Always Best to Buy (or GROW) Organic Produce?

Lately, I'm getting more requests from my landscaping clients who've never considered themselves gardeners to grow their own food. And they want to do it organically. Horror stories of tainted greens drive many to question what else they might be buying in that bag of lettuce or spinach. Restaurants, bars, and even airlines blame skyrocketing prices for dropping lime…

The Strike of The Poison Sisters (ivy, sumac, & oak)

My friend Kylee announced last week she had contracted a common gardening disease. My exposure coincided with hers, although we live nowhere close to one another. And we aren't unique this time of year. As seedlings emerge in the warm spring sun, so do we gardeners. For the 85% of Americans who react to some degree to a plant…

Best fertilizer? Holy crap, BATMAN!

We've put in some new plants this spring and wondered what type of fertilizer you'd recommend. Depends. What type of plants? What type of soil?  The best fertilizer for all plants and all soil types is rich soil. Don't have that yet? Here's my favorite fertility Rxs for the plantings here in my Texas garden. Here goes:…

Poinsettia Pointers & Other Plants to Ring in the New Year

If you're like me, it's tough passing up after-Christmas bargains. And since my drug of choice is plants, a trip to the nursery the 1st week of January means I'll extend the season with HUGE, beautiful poinsettias for less than $5 each. I look at this as a quick high, a temporary fix, though. You…

Weeds or Woes? Choosing an Organic Method COULD Save Your Life!

Recently I heard you speak and you mentioned using RoundUp could hurt more than the weeds in my yard. Can you explain? Happy to expound on this one. A few weeks ago a neighborhood association asked me to look over their contract with a local lawn maintenance company. Immediately I redlined a problem: it specifically…