Spring has finally arrived! Nurseries are stocked with so many plants and products, for every purpose. Check out our list of things to consider before buying plants. Here are a few tasks for the month of April.

• Fertilize trees to take advantage of April’s generous rainfall. You should make holes at least 4 feet from the base of the tree. The holes should be approximately 18” deep, and 2-3 feet apart. Once you made your holes, pour 2 cups of tree and shrub fertilizer in. Your trees will benefit from this planned nourishment for 6-9 months.
• Fertilize seasonal flowers. Practice broadcasting by the handful from a bucket. Spread the granules in an evenly distributed pattern. Make sure the flowers are not wet, so that the granules don’t stick to the leaves or flowers. Brush off any granules that did not fall to the ground.
• Want to attract more wildlife? Butterfly lovers should plant milkweed. Butterflies love to eat the leaves & will purposely come to lay their eggs. Hummingbirds love the fire bush plant. This is a fairly large plant with red tubules that hold nectar.
• Trim shrubs and hedges to maintain their shape and appearance.
• Cut rose flowers that are spent to promote new stem, leaf & bud formations. Pruning brings new life, so don’t be afraid to cut.
• Inspect crape myrtles, hibiscus plants and azaleas for insects. Crape myrtle trees get aphids, which leave shiny, wet-looking clear exudates on leaves. Hibiscus get whitefly, which feed on the leaves. The azaleas are prone to lace bugs, which suck sap from the leaves. We recommend using Malathion to spray for these insects.
• Inspect fruit trees for sap that is bleeding from the bark due to borers.  You can use a systemic chemical to douse the tree’s roots for absorption into the entire plant.
• Spray all shrubs with insecticide as a preventative measure
• Apply new mulch around plants, shrubs and trees if needed. This will help preserve moisture and keep down weeds.
• Take care of your lawn by removing all leaves, and then fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer. Mow your lawn on a regular basis, to recommended heights.
• Ensure your lawn and garden receives 1 inch of rain water per week. An easy way to check this is to set out an empty tuna can to measure the rain.

Super Plants for Texas Landscapes:

Salvia Farinacea, Lacey Oak, Texas Gold, Hibiscus, Turk’s Cap, Cape Plumbago, Dwarf Mexican Petunia, Mystic Spires Blue