Native Plants

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Thursday - February 13, 2014
From: Chappell Hill, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seasonal Tasks, Seeds and Seeding, Wildflowers
Title: Latest time to mow bluebonnets from Chappell Hill TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
The past few years, my bluebonnets have been overwhelmed by tall grass. I could have solved this by mowing later, but I was always afraid of mowing new bluebonnet plants. When is the latest time I can safely mow without cutting young bluebonnet plants?ANSWER:
Late Fall. The Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet) are probably already up, preparing to bloom soon and then go to seed in the Summer. If you absolutely must mow now, you will sacrifice the seedlings for this Summer's growth, blooms and seeds for next year. There will be some residual seeds in the soil which will probably sprout next year, and they will likely do better without all the shade and competition from the grasses. However, if you mow now you will lose this spring's bloom and therefore this fall's seeds and should not expect much next year. You might even have to reseed - you really need to let the plants do their own job of seeding.
More Seasonal Tasks Questions
High mowing equipment for Llano TX
November 03, 2012 - We're trying to follow your wildflower meadow recommendation "if your meadow has tall, warm-season native grasses, wait until late summer or early fall to mow, allowing them to elongate, flower, and...
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Moving a red oak away from the house foundation
January 24, 2008 - About a 3 weeks ago I noticed a 5 ft. red oak growing in my flower bed. I hadn't noticed it growing up through my shrubs until the leaves turned bright red. The problem is that its coming up about tw...
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Trimming native salvias in January
January 17, 2008 - I have heard you can trim Hot Lips, Raspberry and other salvias back severely in January, to about six inches from the ground. Is this correct?
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Toxicity of horticultural oils
July 20, 2007 - Is T&S dormant oil spray a toxic product? Our church (Prairie Creek Baptist in Plano, Texas) is transitioning to organic/native landscape. This is the product used by the current lawn service.
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Cutting Back Perennials in the Fall?
November 13, 2013 - We have large beds of flowering native perennials that we planted around our house as part of a landscape conservation plan (various Joe-Pyes, goldenrods, turtlehead, blazing star, brown-eyed Susans)....
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