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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| Weak stems on asters and ironweed from Woodbridge ON June 06, 2012 My question is in regards to plants flopping over. My smooth asters and ironweeds never seem to have strong stems. Is because the soil is too fertile or maybe too shallow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Adding Wildflowers to Corpus Christi May 20, 2012 I have a dry sandy yard, full sun in Corpus Christi with lot's of stickers mostly, want to transform to wildflowers. When should I plant, how should I prepare soil, should I dig out stickers? Which w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Soil for Emory Oak from Dripping Springs, TX April 15, 2012 I bought an Emory Oak today at the Wildflower Center's plant sale. Upon reading about it when I got home, I see "it won't grow in alkaline soils." I was hoping to plant it in the riparian area ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Tree to plant on rocky soil in San Antonio March 10, 2012 I want to plant a tree in a particular spot in the yard but after digging down 10 inches I hit solid rock. I filled the hole with water and it took hours for it to go down. It is one of the higher e... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| High water table in Glewood Springs CO March 03, 2012 We are considering the purchase of a home in Glenwood Springs, CO (elev. Approximately 5,000 ft) and find it strange that while neighboring properties in the subdivision have beautiful landscaping wit... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Difference between soil moisture and water use from Austin February 20, 2012 In the native plant data base "growing conditions" can you explain the difference between water use and soil moisture? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What is the application rate for dried molasses in Leander, TX?? February 10, 2012 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... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Habiturf installation after Take-All fungus January 24, 2012 Are other soil remedies needed (besides those listed in your Habiturf brochure) to install Habiturf on land which had a St. Augustine lawn which was decimated by take all patch. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Changing the pH of the soil January 16, 2012 Hi, We have a job that has mostly Texas native plants on it. The architect is wanting to drop the pH levels of the soils to acidic levels that we don't feel is good for the plants and the area. ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants resistant to salt spray in FL December 18, 2011 What type of plants can I put in a small planter bed next to a waterfall with a saltwater pool? Everything I put in there dies. I live in Southwest Florida. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| 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 | ||
| Growing bluebonnets in pot in Flower Mound TX November 01, 2011 We received a package of bluebonnet seeds along with the DVD Wildflowers: Seeds of History as a gift. In the film, Andrea DeLong mentions that bluebonnets did not grow well in a rich organic soil. W... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Baby mountain laurels are ready to move, in Lockhart Texas October 19, 2011 I want to harvest the baby mountain laurel plants which are growing under a large bush. What height would be best for the young plants survival? Please recommend a soil mixture for the pots. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Seeding the banks of a large pond October 18, 2011 I have a 2 acre surface pond that is mostly a hard clay bank all around. The water level is way down and I will begin filling it very soon. I need to somehow being affordable, plant something or thing... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Fireplace ash as soil amendment in Maine September 28, 2011 It seems that the custom where we summer in Maine is to dispose of wood ash from the fireplace on the plants around the outside of the house. I think this is not a good idea. What is your opinion? I w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Need help growing plants in red dirt in Mount Pleasant, NC. September 17, 2011 I live in N.C. and I have had the hardest time getting plants to grow;I have red dirt at my house. Can you suggest a few colorful plants that would do real well in red dirt? Thank You So Very Much!!!!... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Worms in non-native snake plant from Hillsborough NC September 17, 2011 I purchased a snake plant this summer for my screened in porch. I did not repot it and left it in the plastic pot in came it. I was about to repot the plant to bring it in and noticed there are worm... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| 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 |  | |
| 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 |  | |
| 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 |  | |
| Growing Evergreen sumac in clay soil of Texas August 19, 2011 I'm in need of a fast growing evergreen screening shrub/small tree. I'm considering the Evergreen Sumac but before I go further I need to know if this plant will thrive and remain evergreen in the D... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| 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 |  | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
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