VOLUME 15, ISSUE 7 • February 14, 2019

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

We’re sending e-gardens out a little bit early today. I didn’t want our little newsletter to get mixed in with all of your evening’s Valentine’s Day activities.

On to this week's edition…
• Sweet Mexican plum;
• Cool-season cole crops;
• Hearts for your sweetheart;
• Garden tips for the weekend; and
• To trim pampasgrass and liriope?

Book a book now…
Don't go into springtime unarmed! My book will pay for itself within its first six months. I'll guarantee it!

Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening
Only $33.95 plus tax and postage
• 11 chapters, 344 pages, 840 of my photos
• Chapter 2 is a 48-page calendar (4 pages per month) telling you all the critical tasks of each month. That chapter alone will save you huge bucks!
• I sign every copy of the book.
•Satisfaction guaranteed or full refund.

• Not in stores and not on Amazon
• Available only from my website or by calling my office M-F 9-5 at (800) 752-4769

Photo: Fall 2018 produced a huge crop of fruit on Mexican plums.

Gardening This Weekend

Once all the Valentine's celebrating is over you'll want to get back to gardening tasks of the time. I've compiled a list of the most pressing among them. Check it out!

Photo: Divide Mexican bush salvia before new growth begins.

What's not to love about garden hearts?

Diane Sitton has been collecting heart art photos wherever she's gone. And she plays her hand before us here – hearts in the garden.

Photo: This jeweled heart catches sunlight.

Time Here for the Cole Crops

It's time right now to be planting cabbage (as in cole slaw), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and the other related plants. I'll give you a few tips.

Photo: Broccoli is easy, nutricious.

Fabulous Fragrance, Great Little Tree

If you've been wondering what the little native tree with aromatic white blooms is in the eastern third of Texas, it's Mexican plum. Actually, it's just coming into bloom in North Texas. Let me tell you about it.

Photo: Bees and I love Mexican plums.

Questions of the Week: February 14, 2019

"Should pampasgrass be trimmed down?"
"Should liriope be trimmed?"

I'll give you my answers.

Photo: This pampasgrass needs to be trimmed, but what about the liriope?

And, in closing…

That's it for this week's edition of e-gardens. I really hope you've found it fun and enjoyable. I enjoy writing my parts of it for you, and we're grateful to Diane Sitton for her fine contributions each month.

Here's hoping you can get out into the landscape and garden a few hours this weekend and show yourself that you still remember how it all works. In the meantime, look me up on my website or on Facebook. Tune me in on radio or via a podcast. Or come join us at church or listen to the live stream at 10:05. (If you happen to catch the February 10 service, scroll to Pastor Tommy’s sermon. I spoke with him a couple of hours after the service and told him I thought it was one of the best he’s ever given.)

Until next week, thanks for reading…

And happy gardening!

Subscribe to Neil's Podcast!

Available for both Apple and Google Play

Click here to listen on Neil's web site »