neem oil

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”. Insecticidal Soap or 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.

-DeAnna

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

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.

Plant

Sunny areas:

Zinnias, Periwinkles, Moss Rose, Purslane, Lantana, Blue Daze, False Heather, Salvia, Ice Plant, Gomphrena, Ruellia, Coreopsis, Pentas

Shady areas:

Caladiums, Coleus, Begonias, Ageratum, Shrimp Plant, Torenia, Agapanthus, Snowbush

Seeds:

Morning Glory, Moonflower, Zinnias, Sunflowers, Gomphrena

All container grown hardy and tropical trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, groundcover, and citrus trees

Read: Fruit Trees and Citrus in Your Own Backyard

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.

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.

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

Fertilize

All granular fertilizer should be watered in well.

Tomato & Pepper Plants

Fertilize regularly with organic Rose Glo or Hasta Gro, Plant Tone, or Medina Growin' Green.

Annuals & Perennials

Use organic Medina Growin' Green, Rose Glo or Plant Tone, or Hasta Gro.

Azaleas, Magnolias, Gardenias

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

Roses

Fertilize organically with Maestro Gro-Rose Glo.

Hibiscus & Tropical Bloomers

Use organic Maestro Gro-Rose Glo, or conventional Hibiscus Food.

Trees & Shrubs

Fertilize organically with Milorganite, Medina Growin' Green.

Prune

All early spring bloomers if not already done, such as Azaleas, Indian Hawthorn and Carolina Jessamine.
Trim hedges as needed to maintain good form.
Poinsettias to approximately 12” tall.

Watch Out For

Fungus, Powdery Mildew

Treat organically with Neem Oil. Or conventionally with Fertilome Liquid Systemic Fungicide on ornamentals.

Grub Worms

Use organic Spinosad Soap, or conventional BioAdvanced 24-hour Grub Control or Season-Long Bonide Insect and Grub Control

Spider Mites

Treat organically with Spinosad Soap or conventionally with Cyonara, Bonide Systemic.

Lace Bugs on Lantana

Use Cyonara.

Read: Lacebugs on Lantana

Chinch Bugs

Use organic Diatomaceous Earth, or Spinosad, or conventional Cyonara.

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

Mealy Bugs

Treat organically with Neem Oil, or Insecticidal Soap, or conventionally with Bonide Systemic.

Read: Mealy Bugs are Here

Fleas & Ticks

Treat organically with Spinosad, Diatomaceous Earth, or conventionally with Cyonara.

Read: Got Fleas?

Mulch

Apply mulch around trees, flowerbeds and vegetable gardens to reduce weeds and help retain moisture. We recommend natural mulches like hardwood, cedar, black velvet, and pinestraw mulch. These reduce weeds well and will not float away.

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

Prepare Your Garden Spaces for Fall Planting

Clean areas of unwanted weeds and debris.
Break up the soil and add organic matter like Cotton Burr Compost, and turn or till it in.
Mix in dried molasses and organic fertilizer like Medina Growin’ Green.
Water, mulch, and let it rest until you are ready to plant.
Keep it watered to encourage beneficial microbes in the soil.

Read: Organic Gardening

Read: Comfort for Summer: Shade Cloth

Read: Fall’s Around the Corner – it’s Garden Time!

What To Plant

Late Summer Vegetable Transplants

Plant tomato, eggplant, and pepper transplants after August 10th. Be sure to keep watered well and evenly shaded from the hot afternoon sun.

Read: Homegrown Tastes Best
Garden Guide: Fall Tomatoes

Fall Vegetable Seeds

Seeds of beans, cabbage, peas, winter squash, and turnips. Start in pots and then transplant to garden. Protect from intense heat and sun.

Pumpkin Seeds

If you want pumpkins by Halloween, plant your seeds by August 10th.

Bluebonnet Seeds

Sow bluebonnet seeds now for spring bloom.

Tropicals

All tropicals including allamandas, mandevillas, palms, pentas, blue daze, hamelia, hibiscus, esperanza, and plumbago will continue growing and blooming.

Summer Annuals

Annuals such as zinnias, moss rose, gomphrena, purslane, periwinkles, caladium and coleus will continue to flourish.

“House” Plants

Don’t forget that “house plants” are generally tropical in nature and love a nice shady or semi shady patio to put on the best show. Ficus, schefflera, corn plants, dracaenas, ivies, ponytail palms, and bromeliads all like heat and humidity.

Read: Plants, the Perfect Rx for Clean Air

All container grown trees, shrubs, and vines.

Garden Guide: Planting Trees, Shrubs, and Groundcovers
Read: Crape Myrtle Season

Prune

Continue removing faded flowers from annuals and perennials to encourage new blooms.
Faded blooms and seed pods from crape myrtle to promote additional blooming
Dead wood from trees and shrubs
Trim plants as needed to maintain size and shape.
Palms as needed
Poinsettias early in month – last pruning for December color

Water

Check all newly planted material for water every day.
Check pots, containers and hanging baskets often, as they dry out quickly and need more water.
Apply mulch as needed to help conserve moisture.
Make arrangements for someone to water if leaving for more than 2 days, especially with new plants.
Follow City Water Restriction Guidelines.

Fertilize

All trees and shrubs

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

Annuals and perennials

Fertilize organically with Medina Growin Green, or Hasta Gro, or conventionally with Osmocote Time Release Granules.

All hibiscus and tropical bloomers

Fertilize organically with Maestro Gro-Rose Glo, or conventionally with Hibiscus Food.

All granular fertilizer should be watered in well

Lawn Care

Organic fertilizers such as Milorganite, and Medina Growin Green are excellent fertilizers that feed plants and soil and are the best choice during hot, dry periods.
Lay new sod anytime, and Bermuda seed anytime this month.
Apply organic Nature’s Blend to yellow spots in lawn. Not too much - just a thin 1/8"-1/4" layer.
Mow as required. Keep St. Augustine cut to about 3”, Bermuda at 1” – 2”.
Watch for Chinch Bugs and Grub Worms.

Read: Use the Cycle Soak Method
Garden Guide: Lawn Care

Watch Out For

Mealy bugs

Treat organically with Neem Oil, Spinosad Soap, or Bee Safe 3-in-1 or conventionally with Cyonara or Bonide Systemic.

Read: Mealy Bugs are Here!

Chinch bugs in lawns

Treat organically with Spinosad or Diatomaceous Earth, or conventionally with Cyonara.

Spider mites

Treat organically with Neem Oil, Spinosad Soap, or Bee Safe 3-in-1 or conventionally with Cyonara or Bonide Systemic.

Note: Spraying your plants with seaweed extract helps repel spider mites, and it’s good for your plants too!

Fleas and ticks

Treat lawns organically with Spinosad, or Diatomaceous Earth, or conventionally with Cyonara.

Borers in mesquites, ash, and yucca

Treat organically with Spinosad.

Fungus, Powdery Mildew

Treat organically with Neem Oil, or Bee Safe 3 in 1, or with Fertilome Broad Spectrum Fungicide, Fung-onil, or Systemic Fungicide.

Unwanted caterpillars – remember that many caterpillars turn into the butterflies that we love and enjoy!

If necessary, treat organically with Thuricide or Spinosad.

Read: Darn Those Summer Bugs!

Plant

Flowers from Seed

Carnations, larkspur, nasturtium, petunias, poppy

Garden Guide: Planting Fall & Winter Annuals

Flowers from Transplant

Pansies, petunias, alyssum, dianthus, snapdragons, ornamental cabbage and kale, geraniums

Hardy Trees, Shrubs and Vines

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. Read more: Plant Hardy Trees And Shrubs Now

Garden Guide: Planting Trees, Shrubs & Groundcovers, Roses

Veggies from Seed

Beets, cabbage (all types), carrots, chard, lettuce, mustard, onions, peas, radish, spinach and turnips

Christmas cactus is one of nature’s gifts for those who are gardening challenged. Just keep them dry and in very filtered light. How’s that for easy?

A beautiful holiday plant, the Christmas Cactus blooms at Christmas and also sometimes around Easter if cared for properly. Keep the plant in a well lit location (like near a window) away from direct sunlight-too much heat and light can stunt the growth and burn the leaves. It should also be away from drafts, heat vents, or other sources of hot air. Feel the soil with your fingers; if it is dry, it’s time to water thoroughly. Before watering again, check to see that the top inch of soil has dried thoroughly first. Mist leaves as well as watering the soil.

Fall bulbs like paper whites and amaryllis, will make a spectacular show this winter and now is the time to plant them.

Paperwhite Narcissus
1. Refrigerate for 4-6 weeks prior to planting.
(plant around Thanksgiving for holiday blooms!)
2. Fill a clear vase with a few inches of pea gravel.
3. Nestle bulbs side by side into the gravel.
4. Add water up to the bottom of the bulb and
place near a sunny window.

Amaryllis
Plant in a pot or in the ground. If planting in the ground, place in morning sun and afternoon shade. Every three years in October, you can dig up and divide these bulbs as they multiply underground! Feed regularly with Hi-Yield Bone Meal every 4-6 weeks.

Indoor Plants

Bring fresh air and interest indoors. Houseplants like schefflera, sanseveria, pothos ivy, & philodendrons bring a clean organic feel to your home. While you move plants in from outdoor areas, be sure to check for insects and treat if needed.

Read: Plants, the Perfect Rx for Clean Air

Poinsettias indoors do best in cool dry areas with indirect light. An easy way to water them is with a few ice cubes every few days. Read: Poinsettia Care

Fertilize

BEDDING PLANTS
Fertilize organically with Hastagro, Medina Growin Green, or Milorganite, or conventionally with Osmocote Time Release 14-14-14.
Do not fertilize TROPICALS this month. They need to rest.

LAWN

If you didn’t fertilize your lawn in October or November, instead of applying a chemical fertilizer, we recommend you use an organic fertilizer such as Medina Growin Green or Milorganite. These products feed the grass & soil microbes slowly and naturally.

Read: Organic Gardening 101: Organic Fertilizers

Watch Out For

Read: Protect Your Lawn – Recent Take-All Root Rot Sightings

SCALE
Insects on hardy trees and shrubs. Spray with Neem Oil spray or Dormant Oil.

Read: What’s Bugging You Now?

LAWN FUNGUS
This can be a major problem after long periods of wet, cool weather or over watering. There are two major kinds of lawn fungus – Take All Patch and Brown Patch. Treat Take All Patch organically with Nature’s Blend Organic Compost, or Peat Moss, or conventionally with Fertilome Systemic Lawn Fungicide or Scotts DiseaseEX.

Treat Brown Patch Fungus with Fertilome F-Stop Granules.

Water

Only as needed – but dry cold fronts, high winds and low humidity can dry plants quickly.
Established lawns only need water every couple of weeks, provided we don’t get rain.
Be sure to check your sprinkler system and adjust accordingly.

Prune

Perennials that have finished their bloom.
Pick spent flowers from annuals to prolong their bloom season.

Read: To Prune or Not to Prune?

Harvest Citrus

Starting in December, and more in January, harvest your lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, and other citrus fruits. What a great holiday gift!
If you notice any fruits with black gunk on them, it's likely honeydew from insects. Treat with organic All Season Horticultural Oil spray to suffocate any lingering insects.

Be Ready for Frost Protection!

We never know if we might get an early freeze in December, so have your frost blankets handy.
When covering plants for a freeze, make a tent to capture ground warmth - not a lollipop! The frost protection cloth should extend all the way to the ground and be pinned to the ground or, better yet, weighed down with bricks or firewood - something heavy so they don't blow away in high winds.