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Gardening Basics

Purslane for Flame-Resistant, Hot Summer Color

Purslane, a vibrant and resilient plant, is a delightful addition to any garden in San Antonio, Texas. Known for its remarkable ability to thrive in hot climates, it is a gardener's dream come true; especially when the steamy months arrive. Purslane Growing...

Knock Out®: Bold Color, Resilient, Low Maintenance Roses

Knock Out® roses have been a favorite selection of San Antonio gardeners, as well as new rose growers, for some time now. As a matter of fact, when someone is adamant about adding a rose to their landscape, but doesn’t know much caring for the oftentimes finicky...

Balance: Control for Garden Pests vs. Protection for Pollinators

Today is Earth Day, and with May being right around the corner, I felt the need to write about the delicate balance of controlling garden pests and protecting our local wildlife and essential pollinators.   May is generally the month that pest activity begins to...

Growing Okra in San Antonio, Texas

Okra is a popular and versatile vegetable that thrives in the warm climate of San Antonio, Texas. These are hot weather loving veggies. When many other veggies are shutting down production due to the heat of summer, you can usually count on okra to keep fruiting. When...

Junipers: Texture and Beauty in a Low Maintenance Groundcover

Juniper ground covers can be a fantastic addition to your garden in San Antonio, Texas. Junipers offer an evergreen groundcover with unique texture for year-round visual interest in your landscape. These low-growing plants not only provide excellent ground coverage...

Look at Those Melons! What Cantaloupe Needs

It’s time! Melons can be planted in our San Antonio gardens now, hooray! Have you always wanted to plant a melon, but just didn’t have the information you needed to be successful? Well, it’s your lucky day today. We’re sharing some tips for growing melons in our area....

Composting 101: Compost Class Recap and Extra Tips

We recently hosted a great Composting 101 class with Karen Gardner, BCMG and vegetable specialist, and came away with some great tips for how to easily make your own compost. Easy is the key here. We are not diving into anything too complicated. The consensus of the...

Laura Bush Petunias: Reseeding Annuals that Take Texas Heat!

Last week I bragged all about Vista® Bubblegum® petunias, and rightly so. They are fantastic! Many of you came out and scooped them all up (we got more... just saying). But today is all about Laura Bush petunias. If you haven’t yet heard of these, they are just as...

Bubblegum® Petunias: Tons of Blooms in a very Hardy Annual

The Supertunia Vista® Bubblegum® petunia is truly a sight to behold with its vibrant pink flowers that add a pop of color to any garden. This delightful plant is not only beautiful but also tough, especially when it comes to surviving in a place like San Antonio,...

Hurry! Window is Closing to Prevent Sticker Burs (Grass Burs)

Field sandburs, also known as sticker burs or grassburs, can be a pesky problem for those in San Antonio, Texas. These prickly weeds are especially prevalent in our region and can quickly take over your lawn if left unchecked. Understanding the lifecycle of sandburs...

Plant Early to Extend Early Spring Color

When it comes to planting cool weather spring annuals, perennials, or herbs in Texas, timing is everything. By planting these colorful or flavorful early offerings, you can enjoy a longer flowering and/or harvesting season and have your garden bursting with vibrant...

Read Labels for Effective Pest and Disease Control

When it comes to gardening and using pesticides or fungicides, one of the most crucial steps that gardeners often overlook is reading the labels on these products. The information provided on the labels is not just there for legal reasons; it serves as a valuable...

How to Properly Prune Crape Myrtles: Do’s and Don’ts

Crape Myrtles are a beautiful addition to any garden or landscape. To ensure they grow to their full potential, it's essential to prune them the correct way. Here are some tips to help you properly prune your Crape Myrtles and maintain their health and beauty. Do's...

Early Tomatoes Spring or Fall, Grow Now to Enjoy Them All!

Tomatoes. They are one of our favorite harvests to enjoy, but they do take some work to produce. You can’t plant too early; you can’t plant too late. They’re hungry and thirsty plants, but when you take a bite out of a fresh, homegrown tomato, most of think they are...

Rooted In: Planting Beets in San Antonio

Planting root vegetables, like beets, can be a rewarding and delicious experience for any gardener. They tend to be some of the easier vegetables to grow, making them great choices for teaching young gardeners. Late winter/early spring or mid fall are great times to...

Planting Roses in San Antonio, Texas

Early spring brings you the best selections of roses at Rainbow Gardens here in San Antonio, Texas. Late winter to early spring is the right time to plant them here as well. We pot up our bareroot roses in January so that means when you buy them now, they aren't full...

Planting Trees in San Antonio: Essential Things to Know

If trees are something you are thinking about planting in your landscape for the new year, don’t delay. While fall is the best time to plant, winter and early spring (really early spring) are runners up. Although the cold weather will shut down the growth of the tops...

Winter is a Good Time to Prevent (and Treat) for Scale

Scale pests are a common problem for gardeners and plant enthusiasts in San Antonio, Texas. These tiny insects attach themselves to the stems and leaves of plants, sucking out the sap and causing damage to the plant. If left untreated, scale infestations can kill...

Hardy Fruit Trees: Facts For Making Good Choices

Did you know that winter is the best time to plant hardy fruit trees? Planting from mid Dec through February, when fruit trees are dormant, is less stressful for trees and helps to reduce transplant shock. This time period also gives roots the time it needs to develop...

The Importance of Fallen Leaves: Golden Garden Gifts!

All too often, when the season changes and leaves begin to fall, it’s the sound of groans that are heard from homeowners thinking about daily raking, or carrying around a heavy leaf blower on a weekly basis. We think the sound we hear should be squeals of joy.  ...
Fruit and Pecans in September in San Antonio

Fruit and Pecans in September in San Antonio

Thank you for joining us for the latest Happy Gardener. Today we’re bringing you a couple of things to keep in mind when it comes to fruit and pecan trees the month of September. Hopefully you have been keeping these trees well-watered through the brutal summer; extra...

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Fall and Winter Veggies: What and When to Plant and Why

Fall and Winter Veggies: What and When to Plant and Why

Before diving into our discussion of fall and winter veggies and how and when you should grow them, I’d like to offer up a timely gardening PSA.  Don’t delay prepping the soil in your garden beds. This is the single most important garden task you can do to increase...

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4 Ornamental Grasses to Give a Try this Fall

4 Ornamental Grasses to Give a Try this Fall

Ornamental grasses are of huge interest in the Texas landscape during fall. They push out their ethereal, airy plumes at this time of year and really take their turn as a showstopper in your landscape. You can plant them as stand alone specimens, use smaller varieties...

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End of Summer Garden Maintenance and Fall Garden Planning

End of Summer Garden Maintenance and Fall Garden Planning

Not that I can do anything about it, but I am sorry this summer has been so brutal. Gardening is, I can't believe I'm going to say this....not fun right now! We've reminded you to take care of yourself in the heat. We've offered up plants for your garden that we know...

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Make the Most of Your Watering During San Antonio Summers.

Make the Most of Your Watering During San Antonio Summers.

I don’t really want to start this blog off by whining, but I will. Man do we need some rain! There are no secret tricks to offer right now to keep your garden and lawns surviving through the rest of the summer if we don’t get some rain soon. You will just need to make...

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Houseplants: Garden in the Great Indoors through Summer!

Houseplants: Garden in the Great Indoors through Summer!

How are you guys holding up this week? It's been hot, man! These are the type of weeks that I get very tempted to look out the window at my plants and say, "You're on your own." Due to the strong desire to stay indoors, but still having a hankerin' for some gardenin',...

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Vinca: Vibrant Hot-Weather Annuals for Texas Heat

Vinca: Vibrant Hot-Weather Annuals for Texas Heat

When looking for a vibrant summer display for our garden beds, containers, and hanging baskets, many of us here in San Antonio look forward to planting vinca, a.k.a. periwinkle. It's important to know that there are other  vinca plants out there. We are talking about...

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San Antonio Summer Planting: Plants Dos and Don’ts

San Antonio Summer Planting: Plants Dos and Don’ts

I don't want to be a complete downer, but I recently saw a 'Texas Summer' meme that rang true and I wanted to share it. It basically said, "Just a heads up to all you newbies out there, Texas is currently just preheating." Temperatures have been pretty pleasant thanks...

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