GUIDE
LOCAL EXPERTS Local garden centers o er plants and supplies as well as advice for gardeners who have questions.
COMPILED BY MIKAH BOYD ARDENING GUIDE 2022
With March 20 being the o cial start of spring, it is prime time for growers to prepare their gardens and plant their favorite owers, fruits, vegetables and herbs, according to gardening experts.
Plants o ered F Flowers FB Flowering bushes T Trees B Bushes FT Fruit trees S Succulents GG Garden grasses H Herbs
HOWTO READ A PLANT TAG
SH Shrubs FR Ferns
When it comes to plants, Fred Billings, owner of Buds & Blossoms Garden Center in Cy-Fair, said growers of all skill levels have options this spring. SUMMER VEGETABLES TO PLANT THIS SPRING
Gardeners can plant the following fruits and vegetables during spring:
V Veggies A Annuals PA Perennials AG Agave NT Nut trees TFT Tropical fruit tree EM Edible
• beans • cow peas • corn • squash • pumpkins • gourds • lettuce • broccoli
• cabbage • carrots • spinach • tomatoes • peppers • okra • arugula • basil
FRONT
Blueberry bushes can be planted in any season and do well in the spring.
Plant name
Blueberries and some other fruit plants prefer acidic soil.
MARIGOLD TAGETES
mushrooms
THIS LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE, AND THERE ARE MORE VEGETABLES AND HERBS THAT CAN BE PLANTED DURING MARCH.
Beyond Paradise Nursery F T FT B FB NT AG 21206 Hwy. 290, Cypress www.beyondparadisenursery.com Buds & Blossoms Garden Center F FR S T FT B 14120 Cypress N. Houston Road, Cypress 281 469 3378 www.budsandblossoms.net Cypress Nursery F T FT 15810Mueschke Road, Cypress 832 434 9179 http://cypress-nursery.business. site Fairbanks Garden Center F FT EM 9706 Fairbanks N. Houston Road, Houston 832 286 5924 www.facebook.com/ fairbanksgardencenter Houston Garden Centers F FR SH 23260 Hwy. 290, Cypress 281 373 2239 www.houstongardencenters.com Jones Road Tree Service 11620 Jones Road, Houston 281 469 0458 www.jonesroadtreeservice.com Plants for All Seasons F T FR SH H V A PA 21328 Hwy. 249, Houston 281 376 1646 www.plantsforallseasons.com Tran Nursery F FT S GG TFT 5610 Barker Cypress Road, Houston 713 240 6494 http://tran-nursery.business.site
AFTER THE FIRSTWEEK OF MARCH, YOU CAN PLANT ANYTHING THAT CAN’T TAKE A FROST BECAUSE THAT’S OUR LAST FROST DATE. FRED BILLINGS, OWNER OF BUDS & BLOSSOMS GARDEN CENTER
Annual
Plant type
Full sun
Partial sun
SOURCE: BUDS & BLOSSOMS GARDEN CENTER COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
COLORS OF SPRING
Level of sun exposure for plants
Gardeners can plant the following owers during spring:
• porter weed • ruellia • verbenas • drift roses • marigolds
• petunias • periwinkles • hip hop euphorbia • snapdragons • vincas
According to the F armer’s Almanac , deer do not like
Billings explained that growers can choose from many annuals and perennials when adding owers to their gardens this March.
marigolds; they have a bitter taste and a strong smell that keeps the plants from being eaten.
ANNUAL PLANTS DIE OFF AFTER ONE GROWING SEASON, BUT PERENNIAL PLANTS REGROW EACH SPRING.
BACK
SOURCE: BUDS & BLOSSOMS GARDEN CENTER COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
KEYS TO HEALTHY PLANTS
3
Watering frequency
Buds & Blossoms Garden Center and David Mauk, of Jones Road Tree Service, provided some insight into how to maintain a healthy garden and manage plant upkeep.
Water
Average size
Room needed
Spacing
Cold hardiness Fertilizer
Use a well- balanced fertilizer According to Billings, a good fertilizer should contain 1
Make sure plants get enough sun and shade 2 3
How often to fertilize Warns for bee hazard, toxicity to pets, etc.
Be sure to not overwater plants
Attention
Mauk warns of sprinkler over-use, which can lead to improper watering. Watering needs for each plant vary and can also be found on the identifying plant tag or through a web search.
Many plants have the sun and shade needs listed
equal parts: • compost • ne, sandy loam • ne masonry sand for topsoil
on the plant tag, but a quick web search can yield the information otherwise.
PLANTING STEPS Planting steps are on the back and go here.
Billings recommends MicroLife fertilizer for all planters, as it contains his preferred balance of soil types.
SOURCES: BUDS & BLOSSOMS GARDEN CENTER, JONES ROAD TREE SERVICE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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CY FAIR EDITION • MARCH 2022
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