Author Archives: katherine.whitney
Galls
Sometimes the things we find in nature can be so much fun! For example, have you ever heard of an Elm finger gall? It looks like little green fingers coming out of the leaf. Or how about gouty oak gall that causes round galls on oak twigs? Finding several round galls on your oak twigs or even fuzzy balls on the backs of oak leaves can be disconcerting! It looks like the tree is growing strange things, and something terrible must be happening.
Tree Health – Oak Leaf Blister
Texans are very proud of our oak trees. During the heat of July and August, underneath the shade of a large live oak tree is a great place to be!
Lamb’s Ear
As a horticulturalist, I tend to be easily distracted by plants. When I am out walking, I make frequent pitstops to check out a neat plant. Or when I am driving down the road, I have to resist stopping to check out different trees. It is a real problem! One plant that I can never resist pausing for is Lamb’s ear! Those soft, velvety leaves are just too hard to resist. I have some in my flower beds, and I stop to pet it frequently. I am sure… Read More →
Green Anole
Gardening is one of those hobbies where you never stop learning. Being around plants leads to learning about soil, weather, water, bugs, and even creepy crawling things. I did get to see a neat creepy crawling thing in my yard this morning, a Green Anole!
Asian giant hornets
What headline can draw people away from their thoughts dwelling on the current state of the world and Coronavirus? That would be MURDER HORNETS! I cannot think of a more sensationalized headline, so kudos to whomever came up with that attention grabber. This headline is popping up everywhere from social media outlets, television, newspapers, and others. Quite frankly, it makes me cringe each time I see it. Asian giant hornets (AGH) are Vespa mandarinia NOT “murder” hornets. If you want to use a common name instead of the… Read More →
Controlling Nutsedge
I purchased a home in Georgetown earlier this year, and I must admit that I have a new source of inspiration for news articles. It was one thing to write about weed control when I was sitting by the pool at an apartment complex, but I have a newfound passion for weed control when I spend my evenings pulling up weeds in my front yard. The weed giving me the most trouble right now is nutsedge. I know I am not alone in this because most gardeners groan… Read More →
Snails
A few weeks ago, I planted some pretty purple petunias in my front flower bed. In just a few days, my petunias had been stripped of their leaves. What was the culprit? Snails! Snails and slugs are mollusks that feed on foliage and fruit of plants. They can be destructive to tender, young seedlings like my petunias or new vegetable transplants.
Take All Root Rot
This year it feels like spring bloomed all the sudden! I don’t know about you, but I’m really enjoying the greenery and wildflowers! I hope you have opportunity to take walks around your neighborhood to see the flowers blooming and trees stretching their limbs with new growth. The cool temperatures and wet weather of spring can lead to a few turfgrass issues. One fungus that likes to show up in the spring is gaeumannomyces graminis var. garminis. This fungus causes Take-all root rot, a fungal disease that causes… Read More →
Online Resources
Spring is here! Life looks a little different this spring as we work together to slow the spread of COVID-19, but I hope you are still enjoying the spring weather. I am grateful to see lawns and landscapes springing back to life right now; it gives me hope to see the roses blooming and trees leafing out when I’m on my daily evening walks in my neighborhood. Many of us have a little extra time in the evenings and weekends to work on lawn and garden projects and… Read More →
Vegetable Garden Time
March is the time to ramp up our vegetable gardens! Vegetable gardening is a great way to provide fresh produce for your family, and it’s a refreshing way to relieve stress and get some exercise. The average last frost date for our area is the end of March, so we can begin to plant seeds and transplants of frost-sensitive crops. Try planting seeds for pole or bush beans, beets, squash, cucumber, melons, turnips, and pumpkins. Plant transplants for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant. You can purchase transplants at any garden… Read More →
