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Tough as Texas: Why the Native Post Oak Deserves Our Respect
Discover the resilient East Texas post oak (Quercus stellata), its key role in local ecosystems, and why protecting its sensitive root zone matters.
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Earth-Kind Lecture to Feature Using Native Plants
Learn how to design stunning, orderly landscapes using native plants that support pollinators at an upcoming Earth-Kind program featuring expert Dawn Stover.
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Fruit Woes
It’s been a tough year for fruit trees. Here’s an excerpt from my friend Dr. Tim Hartmann’s Texas Fruit Newsletter. Tim is our Extension Fruit Specialist in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University: “As we approach the end of the spring season, it’s becoming more and more evident how yields are shaping…
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Let the Rain Do the Work: A Garden Rooted in Earth-Kind, Permaculture, and Texas Superstars
On a warm East Texas afternoon, it is easy to forget that water is one of our garden’s most precious resources. The hose turns on, sprinklers spin, and we move on with our day. But research-based guidance from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension reminds us that the most successful gardens are not the ones that use…
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Start Composting; What? Why? How?
Compost is nature’s gift to gardeners. It is nutrient-dense humus from decomposed biological organisms that enriches the soil and gives nutrients to plants, which in turn, reduces your need to buy chemical fertilizer. Compost can amend sandy soil to help retain water and help plants take root, and it can amend clay soil to break…
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Spring’s Promise
There’s a certain magic to spring in East Texas—one that feels especially alive as Easter approaches. It’s not just a change in the weather; it’s a full awakening. Lawns green up almost overnight, trees unfurl fresh leaves like they’ve been saving them for a special occasion, and gardeners everywhere begin that familiar ritual of stepping…
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Vines Are Fine
In this new day of earth friendly gardening vining or climbing plants certainly have a role to play. Flowering vines can bring us a vibrant wall of color during the blooming seasons. Whether it’s tumbling over a fence or creeping up over a pergola or arch they can add shade and a feeling of privacy,…
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The Hungry Caterpillar —Butterflies Are Caterpillars First
Every beautiful butterfly was once a caterpillar, and caterpillars have to eat. This may surprise you, but the average caterpillar has a very restrictive diet, feeding on only a few plants, and some caterpillars can only eat one type of plant. We call these host plants. And without them, there would be no butterflies. So, what…
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Regenerative Horticulture
As we close out another year in East Texas gardens, sometimes soggy and sometimes sun‑scorched, it’s worth looking ahead to a concept that’s gaining real traction across the country: regenerative horticulture. It’s a mouthful, but the idea is simple. Instead of gardening in ways that merely sustain the soil, regenerative gardening actively improves it. Think…
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Sasanquas are Fall Treasures
When the days shorten and summer’s riot of color fades, East Texas gardeners are rewarded with one of the most elegant shrubs we can grow: the sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua). These graceful evergreens step into the spotlight just as many plants are winding down, offering blooms from October into December. Their timing alone makes them…
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Plantsgiving
When we think of Thanksgiving, we usually picture roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and family gatherings. But beneath all of that is a deeper truth: Thanksgiving is, in many ways, a celebration of plants – of harvest, seeds, foliage, color, and the natural rhythms of the earth, thus – Plantsgiving! Thanksgiving is more than just…
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Functional Front Yards
Something quietly magical is happening in neighborhoods across the country. The front yard is coming back to life. No longer just a manicured patch of lawn or a decorative buffer between sidewalk and home, today’s front yards are evolving into vibrant, welcoming spaces that invite connection. They are becoming the heart of neighborhood life where…
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Waiting for the Oxblood Lilies
If we can survive until October, East Texas will enjoy what I like to call a “second spring.” Meanwhile, as the blazing heat of summer begins to ease, our gardens shift gears. Ruby-throated hummingbirds and monarch butterflies begin their long migrations, while a burst of deep red oxblood lilies signals “the end is in sight.”…
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Landscaping for Energy Conservation
Our typical Texas summer has arrived, and my house and landscape are both hot. Mrs. G wants more shade. Energy conservation in the landscape is more than just a marital mandate or environmental buzzword. It is a practical, cost-saving approach that every homeowner can put into action. By following Texas A&M AgriLife’s Earth-Kind® principles, gardeners…
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Let’s Talk Succulents
Let’s start as beginners in the Succulent World. We all start somewhere, right? Succulents are a great way to get started in the plant kingdom. Easy and very rewarding to grow, not to mention just plain fun! Basics, Succulents are defined as plants that have thickened, fleshy and engorged leaves, usually to retain water in…
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