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topic	question
Compost and Mulch Soils	Using Horse Manure for the Garden July 07, 2016 Can you use horse manure for decomposed matter for your flower beds, etc.? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Shrubs	Problem with Adding 5 inches of Mulch and Soil Under Juniper July 03, 2016 My landscaper added about 3" of mulch and 2" of dirt under my ashe junipers to create a planting bed. Several have turned gold/yellowish this winter including a female tree. They are still flexible an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch	Using seaweed in compost October 05, 2015 What do you think about using seaweed in compost? I live on the Gulf Coast View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
User Comments Compost and Mulch Soils	Oyster Shell source in Austin September 18, 2015 Hi, I was not sure who to reach out to, but I work for Quality Seafood here in Austin, and we have several gardeners who take our old oyster shells and grind them up or put them in their gardens for ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Trees	Can oak pollen be composted? April 28, 2015 I have quite a few live oaks in my backyard and my flower beds are filled with pollen stuff. Can I compost and mulch over this or is it a good idea to rake as much as I can out first? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Diseases and Disorders Herbs/Forbs Trees	Ground Arizona ash wood suitable for mulch? April 23, 2015 We cut down a 40 year old Arizona ash tree and had the stump ground into mulch. Can we use this mulch in our vegetable garden and flower beds View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Xeriscapes Compost and Mulch Planting Soils Drought Tolerant Herbs/Forbs Shrubs	Converting a Texas backyard to grow Xerophytic native plants January 09, 2015 I am planning the conversion of our backyard, about 4000 sq ft of largely St Augustine, into a grassless landscape of hardscaping and native plants. I�ve been an avid gardener of rock garden plants i... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Watering Ferns	Calcium from Eggshells for Ferns? December 15, 2014 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... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Poisonous Plants Trees	Is mulch from hackberry and chinaberry trees safe for flowerbeds? September 17, 2014 We had to remove several large hackberry and china berry trees. Is its mulch safe to use in garden and in flower beds? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Seasonal Tasks Trees	Late planting plum tree from Lago Vista, TX May 01, 2014 I have two plum trees in plastic containers that I purchased in March. For a lot of reasons, we didn't get them planted. I have kept them alive by watering consistently, but I am now wondering what... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Shade Tolerant Trees	Plants to grow under elm tree in Amarillo TX May 01, 2014 I have a large elm tree and I can't get seem to get anything to grow under it. I was wondering if there are any shade-loving groundcovers that you would recommend (have tried English Ivy, hostas, an... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Watering Drought Tolerant Trees	Mulching tree root in San Angelo, TX April 02, 2014 San Angelo, Texas is in a drought stage. Will it help our trees to mulch the base of them? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Groundcovers Shade Tolerant Ferns Herbs/Forbs Shrubs Trees	Recovering neglected garden space from Grapevine TX March 22, 2014 I live in Grapevine TX (Dallas). I just moved into a house where almost the entire large backyard is covered by oak trees that shed tons of leaves throughout our mild falls/winters. The yard has not... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Planting Grasses or Grass-like	Sheet mulching before planting Habiturf from Grand Prairie, TX March 03, 2014 Have you tried sheet mulching as a bed prep and to kill bermuda grass before planting habituff? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Meadow Gardens Compost and Mulch Seeds and Seeding Wildflowers	Revegetation of school site with meadow plants from Austin December 23, 2013 We are revegetating a hill country school site (typical calciferous soil stripped of vegetation & minimal topsoil) with a native seed mix equal to Native American Seed "Meadow Mix". We have an abund... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch	The Pros and Cons of Using Stone Mulch for Plants and Wildfire Safety December 04, 2013 I am trying to grow native plants that are wildfire-resistant. I want to avoid the use of flammable mulch -- especially in beds next to the house. I'm considering river rock or crushed stone, but one... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Meadow Gardens Compost and Mulch Herbs/Forbs	Use of cedar/juniper mulch in wildflower meadows August 31, 2013 What to do with freshly shredded cedar/juniper mulch? We have a pile of freshly ground cedar mulch that we can either keep in a large pile until it has composted(but the neighbors are complaining), or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Soils Shrubs Trees	Trees for clay soil from Charlotte TX August 25, 2013 We have an area in our yard that even Esperanzas won't grow. It is near another that does great. Six Esperanzas are planted in a north/south row about with 10' between plants, the southern most plan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
General Botany Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Soils	Problem With Vegetable Garden Soil June 09, 2013 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... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Soils Vines	Non-native, invasive creeping fig in Webster TX May 26, 2013 We've recently moved into a new home in the southeast Houston area. The back of our property has a long concrete wall (gets quite a bit of sun), which we thought we could cover with a spreading vine.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Herbs/Forbs	Can non-native coleus grow in mulch from San Antonio May 12, 2013 Can Coleus plants grow in Mulch only? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils	Chlorosis on plants in Austin April 09, 2013 I have several plants that have chlorosis on the new growth. I did an at-home basic soil test. Ph came out at 7.5 (the highest the scale went, so it could be higher than that). Nitrogen and phosphorus... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Butterfly Gardens Compost and Mulch Soils	Amending soil for butterfly garden in Houston April 01, 2013 My girl scout troop will be planting a butterfly garden at a middle school in Houston. In researching plants to use, we have come across some such as echinacea, rose vervain, galliarda and Texas gay... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Diseases and Disorders Trees	Allelopathy of American elms from Dallas March 24, 2013 Are American elms at all allelopathic? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Xeriscapes Compost and Mulch Grasses or Grass-like Trees	Surface tree roots hurting grass in Houston March 21, 2013 We have 2 mature Arizona Ash trees in our yard (30-40'). One of them is in a sunnier location and has developed an extensive network of surface roots (up to 1 to 1 1/2" Dia.) between the tree and th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Groundcovers Septic Systems	Dog wallowing in damp area in garden from Great Bend KS March 20, 2013 I Have a wet area in my back yard that is close to my house. and off my patio there is a water hydrant,gas meter, electrical for my hot tub, my sprinkler valves and pump all there. My dog digs throug... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch	Use of free cedar mulch in Round Rock, TX March 17, 2013 Round Rock provides city residents free mulch to pick up. It is all cedar apparently. I am turning my now dead, mostly clay, very alkaline and rocky thin soil front lawn into a bigger flower bed of mo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Trees	Disposal of Ashe juniper from Austin March 07, 2013 I am in western Travis County and we have been clearing our land of some of the Ashe Juniper. When there is not a burn ban, we burn them because there are just too many to shred. I was wondering if ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Trees	Pros and cons of live oak leaves left on ground in Dripping Springs TX February 20, 2013 What are the pros or cons of leaving live oak leaves on the ground around trees or bushes? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Vines	Vine for pergola in Belton TX February 06, 2013 Hello, I would like to know what vine would be best to cover a rather large pergola. It will be in full sun in caliche soil. :( The area has access to a water hose and I would like to have something... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Butterfly Gardens Compost and Mulch	Will recycled tire mulch harm butterfly larvae? December 05, 2012 I discovered orange butterfly larva in the hardwood mulch under my Turk's Cap. Will it harm the larva if I switch over to recycled tire mulch? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Trees	Dirt at tree base from Austin November 03, 2012 Hello, I recently bought a home in Austin with a live oak tree which is about eight years old. The previous owner did exactly what all the experts say NOT to do, which was to mound dirt right up agai... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Trees	Ground cover under trees from Austin November 03, 2012 I need ground cover plants that can tolerate leaf litter and grow under oak tree shade. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Poisonous Plants Shrubs	Suitability of Carolina Cherry Laurel for Bulverde TX October 24, 2012 The local Home Depot is selling Carolina Cherry Laurel Trees. They look beautiful. Is this a good tree for Bulverde TX..20 miles north of San Antonio? Can it survive? Will it be a high maintenance... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Trees	Feeding live oak and redbud trees from Fredericksburg TX October 23, 2012 Can you please tell me what to feed my live oak and texas redbud trees that survived the drought? We have granite soil. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Groundcovers Shade Tolerant Trees	Destructive landscape crews in The Woodlands TX October 20, 2012 Hi. We need help. We recently moved to a house where landscape crews have been blowing away the leaf litter from the front yard for many years. The underbrush was also cleared long ago. The result... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Pruning Shade Tolerant Herbs/Forbs Trees	Area under live oaks from Austin October 08, 2012 We have many live oaks in our mostly shaded half acre. While I have tried to plant mostly native plants, often beneath them, the plants are showered with leathery leaves, acorns and sap, while oak sp... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Groundcovers	Splash-proof plants from Oakton VA October 01, 2012 Hi Mr Smarty Plants, Re: low, evergreen ground cover, Northern Virginia The bare soil around my freshly painted screen porch splashes up onto the white framing when it rains so I am looking for ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Plant Lists Compost and Mulch Planting Seeds and Seeding Groundcovers Grasses or Grass-like	Removing St. Augustine for natives in Grapevine TX September 29, 2012 We have St Augustine in our yard and we hate it. It guzzles water, we have to cut it often, and it's thick and hard to work with. Anyway, we want to replace it with a combination of some kind of g... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Propagation Transplants Shrubs	Varieties of Ceanothus suitable for Illinois September 07, 2012 Ceanothus Velutinus is the smell of western Montana, my home, to me, and I have relocated to Illinois. I miss it so much that whenever I go home I bring back a jar of ceanothis leaves and keep th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Trees	Disagreement on amending soil for planting from Austin September 01, 2012 In today's newspaper column, you answered a question about transplanting a redbud. You said to follow the instructions on the WFC web site, except you recommended adding compost to the backfill soil.... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Xeriscapes Compost and Mulch Soils Watering Deer Resistant Grasses or Grass-like Herbs/Forbs Shrubs	Deer resistant plants from New Braunfels TX August 31, 2012 I have a 1/2 yard covered by a tree, shady. Bermuda grass previous owner planted has all turned brown this summer. I don't have lots of money to work with but would love to landscape that side of fr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Watering Shrubs	Ailing Tecoma stans from Phoenix AZ August 24, 2012 I have several young Tecoma plants in my Phoenix, AZ garden. I planted them in June and have tended to them over the summer. They are watered twice daily. On some of the plants, I've noticed two oddi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Meadow Gardens Compost and Mulch Soils Herbs/Forbs Trees	Difficulty with Clay Soil from Palm Bay, FL August 22, 2012 I had a very nice little native shady area behind my house for over 40 years, but now it has been cleared except for a 100 foot tall live oak in the center of this raised mound (50' x 80'). I've be... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
General Botany Compost and Mulch	Bird nest fungus in Central Austin, TX. August 21, 2012 Hi, I live in Central Austin and have different types of ground cover (such as silver pony foot)in my garden and have noticed huge patches of bird's nest fungi in between and under. Every time it ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Grasses or Grass-like	Non-native, invasive bermudagrass from Memphis TN August 17, 2012 I live in central Memphis and have well-drained clay soil. I have converted much of the front yard from turf grass to beds of native plants, which survive our hot humid without supplemental watering e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Shade Tolerant Shrubs Trees	Oak leaf hydrangeas from Edwardsville IL August 13, 2012 Hello, I live in West Central Illinois (across the river from St. Louis) and I am considering planting several Oak leaf Hydrangea's in my yard. The location where I would like to plant them is und... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Groundcovers Grasses or Grass-like	Will Habiturf thrive in Houston? July 31, 2012 Will Habiturf grow in partial sun? My lawn is surrounded by trees so that there is only about an hour each day with direct overhead sun. The rest of the day there is a light shade. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Planting Trees	Transplant shock in non-native crape myrtle from Wesley Chapel, FL June 12, 2012 I just bought a 12 ft. crape myrtle and planted it, giving it plenty of water I think. After 3 days the leaves are wilting and flowers are falling off. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting	Cardboard or newsprint for mulch from Cedar Park TX June 09, 2012 What is your opinion on using cardboard and/or newspaper for mulch in flower beds or around trees? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Trees	Overwatering Texas Mountain Laurel from Rosanky TX June 06, 2012 I just read your article in the Statesman about over watering Mt.Laurel. Now I know why my lovely 15 year old tree is dying. We put in new grass this winter and I watered too much. Is there any hop... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Groundcovers Cacti and Succulents Herbs/Forbs Shrubs	Sunny and shady lawns from Austin April 28, 2012 My front yard has a large bed surrounded by a mix of St. Augustine and Bermuda grass. Last summers heat killed off about 90% of the St. Augustine, which we would like to replace anyway to conserve re... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Groundcovers Grasses or Grass-like Herbs/Forbs	Turf grass for part-time home from Louisville KY April 28, 2012 We have a small yard at a remote location with cistern water, and need a turf grass for a yard, clay soil, which I am willing to amend. It will receive sporadic attention as my husband and I do not l... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Diseases and Disorders	Need to identify a fungus in a flower garden in Lansinging, MI. April 25, 2012 I have a fungus in my flower garden. It is white and ground hugging. It is in a moist area under a large spruce where mulch has been laid down. When I step on it , it expels a green dust. What is it a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Shade Tolerant Grasses or Grass-like Herbs/Forbs	Replacement for grass under non-native weeping willow from Yorba Linda CA April 24, 2012 What would be a good replacement for the grass currently growing under a weeping willow? Something requiring low maintenance, the problem is with mowing over and around the roots. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Watering Shade Tolerant Grasses or Grass-like	Interaction of Habiturf and St. Augustine grasses from Willow City TX April 16, 2012 How does Habiturf and St. Augustine interact? Does one dominate the other? Can you plant them in close areas? Thank you. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Shrubs	Chlorosis in yaupon from San Angelo TX April 08, 2012 Thank you for your information on the yaupon holly. We just finished clearing out the mulch and the red ground cover that popped up. I will quit watering it as much as the rest of the plants. Our y... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Watering Shrubs	Decline ot Heartleaf rosemallow from Austin March 26, 2012 My tulipan del monte -a new small plant from the wildflower center--did great all winter and was forming a new flower bud, just died in a matter of a few days. It looks like it "dried up", no visib... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Pests	Ants in the compost pile from Georgetown TX March 09, 2012 Can you give me any suggestions for ridding my compost pile of ants? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Groundcovers Grasses or Grass-like Herbs/Forbs	Shade ground cover under honeysuckle from Wichita KS February 21, 2012 Hi! I know this is a bit odd, but I am trying to find a nontoxic, good ground covering plant that can live in the shade while competing with the roots of a whole bunch of honeysuckle. I have a few ide... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Pollinators Compost and Mulch Problem Plants Groundcovers Grasses or Grass-like Shrubs Trees Wildflowers	Reducing Allergens in Yards and Gardens January 31, 2012 What are some allergen-free native plants to Central Texas that thrive in the soil and can survive in the weather? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch	Spreading compost from Kyle TX January 22, 2012 I'm trying to find if there is some type of "implement" to help spread compost in my yard that is easier than a shovel and rake. Any ideas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Herbs/Forbs Shrubs	Frost damage to native plants in Austin December 19, 2011 Hello, We bought a number of native plants at this fall's WFC sale and planted them. The recent frost seems to have defoliated our pitcher sage, beautyberry, butterflyweed, and flame acanthus plan... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Diseases and Disorders Planting Trees	Live oak leaves turning yellow after planting in Houston December 19, 2011 We bought a 65 gallon live oak in early October, and have been watering fairly heavily three days a week. It seemed OK, then all of a sudden lots of the leaves are turning yellow. Is it getting too ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Pruning Soils Shrubs	Non-native Podocarpus macrophyllus in Ft Worth TX November 12, 2011 I know this question does not pertain to a native plant but I've spent too much time not finding an answer to my question. I have many mature Podocarpus macrophyllus bushes at my house I purchased in... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Seed and Plant Sources Compost and Mulch	Source for pecan mulch used at Wildflower Center from Austin November 11, 2011 Hello Mr. Smarty Pants I was recently at the Wildflower Center. I saw all the pecan shell mulch and was wondering where you get it from. I noticed awhile back that it is one of the recommended mu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Diseases and Disorders Grasses or Grass-like	Native Grass is Falling Over November 09, 2011 Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, I've tried to find this answer but am stumped as to the cause. We live in Fredericksburg, TX and have several different tall grasses, Yellow Indian grass, Little Bluestem, wire... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Watering Drought Tolerant Erosion Control Grasses or Grass-like	Water eroding corner in Austin October 25, 2011 I live close to the Wildflower Center. My yard slopes - as do my neighbors' yards to one corner in my yard. The result is constant moisture in one corner. The rest of the yard is caliche, rocks (m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Trees	Removal of live oaks leaves on lawn in Austin October 11, 2011 We have about a half inch or so of mostly live oak leaves still on the ground which I thought was good root protection and also holds in moisture. There is a small group of people in our condo subdi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Transplants Trees	Planting Anacacho orchid tree in Llano, TX October 05, 2011 Re Bauhinia lunarioides: I'm trying to pick a good site in Llano Co for a 5 gal tree I received as a gift. Your plant database says part shade. The arid zone trees publication you reference in a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Plant Identification Compost and Mulch Shrubs Vines	Identification of shrub looking like honeysuckle in Odessa TX October 02, 2011 Bought a shrub in Pecos, TX yesterday. It looks like honeysuckle but the brightest flat orange I have ever seen. Flower and greenery looked like honeysuckle but when I looked on the Internet under or... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Deer Resistant Groundcovers	Deer-resistant groundcover for New Braunfels, TX September 24, 2011 Could you recommend some deer resistant ground cover plants for the New Braunfels area? We have tried Ajuga and Katie's Ruellia and they have been eaten. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Shade Tolerant Trees Vines	Stumps of fallen oaks in Hurricane Irene from Newton PA September 03, 2011 Two large red oaks fell in the woods in our yard in Newtown PA due to Hurricane Irene. The trees have been removed, but the stumps remain. Please can you recommend some fast-growing, attractive, nativ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Diseases and Disorders Soils Watering Shrubs	Problems with Carolina Laurel Cherry from Pflugerville, TX September 02, 2011 In 2007 we planted 7 Carolina Laurelcherry (Prunus caroliniana)across our back fence. Everything was fine until this year. Three of the trees seemed to get sick and a local arborist said the roots ne... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Soils Watering Drought Tolerant Shrubs Trees	Landscaping plant for Austin September 01, 2011 Great site! Have gotten lots of ideas. We're about to start construction on a fairly major landscaping project: raised beds/privacy screen. We're at the top of a hill in the Hill Country just wes... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Watering Erosion Control Grasses or Grass-like	Erosion at edge of driveway in Abilene TX August 26, 2011 My lawn suffered a great loss of grass over the winter and the soil at the edge of the driveway is washing away with watering and the occasional rains that we have. I am trying to get the grass to gr... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Transplants Shade Tolerant Trees	Replacing mature Arizona Ash trees in Austin August 26, 2011 Mr. Smarty Plants, I have 2 very large, very old Arizona Ash trees in my yard. I want to remove them and replace them with something like Cedar Elm or Chinquapin Oak. The problem is that they are t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Watering Drought Tolerant Trees	Difficulty of watering at drip line of trees from The Woodlands TX August 18, 2011 I'm watering my couple dozen native mature trees to make sure they survive this drought and its aftermath..and I'm reading about how to water at the drip line. But..all of my trees' drip lines ext... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Erosion Control Grasses or Grass-like	Stabilizing a sand bank in VT August 13, 2011 We have a summer cottage in Burlington, Vt. and need to stabilize a mound of sand. The "bank" we are trying to stabilize has partial sun and faces south. It measures approx 4' high and is 30' long... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Xeriscapes Compost and Mulch Grasses or Grass-like	Plants for small shady area with clay soil August 09, 2011 Many people have space between the sidewalk and the street in front of their homes. In that space in front of our house is a growing maple that provides a lot of shade. The space is very dry, with... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Invasive Plants Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Problem Plants	removing paper mulberry shoots from lawn August 09, 2011 Dear Mr./Ms. Smartypants, I recently moved into an Austin home with the backyard taken over by paper mulberries. There were originally 2-3 large bush/trees, but now that I've removed them I realiz... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Turf Grasses or Grass-like	Native grasses for central Georgia August 06, 2011 We've just bought a 1990 circa house in Dallas, Georgia. It sits on a .62 acre lot. One half of the lot is woods, the rest is lawn. The lawn is covered mostly with weeds and wild strawberries. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Diseases and Disorders Trees	Chlorosis in sycamore in Kyle TX August 04, 2011 I'm trying to assist an elderly neighbor of mine with a plant issue. We have designated street trees in this community, our street being a Sycamore. The previous foreman out here called it a Mexica... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Watering Herbs/Forbs	It's so hot, even the Salvia greggii are sad, in Bulverde Texas July 28, 2011 I have several Salvia greggii in large terra cotta pots. The leaves have developed a yellowish tint and are thinning. What is the best process to get them back to full green foilage? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Transplants Turf Shrubs	Garden problems from Centreville VA July 23, 2011 Plants die, trees won't grow. I've replaced the soil (6") twice. Replaced grass twice and planted new plants and tree. After two yrs, the tree is still the same size and the flowering bushes nea... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Watering Trees	Should Texas live oaks be mulched under drought conditions? July 19, 2011 Should we mulch our live oaks in pastures for water retention? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Watering	Possibility of hydrophobic soil in Austin, TX. July 13, 2011 I believe I have an area in my garden with �hydrophobic soil�: no matter how much or how slowly I water, it just beads up and rolls off and the soil beneath remains cement dry and powdery. In my readi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Pruning Herbs/Forbs Shrubs	Yucca blades damaged by weedeater in Hellertown PA July 05, 2011 Can I cut off the blades of a Yucca plant that have been eaten on the edges with a weed wacker and are very unsightly looking? Can they be cut back to the flower shaft? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Turf Grasses or Grass-like	Native grass lawn for San Antonio June 25, 2011 Dear Mr Smartyplants, I live outside of San Antonio and my question is in regards to putting in a native grass lawn. What type of soil should I put down? I've sprayed herbicide and was planning on ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Transplants Trees	Transplant shock in Mountain Laurel in San Antonio, TX June 03, 2011 I planted a 2 ft. tall Texas mountain laurel a month ago. Some of the leaves have turned very yellow and some of them are falling off. The plant doesn't look real healthy in general. I did add s... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Shrubs	What hydrangeas can be grown in Austin? June 02, 2011 I was told that oak leaf hydrangea was the only hydrangea variety that could be successfully grown in Austin TX. My oakleaf hydrangea is doing great and I would like to plant other varieties. Can you... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Herbs/Forbs Shrubs	Plants for red clay in Hattiesburg, MS May 16, 2011 Looking for plants and flowers to plant in red clay? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Soils Trees	Will wood shavings in the soil require nitrogen from Charleston MO May 04, 2011 I cut down a big maple tree and a lot of the wood shavings was left in the soil. I planted a flower bed over the area this spring. I later read that the wood chips in the soil would use a lot of nitro... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Transplants Trees	Gardening advice for Quebec April 15, 2011 I live in Aylmer Quebec 1. I bought some lily bulbs at a Christmas bazaar. When can I plant them and what do I put in the hole with the bulbs? 2. I bought a little potted cedar at COSTCO for a Ch... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Soils Groundcovers	What will grow in red clay in Conroe TX? April 10, 2011 We just built a new home and the foundation was poured on red clay which is what my flowerbed area is in. Could you please tell me what can be planted that will grow. I am looking for ground cover, fl... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Planting Soils Groundcovers	Ground cover for sun in Phenix City, AL April 04, 2011 I live in Phenix City, AL and am new to planting. I have a 60 x 15 feet slope that is just dirt. I am going to till it next week and want to plant some various ground cover plants (that will grow to c... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Trees	Smaller trees for limited space in yard in Austin March 29, 2011 Follow up to "I have a choice of three shade trees from the city of Austin. They are Live Oak, Elm, Cedar. Although I am happy to have a free tree, I think the choices are not the best for my home. I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Shrubs	Various holly hybrids or selections for Pflugerville TX March 24, 2011 I love Savannah Hollies. I used them all the time in the Dallas area. Now that I have moved to Austin, I am wondering if I can plant them in this area. I have a soil pH of 7 and drainage is moderate. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Non-Natives Compost and Mulch Shrubs	Using non-native Red-Tip Photinia as a mulch from Pittsburg TX March 23, 2011 Wondering if its ok to use Red Tip Phontinia as a mulch? thanks View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
Compost and Mulch Pruning Trees	Existing live oak taking over in Monahans TX March 22, 2011 I have just purchased a home with a huge Live Oak tree in the front yard. The previous owners have over the years allowed the sucker roots to grow unchecked. The tree is shading most of the lawn (di... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer
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