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.
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

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Tuesday - January 03, 2012
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Planting, Seasonal Tasks, Trees
Title: Planning garden tasks in advance from Austin
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
My yard was a disaster last year-grass and trees browning, early leaf fall on flowering plants, and water bills sky high, even with the limited watering days. What can I do this year to prevent this sort of thing from happening over and over?ANSWER:
What a good time for New Year’s resolutions, aside from losing weight and cleaning out the garage. Unfortunately, many of the questions we answer have to do with correcting something that has already been done. Short of inventing a time machine, we don’t know of much that can be done about planting and care mistakes made in the past, what we call the “Oops” factor. Once you have planted a tree in August in the summer and watched it die before Spring, or put in a water gulping lawn during drought and watering limitations, or tried to grow a plant needing full sun in shade, it is too late to save those plants, or the money, water, purchase expenses and back muscles already expended.
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