GARDEN CHECKLIST FOR TEXAS
By William C. Welch

Garden Checklist (for all Southern states except Florida and Texas)
Florida Garden Checklist

Sun-loving Color
Cannas such as 'Bengal Tiger' (shown at right on page 69 of the July 2004 issue of Southern Living) offer bold foliage contrast and bloom over a long period. Esperanza (Tecoma stans) provides abundant, golden flowers from now until frost. Also called yellow bells, this plant is compact, long-blooming, and readily available. Hummingbird bush (Hamelia patens) also likes a warm, sunny location, and hummingbirds are attracted to the orange, tubular flowers that appear in profusion from midsummer through fall. Consider a ground cover of sweet potato vines such as 'Marguerite' (bright chartreuse) or 'Blackie' (almost black).

Entire State

• Mulch--Several inches of composted pine bark, shredded bark products, pine needles, or hay can significantly reduce evaporation and heat stress during our warmest times. Water beds deeply every five to seven days rather than giving plants more frequent sprinklings.

Panhandle

• Vegetables--Harvest regularly. Green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, okra, squash, and peppers continue to produce more frequently if picked every day or two, because the plants will direct their energies toward additional production. This will prevent occurrences of giant zucchini and foot-long okra.

Central, West, and South

• Perennials--Set out colorful fall-blooming plants such as chrysanthemums; cigar plants (Cuphea micropetala); pink or white gauras; Mexican mint marigolds; Copper Canyon daisies; Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha); aromatic asters (Aster oblongifolius); and white, coral, red, purple, and pink autumn sage (S. greggii). For dependable color during the warm weather, plant yellow or orange bulbine (Bulbine frutescens). Turk's cap (Malvaviscus arboreus drummondii) is another great choice.

Central, East, and South

• Lawns--Mow frequently, but don't cut your grass too short. During our hottest months, remove no more than one-third of the blade at a time. Mow St. Augustine to a height of 2 1/2 to 3 inches, Zoysia 1 to 2 inches, Bermuda 2 inches, and centipede 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

North and East

• Blackberries--Cut this year's fruiting canes to ground level after berry production is complete to encourage next year's bearing stalks. Though it's best to set out these plants during the dormant season in winter, start choosing your selections now. Thornless blackberries such as 'Navaho,' 'Arapaho,' and 'Apache' are best for small gardens.

South

• Succulents--Burro tail (Sedum morganianum), S. potosinum, and goldmoss sedum (S. acre) are all good choices. They thrive in containers as well as in the ground and prefer well-drained soil.