VOLUME 20, ISSUE 37 • September 12, 2024

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

And so, we're back into Indian Summer. Still, it's a great time for gardening, and I've brought the news.

In this issue…
• Spider lilies at the Sperrys;
• A weedy grass you don't want;
• This weekend's top tasks;
• Diane Sitton finds hidden gardens; and
• Your unusual questions and my replies.

NEIL SPERRY'S LONE STAR GARDENING
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• Perfect for your fall gardening projects.
• Detailed chapters on trees, shrubs, vines, groundcovers, annuals, perennials, lawns, fruit, and vegetables.
• Never in one of my books before: A 48-page calendar telling you when to plant, prune, fertilize and protect all the plants that you're growing.
• Written for every county in Texas.
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Photo: As much red (spider lilies) as you can cram into a photo!

Gardening This Weekend

Since we're all thinking in political terms, I move that we have weather like we had last weekend forever. We're warm again now, but wasn't that wonderful! Parts of our state are getting rain again, while the rest of us need to keep watering prudently. Let's talk it all over.

Photo: Plant anemone mums now.

"Shhh, it's a secret!" A secret garden, that is!

Diane Sitton shows us some clever ways of creating intimate little spots in our gardens – places we can get away from the everyday chaos.

Photo: A curve in a path leads to this mossy surprise. It must be the work of garden fairies.

Spider lilies all over the place

When I was a kid in South Central Texas, spider lilies were the first fall-flowering bulbs I saw. And I saw them just about everywhere. I've since come to know other great types, but I still have a warm spot for this long-proven performer. Let me tell you about it.

Photo: Spider lilies are in bloom as I type this.

Here's a weed you don't want

Can you imagine the horror of having a weed labeled as "one of the most invasive plants in Texas" named after your ranch? Meet KR bluestem. More completely known as King Ranch bluestem. This thing is a mess, and no gardener wants it. But some ranchers do. Let me tell you about it.

Photo: KR bluestem is identified, in part, by its heads.

Q&A – Ask Neil

Weed-blocking fabric and frost cloth already. Off-colored live oak leaves and sad-looking ash stems. A naked redbud tree, and 1 ft. of rain after pre-emergent granules went down. How's that for a mix of questions? Take a look at my answers.

And, in closing…

That's our e-gardens package. Thanks for taking a look. I hope you enjoyed it.

Here's hoping, too, that you'll join me on radio this weekend. Each of these programs airs live for almost one hour. I'll give you the critical facts:

Saturday statewide Lawn and Garden Hour: 11:06 a.m., broadcasting over 30 stations. (888) 256-1080

Saturday KLIF 570AM and 96.3FM: 1:06 p.m. (888) 787-5543 (also live streams)

Sunday WBAP 820AM and 93.3FM: 8:06 a.m. (800) 288-9227 (also live streams)

Please give me a listen and give me a call!

Until next week, be safe and be well!

Happy gardening!

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