VOLUME 15, ISSUE 6 • February 7, 2019

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

Glad to see your eyeballs tuned into e-gardens this week. I've assembled some topics I think you'll find interesting, intellectual, instructional and inspirational.

And those topics include…
• What can you do with a crape myrtle that's been whacked?
• Is it time for pre-emergents yet?
• How can you get rid of the weed grasses?
• Lovely larkspurs forever; and
• This week's gardening checklist.

All that and a bunch more.

But first…
Take time to treat yourself to the best book I've written in almost 30 years! Nope. It's not a re-do of the old "cowboy boot" book from 1991. This time I self-published and went with an entirely new look and layout.

Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening
• A quarter-century more up-to-date;
• 344 pages and 840 of my photographs;
• Chapter 2 alone will pay for the book - it's the 48-page calendar telling you when to plant, prune, fertilize and spray everything in your landscape and garden. I've never had it in any book before.
• Hardback. High-quality paper. Printed in Texas, not China.
• Book is only $33.95 plus tax and postage.
• I sign every copy as they sell.
• Great Valentine's gift.

• Not in stores and not on Amazon.
• Order from my office weekdays (800) 752-4769 or from my website.

Photo: Sweet alyssum holds up to late winter frosts and light freezes.

Gardening This Weekend

Here's hoping you got yourself kinda caught up last weekend with that lovely late winter weather. It's not nearly as nice this time, but I've assembled your critical tasks anyway.

Photo: Sweet alyssum can be planted into beds, pots now.

A Second Chance at Beauty

Topping crape myrtles ruins them, seemingly forever. However, there is hope, and a Facebook friend trusted me enough to try a radical approach. I'll show you her early results.

Photo: People find out that topping is terrible, but they don’t know how to break the habit.

Plant of the Week - February 7, 2019: Reseeding Larkspur

Our great grandmas could have written this little story better than we can. That's how long this lovely flower has been grown in Texas gardens. You need it in yours. I'll tell you why.

Photo: Larkspurs grow where they've grown for decades.

Question of the Week Number 1: February 7, 2019

"What can I use to kill these weeds in my lawn?"

These are cool-season grassy weeds. I'll give you the short-term and long-term ways to address them.

Photo: Posted recently by Facebook friend (G.E.).

Question of the Week Number 2: February 7, 2019

"Is it time yet to apply pre-emergent granules for weeds? It's been so warm, and I'm seeing weeds all over my yard."

We are way off track. Let me set things straight!

Photo: Is it time to prevent grassburs for 2019?

And, in closing…

That's our baby for this week, and we hope you loved reading it as much as we did preparing it for you. Watch for the next installment next week same time. And tell others about us right now.

Meantime, join me on the radio, on Facebook, in my column in one of almost 20 Texas newspapers, via a podcast, and at church this Sunday morning.

Until next week, thanks for reading,

And happy gardening!

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