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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| How to sow Eves Necklace seeds. October 03, 2007 I have recently acquired some Eve's Necklace seed pods. In order to plant them, do I need to open the pod to get to the seed, or do I just plant the pod? Should I soak or scarify the pod/seed? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Does Chilopsis linearis, var.Bubba produce seed pods? No. October 01, 2007 We have a really beautiful 2-year old Bubba, Desert Willow. It is already about 12 feet tall. I really have two questions. One does the Bubba form the seed pods like the other types of Desert Willows?... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Locating red clay for wildflower seed balls September 26, 2007 I am trying to locate a local source for the Powdered Red Clay spoke about in making wildflower seed balls. I live in Round Rock, Texas and have called many local nursery and no one knows what I am t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Grow bluebonnets in Virginia September 04, 2007 I want to ATTEMPT to grow some Texas Bluebonnets in VA because I am homesick and both our kids are back in Austin. That said, the site says " it may be necessary to inoculate the soil with a rhizobiu... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Allelopathc qualities in sunflowers June 19, 2007 I have a sunflower patch in the corner of my backyard (Maximilians, common sunflower, and silverleaf sunflower)and would like to use the spent stalks (sans the seedheads) as mulch in the fall. Howeve... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Resprouting of native prairie plants after snowstorm April 07, 2007 Will my prairie plants that have broken dormancy be harmed by a spring snowstorm? Temperatures have fallen down into the twenties and forecast to stay sub-freezing for five or six days. We have abou... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Danger of seeds being damaged in cold stratifying February 27, 2007 I started cold stratifying some wildflower seeds with some damp cloths in a refrigerator to plant them in the spring. When I was finished preparing the seeds the refrigerator door was somehow left ope... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on seed balls September 27, 2005 Do you have the recipe for Wildflower Seed Balls? It's where you mix dry wildflower seeds, compost, red clay, and water to form a seed ball and then you throw it. I think the ratio is 1 part seed, ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 12, 2005 My bluebonnet plants have seed pods (I guess they are, they look like pods of snap peas). Can I collect these or do I just leave them alone and hope they multiply? If I can collect them, what is the ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Smarty Plants on seed harvesting August 09, 2004 I am interested in learning more about harvesting native seeds. I manage a number of sites where restoration projects will involve planting, and we would like to use native seed stocks. Could you te... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 09, 2003 When can I harvest my Bluebonnets? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
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