Native Plants

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Wednesday - September 26, 2007

From: Katy, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Fertilizing wild bluebonnets
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Can you fertilize wild bluebonnets? If so, with what and when?

ANSWER:

Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The reason those wild bluebonnets are out there doing just fine is that they've been out there doing just fine for millions of years before human beings came along trying to improve on Nature. Read this article on Bluebonnets, which is really written about planting them in your landscape. However, note especially the line that says: "Fertilizing is not recommended and may encourage leggy and weak plants with more leaves than flowers." Protect them from mowing, yes, keep them from being stepped on by picture takers, if you can, yes, enjoy them while they bloom, absolutely, but don't mess with them! And thank you for being interested in the preservation of native plants, especially bluebonnets, from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, which is interested in the same thing.