June 11, 2105: Tell us again about the two-step strategy to control fire ants. They seem to be especially visible and vicious this year.   Fire ant populations increase when plenty of moisture is available in the landscape. Wet soils also force them to build more visible mounds. The two-step control method calls for the use …

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 …

My St. Augustine lawn is not as thick as it once was. The trees have grown larger, and it is shadier. What can I do to make the lawn thicker?  If shade is causing the thin lawn, there is not much you can do. Even St. Augustine grass requires 4 to 5 hours of sun …

I can’t believe all the slugs and snails this spring. The baits are effective, but a while back you also offered an idea for beer traps. Tell us again how that works. Slugs, snails and pill bugs are attracted to beer. Sink a plastic cup in the soil in a bed that you are trying to …

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 …

What is the best grass for a tree-rich sandy soil? Will Zoysia work? Is sand acidic or alkaline? Will it help to incorporate leaves into the sand? Zoysia has some shade tolerance, but it sounds to me like you have too much shade for any lawn grass. Your choices include using a native grass seed …

Garden Tasks May 7, 2015 The soil and air are now warm enough for Bermuda grass and buffalo grass seed to germinate. 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 …

There is still time to plant tomato, eggplant and pepper transplants, but plant okra and Southern peas by seed. Southern peas are a good cover crop. They grow quickly and cover a large piece of garden through the hottest part of the summer, shading out weeds. Use Southern peas like cut beans when they are …

We have planted milkweed for the monarch butterflies. The milkweed is doing well but is loaded with aphids. Should we try to control them or can we just leave them be? Just leave them be. The milkweed should survive fine despite the feeding aphids. Hopefully, lady bugs and other predatory insects will reduce the population. Some …