arly July gets me in the mood to plant fall tomatoes. Texas A&M’s Vegetable Garden Planting Guide advises gardeners to get their fall tomato transplants in the ground between July 7 and August 7. (Larger transplants in 1 gal. pots or larger can be planted as late as Sept.1.) I prefer to plant determ...

F ebruary is one of the most exciting gardening months of the year. The days are getting longer, and the last average freeze and frost dates are approaching. Also the days are cooler and it’s more comfortable to work outside. Clean up the landscape. Cut back perennials and apply a mulch-compost blen...

ince the introduction of organic farming to the U.S. by J.J. Rodale in the 1940s, the practice has gained momentum year after year. My farm joined the movement in 1991 and has been certified organic ever since. The USDA now reports the fantastic news that some 4.1 million acres within the U.S. are f...

ast year was a fantastic year for gardeners in central Texas. During January and February we only had two cold mornings. Spring started early, and the weather wasn’t too outrageously hot during the summer months. In addition the lakes were full and watering restrictions were slightly loosened. So it...

hen I was up in Colorado this summer I was introduced to a poster by the late Bonnie Appleton (a horticultural educator) entitled ‘How to Kill a Tree.’ This tongue in cheek title was followed by an illustration showing all of the mistakes that people make when planting and caring for trees. While ma...

hristmas and other winter holidays bring out the desire to fill our homes with greenery and decorative flowers. With a little extra care and forethought, many of these wonderful plants can continue to thrive long after December becomes just a distant memory. Choosing a living Christmas tree is a gre...

1 . Replace summer annuals with winter bloomers if the frost has burned them. Top performers are dianthus, flowering kale, flowering cabbage, pansies, snapdragons, violas, and stock. Add some rich compost and bone and blood meal to the soil to give the new plants a boost. 2. Plant bulbs: There is st...

lthough during Thanksgiving the spotlight tends to focus on the cooks of the house, I believe it should also be a time for gardeners to receive some acclaim. So, gardeners of Buda, Kyle and Austin, if you grew any of the vegetables that are part of your Thanksgiving feast this coming Thursday, then ...

1.  Plant a tree: now is still a perfect time to get that shade or ornamental tree in the ground.  2. Plant flowering perennials: it’s never too late. Even though their tops will be burned back with the first hard freeze, their roots will be hardy. During the cool days of winter, they will establish...

here is an oft repeated feeling that I experience every year here in Texas. By summer I am mentally packing my bags and moving to Colorado.   I swear that I cannot take one more year here in this heat.   But then something happens. Not just any something… but Texas in spring happens. Specifically, o...