Gardening in Texas- need advise please

[Yennefer]

Tipsy Gipsy, which one is your  favourite book on Texas gardening?

[Tipsy Gypsy]

My two favorites are Dale Groom's Texas Gardening Guide and Neil Sperry's Complete Guide to Texas Gardening. I tend to reference them side by side, and compare information.

[SirRichardBear]

I'm going to put my plug in for the organic gardening I've used it for decades and love it.  http://www.dirtdoctor.com/  I've found Howard Garrett advise on gardening very usefull. 

[Yennefer]

My mom has a wonderful harden back in Russia she never ever uses any pestisides.. She uses Cow poop for all her soil needs and to kill bugs she  soaks tomato plant leaves in a water and spays.. and some other home-made stuff.. She collects egg shells through the winter and puts them into soil in spring to make it fluffier.. She also collects  tea leaves after they  are used for tea; she dries them and then puts them into soil too..

When I was little, I had to pick weeds in our garden every summer while other kids played outside.. I swore off gardening for life back then but now I want my garden. Go figure.

Thank you all so much for sharing. I am planning on trying on strawberries, Jasmine and some roses this year and will let you know how it went Please feel free to share your sucess

Hugs,

Yenn

[mpullen]

Might I suggest a water garden?

Nothing like sitting on the patio in the early morning and listening to the sound of water going over the waterfalls.

When I started looking for a house, I already had an idea for how I wanted to layout the pond and stream. I found a house with a backyard that would support what I planned.

Pond is about 10 ft wide and 20 ft long and from 1 ft to 3 ft deep (holding about 2000 gallons), with a meandering 30 ft stream going over two stone waterfalls and one wooden dam. The upper pond is about 4 ft above ground level.When I had the wooden patio deck built, I had it wrapping around part of the pond, with wooden benches built so that I could lean over the railing and watch the fish.

No weeding, no insect problem (the fish love mosquito larva), and fish who view you as their god.

[Yennefer]

It would be lovely but sounds like a lot of work. When we bought our house, there was an abandoned fountain in the corner. Water was shallow and it was FULL of moscitoes.. They were everywhere in a grass, I had my ankles bitten. We requested that seller would fill it with dirt and now we have a planter ( I plan to stick a couple of rose bushes there). Even a thought of having that many moscitoes in our garden makes me shiver so I would like to stay away from any water features. Pond with koi and circulationg water will probably resolve the  bugs issue but I dont have that kind of  money and time to invest in my backyard yet.

[SirRichardBear]

throw menced garlic around the yard it will keep the moscitoes away and is good for the yard too.  I pick up a big jar every month at the dollar store just for that. 

[LadyShadow]

Didnt know it worked in the yard, I'm gonna have to try that.  I knew if you used garlic in your cooking daily it would keep them away from attacking you.

[Yennefer]

I bought 2 climbing roses today : Don Juan and American beaty and also 2 roses that called " Knock out roses"- suppose to be very hardy.. Strawberries I planted in a pot this year ( so I can bring it inside if needed) and I also bought lavander and some white flower tea tree.. Keeping my fingers crossed to everything to grow well

Thank you all for your support! and I will definitely try garlic for moscitoes as well