It can also be stressful to plants. Providing proper care can reduce the amount of stress felt by the plant. Deep, infrequent watering is better than light, frequent watering as it provides the same amount of water but gives the plant a reason to develop a more extensive root system in searching for it. This allows the plant to take in more nutrients which results in a healthier, more productive plant.

Most plants prefer cool roots, so mulch, mulch, mulch! Apply mulch 3 to 6 inches deep. In general, coarser mulches will need to be deeper than finer ones. Mulches also help reduce weed growth in flower beds.

There are many kinds of mulches, both organic and inorganic. Plants generally prefer organic mulches as the mulch decomposes and provides food for the plant, but some plants and some purposes require inorganic mulch. Inorganic mulches are rock chips, gravel, tufa (lava chunks) coarsely ground tires — anything that decomposes so slowly that for practical purposes it can be said to not decompose.

The organic mulches are anything that decomposes that does not mat to prevent the flow of air and water through it to the soil. The most common are bark chips but shredded wood, peat moss and many others are also available. I prefer the shredded wood mulch from the Big Spring Compost Facility (3201 Perimeter Road) because it is about the same color as the stones that my house is built from. It works for me.

If you use an inorganic mulch, don't forget to rake it back and apply 1 inch of compost every year in the spring then replace the mulch. For those with organic mulches, it won't hurt to do the same thing but at the least, sprinkle at least a 1/2-inch layer of compost over the top of the mulch and water it in. Replenish the organic mulch to the original depth.

This is the time of year to fertilize mature plants, so pick up a soil test kit and use it to make sure you're not over-fertilizing. If you use a chemical fertilizer, follow the directions on the package closely. Unlike using compost, it's easy to do it wrong with chemicals. Under some conditions it may be necessary and even desirable to use the faster acting chemical fertilizer rather than compost. Just make sure you are applying the correct type and quantity the plant needs, which is why I say to do a soil test.

Even though I currently have a rather large lawn, I really consider grass to be cow food and eventually will have replaced the lawn with flower beds. I know I hold a minority opinion on this subject and for those in the majority I offer the following turf tips. Read the paragraph above. Do a soil test and fertilize accordingly. Mow correctly. Each different grass variety has an ideal height. Burmuda grass should be kept at 1 to 1 1/2 inches high. Hybrid Burmuda grass needs to be kept to 1/2 to 1 inch tall. St. Austine grass in the sun should be at 2 1/2 inches and in the shade at 3 1/2 inches. Buffalo grass does best at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Mowing should be done every 4 to 5 days for best performance of the grass with weekly mowings as a minimum during the growing season.

Keep the blades on your mower sharp. For the best appearance of your lawn, alternate the direction you mow to keep your grass from developing a “grain.” If the “ball-park” look appeals to you, run a roller over your lawn in alternating directions to develop the grain look. If walking across your lawn leaves footprints, it's time to water. Properly watered grasses should spring back after being lightly compressed. Again, water deep and infrequently.

Most gardening books treat insects and diseases as a problem. You will get better results if you think of them as symptoms rather than problems. This allows you to look past the infestation to find the real problem. Healthy plants suffer little from disease or insects. If you have a bug or disease "problem," look at the plant for a solution. You may have the wrong plant, insufficient nutrients, improper watering, or any of a host of other causes. Test the soil and make necessary adjustments to suit that plants needs.

Adjust your watering to suit the plant. It is easy to overwater many desert-adapted plants. Make sure you have the plant in the proper location (sun, shade) and that it's the correct plant. Plants that may do well in the northwestern states where it is cool and humid may never do well in West Texas, no matter how much loving care you lavish on them.

For more information, call Walter Ward at (432) 935-6455 or visit the Howard County Master Gardeners Web site at www.howardcountymastergardener.org