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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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| Introduction of possibly invasive Texas wildflowers to Afghanistan November 03, 2006 I'm in Afghanistan right now, and at the USO over here there's a small garden where some service members have seeds sent from home to plant. I don't see any Bluebonnets so I asked my grandparents t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets September 13, 2006 I have a small field (about 1/2 acre) where I would like to grow bluebonnets and perhaps some other wildflowers for added color. Do bluebonnets need to be fertilized? Should I water them? How can I... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Best planting time for wildflower seeds in Texas September 08, 2006 My husband bought a large amount of wildflower seeds at the Ladybird Johnson's Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas several months ago, but neglected to ask when to plant them. Some were Bluebonnets a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets August 07, 2006 Can you grow Texas bluebonnets in Madison, OH which is right near Lake Erie? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Practicality of growing bluebonnets in Germany July 28, 2006 I am originally from Texas, but I am living in Washington and moving to Germany for the military. I desperately miss bluebonnets and my husband picked up a big bag for me as a present and have no ide... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native, non-invasive plant seeds for each region in U.S. June 09, 2006 I need to identify a wildflower from each region that we can package in custom packaging to use as giveaways at our member zoos and aquariums. Our project this year is called Conservation Made Simple... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native Texas Hill Country nitrogen-fixing plants June 07, 2006 Please help me find a listing of native (TX Hill Country) nitrogen-fixing plants. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 17, 2006 I'd like to know if Texas Bluebonnets or even Aggiebonnets (maroon bluebonnets) can be grown in the Phoenix, AZ area. If so, what conditions would you recommend doing this in, as our spring and summe... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 02, 2006 How are bluebonnets used by wildlife? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets April 05, 2006 Hello: We have been told that the sparse Bluebonnet appearance this Spring is due to sparse rainfall at the appropriate times. Were there fewer seeds to sprout and grow? Or are the seeds still ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Problems with propagation of Indian Paintbrush (Castileja indivisa) February 07, 2006 We are growing Indian Paintbrush. I have 2-300 seedlings. They were sown with fescue and have grown beautifully. Now they are approximately 4-6 inches high, a few have bloomed and many seem to be dy... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Boom time for Texas wildflowers and best sites for viewing February 01, 2006 I live in NJ and would like to visit Texas and see the bluebonnets and other wildflowers in bloom this spring. When do you expect the best display of flowers this year? Also, can you tell me where th... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Guidelines for planting native wildflowers on roadside November 17, 2005 My 4th grade Girl Scout troop has chosen to plant bluebonnets and other wild flowers along TX Hwy 114 in Southlake as their project for their Bronze Award. Do you have a guideline that you follow w... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Smarty Plants on forbs October 16, 2005 What kind of plant is a forb? I see the term used frequently in reference to grasses (I think), but I can't figure out exactly what a forb is. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets July 01, 2005 I've seen several recommendtions for using a Bluebonnet Inoculant when planting Bluebonnets. "For best success, we strongly suggest using Bluebonnet inoculant (to assist in fixing nitrogen into soi... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native Texas plants that will grow in sandy soil and salt tolerant June 08, 2005 I am in the US Coast Guard and we are looking to plant some wildflowers. The plants will be near saltwater and may get exposed if the area floods during a tropical storm or hurricane. Being on the Gul... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Cut wildflowers for wedding in June in Panola Co., TX May 17, 2005 I need fresh picked Texas wildflowers for my son's wedding dinner on June 3. The wedding is in Carthage, Panola Co, Tx. I'm from Austin and am not familiar with that vicinity. What flowers should b... 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 |  | |
| When to mow bluebonnets May 12, 2005 I have approx. 2 acres on the side and front of my house in Austin County. When can I mow the remaining high grass and not disturb the natural renewal? Also, I plan to purchase more bluebonnet seed ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Prairie Paintbrush and Managing Roadsides April 26, 2005 I have been visiting a piece of land beside I-35 for quite a few years now. It is home to tons of different plants, but it really has a fantastic show of Prairie Paintbrush - the multicolored ones, n... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Germination and propagation of bluebonnets April 25, 2005 I live in Austin. Last fall I spread a load of dirt on my lawn to provide soil contact for the 2 pounds of bluebonnet seeds I subsequently spread (this was in early November). The germination rate a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Possibility of survival of Genus Castilleja in Wisconsin April 04, 2005 In traveling through Texas last week we noticed many many little orange flowers which are absolutely fascinating. I found a picture of that flower in your website for Wildflower Days 2005 in the to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Propagation of Indian Paintbrush March 28, 2005 I have tried for years to propagate Indian Paintbrush and have had no luck-started inside or outside in the fall down't seem to matter. What can I do to get them to grow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| More on bluebonnets March 28, 2005 I am flying a photographer in on April 7, 2005, for a special art project on Bluebonnets. We have 3 days set aside for the shot. Where are THE best places to capture Bluebonnets in the wild? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets March 23, 2005 When (month and week) do you think the "peak of bluebonnet blooming" will be this year in the Austin, Fredericksbug, and Llano, Texas area? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets March 02, 2005 There are several different species of bluebonnets that grow in Texas. Which one is the official state flower? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets March 02, 2005 Where can I find seeds for maroon bluebonnets? I understand that Texas A&M has developed cultivars for this plant in as many as four colors. I haven't been able to find a source for them. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets February 17, 2005 We live on a farm and have recently had a cow that was deathly sick, then finally got better. We also had a couple of calving problems with the cows. I was reading about how toxic tailcup lupine is to... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Peak times for viewing wildflowers in Texas January 25, 2005 We are planning a trip to Texas to see wildflowers this spring. I have time off March 17-25. Would you expect to see much in bloom then? What area might be the best to visit? Does anyone put reports o... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Visiting Texas for bluebonnets December 29, 2004 I know rainfall amounts in the winter affect the blooming of bluebonnets in the spring. I am thinking about visiting Texas this spring. What should I be looking for in rainfall amounts? I will watch... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets November 29, 2004 We would like to know if the bluebonnet wildflowers are suitable for New Orleans and, if so, which months should they be seeded. Otherwise what can you suggest for our humid climate. We like blue, lav... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets August 26, 2004 This year's strange summer weather has lead to a very unusual event. I have a second bloom on my Bluebonnet garden. I first noticed the blooms last week, and contacted my local nursery to confirm the... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Smarty Plants on showiest time for wildflower blooming August 22, 2004 I have been to Austin a few times, but never during wildflower season. Can you suggest to me what would be the ideal time to come? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets July 28, 2004 My bluebonnets are still blooming out of season! What is the general season for bluebonnets to grow? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| More on bluebonnets June 22, 2004 When do the bluebonnets bloom in the Austin - San Antonio, Texas area? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets March 22, 2004 My Bluebonnets have taken over my flowerbed. Are there plants that can be planted along with Bluebonnets in a flowerbed? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mowing Bluebonnets March 20, 2004 When is it safe to mow Bluebonnets? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bluebonnets and Texas March 20, 2004 Can I plant Bluebonnets outside of Texas? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| White Bluebonnets March 15, 2004 Are white Bluebonnets rare? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Visit Texas to see the Bluebonnets March 14, 2004 When is a good time to visit Texas to see the Bluebonnets? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Bluebonnets and the law March 14, 2004 Is it illegal to pick Bluebonnets? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | | |
| Baby Butts in Bluebonnets March 14, 2004 Do photo sessions in the Bluebonnet patch cause harm to the plants? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Strangling Bluebonnets March 14, 2004 I have some Bluebonnets that are being strangled by some strange rope-like plant. What’s going on here? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Illegal to pick wildflowers March 14, 2004 Is it illegal to pick wildflowers? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets May 09, 2003 When can I harvest my Bluebonnets? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Wildflower driving tours April 07, 2003 Where can I learn about wildflower driving tours in the hill country area? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets March 10, 2003 Clover has taken over and just about covered the Bluebonnets. Is there any way of removing the clover such as with fertilizer or something else? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| When the bluebonnets bloom January 31, 2003 Can you tell me when the bluebonnets are in bloom? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| More on bluebonnets January 22, 2003 Do you have a sense of a peak viewing time for Bluebonnets for this spring? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Best preparation time for wildflower garden for summer January 21, 2003 Is it too late in late Fall to prepare a wildflower garden for next spring/summer? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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