The best strategy is to have some plants blooming at all possible times so that it is not a feast or famine situation for the bees. Even in winter bees are attracted to blooms of the non-native Rosemary(Rosemarinus officinalis). Native plants blooming in the early spring include Mahonia trifoliolata (Agarita) and Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud). A bit later come Tradescantia gigantea (Giant spiderwort) and Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana (Hinckley's golden columbine). Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet)(not a perennial) and Oenothera speciosa (Pink evening primrose) follow in April. Species holding their blossoms for some time in the summer include Wedelia texana (Zexmenia), Lantana urticoides (Texas lantana) and Eysenhardtia texana (Texas kidneywood). In the autumn Asclepias tuberosa (Butterflyweed), Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (Aromatic aster) and Solidago nemoralis (Gray goldenrod) will kick in. These are but a few of the many bee-friendly plants native to Texas


I�m too sick to type much right now, so I copied that off the lady bird Johnson wildflower center website.

I also have two of those in the area but they are not in bloom yet.

You kow you're sick when you can't type

Hey guys. I have worms on my tomato plants and they are burrowing into my green tomatoes. Was thinking about using Bacillus thuringiensis to get rid of them. Has anyone ever used it and had good results? I prefer going the organic route rather than using something like Sevin dust. Open to any suggestions you guys may have. Thanks.

It hurts to open my eyes. Hard to type with my eyes closed

i think Sevin Dust is mainly sulphur
& organic
I am often wrong though

Bt works great! There a few varieties of Bt. I use the BTK for the garden. BTI for standing water for mosquitos.

Spray it at dusk. Caterpillars feed at night and sunlight breaks down Bt pretty quickly. Using a wetting agent like Coco Wet or Yucca Extract will help it stick better and last a bit longer. Spray every 2 weeks and I think you'll be pleased with you results.

The one I use is Southern Ag Thuricide.

great advice
why are you sick?
hope you get better
eat some Lantana

Far from it. Active ingredient is carbaryl. Very toxic.

So if you guys just like to water the base of plants , what are you guys using to fertilize with ? My screw on hose tank sprays too messy to just keep at the base .

Thanks for the help!

So, what eats lettuce besides a bunny? I don't think I have one but something got half my lettuce night before last. I looked for bugs on the plants but didn't see any but I sprayed anyway. Will a tree rat eat it because we do have a few that I see every now and then?

look into the ez flo . I use it and soaker hoses on a timer .

OK that's what Derek mentioned , if that's not available do you guys just mix it in some kind of bucket and pour on each plant?

I'm also wondering for just watering as well , obviously my sprinkler will get the leaves wet

I am just winging it on the watering. We bought or house in April of last year to redo. The previous owner left a bunch of carp, most of it junk but some usable stuff. One of those things was a soaker hose, that they had customized by punching holes every foot give or take. So I am using that hose on my main bed 5x18 for the main watering. When I feed, I make a garret juice type mixture using different types of compost(cotton burr, black cow, and mushroom). Then I add some epsom salt and whole ground cornmeal, and if I'm feeling froggy Ill throw in some blood meal and molasses. I usually mix this up in a 5 gallon water jug and run an aquarium bubbler in it over night. Then I strain it through a wire mesh strainer if I am going to drench it or I run it through wire mesh and cheese cloth if I am going to foliar feed. When I feed I do it in the late evening and just pour it from a regular watering can to drench or spray it with a pump sprayer for foliar. I feel that with this mixture, even though I am getting on the leaves, that the cornmeal will help keep the fungal infections away and by doing it late in the day that the sun will not burn the leaves with water either. So far I am having pretty good luck with this method. When the pest show up all I will need to do is add the BT or insecticidal soap to my mix and boom feed and kill, I hope.

BTW I mentioned the I had Vitex bushes but I am not sure. These are what I though were Vitex.