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With drought continuing in many states, now is a great time to analyze water use in your yard. Every day in the United States, more than seven billion gallons of drinking water is used to irrigate landscapes, at least half of which may be wasted! Viewer Tip: Reduce water waste with  an in-ground hose system [...]

Growing native plants that provide edible fruit can be a fun way to explore new culinary options. Chile pequin peppers grow in many parts of the country and are used to spice Southwestern food. Native fruit trees such as plum are available in some plant nurseries, as are Eastern and Texas persimmons. Varieties of prickly [...]

Whether you’re planting in your yard or bringing plants outside for fresh spring air, considering how they handle sunlight is important. Native plants are described at www.wildflower.org/plants,which includes sunlight preferences, but what do you do if you can’t identify a plant? Viewer Tip: Look for certain features shared by sun-loving plants and features common in [...]

Although the drought in Texas and other states in 2011 meant fewer wildflowers bloomed to produce seeds last year, many native plants have a trick up their stems: they produce seeds in plentiful years that  “sit out” lean ones. These seeds can go dormant or lower their metabolism until conditions improve. Fall and winter rains [...]

Native trees beautify landscapes while providing shelter for birds and other wildlife. They also provide shade that lowers home heating costs, as well as fruits, nuts and berries. Whether you want to replace a favorite oak in the near future or learn to care for trees you have, you can learn more about trees that [...]

Drought is expected to hang around in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and many other states into 2012 according to federal experts.  But gardeners can do many things to help out their outdoor greenery, including watering roots deeply, mulching to insulate the base of plants and replacing water-hogging plants with drought-tolerant options native to their region. [...]

Forests in Central and Eastern Texas have been hit hard by the driest year on record. The drought may also change vistas for decades to come. Some native trees and bushes are doing fine, but others such as Ashe juniper and redberry juniper appear to be dying in the Texas Hill Country. Because these trees [...]

Tired of bagging up leaves each fall? A more eco-friendly option is to compost fallen leaves and other organic matter from your own yard. It’s cheaper than buying compost and provides a nutrient boost for flower plots and your lawn. Viewer Tip: Composting is simple: combine organic matter in a pile that attracts bacteria to [...]

Wild birds primarily feed their young insects, which prefer to live on native plants that they evolved with rather than exotic plants.  Adult birds also rely heavily on native plants for food, shelter and nesting sites. Viewer Tip: Consider adding native plants to your yard during fall planting season.  For example,  the shrub American beautyberry [...]

As you get outdoors this fall, know how to protect yourself if you are allergic to urushiol oil of plants, such as poison ivy and poison oak.  Poison ivy’s appearance can vary greatly between plants and in different locations. It always has three leaflets per stem, but some leaves can be broad and big like [...]

Thanks to ragweed, fall is hay fever season for many Americans. Common ragweed occurs all over the country and is in full bloom in Texas in August and September.  It is often confused with tall goldenrod, a showier native plant across much of the United States. Viewer Tip: The “rag” in ragweed comes from the [...]

With much of Texas in a drought and hot days ahead, consider helping your plants through the sweltering summer season. Plants can cool off by shedding water from leaf surfaces through evapotranspiration. But even evapotranspiration might not protect them from unusually hot weather. Viewer Tip: If you have been careful to fill your sunny spots [...]

Each spring looks a little different because rainfall and temperatures are a huge influence on which wildflowers thrive.  Get up to speed on your local wildflowers and learn how plants interact with climate by looking for changes each year. Viewer Tip: Visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website and give wildflower identification a try [...]

Even if you only have a small patio or window box to work with, you can still add some green to your outdoor space this spring. For gardeners that don’t have the room or the patience to manage large gardens, container gardens are a great alternative. Considering the wide variety of native plants available, you [...]

Did you know that mulch provides year-round protection for your plants?  It provides warmer soil in winter, cooler soil in summer and prevents water from evaporating from the soil too quickly.  Mulch slows weed growth during the warmer spring and summer months, and reduces the impact of foot traffic. Organic and mineral mulches also give [...]

Texas’ highways and roads are a perfect excuse to enjoy beautiful spring weather while taking in the fabulous wildflowers native to the state. Initial signs suggest the early spring bloomers such as Indian paintbrush and Texas bluebonnets won’t be as plentiful as last year’s exceptional crop. However, last year’s bumper crop of flowers provided lots [...]

A study by the New York Botanical Garden found that 50 species of native plants have disappeared from that metro area in the past century. In California, a 2008 study by the University of California-Berkeley and Duke University found that two-thirds of the state’s native plants will lose most of their range in the future. [...]

Planting trees that provide shade will not only save you money on your energy bill, but will prove to be a long term investment that can improve the look of your home.  In most parts of the country,  it is good to plant deciduous trees on the west and south sides of the house to [...]