VOLUME 16, ISSUE 4 • January 23, 2020

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

It's e-gardens for late January. We welcome the Fertilome people to our pages and thank them as advertisers. And I hope you'll find lots of interesting things in this week's edition.

In this issue…
• Blackberries rate best for Texas;
• Tips for this weekend;
• How to handle frozen pampasgrass;
• Care for your moth orchids; and
• Warm weather has things so far ahead!

Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening
• I’ll say it again. This book should pay for itself before this year is finished!
• Chap. 2, "the calendar" telling you when to plant, prune, feed and protect all of your plants month by month, will save you scores of dollars. I've never had it in a book before.
• 10 other chapters cover basics, trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers, annuals, perennials, lawns, fruit and vegetables in incredible detail.
• Thoroughly illustrated (840 photos and detailed charts).
• Hardback. 344 pages. Printed in Texas.

Only $33.95 plus tax, postage.
• I sign every book before mailing.
• Not in stores and not on Amazon.
• Order from my website, or call my office weekdays (800) 752-4769.

Photo: What could be better than garden-fresh Texas blackberries! It starts by planting them now.

Gardening This Weekend

It's been a cool week, and that's a good thing. Maybe it's helped slow things down a bit. Spring was approaching way too rapidly. I've assembled a list of things you'll want to get done as quickly as possible in your landscape and garden. Take a look.

Photo: Use broadleafed weedkiller to control dandelions.

Blackberries Prevail

We’re finding some great blackberries in the market right now. But they’re from Mexico. You can grow your own to harvest in late spring every year if you plant them right now. I’ll give you details.

Photo: Blackberries are among our most dependable fruit crops here in Texas.

Question of the Week Number 1: January 23, 2020

"My pampasgrass planting at work turned brown with that November cold spell. Should I prune the plants back? If so, how much and when?"

I'll answer both questions. Take a look.

Photo: This is how a North Texas planting looks right now.

Question of the Week Number 2: January 23, 2020

"What is the best way to keep a moth orchid growing and blooming? I was given one recently and I want to keep it thriving."

They're surprisingly easy. I'll tell you how.

Photo: Phalaenopsis are some of the easiest orchids of all to grow as houseplants.

Question of the Week Number 3: January 23, 2020

"Things seem to be so far ahead due to warm weather of the mid-winter this year. What can we do about plants that are budding? Does this change our dates for pre-emergent applications?"

Click to see my thoughts on both.

Photo: Indian blanket gaillardia, photo by Jay Ginsbarg in Hurst this week.

And, in closing…

That's it for this week. But I'm already working on your next e-gardens, so stay close to your e-mailbox.

In the meantime tune me in on the radio. I have a list of the stations and times on my website. Podcasts of my programs are also on my website. So are answers to my 1001 FAQs. And I'll see you in church and probably at a local nursery near you. Until next week, thanks for reading…

And happy gardening!

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