Young Bloom Stalks of Nolina Photo by Emmy Ulmschneider By Emmy Ulmschneider, Permian Basin Master Gardener I am always amazed by the connections between native plants and the organisms they support. As I started to cut back last year’s dried flower stalk from my Saccahuista or Beargrass, Nolina microcarpa, I noticed that both a praying mantis and a green lacewing had chosen to lay their eggs on the old flower stalk. This plant has a long human connection as well. The

A pocket prairie garden feels intentional—and contained—when paired with a strong hardscape bed border. In the winter months, the sculptural bird bath provides a quiet beauty as the flowers go dormant. | Emmy Ulmschneider By Mary Sirgo, Permian Basin Master Gardener One of the most common objections I hear about native landscapes is that they look messy. As someone who spends a lot of time advocating for native plants, I understand where that perception comes from. What many

Photo by Debbie Roland By Debbie Roland, Permian Basin Master Gardener With rising temperatures, strong winds, and days with high UV rays, plants need attention to stay healthy and productive. Whether you grow flowers, vegetables, or native plants, a few things can help your garden thrive through the summer. Watering becomes an important task in June. Watering deeply is better than frequent shallow watering because it encourages roots to grow deeper. Early morning is t

By Amanda Green, Permian Basin Master Gardener Photo taken in 2012 by Greg Bodin in Howard County I recently had a woman contact me for help with landscaping to support her healthy population of horned lizards on her property. I didn’t fully understand the relationship between horned lizards and landscaping, so I took this opportunity to interview the man who “wrote the book” on the subject. Let me introduce you to Dusty Rhodes. What's your background in native plants and r

Photo by John Cappadonna By John Cappadonna – Master Gardener Why do some gardeners claim that compost is so much better than fertilizer? To answer that question, it is important to understand a little about the relationship plants have with soil. Plants take up almost all the nutrients they require from the soil dissolved in water. There are about 17 nutrients that plants take up from the soil. The ones we hear most about are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They are

Large Stem Plants Waiting to Be Chopped Photo by Emmy Ulmschneider By Emmy Ulmschneider, Permian Basin Master Gardener In a native landscape, winter is important, and one of winter’s last gifts for spring growth is the organic material left on the ground. I am slow to take down my native beds because I often find my garden invertebrates using the dead organic material for shelter. In addition, we often experience cold snaps in April, and life sometimes gets in the way of

A native plant garden in Midland, Texas, that provides habitat, reduces water demand, and inspires joy. Photo by Emmy Ulmschneider By Mary Sirgo, Permian Basin Master Gardener I love native Texas landscapes; you don’t have to sell me on the value of a sense of place. My fondest memories are exploring natural wild spaces and undeveloped lands across the state. Even with that perspective, I don’t recommend setting the goal of planting 100% native species in your yard and garde

Photo by Amanda Green By Amanda Green, Permian Basin Master Gardener Now that spring is here, you may be thinking of planting your patio planters. Some do vegetables, some do ornamentals, but we do small native butterfly gardens. As we’re trying to move towards more native plants, we had trouble finding a good fit. Texas native plants are known for having deep roots, some up to 15 feet long, so they wouldn’t work. Would they? Through trial, error, and lots of practice, we’ve

Native plants, Blackfoot Daisy, Melampodium leucanthum, and Zizotes Milkweed, Asclepias oenotheroides, up and growing for Monarchs Photo by Emmy Ulmschneider By Emmy Ulmschneider, Permian Basin Master Gardener It is March, and for me, March means Monarchs. I am fascinated by the epic journey that Monarch butterflies make. We summarized last fall’s southward migration in a September blog post: https://www.westtexasgardening.org/post/monarch-migrations. So, at the start of

Sage in Bloom Photo by Barbara Porsch By Barbara Porsch, Permian Basin Master Gardener It doesn’t take much browsing on social media to see that home vegetable gardens are a hot topic. Lots of people are putting raised and in-ground beds in their landscapes. I have even seen some of those metal raised beds in some front yards. I am not here to tell you how to grow vegetables, but to urge you not to forget to plant herbs in the mix. They are beautiful and useful too. He

Datura is a genus of nine species of highly poisonous, vespertine-flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family. Shown here volunteering out of a crack in the patio—attracting sphinx moths at night. | Mary Sirgo By: Mary Sirgo, Permian Basin Master Gardener As the weather warms here in Texas, I find it increasingly difficult to focus on the demands of daily life. The garden calls my name a bit louder each time, and I grow to resent the obligations that keep me staring a

A White-Lined Sphinx Moth visiting our Iris early one morning. Photo by Amanda Green By Amanda Green, Permian Basin Master Gardener When you turn off the porch light and get ready for bed, do you know your garden has a second shift that comes in? At night, you will have moths, Texas blind snakes, and toads that take over when your daytime wildlife goes to sleep. I rarely get to witness this, but when I do, it’s always an experience. Having night-blooming plants such as Datura

Photo by John Cappadonna By John Cappadonna – Permian Basin Master Gardener If I could only give you one gardening tip, what would it be? There are so many gardening hacks out there that it can be bewildering. There are really no silver bullets, but the most important thing you can do to improve your vegetable gardening experience is to improve your soil. The best way to improve your soil is with compost. Compost provides organic matter to the soil, which feeds the microorg

John's Herb Garden Photo by John Cappadona By Debbie Roland, Permian Basin Master Gardener Are you a coffee or tea person? Let’s talk about growing herbs for tea, and maybe that will become your new thing. Many gardeners find that if you grow your own herbs , they are more flavorful than store-bought . It is also a great way to enjoy fresh blends while connecting with nature and getting in your daily exercise! Whether you have a spacious yard or just a patio, growing he

A pollinator haven in Midland, Texas, thrives due to native plant selection and water-wise irrigation. Photo: Emmy Ulmschneider By Mary Sirgo, Permian Basin Master Gardener Twice a year, the Earth tilts into balance. On the spring equinox, day and night are nearly equal in length. Light and dark hold the same space, if only briefly, before the rhythm shifts decisively toward longer days. Many of us may not even note the date on our calendars. We are more likely to notic

Attached photo courtesy of Tasa Richardson - Midland Health By Barbara Porsch, Permian Basin Master Gardener It is always around this time of year that people start talking about, or at least thinking about, growing some good tomatoes, peppers, and other fresh veggies. But what is a person to do if they live in an apartment or someplace without a yard? Boy howdy, do I have a deal for you. Check out the Midland Health Community Garden behind the F. Marie Hall Outpatient Cen

By Mary Sirgo, Permian Basin Master Gardeners It’s 2016 in Lubbock, Texas, and the sky has fallen, blanketing the ground in bright white snow. Younger and disinclined to prepare for even the mildest of weather, I found myself without food in the house and hungry. After layering up in my warmest clothes, I set out on foot to the nearest grocery store. Major roads had been cleared for business, but driving out of my neighborhood wasn’t in the cards. As I walked a quiet route,

By Amanda Green, Master Gardener When choosing plants for landscaping, I’m usually drawn to soft and delicate foliage, which isn’t always the best choice for our West Texas Climate. When I was choosing new trees for my property, I knew I needed something small, drought-tolerant, and that would protect the songbirds from neighborhood cats and other predators. What I kept coming back to was native desert trees with prickles (thorns), and realized they were perfect for my needs.

Greens Photo by Sara Moran By Sara Moran, County Extension Horticulture Agent for Midland and Ector Counties. Welcome to the middle of summer, yes! Still hot and sunny; however, it is an excellent time to start planning for your cold-season greens. Growing greens can be a rewarding and relatively straightforward process. Here are some general tips to help you successfully grow greens: 1. Choose the right greens: There are various types of greens you can grow, such as lettuce,

Starting Seeds Indoor Photo by John Cappadonna By John Cappadonna – Master Gardener It is time to start seeds indoors for spring planting. When you get seeds from a supplier, they are dry and dormant. Typically, moisture and temperature are the factors that break that dormancy, but sometimes light or darkness play a role. Until the seedling forms true leaves, the endosperm portion of the seed, along with oxygen in the soil, furnishes the nutrients for the seedling to grow