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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers Nan Hampton, Jimmy Mills and Barbara Medford to be the culpable and capable parties. Yet, others think staff members Damon Waitt, Joe Marcus and Philip Hawkins might 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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Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

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Questions From Near You

Portland , TX
Planting non-native coastal bermudagrass in Portland TX
How do you plant coastal grass?
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Portland, TX
Getting rid of King Ranch bluestem
I have recently moved to South Texas Coastal town of Portland, Texas. My St. Augestine turf grass has been invaded by - what the neighbors tell me - King Ranch Blue Stem grass. I am having a terribl...
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Portland, TX
Are Texas wildflowers dying out from Portland, TX
I am doing a school project on whether or not wildflowers are dying out in the state of Texas or not. I need to find a specialist who specializes on this subject. Could you help me??? Please contac...
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Portland, TX
Source for Frostweed plants or seeds from Portland TX
I am looking for somewhere I can buy Frostweed plants or seeds. I live in Portland, TX, but frequent San Antonio and the Hill Country. Can you help me with this?
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Corpus Christi, TX
Calcium from Eggshells for Ferns?
I was reading recently about beneficial additions to the soil/plant. The first was about soaking used egg shells overnight and then pouring the water onto ferns. They said that the calcium in eggshell...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Are Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurels native to the Texas/Mexico Border?
I'm trying to determine whether Rhododendrons, azaleas and mountain laurel grow around the Texas/Mexican border. Are they native to this region?
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Corpus Christi, TX
Introduction of King Ranch bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemem)
Hello, I am a graduate student from TAMUK and I'm writing my thesis concerning natives vs. Old World Bluestems. I was wondering if you could help me find a source that states: King Ranch (or KR) Blu...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Removal of chickweed from lawns
How do I get Cerastium arvense L. - field chickweed out of my lawn? How can I kill them without hurting my grass? I don't have a clue as to how they got into my lawn, but my lawn is the only one on...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Plants under an oak tree from Corpus Christi TX
My project: To grow white turk's cap under an old oak tree I first planted St. Augustine sod this spring because we had many oak suckers around the tree. We mixed new soil and compost, and laid the ...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Removing grassy weeds from cactus garden in Corpus Christi TX
How do you get grassy weeds out of a cactus garden? I don't want to use roundup around the cacti? Can you recommend a herbicide that won't harm the cactus?
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Corpus Christi, TX
Dead or Dormant Chile Pequins in Corpus Christi
We have 4 chile pequin and 5 chiltepin plants growing our yard. All were thriving beautifully until we took a 12-day vacation in late July. There was little rain during that time but overall this y...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Purchase sources of Buffalograss from Corpus Christi TX
I've heard a lot of good things about Buffalograss, but no one in my area seems to carry it. One grower actually told me it didn't grow well here and recommended St. Augustine Floratam instead. Is ...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Non-native Norfolk Pine suffering in Corpus Christi TX
About ten yrs. ago I transplanted my Norfolk Pine into the ground in my backyard. With all the frosty weather of 2010/2011 the Spring brought a browning/dying of a lot of the Norfolk Pines in this are...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Need native grasses to re-introduce on land in Live Oak County, Texas.
How do I find out what type of grass is native and how to reintroduce it (once we get some rain)? The area is southern Live Oak County approx 10 miles north of Orange Grove TX, about 2 miles from Lak...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Getting rid of Mexican Petunia in Chorpus Christi, TX
What is the best way to get rid of unwanted Mexican Petunia that keeps spreading to unwanted areas of my flower beds?
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Corpus Christi, TX
Esperanza with rust spots in Corpus Christi, TX
I have a young esperanza plant and the leaves have what looks like rust spots all over them. What is the cause of this and what can I do for it? My other larger and older esperanza does not have this....
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Corpus Christi, TX
Supplies for green roof from Corpus Christi TX
Where do you buy your expanded clay or shale, your decomposed granite and your rice husks for a green roof?
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Corpus Christi, TX
Non-native oleander failing to thrive in Corpus Christi
I live in South Texas (Corpus Christi). My husband planted Red Oleander in partial to full sun about 1 1/2 weeks ago. They are watered by our sprinkler system. They have recently started to bloom, ...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Evergreen plant to grow to 6 feet tall with flowers and non-toxic
I live in South Texas, and in town. I am looking for plant that grows taller than 6 feet and is non toxic to people and pets. Would also like for it to be pest and disease free or minimal. Need it ...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Small native trees/shrubs for Corpus Christi, TX
Which small native trees or tall shrubs would do well in full sun in Corpus Christi for privacy along a fence line? Blooms are a bonus and evergreen is preferred.Searches on the website aren't produc...
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Corpus Christi, TX
Native grasses for South Texas Coast
Grasses S. Texas Coast. Hello! I love all of the information available in your database Mr. Smarty Plants database (as well as the rest of the site) and find it quite useful on many fronts. My...
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