rain

Lots of us are gearing up to host friends and family for Thanksgiving and other gatherings this week. Can’t wait! Here are 3 ways to create the biggest impact outdoors with the least amount of time on your part.

1. Instant Color!

Fall flowers look ahhhmazing right now. Plant a few Pansies, Violas, Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, or Snapdragons in beds or in pots for an instant pop of color. Plant or set your containers in the most visible locations (like near walkways and entryways) that get at least 6 hours of sun throughout the day. Feed with organic Plant Tone when you plant for a quick bloom boost.

2. Quick Cleanup

Now is a great time to do light trimming on trees, shrubs, and perennials. Don’t do any major surgery right now, just a little light shaping goes a long way. For trees, always trim up from the bottom, not down from the top.

If you have oak trees, we bet you’re seeing more acorns than ever this year! The freeze in February + all the rain we’ve had throughout the year increased acorn production big time. They’re not fun to walk on, and some will sprout and grow into saplings, which you don’t want either. They can be difficult to rake up but try this amazing acorn hack using the back side of a leaf rake!

3. Seal the Deal with Fresh Mulch!

Fresh mulch can transform a space with very little time and effort on your part. A couple of tips: 1) estimate 1 bag of mulch per 12 square feet of bed space. This gives you a good mulch depth of 2-3”. Good depth makes it last longer, holds in more moisture, protects from cold, and helps keep weeds at bay. 2) Make sure you get a nice straight line at the back of the bed where the mulch meets the foundation of your house, or wall/fence. This is a quality check we use on landscape projects – makes all the difference!

S l o w d o w n watering for established trees, shrubs, ground covers, lawns, and potted plants for Fall and Winter. Once a week was appropriate in warmer temperatures, but I would water on average once every two weeks through November, and then turn off the sprinkler for December and January.

If we go 3 weeks with no substantial rain, then water beds and lawns thoroughly one time. If freezing temperatures are in the forecast, run the sprinklers the previous afternoon to add heat to the soil and fill air spaces in the soil with water to exclude the cold air.

Newly planted trees and shrubs, newly potted plants, and winter annual flowers and vegetables in active growth will need more regular watering, and may be particularly sensitive to a cold, low-humidity dry norther. If there are zero clouds in the sky, and you are licking your lips, and there is a stiff breeze blowing, that dry breeze can necessitate watering despite the cool/cold temperatures.

Slowing down watering in Fall will slow metabolism in your trees, shrubs, groundcovers, lawns, and potted plants, and this makes them more tolerant of a freeze. Also, excessive frequency of lawn watering in Winter makes grass more susceptible to Take All Root Rot fungus. So, use appropriate watering as a sound gardening tool.

-James Gill

We were watering Pentas earlier this week and came across this funky looking fellow (above). At first, we thought it was a more common Tomato Hornworm, but after doing some research, it’s a Tersa Sphinx (Xylophanes tersa) caterpillar! Actually, both in the photo are Tersa Sphinx caterpillars at different stages. Pretty soon they’ll transform into their beautiful moth form.

Caterpillars have been a big topic of conversation here at Gill’s this Summer; more rain than usual = more caterpillars. A good rule of thumb is to leave them alone unless you see a large congregation and they’re eating enough of a plant to cause harm. A few munched leaves here and there is not a problem. If you do get a large infestation, you can treat with organic Thuricide that only targets caterpillars.

Most different species of caterpillars are only attracted to specific host plants. Pentas are a host plant for the Tersa Sphinx, which was a big clue for identification. We know that Monarch caterpillars like milkweed, Gulf fritillary’s host plant is Passion Vine, and Swallowtail caterpillars like Rue and Dutchman’s Pipe Vine.

Once caterpillars reach their butterfly or moth form, they feed on nectar from a broader variety of South Texas plants like Lantana, Zinnia, Mist flowers, Turk’s Cap, and lots more. So, it’s a good idea to plant host plants and nectar plants together to enjoy the caterpillar’s full life cycle.

-Jesse

It’s officially Summer – don’t forget to hydrate your plants and yourself! Here are some useful watering tips from the plant pros to keep everything green and happy.

DeAnna: New Trees are Thirsty

I am hearing customers ask daily, “how often should I be watering my new tree?” We are watering trees twice a day here in the garden center; first thing in the morning and again mid-afternoon. Morning watering is most important to make sure the trees are well hydrated to handle the heat of the day. Big drinks of water are necessary to saturate the root balls. I recommend watering twice a day for the first 2 weeks, then once a day for 2 weeks, then every other day for 2 weeks. This is just an approximate schedule depending on the heat, wind, type of tree, and of course rain. I should have taken my own advice on my new Southern Catalpa tree at home – I got busy, and the tree got too dry: perfect on Saturday, damaged by Monday. Gonna strip the leaves and let it start over!

Harry: Let the Hose Do the Work!

I tell my clients all the time – don’t work too hard! Instead of holding the hose while you water, drag the hose to the base of the plant, then go turn it on to a slow trickle. This gets water down deep to the roots. If you turn the hose on full blast, most of the water will run off instead of soak in. This slow, deep watering takes time, but you can play with the dog while the hose does the work for you.

Diane: Don’t Scald Your Plants!

Run the hot water out of your hose before you water!! The longer the hose, the longer this takes. And remember that water can burn a leaf if it sits on the foliage (like the way a magnifying glass focuses heat), so always water the soil, not the leaves.

Hidalgo: How to Use a Jar or Glass to Prevent Soil Erosion

My Grandfather always had a big veggie garden with long planted rows that he watered by hand. He taught me this trick: to keep the water from blasting the soil and eroding at the base of your plants, slide a mason jar or heavy drinking glass over the end of the hose, lay it down, then turn on the water. This way the water hits the bottom of the glass first, then flows back gently and evenly instead of eroding the soil.

Mike: Aerate (Poke Holes) to Get Oxygen and Water to the Roots

Our heavy clay soil tends to compact and not allow oxygen and water to penetrate, especially after a rain. For trees and large shrubs (or any plant that looks like water is not soaking into the soil), I recommend aerating around the root ball about once a month. Drive a piece of rebar into the soil about 2 feet deep, about every 8 inches outside the root ball to help get oxygen and water down to the roots.

Ori’s houseplant basket with Starfish Sansevieria, Kiwi Dracaena, Calathea, and Rex Begonia Vine!

Many of us will be gathering with family & friends this holiday weekend to cook, eat, play games, and visit. Wonderful times and good rain clearing out for relaxing outside!

We’ve been working hard to stock the store with beautiful blooming annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, and tubs of flowers for last minute “dress up” for your garden for the holiday! Come see us this Friday & Saturday for the best of the best in gardening supplies to get your home, yard, and patio ready to greet your guests. We all wish you a very happy holiday weekend! Gill’s will be closed this Sunday for our time with family. Thank you!!

Brown patch/Large patch fungus and Take-all Root Rot (TARR) are two unwelcome Fall and Winter visitors to our South Texas lawns. Cool nighttime temperatures and moisture on the grass from rain, dew, or excessive watering frequency are the two main factors promoting these diseases. Large patch is relatively easy to diagnose visually if you are familiar with the symptoms. TARR has more subtle and varying symptoms and requires 60x or greater magnification to positively ID. Large patch is an unsightly annoyance for Fall and Winter, but damaged grass will regrow in Spring. TARR does not show much damage while the disease is spreading over Winter, but when hot temperatures arrive in Summer, the weakened roots and runners are unable to support the water requirements of the infected areas, and they decline or die.

There is no “curing” or eliminating these diseases, but you can attempt to prevent them, or manage them, by various means. Culturally, you should “goldilocks” your lawn: not too much water, not too little, but just right. Water deeply when needed to avoid drought stress but keep the frequency of application to a minimum. Mow as often as needed. Do not let grass grow too tall, but do not cut it too short. Fertilize according to recommended timing and quantity, not too much or too little. If you see a fungus damaged area, mow it last to minimize spreading into healthy areas. Keep mower blades sharp, so grass is cleanly sliced rather than ripped with slower-healing ragged edges. Any stresses make the lawn more vulnerable to infection by a harmful fungus.

We have fungicides that can help prevent or suppress harmful fungus, but keep in mind that there are also beneficial fungal organisms that recycle dead organic matter into plant nutrients and help prevent thatch. So excessive fungicide use, like most excesses, can cause new problems. My personal recommendation is to let large patch fungus run its course, as it does no permanent damage, just temporary unsightliness. But I recommend topdressing TARR infected lawns with peat moss, to control (can’t eliminate) the disease, as the damage is permanent. Best is for you to bring in some samples (still alive but with symptoms) and photos for us to look at, and offer to you various courses of action, for you to choose whatever approach you are most comfortable with.

-James

With quite a bit of rain in the forecast, what should we do? Let’s start with getting excess water off the roof and out of the yard. The short recent drought was enough to get some trees to drop quite a few leaves, so check your gutters and downspouts and clear them if needed.

Check downspout exits to see that the ends have not been crimped closed by wayward mower wheels, and that there are not bags of mulch or pots or bricks obstructing their flow. Same goes for drainage pathways away from rainfall off the roof, removing any boxes, bags, etc. that would slow the flow of excess rainfall trying to exit the yard.

A common problem is where the bottom of the fence has inadequate clearance above the ground, and so grass, leaves, and branches get caught at the base of the fence and create a dam that allows water to get high enough to flow into the house. Mow grass or use a weed trimmer along flow pathways, as water will move much faster over short grass.

If you have an automatic irrigation system, turn it off now! Assuming you get 1″ or more of rainfall, wait a week, then check soil to see if the lawn is ready for water again. Turn the system back on when it is hard to push a screwdriver into the soil because it is dry.

Mosquitos will be a problem on the other side of these rains. Be sure to turn wheelbarrows and other potential vessels over to prevent accumulation of water that would hatch mosquitos. Mosquito Dunks or Mosquito Bits (for saucers or birdbaths) will prevent mosquitos from hatching in standing water, without harming any other organisms. We will also have Mosquito Beater sprays and granules to help control adult mosquitos.

Caterpillars are also likely to be a problem after the rains. Some caterpillars will become beautiful butterflies, but others will become small nondescript moths that will then lay more eggs and eat until your lawn is gone! So, ask us about any potential problem you may have. We can tell you whether treatment is warranted or not, and if so, what is the safest and most sensible method of control.

–James Gill

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.