GARDENING CALENDAR

TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE

BEXAR COUNTY BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

June 7, 2008

Chinch bugs can appear in lawns, especially on Bermudagrass, anytime from now through late summer. Floratam St. Augustinegrass is chinch bug resistant.

Cut, mow or pull suckers from the roots of trees (such as Live Oaks) don’t use herbicides, it will damage the mother tree as well.

Mulch two to four inches around new trees and plantings, so that they do not compete with grass. Do not cover the crown of any plant with mulch or any type of soil.

Select the color and the height of mature crape myrtles you want by choosing from the hybrid, disease-resistant varieties. Local nurserymen will have this listing of crape myrtle characteristics.

To attract butterflies, you can plant coreopsis, coral vine, blue plumbago, butterfly weed, lantana, purple coneflower, yarrow, Lilac flowering Duranta, and Texas Lilac Vitex.

If you are looking for color for the hot part of the summer, consider planting periwinkles, esparanza, firebush, zinnias, Poinciana, portulaca, purslane, and lantana.

David Rodriguez is the County Extension Agent-Horticulture with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County. For more information, call the Master Gardener “Hotline” (210) 467-6575 or visit our County Extension website at http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.