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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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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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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

Liberty Hill, TX
Trimming back freeze damage from Anacacho orchid in Liberty Hill TX
When is it safe to trim back what I think is dead wood on my Anacacho orchid trees (that were hit hard this past winter)? Is there any harm done if I cut back living wood?
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Liberty Hill, TX
Looking for a source for Texas persimmon tree (Diospyros texana)
I have looked all over for Texas persimmon trees but am having a difficult time finding any for sale. Do you know of any nurseries near Austin or Georgetown that sells them?
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Liberty Hill, TX
Instructions on making wildflower seed balls
About 2 years ago I visited the LBJ Wildflower Center and picked up a sheet that described how to make wildflower seed mud balls. I've lost the sheet and can't find the directions on your site. Ca...
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Liberty Hill, TX
Texas Ash
Where can I purchase a Texas Ash? One native tree nursery advertised Texas Ash but the trees turned out to be Fan-Tex, which I believe is an Arizona Ash cultivar.
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Liberty Hill, TX
Horse ate bark of cedar elm from Liberty Hill, TX
I have three acres with a rental. Planted a Cedar Elm near the porch. My ex-renters allowed their horse to graze around the house. It ate the bark off of the tree. How can I save this tree?
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Liberty Hill, TX
Possumhaw losing leaves in Liberty Hill, TX.
I have two female possumhaw trees and one of them is losing its leaves. I planted both of them in February and they were doing very well, getting green and full. What's happening?
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Liberty Hill, TX
Coral Honeysuckle suitability for Central Texas Fence
I recently purchased a house in Liberty Hill. My backyard is enclosed by an iron fence (painted). I am interested in creating a habitat for birds, so I'm thinking of planting coral honeysuckle vine...
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Liberty Hill, TX
Question about a beetle eating bees
I have a beetle that is about index finger or pinkie fingernail size. I have a bee hive and it's eating the bees by injecting it with an inch long probe and sucking out the liquid of my bees.
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Liberty Hill, TX
Wildflowers of April wedding in Liberty Hill TX
We are planning a wedding for April 9 in Liberty Hill, TX (78642) and live on several acres. We would like to plant wildflowers on the land to use for bouquets and centerpieces. Could you please recom...
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Liberty Hill, TX
Mexican Plum not doing well in Liberty Hill, TX.
Two summers have passed since I planted my Mexican Plum. It's in full sun. It seems to have added height but not much width. It's virtually a 7 foot stick with 1 foot branches from top to bottom. It...
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Liberty hill, TX
Alamo vine not blooming in Liberty Hill TX
My Alamo vine is not blooming. It is planted in full sun. The vine looks healthy. Should I fertilize, if so, with what.
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Liberty Hill, TX
Problem With Vegetable Garden Soil
We live in Liberty Hill on 25 acres and we are working to restore native grasses and plants. We are ardent supporters of the Wildflower center. I say this because my question is not "typical" of wh...
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Liberty Hill, TX
What happened to the bluebonnets?
I was wondering if you could tell me why there weren't any bluebonnets out this year? I live in the Hill Country and drive to Austin everyday. I look forward to seeing the bluebonnets up and down the...
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Liberty Hill, TX
Plants for Liberty Hill TX in full sun
We recently bought an acre of land in Liberty Hill, TX. We have a large planting area in the front that is devoid of any plant life. I would like to turn this into a semi shaded area with some annua...
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Leander, TX
Foundation Plants for Leander, TX
Looking for suggestions for a narrow bed 2-3 ft. wide, 32 ft. long against my house. Full evening sun with morning shade. Considering Salvia greggii with some type of companion plants/grasses ...
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Leander, TX
Breaking dormancy of native seeds
The science of seed preservation seems to be well advanced. However, Jill Nokes' book appears to be the only well-known information about breaking dormancy of native seeds. I'm grateful that she w...
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Leander, TX
What is the application rate for dried molasses in Leander, TX??
I bought dry molasses to add to my soil but the bag doesn't say anything about how much to add. Should I just sprinkle it around and it doesn't matter if it is more or less? I have 2.25 acres so I...
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Leander, TX
Native, full-sun, 4-in. evergreen grasses for Leander TX
Help! I need a native Texas evergreen sedge/grass/ground cover for full-sun/hot/dry area between sidewalk and street. The plants will need to be kept about 4" high, if growth is higher it must be mow...
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Leander, TX
Determining ripeness of seeds of Crotonn texensis
How can I tell when the seeds of Croton texensis are "ripe"?
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Leander, TX
Water-saving strategies of drought-tolerant plants
Although "drought tolerant" plants are fairly well documented, it's clear that many different strategies are responsible, such as a huge root system (like Mesquite). I'm interested in learning the...
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Leander, TX
Plants found only in the Edwards Plateau of Texas area
I am new to Austin, Texas and I am working with a group of 4th grade Cub Scouts on their Naturalist and Forester pins and we need to know about and have pictures of at least 6 trees and plants only fo...
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