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Deer gobble up daylilies like candy. Most of us don't want to lose these plants, but we don't want to hide them behind a fence, either. Purchasing a bundle of inexpensive bamboo stakes can work wonders. Green is the best color so they will blend in with the foliage. Next, cut them to various heights.

When the daylily foliage stars to appear, insert up to 10 of the shorter stakes around each plant, with the top just below the new foliage. As the daylilies grow, pull the stakes higher to keep up with the growing leaves.

Bumping into all those blunt stakes causes the deer to move on to greener pastures by the time the daylilies are ready to bloom.

Shirley Watson
Smith County
Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service

BUYING SPRING PLANTS

Eager gardeners head home with flats of blooming annuals, imagining that their beds will be filled with happy flowers looking as great as they did at time of purchase.

Not necessarily, Dr. Brent Pemberton of Texas AgriLife Research at Overton told Master Gardener interns. Flats of annuals are grown in greenhouses protected from temperature fluctuations and whipping winds that they experience outdoors. In addition, plants in full bloom have a harder time acclimating to a new environment - better to select younger, budding plants.

Another, perhaps more significant, issue is whether selections are suited for our region. Chain store outlets often retail the same varieties nationwide without consideration for local suitability. For best results, ask knowledgeable nurserymen for recommendations of good performers for the area. Another way to learn about new and recommended varieties is to consult such Web sites as www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu for "Texas Superstars" and http://flowers.tamu.edu, the Texas AgriLife Research Overton site, to find pictures and lists of new outstanding performers.

A shopping list of specific varieties helps the home gardener purchase with greater confidence that plants will perform as anticipated.

Joan Driver
Smith County
Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service

LAWN FERTILIZATION

Spring, warmer weather and the growing season are upon us. It's time for us do-it-yourselfers to start thinking about the lawn. If we have taken care of the lawn properly, we should be weed free with a lush stand of our favorite grass variety from Bermuda to Centipede.

So, we run down to our favorite store and grab a bag of 10-10-10 and spread the whole bag out over the yard. That might work for a while, but you are probably wasting money, water resources, time and effort.

A properly fertilized turf grass in the right soil conditions can be fed more precisely with a soil analysis thus saving money, maintenance, time and effort, and simultaneously conserving irrigation water.

A soil test can yield information such as the soil pH, the nutrient availability in the soil, the micronutrient levels, and if there are any salinity or sodium problems in the soil. With these facts we can then determine the best ratio and amount of fertilizer to apply to yield a healthy turf grass.

The three major components added to the soil via commercial fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. On every bag of fertilizer, by law, is an analysis of the contents expressed in the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; i.e., 20-10-5 indicates 20 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus, and 5 percent potassium. A 50 pound bag of 20-10-5 analysis fertilizer will yield 10 pounds of nitrogen, 5 pounds of phosphorus, and 2.5 pounds of potassium. The remaining 32.5 pounds in the bag is filler. You can adjust the analysis and the amount of application to follow the guidelines provided by the soil test.

You should develop a personal fertilization program for your turf based on soil test analysis, turf grass requirements and mowing/maintenance program. An under-fertilized lawn will have a thin, poor colored turf while lawns that are over-fertilized may develop thatch and be subject to disease, insects, and damage from use.

John Meadows
Smith County
Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service

MEALY BLUE SAGE

Mealy blue sage (Salvia farinacea) is one of the most widely available species of sage; a true Texas wild flower. It is easy to plant, grow and maintain.

In the spring, set out transplants in well prepared soil in an area of the garden that receives at least six hours of sunlight. They should be planted at least two feet apart to give them ample room to show off their contrasting blue spires and silvery green foliage. After planting, mulch with three inches of bark mulch and water as necessary. Be sure to keep the mulch several inches away from the stem of the plant. These plants are considered to be drought tolerant; however, it is important to water adequately enough to prevent soil dryness. As new growth appears in the spring, fertilize once with a good rose fertilizer. The mealy blue sage requires no pruning, but some tip pinching will encourage more blooms. The added benefit of this plant is that there are no serious insect or disease problems.

The use of the mealy blue sage is diverse. It is a favorite in borders, cut flower gardens and container gardening. It is a delightful addition to any garden!

Lynne Merryfield
Smith County
Master Gardener
Texas AgriLife Extension Service