Control ants, squirrels and mosquitoes
If critters like ants, mosquitoes and squirrels are invading home and garden spaces, there are some natural methods to keep them away. They are well worth trying before resorting to chemicals toxic to...
View ArticleGarrett: It’s time to fertilize Dallas-area lawns
I live on a steep lot on Lake Lewisville. St. Augustine sod was laid with very little preparation on a rocky, red, hard, claylike soil. What do you recommend? What rate of application and when should...
View ArticleGardening Calendar for November 2013
November is a time of planning and plotting for gardeners. Soon, the onslaught of seed catalogs will be upon us. But before we settle in with a nice, hot cuppa tea (or, in my case, the highest octane...
View ArticleBug commonly found on milkweed plants doesn’t do much damage to plant
Is this a friend or foe (see photo)? It’s on a milkweed plant. M.H., Dallas The milkweed bug does some plant damage even though it primarily eats the seeds of milkweed. However, cultivating milkweed...
View ArticleThe annual grasshopper plague has begun in North Texas gardens
Question: I must have a million grasshoppers. What is the best way to get rid of them? The birds just watch them hop around. K.C., Dallas Answer: The feeding adults can be killed or repelled with...
View ArticleTiming is key for nontoxic weed control
Question: What is the timing for putting out horticul- tural cornmeal on lawns to prevent winter weeds from sprouting? M.G., Dallas Answer: Corn gluten meal, the protein part of cornmeal, has...
View ArticleNorth Texas homeowners are seeing bagworms on eastern red cedars
Question: I have lost four large cedar trees to bagworms that I did not realize were bad until this year. Now I see them hanging off the eaves of my house and on my 30-foot sycamore tree. Am I correct...
View ArticleDear Neil: Shred leaves before composting
Dear Neil: Is there any reason I shouldn’t use pecan leaves in my compost? I’ve heard that the tannic acid will keep my other plants from growing well. Answer: Not at all. You’ll hear that same comment...
View ArticleHow to get rid of those invasive horsetail reeds
Question: I planted horsetail reed in an area about 50 yards from the lawn. I've noticed it runs and appears some distance from the initial planting. I have read that it is basically a weed and hard to...
View ArticleHow to hand-pollinate squash
Question: We planted butternut squash in late August. The plants are very healthy, with large leaves and vines extending 8 to 9 feet. We had a lot of squash bugs in our garden in early summer, and they...
View ArticleWhat to feed Italian cypresses, and can nematodes control ticks?
I need help for my five blue Italian cypresses. The trees are 9 years old and about 30 feet tall. They are thinning in the middle and turning brown. The top is green. Over the years, I have used tree...
View ArticleDo Shantung maple trees have a place in North Texas landscapes?
Q uestion: You used to endorse the Shantung mapletree, which is not native. Have you now decided that it’s not so good? B.S., Azle Answer: The Shantung has a few issues. The main one is that it is...
View ArticlePost oaks suffering from drought, not disease
Question: I have a group of post oaks (15 inches in diameter) whose leaves have died but are still on the trees. Should I take the trees down before whatever it is spreads to adjoining trees? Your...
View ArticleRose rosette disease continues to plague Dallas-area gardens
Question: I recently read your article on rose rosette disease. My roses definitely have this malady. I wanted to try the remedy that you mention in the article. I have an Ortho Dial N Spray Hose-end...
View ArticleColorfully patterned pest kills edible plants in North Texas gardens
Question: What kind of bug is this? They wiped out my artichoke plants and now are moving on to the kale. I tried dusting with diatomaceous earth and it did not work. J.P., Fort Worth Answer: You have...
View ArticleWhen choosing an ornamental tree for North Texas, avoid Bradford pears
QMy 12-year-old Bradford pear tree’s leaves are turning light green and crink- ling up, and some look yellowish. A horticulturist says some sort of blight is infecting Bradford pears. What would you...
View ArticleDo trees need water bags?
Question: Are Treegators [slow-release watering bags for newly planted trees] good for the tree? C.M., Athens Answer: I don't like them. They look bad for one thing and, you're right, covering the base...
View ArticleStart vegetable seeds indoors to get a jump on spring
Do you recommend a heat mat for starting seedlings? What’s the best way to start them now? K.M., Dallas Heat mats for germinating seeds are great. They speed up germination and help give more even...
View ArticleWhy do mushrooms, sometimes called fairy rings, appear in lawn?
Question: Any advice for mushrooms growing in my yard? S.D., Hurst Answer: They are caused by organic material rotting underground. The toadstools are the fruiting bodies of the fungus breaking the...
View ArticleWinter-blooming camellias can pout
I have a red camellia that had a great many buds. The buds never really opened but started falling to the ground. What can I do to stop this? J.R., Fort Worth Check the soil moisture. Too wet or too...
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