Gardenig in state Texas. Tips & Guides

PEOPLE WHO WORK ALONE AS I DO still need that water-cooler conversation and collegial encouragement…except that there aren’t any colleagues to get it from. (Yes, Jack the Demon Cat is nice, but his language skills: not so good.) So I’m often clicking around looking for virtual pats on the back and other positive vibes, like the funny little voices on the Save the Words website, or the Texas-based sociologist whose expertise in the subject of vulnerability makes her just right for someone about to have a very personal book come out February 23 (uh-oh).

In the Q&A that follows, Ellen’s answers contain green links to audio files from BirdNote’s archive that you won’t want to miss. A recap of earlier stories in our ongoing series is at the bottom of the page, along with information on how to hear BirdNote daily. Easiest of all: browse all the BirdNote series stories at this link.winter bird q&a with ellen blackstoneQ. How far south do migratory birds go for the winter? A. They cover a very wide range of distances, but here’s a hint at some of the impressive extremes:Our humble barn swallow is a true long-distance migrant, and may winter as far south as southern South America, often returning to the same area year after year. Imagine: the sprightly bird that nested in the eav

All Things Plants: It was our mutual friend Dan Long of Brushwood Nursery (gardenvines.com) who introduced us, and I am so grateful to know All Things Plants’ founder Dave Whitinger. He’s in Texas and I’m not—but the common threads we always find when we get together spell kindred spirit. I was the guest on his popular podcast this week (do you subscribe already?). Beekman 1802 Boys: One half of “The Amazing Race”-winning, goat-farming, cheese-making Beekman 1802 Boys was my colleague at Martha Stewart, and we keep in touch across the rural New York State counties betw

The clove currant, which in some references is listed as synonymous with Ribes aureum var. villosum, is native to the central United States, specifically “Minnesota and South Dakota, south to Arkansas and Texas,” reports “Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs.” My friend and fruit expert Lee Reich points out that odoratum and aureum are two distinct species, and grows both (you can see his comment below).I first smelled the plant in my friend Bob Hyland’s ga

The tipping point had been meeting Graham and Layla Phillips, who had recently taken over Bio-Organics, founded in 1996 and one of the first companies to commercialize mycorrhizal agricultural products (disclosure: they have advertised on A Way to Garden).  We got to talking, and I pestered them with my usual endless questions–and then bought myself that jar of a blend of viable beneficial organisms from their online store.I didn’t just take their word for how it all worked, however; I dug deeper. Extensive Texas A&M research over more than 25 years reports that the benefits of mycorrhizae include plants that are more vigorous, with increased drought and disease resistance and the ability take up more nutrients and water. They may also need less pesticides because of their overall better response to stress. (Mycorrhizae have even been used by Aggie researchers on Texas lignite coal-industry land to try to revitalize it after mining, but I’m hoping your garden isn’t in that condition!)Even deeper background: Mycorrhizae weren’t

Gardeners in some areas of Texas where the species is endemic are smiling right now. “I’ve got them all over my backyard,” they are perhaps saying, because the species can be found growing as a self-sowing annual in parts of Florida and North Carolina and Texas, says the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.The H. argophyllus selection I grew in 2012 was a refinement of the straight species called ‘Japanese Silver-Leaf’ (which I expect was so named after being bred in that country, as numerous fine sunflower varieties have been—crossing the genetics of our various U.S. natives). My plants grew from about 5 feet to 7 feet.Various sources say one should hide its awkward-looking “legs” with some other mid

“The Northern cardinal–male version–is about as red as a bird comes, so no wonder that it turns up on Christmas cards,” says Ellen Blackstone, my friend at the public-radio show BirdNote, the repeat guest for our series of bird-themed Q&As.In the story that follows, Ellen provided me with green links to audio files from BirdNote’s archive that you won’t want to miss; click them. Information on how to hea

As a policy, I don’t like to complain about winter. I’m hardy but herbaceous, inclined to hide quietly and regroup each offseason—happy for the downtime and change of scenery, happy for moisture in any form to recharge the system around me. But this is silly:The back door hasn’t opened since December; the front one will, but not the storm door just beyond. Just a single portal to the forbidding outer world beyond is operable, and it requires cardboard shims (below) to stay shut, the latch and strike plate no

This month on our Q&A segment we crammed in as many as we could by taking a shortcut, and instead of having live callers, we gathered more questions than ever and I just shouted them out. Call it our Lightning Round.Important note: Got a question for a future show? Ask it in the comments or contact form on A Way to Garden dot com or KenDruse dot com, or on Facebook dot com/A Way to Garden and we’ll scoop them up as we plan for next time.Read along as you listen to the June 12, 2107 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on

Jared is an associate professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, and the creator of the “Planted” blog and e-newsletter, and the monthly “Plantastic Podcast.” He’s been gardening since about age 5, and I was glad to chat with him, to do some forecasting together.Read along as you listen to the February 27, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).naming our own garden trends, with jared barnesMargaret Roach: Hello, Jared. We have so many friends in common, and plants in common [laughter]

Long before central North America was settled and developed, large swathes of verdant prairies teeming with diverse flora and fauna thrived there. Expansive grasslands existed from Canada south to Texas, and from Indiana west to Colorado. Though few original prairies still exist, gardeners across America have begun to take action to restore prairie plantings right in their own backyards.Why grow prairie plants?Prairie gardens, especially more expansive and interconnected ones, offer habitat, food and refuge for vital pollinator and wildlife populations. Also, compared to turf grass, mature prairi

Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)*, sometimes known as sweetgrass, is a beautiful ornamental grass celebrated for its displays of pink, purple, or white flowers in the late summer and fall.

Have you ever wondered how often you should water your vegetable garden? Watering may seem simple and straightforward, but there are some important considerations to think about before you get out your watering can or the garden hose. The way you water your plants is essential for them to grow and thrive. “Just like the sun, water is a key component to having a successful veggie garden,” says Nicole Shah, gardener and co-founder of Garden Girls, a garden design company in Houston, Texas.

Today we’re off to Houston to visit AcAcia’s beautiful garden.

California is an agricultural powerhouse, producing over a third of the country’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruits and nuts. It’s also experiencing extreme weather in the form of heat, drought, wildfires and floods, issues experts say will become increasingly intense and frequent due to climate change.

Tomatoes love and need a lot of sunlight and heat to grow. But too much of a good thing can cause the plant to get sunscald–the plant equivalent of a sunburn. “Sunscald in tomatoes can happen in all parts of the country, but it is more prominent in the South where the days are longer and the weather is hotter,” says Greg Key, gardener and CEO of Hosstools in Georgia.

What could be wrong with an attractive, compact, bushy peach tree? Plenty! Your tree could have the incurable bacterial phony peach disease (PPD).This disease came seemingly out of nowhere and first struck peach trees in Georg

Growing Scarlet Rosemallows  in the garden and landscape can be a rewarding experience. Learn all about  How to Grow Texas Star Hibiscus. From propagation methods to care tips, and understanding the growing requirements, here is everything you need to ensure its healthy growth and blooming.

Also known as the scarlet or swamp maple, the red maple has a special place in my heart.It’s the first plant that I could ever identify,

Sunflowers are striking flowers that can be found in fields and gardens around the world, adding a burst of color to the landscape. If you are a Texan, then you must have seen them around and wondered – When Do Sunflowers Bloom in Texas? Well, time to get the answer!

If you know aboutBlack Pepper Plant Growing Zone, then it will be really easy for you to grow it in the region your live in. Let’s dive deep into the details.

Years after the fact, I remain flummoxed as to why my neighbor Daniel – an otherwise normal, rational person – ripped down and pulled out a spectacular, 20-foot-tall labyrinth of colorful crossvine that was growing on a trellis he had built up against his house.Crossvine is a fast-growing climbing vine that can reach 50

Treehugger / Design by Amelia Manley

Water is essential for life. Your plants need water to grow and thrive, and more during the hotter months. Ever wondered about catching rain to use during times when there is less or no rain? Installing a rain barrel allows you to do exactly that: collect and store a natural resource for later use. Harvesting rainwater has many benefits from saving money on your water bill to utilizing what freely falls from the sky for times when raindrops aren’t so abundant.

Often referred to as barometer bush, Texas sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) dazzles with a show of bright pink to lavender or white blooms after rainfalls from spring through fall. The silvery leaves of Texas sage offer a visual respite in the height of summer heat. Its gray, green, or silver 1-inch leaves are fuzzy, and provide a delicate backdrop for the vibrant flowers.  

Brown marmorated stink bugs may have a funny name, but no one who has to deal with them is laughing. “They can be a significant issue for commercial growers and home gardeners in regions where the stink bug population is high,” says Jim Walgenbach, PhD, professor and extension entomologist atNorth Carolina State University. “All life stages of stink bugs can cause damage to foliage and fruit.”They feed on all kinds of plants, both edible and ornamental, but their favorites include peaches, apples, pears, pecans, tomatoes, peppers and sweet corn.

It takes more than pretty plants and a shovel to create a beautiful and thriving garden. Experienced gardeners rely on the Hardiness Zone plant information established by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). It is designed to identify which plants are most likely to thrive in a specific geographic area. The zones are determined by average annual winter temperatures across the country and broken into 10-degree increments. It is then further divided into 5-degree a and b designations.

Preparing to convert a new area in your yard into a garden can require a lot of physical labor and time. Lasagna gardening is a no-fuss technique to prepare the soil so it’s ready for planting vegetables, herbs, or flowers as well as a way to minimize and reduce weeds. “Lasagna gardening, also known as sheet mulching, is the act of layering compostable materials in a raised bed or designated area where you want to start a garden,” says Jen McDonald, a certified organic gardener and co-founder of Garden Girls, a garden design company based in Houston, Texas. “It’s an easy option that requires minimal labor and also reduces kitchen waste.”

The growing season is long in USDA Zone 9, as in, it lasts almost all year thanks to mild winters. This hardiness region extends from parts of Florida, across the lower portion of Louisiana and into coastal Georgia and Southern Texas. In these locales, salty air, sandy soil, heat, and lots of sun are prevalent. You’ll want to look for choices that can stand up to drought and are resilient when it comes to both soil and weather conditions. Tropical florals like hibiscus and showy trees like the Southern magnolia will do well in Zone 9 as well as a variety of ground covers, textural shrubs, and herbs. 

With large scarlet blooms, Texas Star hibiscus brings a lush, exotic feel to the garden without the drawbacks of short-lived, non-native tropical varieties. Texas Star hibiscus blooms mid-summer into fall. Its striking red flower petals grow to 6-inches wide and are cut deeply and finer than other hibiscus.In the center, dramatic yellow stamens entice pollinators. Texas Star features 5-petaled, palmate leaves with deep red stems ideal for adding interesting landscape structure in addition to the blooms. Its tropical-like flowers attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.  

If you’ve ever spotted pitcher plants in the wild, or as part of someone’s landscaping, you may have been intrigued by them – and perhaps that’s what brings you here, to learn more as you prepare to add them to your own yard or garden.When it comes to these beloved, mystical tubes that grow like

Looking to upgrade your garden with a durable evergreen shrub that provides year-round interest and doesn’t require the backbreaking labor of higher-maintenance plants, such as roses or hedges?Look no further than heavenly bamboo.We link to

I've been wanting a stock tank pool, or as we call them, a redneck swimming pool for at least 3 years now. I'm not going to lie, the stock tanks are expensive! We happened across a bargain and got both of the tanks and all the flag stone for $75 total! Bargain of a lifetime right there!

Texas Ranger Plant is a beautiful specimen that stands out with its light green foliage and matching pink flowers. If you want to add it to your plant collection, keep reading to learn How to Grow Texas Sage Plant in Pot!

Bringing the outdoors inside has been a major trend in recent years, and perhaps nothing reflects this more than the botanical wallpaper trend. Several large wallpaper brands, including Chasing Paper and Graham & Brown, along with emerging ones including Katie Kime, have introduced gorgeous botanical prints and murals (and even some woodsy wallpapers, the more rugged sub-trend of botanical wallpapers) into their collections.

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