Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Your gift keeps resources like this database thriving!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
2 ratings

Saturday - December 11, 2010

From: Kerrville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Butterfly Gardens, Compost and Mulch, Soils
Title: Soil improvement near Kerrville, TX
Answered by: Brigid & Larry Larson

QUESTION:

We live in the Kerrville area; the soil is extremely shallow and deficient. The yard consists of mainly native plants, with a concentration of plants for butterflies and birds. What kind of soil and fertilizer should we add and when? Thanks very much!

ANSWER:

Ahhh – good old Hill country rock soil!  Just for the fun of it – I looked up the soil composition in Kerrville on the USDA Soil Survey - It was just as bad as I expected:    “Typically, the surface layer of the Kerrville soils is calcareous, pale brown gravelly clay loam about 8 inches thick. The next layer to a depth of 15 inches is calcareous, very pale brown clay loam that is 10 percent limestone gravel. The next layer to a depth of 24 inches is calcareous, extremely gravelly clay loam that is 75 percent limestone gravel and flagstones. Below that is coarsely fractured indurated limestone.”

   Congratulations on your native plant garden.  While clay has nutrients in it that plants need, it compacts so readily that the tiny little rootlets on plants that are responsible for picking up nutrients and moisture from the soil cannot access them. You could help your plants by adding a good compost and crushed decomposed granite soil [say about ¾ compost and ¼ crushed granite]. The granite adds trace minerals that your plants will love.  You can also fertilize once a month with seaweed or compost tea (no toxins that may kill butterflies & birds) – do that early in the morning or later in the evening during the bloom season.   However, with a good compost layer you might not even have to fertilize!

Hopefully you can scan the list of suppliers that support the Wildflower Center and find one that offers these kinds of soil.  Alltex Nursery and Landscape is close and a WIldflower Center associate.  Garden-ville offers all the materials recommended and has a store in San Antonio. 

 But, while we’re on the subject – how about setting up a nice compost pile for kitchen and yard waste – your own compost will gradually build up the soil in a really nice natural manner.

 

More Compost and Mulch Questions

Yellow bands around edges of leaves in Whitney TX
July 20, 2009 - How can you tell whether esperanzas are getting too much water or not enough - ours have a small yellow band around the edges of the leaves - crape myrtles - same question
view the full question and answer

Use of fresh clippings from tree trimmers for mulch in Austin
May 02, 2010 - Hi, The tree trimmers are in my neighborhood (east central Austin) to clear the power lines and said I can have a load of free mulch. I am wondering if there is any harm in using the fresh mulch from...
view the full question and answer

Difficulty of watering at drip line of trees from The Woodlands TX
August 18, 2011 - I'm watering my couple dozen native mature trees to make sure they survive this drought and its aftermath..and I'm reading about how to water at the drip line. But..all of my trees' drip lines ext...
view the full question and answer

Berms to hold water around roots
December 05, 2008 - I planted new flower beds this November. There are currently dirt 'berms' around each plant - creating a well for water to seep into the immediate plant area. How can I keep these berms from erodi...
view the full question and answer

Pine bark on non-native St. Augustine grass in Kingwood TX
May 12, 2010 - I had two large Pine trees cut down. In the process of cutting the trees down there is a lot of pine bark from the tree on my St Augustine grass. Will this affect the growth of my grass?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.