Swamped with yard work? Turn off your sprinklers and hold your hoses. Just about everything's big in Texas. But when it comes to water, well, there's little to speak of. So how do some Texas homeowners reconcile their desire for vast green yards with a shortage of H2O? The answer is Xeriscaping --
Bee Balm In Landscaping
The Bee Balm Plant Do you have a wet area in your landscaping where whatever you plant seems to struggle? Bee balm might be the solution for you. Bee balm is one of the better plants for wet ground for those seeking good floral color. But bee balm is about more than just aesthetics. This herb has
Scientific Names Of Plants
The Reasons We Use Scientific Names of Plants Nicknames Easier to Pronounce, But Not Correct Why do we use those hard-to-pronounce scientific names of plants? Is it out of smugness? Wouldn't it be more "democratic" to use the common monikers (or "nicknames") that everyone can understand, instead of
Container Gardens
TEXAS-TOUGH CONTAINER GARDENS Plants, pots, and potting media that are unfazed by heat and drought The whole world seems to be in love with container plants. So much that some gardeners can’t control themselves. Their whole gardens have gone to pot! Texans have embraced container plants since the
Wisteria Vines
Chinese Wisteria Vines Botany: Botanically-speaking, it is classified as a deciduous perennial. These vines are in the pea family. Indeed, after its flowers fade, it produces velvety seed pods that resemble pea-pods. USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: These vines can be grown in zones
Bermuda Lawn To St.Augustine
The Grass Is Always Greener Converting a Bermuda lawn to St. Augustine How, exactly and why more importantly, would you change your lawn from Bermuda grass to St. Augustine? Reasons range from just wanting a new look, necessity due to shade from growing trees and landscapes over the years, even
Solutions For Crabgrass Problem
How to Kill Crabgrass The lawn weed, crabgrass (Digitaria spp) is a warm-season annual weed, which means it reproduces by seed. People often ask me how to kill crabgrass. The short answer: applying preemergent herbicides at the right time is the best way to kill crabgrass. Preemergent
Herb Superb Advice
HARVESTING HERBS FOR FLAVOR AND FRAGRANCE When summer moves into high gear, herb gardeners are overcome with strange needs. They scout for any flat surface available around the house. Spare tables, the top of the laundry dryer-nothing is safe. Clippers in hand, we raid our gardens for handfuls of