Texas Gardening http://www.texasgardeningtips.com Your guide to gardening in the Lone Star State. Tue, 06 Feb 2007 23:53:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 en Plants for Texas Gardens http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/plants-for-texas-gardens.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/plants-for-texas-gardens.htm#comments Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:48:25 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/plants-for-texas-gardens/ In this section we’ll talk about the best plants for your Texas garden.

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/plants-for-texas-gardens.htm/feed Texas Gardening Trivia http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-gardening-trivia/texas-gardening-trivia.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-gardening-trivia/texas-gardening-trivia.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:28:03 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/texas-gardening-trivia/ Today’s Texas gardening trivia is…… 

•State flower: The Texas Bluebonnet (Lupins texensis)
•State shrub: The Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
•State pepper: The Jalapeño
•State fruit: The Red Grapefruit
•State vegetable: 1015 Onion
•State tree: Pecan (Carya illinoensis) 
•Number of native flowering plants in the Texas territory: over 5,000 species
•Best time of year to see wildflowers in bloom: March through May

Have more Texas trivia related to gardening?  Leave us a comment!

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-gardening-trivia/texas-gardening-trivia.htm/feed Tips for Dealing with Pests http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/tips-for-dealing-with-pests.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/tips-for-dealing-with-pests.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:05:40 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/tips-for-dealing-with-pests/ Here are a few basic tips for dealing with pests in your Texas garden:

1. Educate yourself about pests and plants. Knowing what to look for can help you quickly identify and treat the problem.

2. Use organic compost and mulch. With mulch and compost, your plants will be healthy are more resistant to pests and diseases.

3. Use companion planting. You can actually repel common pests by growing certain plants in combinations in your garden. Learn more about companion planting here.

4. Carefully read the instructions on any chemical pesticide that you use. Better yet, try using natural pest control products in your garden.

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/tips-for-dealing-with-pests.htm/feed The Red Imported Fire Ant http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/the-red-imported-fire-ant.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/the-red-imported-fire-ant.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:04:13 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/the-red-imported-fire-ant/ texasfireant.jpg

While many Texas gardeners suffer from a serious problem with the red imported fire ant, it’s great to know that Texans themselves have come up with the solution. And the great thing is that it’s natural and safe for your family. It’s called the “Texas Two Step” method of fire ant control.

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is a common pest for Texas gardeners. In addition to their painful bite, they can make large nests in your turf and can find their way into your home, compost piles, gardens, and even electrical equipment. Texas A&M University recently invented a method to deal with this common pest that is fully organic.

With a $2.5 million grant for red imported fire ant research, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M University System, the University of Texas, Texas Tech University, and the Texas Department of Agriculture came up with this unique system. First, you use a non-toxic bait insecticide spread throughout the infected area. Then you treat the individual mounds with step two.

After step one, the ants actually carry the bait back to the nest, where the queen becoming infected, dies, or become infertile. Step Two involves using a non-toxic, organic liquid insecticide product on individual mounds to kill any remaining ants that were not killed by the bait.

Please see this website for more details and instructions for applying the Texas Two Step to your garden or yard.

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/the-red-imported-fire-ant.htm/feed Pests in Texas Gardens http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/pests-in-texas-gardens.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/pests-in-texas-gardens.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:01:36 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/pests-in-texas-gardens/ One of the best ways to deal with pests in your garden and lawn is to educate yourself about the common pests in your area and which pests may attack your specific plants. This way, you can minimize guesswork and quickly and easily identify and treat the problem.

Texas A&M University has a great field guide to insects so that you can learn more about common pests in your area of Texas: http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/index.html

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/texas-garden-trouble-shooter/pests-in-texas-gardens/pests-in-texas-gardens.htm/feed Web Resources for Growing Fruit in Texas http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/fruits/web-resources-for-growing-fruit-in-texas.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/fruits/web-resources-for-growing-fruit-in-texas.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:53:17 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/web-resources-for-growing-fruit-in-texas/ Check out the following websites for tips on growing fruit in Texas:

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/fruits/web-resources-for-growing-fruit-in-texas.htm/feed Growing Exotic Fruits in Texas http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/fruits/growing-fruit-in-texas.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/fruits/growing-fruit-in-texas.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:46:02 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/growing-fruit-in-texas/ Depending on where you live in Texas, you may be able to grow some interesting and unusual fruits. In addition to the typical fruits that most people can grow in the U.S., Texas gardeners can grow citrus trees, and a variety of tropical fruits and subtropical fruits such as avocado, mangoes, and bananas.

Here are just a few fruits that you can find in Texas gardens:

1. Apples
2. Avocados
3. Bananas
4. Blackberries
5. Blueberries
6. Boysenberries
7. Cherries
8. Dewberries
9. Figs
10. Grape vines
11. Loquats
12. Mangoes
13. Mayhaw
14. Pears
15. Plums
16. Papayas
17. Strawberries

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/fruits/growing-fruit-in-texas.htm/feed Growing Vegetables in Texas http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/vegetables/growing-vegetables-in-texas.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/vegetables/growing-vegetables-in-texas.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:38:15 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/growing-vegetables-in-texas/ texaschiles1.jpg

Vegetables are a must for you garden. Some vegetables varieties do better than others in Texas. Below, we’ve collected a few recommended varieties of various vegetables for Texas. Remember to check the links from our section on regional gardening in Texas for tips on what vegetables grow best in your area.

COMMON NAME
 RECOMMENDED VARIETY FOR TEXAS GARDENS
Asparagus Jersey King
Lima Beans Henderson Bush
Jackson Wonder
Florida Speckled (Pole Bean)
Snap Beans Oval Pod Topcrop
Blue Lake Pole
Improved Golden Wax
Beet Detroit Dark Red
Broccoli Packman
Premium Crop
Cabbage Bravo
Chinese Cabbage Jade Pagoda
Michili
Cantaloupes Ambrosia
Israeli
Magnum 45
Carrots Imperator 58
Cauliflower Snow Crown
Sweet Corn Kandy Korn
Merit
Cucumbers Calypso (pickling cucumber)
Burpless
Eggplants Black Beauty
Ichiban
Lettuce Buttercrunch
Red Sails
Paris Island
Okra Clemson Spineless
Onions Red Burgundy
White Granex
Granex
Scallions Evergreen Bunching
Peas Sugar Snap
Little Marvel
Chile Peppers Serrano
Cayenne
Anaheim
Big Jim
Habanero
Jalapeno
Bell Peppers Bell Tower
Big Bertha
Jupiter
Sweet Banana
Pumpkins Big Max or Big Mac
Connecticut Field
Jack O’Lantern
Jack-B-Little
Spirit Hybrid
Radishes Champion
White Icicle
Peas Texas Pinkeye
Spinach Samish
Malabar
Summer Squash Black Magic
Patty Pan
Sunburst
Dixie
Gold Rush
Winter Squash Butternut
Ace
King
Vegetable Spaghetti
Waltham Butternut
Tomatoes Bingo
Carnival
Florida 47
Porter
Roma
Cherry & Grape
Red Cherry
Yellow Pear
Tomatillo
Watermelons Allsweet
Black Diamond
Charleston Gray
Crimson Sweet

Texas A&M has a complete list of recommended vegetable varieties for Texas gardens at this website.

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/vegetables/growing-vegetables-in-texas.htm/feed An Introduction to Texas Wildflowers http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/texas-wildflowers/an-introduction-to-texas-wildflowers.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/texas-wildflowers/an-introduction-to-texas-wildflowers.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:34:59 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/an-introduction-to-texas-wildflowers/ Texas is famous for its beautiful wildflowers, with over 5,000 species of flowering native plants growing in the territory of Texas. People come out in vast numbers during the various seasons of the year to enjoy the wildflowers that adorn the Texas countryside. In addition to appreciating them in the wild, you can grow a huge number of wildflowers in your very own garden. The following list is just a sample of the wildflowers that grow in Texas.

• Texas Blue Bonnet
texasbluebonnets.jpg

• Indian Paintbrush

• Black-eyed Susan

• Blackfoot Daisy

• Chocolate Flower

• Lantana

• Coreopsis

• Foxglove

• Goldenrod

• Mexican Hat
mexicanhat.jpg

• Indian Blanket

• Prickly Pear Cactus

• Texas Blue Bells
texasbluebells.jpg

• Standing Cypress

• Texas Dandelion

• Texas Mountain Laurel

• Texas Thistle

• Winecups

Growing wildflowers is not tricky. After all, wildflowers are adapted to the climate and conditions of most Texas gardens. However, some wildflowers are not appropriate for certain regions of the state.
Check out this guide from Aggie Horticulture for everything you need to know about growing wildflowers in Texas.

]]> http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/texas-wildflowers/an-introduction-to-texas-wildflowers.htm/feed Native Shrubs for Texas http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/shrubs/native-shrubs-for-texas.htm http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/plants-for-texas-gardens/shrubs/native-shrubs-for-texas.htm#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:32:11 +0000 kent http://www.texasgardeningtips.com/2006/12/14/native-shrubs-for-texas/ If you’re interested in growing shrubs native to Texas, look once again to Benny Simpson. He “wrote the book” (or at least the website!) on native shrubs from Texas.

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