a very peaceful outdoor garden space to read and relax! Her back yard has two more seating areas, surrounded by palms, Japanese yew (one of her favorite woody ornamentals), vitex, pittosporums, groundcovers, and flowers. A gardener’s paradise!

Joyce loves putting together hanging baskets, which display beautifully from low lying branches of trees and garden hooks. She doesn’t mind experimenting with plants. She’ll try a plant in one spot and if it isn’t happy, she’ll move it, and hope for better results. She has an extensive succulent garden and she even has a “plant hospital” along the far side of the driveway for plants she’s nursing back to health.

It is always fun to hear what project Joyce is shopping for when at Gill’s. She’s either planting annuals at Jim’s office, landscaping at their church, purchasing gifts to donate to the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center for a fundraiser, or working in her own garden. Joyce, along with her good friend Mary Hill, have been volunteering their time and resources, keeping the grounds of St. Lukes Methodist Church beautifully landscaped for over 30 years. Joyce has donated many items over the years for the annual Botanical Garden’s Moonlight in the Garden fundraiser, and she and Jim have been sponsoring the 20+ foot fresh Christmas tree that greets families during the holidays at the Botanical Gardens.

The morning I visited with Joyce a hummingbird darted into the garden to gather nectar and then flew right up to us, stopping mid-air as if it knew we were marveling about the beauty and bounty of her garden. I’m so happy to have gotten to know Joyce and am thankful for her kindness and support she generously gives our community!

– Sally Gill

We’re thankful to get to do what we do! Thank you for all your plant questions, your landscaping inspiration, and for sharing your excitement and love of gardening with us. We hope you have a great holiday. We’ll be closed Thanksgiving Day and back open on Friday at 9 to help you find your perfect tree!

We all know how hard you’ve worked to have a beautiful landscape. Now how do you keep it thriving and surviving the summer heat?

Check out our Top Tips for Summer Success.

Comfort for Summer: Shade Cloth

Plant

All container grown trees, shrubs, vines

It’s prime time to plant tropicals such as Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Ginger and Palms.

Garden Guide: Water Wise Landscaping

Late spring and summer color:

Zinnias, Periwinkles, Purslane, Moss Rose, Gomphrena, Lantana, Ruellia, Penta, Caladiums, Coleus, Angelonia and more.

Read: Easy Gardening with Garden Troughs
Garden Guide: Annuals for Spring and Summer

Seeds

Sunflowers, Morning Glory, Zinnias, and Gomphrena.

Caladium Bulbs

Caladium bulbs planted now will come up quickly for instant color.

Indoor Plants

Warm temps allow you to take your indoor plants outdoors for some fresh air. Just be sure to keep them protected from the sun. Shady patios are perfect for a short stay. Wash off the dust and bring them back in nice and clean.

Read: Plants, the Perfect Rx for Clean Air

Fertilize

TOMATO & PEPPER PLANTS

Fertilize tomato and pepper plants regularly. Use organic Rose Glo,
Hasta Gro, Plant Tone, or Medina Growin Green.

Read: My Ugly Tomato Plant

ROSES

All roses with organic Maestro Gro Rose Glo

TREES & SHRUBS

Fertilize all trees and shrubs with organic Milorganite or Medina Growin’ Green.

ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS

Use organic Medina Growin’ Green, Hasta Gro, or conventional Osmocote Time Release Granules

AZALEAS, GARDENIAS, AND MAGNOLIAS

Use organic Maestro Gro-Rose Glo or Medina Growin’ Green, or conventional Espoma Azalea Food.

HIBISCUS AND TROPICAL BLOOMERS

Fertilize all tropical bloomers with organic Rose Glo or Hasta Gro, or conventional Hibiscus Food

CITRUS AND PECAN TREES

Use organic Espoma Citrus Tone, or conventional Pecan, Citrus and Fruit Tree Fertilizer

Read: How do I keep My Plants Looking Healthy Through Our Summers? Read: Organic Fertilizers 101

Prune

Faded blooms to encourage new blooms – especially important on perennials, tropicals, and crape myrtles
Shrubs to maintain good form
Palms, if needed

Watch out For

CATERPILLARS

Watch for caterpillars or their damage (chewed leaves). Use organic Thuricide, Spinosad, or conventional Cyonara.

Read: Texas Sage Eaten by Caterpillars?

FUNGUS, POWDERY MILDEW

Use organic Neem Oil, or conventional Systemic Fungicide

GRUB WORMS

Treat conventionally with Bonide Insect and Grub Control

Read: It's Grubworm Time Again!

CHINCH BUGS

Watch for Chinch bugs in lawns. Treat organically with Diatomaceous Earth, Spinosad, or conventionally with Cyonara RTS

Read: Check For Chinch Bugs If Your Lawn Looks Dry Even Though You Know It’s Not!

MEALY BUGS

Use organic Neem Oil, Bee Safe 3 in 1 Spray or Insecticidal Soap, Spinosad Soap, or conventional Cyonara, or Bonide Systemic

Read: Mealy Bugs are Here

SPIDER MITES

Treat organically with Neem Oil, Bee Safe 3 in 1 Spray or Spinosad Soap. Seaweed extract helps prevent them. Or, treat conventionally with Cyonara

FLEAS AND TICKS

Treat lawns with organic Spinosad, Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect Killer, or conventional Cyonara.

BORERS

Borers in mesquites, ash, and yucca. Treat organically with Spinosad, or conventionally with Tree and Shrub Drench.

Water

– When watering during periods of windy dry conditions, it’s important to water slowly and deeply. Be sure to watch the spray of sprinklers and adjust accordingly with the wind.

– Water all plants well after planting and regularly through the first year. Plants will begin to use more water as they grow and bloom. Outdoor potted plants dry out quickly as do hanging baskets and small annuals. Check new plants daily for water needs, many will need water every day.

– Mulch around trees and flowerbeds to conserve moisture.

– Make arrangements for someone to water if leaving for more than 2 days (especially new plants).

– Watch your perennials. Check soil moisture before watering. Many plants can die from over watering. Use a moisture meter when in doubt.

Lawn Care

Fertilize early in the month, if not already done

Fertilize organically with Milorganite or Medina Growin’ Green to your lawn and water in well, approximately 30 minutes per area.

Plant New Grass

Lay new sod or Bermuda seed anytime this month.

Fix Yellow Spots in Your Lawn

Treat organically with Nature’s Blend, or conventionally with Hi-Yield Iron Plus.

Mow as Required

Keep St. Augustine cut to about 3”, Bermuda at 1” – 2”.

Watch for Chinch Bugs and Grub Worms

Watch: How to Collect a Grass Sample