• Originally published July 23, 2008 at 4:42 p.m., updated July 23, 2008 at 4:42 p.m.

With the rain that some of us were lucky to get a couple of weeks ago, I’ve noticed how the lawns have started to grow again. I bet all the lawn mowing companies are glad to see the rain. The more rain, the more grass to cut, the more money to be made.

Each summer I talk with more gardeners that have decided to gradually make their lawns smaller. They replace the grass with ground covers. Reason being, to save on water. This is called water-smart landscaping. In the long run, ground covers will require much less water, once they are established. There will also be much less work required to keep ground covers maintained. I suggest for most gardeners to start the first year by converting an area, say about 100 square feet in size, to ground covers. Next year, take another area and convert it, then the next year convert another area, and so on until you have converted all the areas you want. In just a few years you’ll have less grass to water, lower water usage and much less yard work.

For all of you that grow zinnia plants, remember to watch for signs of powdery mildew and spider mites. Try not to wet the foliage of your plants when watering, as this can encourage the mildew. Spraying the plants on a weekly basis with liquid seaweed will help to prevent spider mites. The more you trim your zinnias, the more they will bloom. Regularly cut a bouquet of zinnias to enjoy indoors and to encourage more blooming.

To help prolong the life of your cut zinnias, and other cut flowers, place the stems into a bucket of cool water as soon as you pick them. Adding a floral preservative to the water is a good idea, too. Make your own by mixing 1/2 teaspoon vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 crushed aspirin in 12 ounces of water.

If you have a wisteria vine that is in need of a trim job, now is the time to do that. Cutting it back now will help to encourage new buds for next springs blooming. Wisteria flowers are formed on old wood, and need to be trimmed now to give them time to grow before next spring.

Another plant that needs to be checked this time of year are junipers and other evergreens. Remember those pesky spider mites that get on your zinnias? Well, they also have a liking for evergreens. Look for sections of the shrubs that might be turning brown or signs of a fine web on the foliage. Either of these would be good signs of these pests. You could spray the plant with a strong blast of water from the garden hose. Follow this up with several applications of Neem Oil, Spinosad, Bioganic or the insecticide of your choice. If left untreated, the spider mites could eventually kill the plant. Fertilizing the plant will help keep it healthy. A healthy plant will be better able to recover from all types of stress, whether it be bug attacks, heat, drought or too much water.

If you have a crape myrtle that has not bloomed, or bloomed very little, check to see how much sun it gets. The lack of enough sunlight is usually the cause of them not blooming well. Also, be sure to feed it every month with a good, natural fertilizer. I think Rose Glo is a great choice for all blooming plants. When you have a crape myrtle that has finished blooming and you notice the little seed pods on the ends of the limbs, trim them off. This will encourage them to bloom again. Then in late winter, usually about the middle of February, give the crape myrtle a good pruning. These plants bloom on new growth, so you’ll want to have the pruning completed before you see any new spring growth.

Until next time, let’s try to garden with nature, not against it, and maybe all our weeds will become wildflowers.

Laurie Garretson is a Victoria gardener and nursery owner. Send your gardening questions to laurie@vicad.com or in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77902.

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