I spend plenty of time talking to you about Gregg’s Blue Mistflower in late summer to early fall. The fuzzy, baby-blue flowers it produces are a magnet to nectar-seeking Queen butterflies and Monarchs also drop in for a snack during their fall migration. But I would be remiss not to talk to you about Fragrant White Mistflower which takes center stage once the blooms of summer perennials fade. Fragrant White Mistflower is another plant you just might have to add to your pollinator garden arsenal this year. Take a look and I bet you see why. Check out all the buds about to burst to into bloom! G ..read more

Asparagus is a delicious and nutritious vegetable that is easy to grow in San Antonio, Texas. If you’re considering growing your own asparagus, there are some important things you should know to ensure a successful harvest. Growing Asparagus in Texas First, it’s important to note that asparagus is a perennial vegetable, meaning it will continue to grow and produce year after year. However, it does take some patience to get to the point where you can harvest your first crop. Asparagus typically takes around 2-3 years to establish before it can be harvested. Do NOT harvest at all during its firs ..read more

With every new gardening season comes a fresh a crop of problems. Today we are highlighting four problems that you are more likely to encounter during the fall garden season. Oh, and we’ll offer solutions too. Problems and Solutions for Fall Gardens and Landscapes   Cabbage Loopers are on the hunt to munch our cole crops and leafy greens. It’s almost inevitable that they will dine in your garden. The key to control is catching them early, before too much damage is done. This means checking your plants daily.   Look under the leaves of your plants for eggs and tiny caterpillars (look ..read more

We talk a lot about fall being a terrific time for planting trees, shrubs and woody perennials, but fall also gives perennial herbs a head start and there are plenty of annual herbs that thrive in cooler temperatures. If you haven’t grown herbs, make this season the season you try some out.    These versatile and beautiful plants can live happily mixed in with other perennial beds. Many herbs produce nectar-bearing flowers that can help increase pollinator activity in your vegetable gardens. Tuck a few in some open spaces between your fall crops. Grow a fabulous combo planter by addi ..read more

Have you heard about Mangave? We are thrilled to be bringing in some of these unique specimens that offer your landscape structural interest, wrapped up in a hardy agave and mandfreda crossbreed. Mangave are quickly becoming a hot collectors item, and hopefully this quick look at them will show you why.    As previously stated, Mangave are a cross between the agave plant and a manfreda, where you get the best of both worlds in one plant. These hardy, succulent hybrids offer up a faster growing succulent specimen with a wider range of colors, patterns, and shapes than the traditional ..read more

There is no doubt that spring can make us ga-ga over gardening. The first warm weather that hits has most of us running to the nursery to load up with blooms to color our world. But do you know that fall is the BEST time to plant for health and longevity of your plants? Why does fall get a second seat? Maybe it is because the word hasn’t spread about this fantastic gardening season in our city. Today we hope to change that by giving you enough reasons to try fall planting and maybe after reading, you will share the news too. Spead the word, “Fall is for Planting!” 5 Reasons to Plant in Fall Th ..read more

With the promise of cooler temperatures in fall, many of our roses are ready to offer another flush of blooms. Let’s take a look at a few things you can do to help them make a vibrant statement in your landscape. In order to really push out some blooms, your roses need to be putting out plenty of good foliage to produce carbohydrates. It’s important to keep the foliage you have free of disease. If you have found that your roses have been plagued by black spot or powdery mildew through the spring or summer season, you most likely need to do some preventative spraying to keep these diseases at b ..read more

Thank you for joining us for the latest Happy Gardener. Today we’re bringing you a couple of things to keep in mind when it comes to fruit and pecan trees the month of September. Hopefully you have been keeping these trees well-watered through the brutal summer; extra care for plants is always warranted in extreme temperatures in San Antonio. We’re keeping positive vibes that fall rains will soon be coming to offer a little relief not only to our thirsty plants, but to our hefty water bills as well. Take a look at our tips for keeping healthy fruit and pecan trees in September. Fruit trees tha ..read more

Ornamental grasses are of huge interest in the Texas landscape during fall. They push out their ethereal, airy plumes at this time of year and really take their turn as a showstopper in your landscape. You can plant them as stand alone specimens, use smaller varieties as groundcovers, pop a few clumping varieties throughout rock gardens, or even pot them up in containers. Ornamental grasses can offer color, texture, whimsy and movement. The sound and sight of wind rustling through through the foliage, or the beautiful spectacle of sunlight streaming through colorful plumes during fall should b ..read more

Not that I can do anything about it, but I am sorry this summer has been so brutal. Gardening is, I can’t believe I’m going to say this….not fun right now! We’ve reminded you to take care of yourself in the heat. We’ve offered up plants for your garden that we know can handle the extreme temperatures, but we are ready for summer’s end as much as you are right now. Thank goodness for an often replenished supply of Powerade popsicles, or you’d be rolling your carts past our employees passed out on the ground!  The fact is, the fall gardening season is not that far away. The influx of our 2n ..read more