VOLUME 13, ISSUE 31 • August 3, 2017

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

Hello, August! We like your looks! Cooler than usual! Put us down for that anytime that you'd like.

I've gathered some important topics for e-gardens today, and hopefully you'll spend a little time reading through them:
• Armyworms marching across Texas;
• More information on crape myrtle scale;
• Garden tasks for early August;
• Fast trees/Fatal flaws;
• Cabbage and its buddies for fall.

One book you need to have…
For a head start on fall landscape and garden improvements, order your copy of Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening right now. Not in stores. Not on Amazon. Only available from my office, and for only $31.95 plus tax and postage. Every book goes out immediately, and I personally sign every book. Great for your own personal reading. Great for gifts and housewarmings. Covers every aspect of outdoor gardening.

Order from my website or call my office weekdays 9-5:30 at (800) 752-4769.

Photo: Pentas are still looking fabulous even toward the end of the summer.

It's Cole In Here!

Horticulturists and botanists get that one. "Cole" crops refer to cabbage (as in cole slaw) and its relatives, and this is the time to be planting them across Texas - the next couple of weeks. I have the pertinent facts.

Photo: Brussels sprouts do better in fall plantings than in spring garden.

Gardening This Weekend

Much of Texas has been bathed in "cooler," cloudy weather this week, and I move that we choose this for early August every year! There are some important things you need to be doing now, and maybe the respite will help you accomplish them. Check the details.

Photo: Catawba crape myrtle in bloom now in nursery.

Friend or Foe? How Can You Know?

These things look downright creepy. But do you really want to spray them? The answer is "No," but you need to know why. You'll be glad you read more.

Photo: Nymphs of the twice-stabbed ladybug perform quite a function.

Question of the Week: August 3, 2017

"Neil, What's the very best fast-growing shade tree?"

Oh, don't go there, scout! I'm going to try my best to reroute the way you think. Please see what I've written.

Photo: With millions of trees growing in Texas nurseries, which one should you choose?

Armyworms On the Move

I've had a rash of questions about browned bermuda and zoysia lawns over this past week. My diagnosis has been "armyworms." I have more details.

Photo: Armyworm damage to bermuda and a Texas A&M photo of the caterpillar doing the damage.

And in closing…

One more e-gardens for the Library of Congress (or not), and one more for your memory bank. Hope you enjoyed it. If so, please tell all your friends. If not, let us know why.

I already have some good ideas for next week's e-gardens, but who knows what other things might crop up in the meantime.

Until then, see you on Facebook, on my website, in our stack of podcasts, on one of my radio programs, in one of the newspapers that carries my columns or down the pew from us in church. It's going to be a really special weekend for the Sperry family. I'll tell you more about that at another time.

Until next week, thanks for reading…

Happy gardening!

Neil

Subscribe to Neil's Podcast!

Available for both Apple and Google Play

Click here to listen on Neil's web site »