Roses

The weather this week has been magical! Such a joy to be outside in the garden. Everything is bursting with new growth and blooms and wonderful fragrance. We had to make a list of 10 of our fav plants that make sense…and scents!

1. Buddleia aka Butterfly Bush

Buddleia aka Buddleja flower plumes have a soft grape-ish scent that butterflies flock to, hence their common name, butterfly bush. Grow Buddleia in full sun to partial shade. Different varieties range from 2′ to 6′ tall mature height.

2. Gardenia

Gardenias are the fragrant beauty of the South. You could describe the bloom’s scent as sweet, floral, and fresh. So gorgeous! In our area, they’re great in containers because they like well-drained acidic soil.

3. Almond Verbena

No wonder these almond-scented blooms are used to make perfumes. They smell absolutely heavenly! Humans are not the only ones who adore this large shrub/small tree. Almond Verbena is a magnet for pollinators too, especially bees and butterflies.

4. Citronella Geranium

This one might be controversial…some people can’t stand the scent of citronella geraniums while some people love it. Whether you like the scent or not, it does work well for repelling mosquitos. To maximize their mosquito repelling properties, the plants need to be disturbed to release more of their scent. Brushing them gently with a broom works great.

5. Lemongrass

Lemongrass is great in a kitchen garden – you can continually harvest shoots and leaves for cooking and tea-making, it smells amazing, and it’s so easy to grow! We also like using it elsewhere in the landscape the same way you might use other ornamental grasses. Much like other grasses, it’s cold hardy and doesn’t require much water. Plus the scent can help keep repel mosquitos.

6. Plumeria

Plumerias are back at Gill’s! Depending on the variety, the bloom scents range from soft, fruity, peachy to spicy/peppery. Plumerias are such a fun plant to grow and share. They can be cut and propagated easily, just be patient for new roots to grow.

7. Roses!

Have you stopped and smelled the roses lately?? We can’t help it! We have so many lovely scented roses that are bursting with blooms right now, like Julia Child, South Africa, the ‘Bloomable’ and ‘Livin Easy’ series, Intrigue, and one of our all time favs, Belinda’s Dream (pictured). Right now is prime time to plant and enjoy.

8. Copper Canyon Daisy

Have you ever brushed against a Copper Canyon Daisy and stirred up the refreshing, clean scent of desert rain? If you’re looking for an extremely drought-tolerant and gorgeous yellow-blooming shrub for full sun that smells incredible, you just found it!

9. Star Jasmine

Star Jasmine vines are blooming on fences and trellises all over town right now – one of our very favorite scents of spring! Not only does it smell so sweet and fresh, it’s a cold hardy, evergreen, and summer tough vine. It’s a Corpus Christi classic for many reasons!

10. Rosemary

Here’s another herb that’s wonderful for cooking and as a landscape plant. There are tons of different varieties with different structure and growth habits: some upright, some crawling, and some spilling. They’re all edible and they all smell great. Try using sturdy rosemary stems as BBQ skewers. Strip most of the leaves off, skewer your fav foods, and leave some of the rosemary leaves at the end to burn and add some delicious smoky flavor.

Time for hummingbirds in South Texas! We’re lucky to see a few pretty much year-round, but mid-late April and September are when we typically see big migration surges. If you want to attract and enjoy hummingbirds, feeders can help, but plants are key. Did you know that most plants which are pollinated by hummingbirds have evolved over time to replenish nectar at night while hummingbirds are least active? That means hummingbirds can feed on the same flower over and over again without depleting the nectar! Here are 10 of our favorite plants for attracting and feeding hummingbirds – plant these now!

1. Firebush (Hamelia)

Firebush’s long tubular blooms are made for hummingbird beaks. And with so many blooms, hummingbirds will hang around and browse for a good while. Give it some space! Firebush grows 6-8 feet tall and wide and it grows fast. It loves sun, thrives with little water, and comes back quickly after a freeze. Give it a hard pruning in February and it’ll be back at full size by summer.

2. Turk’s Cap

Hummingbirds have been stopping to visit native Turk’s Cap in Texas for a loooooong time. Not only is it a hummingbird favorite, but its one of the most versatile landscape plants there is. Drought tolerant, grows in sun or shade, grows in clay or sand, withstands hot summers, withstands freezes, attracts and supports pollinators…Turk’s Cap can do it all.

3. Shrimp Plant

Looking for a playful plant that blooms in the shade? Shrimp Plant! The shrimp-like blooms are not the tubular shape that hummingbirds typically go for, but they love em!

4. Citrus Trees!

Who can resist the fresh, sweet-smelling blooms on a lemon tree? Hummingbirds love lemon and all other citrus blooms. When you plant citrus trees, you get lots of wonderful fruit, nice focal points in your landscape, AND hummingbirds!

5. Firespike

Here’s one we don’t see too often – Firespike! Excellent 4-6′ tall and wide shrub that hummingbirds flock to. Happy in full sun to partial shade.

6. Duranta erecta

These blooms are not like the others – they’re purple and white and they’re not tubular. Nonetheless, hummingbirds make frequent stops for Duranta. These small trees typically grow to 12-15′ tall with a spread of about 10′ here in South Texas. Lots of room for lots of blooms!

7. Salvia Mystic Spires and Salvia greggii

If you plant Texas native Salvia greggii, you might have hummingbirds on it before you finish filling up the hole. This is true for so many of the different red salvias like Roman Red, native Salvia coccinea, Hot Lips, and more. But did you know hummingbirds also adore Salvia Mystic Spires? We can’t blame them! Mystic Spires might be the all around best performing salvia for South Texas.

8. Pentas

We grow pentas as annual flowers here in South Texas, and the timing for planting them aligns perfectly with the April and September hummingbird migration. They come in many colors, but hummingbirds prefer the red variety.

9. Red Yucca

If you’re looking for low-maintenance, Red Yucca wins. Once established, you can pretty much leave them alone and they’ll thrive and bloom and look beautiful through the heat of summer and through freezes. And they’ll be frequented by hummingbirds!

10. Firecracker Plant (Russelia)

If you’re looking for a summer-tough, fast-growing, shaggy, wild-looking plant that attracts tons of hummingbirds…you found it! Firecracker Plant gets 3-5′ tall and wide and is a tried and true favorite here in South Texas – reliable and drought-tolerant.

I spent much of last Saturday cleaning up the front yard, making plans to hang Christmas lights in another week or two. I had someone stop and ask me about my cutting back the Purple Showers ruellia along the sidewalk. It has taken over about half the sidewalk. I explained that this plant can take shearing back most any time of year and that by cutting it now, it has time to regrow some and be nice for the holidays. Most all plants can be trimmed to shape right now. Roses and most winter hardy shrubs can take a harder prune but no more than a ¼ of the plants’ size. Plants that are sensitive to cold, like ixora, hibiscus and bougainvilleas should not be pruned hard. They need their foliage to help stay warm. Plus new growth that appears after trimming is more sensitive to cold damage. If you’re not sure to prune or not to prune, check with us…we are always here to help!

-Debbie

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.

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

UNMISTAKABLY BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE ROSES!

If you want an old fashioned rose, come in and get them while they’re here! Unlike shrub roses, antique roses have a full rich fragrance, and often have a much higher petal count, making for a fuller, more complex bloom. They’re also less disease prone than hybrid roses. Our antique rose selection includes colors like deep red, pale pink, bright yellow and more. So if you want to expand your rose garden, or even start a new one, you’ll want to grab these old-fashioned roses now. –Marta

GOOD, FERTILE SOIL…

Without organic matter, dirt is just dirt. Soil is a mix of minerals (dirt) andcomposted organics. In nature, it might include rotting leaves and branches and bird poop. In a home garden or landscape, it might include composted cotton hulls (Back to Nature Compost or Nature’s Blend with Manure and Alfalfa), composted pine bark, and again with the bird poop (Medina Grow N Green, my favorite), or home-made leaf and branch and vegetable waste compost. Adding composted organic matter helps maintain healthy soil moisture levels (neither too wet nor too dry), fertility (available nutrients), and aids in development of healthy roots and suppression of harmful diseases. –James

ARE THEY LADYBUGS?

No they are Boxelder Bugs. Boxelder bugs are about ½ inch long and 1/3

inch wide. They are browninsh-gray to black with distinctive red markings. Boxelder babies have dull red bodies with black legs. You will find them by the hundreds, if not thousands gathered on the fence, in the bark of trees or hiding in your mulch. Adults deposit their eggs in cracks and crevices of tree bark in the spring, about the time buds begin to open. There are two or more generations per year in Texas. Boxelder Bugs are not considered to be damaging to host plants. Although they feed by sucking plant juices, they seldom cause harm to plants. They are considered more of a nuisance pest. You can choose to ignore them, or if need, they can be sprayed with any insecticide i.e. Cyonara or Triazicide. An organic alternative is Spinosad. –DeAnna

THERE’S FUNGUS AMONG US.

With all this rain, our plants are happy to be well watered. But lurking around the corner are the fungal problems bound to happen, especially with roses, squash, and gerbera daisies. Use Fertilome Systemic Fungicide for control of powdery mildew, black spot, etc. It also works best as a preventative measure to stop the problem before it happens. If you’re an organic gardener, try using Serenade Fungicide instead. -Marta

We have a fresh shipment of Ladybugs and Beneficial Nematodes!

Fun facts about Ladybugs- Ladybugs aren’t really bugs at all, they’re beetles. There are almost 400 different kinds of ladybugs in North America. Female ladybugs can eat as many as 75 aphids in one day. They also like to eat scale, mealybugs and spider mites. Ladybugs smell with their feet and antennae. A ladybug’s jaws chew from side to side instead of up and down like our jaws. The color of a ladybug’s spots begin to fade as it gets older. Ladybugs are most active when their body temperature is 75 degrees or warmer. A ladybug’s bright color warns birds that it does not taste good. When a ladybug flies, its wings beat 85 times every second. Female ladybugs are larger than male ladybugs. Aphids are the first pest to hit in the spring. They love the new growth on plants. Buy your ladybugs now and keep them dormant in the refrigerator till your first outbreak of aphids, then release a few hundred at a time.

Beneficial Nematodes are microscopic creatures that live in soil where they feed on the eggs and larvae of soil borne-pests. They’re voracious predators of fire ants, fleas and white grub worms (the grubs that eat plant roots). Beneficial Nematodes are the ideal organic pest control because they’re a naturallyoccurring predator of pests but they don’t harm plants, animals or people. They’re completely non-toxic and they’re easy to use. You mix the nematodes with water, and then put the solution into a watering can or sprayer. A hose-end type sprayer is fine, as city water is fine to mix with the nematodes. Speaking of water, beneficial nematodes do need rain or supplemental watering in order to live and reproduce in your soil, so they’re not appropriate for dry land farms or completely xeric landscapes. Spray them out now to establish a colony to feed on ants, fleas and

grubs.

–DeAnna

Fresh Sprouts

Love fresh sprouts, but can’t eat them fast enough before they get old? That was my problem before I got my Botanical Interests Seed Sprouter (sold at our stores). Now I grow my own fresh and healthy sprouts from USDA Certified Organic seed, when I need them and only as much as I need. So easy, in just 7″x7″ on my kitchen counter.

– James

Mosquito Solutions: With all the recent rains, mosquitoes are here. First of all, remove any sources of standing water (that’s where they breed). For your favorite birdbath, use Mosquito Bits in the shaker,for larger ponds or ditches, Mosquito Dunks, both totally safe for birds and frogs. We have several ways to kill, control and repel them.Mosquito Beater hose-end (Permethrin) is an easy spray to killmosquitoes, ants, fleas & tics throughout the yard. It is safe to spray on all plants where mosquitoes hide. We also carry Mosquito Beater Granules which is a combination of natural essential oils to repel. It contains citronella oil, garlic, geranium oil, cedar oil and lemon grass oil. Covers 4000 sq. ft and lasts up to 3 weeks. Patio Egg Diffuser is an easy safe and effective way to help deter mosquitoes and other biting insects from your patio, porch and other outdoor living areas. It protects up to 200 sq. ft. and comes with enough refill oil to last up to 4 months.

Time To Fertilize Your Lawn, Trees & Shrubs! Use Gill Lawn and Garden for all your trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers. Also good on your vegetable garden. Covers 6000 sq. ft. per bag. A good organic lawn fertilizer (which feeds the soil & microorganisms) is Medina Growin Green, which covers 3000 sq. ft. per bag.

Protect Your Roses: Roses are flushing with new growth, setting buds and blooming. That means aphids, thrips, black spot and powdery mildew are next. Bayer 3-in1 Insect, Disease and Mite Control works on all of these in one easy spray. Treat every 10 days to 2 weeks to maintain beautiful roses insect and disease free.Bayer Rose and Flower Care is an excellent fertilizer with systemic insecticide to keep them healthy, blooming and insect free as well. Apply this granules every 6 weeks to prevent aphids and thrips from attacking your roses.

-DeAnna