Another Deep Freeze Incoming

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Snow Covered GardenBeginning this weekend, the 17th through the 20th of January 2025 we’re expecting another hard freeze. This means it’s time again to make sure that your plants are adequately taken care of.

If you already have freeze cloth installed, don’t remove it, just leave it in place. With an adequate ground seal the frost cloth can provide as much as a 10°F increase in temperature around your plants. This means that the lows in the teens that we’re expecting this weekend will feel more like lows in the mid 20°s which may still damage some plants, but should not kill your hardy plants. It should be noted that the white frost cloth does still allow plenty of sunlight through to nurture and feed your plants with existing winter foliage or evergreen plants.

The other thing you can do to help protect your plants is to water them deeply immediately before a hard freeze – that is the afternoon and evening before a hard freeze. The addition of liquid water not only hydrates your plants and makes if more difficult for them to suffer from freeze damage, but the liquid water in the soil creates a little micro-climate underneath your frost cloth. Water requires an immense amount of energy loss before it transitions from liquid to solid ice. This resistance to what we call “phase change” from water to ice provides warmth to your plant by keeping the ambient temperature above 32°F until it has lost enough heat energy to finally change over to ice.

So what’s the plan? Simple: keep your frost cloth in place, inspect it to make sure that it has a good seal to the ground to trap warm air, and deeply water all of your plants to help provide additional protection against freezing.

To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, or give us a call at 877-558-1496.

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It’s COLD outside! Winter gardening activities for January.

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St. Francis Covered in IceThe cold weather has settled in for the winter and most gardens have gone to sleep for the season. But that doesn’t mean that we’re done: Now is the perfect time for getting all of your necessary chores done before the big spring.
In the winter, right now, when woody trees and shrubs are dormant, is the perfect time for planting. If you’ve considered adding these to your landscape, especially Japanese maples, this is when you want to go ahead and set them in the ground. You won’t see much activity until the spring, but the roots will be active setting your new plant up for a marvelous flush of new leaves when the warm weather returns. Despite their dormancy it is still critically important to properly water in your new trees and shrubs in order to encourage proper root growth. Consider native trees for your Texas garden. They will be more drought tolerant and will adapt quickly to Texas soils and climate. It is also the time to divide perennials and biennials such as phlox, violets, irises, and daylilies if they are crowded. This will help them grow better and produce more flowers in the spring.
For all trees except for oaks (these are best trimmed in late summer due to the oak wilt fungus) this is the time to prune and trim as well. How much to trim and where depends heavily on the species. A certified arborist from Desiree Gardens can help you to determine where and how much to cut so that your plants have the best shot at a glorious spring. January is also a great time for excess brush and deadfall, including any dead annuals, to be hauled out of your garden. This will give you a nice blank slate when the warm weather returns. Don’t forget to add a nice layer of mulch afterwards.
Annuals such as dianthus and pansies planted for winter color can be found in abundance at your local nursery. You might also look into some other winter blooming perennials such as camellias and hellebores. Also known as lenten roses, hellebores are incredibly hardy and their blooms can withstand the harshest of freezes here in North Texas. These little guys, along with ornamental cabbage and kale are available right now from Desiree Gardens.
St. Francis Covered in IceWhile we’re discussing freezes, let’s take a moment to discuss the best way to protect your more vulnerable plants from excess cold. By far the most effective method is water. Water holds an abundance of energy and, even if air temperatures drop below 32°, it will stay liquid until it has lost enough energy through heat radiation. This is important to humans and plants. It’s why we need proper hydration in extreme temperatures both hot and cold. If you know a freeze is coming water your plants, even the dormant ones, abundantly. The water in the surface soil helps to protect the roots while any water taken up by the plants helps to protect sensitive leaves, fruits, or flowers. Of course frost cloth helps as well, but it needs to be properly installed. Our crews here at Desiree Gardens are always ready to mobilize prior to a hard freeze to protect plants using frost cloth that is staked down to the ground and propped up so it doesn’t cause damage to upper portions of your more sensitive plants.
Irrigation systems should be set to water less frequently, as the majority of plants do not need as much water in the winter. Plant water usage is heavily dependent not just on temperature, but also on the amount of sunlight the plant receives. That sunlight, combined with water and CO2 is what your garden uses to generate energy and grow, or to store for later in the winter when there is not as much sun. A little water is still necessary as we go through the late winter droughts that are common here, but don’t neglect to ensure that your rain/freeze sensor is working properly.
As our gardens start lay dormant it’s a good time to do an irrigation audit and make any needed repairs. Desiree Gardens has partnered with Irrigreen, a manufacturer of custom digital sprinkler systems you can monitor from an app on your phone. To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, use the QR link below, or give us a call at 877-558-1496. It’s also a good time to make any hardscape changes or additions.
No matter the time of year there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Winter doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area can remain very active year round even in the depths of winter.
Happy gardening and, as always, take time to play in the dirt!

First a freeze, now SNOW?

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St. Francis Covered in IceAs if the hard freeze starting tonight wasn’t enough, now we have a significant chance of snow and ice. What’s a North Texas gardener to do?

First, tonight, Sunday night, deeply water everything you can. The liquid water helps protect the plant and roots from the freezing cold air. The freezing nights are expected to last through Friday, and current forecasts have a good chance of ice and / or snow for most of North Texas. What does that mean for our gardens?

Hopefully by now you’ve moved all of your potted plants inside. The cold weather will get to them first as they don’t have the advantage of warmth from the earth itself to keep the roots and bulbs from freezing. Any other cold sensitive plants in the ground should be covered with frost cloth. This helps protect from the freezing winds and traps heat from the ground to keep the plants just a little bit warmer.

Now onto the snow and ice: By and large, snow and ice are fine for most gardens. The snow provides a protective blanket for most plants, shielding them from the bitter cold in the air above. Ice, if it falls in the form of sleet, does mostly the same thing. The primary concern is freezing rain and wet heavy snow on tree limbs. The additional weight of ice and snow on trees and bushes can cause significant damage. In the case of freezing rain, there’s not much to be done except to be prepared to trim off the damaged limbs once it’s melted. If it’s snow you can clear the weight off of low shrubs and bushes to help protect them, and attempt to shake it off of the trees. But like freezing rain, the weight of a heavy wet snow can cause significant limb damage, so it’s best to simply be prepared to clean up the broken branches in the aftermath.

No matter the time of year there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Winter doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area can remain very active year round even in the depths of winter.

Happy gardening and, as always, take time to play in the dirt!

There’s a FREEZE coming! What do I do?

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Frozen fairy pond.Yes, that’s right our first hard freeze of the winter is just a few days away, forecast to hit Sunday night / Monday morning with lows in the 20s. And, it’s not just one night but expected to last 3-4 nights of hard freezing weather. But don’t panic.

Most plants that we have in North Texas are winter hardy to zones 7a/b and should be fine, though they might go dormant. Summer perennials such as lantanas will die back to the ground, but they’ll be back next year. Summer and fall annuals that are not freeze hardy will die back, but that’s perfectly normal. Fall and winter annuals such as pansies, dianthus, and decorative kale will be just fine.

For your sensitive perennial plants, those that are not particularly freeze hardy, there are a number of things that you can do. The first is, Sunday afternoon before the freeze hits that night, water all of your plants very deeply. Liquid water is one of the best safeguards against freezing weather. The second thing you can do is place frost cloth over the plant. Take care not to damage the foliage. We recommend using a stake to form a kind of teepee or tent over the plant using frost cloth. This helps retain the warmth from the earth and, along with deep watering, will keep your plant from freezing if it is susceptible to cold temperatures.

Frozen fairy pond.Any potted plants MUST be brought inside unless they are VERY cold hardy. This is because potted plants do not have the advantage of retaining warmth from the earth and will lose heat much faster by being above ground. Move your potted plants into the garage, into the house, somewhere where the root ball in the pot will not become frozen. Do remember to water them deeply as well, especially if you are bringing them inside the house. The humidity inside your house is almost always drier than the air outside and can literally suck the water out of your potted plants through evapotranspiration leaving them much thirstier than when they were outside.

Finally, we get questions about irrigation systems. By and large, you don’t need to worry about your irrigation or sprinkler system. If you have a rain/freeze sensor, or an internet connected smart system, the system will shut off automatically. You don’t need to worry about blowing out water from the lines here in North Texas. The freezes we get don’t penetrate the soil to a depth that will run any risk of freezing the water in your system. Even just a couple of inches of dirt provides more than enough insulation for your sprinkler system. However, if you are still concerned you can turn off the main line water supply and then run each zone to allow the water to drain out of the system. Here in North Texas that is usually more than sufficient to prevent any freeze damage to your irrigation system.

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The Holiday season and your garden.

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Leopard Plant FlowersWell folks, it looks like we’re in for a warmer than normal winter. This will mean an extended growing season for most gardeners, although now that a mild La Nina system has set in we can expect things to be slightly drier than normal. Still, with night-time temperatures regularly reaching into the 40s right now all of your true tropicals such as plumeria, bananas, and bougainvillea should be brought inside for the winter. But is your gardening season really done? Heaven forbid!

When your woody perennial shrubs and trees are dormant is the best time to plant them. That time of year is starting right now! During the summer, trees spend their time gathering energy from the sun and combine it with water and carbon dioxide to create sugars and starches that they store and use to live on later when they are dormant. It is during this time when they have the best store of energy and are primed and ready for further root growth in their new location. Whether you’re looking at moving some boxwoods, or planting a huge oak, this is the time to give them every chance of success.

After a long hot summer, and almost no rain at all in October when we usually have our second wettest month, it should be pretty obvious if certain areas of your garden are getting the correct amount of water. Some areas may have been too dry, while others turned into a swampy mess. Or maybe you just noticed all of the water being wasted on your driveway and sidewalk. Now is the perfect time for an irrigation audit to see how it is performing. It’s also a good time to get any digging done and out of the way while the majority of your garden is dormant. Whether you need to add a zone, have some sprinkler heads relocated, maybe add some drip, or just flush and clean your system, now is the time to do it. Even if you don’t need any of the above, most systems should be adjusted to change the watering duration and frequency to the fall and winter season when water demand is at its lowest. Desiree Gardens has partnered with Irrigreen, a manufacturer of custom digital sprinkler systems you can monitor from an app on your phone. To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, or give us a call at 877-558-1496.

Pergola and fire pit hardscapeIf you’re looking to add a water feature, hardscaping such as a retaining wall, outdoor kitchen, concrete work, or even just some raised beds, it is best to do so now when plants are dormant in order to avoid any possible damage. Pavers, garden paths, pondless waterfalls, or full blown koi ponds are all on the menu. If you have teak, cedar, or other outdoor wood decor you might consider sanding, re-staining, or resealing those boards after having been exposed to the drying heat and harsh UV rays from the past few months. The winter months when your garden is largely dormant is a great opportunity to get started on these projects so that you’ll be ready for the coming spring.

A beautiful garden is not just about the plants. Many gardeners love having bird feeders, bird baths, squirrel feeders, or other items to attract local wildlife and help them overwinter. Objects like bird baths can attract multiple species, including our precious pollinators like the humble honey bee, which need access to water year round. Leaving leaf litter or deep mulch to compost on your garden beds over the winter can also attract and provide a habitat for many beneficial insects and critters such as toads, spiders, lizards, snakes, and even newts and salamanders in some areas. These critters provide a huge benefit to your garden through their predation on harmful insects. It’s also the perfect time to place bird houses, nesting boxes, or bee hotels so that all of our garden buddies have warm places to cuddle up during the cold winter months.

No matter what time of year, there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Don’t forget to refresh mulch on a regular basis, and add some compost or fertilizer from time to time. Fall doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area remain very active even up through December, and then we can start moving onto our winter color and activities. That means it’s a great time to start the planning process for any hardscapes or other projects you want to put in while many plants are dormant.

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Happy gardening and, as always, take time to play in the dirt!

Your North Texas Garden in November

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Fire orange Japanese Maple tree.Cooler weather has arrived, and the leaves are falling. Some of the best garden color of the year is here right now! Depending on what plants you have, this fall growth can last well into December and, barring a freeze, even up through Christmas.

In addition to planting pansies for winter color, camellias are known for their beautiful, waxy flowers that come in various colors, including white, pink, and red. They bloom from late fall through early spring, depending on the variety. Witch hazel produces unique, spidery flowers in shades of yellow, orange, or red from late winter to early spring. It’s a fragrant and attractive winter-blooming shrub. Hellebores, also known as lenten roses, bloom from late winter to early spring. They offer a range of colors, including white, pink, purple, and green. These hardy perennials are a great addition to winter gardens, and don’t forget their close relative the christmas rose. These are known for blooming right through the holidays. Finally, we have edgeworthia, also known as paperbush, which features fragrant yellow flowers in late winter. The blossoms are unique and resemble small paper lanterns.

With the exception of oak trees, it’s just about time to look at pruning and trimming your woody plants. Prune trees and woody shrubs while they are dormant. This includes removing dead or damaged branches and shaping plants as needed. Don’t forget to mark low hanging branches before the leaves start dropping: The reduction in weight will cause the canopy to pop up higher and make it a little more difficult to ID low hanging limbs. Avoid heavy pruning of spring-blooming shrubs, such as wisteria, as it may reduce next year’s flowers.

Once the leaves have fallen and the cold weather sets in it is time to start planting trees and woody shrubs, both evergreen and deciduous. Right now is the time to start planning and shopping for your trees and shrubs. While you’re doing this, don’t forget to start any design or planning for spring plants. Most plants are not available year-round, and planning for your spring garden may mean talking to your gardener or nurseryman to narrow down dates when certain species are best planted.

While we’re pruning and trimming, it’s also a good time to remove spent annuals and clear out dead or diseased plant material. This helps prevent pests and diseases from overwintering in your garden. Although leaf litter can create amazing compost, it’s usually not a great idea to let it pile up on your lawn. One option is to use a mulching mower to chop up the leaves and allow them to fall in-between the blades of grass. This keeps the nutrients in the soil while allowing your lawn to breathe, and it helps to reduce some fungi that can be detrimental to your lawn. Raking and composting the leaf litter is another great option if you have room. Some people prefer their garden beds to be nice and clean, but those plants still want the nutrients. A compost bin can be an effective way to maintain a neat yard and garden while providing you with nutrient dense material. Simply add a little bit before adding mulch to your beds and remember that a little goes a long way. One option that we here at Desiree Gardens prefer is to rake and place leaf litter, or allow a nice layer of leaves to build up, on a dormant garden bed. This provides excellent insulation for the roots against the cold and encourages the growth of many beneficial critters in your garden, including important pollinators such as bees.

Outdoor Kitchen and Hardscape.Your spring flowering bulbs such as crocuses, tulips, and daffodils should be in the ground now. When planting spring bulbs check the soil depth requirements for each species as some prefer to be right up near the surface while others prefer to be a little deeper. This is also the time to start work on any irrigation or hardscape projects. As our gardens start to go dormant it’s a good time to do an irrigation audit and make any needed repairs. Desiree Gardens has partnered with Irrigreen, a manufacturer of custom digital spirnkler systems you can monitor from an app on your phone. To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, use the QR link below, or give us a call at 877-558-1496. It’s also a good time to make any hardscape changes or additions when plants are dormant in order to reduce damage to them.

No matter what time of year, there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Don’t forget to refresh mulch on a regular basis, and add some compost or fertilizer from time to time. Fall doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area remain very active even up through December, and then we can start moving onto our winter color and activities. That means it’s a great time to start the planning process for any hardscapes or other projects you want to put in while many plants are dormant.

To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, or give us a call at 877-558-1496.

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October Gardens – Not much rain this year, but cooler weather is coming!

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Our local garden buddies.After this long hot and dry summer, it’s so nice to see gardens starting to perk back up and show off a little. It’s not even close to time to put your garden to bed for the winter. Just like our North Texas spring gardens are ended by the heat and lack of rain, fall gardens are only ended by the first hard freeze that usually comes in late December or occasionally January. That means your fall garden is just as important, and can be just as vibrant as your spring garden.

Anyone who has a teenager even tangentially involved in high-school football knows that mums are a classic choice for fall color. What many people don’t realize is that this perennial can provide exceptional fall color to your garden. They come in various colors and sizes and can be used in beds, borders, or containers. Mums are one of the last flowers to go dormant in the cold of winter, and when they do they might look dead, but wait! You can trim back the dead and the next year your mums will return. Coral bells are another perennial that is available in nurseries right now. Many of these Heuchera varieties offer colorful foliage year-round, but their leaves can become especially vibrant in the cooler fall temperatures. Finally, some salvias, like Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), bloom profusely in the fall with spikes of purple or white flowers.

While some people dislike spending the time and effort to put in annual color year after year, it is a surefire method to bring immediate life to your fall garden. What’s more, many of these flowers such as pansies and annual violas will continue to bloom throughout the winter. These small, cold-tolerant annuals provide a burst of color with their bright blooms. Finally, ornamental varieties of cabbage and kale have colorful and textured leaves that intensify in color as the temperatures drop. They make unique additions to fall flower beds.

Late season blooms are not the only way to bring interest to your fall garden. Japanese maples turn glorious colors as their autumn leaves drop. If you’re considering adding a tree to your garden, now is the time to start planning as the dormant winter season is the ideal time to plant or transplant trees and other woody plants. But there are other options for late-season color: Russian sage’s silver-gray foliage and blue-purple flower spikes provide late-season interest and are drought-tolerant once established. Stonecrop sedums like ‘Autumn Joy’ offer succulent leaves and late-season blooms that change color from pink to russet as the season progresses. Hardy Cyclamen is a perennial plant that has uniquely shaped, colorful flowers that bloom in the fall and early winter, often alongside their marbled foliage.

Our local garden buddies.When planting these cool-weather-loving ornamental plants, ensure they have well-drained soil, and regular watering to establish strong root systems and vibrant growth. If you have an irrigation system in place, you should be able to modify the water duration and amount for each season. Modern ET (Evapo-Transpiration) “smart” systems such as Rachio, Hunter, and Irrigreen, just to name a few, can tap into various weather monitoring services on the internet and automatically adjust the amount of water your plants need. Systems like Irrigreen can also adjust to very precise levels and add the exact amount of water precisely where and when it is needed. This can amount to tens or even hundreds of thousands of gallons of water savings.
As always, you should consider incorporating mulch to help maintain soil moisture and protect against temperature fluctuations. With these choices, your North Texas garden can continue to thrive and provide visual interest well into the fall season.

No matter what time of year, there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Don’t forget to refresh mulch on a regular basis, and add some compost or fertilizer from time to time. Fall doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area remain very active even up through December, and then we can start moving onto our winter color and activities. That means it’s a great time to start the planning process for any hardscapes or other projects you want to put in while many plants are dormant.

To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, or give us a call at 877-558-1496.

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Happy gardening and, as always, take time to play in the dirt!

September: The rains are back!

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Late summer blooms.Finally, there is a hint of cooler weather, and the fall rains have returned to North Texas!. This means your garden is ready to explode back to life, and we can’t wait to see all that beautiful fall color!

This summer’s heat and lack of rain have seriously tested most irrigation systems. Some of you may have gardens and lawns that look like they have been blasted by the summer heat. If there are areas of your sprinkler system that are broken, or where perhaps it simply didn’t get enough water in the right places, it should be patently obvious now. Take the time to address any problems with your irrigation now so that your plants will have a fighting chance to recover in time for winter. Here are Desiree Gardens, we’ve partnered with Irrigreen, the cutting edge of sprinkler technology. We can make sure your lawn is getting exactly the amount of water you need and save you money on your water bill at the same time! It’s an irrigation system that will literally pay for itself in water savings, and it’s compatible with your existing drip or spray systems for your flower beds.

Towards the end of the month, start planning and purchasing fall bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths for planting later in the fall. Add compost or organic matter to your garden beds to enrich the soil and improve its structure. This can be done before planting your fall garden. Don’t forget to deadhead summer blooms that are coming to an end so that plants kept for their flowers do not pour extra energy into creating seeds. Many varieties will continue to produce bloom after beautiful bloom in this manner, including your fall-flowering plants just about to come into season. If vegetables and other crops are your thing, it’s not too late to start your cool-season crops. Decorative crops such as kale, cabbage, mustard greens, and Swiss chard can also find spots among your fall-flowering plants.

Refresh the soil in your containers with new potting soil. Any potted plants that do not need new soil should at a minimum be treated with an appropriate fertilizer, such as a water-soluble (liquid) fertilizer bedding formula (10-10-10) for flowering plants and a blend with a bit more potassium (the middle number) like a 10-15-10 blend. Consider replanting them with cool-season flowers or ornamental cabbage and kale for fall color. Any pure tropical plants should start to get a little extra attention: these varieties, such as bougainvillea, cannot tolerate nighttime temperatures below around 45°F. If we get a welcome cold snap, these tropicals will need to be moved inside.

Late summer blooms.While we don’t focus on lawns here at Desiree Gardens, we certainly can help you grow lush, thick grass in your yard. For our area of North Texas, all-nitrogen (21-0-0) in slow-release form should be applied in early to mid-September. To control cool-season weeds, you can apply a pre-emergent this month and a second round of pre-emergent 90 days later. You’ll want to repeat this process for spring weeds. For other weeds, a broadleaf weed killer is your choice. Any local nursery can help you find one; just make sure to follow the directions. We recommend any brands that have at least 1% of 2,4-D in the formulation. What we never recommend is a combination weed-and-feed. Just be careful with the application and use broadleaf weed killers on a day with no wind so that it won’t drift from your lawn to your garden beds where it can damage them.

No matter what time of year, there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Don’t forget to refresh mulch on a regular basis, and add some compost or fertilizer from time to time. Fall doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area remain very active even up through December, and then we can start moving onto our winter color and activities. That means it’s a great time to start the planning process for any hardscapes or other projects you want to put in while many plants are dormant.

To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, or give us a call at 877-558-1496.

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Happy gardening and, as always, take time to play in the dirt!

August: Time to start planning your fall garden!

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Late summer blooms.The heat is still here, and the rains haven’t been consistent for quite some time. But the good news is that fall rains and cooler weather are right around the corner. Now is the time to get your garden ready for its fall glory.

If you’ve been waiting to trim and prune your oak trees, the end of August is the perfect time when it is safe to do so. Unlike most other trees and woody shrubs, oaks in North Texas should be pruned in the heat of summer. This is due to the prevalence of the oak wilt fungus, which is transmitted to open cuts by the nitidulid beetle, also known as the sap beetle. These beetles are attracted to the sap that is released from wounds on oak trees, but the fungus that these beetles transmit is much less active here in North Texas during the hot summer days of July and August. After pruning your oaks, all wounds and cuts should immediately be painted with a dedicated tree wound paint or, absent that, a latex based paint.

Your summer annuals and hot weather perennials are likely done or nearing the end of their bloom cycle. For your flowering annuals, you can let them go to seed in hopes that they reseed themselves for you next year. Zinnias, amaranth, and marigolds are very reliable in this fashion. With other flowering annuals, you should dead-head species such as coleus, begonias, and impatiens as the petals fall off. This spurs them into creating more flowers instead of devoting their energy to creating seeds. The same can be done for your flowering perennials like roses. Additionally, roses should be pruned to stimulate new growth. Climbing roses are famous for their blooms throughout the season, and don’t usually need much attention other than a good bloom fertilizer.

The most exciting part is that your fall garden is ready to be put into the soil now. Many of the cool weather perennials are now becoming available for purchase and you can place those fall asters or Mexican bush sage now. Other perennial shrubs and ground covers should be planted now, just remember to water all of these fall plants deeply until the cooler weather and autumn rains arrives. If you have a shade garden, you can start planting coral bells, autumn ferns, and hardy begonia.

Late summer blooms.If vegetables are your thing, those seeds are ready to be planted. Squash, beans, and cucumbers should be planted now. In a few weeks we can add broccoli and cauliflower, along with kales and cabbages. Start your vegetables from seed indoors or in a greenhouse, or pick them up as small plugs from a nursery. If you want to start your vegetables outside from seed, be sure they get some protection from the hot afternoon sun.

No matter what time of year, there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Don’t forget to refresh mulch on a regular basis, and add some compost or fertilizer from time to time. Fall doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area remain very active even up through December, and then we can start moving onto our winter color and activities. That means it’s a great time to start the planning process for any hardscapes or other projects you want to put in while many plants are dormant. You might also notice spots in your lawn or garden that are not getting sufficient irrigation. Now is the time to remedy that.

Whatever your needs are, Desiree Gardens is always here to help. Whether you need plant installation, irrigation installation, repair, or maintenance, trimming, pruning, or maybe just a weekly or monthly maintenance plan we have what you need. Learn more at DesireeGardens.com

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As always, don’t be afraid to play in the dirt!

July Gardens: Lantanas, Crape Myrtles, and LOTS of water!

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Late summer blooms.It’s hot. The rains have pretty much stopped for the summer. Hurrican Beryl brought some rain to the eastern portions of North Texas, but most of the DFW metroplex and points west missed out on that drenching. What’s left to do in the garden? Well there’s plenty to do, including planting some of our favorite heat-loving perennials and annual color. It’s time to pay close attention to your irrigation system if you have one and, if you don’t, make sure that you are hand watering at least every other day.

This is a wonderful time to select and plant your crape myrtles. They should be in bloom at your local nursery so it’s easy to pick out your favorite colors. The same applies to lantanas and other small blooming perennial shrubs. When planting these new additions it is absolutely crucial that they are deeply watered in, and that they continue to be deeply watered on a regular basis until they begin to become established. The worst thing you can do, and we see this a lot, is to spend a ton of money on pricey specimens like crape myrtles only to plop them into a hole in the ground and expect them to survive with little water and no support! Adding annual color such as purple fountain grass, purslane, and moss rose are a great way to get that additional “pop” of color to your garden beds.

July is the time for a second application of a pre-emergent to prevent weed growth. Along those same lines it is time to add another round of fertilizer. With more frequent watering, nutrients crucial to a healthy lawn can be diluted and washed away. For our most common clay soils we recommend an all nitrogen slow release granular fertilizer. Do NOT use a “weed and feed” as they can damage trees and shrubs. If new sod is what you need, this is prime time for installing bermuda, zoysia, st. augustine, and buffalo grass. When having new sod installed make absolutely sure to water it deeply twice a day for the next 2-3 weeks so that the roots can become established. Desiree Gardens can help program a proper watering schedule for your sprinkler system after we install your new lawn.

Speaking of sprinkler and irrigation systems, it seems every year around this time we begin to have severe watering restrictions that can be devastating to both lawns and gardens. For this reason we highly recommend drip irrigation which can be retrofit and installed in almost any garden or raised bed, or installed prior to the installation of new lawns. Drip systems are usually exempt from watering restrictions because they apply water directly to the soil and are much less susceptible to waste from evaporation or runoff. Drip systems are by far the most efficient way to water your garden, and can actually lower your water bill every month. When combined with a modern ET (evapotranspiration) controller such as a Rachio, Hunter Hydrawise, or even Irrigreen, we have seen customers reporting savings on their water bill of 50% to 70% compared to older controllers equipped with just a rain sensor and standard spray heads.

Late summer blooms.July and August are the times that it is safe to trim your oak trees. Unlike most other trees and woody shrubs, oaks in North Texas should be pruned in the heat of summer. This is due to the prevalence of the oak wilt fungus, which is transmitted to open cuts by the nitidulid beetle, also known as the sap beetle. These beetles are attracted to the sap that is released from wounds on oak trees, but the fungus that these beetles transmit is much less active here in North Texas during the hot summer days of July and August. After pruning your oaks, all wounds and cuts should immediately be painted with a dedicated tree wound paint or, absent that, a latex based paint.

Another tree pest to keep an eye out for is the emerald ash borer. This invasive pest is quite deadly to ash trees and there is no known treatment or cure once a tree is infested. Recently they have been discovered in Collin, Franklin, Red River, Grayson, Hill, Hood, McLennan, and Palo Pinto counties. This deadly pest has the potential to wipe out ash trees completely in North America. Transportation of any ash wood, whether firewood or trimmings is restricted from these counties, in addition to Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, and Parker counties which are already under quarantine.

Whatever your needs are, Desiree Gardens is always here to help. Whether you need plant installation, irrigation installation, repair, or maintenance, trimming, pruning, or maybe just a weekly or monthly maintenance plan we have what you need. Learn more at DesireeGardens.com

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As always, don’t forget to play in the dirt!