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
Wednesday - March 17, 2010
From: Hitchcock, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Compost and Mulch, Propagation, Seeds and Seeding
Title: Time to mulch without inhibiting seeds in Hitchcock, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
When would be the best time of year to put down mulch, if I want my native plants to re-seed? I don't want to bury the seed under mulch layers or new dirt. Thank you.ANSWER:
In Galveston County, which is USDA Hardiness Zone 9, you do not have the need for mulch in the Winter to protect from cold that other sections of the country do. Since most seeds in this part of the country are planted or self-sown by the plants themselves in the Fall, that is the time of year you do NOT want to put down fresh mulch. Mulching in the Summer, by which time the seedlings should all be tall enough to be recognized, will protect from the heat and help to hold moisture in the soil. That mulch will then decompose, further enriching the soil, and making it more welcoming for the next year's seed crops. You are correct in assuming that a tiny seedling is going to find it difficult or impossible to work itself up through a layer of mulch. For more than you really want to know about mulch, see this About.com: Landscaping website on Garden Mulch 101 - Selecting the Proper Garden Mulch.
More Compost and Mulch Questions
Removing St. Augustine for natives in Grapevine TX
September 29, 2012 - We have St Augustine in our yard and we hate it. It guzzles water, we have to cut it often, and it's thick and hard to work with.
Anyway, we want to replace it with a combination of some kind of g...
view the full question and answer
Older leaves yellowing on Savannah holly in Dallas
May 01, 2009 - I planted a Savannah Holly in Dallas, TX in the Fall of 2008. It has new growth and some white buds all over it, but some of the older leaves are turning yellow and dropping off. Is this normal?
view the full question and answer
Submerged paving under lawn
September 07, 2008 - I had 4 patches of rectangular areas (about 4'x6'or more) in my lawn where the grass is fine in spring but totally dies in summer. I decided to till these bare patches so that grass may grow better...
view the full question and answer
Will wood shavings in the soil require nitrogen from Charleston MO
May 04, 2011 - I cut down a big maple tree and a lot of the wood shavings was left in the soil. I planted a flower bed over the area this spring. I later read that the wood chips in the soil would use a lot of nitro...
view the full question and answer
Suitability of Carolina Cherry Laurel for Bulverde TX
October 24, 2012 - The local Home Depot is selling Carolina Cherry Laurel Trees. They look beautiful. Is this a good tree for Bulverde TX..20 miles north of San Antonio? Can it survive? Will it be a high maintenance...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |