Be very careful when pruning Weeping Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria ‘Pendula’ or you will loose the prized look of the plant. It needs little pruning to develop a strong structure. Weeping Yaupon Holly makes a distinct irregular, weeping form with its upright crooked...
How Do I Prune My purple Fountain Grass?
How do I prune my purple fountain grass? If you prune it, you will be cutting the plumes off and that is the pretty part of the plant. If it has spread too much, I would take a sharpshooter and decrease the size. I have heard that some gardener's purple fountain grass...
Can Loropetalum Be Pruned, If So, When?
Can I prune loropetalums and if so, when? The growth rate of loropetalums (a member of the Witch Hazel family) varies considerably by variety. Some stay low, and more horizontal in shape, while others are taller and more open. Loropetalum, with variety names like Plum...
Why Are Tomatoes Really Fruit, But We Think of Them as Vegetables?
Why are tomatoes really fruit but we think of them as vegetables? In 1893, the Supreme Court ruled that the tomato must be considered a vegetable, even though, botanically, it is a fruit. Because vegetables and fruits were subject to different import duties, it was...
What Is The Best Way to Water Tomato Plants?
What is the best way to water tomato plants and how much? Water must be available in sufficient quantities for healthy growth. Most vegetables do not like wet feet, but they all must have water on a regular basis. The most efficient means of watering is a drip...
Tomatoes Underside Turn Flat and Black
Every year I try to grow tomatoes with little success. The undersides always turn flat and black. Blossom end rot is a deficiency of calcium. The problem starts at the bottom of the tomato as a pale, brown spot that turns black and flattens the bottom of the fruit. A...
Tomatoes ~ Determinate & Indeterminate
What is the difference between Determinate and Indeterminate tomato plants? When purchasing tomato plants the tag should indicate whether the plant is Determinate (Det) or Indeterminate (Ind). Also, the tag should let you know approximate maturity date. And if all...
Planting Date For Tomatoes?
Spring Gardens: Tomato transplants should after the last normal freeze/frost date in Parker County. In spring the best dates are between March 25th and April 15th. If a late freeze/frost is perdicted cover your plants with a cloth material. Avoid using plastic...
What is the First and Last Average Freeze/Frost in Parker County?
FirstSome say November 12th and some say November 15th so between the 12th and 15th is the best average date. Of course, we have had it before Halloween and after the first of the year but for planning and planting purposes, these are the average dates we go by.From...
What is the best grass for shaded areas in Parker County?
We do not have a perfect grass for heavily shaded areas and sometimes have to go to groundcovers to cover these areas. If the area is lightly shaded, you will have some success with St. Augustine grass but it still needs at least four hours to survive and six hours to...