Dan was the featured speaker this past weekend. He is an organic gardener, a consultant and the head horticulturist at the McGovern Centennial Garden; http://www.hermannpark.org/centennial-year/mcgovern-centennial-gardens-cherie-flores-garden-pavilion/ Here are a few tips I learned from him—-compost compost compost! I already knew you could save a sick tree by simply adding a 1″ layer of compost around […]
Nut Grass Bully
Here’s a tip I learned from Linda Gay (one of Houston’s premier Horticulturists): if you want to get rid of NUT GRASS plant sweet potato vine and the nut grass will disappear! Sweet potato vine is an annual (ad sometimes perennial depending on the winter) commonly used in containers and flower beds. Sweet potato […]
Last blast of cool weather?
As I’m writing this on April 23rd the weather is gorgeous; sunny and cool! When we get a late cold front it feels fabulous, I hope you’re enjoying your time outdoors. A cool front does slow down the growth of your aquatic plants, (because water is slower to respond to temperature changes) but don’t worry […]
Ladybugs and other assorted insects
Insects are both friend and foe in the garden. Take for example aphids, these bugs are known as the “fleas of the plant kingdom”! Like fleas, aphids will bite and suck (blood from animals and sap from plants). With a friendly name like “Ladybugs” you know these bugs are friends. Despite their dainty name they […]
I’m so excited
One of my favoritist persons in the plant world is coming to Nelson’s! (Yes I know favortist is not a word but how else can I express how excited to see Linda Gay this Saturday, April 8th!) She will be here to speak on gardening at 11am mostly on flowers but she will be available […]
First Blueberry
I harvested my first blueberry—it could have stayed on the blueberry bush for an extra day but I was impatient so it was a little tart! The strawberries are fruiting too but there aren’t very many yet and so far we’ve had to share the berries with caterpillars! Not to worry once the strawberries start […]
Spring Sprang
Spring sprang this week, at least officially, here in South Texas spring arrived weeks ago. Have you started gardening yet? Now is the time, especially before it gets hot and humid. It’s time to lay down the foundation of the garden; tilling the soil, working in compost, planting and topdressing with mulch. One you have […]
Slammed
Watching the news I see that a huge winter storm has hit the East Coast right during spring break. I really feel for all those folks, the storm has reached down to the South too. All the people who traveled to the Gulf Coast for warm weather have been confronted with 40 degree temps instead […]
Neglecting your Garden
You can get real busy with your life and neglect your garden for a couple of months and no one will notice or complain. Try neglecting your lawn—here comes the Home Owner Association! I confess I don’t have a lawn to mow, we live in a forested area and we never cleared the forest and […]
It’s a matter of perspective…
Every year we fret and worry about putting tomatoes out too early. We still could have a freeze–it has happened. A 4″ tomato costs two and a half bucks, a fancy cup of coffee costs more than that! So what have you got to gain by planting tomatoes early? A longer season of tomatoes! Tomatoes […]