The issue this spring seems to be the light green color of our lawn grass. In most cases it is accompanied by fast growth. The cause of the light green color is a deficit of nitrogen and/or iron. The deficit exists for several reasons. The bountiful rains have kicked the grass into a high growth …

  With all the rain, compost piles have high moisture levels. To encourage the pile to decompose quicker, add 1 cup of lawn fertilizer per 10 square foot of pile surface. Spread the fertilizer over the pile. Slugs and snail populations are high because of the moisture and plant cover. Spread slug and snail bait …

Fresh herbs are one of the greatest ways to increase the taste of your food healthfully. I often toss whatever leafy herbs are hand liberally into a salad to add unexpected variations in flavor (basil, oregano and dill are all great choices). Fresh herbs can add punch to sauces or create intensely flavorful crusts for …

COLLEGE STATION – Satsuma Arctic Frost has been named a Texas Superstar plant by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horticulturists. Arctic Frost is the most cold-hardy satsuma hybrid tested so far, having survived temperatures as low as 9 degrees at the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center test site near …

Shipments of new roses in stock arrives at Milberger’s Nursery this week: healthy, well rooted and just in time for Mother’s Day.  Now 30% Off. New shipments just arrived includes modern floribundas, grandifloras, climbers, teas, antiques and shrub roses. And we are putting them on sale from now until Monday, May 11th. All roses in stock …

Both loquat and pomegranate are very visible in area landscapes. Loquats are loaded with yellow golf ball-size fruit and pomegranates are full of glow-in-the-dark orange flowers. The pomegranate blooms may last another three weeks. What happens next will depend on whether the plant is a fruiting or ornamental variety. The fruiting selections will produce a …

May is a good time to plant the heat-tolerant, summer-blooming perennials.  Gold Star esperanza has yellow bell-shaped flowers. They have begun blooming now and will bloom until Thanksgiving. I specify the Gold Star selection because it has superior blooming characteristics compared to the old-fashioned selections. The blooms are large, and they show up on the …

In most gardens, it is time to relegate the spinach, lettuce, cole crops, English peas and other cool-weather vegetables to the compost pile. Your lawn may show some yellowing as the winter weeds decline. The lawn grasses will soon fill the gaps. Fertilize the grass with slow-release lawn fertilizer. Harvest peaches when the background cover …

Kimberly Esparza’s face expresses her approval of the taste of tomatoes eaten right off the vine at a community garden project at the Alamo Community Center. Kimberly was with her mother, Erica Esparza of Alamo, who was checking on the family’s garden. (Texas A&m AgriLife Extension Service photo) MAY IS A BIG HARVEST MONTH IN …

I have had several readers contact me to say that their lawn has looked great all winter but now it is turning yellow and declining. Some have fertilized, hoping to restore the lushness and green color. The problem is that their lush, green winter lawn was from rescue grass, a winter weed grass. Annual blue …