If you’re like me, you’re ready for a weather change!  It has been a hot, dry summer, hard on plants and on enthusiasm for gardening or just being outdoors. But, the month of September brings with it a promise of better things to come.  If you have been planning a landscape or garden project, hang in there, and the weather will be changing for the better. As a matter of fact, fall in the south is often called the second gardening season. Winters here are typically mild to… Read More →

Looking for a way to spice up your landscape without a whole lot of work? One way is to use pots filled with plants as striking accents. Even one or 2 well-placed containers filled with plants of striking colors or unusual growth habits can turn a dull spot into an instant focal point. One of the homes on this year’s Smith County Master Gardener sponsored Home Garden Tour had many tastefully planted and located containers full of interesting and attractive plants, complimenting the well-maintained landscape. And, all were… Read More →

In part 1, I talked about the advantages of using vines, shrubs and perennials to enhance your landscape and to solve landscaping problems. Here are some of the best ground cover plants for the East Texas area: Plants for shady areas include ajuga, Asian jasmine, English ivy, ferns (many types and varieties available, such as holly fern, wood fern, painted fern, sensitive fern, autumn fern, maidenhair fern), liriope, and mondograss (or monkeygrass). Good evergreen ground covers for a sunny spot include any of the many prostrate and low… Read More →

When most folks think about a plant to cover the ground, grass is probably the first thing that comes to mind. True, grass is one of the best ground covers around. It’s cheap, fast, efficient, and has many benefits. But, there are many situations where it may not be the most practical plant to use for covering the soil. For example, turfgrass is not well suited on a steeply sloping site. Mowing is difficult and dangerous, and efficient watering is impractical. Lawn grasses won’t grow well in heavily… Read More →

Believe it or not, there’s work to do in the garden in July! And not just mowing the lawn. One thing we can usually count on is that July will be hot, and usually drier than other months.  That is why gardening activities begin to slow down, or should I say, the gardener begins to slow down in the July heat! Take advantage of cooler mornings to get your yard work done. Take frequent breaks, and drink lots of water to avoid heat-related medical problems. The Vegetable Patch…. Read More →

Summer is here! School is out, and it’s vacation time, at least for the kids. Summer also means the days are longer, and hotter, so get your gardening done in the morning and evening when it is more pleasant to be outside. Later in June, head out to the Texas Agrilife Research and Extension Center in Overton for a look at the very latest plant introductions. This free Horticulture Field Day is on Thursday, June 28. The morning field day showcases the extensive annual bedding plant variety trials… Read More →