Question:
Are bluebonnets deer resistant? I have a choice of planting bluebonnet seeds now or planting plants (4″ pots) now. Which will result in the better plant? I assume the plants will die back, but will the roots be stronger when they are come up in the spring?
Answer:
They are somewhat deer resistant but not deer proof. It depends on how hungry your deer are. I recommend that you plant the bluebonnet seeds, as deer are very adept at finding newly installed plants and will most certainly give them a try. Bluebonnet plants do not die back in the winter. They remain as small rosettes and then they growing to their mature size in the early spring.

Question:
Are yellow jackets beneficial? I have some that insist on making a home and I don’t want to kill them if they are beneficial.
Answer:
I assume you are talking about the paper wasps that build their nests under the house eaves or in other protected areas. This is where they lay their eggs. An egg is laid in each of these cells and before it is sealed off, the wasps fill it with insects and spiders that they collect as food for the larva when it hatches. The wasps are quite beneficial and will usually ignore you if you ignore them. If the wasps are in an area where you are constantly upsetting them with your comings and goings, you can kill them with a solution of soapy water that you spray on them (after dark is the best time).

Question:
I have Bermuda grass, Tiff-419, in my yard for about five years and have never been happy with it. I want to switch to St. Augustine grass due to having a lot of shady areas. I was wondering what you thought about “Palmetto,” or is there another hybrid you would recommend? Also, can you plant St. Augustine grass over the Bermuda grass?
Answer:
The St. Augustine grass that is best suited for this area is Floratam. Unless you are willing to have a hybrid lawn of St. Augustine and Bermuda, you must kill the Bermuda grass before you put in the St. Augustine sod. This can be done with one of the glyphosate herbicides. Spray the herbicide on the Bermudagrass to kill it, and then rake out all of the dead material. Leave it alone for a couple of weeks and then respray any Bermuda grass that you didn’t get the first time. Then you can lay the sod. I recommend that you wait until next spring to do this.

Question:
Our large sage has developed white “lumps” or scale on numerous branches. Some branches have actually turned black and appear dead. Is there any way to help this beautiful shrub? Should we cut it back? We don’t want to lose it.
Answer:
If in fact, your Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) has scale insects, the best treatment is to spray it with one of the horticultural oils mixed with an insecticide containing acephate. The oil will suffocate the adult scale and the acephate will kill any crawling nymphs. If you mash some of those lumps and ‘blood and guts’ comes out, they are insects and most likely scale. There is a possibility that they are mealy bugs but the above treatment would kill them also.

Question:
I purchased a Texas Lilac vitex in the spring. I understand that I should cut it back in late winter, however, I see on the internet that some fashion the lilac into a tree. So is it that important to totally cut the plant back or just trim it into the shape I prefer in late winter? I am a little confused!
Answer:
The article at http://www.plantanswers.com/vitex.htm which advocates cutting the plants back was written for those who prefer to have more blossoms on their vitex plants. However, you can prune your plant with no detriment to the plant. Look for the varieties named Shoal Creek or Montrose Blue.

Question:
Are bicolor irises a good choice for this area?
Answer:
The Bicolor iris/African iris (Dietes bicolor) is probably best suited for areas of moist, acid soil but it is quite adaptable to most soils. Although it is not nearly as commonly used in our area as it is in most of East Texas, the irises should do okay.

Question:
My Red tip photinias are dying but they don’t have the red spots as shown in many sources about probable fungal diseases. The leaves turn solid orange and then die. Has it just been too dry? I don’t water them, but treat them like xeriscape plants.
Answer:
I would certainly suspect that this was caused by drought. In times of extreme drought, (such as we have had for the past couple of years) even xeriscape plants need some supplemental moisture.

Question:
I bought a Japanese maple tree in June in a one gallon pot. A few leaves were brown with curled edges and now the new leaves are brown curled and are wilting. The leaves have lacy skeletal remains. Help! I have tried a systemic on the tree with no changes.
Answer:
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) and South Texas just don’t go together. They absolutely do not like our hot weather, alkaline soil and alkaline water. They must have a moist, acid soil with little if any direct sunlight.

Question:
When should New Gold lantana be cut back?
Answer:
If the lantana plant freezes, you can cut it back anytime after the first frost. If it does not freeze, you should cut it back severely in the early spring or late February before new growth commences. If it is not cut back each year, it will get sparse, leggy, and ugly.

Question:
Will store brought pepper seeds grow in your home garden and bear fruit?
Answer:
The peppers seeds that you buy should germinate and grow. However, whether or not they will bear fruit will depend on whether they are adapted to your area. Many of the peppers need cool nights during their growing season to bear fruit. That is why so many are grown in New Mexico.

Question:
Can I plant kalanchoes in the ground in San Antonio? And, what do I need to know about growing kalanchoes?
Answer:
Kalanchoes are tropical plants that cannot withstand any freezing temperatures or frost. So, yes you can plant them in the ground as annuals but they will freeze and die. The dark red kalanchoes are best for outside planting in early spring. They are best grown as pot plants that you can move into a protected location when freezing temperatures are predicted. They prefer to be grown in a shady to partial shaded location. Other than that, they require little special attention. Use a container that has drainage holes at the bottom. Water thoroughly, until water comes out the bottom of the pot. When the soil feels dry, about one inch deep, fertilize with a dilute solution of water soluble plant food, such as 6-12-6 analysis (HastaGro) each time you water. Supplement feed with Medina Growing Green granules twice a year.

Question:
I am going to attempt to plant bearded iris rhizomes. Do they have to be kept in the refrigerator first, like bulbs?
Answer:
No, the iris rhizomes do not require chilling. When you plant them be sure that the top of the rhizome is at or just above the soil level.

Today is Thanksgiving. We all want to give a special blessing and thanks for all the farmers and their families for the food that we enjoy today and everyday. Without these great people and their commitment to the land, we would not enjoy our daily meals. Below are some common seasonal vegetable gardening questions which might entice you to do some home vegetable gardening.

Question:
Should spinach be harvested by removing the outer, older leaves or by pulling the entire plant?
Answer:
This depends on whether it’s a spring or fall-planted crop. In the spring, spinach will go to seed quickly so the best harvesting method is to pull the entire plant. When planting in early fall for winter harvesting, harvest the outer leaves. Then allow the plant to continue to grow and produce additional foliage.

Question:
What causes broccoli heads to become discolored and slightly slimy?
Answer:
Under certain environmental conditions, such as high temperatures during the initiation of the edible portion, discoloration occurs. This has been observed on some of the hybrid varieties. Correct planting times and good cultural care will usually eliminate head discoloration. In this area, the first planting of healthy Green Magic broccoli transplants is around mid-September, the second planting is mid-October, and the third planting is around mid-January.

Question:
I know it is recommended to cut the tops of asparagus in late November to force dormancy before sprouting and before harvesting in early spring. I know that cold weather is not sufficient to kill the tops. Cutting physically forces dormancy, but this year, the tops of my asparagus plants died before any cold weather occurred. When I removed the dead tops, they appeared to have rotted off at ground level. What happened? Is my asparagus planting dead?
Answer:
Plant pathologists at Texas A&M have diagnosed rhizoctonia fungus as the culprit. Wet conditions or poor watering practices allowed the fungus to weaken plants at the soil line, causing a rotted appearance and just affected the asparagus at the soil line. Asparagus beds with a heavy, poorly drained soil type are especially susceptible to fungus. Asparagus production should resume as normal next spring.

Question:
Are beet tops good to eat?
Answer:
Yes, definitely. Many people prefer the tops of beets to the enlarged roots. Beet tops are prepared much like other types of green, such as collards or turnips, and have a distinctive flavor.