Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Questions From Near You

Henly, TX
Plants for cleared area by creek
Hi Mr. Smarty Pants. My front "yard" is about 2 1/2 sloping acres with a wet weather creek at the bottom. It has been recently cleared of cedar. The cedar is now shredded and acts as a cover to he...
view the full question and answer

Henly, TX
Propagating Dakota vervain (Glandularia binpinnatifida)
Dakota Vervain. We recently moved into a new house in Henly--Hays/Blanco county line. Mother nature was kind enough to provide us w/Dakota Vervain in some of our planting beds while we are getting...
view the full question and answer

Henly, TX
Native grasses that are shade tolerant for Central Texas
I recently purchased acreage in Henly (Dripping Springs area). The property has a large stand of big Live Oaks, Black Jack Oaks and Cedar Elm trees. The area has not been grazed for several years an...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs., TX
Why is cedar pollen so heavy this year?
Dear Mr Smarty, Is this year a heavier than normal year for cedar pollen?? If so why?
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Do Deer Eat Orchid Trees?
I have planted three anacacho orchid trees, however we have a lot of deer around us. Is this a tree they will want to eat? Do you have any ideas to keep deer away?
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Pros and cons of live oak leaves left on ground in Dripping Springs TX
What are the pros or cons of leaving live oak leaves on the ground around trees or bushes?
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Germination of golden dalea seeds
I have collected some golden dalea seeds. I live west of Austin in caliche soil. How would one germinate these seeds? What time of year should I plant them? What kind of seed treatment? Should I scari...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Root lengths of Central Texas wildflowers
I'm looking for lengths of the roots of wildflowers of Central Texas. It would be particularly helpful to know the really long ones. Any native prairie flowers or grasses would do.
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Landscape designers for Texas Hill Country
I need to locate a landscape designer for a Texas Hill Country property. Can you help?
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Will mowing live oak seedlings contribute to Oak Wilt from Dripping Springs TX
I live near Drippings Springs, TX. Will mowing live oak seedlings contribute to the spread of oak wilt?
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Root ball disintegrating on Arroyo sweetwood from Dripping Springs TX
I just purchased a arroyo sweetwood in a 5 gallon container and when I went to put it in the ground the root ball completely fell apart. I put it in the ground and watered it really good. What are its...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Bluebonnets emerging early after cool, wet spring
Typically I see bluebonnet seedlings begin to erupt in the early Fall. But this year, I began to see seedlings almost immediately after my crop went to seed. In fact, it is now early August and I ha...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Native Plant Suggestions for Dripping Springs
I have a very dry commercial property in Dripping Springs TX where the dry sand/dust isn't a good rain conductor (whenever we get rain). What can we plant there? We have no irrigation and use a rai...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Will recent freezes delay wildflowers from Dripping Springs TX
What effect will the recent freezing temperatures have on the Texas Hill Country Wildflowers? Will it delay blooming? Thank you!
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Large oak with possible Laetiporus fungus
We have a huge oak tree in front of our new house. After the first rain this fall a large fungal growth appeared in an old knothole of the tree and I would guess that it is Laetiporus. A neighborho...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Weedy buffalo grass from Dripping Springs, TX
I have a buffalo grass lawn. It is thin and filled with weeds. I would like to find a solution to improve my lawn. I prefer a native grass but I need to be able to control the weeds and I am not ph...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Mowing equipment
My 10 acre property along a creek in N. Hays Co. includes roughly 7 acres that is a woodland / meadow mix. I want to find a mower that I can set to a 6" cutting height, yet anything smaller than a fu...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
How to deal with wild verbena.
Hello. I have a great 9 acres of black dirt in Dripping Springs! However now that I have cleared cedar, and then w/the great rains came...I am being taken over by wild verbena. (purple)..looks like wi...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Severely cutback sloping soil in Dripping Springs TX
We have 5.5 acres off Henly Loop just north of Hwy 290 about 10 miles west of Dripping Springs, TX. The former property owners carved out soil from a sloping area to get soil for the driveway. Doing ...
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Advisability of trimming oak trees in August
In general,what is your opinion on pruning oak trees in August? If it is positive, should the extreme moisture of this year affect the timing?
view the full question and answer

Dripping Springs, TX
Source for Crossvine and time to plant
I live in Dripping Springs, Texas. I would like to plant a cross-vine in my back yard. When can I plant the cross-vine? Where can I purchase them in my area?
view the full question and answer