March Sadness – Recovering from a Storm for the Ages

[PleaseDeleteUser]

My St Aug was actually green and full before the storm hit. It went dormant and now is coming back out. 

I'm replacing a ton of Indian Hawthorns, Pittisporums and Lorapetalums right now.

Any hope for the Indian Hawthorns?

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Any hope for the Indian Hawthorns?

Look past the top layer of leaves. If there are green leaves below, then they'll be okay. However, you will need patience as they won't rejuvenate over night. 

If there are no green leaves in the interior, then its probably dead.

 

[Soldierhorn]

Question:  when should I put out Trichogramma wasps for my pecan trees? 

When I move out to the hill country, I plan on locating chickens where my fruit and nut trees (jpecan, walnut, etc) will be to aid in killing fruit/nut pests

 

[Soldierhorn]

Different question so different post....

In your opinion, would you put Nematodes out right now during the wet season and before fertilization applications?

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Question:  when should I put out Trichogramma wasps for my pecan trees? 

When I move out to the hill country, I plan on locating chickens where my fruit and nut trees (jpecan, walnut, etc) will be to aid in killing fruit/nut pests

Any time after your traditional last frost date

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Different question so different post....

In your opinion, would you put Nematodes out right now during the wet season and before fertilization applications?

Wait until after your first application, which should be April 1 or close. Once it is watered in, you can let them out. Plan on re-introducing them after the June application.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Question:  when should I put out Trichogramma wasps for my pecan trees? 

When I move out to the hill country, I plan on locating chickens where my fruit and nut trees (jpecan, walnut, etc) will be to aid in killing fruit/nut pests

If you do that with the chickens, make sure you feed them some ground beef (uncooked) once or twice a year. They crave it for some reason. And if you have fruit trees, their fruit can sometimes look like meat (plums, for example). So satisfy the urge, if there is one, before you let them near the fruit.

 

[Soldierhorn]

If you do that with the chickens, make sure you feed them some ground beef (uncooked) once or twice a year. They crave it for some reason. And if you have fruit trees, their fruit can sometimes look like meat (plums, for example). So satisfy the urge, if there is one, before you let them near the fruit.

chickens are actually far more carnivorous than a lot of people assume.  They would MUCH rather consume a grasshopper/cricket than any grain and chickens that consume less grain produce much better (healthier) meat and eggs.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

chickens are actually far more carnivorous than a lot of people assume.  They would MUCH rather consume a grasshopper/cricket than any grain and chickens that consume less grain produce much better (healthier) meat and eggs.

Thats true. When I was 12 years old, I built a chicken pen out of scraps of wood and tin that I'd find. I saved up and bought chicken wire and then bought chickens. I had them until I left for college. Every time I'd see the hens pecking at each other's faces and necks (bringing blood), I'd know it was time to feed some meat to them. I'd feed them and all that pecking each other would stop.

 

[Soldierhorn]

Frustration: I ordered Nematodes and Trichogramma wasps online and they were suppose to be here the first week of March. They still havent arrived and probably wont for another week - irritating.  All the garden nurseries that I use to go to in this area are completely shut down and look like vacant lots due to the government shutting down businesses.  I hope they can  come back but in the mean time, I have to order my stuff online.  

 

[Soldierhorn]

Finally got my Trichogramma wasp yesterday.  They took so long in transit that a lot had already hatched and were crawling around in the enclosed plastic bag.  Hung the pad on a peach tree (between two pecan trees) and bag with the live wasps on a pecan tree so the wasp in the bag cold get out onto the tree. 

Got the nematodes yesterday as well. this is a little different than I'm use to.  In the past, I would get the nematodes straight from the nursery frig and put them in a few gallons of water.  These ordered nematodes came in 8 mesh type packets and the instructions state to just bury the packets so I buried a two packets (separately) beneath several trees.  I'm still going to try and find some that I can put in water to treat for red ants around the yard.

 

[Soldierhorn]

I thought this was funny...

 

[Sirhornsalot]

When planting Bovines this year please remember to water frequently. They are self fertilizing, just need the added water.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Hey DFW peeps, if you lost Palms during the winter storm, better find replacements quick. I deal with the main wholesale nursery in DFW and they told me today after this week, they may not have any more Palms until end of season or even next year. Huge demand as the storm pretty much took about 95-97% of the Palms here.

Stock of Indian Hawthorns, Lorapetalums, and Pittisporums will also be stretched to the max.

Get what you need while you can. Do not wait.

 

[Soldierhorn]

Hey DFW peeps, if you lost Palms during the winter storm, better find replacements quick. I deal with the main wholesale nursery in DFW and they told me today after this week, they may not have any more Palms until end of season or even next year. Huge demand as the storm pretty much took about 95-97% of the Palms here.

Stock of Indian Hawthorns, Lorapetalums, and Pittisporums will also be stretched to the max.

Get what you need while you can. Do not wait.

Why do people get Palms north of central Texas?  I have lived in my house here in Killeen for over 20 yrs and my neighbor has replaced his palms around three times over that span.  I asked him the other day, why do you keep planting palms, something that is not well adaptive to this area, and he said that he is not replanting them this time.  Over the same time span, my trees keep growing bigger and more majestic.  Down the street a church (that sponsors starbucks coffee on their digital sign.  hahaha smh) has a whole row of palms out by the street that look terrible.  I dont get it.  They dont provide shade, or fruit, or nuts, or seeds and require care - just dont get it. 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Why do people get Palms north of central Texas?  I have lived in my house here in Killeen for over 20 yrs and my neighbor has replaced his palms around three times over that span.  I asked him the other day, why do you keep planting palms, something that is not well adaptive to this area, and he said that he is not replanting them this time.  Over the same time span, my trees keep growing bigger and more majestic.  Down the street a church (that sponsors starbucks coffee on their digital sign.  hahaha smh) has a whole row of palms out by the street that look terrible.  I dont get it.  They dont provide shade, or fruit, or nuts, or seeds and require care - just dont get it. 

During normal winters, we're able to prepare them for winter and they make it through fine. We have some 30-ft Palms around here, which means they've been in the ground for some time.

They are preferred around pools because they provide a tropical look and don't dump stuff in the pool.

 

[Soldierhorn]

During normal winters, we're able to prepare them for winter and they make it through fine. We have some 30-ft Palms around here, which means they've been in the ground for some time.

They are preferred around pools because they provide a tropical look and don't dump stuff in the pool.

agree. We can always find exceptions but planting native or adaptive plants increases your odds and cut down on the work necessary considerably. 

A neighbor asked why my yard looked so good (I dont think it looks that good) when they hardly ever see me working on it?  I told her that I go out of my way to plant native or well adaptive plants and I really dont have to do anything once they are established except keeping them trimmed or contained for the most part;. What started the conversation was she asked how I get such brilliant bluebonnets and irises blooming out by the road (where it is hard to get anything to look nice).  Stating the obvious (since most people in the Ft hood area are not native Texans), I told her that bluebonnets are native and grow in poor conditions.  I seeded them twenty years ago and they reseed themselves every year and I just mow over the many that grow outside the designated area.  I told her that when the bluebonnets dry up (and I harvest the seeds for other people), the Lantanas will bloom until late fall.  As stated earlier, once established, planting native/adaptive plants is really just about controlling them.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

agree. We can always find exceptions but planting native or adaptive plants increases your odds and cut down on the work necessary considerably. 

A neighbor asked why my yard looked so good (I dont think it looks that good) when they hardly ever see me working on it?  I told her that I go out of my way to plant native or well adaptive plants and I really dont have to do anything once they are established except keeping them trimmed or contained for the most part;. What started the conversation was she asked how I get such brilliant bluebonnets and irises blooming out by the road (where it is hard to get anything to look nice).  Stating the obvious (since most people in the Ft hood area are not native Texans), I told her that bluebonnets are native and grow in poor conditions.  I seeded them twenty years ago and they reseed themselves every year and I just mow over the many that grow outside the designated area.  I told her that when the bluebonnets dry up (and I harvest the seeds for other people), the Lantanas will bloom until late fall.  As stated earlier, once established, planting native/adaptive plants is really just about controlling them.

Thats true, but there are also plants that are native to places with climates just like Texas. So they perform very well here. Plumbago is a fine example. Beautiful blue blooms, clustered. These guys are from Australia in areas with climate similar to Texas. They work very well in places like Austin, San Antonio, etc., because they love our long sunny days and heat.

 

[Soldierhorn]

yeah, that's why I mentioned "adaptive" plants.  For instance, you would think crape myrtles were native because they are everywhere. they arent native but they do great in central Texas, so much so, I dig up the runners and put them in pots so I can give them away.  

wow, Plumbago looks fantastic.  I'm going to have to try that out by the mail box. My standard is that if it can grow out by the street/mailbox with minimal care, then it's a truly adaptive plant for my yard.  I like the way it looks and the color scheme is perfect

 

[Soldierhorn]