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 is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Saturday - April 26, 2008
From: Irving, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation
Title: Planting bluebonnets near pond area
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We want to scatter bluebonnet seeds on the banks of a pond area in a housing addition. Do we have to do anything special? How do they do it along highways?ANSWER:
Please visit our "How to Articles" page where you will find all your answers about growing bluebonnets in three articles: How to Grow Bluebonnets, How to Grow Bluebonnets: Rhizobium FAQs, and How to Grow Bluebonnets: Scarification FAQs. There are other articles on the same page that might also be useful to your project (e.g., Meadow Gardening and Roadside Planting).Many bluebonnet seeds are maturing now and will start dropping to produce next year's plants; but, as you will see from the articles, the best time for you to sow your bluebonnet seeds is in the fall, ideally in early October. Please realize that it will take a couple of years for the bluebonnets to become well-established—so be patient and you will soon have a beautiful blue patch each spring.
More Propagation Questions
Trimming bloom stalks of iris
April 15, 2008 - Mr. Smarty: I live in Nevada, and have some very beautiful Iris plants. They have all blossomed and now I am left with stems. Is there any way I can cut them back so they blossom again? If so how shou...
view the full question and answer
Adventitious sprouts on oak tree in Austin
April 26, 2010 - Hello, I have an Oak tree which was planted in about 2002, which has adventitious sprouts. The tree has always sent these up, and we cut them off below ground. The tree has always been a 'runt', b...
view the full question and answer
Iris brevicaulis in Southwest Michigan
April 22, 2007 - We live in Kalamazoo, MI (Southwest Michigan Zone 6) and discovered last year that we have an iris brevicaulis (we think) growing (and very pretty) on our property. It has the "zig zag" stem. It see...
view the full question and answer
Why do some plants resprout in Spring from Crestwood KY
December 08, 2009 - I am a 5th grade student at Crestwood Elementary School; and one of my classmates came up with an excellent question that I can not answer. Here it is: Why do some plants (like bulbs) resprout in ...
view the full question and answer
Moving milkweed to another location in Maine, NY
April 15, 2010 - I live in up-state New York. I have a 'patch' of milkweed growing where I don't really want it to grow - but have left it because the butterflies and bees love it. I would like it to grow in my ba...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |