Folks around the country will often shut off and drain their irrigation systems entirely before the winter, but because we rarely get deep freezes, that’s not really necessary in Central Texas. However, we still need to protect any above-ground exposed equipment: pipes, pumps, filters, and backflow preventers! Proper insulation and winterization are especially important with…
Cool mornings are back, and a lot of Austin lawns are starting to look a little tired. Slower growth. Patchy color. The big question is usually the same: is my grass going dormant, or is it dead? Short answer: for most warm-season lawns around here, dull or brown color after the first real cool stretch…
Weeds don’t take the fall off. After a hot summer and a little rain, crabgrass, spurge and friends are still hanging around Austin lawns and beds… and winter weeds are right behind them. Weeds can also grow in your beds, especially if you’ve been irrigating properly or we’ve had a good amount of rain. Many…
Don’t put a plant in the ground until you’ve thought through these. Seriously. We plant thousands of plants every year—and we’ve seen just about everything. Over time, we’ve developed a go-to list of questions we ask ourselves before putting any plant into the ground. It helps us avoid the most common mistakes we see from…
Central Texas is a unique region with its own particular climate, and it’s important to choose plants that are adapted to this climate in order to create a successful landscape. One way to determine which plants will thrive in Central Texas is by understanding the USDA hardiness zones. This is not a fool-proof technique, but…
1. Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) Type: ShrubSun Requirements: Full sunWatering Requirements: Drought-tolerant once established; requires minimal wateringMature Size: Typically reaches a height of 3-8 feet with a similar spread Fun Facts: 2. Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) Type: PerennialSun Requirements: Full sunWatering Requirements: Highly drought-tolerant; minimal watering once establishedMature Size: Typically grows to a height of 2-3 feet with a…
What is it? Why would you xeriscape part/all of your yard? What are the best plants for xeriscaping in Central Texas? What are common mistakes and misconceptions What are some common landscaping materials used in xeriscaping? What are several areas I should consider xeriscaping in my yard? What should I consider with xeriscaping? Some of our…
At the time of writing this blog, it’s almost time to trim live oak trees in Austin. Watch our video below or read on to learn why and how you should trim live oaks—and how to prevent that nasty Oak Wilt! Why trim live oak trees First…why should you trim your live oak trees in…
So you want to use rock and stone in your landscape. You might be wondering… Function and Beauty – that’s always the goal with our landscaping. Sometimes you have to settle for one of the two (function OR beauty), but we always want to shoot for both if possible. Let’s take a look at a…
Short Version (For the Busy Homeowner) 1. So… What Does Mulch Taste Like? It tastes like responsible landscaping. But also… I’ve actually taken a bite of mulch before. Don’t ask me why. It tastes exactly like you’d expect: A dirty tree branch. That’s nasty. Just take it from me—you don’t need to do it yourself.…