Welcome to East Texas Gardening. Here you will find posts of weekly articles devoted to gardening in the northeastern part of Texas, plus links to other blogs and web pages I find interesting which I think you will too.
East Texas is a wonderful place to garden and grow stuff. Unlike most of Texas, we almost have 4 seasons, which increases the types of plants we can grow here. Our soils, rainfall and climate are conducive to growing a wide range of flora. Of course, we have our share of pests, including fungi, bacteria, insects, and critters – especially moles.
Posts include upcoming horticultural events in the region, interesting plants, current pest outbreaks, and other gardening-related stuff I hope you will find useful. Under LINKS, check out my main web page – East Texas Gardening which has many articles on a wide range of topics.
Veggie Tales – Common Problems in the Garden
Growing vegetables at home continues to be a popular trend according to national surveys. Whether you have a large garden spot or just a few plants growing in containers, the satisfaction of eating produce your hands have tended is tremendous. Unfortunately, growing veggies is not without trials and tribulations. Here are a few common problems we see at this time of year. Chances are real good you’ll find tomatoes in nearly any home garden. Just a few well-grown tomatoes can easily feed a family. But, red flags are… Read More →
Shady Characters You Want in Your Garden
“Nothing will grow under the trees in my front yard!” Sound familiar? Blessed with a climate and soils conducive to vigorous growth of trees, shade is a common factor for most East Texans. Rather than looking at shade as a liability, use it as an asset to enhance your landscape. Most shade complaints stem from the fact that grass will not grow well in dense shade. All turfgrasses perform best in full sun. St. Augustine is the most shade tolerant grass, while Centipede and Zoysia tolerate partial… Read More →
Some Gardening Tips for June
The cool spring weather is now a distant memory as East Texas summer has arrived for its extended stay. Beat the heat and humidity by doing your gardening activities in the early morning and early evening. Wear a hat, and protect yourself with sunscreen and mosquito repellant. Here are some educational opportunities this month to keep you informed on gardening and plant topics. Tomorrow is the last of the spring series of “First Tuesday in the Garden” free lectures – “Natives Beat the Heat” on June 4 in… Read More →
Salvias for Texas-Tough Summer Color
One of the most diverse and useful groups of plants for summer color must be the sages – botanically known as the Salvias. Native to many places in the world, including Texas, salvias have become a staple for garden designers creating long-lasting colorful beds. Garden-worthy salvias range from Texas-tough perennials to tender annuals that have been extensively bred for the bedding plant industry. Colors take on the rainbow, from purple to red, with blues, whites, and even yellow. Salvias are in the mint family, all of which… Read More →
Hydrangeas – Showy Color Shady Spots
As springtime azaleas blooms fade, it is nice to have other plants step in to fill the gap with color. Roses are an obvious choice, with many blooming already, and the main show to start in a few weeks. One of my favorite plants in our landscape is an Oakleaf hydrangea. It provides nearly year-round interest with its large leaves, attractive white blooms and interesting bark and growth habit. It blooms in early to mid-May along with our native, white blooming Rhododendron oblongifolium (Texas azalea) and a late-blooming… Read More →
Gardening Tips for May
The saying is, “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait a minute and it will change.” After hitting the upper 80’s, it’s predicted to be in the upper 30’s tonight. Of course, weather, including temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind, etc., affects plants in many ways. Eventually spring will give way to our typical Texas summer with endless hot days and warm nights. Many plants, including our turfgrasses, grow best in warm to hot temperatures. They have been slow in the transition from their winter dormancy to… Read More →
Redbuds Signal Spring
Throughout woodlands and city landscapes, rosy pink splashes of color signal that spring is on its way. Redbuds are wonderful, small trees that can have a place in almost any landscape. Small in stature, they fit nicely into smaller urban lots. But, redbuds work their magic just as well on larger acreage since their cheerful, bright color is easily noticed in early springtime when grays and browns dominate the landscape. Lavender-pink to rosy or reddish purple blooms come out in March and last 2 to 3 weeks. Blooms… Read More →
March Gardening Tips
Springtime is at the door, and gardening fever is starting afflict folks. I don’t know if March came in as a lion or lamb, but one thing is certain – you can’t predict the weather in Texas. The cooler weather in late February and early March slowed down what looked like an early springtime. Saturday March 16 is the second East Texas Garden Lecture Series workshop at the Tyler Rose Garden Center, featuring “Creating Creative Container Gardens”. Gone are the days of boring, one-plant pots! Come be… Read More →
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
