Native Shrubs for Black Gumbo Soil

I recently posted a list of Native Trees that do well in the "Black Gumbo" soil we have here.

Here is the companion list of native shrubs that thrive in the same poorly drained conditions.

As was the case with the tree list, I have a list of shrubs that I printed out from the Native Plant Society of Houston website back in July, which has now disappeared from the web.

Fortunately, someone else has posted the same lists on Livejournal--with pictures.

But, just in case that vanishes too, I include the names of the shrubs here. I have no idea who the original author is, or I would be sure to list his or her name.

Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americana) is named after its fruit which resemble strawberries (not edible). the 1" scarlet fruits remain through fall, splitting open to show orange-red seeds. this upright shrub has green stems and deciduous leaves that turn bright red in the fall.


Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) is an evergreen shrub or small tree to 18'. it is extremely tolerant after getting established. the leaves have a pleasant scent when brushed against. the tiney 1/8" gray berries are eaten by 40 different species of birds. there is a dwarf wax myrtle (myrica pusilla) which gets six feet tall or less and only tolerates dry soil.


Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) is a deciduous shrub that lives in in shallow water (up to 6") or plant in the ground. if you want butterflies get buttonbush. the late may to fall repeat blooms are perfectly round white balls with a heavy perfume. the bark has a speckled appearance and the fall nutlets are a favorite of waterfowl.


Virginia Sweetspire (Itlea virginica) has fragrant drooping white spires in spring. this 5' shrub has fall color ranging from yellow, orange, red and purple; in mild winters you get to enjoy these changing colors until spring.


Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) is an area-native evergreen shrub or small tree to 25' with stiff branches that make a dense cover that birds like to nest in. the birds like to eat the translucent red berries which are hard so they leave them on the tree all winter. yaupon is so adaptable it tolerates sun or shade and wet or dry soil.


Possumhaw Holly (Ilex decidua) loses its leavfes and is bare all winter. however, the female shurb or small tree is loaded with red berries all winter and is a standout.


Ti-ti ("tye-tye") or Leatherwood (Cyrilla racemiflora) is an outstanding semi-evergreen shrub that will grow in standing water (up to 6") or planted in the ground. in late may the fragrant white flower spikes look like petticoats. in summer the fruits turn rust color or ivory. in fall some of the leaves turn bright red and stay on the bush making a colorful picture.


Dwarf Palmetto (sabal minor) is a hardy, evergreen, fan-shaped palm. the stems are underground and the large leaves can reach 5'. it sends up a long bloom stalk to 6', with a spray of fragrant whitish blooms then it has fruit like black grapes which birds devour.


Possumhaw Viburnum (Viburnum nudum) has white flower clusters in march which turn into clusters of tiny pink, then blue-black fruit which taste like raisins. birds love the fruits too. possumhaw has outstanding wine-red fall color.


Salt Marsh Mallow (Kosteletzkya virginica) upright, branching shrub to 6 feet; grows in wet, often saline soils. the mallow forms dense showy clumps and the gray-green pointed leaves are fuzzy. 2 to 3" pink hibiscus-like flowers bloom from june - november and attract hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies.

Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas are wonderful because they look their best when they are abused.. These South American natives bloom the most when they are hot, underwatered, and their roots are constricted--which is why around here it is best to keep them in containers. They can be trained as just about anything from groundcover, to shrub, to tree (If they are properly supported), to climbing vine. Woohoo! My kind of plant.

They are pretty thorny, though, so make sure your hands and arms are properly protected when you handle them.

Bougainvillea "La Jolla". Photo Source: Desert-Tropicals.com

I recently got a "Sundown" and a "San Diego Red" (a.k.a. "La Jolla"). Both are pretty, but with the weather cooling down, it's time to think about protecting them.

For the time being, during the last two cold nights we have had, I have put them under a kind of temporary lean-to shelter against the house on my back porch, involving a frost cloth purchased at my local nursery and plenty of duct tape. While this kept my more tender plants about 10 degrees warmer than the open air, it will become impractical in the middle of winter, and as there is no room in my garage, I have had to look for other options. This means, of course that I have been spending a lot of time with Google.

From what I have seen, the universal bottom line is don't let them freeze. They sometimes die back or go dormant during colder months, but usually bounce back later if their roots are properly protected.

Phil and Jean Hovey recommend sheltering them fron any temperatures below 40 degrees, hence the little makeshift lean-to mentioned above. This Southeast Texas gardening website recommends protecting them from temps 50 degrees or below. Some people suggest leaving them in the garage or in the house one freezing temperatures begin, and only watering them once per month, before returning them to the outdoors after all danger of frost is past. Greenhouses can be handy too. I plan to keep mine in a temporary pop-out greenhouse, once I get my hands on one.

As they are only hardy to zones 9-11, plants in colder regions need to be especially well protected.


I couldn't possibly cover everything in a single blog post, so here, then, are some bougainvillea links for your perusal.

Plant Profiles:
Floridata
Wikipedia


General Care Tips:
Southeast Texas Gardening: Growing Bougainvillea
PlantAnswers.com
Texas A&M Plant Answers
Plant-Care.com

Brugmansia (a.k.a. Angel's Trumpet, Tree Datura)

I saw one of these blooming in a garden the other day. They look pretty cool. The one I saw was not quite as leafy as this one, but its branches still added interest to the garden it was in.

Photo Source: Iowa State University Extension

I may try to get my hands on some cuttings next spring.


Some of them are fairly cold hardy. For instance, 'Frosty Pink' is hardy to zone 7b (5 °F). However, others are not. 'Charles Grimaldi' is only hardy to zone 10b (35 °F). The less hardy ones die back to the ground each year in areas that freeze, and are not as long-lived, according to Floridata. But, since they look cool, they can be worthwhile plants.


Just don't eat or smoke them. They are known to be highly toxic.



Interestingly, hyoscyamine, one of the compounds found in this plant, is used in a prescription drug for certain gastrointestinal problems. There must be some processing involved there. :)



Brugmansia Links:
American Brugmansia and Datura Society, Inc.
Brugmansia Growers International
Brugmansia Cultivar Finder (Dave's Garden)
Dave's Garden Profile (B. candida)
Wikipedia Profile
USDA Plants Profile (B. Candida)
Floridata Profile (B. suaveolens)



Books:
Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples (I haven't read it, but it looks interesting!)

Speaking of Catnip...

To see how far some cats will go to get their catnip "fix", have a look at this.

Is Catnip Cold Hardy?

Someone was searching for "catnip is hardy down to degrees"

According to Dave's Garden, Catnip is hardy to USDA Zone 3, which gets as cold as -40 °F!

Yikes.

Now, the website does not specify whether it will die back a little in those extreme temperatures.

I think it is safe to say, however, that if catnip can handle Zone 3, the kind of cold we get in Zones 8 and 9 should be no problem.

Around here, I would worry more about heat and drainage, when considering where to put my catnip.



See my other catnip posts.

Search: Pruning Jasmine

Someone was looking for info on pruning jasmine, so I'll offer my two cents, for what they're worth.

The star jasmine I have growing in my garden has a tendency to twine itself around my trees, if left alone long enough (about 2-3 weeks) during its summer and fall growing season. The pruning process usually involves 3 basic steps:

1. Get hedge clippers
2. Chop off what I don't want.
3. Dispose of clippings.

Given our generally warm climate, whatever I cut off grows back fairly quickly. This vine is evergreen thorughout the winter, so in my region it requires no winter pruning. In fact, the above process I have described and an occasional treatment for powdery mildew is pretty much the only work I put into this plant at all. I mostly ignore it the rest of the time, except in spring when I admire the beauty of its flowers.

Update: Keeping Plumbagos Pretty

Hooray! They're reviving!
(See my previous plumbago post)

Stinging Caterpillars

I've been getting more hits from people looking for "poisonous caterpillars". Hopefully, they're looking for information before they encounter them.

If you think you have had contact with a venomous insect or animal, it is best to do first aid and seek prompt advice from a competent medical professional.

If you want to know what these things look like before you have a close encounter, the web is probably the place for you.

Here are some useful links with information on caterpillar hazards:

Stinging Caterpillars--Bexar County Extension (TX)
Stinging Caterpillars found on Alabama Trees
Texas Entomology--Stinging Caterpillars of Texas (Useful link list)
Stinging and Venomous Caterpillars (University of Florida Extension)
Take care around stinging caterpillars (Houston Chronicle)

Google search for "stinging caterpillars"

For first aid after a sting, this University of Oklahoma site and this University of Kentucky site have brief recommendations. When in doubt, seek qualified medical advice.

Native trees for Black Gumbo Soil

I have a list that I printed out from the Native Plant Society of Houston website back in July, which has now disappeared from the web.

Fortunately, someone else has posted the same list on Livejournal--with pictures.

But, just in case that vanishes too, I'll list the names of the trees here. I have no idea who the original author is, or I would be sure to list his or her name here.

Trees:

Bald Cypress (taxodium distichum) is a long lived shade tree (to 100") with feathery leaves. it has yellow-to-rust fall color then the leaves fall and its bald for the winter. the fruit is a 1" round cone.


Swamp Chestnut Oak (quercus michauxii) leaves turn bright red in the fall. this long lived shade tree can grow to 80 feet. it can take standing water for up to a week.


Water Oak (quercus nigra) is semi-evergreen which means that the leaves stay on in warm winters and fall of in cold. this shade tree grows rapidly to 30' (and usually gets taller) with three different leaf shapes.


Willow Oak (quercus phellos) has long, narrow willow-like leaves so theres not much to rake in fall.


River Birch (betula nigra) is a lovely shade tree which grows to a height of 90 ft. and has triangular leaves rounded on the bottom which turn yellow in the fall. the flaking bark is outstanding. saplings have red cherry-like bark and later peachy-white flaking to reveal darker peach-colored bark.


Black Gum (nyssa sylvatica) is a large shade tree to 100 feet with short crooked branches which come off the trunk at right angles. it turns bright red in early fall (sometimes even in august). the females have 1/2 inch black berries which birds relish.


Drummond Red Maple (acer rubrum variety drummondii) is a large shade tree to 90 feet tall. it grows fast but can live 50 years and features red flowers in january on males, and red winged fruits on females in spring called samuras. if the winter weather is cold enough, drummond red maple turns yellow then red before losing leaves.


Green Ash (fraxinus pennsylvanica) is a fast growing shade tree to 50' with yellow fall color. female green ashes have bunches of green matchstick-sized fruit which birds love.


Fringe Tree (chiocanthus virginicus) is an understory tree that blooms in spring with fragrant long-petaled white flowers that look like fringe all over the tree. the leaves are 4 to 8 inches long.


Parsley Hawthorn (crataegus marshallii) is an understory tree to 20 feet whose leaves look like parsley. this thorny tree has sparkling white flowers in spring with pink stamens, followed by red 1/3 inch fruit in the fall which birds and small mammals love, and yellow fall color. the gray bark flakes to reveal the orange inner bark. butterfly larva eat the foliage and birds like to nest in the tree.


Rough-Leaf Dogwood (cornus drummondii) is very different from its "cousin" the showy flowring dogwood (conus florida). the rough-leaf dogwood has clusters of small white blooms in spring rather than the showy white bracts of its cousin. it has white berries in the fall.


Snowbell (styrax americana) is a small ornamental tree with oval leaves that only gets 10 feet high. it has white blooms all over the tree in spring that hang downward showing the yellow stamens.


Indigo-Bush Amorpha or False Indigo (amorpha fruticosa) is an understory tree with small compound leaves and 4-8 inch spikes of purple flowers with electric orange anthers in spring. it gets 5 to 10 feet high and is good for erosion control.


Sweetbay Magnolia (magnolia virginiana) is much smaller than the southern magnolia and likes swampy places. it has the same fragrant flowers in spring but smaller (1"-3"). this understory tree is semi-evergreen, the leaves have white undersides. it has 2" brown cones with many compartments which split open and the 1/2 inch red seeds dangle by a thread-like structure.

For more listings of native plants for this region, I recommend Habitat Gardening for Houston and Southeast Texas by Mark and Mary Bowen. I purchased my copy at Urban Harvest. There are other good books out there too, which I have not yet had the opportunity to look at.

Keeping Plumbagos Pretty

I have a little Plumbago auriculata (a.k.a Cape Leadwort) in a pot that I bought earlier in the fall, but it became a little neglected last month while I was ill, and went on a kind of blooming strike due to lack of water. I have been watering it faithfully for weeks, but it is only now showing signs of revival, despite the relatively warm weather.


So I did a little looking for things to do for a plumbago that is not blooming. One suggestion was to

Fertilize with milk--1 Tablespoon per gallon every two weeks. (Tried this today; we'll see if it helps.). The other idea I saw was avoiding over fertilizing by using half of the fertilizer recommended by package instructions. One also needs to avoid overwatering as well as underwatering.

Beyond that, I have no further ideas at this time. I miss those little blue flowers. :(

Photo Source: Texas Cooperative Extension: Perennials for Texas Landscapes

More Plumbago Links:

Texas A&M University: Blue-Blooming Vitex and Plumbago: Butterflies Love 'Em, Deer Don't
Dave's Garden plant profile
USDA Plant profile
Floridata Profile

Garlic Chives

I never heard of these until I started looking for ideas for my herb garden. Being a lover of garlicky foods, how could I resist these?

I planted some seeds earlier this month, and they finally sprouted a few days ago. I also got a plant from the nursery, just in case the seeds didn't work. Oh boy, this stuff smells good.

I did the same with onion chives. So far, no luck with the seeds.

Search: Drying rose seeds

I've never done this myself, but an inquiring mind wanted to know.

Here was the most succinct information I saw.

Fire ants and Containerized plants.

It seems like every time place another potted plant outdoors, it gets invaded by fire ants, despite the fact that we broadcast fire-ant granules around our entire property--which hasn't been as effective this year, as it was last year. We still get the occasional mound here and there, and even my indoor potted plants have been invaded on occasion.

The trouble with fire ants in plant containers is that they aren't always visible until I repot the plant. Talk about a good reason to wear gloves!

For my outdoor, non-edible container plants, I have tried using the same granules we use for spot-treating mounds. So far, this seems to work.

The question is, what to do about indoor containers, and containers with edible plants--especially those herbs and veggies? I have used fire ant granules in small amounts in my indoor containers, but I dont' know if that's really even a good idea, and I'd certainly prefer to try something less toxic.

A friend of mine says that she has had good success using cornmeal in her vegetable garden. She gets it in bulk at her local feed store. The advantage here is that it is cheap and non-toxic. The disadvantage is that it does not always work instantly. I have yet to try this method for myself.

On this gardenweb.com discussion forum, other suggestions include molasses, instant grits, orange oil, diatomaceous earth, and even coffee grounds. One person suggests a Green Light product that contains spinosad. I have no idea if that is safe for use in indoor pots.

Here is another forum, with a discussion of containerized fire ant situations.


More on this issue as it develops...


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A note for those Central and South Coast Californians who drop by this blog occasionally:

Imported fire ants appear to be gaining a foothold in parts of your region as well, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Quarantine areas include parts of Orange, Los Angeles, and Riverside Counties. A friend of mine says that she has seen them active in San Luis Obispo County as well. For more information on fire ant quarantine areas in Calfornia, go to the CDFA website.

Search: Pruning roses

With cold weather approaching, several people have dropped by searching for information on pruning knockout and double knockout roses. Many of them end up at my post "Double Knockout Roses Kick Lantanas' Butt", which does not have specific information on when and how to prune knockout and other roses.


The good people at the nursery where I purchased my plants indicated that they handle pruning (and just about everything else) very well.

With any rose, it is a good idea to cut off any diseased or dead canes. It is also a good idea to make sure no canes are rubbing against one another. This light cutting can be done any time of year.

If you feel like dead heading (not required for knockout roses to perform), they way my mother taught me was to cut the stem above the first set of five leaves, at a 45 degree angle, with the lower edge of the cut on the same side as the leaves. When I lived in coastal California, this was most of what I did with my roses. Heavy pruning never really entered into the picture because of the mildness of the climate.

Around here, the traditional time for yearly rose pruning is around mid-February, usually on or near Valentine's Day. This way, any new growth isn't as likely to be zapped by excessive cold. For colder regions, this might vary. In general, it is my understanding that roses do not need to be pruned in preparation for winter, unless this will help you shelter them more effectively.

I have heard that heavy pruning of knockouts or any other shrub rose for the first two years after they have been planted is generally not recommended. This gives your shrub rose time to mature. Mine are still new and very short, so I don't think I'll be doing much in the pruning department this year.

As far as how to go about it, that's up to you. Some people just take an electric hedge trimmer and prune their roses into shapes. I have seen some used as box hedges around town. Since I personally prefer my roses to be in a more natural shape, I will not be doing that.

This page suggests pruning knockouts in the same way as other shrub roses. For spring pruning of most roses, the Houston Garden Book also recommends thinning the small branches out until there are three to five hardy main stems left. It also suggests using directional pruning techniques to encourage a vase-like growth habit. This means cutting canes down just above a bud that is pointing in the direction in which you want the stem of the plant to grow. For more on what that is, and for step-by-step spring pruning directions click here.

For those interested in pruning your knockouts back for the winter, here is a short article on winterizing roses in Southern climates.

I like to use shears like this when I cut my roses:

Photo Source

Shears such as those shown above are easy to get at most hardware stores.

I also recommend wearing some good sturdy gardening gloves to protect your hands and arms from thorns. I have a long pair, specifically made for handling roses and other thorny plants. They have thick leather palms, and they go up to my elbows. I have even used these while handling bougainvilleas, which have thorns up to an inch long, and also while playing with a visiting cat who dropped by while I was planting my roses, and they have protected me well against thorns, claws and teeth. :) I could not find any at the larger home and garden centers where I live (Lowe's, Home Depot). I ended up going to a local nursery.


Here is a post with links to more information on winterizing your roses.

Read my other posts on Double Knockout roses.

Protecting roses from freezing winter temperatures

Here are some websites with information that will help you prepare your roses for winter freezes:

Freeze protection for roses in Houston, by Donald Burger
University of Illinois Extension

Planting Knockouts

Somebody from Missouri was searching for information about how to plant double knockout roses.

As with any rose, if it is in a container, the basic procedure is to dig a hole a little bigger than the root ball, and put the rose in it. The top of the root ball should be an inch or two above the surrounding bed. Water it in, and add a layer of mulch.

For Double Knockout roses, the label recommends spacing of 3-4 feet.

Even though Knockouts in their various forms are supposed to be able to take any kind of soil conditions, I did amend the soil in my bed a bit with some organic planting mix and a little leaf mold compost. Because of the drainage issues in this area though, I did not dig my amendments in too deep. I also added a little bone meal to the bottom of the holes I dug for them, to encourage root growth. As this bed had been mulched last spring, I moved the mulch layer out of the way before planting, and put it back afterward. I may add a new layer of mulch before the cold weather really gets going. Time will tell us if they happy in their new location.

For bare root roses, which were what I preferred when I lived in California, the planting is a little more complicated, though it is not difficult. It requires that one make a cone-shaped mound of soil in the bottom of the hole, which is used to give the roots proper structure, so they can grow in the right direction after planting.

The American Rose Society has a collection of articles on planting roses that can be worth reading.

My St. Louis, Missouri visitor might want to consule the Rose Society of St. Louis Missouri or the Central District of the American Rose Society for regional information.

Houston area rose-lovers can get their regional information from the South Central District of the American Rose Society, or from the Houston Rose Society. Donald Burger also has a page on planting container roses in this region. If antique roses and organic methods are more your cup of tea, have a look at the website for the Vintage Rosery in Needville, TX.


___________________________________
Read my other posts on Double Knockout roses.

Should have done this six months ago!

I got those double knockout roses in the ground this week. Definitely an improvement over the lantanas!

The dark green foliage of the roses works much better with the variegated foliage of the shrub behind them, and also balances the darker plants in that same bed. The red flowers ad punch that the purple flowers of the lantana never did. The tangled wildness of the lantanas never made much sense with formal box hedges anyway.

That's the nice thing about roses. They can be formal or casual, it's just a question of how they are dressed up!

Still seeking strawberries!

I spoke to a very friendly and knowledgeable person at my nearest nursery. He says that although now is the time to plant them here, many growers do not produce them at this time of the year, because the demand is so low. (apparently, many in this region still try to plant them in spring). He said to check back in about a week.

Cool...

Somebody over at the Houston Chronicle's Houston Gardening site has added my humble little blog to their list of local gardening blogs. Nifty.

Check out the other links on there--there is plenty of good stuff to look at!

Search: When to plant catnip in Texas

Someone found my site while searching for information on when to plant catnip here.

As far as when to plant seeds, Maas Nursery recommends springtime. I have some seeds that I'll probably plant right after this next Easter.

As I noted in previous posts, I planted some catnip (Nepeta cataria) plants late last spring--they were easy to get at Home Depot. These did pretty well, until heavy rains and poor drainage took their toll. The plants appear to be barely clinging to life at this point, with the occasional green leaf here and there. Containers or raised beds are strongly recommended. Chances are, spring would have worked out great, if I had provided better drainage for my plants.

Also, according to this, catnip likes slightly alkaline soil.

Come cats enjoy catmint (Nepeta mussinii) as well. :)

Click here to see my catnip posts so far.

Avocado Searches.

I'm getting a lot of hits from people with avocado (Persea americana) questions. Here's some of what I've seen so far, including what little information I can provide, being a person with lots of questions about Houston avocado growing, myself.

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Hass Avocado Hardiness Zone
According to Floridata, the Hass avocado is a Guatemalan variety, and "Guatemalan types are intermediate, hardy to 24 F (-5 C) or so." That would put it roughly in USDA zone 9b. To find your USDA hardiness zone by your zip code, click here.

To give you an idea of the ideal conditions are for this Avocado, this variety is frequently grown in California. Many of the ones I buy from my local grocer are grown in Michoacan, Mexico.

Young and/or unestablished Haas avocado trees need to be sheltered well during freezing temperatures. See this page at Purdue University for a chart that includes cold hardiness information for various Avocado "races" Other avocados, usually Mexican varieties, can be hardy to zone 8.

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Growing an avocado tree blogs
Hello and welcome. Here are all of my avocado posts so far.

Also, check to see what Google BlogSearch has to offer. Avocado growing was the most useful query of the several I tried.

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Growing an avocado tree fantastic
"Fantastic" Avocado
Yes, avocados are fantastic.

Oh, you meant the cultivar. :)

Urban Harvest lists this one as particularly cold hardy, and also particularly tasty! Unfortunately, I can't seem to find anything else on the internet about this variety. It is not listed in my copy of the Western Garden Book. However, as it is a Mexican variety, as are Wilma and Opal, it would probably have plenty in common with others from the same part of the world.

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Hass Avocado blooming season

According to my copy of the Western Garden book, the fruiting season is April-October. This can vary, of course, depending on the exact climate conditions in one's region.

This Purdue University page states that Guatemalan varieties of avocado such as Hass bloom from March-April, with fruit maturing from September-January. The Purdue page is worth looking at, because it lists other differences among the three "horticultural races" of avocado.

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Hass Avocado growing Texas
It's not easy, with the blasts of arctic air we get down here during the winter. See my link above to my posts on Avocados. I also highly recommend seeking out locally published gardening books for your region of Texas.

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Nursery Houston Avocado trees

I don't know of any particular nurseries myself. However, if I wanted to find out, I would call or go to the nearest good local nursery available (I mean the mom-and-pop type places where the people working there know everything about plants and love to talk about them all day long) and ask. If they don't have them, they will probably be willing to point you in the right direction. Also, watch local fruit tree sales.

This website lists current grower inventories of many trees, including the Avocado. At the time of this post, they list Brazos Citrus nursery In West Colombia, TX as a grower of three avocado varieties. They are a wholesale seller only. Click here for a list of retail nurseries that sell their products.

In Year Round Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers for Metro Houston, Dr. Bob Randall recommends purchasing trees from nurseries that stock plants from Treesearch Farms.

November is for Strawberry planting!

Get those strawberry plants ready! It's time to put them in the ground! (Or the pot, in my case).

Urban Harvest recommends planting strawberry plants from late October through the end of November, with early November being the ideal Time.

Texas A&M Extension recommends planting them between late September and the end of October. They do not specify whether they prefer seeds or plants at that time of year.

I also spoke to a fellow over at my local nursery a few days before Halloween, and he said this is indeed a good time to plant them, but noted that they are difficult to find at this time of year. That particular nursery did not have them in stock at the time, but he said the might be able to obtain them.

Whatever fall month you plant them in, strawberries appear to be high-maintenance annuals around here, requiring vigilance when it comes to watering, fertilizing, and pest control. I figure I'll try anyway. :)



The question is, what type to plant?

Dr. Bob Randall recommends Sunrise, Sweet Charlie, and Earlibelle varieties for their high quality flavor. He recommends mail-ordering plants, if you can. For more of his tips on strawberry cultivation, see his book.

Dr. Larry Stein recommends Chandler and Sequoia. Chandler is sold commercially, so expect flavor similar to grocery store strawberries. Sequoia, he says, is more readily available in nurseries.



For growing, Brenda Beust Smith recommends hanging baskets in her Lazy Gardener's Guide. I may try these, as well as the strawberry jar I recently obtained, depending on how many plants I decide to grow.

To find plants locally, start by going to a good local nursery. If they don't have them, they may be able to point you to someone who does.



For a little bit of Houston area history involving the strawberry, read this article from the Houston Chronicle, which explains why Pasadena, TX has a strawberry festival every spring.

Related Links:
Fruit Gardening in Texas (Texas A&M Extension)
Fall Planted Strawberries by Dr. Larry Stein.
Chronology of Strawberry Varieties in the United States
Fragaria species native to North America
Strawberry Pest Management Guidlelines (University of California, Davis)

Double Knockout Roses kick Lantanas' butt!

So when we moved into our home, there was a lot of landscaping already in place, most of which appeared to have been there since the house was built.

This included a little patch of rambling dwarf lantanas.

I eventually discovered that these things die back in the winter to the point of extreme ugliness. They would need to be pruned back almost to the ground in the spring.

Oh, yes, and they give me a rash when they touch my forearms.

So I started looking for something to replace them. Something with pretty dark green foliage that would keep its looks in wintertime.

Something with a long blooming season, and a profusion bright, red flowers

Something that could handle soil that stays wet for along time after it rains, but wouldn't shrivel up if things got a bit dry.

Something that wouldn't catch some nasty plant disease and die while I wasn't looking.

I finally settled on some Double Knockout roses. They are not antiques, but they are bred to be tough, even in lousy clay soils, and since I can't raise this existing bed to a height that would be good for an antique rose, Double Knockouts seem to be the best option in the rose department. They are supposed to be resistant to blackspot (unlike the Martha Gonzales roses I previously considered for this same location), and also tolerant of a wide range of temperatures and soil conditions. Being more compact than their sister, the original Knockout rose, these were appropriate for the limited space I have in this particular bed.

They will require significant pruning eventually, to keep them down to the size I want, but from what I have read, and from what I am told, they can handle that, too.

Oh yes, and did I mention that they are suitable for places as cold as USDA zone 4? That means they can survive temperatures down to -30 degrees Farenheit! (Though they need protection below 20 degrees, according to Floridata).

And the flowers are beautiful.

Those lantanas are toast.


Related:
An online fact sheet from the company that breeds these roses. Includes information on growth habits, height, width, water and soil requirements, blooming, hardiness zones, and so on. They have a downloadable fact sheet available as well.


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