The lack of rain has made us realize that if you want to have a nice yard; native plants are your best bet.  We are receiving large shipments of native plants at this time to help provide our customers with plants that are low maintenance, hearty and beautiful. Over the last year, native plants have been the mainstay in many of our landscaping jobs.  Natives really help to cut down on your water usage.

The good news is, with all of the rain we are getting, the wildflower display should be breathtaking this spring.  If you are looking for wildflower seeds, we now have a wide variety.  Our new seed arrivals include bluebonnets, Alamo fire bluebonnets, larkspur, daisies, flax, vegetable, herb seeds and much more.
Happy Gardening!

Found on March/April 2012 Newsletter

How I Grow
Basil is very sensitive to cold, it grows best in hot, dry conditions. It behaves as an annual but will generally reseed itself.  Basil can be sown in soil once the chance of frost is past. It fares best in a well-drained sunny spot. Although basil grows best outdoors, it can be grown indoors in a container.

What I’m Used For
Basil is a very diverse herb.  Most of us are quite familiar with its culinary uses in Italian cuisine but it also has medicinal properties.  In the past centuries, basil was believed to have healing potential and was used to purify the mind and open the heart and even cure malaria.  Today it is recognized as a treatment for intestinal problems such as motion sickness, nausea, and flatulence.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil
Makes 24 small slices.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1&ffrac12; lbs)
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 baguette French or Italian bread
• 1/4 cup olive oil

1. Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. , remove the skins of the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F
3. Chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Slice the baguette and coat one side of each slice with olive oil. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down.  Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.  Spoon tomato mixture over toasted baguette then top with mozzarella cheese and heat till melted.
5. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do so right before serving or the bread may get soggy. Enjoy!

Found on Herb of the Month “Basil”

1. Make sure you are putting your garden in a well drained area.
2. You will need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.
3. Your soil will most likely need some compost or manure to beef it up.  A soil test wouldn’t hurt.  Your local extension office should be able to help you with that.
4. It is best to buy your seeds or plants locally to ensure that they are going to thrive in our area.
5. Keep in mind that our spring and fall are short lived and the summer is very long and hot.

March is when most of the Gulf Coast area begins planting corn, beans, squash, cucumbers, and peas.  Eggplant, pepper, and tomato plants can be put out now also.  Though few and far between, keep an eye open for an unexpected frost and cover to protect your new transplants.

April kicks the growing season into high gear.  All kinds of melons can be planted now.  Pumpkins, zucchini, black eyes, limas can all be put in.  In late April, okra and sweet potatoes can be planted.  If you would like your okra seeds to germinate faster, pour hot water over the seeds and let them sit overnight in the water.  The next day, they will be ready to plant.

Found on March 2012 Gardening Tips for the Backyard Gardener

When buying petunias, you need to think about the length of time you want to keep them.  The good and the bad of it is, some varieties of petunia can not take our hot, hot summers and will die or become very leggy and unattractive. The good news is there are many new and unusual varieties but once again, most can not take the hot summer.  If you are just needing a temporary splash and enjoy changing out your color then plant one of the new types.  If you want a hardy variety of petunia, you might choose Laura Bush petunias or wave petunias.  These endure the heat much better and have an almost continuous bloom.

A few weeks after you have put in your flowering plants, give them a little boost with a 3-1-2 or a 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer.  With the warmer temperatures of April, you can plant vinca, caladiums, pentas, impatiens, and celosia.

Be sure to mulch your beds about 4 or 5 inches deep.  This will make weeding a lot less time consuming and it will save you money on your water bill.  If you find that you have extra seed, place in an envelope, then put the envelope in a glass jar with lid and store in the freezer.

March will bring on a profusion of color if you have azaleas, spirea, camellias, redbud, dogwood, mock orange or spring blooming roses.

Sometime in April though, the blooms will be fading and when they are finished with their performance, it will be time to trim any unsightly shoots or branches.  Try not to cut them back hard, just what is necessary, then you can fertilize them. Container grown roses can be planted and enjoyed now too.   When March approaches, the fruit trees will begin to bloom and what a wonderful scent they have.  Mulching them out to the drip line will help keep more water for the trees and less for the weeds.  I hope your garden and beds are a great success this spring.

Happy Gardening!

Found on Color Me Beautiful

Winter is now upon us.  Although Texas winters are relatively mild be sure to watch the forecast for any light freezes and be ready to cover your plants with a light sheet or a commercial frost protective blanket. With a little protection from freezes we can still grow a vegetable garden. 

Here is a list of vegetables that can be sown into open ground, Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower plants, Swiss chard, chives, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, onion, parsley, peppers, radishes, spinach, and tomatoes. To keep your vegetable garden thriving be sure to mulch well to fend off weeds and to protect roots from freezing temperatures, you can also continue to lightly fertilize. 

As for your Annuals and Perennials,  when a freeze kills the the tops of your perennial flowers and grasses cut them back to the ground and mulch around them well.  Also continue to lightly fertilize your annuals and perennials every 4-6 weeks. 

Want some cool color for your garden these plants will continue to bloom throughout the season, Alyssum, Calendula, coreopsis, cornflower, Delphinium, forget-me-not, hollyhock, larkspur, lobelia, pansy, petunia, phlox, blue saliva, snapdragon, verbena, and violas. 

Don’t forget your bulbs. December is last month to plant early blossoming  spring bulbs, also be sure to mulch. Also take advantage of our mild winters rethink your garden “Do I want to move any of my shrubs, tress, or prennials?” If you do do so now, this is the best time to plant your garden and fill in those holes.  By planting or transplanting now you’re giving your plants enough time to establish a good root system to survive the the stressful summer months ahead.

 Happy Gardening!

Found on December Gardening Tips 2011

Found on Sidewalk

February is a great time to move any azaleas you may have in a bad spot.  Just be sure to keep them watered, with good drainage.

Daylilies can be divided now if the clumps have become too large.  Any summer flowering bulbs can be planted now also.

January through May and July through October, gladiolas can be planted in 2 week successions for a continuous bloom.

Fertilizing your lawns, trees, shrubs (not azaleas, camellias or pink magnolias) with a complete fertilizer will ensure healthy new growth for spring.  Be sure to water it in and keep the fertilizer away from the trunks.

Now is the last opportunity you will have to prune many shrubs so that you do not lose your summer blooms.

Do not plant roses any later than February and if you have not pruned your existing roses, do so now.  Spraying your rose beds with a fungicide can prevent black spot.  New rose bushes should not be fertilized until after their first blooming.

You can sow seeds in flats for your summer vegetables such as eggplant, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes and more. Spring is just around the corner and I for one will be very happy to greet it.

Happy Gardening.

Found on Things to do for February

Found on Drainage at the Lake

The trash pile left by the concrete crew

After a lot of work with a pickaxe

Found on Turning Trash into Treasure

Holiday party on December 4, 2010 at Bluebonnet Herb Farms.

10am to 4pm

Found on Holiday Party 2010