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Freeze Damaged Bird of Paradise and Crepe Myrtle Pruning

Jen

My bird of paradise leaves are brown with green stalks from the snow last year. Should I cut them back to stimulate new growth? If so how far?

Is it time to prune my crepe myrtles?

Paul H., Bellaire, Texas

Hi Paul,

You can do either two things with your bird of paradise:

1. Cut back your bird of paradise halfway and new shoots should start sprouting with the warm temperatures we are having. Just hope that we do not get another freeze this season.  If it  freezes again this season make sure you cover it well.  

2.  Or you can wait until late February to cut them back when their is no chance of a freeze.

Winter is the best and easiest time to prune crepe myrtles because the tree has no leaves and all the energy is in the roots.  It is also the best time to see their branching structure, and the best time to identify and remove limbs that are damaged or that are beginning to rub against one another. However, you can actually prune crape myrtles to remove unwanted branches and basal sprouts year ’round. 

We recommend not topping the crepe myrtle like  I saw today at my daughter’s elementary school.   If you must to control the height it should be done every 7 years and fertilize with tree spikes when you do this.  Topping trees leaves large open wounds that can trigger problems and shorten the specimen’s life span. It results in fists or nubs from which multiple weak branches sprout in the spring. These are fast-growing, but they usually result in unnaturally long branches that are loosely attached and more susceptible to breakage

Please don't Murder

According to the Arbor Day Foundation, “The appearance of a properly pruned tree is like a good haircut: hardly noticeable at first glance.”
 

Jeff Law’s 2009-2010 Houston Freeze Data for Xeriscape plants in Houston

Jen,

Aren’t you big into native plants?  How do they fair in a Houston freeze? Jon

Yes, I love the  indigenous plants.  I think all natives did well. During this time of the year they are not blooming so they just look dead.    Interesting you asked Jon,  I was just in the car with my mentor and friend Jeff Law, owner of Indian Summer Lodge and he pulled out a list he has been working on of ”good” plants and  damaged plants from the freeze.    Of course I told him I have to have it so I can share it.

Most everything that was established will come back says Houston Xeriscape expert, Jeff Law.  Remember, most of the hybrids, semi tropicals and tropicals have done well the past 20 years.  Gardeners just have to know which ones will winter, which ones to cover, and which palms not to plant in Houston. Mexican, queen, date, and sabal palms all see fine. foxtail Palms look dead, but we won’t know until it warms up.    Jeff says, he planted some foxtail palms this year, even though he knew they do not like it below freezing much, yet everyone has been planting them the past 5-8 years quite a bit.  Even Queen palms don’t like it this cold, but most seem fine so far.

 The following lists are plants that Jeff has observed at his famous Indian Summer Lodge in the Heights and in other Houston gardens. 

List of  “GOOD” Plants

• silverado sage
• aztec grass
• pampas grass
• gulf Coast Muhly grass
• maiden grass
• cosmopolitan grass
• horsetail
• artemsia
• roses
• blue agaves
• cassias
• loropetalums
• oleanders (standard)
• loquats
• palo verde retama
• nandinas
• privets
• dianella
• sparkler sedge
• holly fern
• polygala
• dianthus
• virgina sweetspire
• cast iron
• bottlebrush tree
• guava
• allium
• plum yews
• white potato vine
• sweet autumn clematis
• confederate jasmine vine
• fig vine
• salvia gregii
• wimbii ligustrum
• Carolina Jasmine
• cestrum
• azaleas
• Mexican Palm
• windmill palms
• Palmettos
• queen palm
• date palm
• sabel palm
• cordylines made it if they had tough leaves
• Podocarpus
• mounding junipers
• chinese evergreen wisteria
• orange tree
• rosemary
• variegated ginger (dwarf)
• Lousianna Iris
• Butterfly Iris
• Bamboo Muhly
• Lady Slipper
• Brunsfelsia
• Agave (most) 
• Cacti   (most)
• Europhobia Trigonia
• Senecio
• Yucca
• Tapioca
• alfonso Karr bamboo

 Normal winter flowering plants that DID NOT do well that usually prefer winter

• skyflower vine
• mexican flame vine
• firespike
• cassias
• Van Houti and Indigo spires
• Bolivian Pink Powderpuff
• Hamelia

Some plants that did not like this cold at all. 

• ixora                                                                                                                                          
• heliconias
• persian shields
• plumerias
• birds of paradise
• coleus
• little john bottlebrush- looks burned, but leaves still on
• asparagus fern
• sword fern
• fire spike
• Kolanches look like wilted spinach
• banana
• jatropha
• basil
• sedum
• echeverias
• oleander (dwarf)
• pentas
• variegated ginger (standard)
• Cestrum
• Sweet Memory Duranta
• Almond Verbena
• wandering jews
• succulents
• australian violets
• croton

These plants look dead, but stems still alive so we won’t know until it warms up.  Tropicals can go into shock, or die, but we need 40s-70s this winter to keep them alive now.  Any more deep hard freezing will not be good for anything but for the plants on the first list and of course the “normal apartments“ such as  boxwood, Indian hawthorn, photinias, pittosporum, ilex….

As for bamboo some did great, and some we have to see when it warms up.  There are cold hearty one that can take less than 20 degrees and our heat.  Some of the new types do not take the cold that are sold in commercial nurseries the past few years. 

 Jeff says, he has gardens grow all winter, just depends on the freezes light or heavy, long or short and what time of the winter we get them.  It also depends on where they are planted, along walls or sides of homes to block wind, in the sunlight or in the shade, or what part of Houston.  There are 100 miles north to south to Houston and several different mini zones. Please email me if you can add to the list!  

Artic tips from Houston’s Green Movement to Protect your landscape

Hey Jen,
Hope all is well. Any suggestions for how to handle the cold?  I think we lost some ixoras
and lantana.  Also, how should we handle the sprinklers?

Thanks and best for 2010!

Jeff and Jamie

Bellaire, Texas

Hi Jeff and Jamie,

Cover your plants with a sheet or blanket and water in your favorite ones before covering them.  The ground is soggy so I don’t think much water is really needed and do not cover your plants with plastic because they will suffocate.   As for your plants that have damage from last freeze do not clip them back until Spring.  Heidi Sheesley from TreeSearch Farms , who I think very highly of told me a few weeks back that the damage will help protect the tree/plant if we get more freezes this winter.  

As for your spinkler system it should be off this time of the year. If you have new plant material, watering by hand is better. I spoke to my friend Jeff Law, one of the founders of Houston’s Green Movement and a specialist in xeroscaping and we discussed how watering should really not be used unless we have a fall/winter drought.  Wishing you a warm and cozy weekend.

Below is a picture of my parent’s backyard during a New Hampshire blizzard this winter.

Behind The Garden Gate

Dear Jen,

 

It was very nice to meet you too, here is the photo of the tree I talked to you about one of the nick names”silk floss”I am not sure what is the botanical name.In this photo you will notice that the tree has almost no leafs,no flowers,because I have taken this picture after summer,but you will notice the pod on the tree the shape of an egg plant,is big!Parrots love to eat the inside of it and it looks almost like cotton balls,if you know the name of this tree by a different name please let me know.

 

Sincerely,

 

Felix

Behind the Garden Gate

355 W. 19th,

Houston, Texas  77008

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Felix. The family name is Bombacaceae and its botanical name  is Ceiba speciosa or Chorisia speciosa.  It is a very unique tree species from the subtropical regions of South America. The  orchid like flowers range in color from creamy white to dark pink and white. 

 

Thank you for your book suggestion.   I look forward to visiting Behind the Garden Gate soon.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

 

 

“Colors are Gruel” Jeff Law’s Indian Summer Lodge, Heights, Texas

“Colors are gruel , porridge and mushroom these days seeming to reflect the interior of the people choosing them………………After all, our exteriors are our interiors turned inside out. “     Jeff Law

 

The other day I had the most inspiring afternoon with award winning artist, landscaper, and designer Jeff Law.  Jeff  produces “feel-good”gardens.  He has over 30 bamboo cultivars in his landscape and only does  projects he likes and mostly does not attract those types with typical plants.

Playboy magazine recently discovered Indian Summer Lodge in late 2009 and chose to do some photoshoots for its Internationl Special Edition.  A reality show is also being taped at Indian Summer Lodge.  

 Below are some pictures of his home in the Heights, called Indian Summer Lodge.  This sanctuary is for sale and for a steal!  Thank you for your inspiration Jeff!

Heidi Sheesley of Treesearch Farms Fruit Tree Sale

Last week I went to TreeSearch Farms and I saw Heidi Sheesley.   It was my lucky day, Heidi had a ripened Dragon Fruit from her Dragon Cactus or Pitaya and offered me a taste.    WOW!  I have never had anything like it and I couldn’t believe it came from a cactus!   The fruit tastes like a grape/kiwi.  It contains an antioxidant called lycopene which is known to help prevent cancer and heart disease.

That brings me to Heidi is having a Citrus Tasting followed by a talk to help you choose the trees you want to buy and how to care for them this Saturday December 5th from 10 to 11am.  For more information, please visit this link for more information. 

http://www.urbanharvest.org/classesevents/calendar/tree_sale_prep.html

Rodent Garden Pests

Hi!  Here is a question….how do I keep varmits from scalping my cucumber and zuccini plants?!?

Andrea Berger

 

One of the best ways is to construct a two foot high fence around the vegetable garden out of poultry wire. I like the type that is coated in green plastic. I have found it much easier to work with. It is very important that your fence be tight to the ground or even buried a few inches.  Also make sure that your fence openings are not too wide allowing squirrels to squeeze through. Unfortunately this  also makes weeding, watering and harvesting a real chore.

 

 

Another way to keep these guys out   100% organic powder fox urine critter repellent that simulates the smell of a fox which is the natural predator for mice, rabbits, rats, skunks, woodchucks, squirrels, groundhogs, moles, possum, chipmunks, shrews and voles. This repellent is environment-friendly, biodegradable and does not contain any harmful chemicals. It is very stinky.  This can purchased from Wabash or Academy. Good LUCK!

 

Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar

Hi Jen,

Can you tell me what might be eating my Bougainvillea folliage?   

Thank you,

David Vincente

 

David, It sounds like its the bougainvillea looper.   The caterpiller is a green or brown and about 1 inch long.   It feeds primarily at night, which is why you may see the damage but fail to find the culprit on the plant.

The insect will cause significant visual damage to bougainvillea, although this does not apparently result in the death of the plant.

With the cooler weather the loopers will slow down so I recommend nothing. 

If you would like to use something you can spray with Bt or with Spinosad. Neither one lasts very long on the plant after it is sprayed. It probably would be good to spray about 3 times a week apart.

 

Jen

 

 

Bamboo,Horticultural Consultants, Grant Stephenson

Last week I consulted with my friend Grant Stephenson, owner of Horticultural Consultants in Houston, Texas and one of the country’s most knowledgable persons on bamboo.  Grant always teaches me something when I visit him. Last week he taught me about Aluminim Amonian Sulfate powder for when you are dividing bamboo.  It helps seal off the wound so the plant  will not get infected.

DID YOU KNOW?
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant and it  also occuppies  the same ecological niche as that of trees.   It is also  a woody plant of the grass family and it grows just like a grass.  
Starting from a small size, most bamboos will reach mature height within five or six years. Generally, Clumping bamboo gain about 1-2 feet of height per year, and the Running types grow about 3-5 feet per year, and spread outward at the same rate. Height and spread rate is variable depending on the species and climate. There are about 1,000 species of bamboos.

Bamboo can provide many aesthetic and functional purposes to help you create the perfect landscape.  Jenscapes likes to plant a screen of fast-growing bamboo to cover an offending view or to coverup a bothersome noise.  I like to call it an “animated fence” that remains evergreen and exotic-looking year-round.  The sound of bamboo leaves rustling against each other will win your heart.

Below are some pictures from Horticultural Consulants.