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If You’re Going to Live in Texas, You Might as Well Grow Yellow Roses

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Roses take well to Texan soils

“The Yellow Rose of Texas” has been a well-known ditty since the middle of the 19th century. It remains relevant to this day, but not for the reason you might think. According to folks who know about these things, Texas is one of the country’s best places to grow roses. Whether you prefer the yellow variety or want to plant a different hue, your property could use the color.

Where Do Roses Grow in Texas?

As anyone who lives here knows, Texas is blessed with a wide range of climate and soil types. In the far western part of the state, residents of El Paso contend with sandy soils and meager rainfall. Despite these limitations, hardy varieties of roses bloom handily amid the brown desert. In the northern fringes of the Panhandle, cold winters demand a little extra care. To the east and south, rain-fed soils and … Read Full Post »

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600 Miles of Roots

. Posted by in , , • Bryan-College Station

Untangling the fuzzy facts about pampas grass

Pampas grass has a mixed reputation, and rumors around lawn care circles allege that just one clump produces a root mass that can unravel to a length of more than 600 miles. If you drove that distance east from the Bryan-College Station area, you’d make it to the Florida panhandle. What else should you know about this unusual ornamental?

Are Those Fronds Friend or Foe?

The sight of a Texas sunset through those feathery plumes adds a special beauty to the evening, but early settlers saw them as something more practical. Pampas grass was imported from South America to feed grazing herds. This plan proved to be mistake, but the plant’s rooting tenacity and efficient reproduction techniques made it a permanent part of the landscape. The flowers are dioecious, which means that each shrub is either male or female, and all it takes is one gentleman … Read Full Post »

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Stop the Weed-Whacking Insanity

. Posted by in , , • Dallas-Fort Worth

When the weather is warm and there’s plenty of rain, it can seem like all you do throughout the spring and summer is try to keep weeds under control. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to put away that noisy, stinky old weed whacker? With the right lawn care methods, you can do just that and still have an amazing lawn.

Don’t Buzz Cut Your Lawn

An ultra-short lawn may extend the time until you have to mow again, but it also leaves your grass vulnerable to being overrun by more aggressive plants. Mowing at a higher level gives your grass a long enough leaf to produce the nutrients it needs to grow strong and “crowd out” pesky weeds.

Hoe Your Rows

Weed whackers only cut the visible parts of weeds, but a good old-fashioned hoe can stop them in their tracks. If you’re sick of weeds that seem to spring up year … Read Full Post »

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Three Drought-Resistant Plants That Add Color to Any Space

. Posted by in • Austin

Austin landscaping schemes and drought-resistant plants harmonize like milk and cookies. If we don’t consider our climate and choose Texas-friendly plants, our green spaces soon resemble barren wastelands flourishing with tumbleweeds. It’s not pretty. These three plants, however, require very little water and add an abundance of glorious color to any space.

Portulaca Grandiflora

Also called the moss rose, portulacas grow six to 10 inches tall, but this plant sprawls outward more than upward. If you want a flowering plant that loves high heat, can withstand Austin’s sun and has very little water requirements, this is your plant. Additionally, it doesn’t need fertilization or have special soil requirements.

Moss roses produce intensely vivid blooms through spring, summer and fall. The blooms continue to show and add color to your space after the stems and leaves appear to have withered from heat.

Asclepias Tuberosa

You might better recognize this plant by the name pleurisy root or … Read Full Post »

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Well-Maintained Trees Boost Home Values in San Antonio

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Getting the most out of your saplings, shades and shrubs

Trees add to your home’s curb appeal and help you enjoy the great outdoors. Whether they’re fresh saplings, mature specimens or stately shrubs, their branches spread a special peace. The climate in San Antonio is ideal for nurturing native trees, and these canopied beauties can actually improve your property’s value along with its landscaped good looks.

Growing Green Investments

Residential trees aren’t a cash crop, but a recent study by the city estimates that they add as much as 7% to your property’s value. Just one mature live oak commands an appraisal value of $10,000. With careful pruning, trimming and the right touch of mulch, you’re doing more than caring for the trees: you’re making an investment that pays off if you decide to sell the house. You’re also enjoying aesthetic dividends that keep your home beautiful for many years to come.

Planting With … Read Full Post »

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Has Your Landscape Hit a Wall?

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Retaining Your Soil’s Sanity

If anyone needs proof that the earth isn’t flat, it only takes a drive around San Antonio to confirm the obvious. The Hill Country is beautiful, but its rolling terrain slips landscaping challenges into your best-laid plans for a stable yard. An attractive retaining wall can shore up your shifting scenery and restore some sanity to the area’s expansive soil.

Walls That Work Hard

Retaining walls might look like ornamental additions to a landscape, but the Riverwalk wouldn’t exist without these humble feats of engineering. While they appear to define the water’s flow, they actually support the massive soil foundations of the buildings that line the river’s banks. Even a small wall performs the same vital function: It acts as a barrier that shores up soil along changes in the landscape’s elevation. The wall’s strength rests on a base built below ground level and a compacted backfill that supports … Read Full Post »

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Does Your Yard Need a Haircut?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Spring is almost here, and your neighbors will soon be outdoors with their lawnmowers, string trimmers and spreaders. As if by magic, their neglected, winter-ravaged yards will morph into works of art. Like the perfect hairstyle, a healthy, polished lawn and landscape makes its owner look awesome. But not everyone has time to maintain a demanding yard. You may barely have time to style your own mane, much less battle half an acre of green fluff. If you’ve never had time for yard work, you probably don’t have the needed experience or skill either. Don’t be embarrassed. Many who attempt lawn care for the first time find that it’s quite easy to end up with a faux hawk instead of neat, uniform grass.

Bed Head, Split Ends, Dandruff and Lice

Keeping your hair looking good requires more than just shampoo and hairspray, and taking care of a lawn involves more than mowing … Read Full Post »

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Can Your Lawn Reveal Your Deepest Secrets?

. Posted by in , , • San Antonio

You probably won’t find lawn conditions mentioned in many pop psychology books, but if you look carefully, there may be a correlation between a person’s lawn and their personalities and priorities. At first glance, it might not seem important, but if you’re looking for a mate or trying to impress your neighbors, your personal environment and what it reveals about you could be a make-or-break factor. Here are a few personality types that could potentially be linked to lawn condition (and of course, we take these results with a grain of salt!).

The Control Freak

The Control Freak’s lawn is never more than a fraction of an inch too long or short. It’s the perfect shade of green, and any blemishes are quickly isolated and treated intensively until they’re back in formation. The Control Freak regularly inspects every plant in the yard and references the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab when necessary.

The … Read Full Post »

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Drought-Resistant Plants Austin Loves

. Posted by in • Austin

If you don’t mind summer heat, Austin is a great place to put down roots. Unfortunately, the region’s climate prevents many common lawn and garden plants from putting down roots on a consistent basis. While the Austin area isn’t a desert wasteland, it does experience periodic droughts that can undo hours of hard landscaping work. Consider relying on these drought-resistant plants to protect your property.

Lechuguilla

As a member of the agave family, lechuguilla is comfortable in truly arid conditions. Its native territory stretches across northern Mexico and into the Chihuahuan Desert of extreme western Texas, but it’s perfectly content in Austin’s wetter climate as well. After a decade-long period of slow growth, this plant grows into a succulent shrub that can provide shade and privacy for your yard without hogging your lawn’s water.

Hill Country Rain Lily

As its name suggests, the Hill Country rain lily is native to the Austin area. While … Read Full Post »

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Garden Magic: Making an Amazing Compost Mix

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

A well-kept lawn or bright flower garden can significantly add to your home’s curb appeal and value. Of course, maintaining a beautiful lawn or garden in the hot climate of San Antonio can be tough. Keeping up with regular watering and lawn maintenance is important, but it won’t take care of all of your healthy lawn needs. If you want to create a lawn or garden that’s truly well nourished and adds value to your property, it’s time to start a compost pile.

Creating Your Basic Compost Mix

Composting is the process of allowing waste materials to decay so that they are broken down into a nutrient-rich mix that can be used to fertilize lawns, plants, trees and gardens. If you’d like to start composting, you’ll need to buy or build a compost bin. You should be able to find wire, wooden and metal compost bins. Metal bins are generally built to … Read Full Post »

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