Each year, TNLA recognizes excellence in design and environmental improvement through its Texas Excellence in Landscaping Awards. Nominations are considered in November; winners are announced in December. Award recipients are featured in a special issue of TNLA GREEN magazine which is printed and mailed to all TNLA members and distributed electronically to over 10,000 subscribers. Recipients are honored at the TNLA Awards Dinner in August at Nursery/Landscape EXPO, the premiere horticulture tradeshow in the U.S.A.

GOLD AWARD

Southern Botanical, Inc.- Bluffview Residence [Residential Maintenance]

GOLD AWARD

Southern Botanical, Inc.- Corporate Campus Courtyard [Commercial Installation]

GOLD AWARD

Lambert Landscape Company- Regency Garden [Residential Installation]

The Backyard Blogger has assembled a collection of helpful and intuitive "how to" videos to give you the creative edge on your next landscaping or garden project. 

How to save a tree stressed by drought

How to build an easy to use compost pile

The pitfalls of a "rock yard"

The benefits of planting fruit-bearing trees in your yard

How to attract a wide variety of desirable creatures to your landscape

Making bucket gardens with kids is fun, rewarding, and educational!

How to build an easy to use compost pile

An edible retrofit

You paid a pro to landscape your yard, and you love the way it looks, but now you want to add some edibles.  The good news is you don't have to say goodbye to that well-designed look.  Here are five subtle but aesthetically pleasing ways to work edibles into your landscape:

1. Plant a grapevine in a large attractive containeer filled with good quality potting mix and train it to grow on a trellis attached to a wooden privacy fence.  The vine will need regular water, slow-release fertilizer, and 4 to 6 hours of sun.  A certified nursery professional can tell you which grape varieties will grow best in your part of the state.

2. Plant a peach, pear, or apple tree at the sunny end of a perennial border that contains winter and spring bloomers and winter blooming annuals.  After the fruit is harvested and the tree has dropped its leaves, the winter sun shining through the bare limbs will help the flowers around the base of the tree strut their stuff.

3. In late February, or any time during a mild winter, plant small drifts of leafy lettuces, spicy purple mustard, and curly kale anywhere you find a bare sunny spot.  In early spring, carve out a space in front of a grouping of shrubs or a large agave and plant red Swiss chard transplants (depending on your existing landscape palette, you might want to choose yellow or orange chard).  Arrange the plants in a pleasing pattern and space them 8 to 10 inches apart.  To harvest, pick leaves as needed for cooking, but don't pull out the whole plant.  Winter greens and lettuces continue to produce new leaves as long as their growing tips and roots are left undisturbed.

4. Fill a galvanized metal tub with a good potting mix and slow-release fertilizer and plant a mix of purple mustard greens and green kale.  Using a hammer and nail, make holes around the base of the tub for drainage.  Set the tub of greens on a sunny south-facing porch or patio and be prepared to smile and nod to passersby who ooh and ahh at the sight of your colorful and multi-textured display of greens.

5. In a sunny sideyard, install a metal or wooden trellis (4 ft. by 6 ft. works well) or small arbor and plant runner beans or vining lima beans.  Keep seeds evenly moist until they germinate and sprout.  Water regularly through the growing season, and pick beans often so they will keep blooming and producing.  In most parts of the state, beans can be planted in early fall and again in spring as soon as the soil warms.  A vining bean in bloom is a lovely sight, but most folks would probably agree that it's not nearly as lovely as a mandevilla vine in bloom.  The bean, however, is the winner in the good eating department.

Fruit Trees

Click here to learn about planting fruit trees in your yard!

Garden to table cooking is easy when you add herbs and vegetables to your landscape

Many homeowners make room for tomatoes, but what about Swiss chard?  Or fennel and kale?  There's not time like the present to start growing your own vegetables so you can make healthy dinners at home.  And there's nothing quite like stepping outside your back door to gather vegetables and herbs for your evening meal.  Your kids will probably want to help—vegetable gardens are popping up in school yards all over the country, and Texas schools are no exception.  Here's a simple but tasty tomato salad recipe to get you started:

Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

8-9 large homegrown tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Handful of salad tomatoes, halved

1 cup sweet basil leaves, cut in thin strips

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

8 1-inch thick slices of day old baguette, cut into cubes

1 cup cucumber, peeled and cubed

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesano reggiano cheese

Lightly salt tomatoes and onion slices, place in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.  In another bowl, stir garlic into 1/4 cup olive oil, add bread cubes and toss until bread is well coated.  Place bread on baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree over until toasty and brown, but not blackened, about 10 minutes.  Place bread on towel to absorb excess oil.  Combine and lightly toss tomato and onion mixture with basil, cucumber, vinegar and the remaining olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then toss with toasted brtead cubes.  Top with grated cheese and serve immediately.

For more garden recipe ideas, click here!  For more, click here!  Want even more?  Click here!

Trying to add more salads to your diet? Plant a salad garden

Fill a 10- or 15-gallon galvanized metal tub with good quality potting soil. Using a nail and hammer, make drainage holes around the base. For a cool weather salad garden, plant an assortment of your favorite salad greens and cool weather veggies. Good options include spinach, Swiss chard, arugula, leaf lettuce, radishes, bunching onion, carrots and flat leaf parsley. (The parsley, chopped, will add fresh flavor to homemade vinaigrette salad dressing; see recipe below).  For a warm weather salad garden, choose a salad-size tomato plant, sweet basil and a bush cucumber. A cucumber variety intended for containers works best, but you can plant a standard pickling cucumber and get good results by training the vine on a small trellis attached to the back side of the tub.  You can start your salad gardens from seed or seedlings, with the exception of the tomato. which usually performs better if started from a seedling. Be sure to keep your tub garden moist (but not soggy), and if your potting mix doesn't include slow release fertilizer, you'll need to add some. Place your salad garden on a sunny porch or balcony and watch it grow!

Simple vinaigrette dressing: Pour 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil into a small glass jar or other container that has a lid. Add 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 clove fresh minced garlic; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1-2 teaspoons sugar or honey; 1/2 teaspoon salt; fresh ground pepper to taste; and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or basil. Shake well until ingredients are thoroughly blended. Taste and add more salt or sugar if desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week. Note: For a creamy dressing, instead of 1/2 cup oil, use 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup oil. And instead of parsley or basil, add chopped fresh dill.

Compost

Watch this video to learn how to set up your own compost bin!

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Green gift ideas from your garden

Looking for green gift ideas?  How about an edible bouquet of garden greens?

An arrangement of Swiss chard, fennel, and baby carrots with green tops makes a lovely gift for a dinner party hostess who appreciates fresh, homegrown food.  Wash the vegetables, trim stems as desired, and place in a glass vase filled with water.  Or if the hostess is a foodie who loves Italian-inspired recipes, present her with a pesto bouquet.  Place leafy cuttings of Red Rubin basil, sweet basil, and lemon basil in a small vase filled with water.  And finally, if the hostess is particularly health-conscious, consider giving her a mixed bouquet of fresh kale (green curled, winter red, and blue curled) wrapped in brown wax paper and tied with jute string.

A potted rose is a gift that keeps on giving

Plant a white KnockOut rose in a white ceramic pot and present it as a wedding gift.  Add some slow-release fertilizer to the potting mix (if it odesn't already contain fertilizer).  Wrap a length of white ribbon around the pot and tie the ends into a bow.  Attach your greeting card to the bow.  A white rose as a wedding gift celebrates youth and innocence and sends best wishes for a life filled with love and growth.

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A last-minute green gift

Need a thoughtful last minute gift?  Not a problem if you've got an herb garden just outside your backdoor. Pick an assortment of herbs—rosemary, lemon verbena, and mint—and using a ribbon gently tie their stems into a bouquet.  Attach the herb bouquet to the handle of a small  tea pot. Write your favorite herb tea recipe on a card and slip everything into a reusable gift bag.

Here's an easy and tasty recipe for rosemary tea. Add 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 1 teaspoon crushed/minced ginger to 2 cups of boiling water. Cover for  3-5 minutes to steep. Add  honey to taste. Strain and serve warm or over ice.

If you don't have an herb garden, a certified landscape professional can help you get one started.

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Wildlife-friendly landscapes are all about the B's—bees, butterflies, and birds

If you'd like to share your outdoor living spaces with monarchs, swallowtails, finches, hummingbirds, warblers, and more, all you have to do is offer a reliable source of food and water, safe hideaways, and shelter to raise their young. A certified landscape or nursery professional can help you create a landscape that the birds, bees and butterflies will find hard to resist. Here is a sampling of wildlife plant magnets to get you started:

           ▪Nectar and seed producing annuals and perennials, including Turk's cap, larkspur, rudbeckia, bee balm, and coneflowers

           ▪Host plants for butterflies, including parsley, dill, fennel and milkweed

▪ Evergreen shrubs for shelter and nesting, including barbados cherry, cherry laurel, elaeagnus, and viburnum

▪ Trees that produce fruit, nuts, seeds or nectar, including Texas persimmon, Mexican plum, pecan, and redbud

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Plant a cocktail garden, and party guests (and maybe a few herb-loving bees and butterflies) will find you

Finally it's Friday (FIF?). You can hardly wait to get home, mix up a batch of your new favorite cocktails and throw a few salmon steaks on the gas grill. Your friends will be arriving shortly with side dishes and big appetites. That's fine, because you're almost ready -- the grill is getting hot, the salmon is coated with a spicy rub, and you're picking herbs from the cocktail garden. Ahhh, the simple pleasures are indeed the best.

Here's a simple recipe for a cocktail garden that will wow your friends and add a new dimension to your cocktail repertoire. Fill a metal ice tub with potting soil and add slow-release fertilizer. Poke some holes around the bottom for drainage, and plant three or four of the following herbs: lemon verbena, rosemary, basil, lemon balm, lime thyme. Water well and place in a sunny spot on your patio or deck. Pour some potting soil into a smaller metal ice bucket and plant mint. Water well and set it in a shady spot. Now let the party begin….

A certified professional landscaper can help you create outdoor living spaces for entertaining friends.

Herbal cocktail recipes:

Bon Appetit's Lemon Balm Honeysuckle

Organic Gardening's Garden Party

The Kitchn's Recipe Roundup: 20 Summer Cocktails with Fresh Herbs

The Huffington Post's 5 Fresh Herb Cocktail's for Summer

Fine Cooking's Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Grilled Thyme

Cooking Light's Summer Drinks

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Trying to keep your cool? Dive into water gardening

Water sounds are soothing and cooling in the home landscape. They draw you closer to sit, relax and listen for a bit. Just the thing you want if you're trying to create an outdoor living space where you and your family can enjoy dining and bird watching. Surround a bubbling fountain or recirculating waterfall with water plants, and nearby, plant a few nectar and seed-producing flowers. Before you know it, your backyard might start to resemble a scene from the Discovery Channel, and you might notice your kids saying things like: "Mom, Dad, Sis and I are going out to the backyard to see if we can spot a Tufted Titmouse."

Consult with a certified professional in your area to learn more about how to add a pond and other water features to your landscape.

Water Garden Club of South Texas

North Texas Water Garden Society

Austin Pond Society

HGTV's Water Features

Fine Gardening's Simple Ways to Add Water to the Garden

Wildlife

Every wonder what the secret is to luring invigorating wildlife to your backyard or landscape? Watch this video for some helpful hints.

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Trying to add more salads to your diet? Plant a salad garden

Fill a 10- or 15-gallon galvanized metal tub with good quality potting soil. Using a nail and hammer, make drainage holes around the base. For a cool weather salad garden, plant an assortment of your favorite salad greens and cool weather veggies. Good options include spinach, Swiss chard, arugula, leaf lettuce, radishes, bunching onion, carrots and flat leaf parsley. (The parsley, chopped, will add fresh flavor to homemade vinaigrette salad dressing; see recipe below).  For a warm weather salad garden, choose a salad-size tomato plant, sweet basil and a bush cucumber. A cucumber variety intended for containers works best, but you can plant a standard pickling cucumber and get good results by training the vine on a small trellis attached to the back side of the tub.  You can start your salad gardens from seed or seedlings, with the exception of the tomato. which usually performs better if started from a seedling. Be sure to keep your tub garden moist (but not soggy), and if your potting mix doesn't include slow release fertilizer, you'll need to add some. Place your salad garden on a sunny porch or balcony and watch it grow!

Simple vinaigrette dressing: Pour 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil into a small glass jar or other container that has a lid. Add 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 clove fresh minced garlic; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1-2 teaspoons sugar or honey; 1/2 teaspoon salt; fresh ground pepper to taste; and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or basil. Shake well until ingredients are thoroughly blended. Taste and add more salt or sugar if desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about a week. Note: For a creamy dressing, instead of 1/2 cup oil, use 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup oil. And instead of parsley or basil, add chopped fresh dill.

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A last-minute green gift

Need a thoughtful last minute gift?  Not a problem if you've got an herb garden just outside your backdoor. Pick an assortment of herbs—rosemary, lemon verbena, and mint—and using a ribbon gently tie their stems into a bouquet.  Attach the herb bouquet to the handle of a small  tea pot. Write your favorite herb tea recipe on a card and slip everything into a reusable gift bag.

Here's an easy and tasty recipe for rosemary tea. Add 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 1 teaspoon crushed/minced ginger to 2 cups of boiling water. Cover for  3-5 minutes to steep. Add  honey to taste. Strain and serve warm or over ice.

If you don't have an herb garden, a certified landscape professional can help you get one started.

Back to top of page

Wildlife-friendly landscapes are all about the B's—bees, butterflies, and birds

If you'd like to share your outdoor living spaces with monarchs, swallowtails, finches, hummingbirds, warblers, and more, all you have to do is offer a reliable source of food and water, safe hideaways, and shelter to raise their young. A certified landscape or nursery professional can help you create a landscape that the birds, bees and butterflies will find hard to resist. Here is a sampling of wildlife plant magnets to get you started:

           ▪Nectar and seed producing annuals and perennials, including Turk's cap, larkspur, rudbeckia, bee balm, and coneflowers

           ▪Host plants for butterflies, including parsley, dill, fennel and milkweed

▪ Evergreen shrubs for shelter and nesting, including barbados cherry, cherry laurel, elaeagnus, and viburnum

▪ Trees that produce fruit, nuts, seeds or nectar, including Texas persimmon, Mexican plum, pecan, and redbud

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Plant a cocktail garden, and party guests (and maybe a few herb-loving bees and butterflies) will find you

Finally it's Friday (FIF?). You can hardly wait to get home, mix up a batch of your new favorite cocktails and throw a few salmon steaks on the gas grill. Your friends will be arriving shortly with side dishes and big appetites. That's fine, because you're almost ready -- the grill is getting hot, the salmon is coated with a spicy rub, and you're picking herbs from the cocktail garden. Ahhh, the simple pleasures are indeed the best.

Here's a simple recipe for a cocktail garden that will wow your friends and add a new dimension to your cocktail repertoire. Fill a metal ice tub with potting soil and add slow-release fertilizer. Poke some holes around the bottom for drainage, and plant three or four of the following herbs: lemon verbena, rosemary, basil, lemon balm, lime thyme. Water well and place in a sunny spot on your patio or deck. Pour some potting soil into a smaller metal ice bucket and plant mint. Water well and set it in a shady spot. Now let the party begin….

A certified professional landscaper can help you create outdoor living spaces for entertaining friends.

Herbal cocktail recipes:

Bon Appetit's Lemon Balm Honeysuckle

Organic Gardening's Garden Party

The Kitchn's Recipe Roundup: 20 Summer Cocktails with Fresh Herbs

The Huffington Post's 5 Fresh Herb Cocktails for Summer

Fine Cooking's Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Grilled Thyme

Cooking Light's Summer Drinks

Back to top of page

Trying to keep your cool? Dive into water gardening

Water sounds are soothing and cooling in the home landscape. They draw you closer to sit, relax and listen for a bit. Just the thing you want if you're trying to create an outdoor living space where you and your family can enjoy dining and bird watching. Surround a bubbling fountain or recirculating waterfall with water plants, and nearby, plant a few nectar and seed-producing flowers. Before you know it, your backyard might start to resemble a scene from the Discovery Channel, and you might notice your kids saying things like: "Mom, Dad, Sis and I are going out to the backyard to see if we can spot a Tufted Titmouse."

Consult with a certified professional in your area to learn more about how to add a pond and other water features to your landscape.

Water Garden Club of South Texas

North Texas Water Garden Society

Austin Pond Society

HGTV's Water Features

Fine Gardening's Simple Ways to Add Water to the Garden

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Landscape Texas is go-to place for gardeners

Trying to find gardening inspiration and information online? You've come to the right place. TNLA has rounded up some of the best sources in the state, so you only have to come to one place to find quick and reliable answers to your landscape and garden questions:

Eeek! What kind of bug is that?

Texas Agrilife Extension: Texas IPM Program

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension: Imported Fire Ants

Get smart about watering:

Texas Water Smart

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples Blogspot

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension: Water Gardening in Texas

Good times for vegetable planting:

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension: Vegetable Gardening Guide

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension: Spring Planting Guide for Vegetable Crops

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This site is produced by the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association and professional nursery and landscape businesses throughout Texas who are dedicated to creating beauty throughout our state. TNLA's annual TEIL Awards recognize excellence in design and environmental improvement in Texas. For some landscaping inspiration and motivation, check out some of the best landscape projects in Texas!

2013 TEIL Award Winning Landscapes

Video Exposition of Award Winning Projects

Looking for expert advice from someone like you but with years of experience doing what they love? Well look no further. LandscapeTexas.org has enlisted the expertise of a Texas lawn and garden blogger to pass along some tips and tricks that won't only solve some everyday headaches, but inspire you as well.

Spring

 A rose is a rose is a rose, unless it's an easy care rose, and then it's a dream come true.

I never understood all the fuss about roses. Sure, they're beautiful and fragrant and romantic, but who wants a plant that's finicky, disease prone and covered in thorns? Not me.  But then I started hearing about Knock Out roses and other easy care roses that were winning gardeners' hearts all over the state.  I tried a Knock-Out, and it was love at first bloom. And now that's it's spring,  I'm on the lookout for other disease resistant repeat bloomers to try. A visit to Texas A&M's Earth-Kind rose list has piqued my interest in Perle d'Or and Cecile Bruner, especially given that a rose has to prove in longterm field trials that it can thrive in high heat, high humidity and less than perfect soils in order to make the list. So if you're a budding rosarian who's considering adding roses to your landscape, check out the Earth-Kind list. And if that gets you dreaming about a field of roses in your backyard,  consult  a certified landscape or nursery professional in your area for an even longer list of easy care roses.  And while you're at it,  check out all the other helpful bits of gardening and landscape information here at Landscape Texas. It is easy to locate products or services by conducting a search here.

For more about low-maintenance roses for Texas:

http://voices.yahoo.com/knock-out-low-maintenance-rose-bush-2742440.html

http://txmg.org/johnson/earth-kind%C2%AE-information/overview-of-the-earth-kind%C2%AE-programs/earth-kind%C2%AE-rose-research-program/

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/news_archive/2011/february/news_you_can_use/EarthKind-roses-are-lowmaintenance-options-.htm

Do-it-yourself front yard makeover

You just bought a house you really love.  Every time you step inside the front door, you can't help but smile.  It really is your dream house.  Only trouble is, you don't feel the same way when you're going out the door.  That's when you have to look at the front yard.  And it's definitely not the landscape of your dreams.  What were the previous owners thinking!?

You know that simply plopping a few new plants in the ground isn't going to help much.  Your yard needs a major makeover.  But your bank account needs time to recover after that big down payment on the house.  So you can either put on a thick pair of rose-colored glasses, or roll up your sleeves and get to work.  Maybe you can't afford professional help just yet, but there are a few things you can do to get things moving in the right directions.

• Collect pictures of landscape designs, and check out professionally designed landscapes in your neighborhood.  Make notes about what you like and what you don't like.  Browse the photo galleries of TNLA member sites (Such as Southern Botanical and McDugaldSteele).
• If your yard is seriously dated (a generic single-file row of plants along the foundation and property lines), you'll probably want to create wider planting areas, at the very least.  Consider replacing oversized or drab shrubs and perennials arranged two or three deep, with smaller plants placed in front of larger ones (check the mature size listed on the label).
• Add seasonal blooms, but keep in mind that foliage can add interest too, so seek out plants with red, purple, or variegated leaves in a variety of textures.  Think about shapes too———a tall slender conifer placed near a full-figured viburnum creates a compelling contrast.
• Set aside ample space for hardscape and trees.  Stone walkways, arbors, and benches add function and create "the bones" of your landscape, the framework that you see year-round, when flowers are in bloom and when they're not.
• And finally, create a focal point.  Depending on the size of your yard, a small ornamental tree or a large potted agave might be all you need.  Or try a piece of sculpture or a bird bath to balance the size and shape of other landscape elements.  A focal point provides a pleasant place for your eyes to rest.  And it can also help to distract you from elements that aren't so easy on the eyes.

When the time is right for you and your budget, consult a certified professional to help you take your lanscape to the next level.

Click here for more ideas for transforming your outdoor spaces!

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An edible retrofit

You paid a pro to landscape your yard, and you love the way it looks, but now you want to add some edibles.  The good news is you don't have to say goodbye to that well-designed look.  Here are five subtle but aesthetically pleasing ways to work edibles into your landscape:

1. Plant a grapevine in a large attractive containeer filled with good quality potting mix and train it to grow on a trellis attached to a wooden privacy fence.  The vine will need regular water, slow-release fertilizer, and 4 to 6 hours of sun.  A certified nursery professional can tell you which grape varieties will grow best in your part of the state.

2. Plant a peach, pear, or apple tree at the sunny end of a perennial border that contains winter and spring bloomers and winter blooming annuals.  After the fruit is harvested and the tree has dropped its leaves, the winter sun shining through the bare limbs will help the flowers around the base of the tree strut their stuff.

3. In late February, or any time during a mild winter, plant small drifts of leafy lettuces, spicy purple mustard, and curly kale anywhere you find a bare sunny spot.  In early spring, carve out a space in front of a grouping of shrubs or a large agave and plant red Swiss chard transplants (depending on your existing landscape palette, you might want to choose yellow or orange chard).  Arrange the plants in a pleasing pattern and space them 8 to 10 inches apart.  To harvest, pick leaves as needed for cooking, but don't pull out the whole plant.  Winter greens and lettuces continue to produce new leaves as long as their growing tips and roots are left undisturbed.

4. Fill a galvanized metal tub with a good potting mix and slow-release fertilizer and plant a mix of purple mustard greens and green kale.  Using a hammer and nail, make holes around the base of the tub for drainage.  Set the tub of greens on a sunny south-facing porch or patio and be prepared to smile and nod to passersby who ooh and ahh at the sight of your colorful and multi-textured display of greens.

5. In a sunny sideyard, install a metal or wooden trellis (4 ft. by 6 ft. works well) or small arbor and plant runner beans or vining lima beans.  Keep seeds evenly moist until they germinate and sprout.  Water regularly through the growing season, and pick beans often so they will keep blooming and producing.  In most parts of the state, beans can be planted in early fall and again in spring as soon as the soil warms.  A vining bean in bloom is a lovely sight, but most folks would probably agree that it's not nearly as lovely as a mandevilla vine in bloom.  The bean, however, is the winner in the good eating department.

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Green gift ideas from your garden

Looking for green gift ideas?  How about an edible bouquet of garden greens?

An arrangement of Swiss chard, fennel, and baby carrots with green tops makes a lovely gift for a dinner party hostess who appreciates fresh, homegrown food.  Wash the vegetables, trim stems as desired, and place in a glass vase filled with water.  Or if the hostess is a foodie who loves Italian-inspired recipes, present her with a pesto bouquet.  Place leafy cuttings of Red Rubin basil, sweet basil, and lemon basil in a small vase filled with water.  And finally, if the hostess is particularly health-conscious, consider giving her a mixed bouquet of fresh kale (green curled, winter red, and blue curled) wrapped in brown wax paper and tied with jute string.

A potted rose is a gift that keeps on giving

Plant a white KnockOut rose in a white ceramic pot and present it as a wedding gift.  Add some slow-release fertilizer to the potting mix (if it odesn't already contain fertilizer).  Wrap a length of white ribbon around the pot and tie the ends into a bow.  Attach your greeting card to the bow.  A white rose as a wedding gift celebrates youth and innocence and sends best wishes for a life filled with love and growth.

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e planted in earlyDon't stop watering—Water Smart
 

Adopt these watering practices and you'll be watering smarter:

1. Water plants deeply, but less frequently, to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.

2. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses for shrubs, trees and vegetables to reduce evaporation and apply water directly to the root.  Consider installing a timer so you don't have to remember to turn the water off.

3. Use a rain barrel, storage tank or buckets to capture rainwater from your downspouts for use in watering your garden.

4. Water in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.

5. Adjust sprinklers and drip irrigators so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.  Regularly inspect irrigation systems to make sure they're working properly.

Click here for more information about the state's Water Smart initiative!

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Get the dirt on your dirt

Healthy soil is key to a healthy and happy landscape, whether you're growing vegetables or ornamentals.  Here are 5 easy steps to improve the health of your soil.

1. Get a soil test to find out if your soil has any major deficiencies.

2. At least once a year, turn two or three inches of compost into your planting areas, or top dress with a mixture of compost and mulch.  Top turf areas with one inch of compost.

3. Keep all planting area covered with at least two inches of mulch.  Wood chips, dry leaves, pine needles, or coarse compost are all good options.

4. In vegetable gardens, rotate crops when possible or alternate with cover crops (buckwheat and field peas, for example)

5. Use herbicides as as last resort if at all, and if you have pest problems, follow the guidlines of Integrated Pest Management.

For more information about soils and optimum growing conditions, consult a certified professional landscaper or nursery professional in your area.

Click here for more information about healthy soil!   And for even more information, click here!

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Tough growing conditions call for tough plants

No one ever said that Texas was an easy place to live.  At any given time, depending on what corner of the state you're in, it's either way too hot, way too wet, way too dry, way too cold, or not nearly cold enough.  Rarely is it just right.  (OK, maybe it's just right for a few months in spring and again in fall.)  Needless to say, these weather extremes are hard on plants as well as people.  And since your plants can't get up and run indoors every time they get too hot or too cold, it's best to choose plants that are well-adapted to your area.  A certified landscape or nursery professional can help you choose perennials, shrubs and trees that will enhance your outdor living spaces and thrive despite the wily ways of Texas weather.  If you've got a problem area because of less than ideal growing conditions, you might want to give one or more of these reliable tough guys a try:

Coneflower: Pretty and pink and very versatile.  It blooms well in sun or partial sun, and can adapt to just about any soil type or moisture level.  It grows taller (up to 3 feet) and blooms bigger when it gets plenty of water, but once established, it will do its best to bloom a little even in very dry, low light conditions.  A true troooper.  And birds and butterflies love it.

Purpleheart: Careful where you drop a piece of this passionate groundcover.  It can set down roots in the blink of an eye with almost no water an very little soil, which explains why this very determined survivor can be a nuisance if it's not contained.  But if you've got it where you want it, you will love its reliability and its color.  A hard freeze will knock it back, but it will quickly return as soon as nighttime temperatures remain above freezing.  Can be trimmed for a tidy look or left wild and unruly.

Cast Iron plant: The perfect plant for deep shade.  Even small amounts of summer sun can damage this evergreen plant, leaving brown, crunchy edges on its large, dark green leaves.  But in the right spot, it's a miracle plant that will survive heavy rain, no rain, extreme heat, extreme cold, and even slow draining soil.  Just keep it out of direct sun.

Rose of Sharon: Once established, this reliable old-time garden favorite will bloom its heart out during rainy growing seasons and sit quietly during dry growing seasons.  It's not fussy about soil and it will still manage to pop out a few blooms in very low light conditions.  It is happiest in dappled sun and partial sun.  The lovely hibiscus-like florwers come in many colors and shapes.  Considered a small, ornamental tree, but now also comes in dwarf sizes.

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Garden to table cooking is easy when you add herbs and vegetables to your landscape

Many homeowners make room for tomatoes, but what about Swiss chard?  Or fennel and kale?  There's not time like the present to start growing your own vegetables so you can make healthy dinners at home.  And there's nothing quite like stepping outside your back door to gather vegetables and herbs for your evening meal.  Your kids will probably want to help—vegetable gardens are popping up in school yards all over the country, and Texas schools are no exception.  Here's a simple but tasty tomato salad recipe to get you started:

Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

8-9 large homegrown tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Handful of salad tomatoes, halved

1 cup sweet basil leaves, cut in thin strips

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

8 1-inch thick slices of day old baguette, cut into cubes

1 cup cucumber, peeled and cubed

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesano reggiano cheese

Lightly salt tomatoes and onion slices, place in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.  In another bowl, stir garlic into 1/4 cup olive oil, add bread cubes and toss until bread is well coated.  Place bread on baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree over until toasty and brown, but not blackened, about 10 minutes.  Place bread on towel to absorb excess oil.  Combine and lightly toss tomato and onion mixture with basil, cucumber, vinegar and the remaining olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then toss with toasted brtead cubes.  Top with grated cheese and serve immediately.

For more garden recipe ideas, click here!  For more, click here!  Want even more?  Click here!

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Got shade?  Lucky you.

With just a little planning, you can turn an unappealing, low-light area into a place that beckons you to come sit for a while.  Of course you can't grow sunflowers or tomatoes there, but you can grow lush ground covers with bright blooms and variegated foliage, and multi-textured ferns and lilies.  Add a comfortable bench and a winding mulch-covered path and you've got a restful retreat.  Here are a few plants you might want to include in your shady retreat.

Flax lily: This graceful and tender perennial adds a bright splash of white to a dark corner.

White or red turk's cap: A good choice for dry or moist shade.  Hummingbirds and butterflies love it.

Salvia coccinea: An easy care native that blooms (in white or red) in the shade.  Reseeds freely.

Cast Iron plant: The large dark green strappy leaves of the Cast Iron plant add a tropical touch to a dry or moist shade garden.

Click here to read more from our Backyard Blogger

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Do-it-yourself front yard makeover 

You just bought a house you really love.  Every time you step in side the front door, you can't help but smile.  It really is your dream house.  Only trouble is, you don't feel the same way when you're going out the door.  That's when you have to look at the front yard.  And it's definitely not the landscape of your dreams.  What were the previous owners thinking!?  You know that simply plopping a few new plants into the ground isn't going to help much.  Your yard needs a major makeover.  But your bank account needs time to recover after that big down payment on the house.  So you can either put on a thick pair of rose-colored glasses, or roll up your sleeves and get to work.  Maybe you can't afford professional help just yet, but there are a few things you can do to get things moving in the right direction.

∎ Collect pictures of landscape designs, and check out professionally designed landscapes in your neighborhood.  Make notes about what you like and what you don't like.  Browse the photo galleries of TNLA member sites (such as Southern Botanical and McDugaldSteele).

∎ If your yard is seriously dated (a generic single-file row of plants along the foundation and property lines, you'll probably want to create wider planting areas, at the very least.  Consider replacing oversized or drab shrubs with new shrubs and perennials arranged two or three deep, with smaller plants placed in front of larger ones (check the mature size listed on the label).

∎ Add seasonal blooms, but keep in mind that folirage can add interest too, so seek out plants with red, purple, or variegated leaves in a variety of textures.  Think about shapes too--a tall slender conifer placed near a full-figured viburnum creates a compelling contrast.

∎ Set aside ample space for hardscape and trees.  Stone walkways, arbors, and benches add function and create "the bones" of your landscape, the framework that you see year-round, when flowers are in bloom and when they're not.

∎ And finally, create a focal point.  Depending on the size of your yard, a small ornamental tree or a large potted agave might be all you need.  Or try a piece of sculpture or a bird bath to balance the size and shape of other landscape elements.  A focal point provides a pleasant place for your eyes to rest.  And it can also help to distract you from elements that aren't so easy on the eyes.  When the time is right for you and your budget, consult a certified professional to help you take your landscape to the next level.

More ideas for transforming your outdoor spaces here!

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Don't stop watering—Water Smart
 

Adopt these watering practices and you'll be watering smarter:

1. Water plants deeply, but less frequently, to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.

2. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses for shrubs, trees and vegetables to reduce evaporation and apply water directly to the root.  Consider installing a timer so you don't have to remember to turn the water off.

3. Use a rain barrel, storage tank or buckets to capture rainwater from your downspouts for use in watering your garden.

4. Water in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.

5. Adjust sprinklers and drip irrigators so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.  Regularly inspect irrigation systems to make sure they're working properly.

Click here for more information about the state's Water Smart initiative!

Have a tree that was affected by the drought?

If so, check out this video on how to save your trees that may have been affected.

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Get the dirt on your dirt

Healthy soil is key to a healthy and happy landscape, whether you're growing vegetables or ornamentals.  Here are 5 easy steps to improve the health of your soil.

1. Get a soil test to find out if your soil has any major deficiencies.

2. At least once a year, turn two or three inches of compost into your planting areas, or top dress with a mixture of compost and mulch.  Top turf areas with one inch of compost.

3. Keep all planting area covered with at least two inches of mulch.  Wood chips, dry leaves, pine needles, or coarse compost are all good options.

4. In vegetable gardens, rotate crops when possible or alternate with cover crops (buckwheat and field peas, for example)

5. Use herbicides as as last resort if at all, and if you have pest problems, follow the guidlines of Integrated Pest Management.

For more information about soils and optimum growing conditions, consult a certified professional landscaper or nursery professional in your area.

Click here for more information about healthy soil!   And for even more information, click here!

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Got shade?  Lucky you.

With just a little planning, you can turn an unappealing, low-light area into a place that beckons you to come sit for a while.  Of course you can't grow sunflowers or tomatoes there, but you can grow lush ground covers with bright blooms and variegated foliage, and multi-textured ferns and lilies.  Add a comfortable bench and a winding mulch-covered path and you've got a restful retreat.  Here are a few plants you might want to include in your shady retreat.

Flax lily: This graceful and tender perennial adds a bright splash of white to a dark corner.

White or red turk's cap: A good choice for dry or moist shade.  Hummingbirds and butterflies love it.

Salvia coccinea: An easy care native that blooms (in white or red) in the shade.  Reseeds freely.

Cast Iron plant: The large dark green strappy leaves of the Cast Iron plant add a tropical touch to a dry or moist shade garden.

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Tough growing conditions call for tough plants

No one ever said that Texas was an easy place to live.  At any given time, depending on what corner of the state you're in, it's either way too hot, way too wet, way too dry, way too cold, or not nearly cold enough.  Rarely is it just right.  (OK, maybe it's just right for a few months in spring and again in fall.)  Needless to say, these weather extremes are hard on plants as well as people.  And since your plants can't get up and run indoors every time they get too hot or too cold, it's best to choose plants that are well-adapted to your area.  A certified landscape or nursery professional can help you choose perennials, shrubs and trees that will enhance your outdor living spaces and thrive despite the wily ways of Texas weather.  If you've got a problem area because of less than ideal growing conditions, you might want to give one or more of these reliable tough guys a try:

Coneflower: Pretty and pink and very versatile.  It blooms well in sun or partial sun, and can adapt to just about any soil type or moisture level.  It grows taller (up to 3 feet) and blooms bigger when it gets plenty of water, but once established, it will do its best to bloom a little even in very dry, low light conditions.  A true troooper.  And birds and butterflies love it.

Purpleheart: Careful where you drop a piece of this passionate groundcover.  It can set down roots in the blink of an eye with almost no water an very little soil, which explains why this very determined survivor can be a nuisance if it's not contained.  But if you've got it where you want it, you will love its reliability and its color.  A hard freeze will knock it back, but it will quickly return as soon as nighttime temperatures remain above freezing.  Can be trimmed for a tidy look or left wild and unruly.

Cast Iron plant: The perfect plant for deep shade.  Even small amounts of summer sun can damage this evergreen plant, leaving brown, crunchy edges on its large, dark green leaves.  But in the right spot, it's a miracle plant that will survive heavy rain, no rain, extreme heat, extreme cold, and even slow draining soil.  Just keep it out of direct sun.

Rose of Sharon: Once established, this reliable old-time garden favorite will bloom its heart out during rainy growing seasons and sit quietly during dry growing seasons.  It's not fussy about soil and it will still manage to pop out a few blooms in very low light conditions.  It is happiest in dappled sun and partial sun.  The lovely hibiscus-like florwers come in many colors and shapes.  Considered a small, ornamental tree, but now also comes in dwarf sizes.

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Rock Yards

Have a friend who swears that "xeriscaping" is the way to go? Our Backyard Blogger can help you sort out the facts from fiction in this helpful video.

More Backyard Blogger

More "How To" Videos from the Backyard Blogger

In cooperation with Texas A&M and TNLA Certified Professionals, the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association has published the third edition of the wildly popular Best of Texas Landscape Guide.  The guide offers a wide range of advice on landscape and gardening in Texas including sun exposure, water usage, and more.  Packed full of pictures, the guide will allow to select the plant you want for your specific needs.  Plus, this edition includes a new phone app as well as QR codes that link you to an online database with additional plants and plant information.  Just scan the code and check out the wealth of information you'll have on your smart phone!

Conserving water is not as difficult as it seems. Just a few easy tweaks to your usual routine can make a big difference and help us all have more water.

Last year’s record drought showed that even a great state like Texas is powerless when it comes to Mother Nature. The good news is  we are not powerless to do something about it. Drastic measures aren’t necessary, we just need to all do our part. This is why TNLA put together the Texas Water Smart Coalition: to show that simple, common sense  steps can help conserve our precious water while preserving business and our economy. You might even save some money on your water bill while you’re at it!

A key proponent of the Texas Water Smart Coalition isTexas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. Commissioner Staples graciously cut several radio and video spots outlining simple tips to conserve water and maintain your lawn and landscape. Watch and Listen for these water conservation radio spots, and join the Texas Water Smart Coalition. You can listen to the 6 tips by clicking the buttons below.

If you're looking for a landscape contractor or a retail outlet center to help you with your landscape or gardening needs, please consider a TNLA member and ask for a TNLA Certified Professional.  TNLA Certified Professionals have completed a rigorous course of study and are required to maintain continuing education.  TNLA Certified Professionals are well quipped to give you the best advice and guidance as you work to transform your landscape into an oasis.  Select your category and then you can either enter your city or your region for a little broader selection.  Feel free to call TNLA with any questions you may have.

Is Your Contractor Certified?

TNLA Certified Professionals

Landscape Contractors or Retail Centers

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples knows the devastating effects of drought all too well after listening to farmers and ranchers throughout last year. 

But he's not just worried about farmers and ranchers.  The combined effects of the drought and the rapid population growth in Texas have water managers everywhere scrambling to conserve one of our state's most precious resources.  On April 2nd, Commissioner Staples joined Texas Green Industry leaders and other elected officials to announce the kickoff of the Texas Water Smart Education Campaign.  "We have a choice to make: conserve water now or risk more job losses in the future," said Staples referring to the $14.6 billion dollar Texas nursery and landscape industry.  He continued, "... its time all Texans take a serious look at individual water use habits and find a common-sense way to conserve.

A comprehensive consumer education campaign, Texas Water Smart will use television, radio, and print ads as well as social media and other targeted awareness tools to show Texans easy and practical ways to save water.  Texas Water Smart represents the combined efforts of industry professionals, water purveyors, and government agencies, each recognizing the need to conserve water and dedicating resources to help consumers make Texas Water Smart decisions.

Amy Graham, president of the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association said, “It’s great to have the nursery/landscape industry partnering with public entities to help ensure future water needs.”  She continued, “…know about the water needs of your plant material. Find an industry certified nursery or landscape professional who will advise you.  Help us conserve water by choosing the right plant for the right place.”

Here are a few simple tips to help you be Texas Water Smart:

• Water only when plants look like they need it, keep in mind most plants die from over-watering, not under-watering;
• Check outdoor faucets, hoses and sprinklers for water-wasting leaks, and  making sure to repair them quickly;
• Adjust sprinklers so only lawns and gardens are watered – not houses, sidewalks or streets;
• Clean driveways, patios and sidewalks with a broom or leaf blower instead of a hose.

Other recommended methods of water conservation include using watering cans rather than hoses and adding a layer of mulch to flower beds to better retain water.

Inside the home, Texas Water Smart encourages shorter bath times, washing only full loads of dishes and clothes, and fixing leaky faucets and toilets.

For more helpful tips and information, visit www.TexasWaterSmart.com.

info@tnlaonline.org

512 579-3866

With Texas recovering from historic drought conditions, finding just the right lawn solution for your area of the state is even more challenging than ever. Here are just a handful of helpful links that may provide you with the solution you're looking for.

• Lawn pest problem solver by zipcode
• Drought-resistent turf
• Lawn mowing tips

Please visit the Products and Services Finder to find local nursery and landscape experts who are members of the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association.

Of Interest

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• Texas Cooperative Extension - Texas A&M University
• Neil Sperry
• Texas Licensed Irrigator List (TCEQ)

Pests and Diseases

• Fire Ant Control
• Integrated Pest Management
• Rose Pests
• Plant Diseases
• Plant Pest Identification Guide
• Tree and Shrub Pests

Specialty Gardens

• Antique Roses for the South
• Butterfly Garden Plant Suggestions
• Gardening with Children
• Earth-Kind Gardening
• Texas Earth-Kind Gardening Guidelines (PDF)
• Earth-Kind Roses
• Landscaping with Old Roses
• Perennial Garden Color
• Water Gardening

The beauty of a well-balanced garden can sometimes be enhanced by a special theme or focus. Hobbyists such as bird watchers can use a specialty garden to expand enjoyment of their hobby into the back yard. Children’s gardens are teaching and family bonding spaces. Here are a few ideas for gardens with a theme:

• Wildlife / Bird Sanctuary
• Butterflies
• Fragrance Garden
• Shady spaces

Wildlife / Bird Sanctuary

• Birds need food, cover, water, and nesting areas
• Birds will be attracted to plants native to the area, although they will enjoy other plants as well
• The greatest variety of birds can be attracted with multi-level plantings, using grasses, large and small trees, and medium-sized shrubs
• Avoid trimming lower branches on bushes and plant tall grasses to provide hiding places
• Include tall, mature trees
• Provide water - excavated pond or small birdbath
• Involve neighbors - the bigger the wildlife space the better
• Be careful about using fertilizers or pesticides that may be harmful to wildlife. Read the label before applying and consult with your TNLA member nursery professional about the best products to use.

Resources

• National Wildlife Federation has a Backyard Wildlife Habitats Program
• Texas Parks & Wildlife Backyard Habitat Program Called Wildscapes

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Butterfly Gardens

What Butterflies Need

• A variety of plants for food and shelter
• Some moisture
• Absence of pesticides

Choosing the Space

• You may have lots of space, or you may have little, even a spaced as small as 3 feet by 6 feet will hold enough flowers to attract butterflies. You can even use a window box or 304 containers on a deck.
• Butterflies enjoy flat stones for basking or sunbathing. Edge the garden with rounded rocks, put a small pile towards one side, or make a path through the flowers with flat stepping stones.
• Choose a sunny spot. Butterflies need the heat of the sun to raise their body temperatures, which helps them to fly.
• Provide water, a concave rock, a pot saucer filled with wet sand, or a birdbath
• Consult your local nursery professional for specialty items that attract butterflies

Choosing the Plants

Variety is the key. Choose lots of kinds of plants, herbs, annuals, and perennials as vines, groundcovers and in beds, plus shrubs and trees. Wildflower meadows featuring native plants are ideal. Try to plan the garden with plants that bloom at different times to keep something in bloom all season. It is not necessary to integrate the larval food with the adult butterfly food.

• Be sure to provide moisture.
• Adults enjoy plants in full sun or in sites sheltered from wind.
• Plant flowers that grow at a variety of heights. Butterflies can be territorial.
• Most butterflies don’t migrate and their eggs will be laid around your yard over the winter in weedy sites or woodpiles that provide them safe shelter.
• Consult your local nursery professional for recommended plants for your area.

• Butterfly Flower Favorites (adult)
  Larval host plants are often unattractive, weedy, and wild and voracious feeding immediately after hatching will virtually skeleton host plant foliage. Monarch moms choose milkweed for their eggs. Favorites of others include aster, Joe-Pye weed, Black-eyed Susan, Lantana, Butterfly bush, Liatris, Butterfly weed, Pentas, coreopsis, and purple coneflower. Swallowtail caterpillars devour Queen Anne’s Lace, carrots, and parsley, giving them their name parsleyworm.
• Adult Butterfly Hosts
  Flower nectar needed for energy is provided by any flowering plant but butterflies are particularly attracted to hot-colored, fragrant flowers. They get nutrition from moisture from moisture, even human perspiration if you stand very still.

How do you tell a good caterpillar from a harmful one?
Butterfly larvae tend to be solitary or sparsely distributed whereas pest caterpillars make tents and hatch in the hundreds.

In some cases larvae of attractive butterflies may damage food or ornamental crops. Decide how much you want to share before indulging in a butterfly garden.

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For Specialty Garden tips from the Backyard Blogger, click here!

Fragrance Garden

Caution - some new hybrids of traditional plants may not be fragrant. Check with your nursery professional.

Planning the Fragrance Garden

• Plant fragrant flowers and vines near windows and doors so a whiff of wind will whisk the scent inside.
• Select one or two flowers or plants to provide the dominant scents and use other flowers known for their fragrance sparingly.

Plants to Consider

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Shady Character

Finding colorful shade plants to brighten the covered areas of your yard is a challenge, but with the help of your nursery/landscape professional, you can have your shade and color too.

Ferns grow in a variety of different colors and textures. See autumn, holly, and Japanese painted fern. Some ferns die back on cold weather but they return in the spring.

Hostas - attractive foliage and a range of colors.
Armandii clematis, an evergreen vine that performs well in the shade
Pulmonarias or lungworts have intriguing foliage and spring-blooming flowers.
Tricyrtis or toad lily resembles a tropical orchid and takes a few years to reach full glory.

Annuals
Caladiums
Impatiens
Begonias
Coleus
Trailing browallia

Groundcover
Lamium - silvery white leaves edged in green.
Pachysandra - interesting textural qualities
Variegated vinca
Columbine - airy woodland appearance

Perennials
Aneom x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ - fall blooming white flowers reaching up to 4 feet in height
Heuchera or coral Bells - reaches about 18 inches and grows in a rounded shape. Fuzzy, maple leaf-shaped foliage that’s semi-evergreen

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Ever wondered how to attract butterflies, birds and other living things to add to the beauty of your outdoor living space? The Backyard Blogger has some helpful hints in this video below.

How to attract wildlife

Opportunities in horticulture provide responsibility, challenge, achievement, satisfaction, personal growth, and financial reward. For many professionals in the industry, the opportunity to work with nature is the most important reward. Growing trees, shrubs, and other plants, touches nearly every aspect of human life. Need money to make it happen? The TNLA Education and Research Foundation offers valuable scholarships for those interested in or currently studying horticulture. TNLA E&R Foundation scholarship applications are due June 1st of each year.

Career Prospects in Horticulture

The U.S. Census reports approximately 77% of US households from 2001-2007 (approximately 85 million) participated in lawn and garden activities. It is important to look at the trends of the green industry. The impact of the Green Industry continues to grow as the population rises in the U.S. Information from the National Gardening Association: Garden Market Research.

The American Nursery & Landscape Association predicts that the industry will continue to have attractive openings for a wide range of college graduates, and many technical or two-year school students.

Opportunities in horticulture provide responsibility, challenge, achievement, satisfaction, personal growth, and financial reward. For many professionals in the industry, the opportunity to work with nature is the most important reward. Growing trees, shrubs, and other plants, touches nearly every aspect of human life.These natural products protect and improve the environment. Research shows that, among many benefits, plants help purify our air and water, they guard against erosion, and provide shelter, warmth, cooling effects, windbreaks, food, and beauty.

Current research even tells us that beautiful natural views enhance our well-being. Professionals in the nursery/landscape industry bring these benefits to the public in a variety of ways.

For potential horticultural careers, a wide variety of interests and educational/employment experience is valuable to the industry. Just to name a few: agricultural sciences, business administration, biology, agronomy, forestry, horticulture, soil management, mechanics, marketing, advertising, communications, sales, retailing, landscape design, educational research, packaging, and transportation.

To search for current job opportunities, visit tnlaonline.org/services/job_link

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Defining the Industry Workplace

Industry opportunities involve every facet of plant care - among them growing, selling, and using plants in landscape design. Here are some descriptions of industry businesses.

Wholesale Nursery - operations focus on production; they grow plants for sale to retail nurseries or landscape contractors.

Retail Nursery/Garden Center - sells plants, items for use in lawn and garden work, and related consumer products.

Landscape Contractor - offers special services to design, prepare, and install landscapes for large and small sites.

Mailorder Nursery - grows plants for retail sale to consumers through the mail.

Online Nursery - mostly marketing at this time, buying form grower outlets.

Career Descriptions

Career opportunities may correspond with a variety of interests. This industry includes many members with diverse background and skills, who help to grow nursery plants and get them to the consumer and the landscape site.

Propagator - Supervises crews directly involved in producing new plants from seed, cuttings, layering, and grafting. Manages production facilities and schedules.

Production Superintendent - Oversees all of the nursery's production phases, form planting to shipping. Makes operations decisions.

Division Manager - Manages production in one of the major divisions of a large wholesale grower operation.

Crew Supervisor - One of the skilled managers and trainers directing others in various nursery production operations.

Pest Management Specialist - Responsibilities include prevention and control of destructive insects, diseases, and weeds.

Inventory Controller - Manages nursery inventory and quality control by selecting stock according to buyer specifications and industry standards.

Shipping Manager - Supervises order assembly, packing and shipping schedules.

Landscape Designer/Architect - Prepares landscape designs and specifications through a nursery or an independent design firm.

Landscape Supervisor - Manages and trains landscape installation crews.

Landscape Superintendent - Coordinates all of the nursery's landscape installation.

Landscape Manager - Supervises all phases of day-to-day plant care in the landscape contractor business.

Arborist - Responsibilities focus on protecting and maintaining landscape trees.

Business Specialists - Successful nurseries need such professionals in a variety of fields: management, marketing, advertising, sales, direct mail, finance, personnel, customer service, etc.

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How to prepare for a Career in Horticulture

Many nursery and landscape managers at all levels learn their skills on the job, advancing as their knowledge and skills grow. Others bring to the job skills they developed while preparing for a different career. And others become skilled through formal educational programs combined with industry employment experience. A good basic knowledge of the growing sciences is a plus for anyone seeking career success in this industry. Through their horticulture curricula, high schools and vocational centers offer nursery and landscape courses in skill development, an important component at school and in the workplace. Arboreta and public gardens also provide educational programs; at these institutions students earn a certificate instead of a diploma when they complete a program.

A number of junior and community colleges, as well as other schools, offer 2-year associate degree programs. These technical courses apply directly to careers, and they often include field training as well as hands-on experience. Such programs tend to cost less and the school schedules tend to be more flexible; two valuable advantages for students with full or part-time jobs.

Bachelor's degree programs at 4-year universities and colleges offer more opportunities for career and general educational development. Specialties in such areas as nursery management and landscape management, design, or architecture build on a strong foundation in the growing sciences. Other agricultural and plant sciences, as well as business courses, provide more career preparation.

Work or on-the-job experience is also very important. Industry and university partnerships offer part-time summer, co-op and internship opportunities form which students receive invaluable experience, as well as pleasure and income.

To learn more about this field and profession, talk to your local retail nursery/garden center, wholesale nursery, landscape firm, the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, or extension agent. 

Your home and landscape are as individual as your personality. The pictures in a book may look great, but if they don’t fit your lifestyle, and your environment, they won’t make a good basis for planning your garden. Here is a step-by-step for getting started in planning the home landscape and selecting the professionals who will help you have a beautiful and successful garden.

Benefits of Landscaping

Investment in your property always provides you with pleasure, but some investments actually pay you back by enabling you to recover your cost when you sell the home. An article in Money magazine listed these recovery values for usual home renovation projects:

Landscaping recovery value: 100-200%
Kitchen recovery value: 75-125%
Bathroom recovery value: 80-125%
Deck or patio recovery value: 40-70%
Swimming pool recovery value: 20-50%

Selecting Your Landscape Partners

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you likely can tackle smaller projects with ease but may want the services of a designer or contractor for major work. Either way, you'll benefit from a relationship with a retail nursery or garden center for purchasing your plants and equipment. Many nurseries have designers on staff to assist in your planning.

Whether tackling it all on your own, hiring someone to do it all, or a combination of both, there are several types of professionals available to help you are each stage of your project. If possible, ensure your success by doing business with a qualified professional. TNLA recommends choosing a certified professional if possible. But what does it mean to be certified?

Retail Nursery & Garden Center
Texas Certified Nursery Professional (TCNP)

What does it mean to be certified? Retail nursery employees, managers, and owners take a self study course consisting of 4 parts: Plant Culture, Plant Identification, Merchandising, and Landscape Design. Maintaining one's certification requires completing continuing education from year to year.

Texas Master Certified Nursery Professional (TMCNP)

Individuals who have earned the TCNP designation and want to take the next step in professionalism attend the TMCNP program consisting of a 4-day study course taught by professional instructors and industry professionals, followed by an exam. This course offers advanced training at Texas A&M University using TAMU facilities and laboratories. Certification requires continuing education.

Find a retail nursery in your area that employs certified professionals by visiting the Find a Vendor section of this web site.

Design Assistance is Available From a Landscape Designer or Landscape Architect.

A landscape architect is licensed by the state after university graduate work and a qualifying exam administered by the state. A landscape architect will produce a blueprint and may work with landscape contractors to complete a project.

A landscape designer specializes in designing outdoor spaces, but is not a landscape architect.

A landscape contractor is qualified to read a blueprint. The contractor can lay drainage pipes, use earth-moving equipment, and supervise stonemasons and carpenters. Some landscape contractors employ landscape architects in their design departments.

Texas Certified Landscape Professional

This is a peer-reviewed certification administered by the Texas Nursery & Landscape association. Landscape contractor supervisors, owners, and managers take this self-study course followed by an exam covering 20 topics including management, landscape and irrigation design, resource efficiency, building materials, botany, turf, and pruning. Continuing education is required for maintaining this certification.

If you decide to hire a professional, once you have identified several potential landscape partners it is wise to conduct interviews and make your decision based on more than just price. Be sure the individual you hire is qualified to do the work you need and is properly licensed by the municipality and state of Texas. Irrigation contractors are required to be licensed by the state of Texas. To verify the qualifications of contractors, visit the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality web site

Do It Yourself - New Landscape

Landscape Basics
Just starting out in gardening? Among other things you will need the following basic tools:

• Rake
• Spade
• Watering can
• Garden hose
• Leak-free sprinkler
• Extra pots for container grown plants
• Wheelbarrow
• Gardening gloves
• Hand-held trowels
• Pruning shears
• Pruning saw
• Lopping shears
• Bulb planter

Good quality tools pay off in the long run because they last longer, and they are safer and more effective. To find a TNLA member nursery or garden center near you that sells gardening tools, visit the “products and services” page.

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How Many Plants Will I Need?

For masses of color in a flower bed and most other layouts, use the charts below to decide how many plants you need.

Example:
You are planting petunias in a flower bed with a size of 8X10’ (or 80 square feet). Based on the spacing recommendation below ("Common Plant Spacing"), you see that it is recommended to space Petunias 10-12 inches apart. When you look up this spacing recommendation in the "Spacing Calculator", you see that you can plant 1.4 plants per square foot. So with a garden of 80 square feet, you can thus plant 112 petunia bedding plants.

Common Plant Spacing

For other helpful tips and ideas for that perfect landscape or garden, see Landscapes - Texas Style, Gardening with Kids, Home Garden Food Crops, Specialty Gardens, Watering, and Lawn Problem Solver.

"What else should I know about what it means to be a nursery or landscape professional and how do I find one?"

Landscape Professional Review:

A landscape designer specializes in designing outdoor spaces, but is not a landscape architect. A landscape contractor is qualified to read a blueprint and may also do design. A landscape contractor can lay drainage pipes, use earth-moving equipment, and supervise stonemasons, carpenters, and laborers. Some landscape contractors employ landscape architects in their design departments. A landscape architect is licensed by the state after years of university graduate work and rigorous testing and will produce a blueprint as well as hire contractors to complete the project.

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What criteria should I use in selecting a Landscape Professional?

Professionalism

• Does the firm have Texas Certified Landscape Professionals, or Texas Certified Landscape Technicians on staff?
• Do they have a federal identification number that designates it as a real business?
• Are they insured?
• Professionals arrive on time and take pictures or draw sketches of your property while there.

Ask:

• How many years have they been in business?
• Ask for customer references and follow up by calling referrals.
• Who will be supervising the installation - problems can result from communication gaps between estimator and installer.
• Are the installers trained, and what proof of training do they offer?

Paperwork

• Ask for an itemized estimate listing materials and plant sizes.
• Who is responsible for cleanup?
• The estimate should detail products essential to the desired result: weed control, edging, mulching, etc.
• A reputable firm provides a contract specifying starting and completion dates (making allowances for weather).
• If a deposit is required, the contract should show that the money is held in escrow at a specific bank.

Timing

In most regions, landscape professionals find the best time to plant doesn't necessarily correlate with the busiest time. A reputable firm will make recommendations about planting times, while trying to accommodate your timing needs.

Commitment to Communication

Communication with the consumer is one of a landscape professional's most valuable assets.

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What should I do to work successfully with the Landscape Professional?

• Be frank about the amount of money you intend to spend. A "time plus materials" arrangement is one way to set prices.
• Interview several professionals. Ask to see their "before and after" portfolio of completed jobs.
• Check references.
• Go see a completed project
• If you have trouble visualizing the job, ask for a sketch.
• Seek guarantees that faulty structural work and plants that perish within a year will be repaired or replaced without charge.
• Remember that a newly finished landscape may look a bit sparse until the plants have a chance to grow. The end result will begin to show in two to three years.

Where do I find a Landscape Professional?

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Landscape Texas is your information resource for beautiful landscapes and successful gardens in Texas. We are here to be your trusted garden and landscape problem solver. Whether you are an expert with a problem or a beginner looking for a place to start, we offer useful and practical gardening information from reliable sources. Have a question for a professional? Most questions are best handled by the experts.

Find a landscaper or retailer

For a wealth of plant information at your fingertips, be sure to pick up a copy of the Best of Texas Landscape Guide. In cooperation with Texas A&M and TNLA Certified Professionals, the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association has published this third edition of the popular publication. The guide offers a wide range of advice on landscape and gardening in Texas including sun exposure, water usage, and more.  Packed full of pictures, the guide will help you to select the plant you want for your specific needs.  Plus, this edition includes a new phone app as well as QR codes that link you to an online database with additional plants and plant information.  Just scan the code and check out the wealth of information you'll have on your smart phone!

Soil Management

Where It All Begins

The soil is the home of the root. Matching the plant to the soil, creating a hospitable home, is the first essential step in successful and beautiful landscapes and gardens. soils may look dead, but healthy soil is alive with literally millions of micro-organisms that support plant life.
Soil chart from the planet ag booth (pdf)

In the forest or native plains, soil is kept healthy by nature’s own processes of plant growth, death, and decay. In managed landscapes, we consider dead plant material unsightly, so we have to substitute management strategies to keep soil healthy.

Success tip: Dead soil can’t support live plants.

Soil Primer

• What is soil made of?
• What determines the amount of organic matter in soil?
• Physical properties of soil
• Over the top
• What lies beneath?

Healthy soil

• Soil testing
• Compost

Components of Soil

Organic Matter

Remains of plants and animals. Living area with millions of microscopic critters that keep the soil alive and vital. Heat burns up organic matter in Texas soils.

Water and Air

Carbon dioxide in the soil combines with water to form a solution that can be used by plants for food. Air provides space for water and roots to move.

Plant Nutrients (food)

20 elements needed for growth
The fertility of soil is its ability to hold and release nutrients in adequate amounts and suitable proportions. Adequate amounts of water and air are needed, as well as a proper balance of the 20 elements

What determines the amount of organic matter in soil?

• Long term management
• Kinds of plants that have been grown there
• Temperature
• Drainage

Success Tip: Compost enhances each of the components of soil making a living, hospitable environment for the plants.

Physical Properties of Soil

Agro/Hort 100 Intro to Plant Science - Soil

Color

Light clear, bright color: low organic matter content, coarse texture
Dark: high organic content

Red and brown: free movement of air and water, good aeration
Yellow, mixed or drab: poor drainage, too much water, too little air

Texture

Sand: coarse, rough, fast draining
Silt: fine, floury, smooth
Clay: finest particles, smooth when dry, sticky when wet
Loam: moderate amounts of all three - best for plants

Structure

Good soil structure is promoted by (1) adequate supply of organic matter (2) working the soil only when moisture conditions are right. Plants can actually change the soil structure. So can earthworms as they tunnel through the subsoil.

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Over the Top

Illustration: Texas Geologic Regions with Plant Material Illustration

Success Tip: Knowing the types of soil native to an area helps identify the plants that will be easiest to grow there.

What Lies Beneath?

Soil Depth
The Effective depth is the point to which a plant’s roots can grow before they hit something that stops them. Plants have different depth needs depending on the type and size of plant. Deeper topsoil holds more water and needs less frequent irrigation.

Very shallow - 10”
Shallow - 10-20”
Moderately deep - 20-36”
Deep - 36-60”
Very deep - 60” plus

Soil not only changes across the surface, it changes below the surface as well. What we call topsoil is only the beginning:

Success Tip: The deeper the organic matter layer, the less water required for successful landscaping.

Soil Testing

Test the soil every 3-4 years or when establishing a new landscape

Get a soil testing kit from your local nursery or your Texas Cooperative Extension Office

Use clean sampling equipment, not brass, bronze, or galvanized tools
Mix samples in a clean, plastic bucket.

Sample Location

Each sample should represent only one soil type or area—for example, a lawn, vegetable garden or perennial landscaped area
Take least six to eight sub samples and combine them to make one sample.
If one area of the yard seems healthy and another has bare or yellow areas, sample healthy and unhealthy areas separately.

Sample Depth

Lawns - 4” excluding any turf thatch.
Vegetable and flower gardens - 4-6”
Shrubbery 4-6 inches at base of plant

Success Tip: Match the plant to the soil or amend the soil to match the plant.

Soil Testing FAQ

What is a Soil Test?
A soil test is a series of chemical procedures that determine the presence and availability of the major plant nutrients in the soil.

Why test soil?
All plants need some 15 different nutrients to live. Most of these are found in the soil or come from the air. In the artificial environment of the urban landscape, soils will rarely provide optimum amounts of these nutrients so we add fertilizers. A soil test tells the condition of the soil so that a proper fertilization process can be developed. Adding more of any nutrient than a landscape can use costs extra money, may contribute to disease problems, and is environmentally undesirable. A soil test is the only way to ensure that you are adding only needed nutrients in quantities that don’t adversely affect environmental quality.

When should soil be tested?
The best time is during the winter. The next best time is any time of year. A test should not be conducted within two weeks of applying any fertilizer.

How do you do a soil test?
Simple step by step instructions are available online Aggie Horticulture. Your local TNLA member nursery professional can assist in soil testing. Find a nursery in your area by using the TNLA Products and Services Finder.

Compost

Our Backyard Blogger takes you through the steps of creating your own compost pile.

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Why Youth Gardens?

We use gardening as a vehicle for encouraging children to make good food choices, augmenting classroom studies with experiential learning, building a love of nature, stimulating social interaction, facilitating cultural exchange, and more. Click here to learn more about the benefits of school and youth gardens.

Resources

• Kids Gardening
• Create a School Garden
• Junior Master Gardener Program
• Benefits of Gardening with Kids
• Why Youth Gardens?
• Kids + Gardening = Healthier Children
• Easy Drip Watering Project

Bucket Gardens

Gardening with children can be one of the most rewarding activities you can do with a kid. In this video segment, our Backyard Blogger gives step by step instructions on how to make a bucket garden with and for kids!

Drought Information

Texas experienced unprecedent drought in 2011 and that drougth took its toll on our water resources. The Texas Nursery and Landscape Industry is committed to provide beautiful landscapes and green spaces using a combination of the best plants, the proper bedding and the most resourceful use of water.  We need your help: First, when considering do it yourself landscape projects, talk to a TNLA Certified Nursery Professional they will help you pick the right plant for the right place.  Here are some helpful tips to use less water and maintain a beautiful landscape

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What about Grass?

Lawns Don't Waste Water, People Do

In recent years, much attention and controversy has surrounded the water requirement of the lawn. Misinformation and hidden agendas have fueled this controversy. However, there are some well documented facts about the American lawn.

• The lawn is an integral component of the landscape. The lawn is certainly the best recreational surface for children and athletes.
• The lawn has a tremendous mitigating effect on the environment, reducing heat loads and noise, plus water and air pollution.
• A lawn is second only to a virgin forest in the ability to harvest water and recharge groundwater resources. And as a design component, the lawn provides landscape unity and simplicity while inviting participation in the landscape.

The lawn has become a focus in reducing landscape water use because of the tremendous opportunity for abusive use of irrigation water in the name of maintaining the lawn. Within the traditional landscape, the lawn has received the major portion of the total landscape irrigation. Lawn irrigation can be reduced, while the homeowner continues to derive the many benefits of turfgrass. Specific strategies to reduce lawn irrigation include:

• Place lawn areas into landscape irrigation zones based on water requirements, so that lawns can be watered separately from other landscape plantings
• Select adapted, lower-water demand turf species and varieties
• Use irrigated lawn areas only in areas which provide function (i.e. recreational, aesthetic, foot traffic, dust and noise abatement, glare reduction, temperature mitigation)
• Use non-irrigated lawn areas where appropriate
• Irrigate properly based on the lawn's true water needs
• Increase mowing heights to decrease lawn water use and stress
• Decrease fertilizer rates and properly schedule fertilizations.

By implementing these strategies, homeowners can reduce lawn irrigation requirements and still reap the many benefits of a cool, green lawn.

This article is provided by Dr. Doug Welsh of Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

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Preserving Your Lawn During the Drought

Contrary to popular belief, lawns do not need frequent waterings. Some turf grasses can survive if they are watered deeply once every seven to 10 days. Lawns offer significant environmental benefits, energy savings, and aesthetic value. They cool a home at the same rate as a one-ton air conditioner, trap dust, absorb noise, and offer children and adults an outdoor living space. Here are some tips that will help you preserve your lawn during the drought:

• Aerate and dethatch the lawn - punch holes in it with a hand or power aerator - and dethatch to remove dead grass. Spread organic matter lightly in the holes left by the aerator. The organic matter will help pull the water down into the root zone of the grass. This will encourage deep rooting, increase water penetration, and reduce runoff.
• Water the lawn more efficiently. Schedule waterings for early morning when there is little or no wind and minimal sunlight. Water at a depth of four to six inches and in short intervals to avoid runoff. Extend the time between waterings to promote greater tolerance to dry spells.
• Keep the lawn shape simple so the lawn will be easy to water. Avoid planting narrow strips of lawn and mixing lawn with other plants.
• Mow higher. Let lawns grow to the maximum recommended height. Longer blades of grass need less water. Mow St. Augustine grass and buffalograss at three inches; Bermudagrass at one inch, and centipedegrass and Zosiagrass at two inches.
• Properly fertilize your lawn. Too much nitrogen will stimulate thirsty, new growth. Apply other nutrients such as iron and potassium in proper amounts as needed to encourage deep roots. Fertilize once in spring and again in the fall. Use a slow-release form of nitrogen in spring and a quick-release form in fall. Apply one pound of actual nitrogen fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn at one time.
• Weed lawns regularly. A weed-free lawn is healthier, and weeds compete for water.
• Upgrade or automate your sprinkler system. Old, outdated sprinkler systems waste water. Use low-volume sprinklers with matched-precipitation rates for even coverage and reduced runoff. Automatic sprinklers with multiple-program controllers are convenient, flexible, and can accommodate several watering schedules.
• Monitor sprinkler systems for leaks, clogs, and breakdowns. Adjust automatic programming as weather patterns change. Some cities offer irrigation audits through their energy conservation departments.

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Lawn Watering FAQs

How do I know if the lawn needs water?

Most grasses take on a dull, dark appearance and leaves begin to roll when they need water. Two easy ways to know when to water:

• Do the "footprint" test: walk across your lawn, then turn around and look for your footprints. If you can see them, your lawn is stressed and needs water. If you can't see them, if the grass springs back up quickly, then your lawn does not need additional water.
• Dig a hole and feel the soil to see if it is moist. This is the most accurate method. Use a spade, shovel, trowel or soil probe. Dig at least four to six inches deep. If there is any moisture at all in the sample, your lawn does not need water.

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How often should I water?

Grass Species (Adapted Region) How often To Water

The number in () is the "adapted region." These recommendations are for grass planted in its adapted region. If the grass is not adapted to your region, consider replanting with one that is.

Buffalograss (3,4,5) - Every 2-5 weeks
Bermudagrass (6) - Every 7-10 days
Centipede (1) - Every 7-10 days
Zoysia (3.4.5) - Every 7-10 days
Carpetgrass (1,2) - Every 5 days
St. Augustine (1,2,5) - Every 5 days
Tall Fescue (4) - Every 4 days
Bluegrass (1,4) - Every 4 days

Adapted Regions: 1-East Texas; 2-South Texas; 3-West Texas; 4-North Texas;
5-Central Texas; 6-Statewide

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3. How much do I water?

Procedure for figuring out how much water your grass needs.

• Set 3-5 empty cans at different distances from the sprinkler with the last can near the edge of the sprinkler coverage.
• Run the sprinkler for 30 minutes.
• Add the inches of water in all cans and divide the total inches by the number of cans to obtain an average.
• Multiply the average by two to determine how many inches of water are applied in an hour.
• Use the list below to determine how many inches of water to apply every fifth day to bermudagrass during June, July, and August. Buffalograss needs about 25 percent less water and St. Augustine needs about 15 percent more.
• Subtract any rainfall from the amounts given in the list to determine how much water to apply.

Paris, Tyler, Bryan, Houston areas - .75 inch in 5 days
Sherman,Waco, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi areas - 1-1.5 inch in 5 days
Abilene, Amarillo, Midland, El Paso areas - 1-1.5 inch in 5 days
San Angelo, Laredo areas - 1.5 inch in 5 days

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Irrigation System Tips

• Automate your sprinkler system. Add an electronic controller or timer to water your landscape at the precise time you want for maximum benefits. Multiple-program controllers can accommodate several planted zones and time schedules. Your irrigation system will work most efficiently if plants have been grouped according to their water requirements. Adjust timers for seasonal conditions.
• Use low-volume, matched-precipitation sprinkler heads. Low-volume sprinklers reduce evaporation due to wind, and slow the water's delivery rate allowing the soil more time to absorb the water. Matched-precipitation sprinkler heads provide the most even coverage.
• Check your sprinkler system for leaks. A leaky system wastes a lot of water fast. Look for these signs of trouble: broken or clogged sprinkler heads; muddy spots in the soil or lawn; lowest sprinkler leaks constantly (valve problem); valve box filled with water; water meter always running.
• Install a drip irrigation system for gardens, shrubs, trees, and planters. This flexible, low-volume, low-pressure watering system uses plastic pipes and emitters and applies moisture only where it is needed, at the plant root zone. A drip system typically uses 40 to 60 percent less water than conventional methods.
• For best results, water when there is no wind and the weather is cool, usually between the hours of 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Evaluate the rate at which the soil absorbs water to determine the best way to water and minimize runoff.
• Install a rain shutoff device to override the sprinkler system when it rains. The controller will resume watering when rainwater collected in a special pan has evaporated.
• Use an automatic moisture sensor to determine when your lawn needs watering. An automatic sensor will trigger sprinkler operation only when soil moisture falls below a certain level.

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Caring for Trees, Plants, and Shrubs During the Drought and Beyond

Below are several tips that will help conserve water and preserve and protect your landscape during the drought. They also will help you garden better and produce stronger, healthier plants for many years to come.

• Mulch soil surface. Organic mulch such as bark and commercial compost reduces water loss due to evaporation, prevents weeds by covering weed seeds, and keeps the soil cool in the daytime. Apply a two-inch layer of mulch around shrubs, trees, annuals, vegetable gardens, and even in containers.
• Install drip irrigation. Drip irrigation is a watering system network of flexible poly tubes that carry water from the source, a faucet or sprinkler valve, to feeder tubes and emitters that drip, spray, or soak individual plants. This method helps eliminate waste and weeds by putting water only where it is needed. Watering is done in a slow, steady, and timed fashion. A drip system typically uses 40 to 60 percent less water than conventional methods.
• Water infrequently, deeply, and thoroughly. Roots will grow where the water is. The deeper the water, the deeper the roots. With deep roots, plants have a large soil reservoir from which to draw water. Plants will develop a greater tolerance to dry spells if watered infrequently.
• Learn when to water. Water when the soil is dry, not before. If water begins to run off, take a break and allow the soil to absorb the water. Repeat the cycle until the desired depth is reached. Dig a hole to check penetration.
• Schedule waterings when there is little or no wind and the temperatures are cool, usually early morning. Sun and wind steal moisture.
• Build basins around trees and shrubs to minimize runoff. Apply water directly to roots. If the system is not automated, use a root feeder (a hollow probe that attaches to a hose and siphons water directly to the plants roots) for deep watering.
• Properly condition and fertilize soil. Water does not easily penetrate clay soils and may pass too quickly beyond the root zone of plant sin sandy soil. Adding organic matter to these soils will help correct imbalances and reduce water waste.
• Pull weeds. Weeds compete with other plants for limited water and nutrients.

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What about Xeriscape?

Xeriscape is a term coined in Denver, Colorado to describe quality landscaping that conserves water and protects the environment.

Xeriscape landscapes are not cactus and rock gardens. They can be cool, green landscapes full of beautiful plants which are maintained with water efficient practices. The same green, Texas-style landscapes which we are accustomed to can be achieved and still conserve water. Xeriscape landscaping incorporates seven basic principles which lead to water savings:

1. Planning and design
2. Soil analysis and improvement
3. Appropriate plant selection
4. Practical turf areas
5. Efficient irrigation
6. Use of mulches
7. Appropriate maintenance

By using these seven principles, you can help preserve our most precious natural resource - water.

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All Plants Have a Place in Xeriscape Landscapes

Every plant in the nursery or garden center truly has a place in a Xeriscape landscape. It's not which plant you use, but where you put it that matters. Three different plant zones can be incorporated into a Xeriscape landscape:

1. Regular Watering Zone
2. Occasional Watering Zone
3. Natural Rainfall Zone

Plants in the "Regular Watering Zone" would require watering once every week or more ONCE ESTABLISHED, in the absence of rain.

Plants in the "Occasional Watering Zone" would require watering once every two or three weeks ONCE ESTABLISHED, in the absence of rain.

Plants in the 'Natural Rainfall Zone" would require only natural rainfall ONCE ESTABLISHED.

By zoning the plants in the landscape according to their water requirements, you prevent the situation of having to over water one plant type to meet the need of another.

Every region of Texas has a pallet of plants to choose from which are adapted to the soil, temperature extremes, and pest problems of the area. The challenge for the professional and amateur gardener is to categorize the plants based on expected water requirements. By using the categories of natural rainfall, occasional water, and regular watering, most gardeners can place the plants from their region into these water-use zones.

For example, in much of Texas (areas of 30+ inches of rainfall), the following categorization is often used:

• Regular Watering Zone: turfgrass and annual flowers
• Occasional Watering Zone: perennial flowers and tender woody shrubs and vines
• Natural Watering Zone: tough woody shrubs and vines and all trees

All plants do have a place in a Xeriscape landscape. Visit your nursery or garden center today, or consult with your landscape design and installation professional, and get started on creating your own beautiful, water conserving landscape!

This article is provided by Dr. Doug Welsh of Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

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Eating Healthy:
Easy When You Grow Your Own!

Vegetable gardening is fun, relaxing and good exercise. With careful planning, Texas vegetable gardeners can have something growing nearly every month of the year, and with the fast-paced, high-tech, modern lifestyles we live, gardening provides a great way to slow down and unwind.

Get your plants in the ground as early as possible to give them time to acclimate to the warming weather and the growing season. Variety selection and proper planting time are critical for success.

Purchasing from local nurseries or starting transplants from seeds in your home are both great ways to get a head start on the growing season.

At least four to eight weeks can be cut from the time required between planting and harvesting or getting effective landscape color by setting vigorous transplants rather than seeds into the garden. If you choose to seed your garden, make sure you have adequate moisture, full sun to warm the soil and good seed and soil contact. 

Ideal spring vegetables include pole beans, summer squash, peas, potatoes, lettuce, eggplant, asparagus, corn, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chard, chives, collards, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, mustard, okra, onions, parsley, peppers and tomatoes.

Gardening Tips

• Spring plants should be put in the ground when the frost danger has passed.
• Make sure you choose the right location. Plants should have room to grow, full sun, good air circulation and adequate drainage.
• Prepare your beds. Determine soil type. Do you have clay, loam, sandy loam or sandy soil? Good compost and mulch can help conserve water and yield great results.

Get back to nature and dig down into some rich, Texas soil! Visit Aggie Horticulture for more gardening tips, or check with your local extension agent to find out what grows best in your region.

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Pick a Pomegranate

Say hello to a rising star on the Texas horizon - the pomegranate! Pomegranates have grown in Texas for centuries, but today new varieties make the fruit a logical choice for growers and gardeners around the state.

During the past two years, Texas producers have begun planting commercial pomegranate orchards, and to date an estimated 50 acres of pomegranates are planted in Texas. The largest plantings are currently three to five acres, or about 600-800 trees. Given the number of pomegranate cuttings now being rooted, the planted acreage in Texas is expected to double to 100 acres within the next one to two years. Pomegranates begin to yield marketable fruit after three years, so growers are now thinking ahead to marketing their Texas grown fruit.  

"Pomegranate is common to the tropics, subtropics and subtemperate regions and is well adapted to areas with hot, dry summers," said Richard De Los Santos, TDA marketing coordinator for horticulture, produce and forestry. "For best results, it should be grown in full sun."

Some types may survive typical winters in north central Texas, especially the ornamental types which produce only small fruit, if any. The fruiting types should survive most winters throughout south, central and southeast Texas planting regions.

The pomegranate tree is relatively small, usually around 12-16 feet tall and can live up to 100 years or more. It produces a thin-skinned fruit full of small seeds that are surrounded by sweet fruit that may be eaten on the spot or made into fresh juice. The pomegranate may also grow as a large shrub, and the mostly red-orange blossoms produced in the spring and early summers are vibrant and showy. Additionally, the health benefits of pomegranates include providing fiber for the digestive track, blood sugar regulation and supporting the vascular and inflammatory systems.

Soil and Selections
Pomegranate is well-adapted to practically any soil that has good internal drainage. If the intent is to grow it as a small tree, then adequate space for development should be provided. Otherwise, it is well suited to growing as a hedge or clump of shrubs.

Pruning and Training
The process must be started soon after planting to maintain a single trunk, otherwise offshoots will develop. Unless the grower acts to trim the branches so there is a tree-form, the bushy, free-growing shrub develops naturally.

Production, Maturity and Use
As seedlings, pomengranates may undergo severe fruit drop during the first couple years of production, but this will change as the plant emerges from its seedling juvenility.

Pomegranates have a great future in Texas as the crop typically thrives in hot, sunny and dry climates - climates that we Texans know a thing or two about.

Enjoy a pleasant pomegranate - from Texas! For more information about Texas pomegranates, visit www.pomegranateinformation.com/

Courtesy of Texas Department of Agriculture

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How to plant fruit trees in your garden or landscape from our Backyard Blogger

Texas Potatoes

Sometimes the best decisions are the smartest. Not only are potatoes fat free, cholesterol free and only 110 calories per serving, they have no cholesterol, no fat, but plenty of complex carbohydrates to fuel an active lifestyle. Plus, they are packed with nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, fiber and vitamin B-6.

GO TEXAN member Pro-Health Smart Potatoes in Carrollton works to ensure their Texas potatoes are not only tasty, but extra clean, for consumers. By using a Pure Wash Cleaning SystemTM, there is no need to scrub or peel Pro-Health potatoes before eating.

"We invite you to try our potatoes to see and taste the difference," said Scottie Williams, sales representative with Pro-Health. "Our Texas Grown program, in association with GO TEXAN, is designed to help consumers identify and buy Texas Grown potatoes."

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Here are some delectable suggestions:

Russet Potatoes

Russets are light and fluffy when cooked, so they're perfect for preparing potato favorites like stuffed, baked and mashed.

Butter Russets Potatoes

Butter Russets combine the best attributes of the Russet and the Gold potato varieties. Their unique sweet, buttery flavor combined with the hearty skin of a Russet, make them perfect for baking, mashing, boiling, frying and roasting. 

Sierra Rose Potatoes

Sierra Rose Potatoes combine the best attributes of the Red and Gold potato varieties. Their vibrant red skin and buttery flavor make them perfect for grilling, adding to stews, or providing a richer taste to your potato salads.

"Pro-Health Smart Potatoes are grown for Texans by Texans," Williams said. "Buying Texas Grown potatoes helps keep the economy growing by keeping Texas dollars in Texas. We are proud of our reputation for quality and freshness, and we are proud to be Texas Grown."

For more information, visit www.pro-health.com/.

For recipes using Texas Potatoes, go here.

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Texas Winter Greens

Check your expiration dates and clean off a few shelves because Texas winter greens are moving into a refrigerator near you. From lettuce and cabbage to kale and turnip greens, this month's seasonal suggestion serves as a tasty foundation to salads, appetizers and sides.

According to USDA, Texas is a major producer of winter greens in the United States, with nearly 12,000 acres producing almost 300 million pounds of greens. Cabbage is the state's No. 1 winter green crop with 8,200 acres worth $46.1 million grown in 2008. Spinach is Texas' No. 2 greens crop with 1,200 acres yielding $3.4 million in 2008.

Even with the state's outstanding production numbers, Texans still consume much more than they grow. Each year, Texans eat more than 1.2 billion pounds of green leafy vegetables, nearly 50 pounds per person.

Nationally, Texas ranks in the top six producers of turnip greens (No. 3), spinach (No. 4), cabbage (No. 4), collard greens (No. 5), kale (No. 5) and mustard greens (No. 6).

To read more about Texas winter greens, go here.

For a delicious recipe using Texas greens, go here.

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Do you find yourself with lots of organic material from your yard and kitchen and wish it didn't all go to the dumpster? Check out a great video from our Backyard Blogger on how to affordably make an easy to build compost pile in your own backyard.

How to build an easy to make compost pile 

Nature has developed a fine balance among all living things. Humans may be unaware of the cumulative effects of their actions on this delicate balance. The successful, beautiful, and easy-to-care-for lawn and garden are designed and managed with knowledge of and respect for nature’s rules. Successful gardening is gardening WITH nature.

• Earth-Kind™ gardening
• Integrated pest management
• Beneficial insects
• Designing WITH nature
• Water
• Plant nutrition
• Garden safety
• Managing garden waste - composting

Earthkind™ Gardening

A program of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service that combines the best organic and traditional gardening principles to create a new horticultural system a proven system based on real-world effectiveness and environmental responsibility. There is no magic, no miracle product, no secret formula involved; just sound, workable technology which can be easily understood and explained. Visit the Earth-Kind™web site or download the Earth-Kind Gardening guide.

To find a TNLA member near you that practices Earth-Kind gardening, visit the products and services section of this web site.

Integrated Pest Management

This approach relies primarily on non-chemical means (such as controlling climate, food sources, and building entry points) to prevent and manage pest infestation. Chemical treatments are used only in a crisis situation threatening rapid losses or when pests fail to succumb to more conservative methods. The program depends on informed observation, early action, and some tolerance of sharing the landscape with nature’s critters. Learn about IPM or visit the image gallery to learn how to identify insects found in Texas landscapes.

To find a TNLA member near you that practices Integrated Pest Management, visit the products and services section of this web site.

Beneficial Insects

Not every insect is a pest. Learn to recognize the good guys in the garden.

If you aren’t sure whether an insect is a pest or a friend, take a picture or visit the products and services section of this web site to find a nursery near you who can identify the insect.

Designing With Nature

The right plant in the right place is the slogan of the successful gardener. Visit our Design page to learn more.

To find a landscape designer or a Texas Certified Landscape Professional near you, visit the products and services section of this web site.

Water

Texas faces a critical water shortage. Even with development of alternative supplies of water, Texas is still looking at a water deficit. Consumers and landscape professionals are working together to ensure wise use of water in the landscape. To reach this goal, the Texas WaterWise Council has adopted a list of best management practices (BMPs) to help implement WaterWise landscapes across Texas. The first step is knowing about your water. Water IQ is for kids, but it tells the story in a quick and easily understand style. The WaterWise Council of Texas provides information on having your garden and drinking water too.

To find a qualified landscape contractor, visit the products and services area of this web site.

Plant Nutrition

The urban landscape is an unnatural setting for plants. Their usual method of slowly decomposing to replenish the soil just doesn’t work in the managed landscape. The environmentally responsible gardener feeds the plants, not the sidewalk or the watershed.

To find a nursery or garden center near you that can help with natural plant nutrition, visit the products and services area of this web site.

Garden Safety

Used and stored properly, pesticides and fertilizers can be a safe and valuable addition in the arsenal of strategies for a beautiful garden. These are some basic rules to keep you and your environment safe. (pdf)

Managing Lawn and Garden Waste - Composting

Yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 23 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. That's a lot of waste to send to landfills when it could become useful and environmentally beneficial compost instead! Composting offers the obvious benefits of resource efficiency and creating a useful product from organic waste that would otherwise have been landfill. But did you know that it also has advantages that go far beyond the basics?

Texas Cooperative Extension Program “Don’t Bag It”

To find compost equipment or advice about composting, visit the products and services area of this web site. 

Nature has developed a fine balance among all living things. Humans may be unaware of the cumulative effects of their actions on this delicate balance. The successful, beautiful, and easy-to-care-for lawn and garden are designed and managed with knowledge of and respect for nature’s rules. Successful gardening is gardening WITH nature.

• Earth-Kind™ gardening
• Integrated pest management
• Beneficial insects
• Designing WITH nature
• Water
• Plant nutrition
• Garden safety
• Managing garden waste - composting

Vegetable gardening is fun, relaxing and good exercise. With careful planning, Texas vegetable gardeners can have something growing nearly every month of the year, and with the fast-paced, high-tech, modern lifestyles we live, gardening provides a great way to slow down and unwind.

Get your plants in the ground as early as possible to give them time to acclimate to the warming weather and the growing season. Variety selection and proper planting time are critical for success.

Purchasing from local nurseries or starting transplants from seeds in your home are both great ways to get a head start on the growing season.

At least four to eight weeks can be cut from the time required between planting and harvesting or getting effective landscape color by setting vigorous transplants rather than seeds into the garden. If you choose to seed your garden, make sure you have adequate moisture, full sun to warm the soil and good seed and soil contact. 

Ideal spring vegetables include pole beans, summer squash, peas, potatoes, lettuce, eggplant, asparagus, corn, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chard, chives, collards, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, mustard, okra, onions, parsley, peppers and tomatoes.

Gardening Tips:

• Spring plants should be put in the ground when the frost danger has passed.
• Make sure you choose the right location. Plants should have room to grow, full sun, good air circulation and adequate drainage.
• Prepare your beds. Determine soil type. Do you have clay, loam, sandy loam or sandy soil? Good compost and mulch can help conserve water and yield great results.

Get back to nature and dig down into some rich, Texas soil! Visit Aggie Horticulture for more gardening tips, or check with your local extension agent to find out what grows best in your region.

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Pick a Pomegranate

Say hello to a rising star on the Texas horizon - the pomegranate! Pomegranates have grown in Texas for centuries, but today new varieties make the fruit a logical choice for growers and gardeners around the state.

During the past two years, Texas producers have begun planting commercial pomegranate orchards, and to date an estimated 50 acres of pomegranates are planted in Texas. The largest plantings are currently three to five acres, or about 600-800 trees. Given the number of pomegranate cuttings now being rooted, the planted acreage in Texas is expected to double to 100 acres within the next one to two years. Pomegranates begin to yield marketable fruit after three years, so growers are now thinking ahead to marketing their Texas grown fruit.  

"Pomegranate is common to the tropics, subtropics and subtemperate regions and is well adapted to areas with hot, dry summers," said Richard De Los Santos, TDA marketing coordinator for horticulture, produce and forestry. "For best results, it should be grown in full sun."

Some types may survive typical winters in north central Texas, especially the ornamental types which produce only small fruit, if any. The fruiting types should survive most winters throughout south, central and southeast Texas planting regions.

The pomegranate tree is relatively small, usually around 12-16 feet tall and can live up to 100 years or more. It produces a thin-skinned fruit full of small seeds that are surrounded by sweet fruit that may be eaten on the spot or made into fresh juice. The pomegranate may also grow as a large shrub, and the mostly red-orange blossoms produced in the spring and early summers are vibrant and showy. Additionally, the health benefits of pomegranates include providing fiber for the digestive track, blood sugar regulation and supporting the vascular and inflammatory systems.

Soil and Selections
Pomegranate is well-adapted to practically any soil that has good internal drainage. If the intent is to grow it as a small tree, then adequate space for development should be provided. Otherwise, it is well suited to growing as a hedge or clump of shrubs.

Pruning and Training
The process must be started soon after planting to maintain a single trunk, otherwise offshoots will develop. Unless the grower acts to trim the branches so there is a tree-form, the bushy, free-growing shrub develops naturally.

Production, Maturity and Use
As seedlings, pomengranates may undergo severe fruit drop during the first couple years of production, but this will change as the plant emerges from its seedling juvenility.

Pomegranates have a great future in Texas as the crop typically thrives in hot, sunny and dry climates - climates that we Texans know a thing or two about.

Enjoy a pleasant pomegranate - from Texas! For more information about Texas pomegranates, visit www.pomegranateinformation.com/

Courtesy of Texas Department of Agriculture

Texas Potatoes

Sometimes the best decisions are the smartest. Not only are potatoes fat free, cholesterol free and only 110 calories per serving, they have no cholesterol, no fat, but plenty of complex carbohydrates to fuel an active lifestyle. Plus, they are packed with nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, fiber and vitamin B-6.

GO TEXAN member Pro-Health Smart Potatoes in Carrollton works to ensure their Texas potatoes are not only tasty, but extra clean, for consumers. By using a Pure Wash Cleaning SystemTM, there is no need to scrub or peel Pro-Health potatoes before eating.

"We invite you to try our potatoes to see and taste the difference," said Scottie Williams, sales representative with Pro-Health. "Our Texas Grown program, in association with GO TEXAN, is designed to help consumers identify and buy Texas Grown potatoes."

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Here are some delectable suggestions:

Russet Potatoes

Russets are light and fluffy when cooked, so they're perfect for preparing potato favorites like stuffed, baked and mashed.

Butter Russets Potatoes

Butter Russets combine the best attributes of the Russet and the Gold potato varieties. Their unique sweet, buttery flavor combined with the hearty skin of a Russet, make them perfect for baking, mashing, boiling, frying and roasting. 

Sierra Rose Potatoes

Sierra Rose Potatoes combine the best attributes of the Red and Gold potato varieties. Their vibrant red skin and buttery flavor make them perfect for grilling, adding to stews, or providing a richer taste to your potato salads.

"Pro-Health Smart Potatoes are grown for Texans by Texans," Williams said. "Buying Texas Grown potatoes helps keep the economy growing by keeping Texas dollars in Texas. We are proud of our reputation for quality and freshness, and we are proud to be Texas Grown."

For more information, visit www.pro-health.com/.

Texas Winter Greens

Check your expiration dates and clean off a few shelves because Texas winter greens are moving into a refrigerator near you. From lettuce and cabbage to kale and turnip greens, this month's seasonal suggestion serves as a tasty foundation to salads, appetizers and sides.

According to USDA, Texas is a major producer of winter greens in the United States, with nearly 12,000 acres producing almost 300 million pounds of greens. Cabbage is the state's No. 1 winter green crop with 8,200 acres worth $46.1 million grown in 2008. Spinach is Texas' No. 2 greens crop with 1,200 acres yielding $3.4 million in 2008.

Even with the state's outstanding production numbers, Texans still consume much more than they grow. Each year, Texans eat more than 1.2 billion pounds of green leafy vegetables, nearly 50 pounds per person.

Nationally, Texas ranks in the top six producers of turnip greens (No. 3), spinach (No. 4), cabbage (No. 4), collard greens (No. 5), kale (No. 5) and mustard greens (No. 6).

To read more about Texas winter greens, go here.

For a delicious recipe using Texas greens, go here.

Industry opportunities involve every facet of plant care - among them growing, selling, and using plants in landscape design. Here are some descriptions of industry businesses.

Wholesale Nursery - operations focus on production; they grow plants for sale to retail nurseries or landscape contractors.

Retail Nursery/Garden Center - sells plants, items for use in lawn and garden work, and related consumer products.

Landscape Contractor - offers special services to design, prepare, and install landscapes for large and small sites.

Mailorder Nursery - grows plants for retail sale to consumers through the mail.

Online Nursery - mostly marketing at this time, buying form grower outlets.

Career Prospects in the Field of Horticulture

The U.S. Census reports approximately 77% of US households from 2001-2007 (approximately 85 million) participated in lawn and garden activities. It is important to look at the trends of the green industry. The impact of the Green Industry continues to grow as the population rises in the U.S. Information from the National Gardening Association: Garden Market Research.

The American Nursery & Landscape Association predicts that the industry will continue to have attractive openings for a wide range of college graduates, and many technical or two-year school students.

Opportunities in horticulture provide responsibility, challenge, achievement, satisfaction, personal growth, and financial reward. For many professionals in the industry, the opportunity to work with nature is the most important reward. Growing trees, shrubs, and other plants, touches nearly every aspect of human life.These natural products protect and improve the environment. Research shows that, among many benefits, plants help purify our air and water, they guard against erosion, and provide shelter, warmth, cooling effects, windbreaks, food, and beauty.

Current research even tells us that beautiful natural views enhance our well-being. Professionals in the nursery/landscape industry bring these benefits to the public in a variety of ways.

For potential horticultural careers, a wide variety of interests and educational/employment experience is valuable to the industry. Just to name a few: agricultural sciences, business administration, biology, agronomy, forestry, horticulture, soil management, mechanics, marketing, advertising, communications, sales, retailing, landscape design, educational research, packaging, and transportation.

Click here to find out more about careers in Horticulture and to apply for scholarships.