Gardening Blog
Extension Master GardenerRose Pruning in Mid-Februaryby Carol Wood and Elizabeth Milam (Or MCMGs’) Mid February is time to start pruning roses to tidy up their appearance; control size; and improve their vigor, growing habits and bloom. One exception is climbing roses which bloom on last year’s growth and should be pruned after flowering.
Proper pruning shears are a must. A sharp pair of bypass (scissor like) shears will not crush the cane left… Continue reading
Q: I have all these black gnats or some kind of small fly in my house and I did not have them before I brought some of my plants in for the winter, they are driving me crazy but are they some thing that I need to be concerned about for my plants and if so what do I need to stop them? A: What you have are called Fungus Gnats… Continue reading
Q: What can I do with all the leaves in my yard? I don’t want to bag them up, I would like to just run the lawn mower over them and mulch them on the lawn but my husband thinks that it may cause a thatch problem and the lawn may suffer if I do that. What do you recommend? A: According to a recent study at Michigan State University, you… Continue reading
Q: When we were dethatching our lawn and pulling weeds from the beds we found lots of grub worms, what can we do to get rid of them and when? A: The best time to kill grubs in Texas is from March to August. Look for a product containing IMIDACLOPRID, an insecticide that should not harm beneficial insects in the soil. Read the label carefully. The insecticide attaches to the roots… Continue reading
Q: We have 30 dwarf yaupons in our front and back gardens and 7 of them have turned yellow. They have been in the ground for about 10 years and the roots may be affected by our caliche limestone based soil. What treatments can be done and when?
A: First let me warn you that even with treatment, the hollies may never completely green up. Once the roots begin growing… Continue reading