Tesselaar Plants

1. Small can only get bigger. By this I mean that our outdoor spaces will become even smaller as town planners deal with parceling out urban real estate to an increasing number of people. Regardless of the amount of outdoor space most people will enjoy in future - conceivably this will range from courtyards to balconies to kitchen windowsills - the enjoyment and satisfaction from living plants being around us will persist. (I believe this is core to human happiness.) In the meantime the industry should do its best to cater for this demand - compact trees and plants, drought tolerant species for wind-blown balconies, epiphytes for the bathroom and glorious window boxes to mark the changing seasons.

2. Landscaping is buoyant. Everyone is noticing the upturn from the slump. As everyone begins to feel more confident of the future, they're naturally drawn to making more of the garden, especially as money and effort spent on landscaping is a safe investment. For many, down-the-sink travel expenditure is being channeled into both soft and hard landscaping. It's a broad market with the do-it-yourselfers at one end and those contracting the professionals at the other. Regardless of how indirectly-dirty people's hands are getting, the interest and demand for plants is high.

3. Plants as food. This is an interesting one as the stats show that the ever-increasing sales in herbs, vegetables and fruit trees isn't linked with a corresponding level of self-sufficiency. But I don't think that's what is about. I believe growing your own is driven more by the notion of taking control over the food you put in your mouth and - more importantly - the mouth of your child. And how much people are actually harvesting is irrelevant because any success, however small - is incredibly rewarding. The market for this is a broad one, from books on how-to to window-sill pots to fill with herbs, to the herbs themselves, seedlings generally and all the gear - tools, plant labels, trugs, cloches. At the top end there's money being spent on serious potager-inspired hard landscaping.

4. Look to our children. This is a natural follow-on from food plants. Growing appealing fruits and vegetables - strawberries win over radishes any day - helps children learn about basic natural systems. It's fun and has become a mainstream part of the early years curriculum in many countries around the world. Encourage children into the world of plants by catering to their scale with diminutive tools, and imagination, with toy fauna tucked into the foliage. A word of caution: I'd be wary of patronizing, dumbed-down or overly cute products.

5. Bold color: it's kicking in. Front doors are starting to jump out in hot pink and lipstick red and the pots are following suit. Bold color is ebullient and it makes everything look great - indoors or out. The trade fairs have been full of them, filled with wonderfully creative plantings. Some top off the pot color with more color in flowers and foliage. Others restrain the planting to just greenery and let the pot make the statement. Whatever your approach, it's a winner as it makes for brilliant merchandising - it's as simple as rainbows of stacked pots. Adding in some white is, as always, the master stroke.

6. Keep it easy. It's obvious and hardly needs saying, but one thing that is holding its own is the skill and expertise of most gardeners: the majority are enthusiastic novices who are keen to learn. It's in everyone's interests to help them enjoy success and avoid disappointment, and the best way to do that is to offer them good advice and easy care, quality plants. Keep this in mind and the number of people who love being in the garden can only keep growing.

Anthony Tesselaar heads an international project management company dealing in distinctive plants and horticultural research & development.

By Melinda Myers

Gardening columnist 

Don't let lawn weeds get the best of you. These opportunistic plants find a weak spot in the lawn, infiltrate and begin the take over your grass. Take back the lawn with proper care. Your lawn will not only be greener and healthier, but good for the environment.

The grass and thatch layer act as a natural filter, helping to keep pollutants out of our groundwater and dust out of our atmosphere. They also reduce erosion, decrease noise and help keep our homes and landscapes cooler in summer. And a healthy lawn is the best defense against weeds.

Start by identifying the unwanted lawn invaders. Use them as a guide to improve your lawn's health and beauty. Weeds appear and spread when the growing conditions are better for them than the grass. Correct the problem to reduce the weeds and improve the health of your lawn. Killing the weeds without fixing the underlying cause is only a temporary solution. Unless the cause is eliminated the weed problem will return.

Here are a few of the more common weeds, the cause and possible solutions for managing them out of the lawn.

High populations and a variety of weeds mean you need to adjust your overall lawn care practices. Mow high and often, removing no more than 1/3 the total height of the grass at one time. Leave the clippings on the lawn in order to return water, nutrients and organic matter to the soil. This along with proper fertilization using an organic nitrogen slow release fertilizer with non leaching phosphorous can greatly reduce weeds.

Knotweed and plantains often found growing next to walks and drives or other high traffic areas can also be found in lawns growing on heavy poorly prepared soils. These weeds thrive in compacted soil where lawn grasses fail. Reduce soil compaction and improve your lawn's health with core aeration. Aerate lawns when actively growing in spring or fall. Or replace grass in high traffic areas with permeable pavers or stepping stones to eliminate the cause.

Nutsedge is a common weed in wet or poorly drained soils. Improve the drainage to manage this weed. It may mean core aerating the lawn and topdressing with compost, regrading or the installation of a rain garden to capture, filter and drain excess water back into the ground.

Clover and black medic mean it's time to get the soil tested and adjust fertilization. Both thrive when the lawn is starving. Clover was once included in lawn mixes because of its ability to capture nitrogen from the atmosphere and add it to the soil. If these weeds are present, boost the lawn's diet starting this spring with a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer. It feeds slowly throughout the season, promoting slow steady growth that is more drought-tolerant, disease-resistant and better able to outcompete the weeds.

Creeping Charley, also known as ground ivy, violets, and plantains usually get their foothold in the shade and then infiltrate the rest of the lawn. Take back those shady spots by growing a more shade-tolerant grass such as the cool-season grass-fescue or warm season St. Augustine grass. Mow high and fertilize less, only 1 to 2 pounds of nitrogen per growing season, than the sunny areas of your lawn. Or replace the lawn with shade tolerant groundcovers. Adjust your overall care to reclaim and maintain the rest of the lawn.

Crabgrass and Goosegrass are common weeds that follow a hot dry summer. Mow high to shade the soil and prevent many of these annual grass weeds from sprouting. Corn gluten meal is an organic pre-emergent weed killer that can help reduce these and other weeds from sprouting. Apply in spring and fall applications to reduce weeds by as much as 80% in three years.

And, when mowing this year, consider an electric or push mower to manage your lawn in an even more eco-friendly manner.

Austin: Austin Organic Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m. to 1:30 pm, at Zilker Botanical Gardens. Choose your vegetables, ornamentals, seeds, and succulents in a relaxed atmosphere. All plants offered are proven winners for our area. Many experienced organic gardeners will be on hand to help you make your selection. Free and open to the public; entrance fee to the garden required. Enjoy a stroll through the gardens after you shop! For additional information, visit: www.austinorganicgardeners.org.

Austin: Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunshine Community Garden, 4814 Sunshine Drive, Austin. Austin's oldest and largest community garden is having its Annual Plant Sale & Benefit: Grow your Own! Everything for your spring garden: thousands of organic tomatoes, peppers and vegetable plants, culinary and medicinal herbs, flowers, and ornamentals. Bag-your-own compost. Local vendors and live music round out this annual rite of spring for the whole family. Everything for a fun-filled day. Arrive early for best selections and spend the day at the gardens. Rain or Shine!

Dallas: The Harris County master Gardeners' annual Tomato/Pepper Sale will be held 9 a.m.-1 p.m., March 1, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 3033 Bear Creek Dr., Houston. The sale will be preceded by an overview of the plants being sold at 8 a.m.  

Dallas: Save the Rain (Rainwater Collection Class) will be presented Saturday, March 1, 10 a.m. - noon at the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park, 3601 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Dallas.Discover the basics of rainwater harvesting, how to calculate how much rainwater can be collected, and see examples of collection containers at Texas Discovery Gardens. The class is Saturday, March 1, from 10 to noon. Learn how to build your own simple system. $60, $48 for TDG Members. Register online or at 214-428-7476 x343. For more information, visit http://texasdiscoverygardens.org/events_and_classes.php.

La Marque: Texas Tuff Landscape Plants" with GC Master Gardener Sandra Duvall will be presented 9-11:30 a.m., March 1, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension, Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Email reservations to galv3@wt.net, For additional information, call-534-3413 or visit www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

Fort Worth: The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers' School will be held March 3-4 at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. The first day will feature growers describing their sales and floral design strategies for florists, supermarkets, and farmers' markets accounts. Special emphasis on wedding sales and arrangements will be included. Hands-on sessions will allow attendees to make their own hand-tied bridal bouquets using locally-grown Texas flowers. Cut flower production and business management classes will fill the second day. Record keeping for farmers, cultivar selection, efficient field and greenhouse practices, and postharvest handling steps will be covered. Experienced growers will talk about their experience using hoophouses and tunnels for season extension, and the best way to find and break into new markets. The Growers' School is designed mainly for new growers, or those adding cut flowers to their existing lines, but the information presented will be valuable for anyone interested in cut flower production and floral design. Find the full program and registration at www.ascfg.org.

La Marque: "50 Ways to Live a Greener Life" with GC Master Gardener Ken Steblein will be presented 6:30-8 p.m., March 4, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension, Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Email reservations to galv3@wt.net, For additional information, call 534-3413 or visit www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free. 

Houston: At noon on March 4, Harris Country Extension Agent-Horticulture Paul Winski will present the results of the ornamental plant trials held in the demonstration gardens during 2013. Among the plants tested were pentas and caladiums. The presentation will be held in the Bear Creek auditorium at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office, 3033 Bear Creek Dr., Houston. Visitors are welcome and a hamburger lunch is available for $5.

Humble: From noon until 2 p.m. March 5 learn about the plants that will be available for sale at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens' forthcoming March Mart. The presentation will be held at the arboretum, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. For reservations or more information, call 281-443-8731. 

Austin: The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Travis County and Travis County Master Gardeners is presenting a series of five monthly drought-related programs in Austin, which began with a composting program on Feb. 6. The four remaining Dealing with Drought Conditions programs will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on their respective dates at the AgriLife Extension office in southeast Austin, located at 1600-B Smith Road. Each program is $10 for early registration and $15 for late or on-site registration. To register, go to http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu. Still to come: March 6 - Rainwater harvesting. Don't let valuable rainwater wash down the gutter; capture it and use it to water gardens and landscapes. Learn the basics of rainwater harvesting and how to construct a basic system suited to your needs. April 3 - Landscaping to conserve water. Learn proper techniques for watering, feeding and maintaining healthy grasses and landscapes. May 1 - Drip irrigation for the garden. Learn how to install an effective water-wise drip irrigation system and how to monitor its efficiency. Includes an explanation of the irrigation system at AgriLife Extension's demonstration garden. June 5 - Alternative methods of gardening and irrigation. People with time, space or physical limitations can learn how to raise vegetables, herbs and flowers using self-sufficient grow boxes, as well as keyhole gardening and "hugelkultur," to expand their gardening repertoire. For more information, contact Richards at 512-854-9600 or drichards@tamu.edu.  

Conroe: The Montgomery County Master Gardeners are having their annual Spring Sale, featuring perennials, vegetables, herbs and more, on Saturday, March 8, at 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. Program is at 8 a.m.; sale is from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call 936-539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com.

Dallas: Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the greenhouse on this family friendly walk at Texas Discovery Gardens, 3601 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Dallas, Saturday, March 8, at 11 am. It ends in time for the Butterfly Release talk at noon in the conservatory. Included w/admission. For additional information, visit http://texasdiscoverygardens.org/events_and_classes.php.

Humble: From 10 a.m. until noon March 8 learn about the plants that will be available for sale at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens' forthcoming March Mart. The presentation will be held at the arboretum, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. For reservations or more information, call 281-443-8731.

Huntsville: The Walker County Master Gardeners Plant Sale will take place from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. March 8 at the Pilot Truck Stop on Hwy 75 N in Huntsville.  

Humble: March Mart will be held Friday, March 14, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday, March 15, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. One of the Texas Gulf Coast area's largest and most anticipated horticultural events, March Mart features a huge selection, more than 2,000 varieties, of quality plants rarely found at local retail nurseries. Many of these plants are grown by Mercer's volunteers, who will be on-hand to help with selection and offer advice on the cultivation and care of plants offered at the event. Proceeds from the sale benefit the gardens and programs at Mercer.

Brady: Central Texas Master Gardeners Association will host a workshop on March 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. that will focus on fighting invasive species and protecting Texas from their negative effects. The training will be presented by Justin Bush, the Invasive Species Program Manager at the University of Texas - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. The workshop will be held at Brady Housing Authority, 405 E. Main St., Brady. Lunch is provided by CTMGA. There is no charge for the workshop, but space is limited and advance registration is required.To register, call McCulloch Extension Office at 325-597-1295, contact slvanzant@gmail.com, or visit http://tinyurl.com/lo8dsa4.

College Station: "Be Earth-Kind - Compost" will be presented by Master Gardener/Composter Molly Harris, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., March 18, at Cypress Grove Intermediate School, 900 Graham Road, College Station. 

La Marque: "Minimize Tomato Stress Factors to Maximize Yields"with GC Master Gardener Ira Gervais will be presented 9-11:30 a.m., March 29, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension, Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Email reservations to galv3@wt.net, For additional information, call-534-3413 or visit www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

Orangefield: The Orange County Master Gardener Association of Orange will hold their annual Bloomin' Crazy Plant Fair Saturday, March 29 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Jewel Cormier Park, 8235 FM 1442, Orangefield (about 1.5 miles south of IH10 (Exit 869S). Available will be a large variety of plants from annuals, perennials, Texas SuperStars, Natives, vines, butterfly, house, tropical, lilies, citrus, shrubs, trees, vegetables including herbs and a huge selection of tomato and pepper plants. There will be many hard-to-find plants available also. Vendors selling bromeliads, and unique gifts will be available along with Master Gardeners to answer horticulture related questions. Concessions will be available. For additional information, visit www.txmg.org/orange.

• Many, many practical and timely garden tips that are for Texas - not Maine or California!
• Organic, earth friendly tips to make your garden grow and prosper
• Lots of space to record your own activities for future reference
• Planting dates and tips for vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit and lawns

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