march

Now THIS is some gorgeous gardening weather!! We’re all busy planting, re-designing, fertilizing, and getting ready for holidays and weekends outside with family and friends. Here are our top tips for making the most of a very important month in the garden.

1. Feed Your Lawn and Plants

Fertilizing/feeding your plants this month is a must. This includes lawns, trees, and most plants. Everything is actively growing, which means they’ll need more food to continue looking their best. For lawns we love to apply organic Medina Growin Green once in Spring (now!), once in Summer, and once in the Fall. Medina Growin Green is a great multi-purpose food for shrubs and trees too. For blooming perennials, annual flowers, and veggies we really like organic Plant Tone by Espoma and Medina Hasta Gro liquid. Feed with Plant Tone on the 1st of each month, then follow up with liquid Hasta Gro on the 15th. Add these reminders to your calendar and you can’t go wrong!

2. Watering Wands Win!

Hand watering with a watering wand that has a cutoff valve is the most efficient and best way to water, especially for new plantings. Watering plants low to the ground keeps water from escaping via wind and evaporation and keeps water off the leaves which can invite fungal issues. Watering slowly (by turning down the pressure on your watering wand or kinking your hose) ensures that more water gets down to the roots instead of running off the surface.

As of right now, with Stage 2 watering restrictions in effect, you can use sprinklers or spray irrigation once every 2 weeks. Check your watering schedule here. Lawns and established landscapes will like this schedule if you water slowly, deeply, and consistently. For new landscape projects, and some other situations, you can apply for a temporary exemption to watering restrictions and use sprinklers and irrigation systems in order to help get plants, lawns, and trees established. We can help you file for the exemption if you like – it’s a straightforward process.

Keep in mind that hand watering and drip irrigation/soaker hoses are not limited by current watering restrictions. You can hand water or supplement with drip irrigation any time as needed. We carry the pro watering wands that we use here at Gill’s as well efficient sprinklers, moisture meters, timers, and soaker hoses.

3. Plant Blooming Perennials for Pollinators

April is time to add some blooming perennials to attract pollinators like butterflies, bees, and birds to your garden. You support pollinators (and the planet!) and in return they help you have more blooms, better production on your veggies, and a more vibrant landscape! Remember – April is when we start seeing hummingbirds! Add a few of their favorites like this native Salvia greggii, native Flame Acanthus, or firebush and make your backyard a preferred stop.

4. Plant Your Warm Weather Veggies

It’s time to plant hot peppers, squash, zucchini, basil, beans, and more! Tomato time has almost passed, but we still have a few if you still really want to plant a tomato – or better yet, a tomatillo! When starting veggies, the trick is to get the soil as active and alive as possible. Amend your existing soil with Nature’s Blend Compost (about 1 bag per 12 sq. ft.), then add a little Bio Tone starter fertilizer with mycorrhizal fungi and a good handful of worm castings when you plant each plant. Then follow our trusted fertilizer schedule – Plant Tone on the 1st of the month and liquid Hasta Gro on the 15th! Remember that veggies use a lot of energy and need these regular feedings to produce. Plus, strong, vigorous veggie plants are less susceptible to pest damage.

5. Get Ready for Guests

We’re wrapping up March and rolling into April with a gorgeous Easter weekend! For the quickest and easiest impact outdoors, think hanging baskets full of Impatiens, Vinca, Purslane, Geraniums and more overflowing with color. Some pops of color plus fresh mulch in your beds and you’re ready to host! We’ve extended our mulch sale through 4/4/24 to help with that! For indoors, our favorite flower arrangements are those cut fresh from the garden and landscape.

Check out our April Garden Guide for more tips!

We’re happy to report that Christmas trees are here and they look….AMAZING!! We are so pleased with the sizes and shapes and freshness this year! The garden center is stocked with fresh-cut trees ranging from 5ft to 11ft, and the Gill’s crew has delivered one very special Nordmann Fir measuring 18ft at The South Texas Botanical Gardens! Here’s some more info about our Christmas tree varieties this year plus a few important care tips. We can’t wait to help you find your perfect tree 🙂

Did You Know Real Fresh-Cut Christmas Trees are the Environmentally Friendly Option?

Real Christmas trees help support forests and don’t require the carbon emissions that it takes to produce plastic trees. We work with sustainably-managed Christmas tree farms in Washington state and North Carolina who plant 3 new saplings for each tree they harvest. Their forests of Christmas trees consume several thousand pounds of carbon dioxide per year helping to clean our atmosphere and provide oxygen. After the season, recycled trees can be used for building barrier sand dunes on Padre Island, creating artificial reefs in local bay waters, creating bug and pollinator habitat, chipped for garden mulch, and more. No waste!

Tree Varieties at Gill’s

Fraser Fir is one of the most popular trees for the classic look. They are highly sought after for their needle retention, tolerance to warmer climates, soft silvery foliage, and fragrance. Our Frasers are especially fragrant this year. We have seen Frasers in March look almost as good as they did in December!

Noble Fir in traditional form or the trendy layered look. Nobles are known for their long-cut life, darker green foliage, and stiff branches that hold ornaments well. They’re also very fragrant for those of us who love the smell of Christmas trees.

Nordmann Fir has a soft needle and little to no fragrance, which makes it a great choice for those with allergies. Nordmanns have a very full look with contrasting silver and dark green foliage. Gorgeous!

We offer delivery + set-up as well as Xmas tree takeaway after the season.

2 Very Important Xmas Tree Care Tips:

#1 – Keep your tree in water! Our trees have had a fresh cut and have been immediately placed in water to maximize freshness. As soon as you get your tree home, get the base of the trunk in water. If you need to wait to put it on the stand, get it in a bucket of water. If you plan to give your tree a fresh cut when you get home, only cut ½” off the base, and you must get it in water within 10 mins, or the cut will seal over and not allow the tree to take up water. For the first few days, your tree will drink a lot of water! Keep monitoring your water level in the stand those first few days and throughout the season. We carry the Watering Elf long water funnel which makes refilling super easy.

#2 – Keep your tree away from heating and A/C vents (if a vent is nearby, close it). Heating and A/C will dry out the tree quickly – you don’t want that! You want to keep the needles as hydrated as possible.

Go See The Big Tree!

We are happy to be a part of the annual Botanical Gardens holiday light display. Visit the Botanical Gardens website for more info about holiday hours. Can’t wait to see this year’s big tree!

It may not feel like it today, but we are soooo close to a gorgeous Spring, and there’s lots to do in the garden. Here’s our top 5 to focus on in February to prep for an amazing Spring season.

Check out our February 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. Stay Ahead of Big Weather Changes

As we’re seeing right now, seasonal transitions can be a roller coaster of weather events. Beautiful one day, frigid the next. It’s important to know what’s coming our way so you can plan your gardening projects & protect newly planted gardens if needed. We use NOAA as our go to for current weather & upcoming forecasts.

2. Plant Spring Edibles. Tomatoes sooner; Peppers later.

Beloved tomato growing is rewarding and can be challenging. Planting them early this month is a good step toward a bountiful harvest. Tomatoes need cooler nights to have good fruit set. When you buy your tomato starts, buy a tomato cage to install while they’re small. It can act as a frame for cold weather protection (a bag or blanket) if needed and a frame to support your plants as they grow.

Peppers, on the flip side, will be stunted (even killed) by cooler temps. Below 55 is no good for heat-loving peppers. Wait to plant peppers the end of Feb into March. You can go ahead and start other favs like squash, cucumbers, beans, & greens either by seed or transplants mid-Feb.

3. Feed Veggies & Flowers

The warm weather has sent most flowers & veggies on a growing spurt. A good meal of organic plant food like Plant Tone or Medina Growin Green will ensure they continue to look and produce their best for your garden. Both of these are granules that can easily be spread around plants then watered in. Plus, they feed the soil to keep it healthy.

4. Cut back ornamental grasses.

Most of these grasses like Purple Fountain Grass, Muhly Grass, & others are in need of a good shearing to look nice again this Spring. Do this now before the new growth starts. Have a sharp pair of hedge or hand pruners, tie up the grass clump with twine or rope to see the base of the grass. Cut straight across about 4-6in above the ground. This exposes the crown to more light helping to begin their fresh new growth. And you will not have to clean old brown blades out of the new green ones later this Spring.

5. Keep Watch for Winter Insects

Scale is a hard bodied sucking insect that looks like a brown booger stuck to the leaves of plants. Some of their favorites are Burford Holly, Bird of Paradise, Flax Lily, & Irises. They are easily controlled with a spray of organic All Seasons Oil Spray. It literally coats and suffocates the insect. It’s also good for treating indoor plants that may have scale or spider mites.

Check out our February Garden Guide for more tips!

No Need To Wait… Plant Hardy Trees And Shrubs Now!

The roots of hardy plants grow during our cool months even though their leaves may be changing color or falling from their branches. This provides a better root system so they thrive in spring and can survive the long, hot summer. Live oaks, magnolia, cedar elm, hawthorns, holly, sage, junipers, roses, just to name a few, are winter hardy and would be appropriate to plant now. Perennials like lantana, turks cap, and ornamental grasses also benefit from planting during the winter months.

Are Your Tropicals Looking Winter Worn?

Hot weather tropicals such as hibiscus, bougainvilleas, esperanza, plumbago and many more suffer from the sudden temperature drops in the winter. Even though we have not had a freeze, the last really good cold snap made our plants look pretty bad. The leaves turn yellow and brown and most plants also suffer lots of leaf drop. This is normal so don’t be alarmed. In late February to early March you should cut all these plants back one third to half their size and fertilize. They will flush out with new spring growth and you will never know they looked so bad over the winter. The beauty of spring!!

Our Thoughts On Winter Watering

Since the temperatures are no longer in the 90’s and plants are not actively growing they require less water. This includes the lawn. Change your watering schedule on the lawn and established shrubs to every 2 weeks slow and deep instead of once a week. Potted plants no longer need to be watered everyday. Most could go every 2-3 days. Night-time dampness and fog helps to keep moisture in the soil. By changing your watering habits you help to reduce fungal problems which are prevalent with these conditions.

Don’t Trim These Plants Until After They Bloom:

Indian Hawthorn, Mountain Laurel, Carolina Jessamine, Azaleas, and Spirea all bloom in early spring and should be trimmed after they bloom in February and March.

Time To Feed Citrus

Newly planted or young citrus trees need to be fed ¼ pound of Fertilome Fruit, Citrus, & Pecan Food after they begin growing in the early spring. Repeat feeding every six weeks till June 1. The second year, feed on the same schedule, giving one pound per application. Give established or mature citrus trees one pound of Fruit, Citrus & Pecan Food per inch of trunk diameter. Apply it all in January, or split it between January and May applications. We recommend Espoma Citrus-tone for organic gardening. It is long lasting and it feeds the soil and the tree! Citrus-tone recommends to feed Jan-Feb. as a pre-bloom application to enhance flowering and May-June as a post-bloom application to encourage better fruit set. Apply at the rate of 2 cups per foot of height.

Time To Plant Seed Potatoes

Seed potatoes are not seeds at all, but are actually potatoes that have not been treated and have eyes. They are easy to grow. Cut each potato into 2 ounce pieces with one to two eyes per piece. Treat each cut piece with dusting sulphur and wait several days to allow the cut area to heal. Plant pieces about four inches deep, (cut side down), 10-12 inches apart in rows 2-3 feet apart. As plants grow, pull soil up over and around, and cover with mulch. Continue to mound soil as the plants grow. Harvest young new potatoes by gently probing with fingers beside plant as plants reach full flower. When tops begin to turn brown, dig mature potatoes. Plants can take up to 90 days to mature.

Dull Mower Blades Damage Lawns

Take the time now to sharpen mower blades, pruners, hedge shears and loppers.In the next few weeks it will be time to prune and a sharp tool will make for a better trim. If your mower blades are dull the grass tips will appear shredded and have a threadlike appearance. Dull mowerblades rip and tear the grass blades leaving a brown look across the lawn. Look closely at a blade of grass. The top edge will show split ends. It means the blade is dull resulting in harm to grass. A sharp cut will leave the lawn looking healthy and green. Do not mow your lawn when the leaf blades are wet. The same is true for pruners. If your pruners are dull when you cut your plants, the tissue is shredded and torn which leads to fungal issues and an overall unhealthy appearance. The plant has a harder time leafing out with new growth as well. Take the time now to insure your tools are ready. We carry a Corona Sharpening Tool to sharpen all pruners, hedge shears and loppers.

Continue To Be Water Wise

The weather is still cool and with misty, wet days, plants don’t need additional watering. As days get longer and temperatures increase be careful not to water too much. All established plants will be happy with once every two weeks watering through February. Beginning in March to April as the temperatures warm up even more, once a week is sufficient. Remember to water slow and deep, but not very often to establish a deep healthy root system. Your plants will thank you, and so will your water bill. Of course annual color with smaller roots systems will need to be watered more often, but all established trees, shrubs, and tropicals will appreciate time between watering. Let’s all train our landscapes to be

water wise.

A Breath Of Spring!

With the last few days of sunshine and

warmer temps, we are all getting antsy to get outside. Fresh shipments of plants are arriving weekly to our stores so here’s a list of some here and some to come in soon.

Live oaks, cedar elms, Italian cypress, burr oaks, wild olives, mountain laurels are here.
Hardy shrubs like hawthorns, boxwoods, pittosporum, Japanese yew here now
Baskets and tubs of geraniums, double impatiens, Mona lavender, and stocks arrived this week with color.
Favorite perennials like lantana, Mexican heather, and salvias are here now with more coming!
Basil, cilantro, mint, thyme, chives, parsley here now with more varieties early February
More tomato plants and seed potatoes are here now
Peppers will be later in February as the cold night temps will stunt the plant to not produce peppers.
Fresh Floratam St. Augustine grass coming this week to Airline store.

START TRIMMING NOW!

Start trimming back now your ornamental grasses (like purple fountain grass and muhly grasses), trees, woody shrubs and vines (except indian hawthorne, azaleas, carolina jasmine that bloom in early spring). I would recommend waiting on the tropicals just a few more weeks, just in case we have a late cold snap.

WAIT TO FERTILIZE YOUR LAWN.

We all want our lawns to look lush and green all the time but it can’t be in the winter. Don’t think you can “wake up your grass” with fertilizer; fertilizer is taken up with growth, and since the grass is still dormant, it will do no good to feed now. It is best to wait until the grass comes out of winter dormancy which is usually mid March. The best way to tell when to feed is when you need to mow the grass (and not the weeds) every week or so. If you wait to feed, you will see the results you are looking for. It’s also best to attack existing weeds in warm weather (not hot) and sunshine. Since February can be our coldest month, it is usually March before we can take care of those weeds. My thought is, kill the weeds in early March and then fertilize the lawn afterwards. There is no sense in feeding the weeds.

PLANT WILDFLOWERS.

If you missed sowing your wildflowers in the fall, you can try to sow them out right
now. We also have bluebonnet plants in 6 packs ready to transplant, your favorite Ladybird Blue and Aggie Maroon. Seeds of sweet peas and nasturtiums can also be sown in the garden now for spring blooms.

Still time to apply pre-emergents Greenlight Amaze or Fertilome Weed Control With Dimension to prevent more weeds from sprouting and AllSeasons Oil Spray for overwintering insects. Spring is right around the corner and we are all ready for a little gardening therapy. See you in the dirt.

TIME TO PRUNE ROSES! Valentine’s Day is a time to remember our loved ones with candy and flowers. It also is the perfect time to prune roses. Late January to mid February is the best time. Prune established hybrid teas, removing dead and small twiggy growth, leaving strong healthy canes to a plant height of 18-24 inches. Try to prune to an outward facing bud to maintain spreading, open growth. Prune shrub roses like Knockouts 1/3 to 1/2 the plant height. Do not prune climbers until after the Spring bloom, then removing only the oldest canes and cutting back healthy, vigorous canes no more than 1/3. Remove spent blooms throughout the season on all rose varieties, cutting back to the first 5 leaflet cluster. You can also begin fertilizing your roses in late February with Bayer Systemic Rose and Flower Care, or organically with Maestro Rose Glo. Gill Landscape Nursery stocks disease resistant roses (ask for them), but if you have hybrid teas, as soon as new growth appears you should begin a spray program to control insects and diseases. Bayer 3 in 1 Insect, Disease and Mite Control, takes care of all rose problems. For organic controls, use Neem Oil for insects and disease or Serenade to control diseases. A regular spray program keeps your roses healthy and happy. Remember fungal diseases are always easier to prevent than to cure.

Crab Grass? Probably not, King Ranch Bluestem is more likely the ugly ogre in your lawn. KR Bluestem was imported as a forage grass from Africa a long time ago by guess who? It is very tough, grows with hardly any rainfall, but can spoil the look of your nice lawn. There is no selective herbicide to remove it without harming the desirable lawn grass mixed with it, so you either dig (not easy or thorough) or apply RoundUp. Since the RoundUp will kill everything you spray it on, limit your spray by knocking out the bottom of a small box and placing the box on top of each bluestem clump. Inside the box, spray to wet foliage, not to soak the ground, do not mow for 4 days before or after spraying. Your St. Augustine will be free to run across and cover these limited dead spots within a period of a few weeks, if done in March or April after fertilizing.

Venus Fly Trap

“The infamous Venus Fly Trap! It’s one of the coolest plants we get in, and is surprisingly easy to take care of. Simply pot the plant in sphagnum peat moss, and put the pot in a saucer full of charcoal. Then water the plant by putting water in the saucer and letting it suck it up. The charcoal in the saucer keeps the water fresh, and since they’re naturally a bog

plant, they love to be standing in water. Venus fly trapslove sunny windowsills, but don’t let them get too hot! I feed mine pill bugs since mine live inside, but if you put them outside they’ll catch their own dinner. I even had a 2 year venus fly trap that caught a wasp; I was so proud!!”

-Marta