Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Questions From Near You

Paige, TX
Grasses for shady acreage in Paige, TX
My family recently bought property in Paige, TX. We thinned out the dense vegetation leaving pines and some oak and juniper. The ground is now bare sand throughout much of the property, except for th...
view the full question and answer

Paige, TX
Interested in planting wildflowers in the area of Paige, TX.
Interested in planting wildflowers in the area of Paige, TX.
view the full question and answer

Paige, TX
Seeds for native Sandyland Bluebonnet
I live in Bastrop County Texas and would like to plant our native Sandyland Bluebonnet, Lupinus subcarnosus. I have checked most of the native plant supply firms, but can't find this species (except...
view the full question and answer

Paige/Bastrop, TX
Ground cover for burned acreage in Bastrop, Texas
The fire took 2/3 of the trees on my half acre in Bastrop County. It was mostly wild. What do I plant for ground cover? Do I plant native grass seed in fall? I want to keep it native as possible. ...
view the full question and answer

McDade, TX
Bacterial spot in peach tree in McDade TX
I have a Red Globe peach tree which was planted in February 2008. The local agricultural extension agent identified the tree as having Bacterial Spot in November 2008. They recommended copper hydrox...
view the full question and answer

McDade, TX
Plants referred to as Hummingbird plants
We have a a plant that is sometimes called a Hummingbird Plant, sometimes a Firecracker plant. I have also seen the name lonicera sempervirens. Are they poisonous? This is a plant, not a vine. T...
view the full question and answer

Lincoln, TX
Brown spots on young redbuds in Lincoln TX
I have lined my driveway in Lee County Texas with Red bud trees purchased both in Dripping Springs and in College Station. The 14 trees are of varying ages and heights (planted during the fall and wi...
view the full question and answer

Giddings, TX
Keeping cows from eating the garden
I have a flowerbed area outside of our new split-rail fence available for planting, but cattle roam outside the fence also! Do you have any suggestions for plants that cows tend not to eat (unle...
view the full question and answer

Bastrop , TX
Plants for Bastrop TX
I'm hoping you can help with this. Recently I have moved to Bastrop TX on what used to be Camp Swift military property. We have looked into planting grass and plants in the yard but discovered we hav...
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Grasses and wildflowers for Central Texas
I live between Bastrop and Paige and would like to know native grasses or types of wildflowers I can plant now. thank you
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Evergreen plants with showy flowers for pots in Central Texas
I'm looking for evergreen plants with showy flowers suitable for Central Texas. Plants need to do well in pots.. they will be planted in flower boxes in my very sunny porch. thanks!!!
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Propagation of Texas sage from Bastrop, TX
Am I wasting my time trying to transplant texas sage runners? Any advice?
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
When do you put out bluebonnet seeds in Bastrop, TX?
When do you put out bluebonnet seeds?? I hear fall but don't the seeds pop out of dried up plants in early summer?
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Evergreen non-native herbs for Bastrop TX
I'm looking for evergreen herbs for Bastrop Texas. I planted an herb garden in the spring of 2009, but mostly all of them died in the winter. Rosemary, Tarragon and Sage made it. thank you!
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Evergreen deer resistant shrub for Texas
I live in Bastrop TX and the deer have decimated the landscaping at the end of our sidewalk. I need to find compact, evergreen shrubs, (flowering would be a bonus), that will do well in shade and gro...
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Groundcovers to replace meadow grasses
Are there any groundcovers that are tolerant to local conditions between Bastrop and Elgin and hardy enough to takeover meadow grasses? I have a couple of acres that was a meadow before I moved here e...
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Moving Iris bulbs
I will be moving and want to take my Iris bulbs with me. Can I dig them up now that they are in flower?
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Native sun plants for Bastrop TX
We live in the Bastrop area and have a 21 ft. by 15 ft. sunny area. We also need help with a list of native plants and want to start planting from tallest to short. Can you please advise?
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Grasses to stabilize creek bed in Bastrop County, Texas
Hello, we have property in Bastrop county, the soil is sandy loam with clay underneath. We need to stabilize a creek bed, can you suggest any particular grasses (seed) for this? Know it's not the be...
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Possible freeze damage in Wax Myrtle from last winter in Bastrop, TX
Our Wax Myrtle is about 7 yrs old and in good shape until this past winter when we had several very hard freezes. Now several of the large branches are dead and more are dying each month. We have not ...
view the full question and answer

Bastrop, TX
Need help with powdery mildew and mites in Bastrop, TX
I tend to flower beds for the city. I have noticed a powdery mildew in 2 beds. It is on the Pavonia and Turks caps. I now notice mites. What should I do?
view the full question and answer