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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - February 18, 2008
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Compost and Mulch
Title: Instructions for composting in southeast Texas
Answered by: Stephen Brueggerhoff and Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Do you ever offer composting classes? I live in Houston and would like to start composting in my backyard... are there any particular books you would recommend for composting in SE TX? Thank you!ANSWER:
While our workshop series focuses on basic horticultural knowledge, we have yet to tackle an entire class involved with composting; and, believe me, there is a science AND art to composting successfully. However, you should have the tools and resources close to home available to you. I recommend contacting your local Harris County Cooperative Extension agent's office. There is a strong presence of the Master Gardener's (a program supported by the Texas Cooperative Extension Agency) in your county, so definitely hook up with them.
We would also like to recommend a few Internet sites with information about composting:
1. The City of Austin has simple, straightforward instructions for getting started with composting.
2. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service also has a very informative site.
3. There is a very interesting discussion on composting by Journey to Forever.
4. Finally, if you want to know about The Science and Engineering of Composting, Cornell University has a thorough discussion.
For print sources, here are a couple of books recommended by members of our Mr. Smarty Plants group:
Secrets to Great Soil by Elizabeth Stell
Let it Rot! The Gardener's Guide to Composting by Stu Campbell
More Compost and Mulch Questions
Recovering neglected garden space from Grapevine TX
March 22, 2014 - I live in Grapevine TX (Dallas). I just moved into a house where almost the entire large backyard is covered by oak trees that shed tons of leaves throughout our mild falls/winters. The yard has not...
view the full question and answer
Stumps of fallen oaks in Hurricane Irene from Newton PA
September 03, 2011 - Two large red oaks fell in the woods in our yard in Newtown PA due to Hurricane Irene. The trees have been removed, but the stumps remain. Please can you recommend some fast-growing, attractive, nativ...
view the full question and answer
Bird nest fungus in Central Austin, TX.
August 21, 2012 - Hi,
I live in Central Austin and have different types of ground cover (such as silver pony foot)in my garden and have noticed huge patches of bird's nest fungi in between and under. Every time it ...
view the full question and answer
What to do with soil left over from new driveway in Austin
January 07, 2011 - When we had a new driveway put in in Mid-December, the topsoil and weedy grass was scraped into a low pile. I watered it and covered it with black plastic to kill all the plant matter. How long should...
view the full question and answer
Replacement for grass under non-native weeping willow from Yorba Linda CA
April 24, 2012 - What would be a good replacement for the grass currently growing under a weeping willow? Something requiring low maintenance, the problem is with mowing over and around the roots.
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |