by Greg Grant | Aug 13, 2023 | Garden
Folks, in case you haven’t noticed, it has been exceptionally hot and dry. During most summers in Texas, water is the limiting factor in growing and keeping gardens, landscapes, and lawns alive. This time of the year generally divides us into two distinct groups:...
by Gaye Hammond | Aug 7, 2023 | Garden
Variegated foliage in roses is not a good thing. While yellow and green patterning of leaf tissue can indicate the presence of a fungal disease, sometimes it can also signal that a virus condition is at work. The viral disease commonly known as “Rose Mosaic” is a...
by Greg Grant | Jul 23, 2023 | Garden
Q: There are many small dead branches in my Bradford pear. What is causing it and what can I do about it? A: That’s fireblight, a common bacterial disease that affects members of the rose family. It’s spread by splashing water and wet springs exacerbate it. ...
by Greg Grant | Jul 16, 2023 | Garden, Uncategorized
Despite heat and drought, the “fall” vegetable season begins in July, with the planting of tomato transplants (if you can find them) and pumpkin seeds. Growing pumpkins here is not for the faint of heart, but what would Halloween be without them? There are several...
by Greg Grant | Jul 9, 2023 | Garden, Uncategorized
Scorching temperatures occur every summer in Texas and can cause ugly scars on young smooth tree trunks. Sunscald is a physiological disorder that occurs on the lower part of the trunk on the southwest side, typically on young trees. Thin-barked trees such as red...
by Greg Grant | Jul 2, 2023 | Garden
Periwinkle blight (aerial phytophthora) is caused by the fungus Phytophthora parasitica. It’s the number one disease problem for annual vinca or periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) and can persist in the soil for several years. Sadly, it’s almost always caused by folks...