texas

April is National Gardening Month, this Friday is National Gardening Day, and it’s also the time of year when a huge number of migrating birds are making their way through our area. Wooden and glass feeders are great, but birds will flock to the original bird feeders…the right plants!

Gill’s has an abundance of plants that support our bird population. Native plants provide nutrition in berries, good cover, and nesting material that birds need. And other plants like Hamelia (firebush) and Cuphea have cylindrical blooms that are perfect for long hummingbird beaks. If you want to attract and support birds, here are just a few of our fav bird magnets:

Along with the right plants, be sure to have a water source for the birds. It could be a birdbath, a clay saucer set on a brick or stone, or even a fountain with moving water! We also carry a select few bird feeders and bird seed products, including Wild Delights songbird food.

And if you’re interested in learning more about birds or getting into birding, be sure to visit the Birdiest Festival in America at the South Texas Botanical Gardens April 26th-30th, 2023!

James is retired these days, but he loves talking plants! We’re excited to have him back for a garden talk this Saturday, May 6th to discuss ideas for using tough Texas native plants in your landscape. James has a passion for natives and recently received his Texas Master Naturalist certification, plus he’s been designing with native plants for many years. He can tell you the importance of planting natives, and also where and how to use them and what to expect. Bring your questions! Our talks are always free, fun, and open to everyone. And one attendee will win a $100 Gill’s gift card! Watch James’ video invite below. See you Saturday!

Back in December 2022, the Gill’s crew planted a native pollinator garden at Windsor Park Elementary dedicated to Gabe Velasquez, longtime landscaper at Gill’s who passed away during the pandemic. We thought this would be a nice way to honor Gabe’s love of plants, provide some valuable nectar for pollinators, and add some beauty for teachers and students to enjoy. Seeing it in full bloom this Spring is such a treat! We had to share a few photos.

Gabe’s Garden growing in nicely – May 2023

James Gill designed Gabe’s Garden using mostly Texas native plants that can withstand big seasonal fluctuations. We planted this garden about 2 weeks before the Christmas freeze of 2022, and everything made it through the cold just fine. And this summer, now that they’re well-established, the plants won’t require much watering. Natives include Skeleton Leaf Goldeneye, Texas Lantana, Texas Frogfruit, Kidneywood, Gregg’s Mistflower, and Prairie Verbena. Non-native adapted plants include our tried and true Salvia Mystic Spires and Uptick Coreopsis.

Gabe’s Garden also features a small tile sign designed and handmade by our friend and ceramic artist, Merlein Wilder. Stop by and visit the garden when you’re in the neighborhood.

Summertime is here! We’ve been fortunate to have rainfall that’s created some depth moisture in the soil which makes our transition into the warm summer season smoother. Here are our top priorities this month, including how to adjust watering, what to watch out for, and what to keep planting!

Check out our June 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. Adjust Your Watering… don’t go by the calendar!

With recent rains AND warmer weather, we need to be extra mindful of watering properly. That means we can’t rely on the calendar to tell us when to water. We need to pay closer attention to plants and check to be sure they need water. Pro tip: Use a moisture meter! We carry them and can show you how easy they are to use. They’ve saved many plants! When it’s time to water, do it in the morning before 10am. Keep the water on the plants, soil, lawn, flowerbeds, not in the gutter, sidewalk, or street. Sprinkler systems are great for established lawns and landscapes but turn them off when we get rain, so you don’t over water and encourage fungal issues. Summer lawns need about 1 inch of water about once a week. Remember – it’s much easier to maintain depth moisture than it is to create it!

2. Watch for Summer Lawn Bugs!

Yes, bad bugs will be around more during the Summer, but don’t treat unless there’s significant damage. We can help identify the pest and if/how to treat. You don’t want to kill too many good bugs while trying to take care of the bad bugs! If you see brown areas in the lawn that are easily pulled up, it’s usually a sign of grubs eating the roots of your grass. You can control grubs with Bonide Insect and Grub Control. Chinch bugs love hot dry areas in lawns. They make the lawn look dried out along sidewalks and pavement. Spot-treat those areas with Cyonara in easy ready-to-spray bottles. For organic control, use Spinosad or Diatomaceous Earth. Remember that healthy lawns are less susceptible to damage from bugs, heat stress, and common lawn disease like Take All Root Rot. Water lawns deeply (a good 1”) once a week this Summer and fertilize every 3 months. If you fertilized in April, wait to feed again in July.

3. Crape Myrtles – Choose While Blooming!

Crape Myrtle trees are just starting their Summer bloom cycle. Best to choose your color now while they’re in bloom, then plant and enjoy them for years to come. You must plan to water them or check them every day during this Summer. Crape Myrtles are water-needy when first planted.

4. Plant Native Milkweed for Monarchs!

We are thrilled to be able to offer a Texas native milkweed variety (Asclepias tuberosa) for Monarchs! Not only is this native milkweed a great host plant for Monarch butterflies, it’s also tough and great for summer! Our supplier gave us this advice: plant it in your hottest and sunniest spot, and don’t water it!! Of course that’s an exaggeration – it will need some water, but very little!

5. Succulent and Cacti Workshop at Gill’s June 10th!

We had so much fun at our May garden talks and events that we decided to add one more! Join us here at Gill’s on Saturday, June 10th at 10am for our Succulent and Cacti Workshop! We will have stations set up with new and unusual bare-root cacti and succulents + pots to choose from. For a fee, you’ll be able to choose your plants, choose your pot, and we’ll demonstrate and provide tips on how to pot them up. Come make a mess with us and leave with your own cool succulent or cacti creation! Stay tuned for more details.

It’s National Pollinator Week and summer is officially here! Just like gardeners adapt to summer temps, so do pollinators like bees, butterflies, birds, and all kinds of insects. They need our help finding food, shade/shelter, and places to raise young. Good thing there are lots of plants that love our South Texas summer AND help meet these needs for pollinators. Here are our top 10!

1. Native Texas Sage

Texas Sage aka Barometer Bush flowers are a big food source for a variety of bees, butterflies, and moths in our area. Hard to find a tougher (or prettier!) shrub for full sun areas. The blooms open in response to changes in humidity and barometric pressure, typically just before or after a rain.

2. Golden Thryallis

Native to Mexico and well-adapted to South Texas, Thryallis is almost always blooming! Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies can stop for a meal in spring, summer, and fall.

3. Basil

Of course we love eating and cooking with Basil, but it’s also a magnet for pollinators! A few Basil plants in your garden, especially the big-blooming varieties like Magic Mountain, will bring you lots of pollinators and more blooms everywhere.

4. Zinnias

Zinnias are a summer classic for South Texas. They’re easy to grow from seed or transplant, they love warm weather, and they just make you happy! They make bees happy too!

5. Turk’s Cap

Q: What blooms in the shade, blooms in the sun, provides food and shelter for birds and butterflies, doesn’t need much water, and is native to a huge swath of Texas?

A: Turk’s Cap!

6. Eleagnus

You may not think of Eleagnus when you think of pollinator plants, but we think you should! The flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects, and birds love the berries. And Eleagnus grows big enough (10’x10′) to create plenty of shade and shelter and a place to nest and raise young. Not to mention that Eleagnus is excellent for the coast due to it’s high tolerance of salty conditions.

7. Henry Duelberg Salvia

Henry Duelberg is one of our native Texas salvias that hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies adore. They’re great on water and they just keep on blooming!

8. Firebush!

We consider Firebush to be THE hummingbird plant for South Texas. They absolutely thrive in summer – you’ll see them starting to bloom right about now. The tubular blooms are perfect for a hummingbird’s beak. Big, goofy carpenter bees love making their homes in the hollow branches of an established Firebush.

9. Esperanza

Carpenter bees love Esperanza! And we love watching them buzz and knock around all over the flowers. The big, bell-shaped blooms are perfect for big, round carpenter bees. Esperanza will keep blooming through the summer and fall.

10. Grasses!

Planting grasses like our native Coastal Muhly grass or Purple Fountain grass, provides great shelter for birds and other small wildlife. And summer is a great time to plant so they establish roots and get ready to bloom beautifully in the fall.

It may not feel like it yet, but it’s time to start making the transition into an exciting new Fall planting season! There’s a lot to do in August to set yourself up for big garden success this Fall and beyond. Here are our top must-do’s!

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. 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 for the first couple weeks 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.

2. Start Planting for Fall Pollinators!

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. Plant salvias now, get roots established, and they’ll be gorgeous this Fall and covered in hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Take it a step further and plant Texas natives! They provide for pollinators and require less water once established. If you’re excited about planting natives for pollinators, check out Homegrown National Park! It’s a nationwide movement to plant natives and restore native biodiversity at home. Just by planting a few native plants, you can get your yard on the map and become part of the Homegrown National Park.

3. 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. In early August, we’ll receive the new 2023/2024 seeds from our favorite seed suppliers, including heirloom vegetables, new releases, and wildflower seeds. Use peat pots or seed starting trays to start seeds indoors this month, then move to a covered patio once they sprout. This will protect the seedlings and slowly acclimate them to outdoor temps.

4. Prepare Your Garden Beds

August is the time to start prepping Fall veggie beds! Finish your Summer harvesting, clean out your 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.

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 3” deep layer of mulch will keep your plants and the soil moist and cool for longer after you water. Not just a little cooler – we’re talking more than 25 degrees cooler!! Give the main trunks or stems of your plants a little space – mulch 3” deep throughout the bed, but no more than 1” deep against the main trunks/stems of plants.

6. Houseplants: To Repot or Not?

You may have noticed some of your houseplants seem to need watering every single day this summer. That could be a sign that it’s time to repot! Houseplants get root bound, meaning that the roots coil and basket around inside the pot until there’s not much soil left. Without much soil, the pot doesn’t hold much moisture when you water. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Houseplants generally like to be somewhat root bound, and it can help keep you from overwatering. If you do decide to repot a houseplant, choose a pot that’s 1-2″ larger in diameter and use a good, well draining potting mix. If you jump up to a pot that’s too big, the soil will hold too much moisture and your plant won’t be happy.

Many of you requested, and for the first time ever, Gill gear is here! We printed Gill t-shirts, hats, tote bags, and stickers for the stylish gardener, and we worked with 2 of our favorite Texas artists to make it happen.

We’ve admired Houston artist, Sarah Welch’s work for a while. She’s a fabulous illustrator and nature lover who often includes plants and Texas coastal imagery in her drawings. We asked her to create designs around 2 of our favorite Texas native plants: Turk’s Cap and Blackfoot Daisy. And here’s what she came up with! She even took the time to hand-draw the Gill logo.

For our Passionflower tote bag, we asked Corpus Christi artist, Ashley Thomas to create something surreal and magical like the flower itself. She drew the Zone 9b text and created a halftone photo of a Passionflower for printing on fabric. She also reimagined the Gill logo and repeated the Zone 9b text on our new hats and bumper stickers! Ashley has a special connection to Gill’s – she’s a gardener and she’s married to Gill’s owner, Jesse Jenkins. She helps out with a lot of design projects here at Gill’s behind the scenes.

Gill hat – purple waterproof nylon – front

Zone 9b Gardener – 8×4″ sticker – green super gloss

Zone 9b Gardener – 8×4″ sticker – TX sage super matte

So excited to share these designs with you all! And thank you to our models – Rose, Debbie, and Caleb!

Most people (and I’m most people too) just guess how long to leave their sprinkler in one place, or how many minutes to set their automatic sprinkler zones for. 10 minutes per zone? 45 minutes? You don’t really know, and neither did I, I had just set them for 12 minutes per zone and 3 start times during the early morning of my watering day, and hoped that was good enough. I did see water reaching all areas, but I really didn’t know if it was enough or too much. Texas A&M recommends applying 1″ of water every 7 to 10 days during the active growing season, and they recommend splitting the watering into multiple applications during the same morning, so it can soak in rather than start to build up and run off (known as the cycle and soak method).

So after years of knowing I should do this, I finally ordered a 10 pack of sprinkler gauges, 1 1/2″ capacity, for under $20. I placed one in each of my automatic sprinkler zones to measure how much water the areas are actually getting. Now I know most of my zones need 15 minutes per cycle, one needs 10 minutes, and one needs 20 minutes. It really does vary, depending on how many sprinkler heads are on a valve, and how much pipe the water has to run through before it gets to that valve. And the same thing applies to a hose and sprinkler set up!

– James Gill