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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.
Published Dec 24, 2025
Image sourced from Jim McCormac’s website, find full portfolio at https://www.jimmccormac.com/p64570232
“There are untold thousands of species of moths and butterflies in eastern North America (overwhelmingly moths). The winged adults are but the short-lived finale of a four-stage life cycle: egg, pupa, caterpillar, and adult. It’s the caterpillar phase that makes much of the natural world go around, and countless billions become food for other organisms. Without vegetation-eating caterpillars and the native plants that they require, most songbirds would go extinct, botanical diversity would plummet, and our forests would fall silent.”
by Jim McCormac,
Nature Photographer, author and botanist
Guest Speaker 35th Annual Sadie Gwin Blackburn
Environmental Seminar
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DON’T TOSS THAT POINSETTIA!!! Tip o’ the Trowel to MADELEINE SHEEHY, who sent in this picture of her gorgeous 2-year-old poinsettia, now almost as tall as she is! Obviously likes her East-facing site.
Sure helps to have someone local tell how they succeeded. Most directions on poinsettias (considering from those who live farther north) is to keep them potted & protected until March or later. (Madeleine didn’t!) Cover if hard freezes are predicted. At least 6 hours of indirect sunlight is recommended for indoor potted poinsettias. Outdoors, use well-drained, loose, slightly acidic, organic soil with nutrients from organic matter. Indoors, water when top is dry to the touch. Be careful. Susceptible to root rot.
e: Our area is so large (Zones 9-12), you might want to check specific poinsettia care for your zone.
Thanks to Madeleine Sheehy, before you attempt growing your own poinsettia, it’s crucial to check and see what hardiness zone you live in to know whether or not poinsettias can tolerate the environment. Poinsettias prefer zones 9 to 11, but it’s best to continue monitoring the temperatures so you don’t compromise the plant’s health with freezing temperatures. Generally, in-ground planting is recommended in March. That gives them time to set strong roots before next winter.
Here is everything you need to know, from the type of soil to plant your poinsettia in and when to water for growing poinsettias outdoors.
Time of Year to Plant
The best time to plant your poinsettia seeds or propagations is during March or late spring when the threat of frost has passed. If you already have a poinsettia potted indoors, place them in indirect sunlight for at least six hours. Outside plant in well-drained, loose, slightly acidic, organic rich soil. Full sun will fade color intensity. Indirect best. Overwatering will cause root rot, so water moderately when needed.
Thanks, Madeleine! Perfect time for this advice!
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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. Great time to visit.
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John’s Corner
NEWS FROM THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SOIL AND PLANTS
Merry Christmas From us at Nature’s Way Resources
Click below to learn more about all of the different types of mulch in detail.
Explore our article library to learn more information about various mulches and other topics.
Calender Submittal Rules
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About Us
BRENDA BEUST SMITH
WE KNOW HER BEST AS THE LAZY GARDENER . . .
but Brenda Beust Smith is also:
- a national award-winning writer & editor
- a nationally-published writer & photographer
- a national horticultural speaker
- a former Houston Chronicle reporter
When the Chronicle discontinued Brenda’s 45-year-old Lazy Gardener” print column — started in the early ’70s as a fun side-project to reporting, it then ranked as the longestrunning, continuously-published local newspaper column in the Greater Houston area. The name, she says, is not just fun, it’s true.
Brenda’s gradual sideways step from reporter into gardening writing led first to an 18-year series of when-to-do-what Lazy Gardener Calendars, then to her Lazy Gardener’s Guide book which morphed into her Lazy Gardener’s Guide on CD, which she now emails free upon request.
Brenda became a Harris County Master Gardener and, over the years, served on theboards of many Greater Houston area horticulture organizations. She hosted local radio and TV shows, most notably a 10+-year Lazy Gardener specialty shows on HoustonPBS (Ch. 8) and her call-in “EcoGardening” show on KPFT-FM.
For over three decades, Brenda served as Assistant Production Manager of the GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA’S “BULLETIN” magazine. Although still an active broad-based freelance writer, Brenda’s main focus now is THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER with John Ferguson and Pablo Hernandez of Nature’s Way Resources.
A native of New Orleans and graduate of St. Agnes Academy and the University of Houston, Brenda lives in Humble, TX, and is married to the retired Aldine High School Coach Bill Smith. They have one son, Blake.
Regarding this newsletter, Brenda is the lead writer, originator of it and the daily inspiration for it. We so appreciate the way she has made gardening such a fun way to celebrate life together for such a long time.
About her column, Brenda says: “I don’t consider myself a ‘garden writer.” I started out 50+ years ago as a very lazy “gardening reporter.” I still feel that way today. I hope my columns inspire/help newcomers, but I do not write to them. I write to very experienced gardeners who want to expand their horizons.
JOHN FERGUSON (1951-2025)
John was a native Houstonian with more than 35 years of business experience. He founded Nature’s Way Resources, a composting company known for producing high-quality compost, mulch, and soil mixes. He held an MS in Physics and Geology and was a licensed Soil Scientist in Texas.
Throughout his career, John received numerous awards in horticulture and environmental work. He represented the composting industry for many years on the Houston-Galveston Area Council for solid waste. His personal garden was featured in several horticultural books and in Better Homes and Gardens. His business was recognized by The Wall Street Journal for the quality and value of its products. He was a member of the Physics Honor Society and several professional organizations, and he co-authored Organic Management for the Professional.
John contributed articles regularly to this newsletter and oversaw its publication. We continue to share his past articles each week alongside The Lazy Gardener column to keep his passion, knowledge, and spirit alive for our readers.
SHELBY CASSANO is the communications and marketing lead for Nature’s Way Resources and the editor of The Lazy Gardener and Friends newsletter. Through her business, Leaf and Ledger, she exclusively partners with NWR to direct all marketing efforts, from campaign strategy and content planning to technical production of the newsletter. Shelby holds a B.S. in Agriculture with a concentration in Horticulture from Stephen F. Austin State University and previously managed the company’s nursery.
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Conroe, TX 77385
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