Welcome To
Gulf Coast Gardening
Gulf Coast Gardening shares a wealth of information about …well…gardening. Here, you’ll find articles on vegetable gardens, landscaping, native plants, pests and beneficial insects. You’ll find DYI guides on planting times, when and how to fertilize, and tools you may need. You’ll also discover interesting new discoveries in gardening and soil management techniques. I hope you will benefit from these blogs and keep coming back to Gulf Coast Gardening.
Recent Article
Henbit – Invasive weed or desirable wild plant?
Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) has a checkered reputation. Despised by the lawn industry and Big Ag, it is loved by many herbalists and conservationists, it lives in herbaceous limbo. The taxonomic name (Lamium) nails it down as a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). This little plant is native to Europe,
Recent Blogs
Blue Mist Flower – Summer and Fall Blooms and Some Strange Connections
The Blue mist flower (Conoclinum coelestinum) is a stunning native of the Eastern U.S. And, believe it or not, it has a relationship to some healing practices. One is Hoodoo. HOODOO? ISN’T THAT WHAT DR. JOHN CALLED VOODOO? (HOODOO? YOU DO). Nope. Voodoo is a religion, while hoodoo is an
Carrots In Your Home Garden
The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution. —Paul Cezanne I never liked carrots much. Oh, I did like carrots in a hearty beef stew, and I could tolerate my mother’s carrot and raisin salad. For some reason, I did worship carrot cake.
Vegetable Gardening During a Drought
Enclosed garden areas Planting in an area with solid fencing around it will block moisture-sapping winds. Raised beds also retain moisture better. Drought and extreme heat along the Gulf Coast have become a serious problem for gardeners. Most of Texas and Louisiana are in drought, as is southwestern Mississippi, coastal
January Garden Chores
New USDA Plant Hardiness Zones First and Last Frost Dates If you haven’t had a chance to see it, the new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map has been published and there are a few surprises. If you live along the Gulf Coast, some of the changes might interest you. First, people
Blue Mist Flower – Summer and Fall Blooms and some strange connections
The blue mist flower (Conoclinum coelestinum) is a stunning native of the Eastern U.S. And, believe it or not, it has a relationship to some healing practices. One is Hoodoo. Hoodoo? Isn’t that what Dr. John called voodoo? (Hoodoo? You do!). Nope. Voodoo is a religion, while hoodoo is an
About
Gulf Coast Gardening
At Gulf Coast Gardening our desire is to provide information about gardening…not only for us green-thumb (and some of us “black thumb”) veterans but also for all our beginning gardeners.
There are about 16 million people living along the Gulf Coast in Zones 8 and 9. About 25% are home gardeners, which means that home gardeners along the Gulf coast from Corpus Christi to Tampa number about 4 million. That’s a lot of gardeners.
Some of us grow vegetables and fruit, some grow ornamentals, some grow indoor plants, and many of us do all these things. A third of us are over 35, while the number of those under 35 is increasing day by day.
I am interested in your feedback, questions, suggestions, and observations. You can contact me.
My Upcoming Gardening Book
Gardening is a form of communication all its own – shortcut to the language of the heart, not the mind. Raising tomatoes, beans, roses or even native plants is a means of positive communication between all folks, young and old, physically able and physically and intellectually challenged, between all ranges of political, social, and philosophical differences.
I hope you find this book helpful and resourcesful.
