I had a birthday this week and have thankfully reached the age of 64. For those of you that have experienced this age you know what I’m in for this next year though. Yes, with the magic age of 65 only a year off, I am now the target of every marketing campaign aimed at Seniors.
I will soon be deluged with texts, calls and direct mail pieces from Medicare supplemental carriers, AARP, estate planners, hearing aid specialists, the Clapper, walk-in bath tubs, burial insurance, big button TV remotes, shower chairs, cane seats, large-print word search puzzles, pocket magnifying glasses, blood pressure monitors, Jitterbug Smartphone, Easy jar opener, handrails, Giant Uno cards, independent senior living apartments, phone lanyards, incontinence products, medical alert pendants, reacher/grabbers, alarm/day clocks, mobility chairs, and so many other products to make my senior years more comfortable.
Although I’m inching closer to retirement age, I’m not ready to be put out to pasture just yet!
I am restructuring my workdays to focus on sourcing and ordering products for next years’ spring season and less on working out in the nursery. The supply chains of plants, pottery, and almost everything else is still messy. Even when an order is confirmed it doesn’t mean you will receive it on time or at all. We received 3 shipments this month that were scheduled to arrive last March.
GOOD NEWS!!! We received a large shipment of pottery!!! I was so pleased to find good colors and styles of outdoor ceramic pots available in this pottery shortage. Two pallets of terra cotta pottery have been unpacked along with a pallet of the smaller concrete pots and 2 pallets of plastic deco pots. Our pottery shelves are now full again…
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What tree blooms throughout the summer, is drought hardy and not fazed by the Texas heat and sun? The Crape Myrtle! It has been bred into many different species that range from 1 foot to 20 feet tall and in a variety of shades of red, pink, lavender, purple and white.
Bloom time in East Texas begins in June and lasts through late September. There are newer species that have dark burgundy or almost black leaves which creates an amazing color contrast with the colorful blooms.
Crapes are naturally multi-stemmed but some species are groomed as a single trunk tree. Their bark is thin and peels off during the year which adds to their beauty. However, this makes them vulnerable to damage from lawnmowers and weed eaters – if planted in an open space, place a tree ring or other edging around them to prevent equipment from getting too close.
Snowmageddon wasn’t able to kill these hardy plants. Depending on the variety and amount of exposure to the northerly winds many leafed out as usual while some did die down to the root ball but are growing back vigorously and will reach their former height.
My suggestion when choosing a crape myrtle is to know the maximum mature height the tree can be for the place you are planting it. There are crape myrtles in all colors and sizes to fit almost every spot so don’t purchase one that will grow too tall.
They are low maintenance and only require minimal trimming. The act of “topping” and cutting the plant to a certain height, although common, is a terrible one. Neil Sperry and most other horticulturalists agree that “Crape Murder” is a no-no. As stated above, choose a tree that is the right height and there is no need for topping.
I along with many others thought with the spread of Crape Myrtle Scale these trees would lose their attraction and popularity. Thankfully, that has not been the case. With the use of an easy, preventative drench poured around the Crape Myrtle annually the scale is no longer a threat. These colorful trees will continue to thrive and add color to our landscapes for years of enjoyment.
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Bronze-leaf Begonias, Zinnias, Vinca
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Green-leaf Begonias, Coleus, Torenia
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Mexican Heather, Portulaca, Shrimp Plant
...AND SO MUCH MORE!
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1. Bagworm in its 'bag' (cocoon) | 2. Intact bagworm cocoon on a conifer |
3. Bagworms making a cocoon
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Bagworm moths live in many types of trees. Their larvae crawl to plants nearby and spin a web that hangs from the trees they are feeding on. We’ve had several calls about what these bags are, what’s inside the bag and how to get rid of it.
The bag is full of worms that grow into large caterpillars which are more difficult to kill. Late May and June are the best time to spray an ingestible insecticide such as Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) or Spinosad on the plant while the worms are feeding.
Some prefer to remove the cocoon(s) and burn or drown the caterpillars and resort to spraying only when the infestation is too heavy. They can be cut by hand or removed with high-powered water.
By July or August it’s difficult to kill them by spraying insecticide because their cocoons are stronger. It is then necessary to remove the cocoon and destroy it, making sure to kill all caterpillars inside.
These caterpillars eat the foliage on the host plant and can cause large-scale defoliation. Bag worms, when found, should be destroyed using one of the methods above to protect your plant
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MEET MISTY'S BLOOMS!
The Bramlette House, as some call it, sits on 23 acres at the corner of H.G. Mosley and McCann Road, hidden from view by lush greenery, surrounded by a white fence with a large wrought iron gate. The estate began a transformation 5 years ago when Nelson and Misty Roach purchased the property.
For years I’ve wanted to sneak a peek beyond that beautiful gate and could only imagine what the house and grounds were like. A brick-paved drive winds through the eye-catching, landscaped grounds and leads to the colonial revival home built in 1932 by Erskine Bramlette. 
Misty started gardening (heavily) after moving in and now has transformed the landscape into many different gardens - formal, cut gardens, walking paths, and walking gardens.
Her love of gardening, and her eagerness to share and inspire led to the creation of Misty’s Blooms – which can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. By following her pages on these sites her postings will appear on your page for your enjoyment. (See links below for easy instruction on how to do this)
Through her postings, all of us can see what she’s created behind the white fence and wrought iron gate. View walks through the garden, drives through the landscape, her featured favorite plants, and get inspired to go plant some happiness today! |
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so you're notified every time she posts a new video! 
