VOLUME 19, ISSUE 8 • February 23, 2023

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

I've worked really hard to make this one of the most important e-gardens of the spring. I hope you'll agree.

In this issue…
• Pre-emergent time is here;
• Flowering quince through the eyes of Steve Huddleston;
• Comparing lawngrass choices;
• This weekend's critical tasks; and
• Your great questions and my replies.

NEIL SPERRY'S LONE STAR GARDENING
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Photo: Texas Scarlet flowering quince is in full bloom right now.

Gardening This Weekend

Set a couple of hours aside for this weekend's lawn, landscape and garden tasks. Let's get the rest of the winter things polished off.

Photo: Cannas are going to start to bloom within a couple of months. Dig and divide them immediately, while they're still dormant.

Best Predictor of Spring

Steve Huddleston leans back into an old favorite shrub and its new iterations. Flowering quinces are in full bloom right now and they're screaming out for our attention.

Photo: 'Jet Trails' flowering quince, as photographed by Steve Huddleston.

Pre-emergent Time is Here or Near

Depending on where you live in Texas, it's either time to apply pre-emergent weedkiller granules or it soon will be. If that subject sounds somewhat foreign, you'll really want to read through what I've condensed down to critical facts. You get no second chance with these weeds.

Photo: Grassburs and crabgrass are two weeds you can prevent with pre-emergents.

Turfgrass Guidelines

Thinking about planting new turfgrass this spring? Are you wondering which one would be best? Choose carefully. I'll give you some things to consider.

Photo: St. Augustine in the Sperry landscape.

Q&A
Ask Neil

Tomatoes and pistachio growing strangely. Problems with knees, limbs and gnarly trunks. It was a stewpot of questions and I have answers to match.

And, in closing…

That's it for this week's e-gardens, but work has already begun on next week's stories. If you enjoyed this one, please share it with friends and let our advertisers know.

TCU basketball will be on KLIF 570AM starting at 11 this Saturday, which means my program will start around 1:30 and run until 3 Saturday afternoon. Normal time for my statewide program Saturday morning 11-noon and for WBAP 820AM Sunday morning (8-10 a.m.).

As I was typing up these finishing notes I looked out the window of my home office. The eastern redcedar is in full flower right now. Its wind-driven pollen makes so many people (my wife included) miserable this time of year. That's what gives it that bronze cast December through March. Thank heavens for allergists and their great medicines.

Click image for larger view.

So, on that cheerful note I'll wish you a great week, and…

Happy gardening!

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