Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| Should shredded Ashe juniper be composted for mulch? May 06, 2009 Our neighbor shredded some Texas Hill Country cedar trees. Can we use it safely as mulch? Do we need to wait until it composts some? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Older leaves yellowing on Savannah holly in Dallas May 01, 2009 I planted a Savannah Holly in Dallas, TX in the Fall of 2008. It has new growth and some white buds all over it, but some of the older leaves are turning yellow and dropping off. Is this normal? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Low maintenance replacement garden in Ashburn , VA April 30, 2009 We live in Ashburn, VA (Northern VA). Our house is 10 years old and the contractor grade plants have died. We are planning on digging everything up and re-doing the landscaping in our front yard - r... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Shelf life of hawthorn leaves in Florissant, MO April 30, 2009 I have a bag of hawthorn leaves that were harvested in 2007. Do you know if they're still effective? How long is the shelf life of hawthorn leaves? Thank you for your assistance. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Foundation garden in shade in Durham, NC April 29, 2009 I'm trying to replant a 3'x8' garden near the foundation of our house in Durham, NC. This part of the yard gets little, if any, sun and is mostly clay. I've tried adding compost and soil conditi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Yellowing leaves on yaupon in Ft. Worth April 23, 2009 I planted a Pride of Houston Yaupon Holly in January in full sun. It is blooming little white flowers right now for spring, but a lot of leaves are turning yellow. Do you know what is causing this? ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting honeysuckle bush in Illinois April 18, 2009 Want to transplant 3 honeysuckle shrubs 10 to 12' tall this month, although not the best time. Please advise. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Combining native shrubs for hedge in Austin April 15, 2009 Smarty, Please tell me what the definitions are for all the various water, soil moisture, drainage and light requirements mean. Are the definitions global? I live in Central East Austin and inten... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Creating a bluebonnet patch between Brenham and Houston. April 12, 2009 I am creating a Bluebonnet patch in a well-drained section of my flowerbed. I just planted the plants (it is now early April and I'm between Houston and Brenham, TX). I plan to let them go to seed ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Transplanting redbud from field in Edmond, OK March 30, 2009 I want to transplant a small redbud from a field to my yard. The trunk diam is about 1.5" and the tree is about 4' tall. What is the best way to do this? Should I plant it in a pot first? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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