oak

About this time of year, every year, we visit our Texas plant growers. This year we took them Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, as a thank you for shipping us their best grade A plants!

While at the growing grounds we drive the fields with our sales rep, looking at new plant varieties and new sizes of plants being grown. We even have a coding system to remind us which plants are the best for early spring shipment.

For the first time in 40 years, this year James and I saw robots spacing plants out in the fields. They say robots are a little better at spacing than humans. I’m not sure about that; here they are in action!

Below are photos of our visit last week.

Thin Mints, ready for delivery!

James on the loading dock, checking quality.

Greenhouse full of Tuscan Blue Rosemary!

Mona Lavender Hanging Baskets

Sally with some big Live Oak we’re bringing in

Greenhouse of Geraniums

Planting Seedlings in bedding flats

Beautiful Italian Cypress – A Rating!

Cool Looking Mangave Pineapple Express

James with Ron, Salesman & Great Gill Advocate

Meredith, native to CC, works with one of our growers. She was a real treat to tour with!

These Gentlemen are our angels, driving Texas highways to bring you your plants!

-Sally

Are you challenged with caterpillars, leafminers or whitefly every year? On your bougainvillea, hibiscus, ash or oak trees? If so, now’s the time to apply Bayer Tree & Shrub Drench. Be careful though, not to use on your herbs, veggies & fruit trees.

Another great drench and less expensive, Fertilome Tree & Shrub Systemic Insect Drench doesn’t work well on caterpillars but is great for wooly aphids in hackberry trees, asian cycad scale on sago palms, lace bug on lantana, aphids and whitefly on crape myrtle or even mealy bug that attack your hibiscus every year and drive you crazy with spraying. Again, do not use systemic insecticides on herbs, veggies & fruit trees.

It’s best to monitor your plants and spot spray individual plants when needed, but we all get busy and so the systemic may be the best option for you. We have both products in stock now for your spring application.

We always recommend you use the least toxic product to get rid of damaging insects. For example, aphids get on more plants than anything else in the spring, but on the bright side, they are also very easy to control. Sharp sprays of water many times works to rinse them off the new foliage.

Whatever your insect challenge, come and see us for help in determining the best way to control them. Many times you do not need to spray but rather let Mother Nature take care of the problem with her many beneficial insects preying on the damaging insects. We have ladybugs in stock right now, a great beneficial insect and fun to watch!

-DeAnna

I was blown away by the bromeliads that came in our last order from Florida. I wasn’t shopping for anything new but couldn’t resist their breathtaking beauty. Sometimes you’re only window shopping, and then, presto! – you walk out with something new. I thought, “wow, this is pretty, but how do I take care of it?”

Here’s what I learned:

Bromeliads originated in southern North America, most of South America, and isolated portions of Africa. There are a couple you may already know. The smallest is found hanging from oak trees. Spanish moss, a tillandsia, is part of the bromeliad family. Another bromeliad is a well-known tropical fruit, often used to garnish tropical drinks. Pineapple!

The more than 3,400 species of bromeliads have unique and fascinating foliage and flowers.

Some are toothed, some bloom tall spikes; others change color or develop tiny flowers inside their water wells.

Most bromeliads gather water and nutrition from their foliage or water well. They need little to no soil for their root system. They are often epiphytic, clinging to trees or other structures. They are not parasitic.

Caring for them is super easy.

Bromeliads enjoy filtered bright light – indoors or a patio is perfect. Keep water in the cup and only water the soil when dry. Dump water weekly to avoid stagnation. Feed them with a half-strength fertilizer once monthly. (We suggest Hastagro.)

Remember, they don’t need a big pot to grow. You can mount them on driftwood or stumps, even hang them from mossed wire.

Now, here’s the cool part.

As the flowers fade, the parent plant will produce offshoots around the base. These are baby bromeliads that can be removed and planted – making one plant into many plants! As new ones grow, the parent plant has done it’s part and begins to die. You can enjoy them for years to come and share them with friends.

To start your new plants, leave the sprouts growing until they are just big enough to handle, 3″-4″ tall should be good. Remove them by cutting them off just under the soil and plant them in sphagnum moss or loose planting mix. Orchid bark or seed and cutting mix would be great. They will require the same care as the parent plant. Moisten the soil and fill the center cup with water.

The more widely cultivated species are Aechmea, Guzmania, Cryptanthus, Vriesea, and Tillandsia. They are commercially grown in Florida, making them available for us year-round.

Tropical and exotic and easy?! You bet! See ya soon!

-Debbie

I have had several customers bring me Tussock Moth Caterpillars they found munching on their oak tree leaves.

The creamy white hairs on the caterpillar are long and bristle-like and spread out in tufts down the sides. Two long, sharp black pencil like hairs protrude near the front and rear and these hairs are connected to poison glands, which excrete venom on contact. Contact with the venom may result in itchy irritation.

You can spray your tree with Hi Yield Thuricide Concentrate or Natural Guard Spinosad Hose-end. Both of these products are organic and safe to use on all plants. Thuricide reacts with the cells of the stomach lining of the target pest causing them to not be able to feed within hours of ingesting. Spinosad is a contact kill, but still safe and organic for all plants.

(photo via ocala.com)

-DeAnna

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

May means Mom’s Day, graduations, and more BBQs and family holidays outside! May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. As gardeners, we know growing plants and being outdoors are necessary for our wellbeing…and so much fun! Here are our Top 5 Must Do’s this May to help you and your garden make the transition to warmer weather.

Check out our May 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. Plant Blooming Perennials

It’s still time to plant lots of different blooming perennials. Get them established now so they are better adapted to withstand warmer temps this Summer. Staples like Esperanza, many varieties of Salvia, Jatropha, Lantana, and more are all blooming beautifully right now. We’re excited about Cape Town Honeysuckle this month (see pic above). It grows to about 4-5’ tall and wide, whereas its relative, Cape Honeysuckle, grows to 8’ or more. Lots of blooms and lots more options for placement. Added bonus: these blooming perennials attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds!

2. Plant and Harvest Veggies

Warm weather veggie time! Plant peppers, zucchini, squash, and okra this month for continued harvesting into the Summer months. If you planted tomatoes, cucumbers, and other early Spring veggies, you’ll be harvesting now or soon. Be sure to harvest often! It keeps birds & insects from finding them first. If you do have insect issues in your veggie garden, our go-to organic control is Spinosad – safe for food but takes care of bugs. And remember to keep watering as the weather warms up. Soaker hoses are great to snake around your plants keeping water close to the ground and root systems.

3. Tend Your Lawn

It’s vital to water your lawn once a week unless we have rain. Invest in a sprinkler that’ll do the work – we have them. Hand watering the lawn may feel therapeutic, but you won’t get good coverage and depth.

When mowing, the proper height for St. Augustine lawns is around 3 inches. For Bermuda lawns keep mowed to around 2-2.5 inches.

Feed with Natural Fertilizers: Medina Growin Green or Milorganite. These feed the lawn and the soil with great results. Water in to get them started.
Watch for lawn insects & treat when needed. Grub worms & chinch bugs are easy to control when caught early but there’s no need to treat unless you have them. Bayer Season-long Grub Control will do the trick for grubs. Cyonara takes care of chinch bugs.

4. Look for Thirsty Plants

Watch your plants and they will show you when they need a drink. Most show signs of wilting (see photo). That’s a sign they need water soon. Once you give them a drink, they perk up quickly. But some will not tell you until it is too late, like a live oak tree. Invest in a moisture meter. They help to read the moisture with a poke into the soil around the roots. We have them and they’re very easy to use.

5. Gifts for Moms and Grads

Let us help you find something pretty, useful, or both for the gardening moms and grads in your life. Pottery, birdbaths, wind chimes, garden tools, hats, gloves – lots of options. Or the gift that gardeners love most – plants!

Check out our May Garden Guide for more tips! Happy gardening!

Oak Tree Caterpillars

Be on the look-out for oak tree caterpillars in your oak trees. They cluster together in large groups feeding on the leaves of your trees or you may notice poop under your tree (on your patio or walk.) They can be killed with Thuricide sprayed onto the leaves or with Fertilome Borer, Bagworm, Tent Caterpillar Spray containing Spinosad. If your trees are too large to spray or you just don’t want to, they will not kill your trees. The tree will leaf back out in the spring. I have had customers say that early in the mornings they could hear them chewing the hard oak leaves. Crunch, Crunch, Crunch!

Pansy Time

Pansies love the cool days of fall and winter. Plant them in full sun. Use Hi-Yield Blood Meal at the time of planting for larger and more profuse blooms. Once they become established use Maestro Rose Glo to keep them blooming throughout the season. You can also plant their dwarf counterpart violas. They have smaller leaves and blooms, but tolerate heat and moisture better.

Powdery Mildew on Mesquite Trees

With the cooler temperatures, shorter days and heavy rains in the past few weeks, powdery mildew fungus has attacked mesquite trees. Since the trees are getting ready to drop their leaves for the winter, it is not necessary to spray them. They will leaf out and be fine next Spring.

Rust on Plumeria

Plumeria are suffering from rust fungus caused by the same weather conditions. The undersides of the leaves have yellow- orange or reddish brown pustules. Since you should be withholding water from the plumeria so they can go dormant for the winter, be sure to gather up the leaves as they drop and discard in the trash. It is not necessary to spray unless the condition re-occurs in the spring.

What To Plant

Most annuals and perennials can now be purchased as transplants this month. Here is a list of some of our favorites: (L-R) caladiums (plants and bulbs), larkspur, petunias, salvia, gerbera daisy, alyssum, false heather, celosia, lantana, coleus.

Read: Fuel For Your Hungry Hummers

Vegetable Seeds

Beans, okra, radish, pumpkins, and watermelons, squash, cantaloupe, basil, corn

Vegetable Transplants

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, and strawberries
Garden Guide: Vegetable Planting Dates

Hardy Trees, Shrubs, Vines, Grasses

All hardy and tropical trees, shrubs, vines and grasses. I can’t think of one that can’t be planted now!

Bulbs & Caladiums

Late spring and summer bulbs such as caladiums, and elephant ears

Houseplants

March is a great time to clean, trim, and feed your houseplants. As the sun becomes stronger, plants may require more waterings. Check more often. Consider repotting in Spring. Over Winter, houseplant roots can outgrow their existing pots.

Fertilize

AZALEAS, GARDENIAS, MAGNOLIAS

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

HIBISCUS & TROPICAL BLOOMERS

Fertilize all hibiscus and tropical bloomers organically with Maestro Gro-Rose Glo, or conventionally with Hibiscus Food.

ALL TREES & SHRUBS

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

ANNUALS & PERENNIALS

Fertilize organically with Medina Growing Green, Hasta Gro, Maestro Rose Glo, or Plant Tone, or conventionally with Osmocote Time Release Granules.

ESTABLISHED ROSES

Fertilize organically with Maestro Rose Glo or Plant Tone.

ESTABLISHED CITRUS TREES

Fertilize organically with Citrus Tone.
Read: Fertilize Your Citrus Now

All granular fertilizer should be watered in well.

Prune

All dead and freeze damaged wood from hardy and tropical trees, shrubs, vines and perennials
Wait to prune early spring bloomers like Azaleas, Carolina Jessamine, climbing roses, Texas Mountain Laurels, and Indian Hawthorn until after they finish their bloom.

Water

During current drought restrictions, you CAN hand water everything except for your turfgrass lawn. You CAN use drip irrigation on your watering day every other week. And you CAN still apply for a temporary watering rules exemption to get new plantings established.
Keep in mind - outdoor potted plants dry out quickly, as do hanging baskets and small annuals.
Mulch all plants and trees to help hold moisture. Don't mulch right up to the trunks/main stems of plants - give them a little breathing room. And never create a "mulch volcano" against tree trunks!
Catch rainwater and A/C condensate to help conserve water - plants love both!

Garden Guide: Good Water Practice for Established Trees, Shrubs, and Lawns

What to Watch Out For

Protect your Lawn from Oak Leaves

Live oaks are following their natural pattern of dropping old leaves before the new leaves come on. Now it’s time to get those oak leaves off your lawn before it suffocates the grass. Under large oaks, since the grass is often thin and stressed anyway because of shade, using a blower is less stressful on the weak turf than a rake.

Control Aphids, Pillbugs, & Caterpillars in Your Veggie Garden

Keep organic Spinosad soap handy for Aphids and Pillbugs, or release some ladybugs. Caterpillars can be controlled organically using Bt (Thuricide spray or Dipel dust). Inspect your veggies every day and you'll catch most pests before they become a problem.

Lawn Care

Rethink Lawn Spaces

Given our drought situation/lawn watering restrictions, many of us are deciding to reduce lawn space. Traditional turfgrass lawns require lots of water and they don't provide much, if any, benefit to pollinators. Plus, much of our lawn space sits unused. Does every square foot need to be turfgrass, or could you create new beds for blooming perennials? Could you convert areas to native groundcovers like Frogfruit? Could you add some nice pathways or seating areas with a nice firepit? So many options!

Weed Control

Given our drought situation/lawn watering restrictions, decide whether you really want to control weeds. Weeds are green and they don't need much water! Plus they'll help keep the ground cooler. Many of us are choosing to mow the weeds down to keep them from reseeding rather than spraying or removing them.

If you do need to spray/control, spot treat existing weeds growing now with natural horticultural vinegar or Captain Jack's Deadweed Brew. Both will burn any foliage so take care to not spray your plants or lawn.

If you want to prevent weeds, apply Hi Yield Grass and Weed Stopper or Weed Beater Complete to help control existing weeds and prevent new ones.

If you want to kill existing weeds, apply Weed-B-Gon for Southern Lawns or Image once our weather warms up to 70-80 degrees with no rain for about 5 days. They are safe for Floratam & Raleigh St. Augustine and Bermuda. Give them 2 weeks to fully work and then it should be time to fertilize the lawn. This is why we don't recommend or sell "weed & feed" type products. Take care of weeds first, then fertilize.

Fertilize

Fertilize when the grass is actively growing. You can't be too late, you can only be too early in spring. Apply organic Medina Growin Green or Milorganite and water in well (approximately 30 minutes per area). Normally, we wouldn't recommend trying to time your fertilizing with rainfall, since heavy rains can wash away the fertilizer. However, given current watering restrictions, try to take advantage of a light/moderate rain. Lay new sod anytime, bermuda seed anytime this month.

Read: Treat For Take-All Patch in Lawns

Watch: How to Collect a Grass Sample

oak

The more than 3,400 species of bromeliads have unique and fascinating foliage and flowers.

Caring for them is super easy.

Now, here’s the cool part.

1. Plant Blooming Perennials

2. Plant and Harvest Veggies

3. Tend Your Lawn

4. Look for Thirsty Plants

5. Gifts for Moms and Grads

Oak Tree Caterpillars

Pansy Time

Powdery Mildew on Mesquite Trees

Rust on Plumeria

What To Plant

Vegetable Seeds

Vegetable Transplants

Hardy Trees, Shrubs, Vines, Grasses

Bulbs & Caladiums

Houseplants

Fertilize

AZALEAS, GARDENIAS, MAGNOLIAS

HIBISCUS & TROPICAL BLOOMERS

ALL TREES & SHRUBS

ANNUALS & PERENNIALS

ESTABLISHED ROSES

ESTABLISHED CITRUS TREES

Prune

Water

What to Watch Out For

Protect your Lawn from Oak Leaves

Control Aphids, Pillbugs, & Caterpillars in Your Veggie Garden

Lawn Care

Rethink Lawn Spaces

Weed Control

Fertilize

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