Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Image Source: Wikipedia

Now that Christmas is over, I have two or more of these pretty plants hanging around my home.

Here are some links for those who would like to keep their plants alive for next year:

The Poinsettia Pages at University of Illinois Extension
Beginner-Gardening.com
Poinsettia Care in the Home
The Helpful Gardener

Search: How to prepare for a freeze warning

Someone in Florida wanted to know. We deliver.

According to the National Weather Service (apologies for the caps--its the NWS, not me!),

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR
HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER
SENSITIVE VEGETATION. MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT TENDER
VEGETATION...PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE BLOOMED OUT OF SEASON.
BRING POTTED PLANTS INDOORS OR COVER WITH A BLANKET OR PROTECTIVE
COVERING.

It is good to know the cold hardiness of your various plants, so you know what to bring in, what to cover, and what to leave alone. If you can, find out roughly how cold it will get and for how long. Some plants can tolerate light, short freezes without a lot of help, while others are more fastidious.

I have been keeping some of my tender sub-tropicals in a temporary greenhouse, which I heat on chilly nights with a couple of strands of Christmas lights. While this looks pretty, and so far has been sufficient for keeping the greenhouse 5-10 degrees warmer than the surrounding air, I will need to have some more effective heating methods on hand when the lows begin to drop into the 20's here. So far, all of the plants I have been sheltering managed to survive our first frost quite admirably (click here for online news coverage of that). In fact, my Lipstick hibiscus continues to bloom happily as if nothing was happening.

I have done nothing to my Double Knockout Roses, and they continue to appear quite happy, even producing the occasional blossom here and there. I expect they'll last the winter here, as they're very cold hardy. But if you want some links to information on protecting your roses this winter, click here.

By the way, tonight is supposed to get close to freezing, so you may want to bring in your most sensitive plants.


For the shorter freezes that we get here in the greater Houston area and other mild gulf-coast regions, the brief guidelines provided at this website or at this one should be sufficient for most occasions.  If you want to be extra prepared, or live someplace where snowshovels might be needed, you'll probably want to take your advice from someone who hasn't spent her whole life living in coastal California and southeast Texas!

The bottom line with a freeze warning is this: keep your pets, sensitive plants, and family from freezing!

If you are a dill lover...

...and you aren't planning to do so already, you might want to think about planting some dill seeds next fall.

A friend was recently telling me how she'd love to grow dill in her little containerized herb garden. Naturally, this made me curious, so I had to look it up.

According to the books I have looked in, the best time to plant dill seeds in the Houston area is from late August through the end of October. If I were to guess, that probably means that you might still be able to find dill plants at a local nursery or feed store (some feed stores sell plants--who knew?) in November and maybe December , if seeds aren't your thing.

I wouldn't try any national chains if you are trying to find something out of the "typical" season. (Just try to find strawberries at Home Depot in November. Ha!).


Oh yes, and Dill can get up to 4 feet tall if placed in good soil and full sun. :)

Blackspot resistant roses.

Here is a list from a Purdue University website. It includes hybrid tea, florubunda, grandiflora, climbing, Rugosa hybrid, shrub, and miniature rose cultivars (including Knock-out). Some of the shrub roses listed I recognize from Antique rose lists I have seen.

Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) Profile and links

Photo Source: Australian-Insects.com

Common Names: Brazil/Brazilian cherry, Cayenne cherry, pitanga, Florida cherry
Nativity: Introduced to US from Brazil
Category: Subtropical/Tropical/Tender perennial
Landscape uses: bush, hedge
Height: to 25 feet
Spacing: 10-12 feet
Habit: Tree/Shrub
Growth Rate: Slow
Duration: Perennial
Flowers: White, spring to early summer, depending on climate
Fruit: Red, sweet, edible, approx 3 weeks after flowers
Soil: acidic-neutral. Tolerates most soils and textures. Does not tolerate salt.
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Average. Do not over or under water.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11 (to 30 °F) (established plants known to survive temps to 22°F with minor damage)
Propagation: From seed in spring. Collect from overripe fruit.
Toxicity: Seeds should not be eaten. Odor of pruned plants may irritate lungs of sensitive individuals.

This plant is listed as invasive in the state of Florida, and is known to set seed in areas where the climate is friendly to young plants.

These can be grown in 5 gal or larger containers in areas where it will be necessary to move them to shelter during a freeze.

A close relative of Eugenia Aggregata.

Links:
From Purdue University
Dave's Garden
USDA Plants Database
Plants of Hawaii

First freeze of the year?

According to AccuWeather.com, the National weather service has issued a freeze warning for the inland areas of Southeast Texas.

Click here for more info.

Protect your tender plants tonight!

My bougainvilleas and my Hass avocado seedling are all tucked in for the night. I threw in my lipstick hibiscus and a containerized plumbago for good measure. Texas A&M says my satsuma orange tree should be okay, down to around 26 degrees or so, so it stays out tonight, as does the Meyer Lemon. My spineless prickly pear cactus is on our covered back porch near the house, which I hope will be enough. They're supposed to be tough.

So much for Albizia Julibrissin

I have been wondering why I only see these trees in older neighborhoods. It turns out they are categorized as invasive plants here in Texas. I'm glad I found this out before I did anything stupid...like planting one.

Just one more reason to check your state's list of invasive plants. Some specimens are hard to come by for a reason.

For a profile of A. julibrissin and alternatives, click the link above, which gives a list as follows:

Resembles/Alternatives:

* Chilopsis linearis (desert willow)
* Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite)

Many other small to medium-sized trees make excellent alternatives including:

* Calliandra eriophylla (fairyduster)
* Calliandra conferta (Rio Grande stickpea)
* Amelanchier arborea (common serviceberry)
* Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud)
* Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)
* Betula nigra (river birch)
* Chionanthus virginicus (white fringetree)

Other alternatives include serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), river birch (Betula nigra), redbud (Cercis canadensis), fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua).

Source: TexasInvasives.org

Search: "Planting trees in Black Gumbo"

Someone was looking for information on planting trees in our "Black Gumbo" soil. I have been wondering about this as well, as many of the native trees listed in the books I read are marked as requiring "good drainage". Good drainage just doesn't happen in heavy clay soils, and in an area as moist as this one, I was concerned that I would be limited in my tree options, so I started asking questions too.

My nurseryman says that trees grow ok in black gumbo if you plant them with the top of the root ball 2-4 inches above the surrounding ground level. He advises digging a hole, putting the tree in it, and filling it back in with the original soil, using what is left to create a mound shaped area around the sides of the root ball. He also says to avoid adding soil amendments below the surrounding ground level. Rather, add any compost and mulch by layering them over the top of the mound, and letting them work their way into the soil gradually. This keeps water from collecting around the roots, and encouraging root rot.

As is plain to anyone who views the natural landscape in this region, and even most of the more established residential subdivisions, it is possible for trees to grow quite happily around here in our local soil---even trees that are supposed to need "good drainage" can grow well if planted on a slope or in a mound, as outlined above.

In any region with unique climate or soil issues, native plants are often the easiest to maintain. Here is a list of native trees that do well in our soil.

Temporary shelter for Tender plants

A week or two ago, when our evening lows dipped briefly into the 30's, I sheltered my more tender plants in one corner of my back porch under a makeshift lean-to, involving a frost cloth and plenty of duct tape. Though it had the advantage of keeping my plants about 10 degrees warmer than the outside world, this proved to be a very impractical solution for any long term sheltering needs, especially since there is too much shade on the porch for most of these plants. Add to that the aesthetic issues and the fact that duct taping one side of a frost cloth to the house and lugging plants around to put underneath it is a rather time-consuming process, and the makeshift lean-to becomes quite unappealing, despite its effectiveness.

Because my garage hasn't got any extra space for dormant container plants, and because I'd like a sunny place to keep my tender plants during the winter, I splurged on a pop-out greenhouse , which I ordered online from Home Depot. It arrived yesterday. From the looks of things, it pops out about as easily as certain kinds of car shades, children's play products, and laundry hampers, and is supported by poles and stakes, much the way a camping tent would be. It even has a shade cover for its little roof, to keep things from getting too hot in the greenhouse, and it came with a zip-up bag to put it into, when it is not in use. It appears the manufacturers built it so that it could be used year round, if the customer desires. I think I'll probably use it just during the winter, though. While flimsier than the real thing, this little temporary greenhouse should serve my purposes during our brief spells of cold. The Texas gulf coast is essentially one great big greenhouse about 8 months out of the year, so I am reluctant to put up anything permanent.

Photo Source: FlowerHouse Greenhouses

So, now the 'Blue Northers' can blow when they will, and my containerized hibiscus, bougainvillea, plumbago, and avocado plants will have a warm, cozy place to ride out the winter. Call it an early Christmas present for my plants. :)