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Gill Garden Center + Landscape Co.

Corpus Christi, TX Garden Center

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veggie gardening

Don’t Worry About Leafcutter Bees!

Leaf cutters always cut extremely neat semi-circles and ovals, unlike caterpillars which leave irregular holes in leaves. They prefer soft tissue plants such as roses, plumbago, hibiscus and crape myrtles. There is no chemical control since they do not eat the leaves they cut. Nesting season is very short, so after a week or two, they go away… thank goodness!

Feed Your Veggies

Vegetables are heavy feeders. Use Espoma Plant Tone once a month to keep your vegetables producing through the season.

Watch Out For Cabbage Loopers

It’s time for tiny green looper worms to be eating the leaves of your broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Use
Hi-Yield Thuricude or Fertilome Dipel Dust to control these pesky worms. It is completely organic and safe up to the day of harvest. Just rinse and eat!

New For Your Garden: Watercolor Rose

It’s a color extravaganza! The flowers may be simple in style, but they’re captivating to watch as they change colors completely with each day. Hues of yellow, pink, cerise & ruby are carried atop loads of clean deep green leaves on a very bushy full plant. Dark red new shoots add to the show. This beauty is delicate to look at and tough as nails when it comes to garden performance. Complimented with a moderate apple fragrance; we think you’ll enjoy this one in your rose garden!

Prepare Your Spring Gardens! 
Now’s the time to prepare the soil with fresh compost and plan your garden layout. Sow seeds of root crops, ex. beets, carrots, radish and turnips. Don’t forget your leafy vegetables such as chard, collards, kale, lettuce, mustard and spinach. Transplants of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower can also be planted now. If you are limited on space, you may want to take this time to let the garden rest. In just a few weeks it will be time to think about tomatoes, beans, corn, cucumbers, squash and more of the warm season veggies. We will begin bringing in tomatoes the middle of the month, but suggest you transplant them into 1 gal pots so you can take them in on the cold nights. If you prefer to wait till after fear of frost, we  will have 1 gallon plants already established for you to plant at a later date. The longer you wait, the bigger you need to buy.
Stop Weeds Now 
Now is the time to prevent spring weeds. Apply Amaze Granules to the lawn and flowerbeds to stop weeds from sprouting. By preventing weeds now, you will have less or no weeds to spray later. This is especially important with Floratam St. Augustine since you are limited on what you can spray for weeds without harming the lawn.
Planning For Spring Flowers 
Everyone admires the beautiful flowerbeds of geraniums in spring and the sooner you plant them the longer you will get to enjoy them. Geraniums are troopers in the winter and take cold temps just fine. They need ample sun and good drainage. Buy them in our super 6-packs to save both time and money. We have great colors in stock now!
Instantaneous!
Flowers are the best way to bring a little sunshine into the gloomy days of winter. Blooming containers of Stocks bring sweet perfume and pretty spires of flowers
reminiscent of grandmothers and country living. They make great cut flowers too.  They love the cold and last well into spring!

Let Your Plants Rest…

Resist the temptation your next sunny Saturday…to trim. Our plants are in a dormant state of growth right now due to cold temperatures. If you trim them, it sends a message to the plant that it’s time to grow which will damage the plant with the next cold snap. So…just enjoy the winter season and rest, with your plants.

Dull Mower Blades Damage Lawns
Take the time now to sharpen mower blades, pruners, hedge shears and loppers.In the next few weeks it will be time to prune and a sharp tool will make for a better trim.  If your mower blades are dull the grass tips will appear shredded and have a threadlike appearance. Dull mowerblades rip and tear the grass blades leaving a brown look across the lawn. Look closely at a blade of grass. The top edge will show split ends. It means the blade is dull resulting in harm to grass. A sharp cut will leave the lawn looking healthy and green. Do not mow your lawn when the leaf blades are wet. The same is true for pruners. If your pruners are dull when you cut your plants, the tissue is shredded and torn which leads to fungal issues and an overall unhealthy appearance. The plant has a harder time leafing out with new growth as well. Take the time now to insure your tools are ready. We carry a Corona Sharpening Tool to sharpen all pruners, hedge shears and loppers.
Continue To Be Water Wise
The weather is still cool and with misty, wet days, plants don’t need additional watering. As days get longer and temperatures increase be careful not to water too much. All established plants will be happy with once every two weeks watering through February. Beginning in March to April as the temperatures warm up even more, once a week is sufficient. Remember to water slow and deep, but not very often to establish a deep healthy root system. Your plants will thank you, and so will your water bill. Of course annual color with smaller roots systems will need to be watered more often, but all established trees, shrubs, and tropicals will appreciate time between watering. Let’s all train our landscapes to be
water wise.

A Breath Of Spring!
With the last few days of sunshine and
warmer temps, we are all getting antsy to get outside. Fresh shipments of plants are arriving weekly to our stores so here’s a list of some here and some to come in soon.
  • Live oaks, cedar elms, Italian cypress, burr oaks, wild olives, mountain laurels are here.
  • Hardy shrubs like hawthorns, boxwoods, pittosporum, Japanese yew here now
  • Baskets and tubs of geraniums, double impatiens, Mona lavender, and stocks arrived this week with color.
  • Favorite perennials like lantana, Mexican heather, and salvias are here now with more coming!
  • Basil, cilantro, mint, thyme, chives, parsley here now with more varieties early February
  • More tomato plants and seed potatoes are here now
  • Peppers will be later in February as the cold night temps will stunt the plant to not produce peppers.
  • Fresh Floratam St. Augustine grass coming this week to Airline store.

BUTTERFLY HOST PLANTS 

With spring around the corner, now’s the time to start planning out your butterfly garden! And we are ready with plants that not only attract butterflies, but feed their caterpillars. You’ve probably heard of Milkweed for monarch caterpillars, but did you know that Parsley, Dill, Fennel, Rue and Passion vine also attract butterflies? These host plants are sure to attract Eastern Black Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillaries, and Monarchs. And don’t forget about great nectar plants like Almond Verbena, Pentas, and Duranta. Put these plants in your garden and the butterflies will be sure to thank you!

WOW – WHAT A WEED EXPLOSION! 

You can still apply pre-emergents like Amaze or Weed and Grass Preventer with Dimension to prevent weeds, but the temperatures are still fluctuating with cold fronts and cloudy damp weather, so I would wait a little longer on applying weed killer sprays i.e. Image or Weed B Gon. They work best with warm weather and sunshine. Remember to apply your pre-emergents in October to prevent winter weeds and again in January to prevent spring weeds.

 

TO PREVENT SCALE: If you have not sprayed Bonide All Seasons Oil on your Flax Lily, Irises, Cast Iron, Pittosporum, and Hollies, there is still time to spray to prevent spring insects like scale.

LAWN FUNGUS: The cool, damp rainy weather is perfect for fungus to thrive , so apply F-Stop Fungicide, Bayer Fungicide, or Liquid Systemic Fungicide to either prevent or to cure. An organic alternative is to spread Nature’s Blend Alfalfa Humateacross the lawn at the rate of 1 bag for 50 sq. ft.

 

TIME TO START VEGGIE GARDENING! 
Tomatoes are here in all sizes. We have 6 packs, 4 1/2″ and 1 gallon. It is starting to get late on the 6 packs, so buy them now! You can still wait a couple of weeks to plant if you plan on buying the 1 gallon size. Peppers will be here once our night time temperatures stay above 50 degrees. If you plan on planting more broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower, plant them now since it is getting late. It is also getting late to sow seeds of beets, carrots and spinach. Last chance for onion sets and seed potatoes. Time to begin seeding beans, squash, cucumbers, corn and radish.
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
Time To Get Tomatoes In The Ground!

Hopefully we have seen our last big cold snap of the season. And I did say “BIG” cold snap. Tomatoes need full sun for their entire growing season. Once frost is done, put them in a bed enriched with compost. A couple tablespoons of Rocket Fuelunder the roots will help your plants get off to a rapid start. Feed them with Espoma Plant Tone monthly through the growing season or Johns Recipe containing Fish emulsion, molasses and seaweed at least every two weeks. I like to put my tomatoes in a cage as soon as they are in the ground and wrap that cage with row cover fabric, top to bottom. Ours is called Grow Web (12ft x 16ft). Cut the fabric to size and cloths pin the sides together. The fabric will protect the plants from cold nights and more important harsh spring winds that can dry them out in no time. It doesn’t block water or sunshine. Remove the cloth when the plant reaches the top of the cage. If it starts blooming before then, remove the cover from the top of the cage and shake the cage gently whenever you walk by. That will encourage pollination from the top of the plant down to the bottom. Row cover can also be used to protect Peppers, Squash, Beans and all the tender spring vegetables in the garden. –DeAnna
 

Want to try something new?

How about a tiny building with a flowering roof nestled into your flowerbed, or veggie garden?  It could be a mini schoolhouse, a doghouse, or an outhouse!  This one is made from recycled

 silvery cedar fence boards and holds easy care succulents growing from its roof.  Place your planter on a concrete paver or brick to keep it off the ground.  You could try Petunias, Marigolds, Periwinkles, or Herbs and start a colorful village!

–Merlien


Artemesia

James just planted “Powis Castle” Artemesia in our front bed on the corner of Catalina and Santa Fe. I love this perennial for its silver grey foliage and the beautiful backdrop it gives for annuals. Artemesia grows to about 3′ tall and 3′ wide; when it gets leggy, just cut it back and enjoy the quick flush of pretty foliage. James planted Rose Wave Petunias in the bed as well and this week he’s adding Techno Heat Dark Blue Lobelia; can’t wait

 for all the color!! I’ll share more photos as the plants grow!

 –Sally 

Oak Leaves Will Fall

If you haven’t noticed before, this is the time that live oak leaves turn and fall. They are fine when used as a mulch in shrub beds, but should not be allowed to sit on the lawn, as they can inhibit soil warming and healthy new growth of grass.

–James

 

Companion Plants For Your Veggie Garden

Planting certain kinds of flowers in your veggie garden can not only attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, but can also help you get rid of pesky insects in your garden. Borage has bright blue flowers, and repels tomato hornworms. Marigolds have a certain compound in their root system that repels harmful nematodes. Catnip is said to keep flea beetles away, so is great to plant near Eggplant and Okra. And last but not least, radishes keep squash borers away. We carry most of these plants in seed form, so be sure to sprinkle them in the garden now!

–Marta
 

10 Reasons To Mulch Gardens & Landscapes

1. Provides an excellent source of organic compost that offers nutrients for your plantings.

2. Insulates the soil around new plants from fluctuating spring temperatures.

3. Prevents soil erosion from water runoff during heavy downpours.

4. Retains moisture during the dry heat of the summer, which means less watering.

5. Suppresses weed seed germination and weed growth which can rob water and nutrients from landscape plants. Be sure to mulch 3-4 inches deep.

6. Beautifies the landscape, giving beds a manicured look.

7. Encourages earthworms to move in for improved soil structure and nutrient recycling.

8. Protects trees and shrubs from being damaged by lawnmowers and weedeaters.

9. Prevents soil borne fungus from splattering onto the leaves of plants.

10. Bark mulch can decompose over time, thus adding valuable nutrients back into the soil. In essence, mulching is time-released composting.

-DeAnna

Time to fertilize your lawn, trees & shrubs! Hopefully by the time you get this, the sunshine will have warmed and dried the soil enough to fertilize. Use Gill Lawn and Garden for all your trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers. Also feeds the vegetable garden. Covers 6000 sq. ft. per bag.

-DeAnna

For weed control in your lawn, use Weed B Gon for St. Augustine. We have a new formulation that is safe to use on Floratam St. Augustine Grass. Treats up to 2500 sq. ft. and comes in a ready to spray hose-end bottle. Image will kill some broadleaf weeds (dollarweed) as well as a few grassy weeds (grassburrs) without hurting your St. Augustine. Another new product we have is Topshot. It also kills all broadleaf weeds in the lawn and comes in a package with 2 ampules which cover 5000 sq. ft. Simply add 1 ampule with water in either a pump sprayer or Dial n Spray to cover 2500 sq. ft.. For best results apply weed killers when weather is warm (not hot) and sunny for 3-4 days. Do not use in flowerbeds for weed control (except Image), only as a lawn application.

-DeAnna

For insect control, use Bayer Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed Liquid. Mix according to directions and drench at the base of your trees and shrubs to prevent aphids, borers, caterpillars, scale, whitefly, mealybugs and more. Plants that are prone to getting bugs, like Hackberry trees that get wooly aphids every June, Hibiscus, Jatropha and other tropicals that get mealybugs every summer, and Bougainvilleas that are constantly eaten by caterpillars can be protected by using this product. If you have ever noticed black soot on your plants, this is the product to use since sooty mold is caused by insects.

-DeAnna

For a quick and easy craft, make Lavender Sachets! Sachets are little bags of dried herbs that freshen up your clothes, linens, or your entire closet. Once your lavender plant has produced its blossoms, cut the flower stalks and tie them together. Place the bundle in a dry and dark place for about a week (they should be dry enough to use then), then strip off the blossoms and buds. Then either sew or buy little bags of sheer material and place about ¼ to ½ cup of dried lavender blooms in each. And there you go! It’s simple and easy, and your clothes will always smell great!
-Marta
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