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Category Archives: In the Garden Blog
Planting for Pollinators
Planting for Pollinators Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 9/14/2021 Pollinators play a vital role maintaining regional ecosystems and agriculture. USDA reports that an estimated 75 percent of plants rely on animal or insect pollination, with 35 percent food crops depending on the same. Homeowners can support this important service by planting for pollinators, creating habitat and sources of food to maintain biodiversity in the urban landscape. Take a moment to review basic pollination biology and understand the process. Pollination is the act of… Read More →
Plant Green Beans for a Fall Harvest
Plant Green Beans for a Fall Harvest Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 8/16/2021 Preparing green beans is just one part of my childhood gardening experience, a seasonal ritual at my grandmother’s house whenever we would visit in mid-spring and in the fall. Harvest appeared to be plentiful, preparation was necessary, and this was one tried and true activity that mamaw could use to keep me, my brother and my sisters corralled and contributing to the family meal. We are fast approaching our fall… Read More →
Blackberry Traditions in the Backyard
Blackberry Traditions in the Backyard Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 5/24/2021 It is high time for harvesting the fruits of our labors, and I am looking forward to the tart sweetness of home-grown blackberries. I suspect blackberry picking is a tradition for most families, and I distinctly remember my parents taking us to a pick-your-own business when I was a tween, my brother, sisters, and I figuring out best methods for avoiding the sting from blackberry prickles to harvest glistening purple and black… Read More →
Time to Prune Woody Ornamentals
Time to Prune Woody Ornamentals Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 2/02/2021 While winter is viewed as a season of contemplation, there are still pruning maintenance tasks for woody ornamental plants we can accomplish at this time of year. Pruning is a landscaping activity that benefits and promotes healthy growth. The reasons we prune plants are to train, maintain, improve flower and vegetative quality, and restrict growth. One goal is to create and maintain the basic plant architecture using sustainable methods. Pruning during late… Read More →
FREEZE AND FROST
Protecting Plants During a Freeze Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 12/08/2020 December’s cool weather is always welcome like an old friend that briefly visits for a few months, reminding that we have thick layers of fabric in reserve to ward off the bite of frost or sustained freezes from less-than fair weather guests. Understanding types of cool weather events is key to properly dressing up our plants in just the right fashion for adequate protection. I have adapted an article written by AgriLife… Read More →
2020 BRAZORIA COUNTY PECAN SHOW
Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Brazoria County AgriLife Extension is celebrating a fall tradition hosting the 2020 Brazoria County Pecan Show, an opportunity to celebrate pecan culture and bring attention to the diversity and health benefits of our native nut. Open to backyard growers and commercial producers, our office is accepting samples now until Tuesday, December 1, 2020. There is no fee for entry, non-mixed varieties with 50 nuts per submission must be delivered to 21017 CR 171 in Angleton during operating office… Read More →
Fall Flowers in the Fields
Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 10/12/2020 Exploring local natural areas can be a balm for our senses and well-being and may inspire you to include native plants into your home landscape. Fall is a great time to receive home gardening inspiration from nature, a season I often refer to as a second spring with native plants exhibiting brilliant colors before a short winters rest. If you are exploring local natural areas, you may see broad patterns such as pink or yellow hues appearing… Read More →
Winterizing Your Lawn
Late Summer and early Fall are great seasons to schedule fertilization, preparing your lawn for spring when the grass emerges out of winter dormancy. St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is the predominant warm season grass of choice for home yards and appropriate for our region. The species is preferred for lawns because it forms a dense cover, spreading vegetatively with above-ground stems (stolons) and rooting readily at nodes along these prostrate stolons. It can manage light traffic, competes well with most weeds and is one of the few turf… Read More →
Hibiscus Tea for Summer Cool
Hibiscus tea is a delicious drink that I look forward to when at home or out on the town during our hot and humid summer months. The drink is a prominent agua fresca accompanying mid-day meal in Mexico and referred to as jamaica or agua de flor, a taste similar to cranberries and enlivened with sugar and ginger, sweet, tart and refreshing. The drink has also regained popularity in current community culture as roselle, lauded for its nutritive content high in calcium, niacin, riboflavin, iron and Vitamin A… Read More →
Fabulous Figs: Summer Harvest
Mid-summer fruit culture is celebrated with a bounty of figs. All of the fruit from varieties in our demonstration orchard in Angleton are beginning to mature and harvest will be coming soon. We currently host eight different varieties, some standards like Brown Turkey (also known by the name Texas Everbearing), Mission, Magnolia and Celeste, others offering unique fruit color and texture like LSU Purple, Italian Black, Alma and a mystery green fruiting fig called Mysteak. Even though each fruit variety is slightly different, I wish to impart information… Read More →