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Nature’s Way Resources honors the contributions of our late owner, John Ferguson. “The Lazy Gardener” Brenda Beust Smith and Shelby Cassano welcome your feedback and remain grateful to the many horticulturists who share their expertise.

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Published January 28, 2026

“DON’T SAY ANYTHING “DIED” . . . YET”

by Brenda Beust Smith | The Lazy Gardener

YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY KNOW FOR SURE  until Spring. Write suspicious plants off now and they certainly might die! Some may not reappear until mid-summer or later. Our plants often get rid of top growth as soon as possible, so all energies go into keeping roots alive. Just common logic.  

Protective cover help, unless you forget to take them off when temperatures start to rise. 

Think like Mother Nature. Cover plant bases with as many leaves as possible even if you didn’t before. You’ll be providing food, warmth, oxygen to roots below, Don’t expect new green growth until spring arrives.  

And, even then, it might take months. Weeds return, don’t they? Don’t remove falling leaves! As they decay they return nutrients to the soil. If you don’t want them on the front lawn, pile them under and over plants in the backyard! 

Don’t overlook your trees. If you don’t know the hardiness of specific trees, leaf ID on most cellphones now can ID a tree just by a leaf closeup. Generally speaking, temps as low as 20º won’t bother our toughest trees. But all plants, especially if newly-planted this year, will appreciate a good watering (nozzle to dripline only) before temperatures drop again. (Dripline = outer edge of leaf canopy where rain runs off)

PS. As we move closer to Income Tax Deadline, don’t forget: Most shredded paper makes great compost! Colored paper is iffy. If possible, shred first or have the kiddos tear into strips so they decompose faster. A good dousing with water helps too. 

Cold notwithstanding, this is our best tree-planting time. Check Trees for Houston‘s website, and our calendar below for tree giveaways (it’s tree-planting time). Even better, join TFH so you get the earliest warnings. Montgomery County Master Gardeners has two big ones coming up in conjunction with area groups:

• SAT., FEB. 28: MONTGOMERY COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS & ROOTS FOR CONROE TREE GIVEAWAY, 8am-1pm, Heritage Plaza, 205 Metcalf, Conroe. MCMGA.com
• SAT., MAR. 14: MONTGOMERY COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS & HEB WILLIS TREE GIVEAWAY, Parking lot, 12350 I-45 N, Willis. MCMGA.com

NOW THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY is the best time to plant new trees. If that seems strange to you, take a look at these tree planting tips from the Houston Area Urban Forestry Council (HAUFC).

Generally speaking, February’s forecast seems very civilized. One can always watch the pecan trees.   The ol’ dears always bud out once they’re sure all danger of freezes has passed. In the meantime, you might consider how color can help improve your landscape. From my Lazy Gardener’s Guide*: Color in Our Gardens: 

• Red, yellow and hot pink make us more energetic. Reds increase appetite. Yellows make us happy. Soft pinks, lavenders, blues and greens soothe, relax. Pink looks sweet and fragrant. It’s said it is difficult to argue with someone in pink! Green is restful, especially on tired eyes. Blues and lavenders are cooling.

• To make a small yard look bigger, plant “hot” colors (red, orange, fuchsia) close in. In back of the yard, use pastels and white (they look farther away than they actually are). To make a too-large area look more intimate, do the reverse: “hot” colors in the back of the yard and pastels close in.

• For eye-popping front yard displays, use yellow, hot pink, fire engine red and white. These are easier to see from a passing car than lavender and muted red or pink. Use lower-growing yellow flowers around uneven pathways where folks might trip. Yellows and oranges draw the eye faster than any other color.

• When possible, coordinate garden and house colors. When gardens adjacent to the house “just don’t look right,” clashes may be to blame. White and/or gray flowers or foliage with colors help create harmony. White also intensifies colors of nearby flowers and plants.

• Use white flowers/foliage around areas used in evenings when white is all you can see.

In areas of blasting hot sun (such as near water), pale pastels often become washed out.

• Variegated plants may look like they’re dying if used all alone. Strong, solid greens, reds, oranges, yellows, etc., may compete better.

• Color has a much greater impact when coupled with hardscapes (rocks, birdbaths, fences, benches, etc.). Large rocks pull us back to nature by anchoring us to Mother Earth. Their strength offers sort of a metaphysical protection from the stresses of everyday life. Locate at least one large interesting rock somewhere near the site where you sit outside at night

(*The Lazy Gardener’s Guide is now out of print. For a free PDF copy, email Brenda at lazygardenrbrenda@gmail.com.)

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John’s Corner

NEWS FROM THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SOIL AND PLANTS

Please take a moment to read a past article of John’s regarding Greensand, and its value as a mineral soil amendment. John formulated a soil remineralizer made and sold by Nature’s Way Resources.

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