Suggestions for shrubs in Houston, TX.
Christina
3 years ago
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bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
3 years agoRelated Discussions
New lawn in shade in Houston, TX
Comments (2)I agree with TW. You are in for a very rough first summer. 90% of the lawns in Houston are St Augustine. The other 90% (!) are bermuda. Bahia is not even a contender. St Augustine is too easy to grow to not use it. If you do not wish to water the lawn, then bermuda is the only alternative. In shade, there is only one grass, St Aug. You are arriving after the second year of a dry spell. That's why you see dead lawns. People have been relying on Mother Nature to provide the water. When that stopped, they gave up. It is not that hard to water a lawn. If your live oak trees are not trimmed up high, you can have that done. Thinning out the trees will let in plenty of light for St Augustine. Pick a good arborist who will thin it without topping (or Pollarding) it. First you have to get rid of the monkey grass. It is very hard to get rid of. You might need to spray with RoundUp to get rid of it. Spray once and give it a week to look dead. During that week water it daily to try and sprout all the weeds that might be in there. After a week it should look dead possibly with some new weeds showing up. Then spray again. Rent a vertical rake to cut out the dead stuff. Set it to go about 1/8 inch deep. Rake or blow all the chaff into a compost pile. Then the surface should be ready to plant. St Augustine should be mowed at the mower's highest setting - always. Water about an inch monthly until the heat comes in. Then increase the frequency until you are watering weekly in the hottest part of summer (June through September). Then back off again. Allow the soil surface to dry out complete so you do not encourage weed seed germination. I would strongly suggest using organic fertilizer because you can use more of it and use it more often than you can chemical fertilizers. You can have a continually great looking lawn instead of going through dormant periods when it is hot and dry. My favorite organic fertilizer for 2012 was alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow). Cost was around $12 for a 50-pound bag at the feed store. Next year will probably be the same....See MorePlanting Mango tree in Houston TX
Comments (75)Hi all I am planning on buying an Alphonso Mango tree. I wanted to know if it is better to keep the tree in a pot or plant it in the ground? I live in Katy. I know the trees planted in the ground are going to need winter protection. I know most of you have had past experiences with growing mangoes in Houston so just wanted to get your advice....See MoreCentral air overflow (?) drain leaking-Houston, TX
Comments (3)It sounds like the primary drain is clogged, and the secondary drain is working as designed. The discharge is put in a very visible place to provide an indication the primary drain is not working correctly. Find the end of the primary drain and use a shop vac to suck the line clean. A wet rag wrapped around the shop vac line and primary drain end will make an adequate seal in most cases. You can also snake the line, or gain access to the pain inside the unit and try compressed air to blow it clean. The shop vac usually does the trick though....See MoreHouston Newbie needs help selecting perennial shrubs
Comments (3)how big is the spot you have ... how about a pic.. whats the plan???? do keep in mind... that even things that are called dwarfs .. do not stop growing at some magical height .... the term is used to describe the annual growth rate .. which is slower than other plants in the same family .. but they will just keep chugging away.. over the years ... ken...See MoreChristina
3 years agoChristina
3 years agobostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoChristina
3 years agobostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
3 years agoChristina
3 years agoChristina
3 years ago
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