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Nature’s Way Resources owner John Ferguson, “The Lazy Gardener” Brenda Beust Smith and Pablo Hernandez welcome your feedback and are so grateful to the many horticulturists who contribute their expertise

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Decades ago, this looked like great spot for an azalea.

Now she’s huge, a breathtaking view when sun hits her. But . . .

. . . SUN ONLY REACHES HER A SHORT PERIOD EACH DAY!

BY BRENDA BEUST SMITH 

WHEN THIS SPLENDID COLOR APPEARS, to gaze upon his gorgeous, almost roof-high azalea (right), Ron Megow has to walk around to a seldom-used side of his house and/or back out of his garage. Her main admirers are passersby who glance her way during the brief period when the sun is temporarily in one very specific angle. Rest of time, she’s in dark shade (top).

Azaleas usually don’t require (like!) full direct hot sun. But they need at least some reflected brightness. Why show you this? To urge you to get to know your yards well BEFORE BUYING PLANTS at our myriads of wonderful upcoming plant sales!

ALSO REMEMBER: Ours is truly a unique subtropical area, a “Slightly-Southeast Coastal” region. Smart gardeners plan ahead and landscape wisely for fluctuating blistering heat, increasingly freezing cold, drought-floods-heavy rains, monster winds and variety of soils!

GOT YOUR RUNNING SHOES ON?

Our Calendar below lists TEN major local plant upcoming sales, all by nonprofit groups, most also generously listing available plants online! Check provide links before you go for exciting, hardy, often new-to-our-area plants tried & highly recommended by local gardening members. Many sale workers joined these groups because once, like many of us, they bought & killed many plants and wanted to learn how to do things right. USE THEM —but DON’T monopolize, Have pencil/paper/phone to record what they say.

FOR QUICKEST RECOMMENDATIONS: Asking someone to accurately visualize YOUR yard from verbal descriptions is difficult, if not impossible. TAKE pictures/sketches of separate problem areas. Note: North, South, East & West on printouts. Include shade spots and times of day shade heaviest.

Are you even aware of all your shade spots during day? Do they change from month to month? Most do. Do neighbor’s trees shade your yard? When? Specifically where (which probably changes with seasons)? Areas where water stands? Dog likes to dig? These don’t have to be perfect sketches. They’re just to give your garden sale helper a TIME-SAVING, overall perspective.

Remember, folks behind counters were (or may still be) most likely just like you, with same challenges. Start with making an overall broad span picture of your front and back yard. It can be a pad or spiral notebook! Mark it with N, S, E, & W. Lightly (different) color areas with morning, noon & afternoon sun, Take closeups of exact difficult spots you’re buying for (hot sun, bad drainage, traffic, etc).

Before you go, using sketch, use links to review online websites’ lists for sales. Note those you’d like to try. A few have a pre-sale option, but not all.

• TIP O’ TROWEL TO MERCER BOTANIC GARDEN’S BOOTH MAP! Finding specific plants you want can be so frustrating. Workers are happy to point way, but so many gorgeous en-route plants always get me off track! Maps like Mercer’s are exactly what I need to go straight to “Must Haves” before they all disappear!

• HOUSTON’S GORGEOUS AZALEA BLOOM SEASON is starting (or will start) soon. RIVER OAKS GARDEN CLUB’S AZALEA TRAIL is now biennial, so not until next year: Fri, Mar 6-8, 2026. Still plenty of gorgeous azaleas to see now. Check these links . . .

• BAYOU BEND COLLECTION AND GARDENS (Pictured above) 
• HERMANN PARK’s (1) CONSERVANCY JAPANESE GARDEN; (2) MCGOVERN CENTENNIAL GARDENS, and MORE
• MERCER BOTANIC GARDEN

Also…

• Check in with MEMORIAL PARK (713.863.8403) about status of azaleas planted on their Buffalo Bayou banks.
• Know more great azalea-viewing sites? Do share! lazygardenerbrenda@gmail.com

• TRUTH IN AZALEA GROWING: One story in my “Lazy Gardener’s Guide” notes “Azaleas: Some Can … Some Can’t … “ –— My longtime neighbor, Jerry Smith, had HUGE azaleas growing atop his front-yard ditch. Attempting to copy his success, I planted 6 azaleas atop of our ditch. They all died. Tried more …”

“Dug holes, little mounds of soil in center, loosened azalea soil and draped them over the mound so half root ball was above ground (like experts said to). Carefully mounded soil up over them, mulched well with pine bark, fed them azalea food, kept them watered in summer. They all died. Gradually I began planting other — far more successful — things in that area. One day I out working in that bed when another neighbor walked by. “Ah, ha!” she said, “I see you’re working in your AZALEA GRAVEYARD today!” 

• SPEAKING OF AZALEAS, NEVER PRUNE UNTIL AFTER THEY BLOOM!! Prune azalea (only if absolutely have to) AFTER they bloom. Ditto for bridal wreath and camellias. They will almost immediately start setting buds for next spring’s blooms. Picture this as you plant: Azalea roots don’t grow down. They spread out sideways in upper soil levels. They love a good pine needle or other slightly acidic NATURAL mulch.

ATTN. GARDEN/PLANT GROUPS —  Nature’s Way Resources offers free guided tours of NWR’s extensive nursery/soil/mulch facilities for garden clubs, plant societies and other plant-oriented, organized groups. As usual, NWR’s now-expanded meeting site is free to above groups. Reservations a must for both.

• SUBMITTING CALENDAR EVENTS?: These will in next upcoming newsletter ONLY IF SUBMITTED IN OUR EXACT FORMAT or they may be held until can be reformatted.
• FYI: JOHN’S COLUMN BELOW includes herb notes. Calendar below includes local HERB SALES upcoming!

Brenda Beust Smith’s column is based on her 40+ years as the Houston Chronicle’s “Lazy Gardener” column — lazygardenerbrenda@gmail.com Brenda’s column focuses ONLY on the Greater Houston Area

John’s Corner

NEWS FROM THE WONDERFUL WORLD

OF SOIL AND PLANTS 

Subject: compost   arsenic   pesticides and cancer   sewage sludge and cancer  herbs and heavy metals

Last week I mentioned a book on Regeneration. One step in regeneration is using compost. The link below is to a short six-minute video on compost, by the organization Kiss the Ground.

We learn more about the importance of microbes every day. New research has found that bacteria working with minerals in the soil can convert arsenic (As) in the soil as arsenite (a very toxic form) to arsenate (a much less toxic form). 

As the bacteria break down the mineral goethite (an iron mineral) it promotes chemicals that change the chemical form of arsenic in the soil. If humic acid is present, then the conversion is enhanced. Humic acid is produced by decaying organic matter, and a good quality compost is full of it. Journal Eco-Environment & Health (2024).

A new study in the journal GeoHealth (2025) evaluated 22 years of cancer data from Nebraska, which has the second highest childhood cancer rate in the country. They found that when children are exposed to multiple pesticides, cancer rates significantly increase. Another reason to use modern organic methods in gardening and purchase organic certified foods whenever possible.

We have been experiencing extreme drought in many areas which have resulted in numerous wildfires. The organization EcoWatch found that wildfire suppressants often contain ammonia, cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr). “Some retardants had levels of toxic metals up to 2,880 times what is allowed in drinking water”. Journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters (2025).

Another paper reported by EcoWatch was on research at the University of Washington that found that coffee grounds and mushroom spores (fungi) can be 3D printed into Compostable plastic alternatives Journal 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing (2025).

I look forward to gardening pots being made from this material so we can just plant the pot and all without having to remove it. 

A recent study published in the medical journal Lancet Global Health found that half of the world’s population is lacking in essential micronutrients. Micronutrient deficiencies lead to multiple significant health issues from disease to pregnancy complications. They found the food supply was energy dense but nutrient poor. Another reason is to use modern organic methods and grow as much of our own food as possible and purchase organic certified foods if we cannot.

 Micronutrients are good for our plants and microbes in the soil also. They help plants be more resistant to disease and help the plants immune system resist insect attacks also by increasing the complex sugars in the sap (increases the Brix reading).

We have talked about the dangers of using sewage sludge (biosolids) or compost made from sewage sludge many times. “The EPA released a new report that sewage sludge applied to farmland can cause cancer and other diseases in people who live near where it is being applied or consume tainted milk, beef or other foods from these fields”. Sustainable Pulse 2025

Various reports state that sewage sludge is used on 20-30% of all our food crops and on pastures where cattle are grazed. There is no labeling requirement, hence the only way to know for sure and protect your family is to grow one’s own food or purchase organic.

Last week I went to the herb fair and plant sale in Roundtop, Texas, that was put on by the Herb Society. I was amazed how large a plant sale it was, and by the variety of plants available. I observed a large variety of herbs being sold. I believe one of the reasons is that home grown herbs just taste better. They also provide food for various pollinators, host plants for several species of butterfly caterpillars, and many are quite beautiful in our gardens.

Another reason is that more people are growing their own herbs (spices) as many brands purchased in grocery stores are contaminated. Consumer Reports tested 126 spice products for heavy metals, and they found that one third of them had high levels of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) that cause health problems!

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