Herbs are becoming more and more popular in gardens. Many are useful in cooking and some have medicinal uses.  The essential oils in some herbs are used for their fragrance. Many herbs have attractive flowers and some attract beneficial insects and nourish butterfly larvae.

The ornamental value of herbs means they can be used in flower beds, borders and rock gardens. Some herbs are annuals that must be replanted every year and some are perennials that come back year after year.

Many of the herbs we grow here in Central Texas are native to the Mediterranean region, so our hot, dry summers are perfect for them. They need good drainage and most need 6 hours of direct sun each day. A few exceptions, such as mint, need a moist location and shade or partial shade.

Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow.  Grow from seed or transplant.  It’s a tender annual, so don’t plant until the frost danger has passed.  Sweet basil is a good companion plant in your tomato bed. There are many other varieties of basil, such as purple leaf and lemon basil.  Make pesto!

Marjoram and Oregano are similar and both are easy to grow. They fade in the heat of summer but thrive in fall and winter. Great for spaghetti sauce and pizza!

Rosemary is a hardy evergreen that comes in many varieties from low and trailing to larger bush types. It’s a strong, fragrant herb often used in cooking. It goes really well with chicken.

Dill is easy to grow from seed.  Since it reseeds itself, you’ll likely soon have lots of it. That’s good, for swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs on dill. If you want butterflies, leave the green caterpillars alone. Plant lots of dill and share with the butterflies.

Fennel is another herb that attracts butterflies.  It comes in green and bronze varieties and both are useful in cooking. Fennel is a very attractive plant in the garden.

Parsley comes in two forms, the flat leaf Italian variety and Curly leaf parsley. Italian parsley is better for cooking, while the curly variety makes a nice border plant (but you can also cook with it). It’s a biennial, so it usually lives for two years and can handle our mild winters.

You can grow most herbs in pots. Pots of herbs arranged near your back door or on the patio look great and are convenient for snipping and cooking. In fact, snipping herbs makes them grow better and produces fuller plants. Don’t remove more than a third of the plant at a time.

Spring is a great time to plant herbs.  Local nurseries and garden centers have a good supply of herbs in 4 inch pots for a quick start on your herb garden.
 
Whether you use herbs for cooking, as companion plants, or just enjoy their wonderful fragrance on a warm, sunny day, they make a great addition to your garden.

A: Depending on the temperatures there are a few things that can be planted now, such as onions from transplants, seeds such as mustard, spinach, turnips, beets, and carrots. These can be planted, but be prepared to cover or protect the seedlings as they grow, frosts and wind can damage or kill new plants. Protection can be provided by use of loose straw or protective covers.

A: It depends on which “expert” you talk to. The most widely recommended time and the one that has been recommended longer than the other is in winter during the coldest months, late December to mid February. That is the time period in which the disease spreading insects are definitely not active. Be certain that your trimming equipment is clean and sterile before you begin. If you trim more than one tree clean and sterilize the equipment before moving to the next tree. Be careful to not cut too close to the trunk of the tree or to leave to long of a stub. When cutting with a saw make a small cut on the bottom of the branch 3 or 4 inches out from the tree then finish cutting from the top 3 or 4 inches out from the first cut, this keeps the limb from dropping and pulling the bark off the tree below the cut. When the main part of the limb you are removing is off, then go back and remove the stub. Try to leave at least a quarter of an inch of the limb, that will heal over faster than if cut flat to the tree. I still recommend pruning paint to seal the cuts, but if the cuts are made in winter the area should dry out and not be attractive to the insect before spring. For lack of space this is the fast answer, for more details contact a certified Nursery Professional or a Certified Arborist.

A: Many perennial plants normally die back every year. Some may die back more than others. So in general I recommend cutting most perennials either all the way to the ground or at least half to two thirds. 

Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable grown in Texas gardens. Learning more about growing them will aid you in harvesting a maximum crop. Tomatoes will grow in almost any type of soil with good drainage and at least 6 hours of daily sunlight.

Now is the time to begin preparing your tomato bed. Tomatoes will produce best with lots of organic matter in the soil. Therefore, prepare the soil bed by adding at least 3 inches of compost into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. Do not work the soil if it sticks to your tools. If you do not have adequate garden space, try a 10-gallon pot.

Most families only need a few plants. By starting now, you can have a head start on the season. Transplants are your best option at this time of year. Begin checking with the local nurseries now to learn when the first transplants are expected. Once purchased, move the plants to larger pots. Put a 4″ potted tomato into a gallon pot (in potting soil). Until about March 15 (average last frost date), set them out in the sun during the day and bring them into the garage at night. This will “harden them off” and direct sunlight keeps them from getting leggy. A little wind makes the stems stronger. So far, this winter is milder than usual, which means you might put a few tomatoes out in the garden early.

 When the night temperatures are above 55 degrees tomatoes will “set”. The goal is to set as many as possible before the summer heat arrives which is often in June but can be earlier. Starting early and choosing a variety that does well in Central Texas will contribute to a maximum harvest. Tomato growers all have their favorites. Small or medium fruited tomatoes do best in Central Texas. In choosing the variety, look for lots of letters after their name. The more alphabet letters, the more disease resistant is the tomato. For example, VFN following the name suggests resistance to two diseases and nematodes. Grow two or three different varieties to hedge your bet. My favorites last year were ‘Bush Early Girl’, ‘Champion’, and ‘Juliet’.

When you put your transplants into the ground, incorporate 1/4 to 1/2 cup of complete slow release fertilizer into the soil for each plant. Also, be sure the young plants are well watered while still in their pots. Furthermore, additional fertilizer should not be added until the first cluster of fruit sets. After fruit set, work in 1 level tablespoons of high nitrogen fertilizer about 6 inches from each stalk. Too much fertilizer results in a lovely bush and no tomatoes! As the tomatoes ripen, fertilize ever 3 to 4 weeks with not more than 2 tablespoons of fertilizer.

Tomatoes should be protected from blowing wind and late frosts. Using crop row cover around the cages will protect the plants from wind and will give up to 4 degrees of frost protection. My favorite protective device is the ‘water wall’, which can be reused for years. I have never lost a tomato plant to late freezes when using the water wall. These are available from local nurseries. Several layers of newspapers or gallon jugs of water placed around the plant will also provide some protection from late frosts.

During the growing season, a layer (2 to 3 Inches) of mulch will keep the weeds at bay and reduce water evaporation. Support each plant with stakes or cages. Tomatoes that come in contact with the soil will often rot or be attacked by insects.

As the tomato plant grows, keep it adequately watered and check frequently for insect damage. Harvesting tomatoes when pink is a sure way to prevent bird damage. They will ripen well in the house.

Proper pruning shears are a must.  A sharp pair of bypass (scissor like) shears will not crush the cane left on the plant which would allow diseases to enter the stem. Loppers are handy because you have a longer reach (avoid the thorns), and it is easier to cut out big canes.

Some fundamental practices of pruning roses correctly in all gardens, regardless of type, are: 1) remove any canes that are dead or have been damaged by insects, diseases or storms; 2) remove one of two canes which may be rubbing one another; or 3) remove canes that are spindly or smaller in diameter than the size of a pencil. After pruning, according to these general recommendations, cut hybrid teas, florabundas, and grandifloras back to 12 – 18 inches above the bud union for large flowers and 18 to 24 inches for many smaller sized flowers.

Proper pruning consists of cutting back to healthy wood.  Cuts should be no more than 1/4 inch above a bud or bud-eye, with pruners above the bud and sloping 45 degrees down and away from the bud.  In other words, make a slanting cut and do not leave a stub.

Old-fashioned or antique roses require much less pruning than modern roses. Left unpruned old fashion roses will naturally obtain a rounded shrub shape. Pruning of these roses should be confined to some shaping of the plant, removal of damaged branches, and judicious trimming back to encourage growth.

To avoid spreading diseases always clean your pruning shears after finishing one bush and before moving on to the next; also do not prune when the leaves of the bush are wet for the same reason.