I have recently had several questions from frantic monarch butterfly lovers that were in dire need of milkweed plants to feed to all the monarch caterpillars they had. Unfortunately, the lack of milkweed leaves to feed these caterpillars has become a real problem for many of us in our area. …

I love my plants. I love to grow them from seed, nurture them, transplant them, fertilize, trim and water them. When they begin growing, I want to do all I can to make sure they can bloom and thrive in the warm and humid climate of Victoria – and that usually means adequate and appropriate t…

Being a gardener usually, in some form or another, involves pottery. Whether to use plastic or clay pots is sometimes a question asked by new gardeners. I find the answer is a matter of taste, but here are some pros and cons of both clay and plastic plant containers.

I find indoor plants tend to be a bit more popular this time of year because of the weather. Cold, damp, cloudy days can keep many gardeners indoors with their indoor plants. That could be a good thing, since it’s been proven that some indoor plants are able to clean the air and reduce stres…

Happy New Year, everyone. Here’s to another year of successful gardening. Hopefully, you will find useful information in the Lunch and Learn programs we have planned for you.

Many homeowners never consider the damage that can possibly be done to their landscapes when adding to their properties. It’s important to plan how to protect your plants during the construction phase of the job.

Last spring, my sister-in-law, Valeria, gave me a tour of their wonderful Connecticut yard and pointed to an area outlined with rocks. She said, “This is where John (my brother) is planting his moon garden.” My response was, “What’s a moon garden?” Valeria casually said, “It’s a garden of al…

Here it is, the end of another year. But it’s still not too late to add more vegetables to your gardens. There is still time for onions, radish, beets, carrots, collards, Swiss chard, leaf lettuce and spinach. There is also time to plant garlic cloves in your garden for spring harvesting.

This year was an extremely busy and rewarding year for Victoria County Master Gardener Association. We hosted four major events, conducted tours for hundreds of visitors to Victoria Educational Gardens and made horticultural presentations throughout Victoria and surrounding counties. We did …

Deer can be one of the biggest challenges any gardener can have. Finding little black beady pellets of dung in your landscape near plants that have been chewed down to nubs is a pretty good sign that you’ve been visited by deer. Gardening with deer can be a challenge, mainly because they alw…

There are all kinds of magic around us this time of year – from lights and decorations to Santa and his helpers with packages galore. The warmth and tidings of Christmas bring families together and home for the holidays, remembering those who have gone before. There are smiles on faces of ch…

Each week the Victoria County Master Gardeners have the honor and privilege to share their knowledge and expertise on gardening tips in this section.

I have a very dear older friend whom I love visiting with. She is in her mid 90s and loves gardening, although her physical health has pretty much brought a halt to that. Even though she can’t do the physical part of gardening she can still “talk” gardening for hours. I love hearing all her …

This week, I want to cover a subject I believe I’ve written about at least once, and maybe even a few times. Because of all the reports and questions I keep getting from people about this problem, I feel it’s necessary to go over it once again.

Have you ever had the experience of visiting a garden and seeing the beautiful tulips, crocuses, paper whites, and other spring blossoms and wishing you had them in your flowerbeds? Oops, you should have started wishing about four to six months earlier. Now is the time to plant those spring-…

Plants with variegated foliage are usually very popular. Many times, variegated plants are used to brighten up shady, dim areas or as focal points in landscapes or even as indoor plants. Variegation in plants is when the normally green portion of the plant is replaced with a white, creamy or…

Victoria County Master Gardener

Most gardeners know what compost is, but many people just don’t really understand how remarkable it is. For example, compost can improve a plant’s, tree’s or lawn’s resistance to both diseases and to insect pests; it can improve the effectiveness of your fertilizers; it helps the soil to hol…

Last March, I purchased a container with four plants. I knew three of them – dichondra, coleus and pothos ivy, but one was a mystery.

Onions are an essential vegetable that is found in most kitchens and can easily be grown in containers or in the ground.

You do not have to leave the local area to enjoy autumn color.

My affection for houseplants began the first time I lived alone. Plants were the only thing that changed while I was at work. Checking on them and observing their growth, needs and unique characteristics intrigued me.

If you have the desire to grow your own vegetables or other plants but are limited on space, small-space gardens are for you.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10. Ready or not, here I come.”

Losing a plant or tree from causes unknown can be disheartening. After Hurricane Harvey, when many people lost trees, I heard many sad stories from homeowners. Of course, in that case, Harvey was to blame for all those damaged trees.

Texas ebony (formerly classified as Pitecellobium flexicaule, now Ebenopsis ebano) is a slow-growing thorny, bushy shrub that can be trained into a single or multi-trunked, medium-sized patio tree. It is valued as a semi-evergreen shade tree with a dense canopy. Other common names include Eb…

Most people realize how important it is to have the proper amount of iron in their bodies to be healthy. Many people don’t realize just how important it is for plants to have access to iron to keep them healthy and strong.

Vermicomposting is the process of using vegetable kitchen waste from meal preparation and other organic materials to make a really fine soil amendment and letting red wiggler earthworms do all (most) of the work. Raising worms, producing rich compost that is very beneficial for plants and di…

Last week’s sudden cold front caught many of us off guard. That sudden cold temperature, along with lots of wind also caught many of our plants off guard. As the weather affects humans, it can also affect plants. The cold front had me wondering if many people realized just how much the weath…

Until just a few years ago, I had never heard of or seen a Persian shield plant, known scientifically as Strobilanthes dyerianus. When I did, I became quite enamored with it. Derivation of name – not from Persia

Here we are in October – what many gardeners call our second spring time. I realize it doesn’t actually feel like fall yet, but we are slowly getting there. Mornings and evenings are starting to feel cooler, and some of us have had some rain, albeit small amounts, but any amount is better th…

Orchids are strikingly beautiful and make wonderful gifts, yet, all too many people enjoy them until they quit blooming and then throw them away.

1015 or 10/15? What does this mean to you? To many gardeners, or non-gardeners for that matter, these numbers mean onions. Not just any onions but the famous Texas Sweet 1015s. This onion variety was developed by a Texas A&M horticulture professor. After 10 years of researching and devel…

By the time late August rolls around, I am so ready for that first cool front. I can almost smell the leaves on the ground. We used to create piles that we would jump into. I was nostalgic for my bedroom in Pennsylvania perched on a hill where I could view the splash of autumnal color in the…