VOLUME 18, ISSUE 52 • December 29, 2022

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

Another year of e-gardens (our 18th) draws to a close. I've tried to make it a fittingly good one for a wrap-up.

In this issue…
• Simple ways to make gardening easier;
• Three common tree questions;
• This weekend's short list of tasks;
• Best trees for Texas; and
• This week's Q&A.

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Photo: Snapdragons provide mid-winter color in beds and pots.

Gardening This Weekend

With all the festivities associated with New Year's Eve and New Year's Day looming over the upcoming weekend, how about I pare our to-do list down to the critical tasks. Click through to see them.

Photo: Peaches can be planted, also pruned now.

Simple Habits Make Gardening Easier

If I could propose just a handful of ideas to make gardening easier and more successful for you, they would include the ones on my list here today. Spend a minute reading through them. Maybe I can save you hours of hard work and blisters.

Photo: Gorgeous landscapes rarely happen without planning.

If You're Planning a New Shade Tree

When I'm asked to recommend a shade tree for Texas I generally pull out the list I've put together for my story today. These are my go-to trees for Texas and I think they'll serve you handsomely.

Photo: Live oaks are the gold standard in Texas trees.

Tree Question Triad

Some questions keep coming up, and here are three pertaining to trees that appear about this time every winter. I thought they might be of interest to you.

Photo: Mondograss grows where turfgrass cannot because of shade cast by trees.

Q&A
Ask Neil

Surface roots and loose bark. Sappy Chinese pistachio and ball moss in crape myrtles. Something that looks like dwarf variegated pittosporum but isn’t so tender. An apple tree with fungus. Lots of variety this time around.

And, in closing…

I hope you've enjoyed this week's e-gardens and I hope you'll tell others about us. They can sign up from my website.

I'm going to be pre-empted from my Saturday program on KLIF due to TCU basketball and football this week, but join me on my statewide Texas Lawn and Garden Hour 11-noon Saturday over 30-plus stations and Neil Sperry's Texas Gardening Sunday morning 8-10 on WBAP 820AM.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

And, as always,

Happy Gardening!

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