Brazos County Horticulture

Groundcovers for Garden Beauty

August 10, 2026 by stephenbrueggerhoff

Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture, Brazos County AgriLife Extension; published 8/04/2026

All images unless otherwise noted by Stephen Brueggerhoff

Groundcover is a generic term referring to any plant that is growing low and spreading atop the surface of the soil. There are environmental and practical benefits using groundcover plants such as reducing soil erosion, moderating soil temps, suppressing weed seed germination and minimizing landscape maintenance. Nature abhors a vacuum and the use of a single species with an aggressive growth habit has been the go-to method in landscape design for quickly filling in visual dead space. One plant commonly used as a groundcover is evergreen Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum). Favored for its dark green, leathery foliage raising up to 2 feet tall, Asiatic jasmine spreads rapidly and can form a dense mat to 12 feet long. It can be grown in well-draining to fertile soil. The upside to using this plant is its rapid establishment and can be maintained at a level height and spread with a string trimmer. The obvious challenge is its aggressive growth habit – I wasn’t paying attention one year and had this plant twining up to 3-feet on the trunk of my Crepe myrtle tree. A combination of hand pruning bunches of stems off the trunk and broad whacking with my trusty string trimmer at ground level resolved the issue. Remember to wear appropriate protective gear when trimming this plant; Asiatic jasmine produces a milky latex-like sap from cut stems and may cause contact dermatitis.

Diversify Groundcover Choices for Visual Appeal

While there can be advantages cultivating plants like Asiatic Jasmine or Wedelia (Sphagneticola trilobata), an herbaceous creeper offering daisy-like yellow flowers, I propose exploring plants through a much broader lens and consider plant combinations that provide the same function while increasing diversity in your garden. Your success in cultivating any plant is matching choices to local climatic conditions, soil texture and pH, water quality, and nutrient availability. Visual appeal also matters, and there are plants that can peak interest and enhance an existing design through foliage and complimentary flower color. The following are a few plants that you may consider broadening your plant palette:

Heartleaf Skullcap (Scutellaria ovata) produces dainty blue flowers along 2-foot-tall spikes from April through June, providing contrasting color with silver-green herbaceous foliage. The flowers offer a nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds. Heartleaf Skullcap is naturally distributed in open woodlands from East to South Texas found growing in part shade in variable soil types. This perennial is somewhat vigorous, spreading from fleshy roots. While the foliage has died back to the ground in my front yard garden after flowering, I am confident it will emerge in mid fall. Cover any bare areas with a 3-inch layer of mulch until the plant emerges.

Purple heart (Tradescantia pallida) is a sprawling cold tender herbaceous plant that can be used as a groundcover in a protected area. This plant expresses deep purple foliage with small, trimerous lavender-pink flowers. The plant hails from Mexico in tropical and semi-tropical climate, traditionally grown in containers but also gaining traction in home landscape beds.

Obedient plant (Physostegia intermedia) literally stands up in a crowd, with terminal flowering spikes rising to 4 feet and blooming from spring through summer. A variety of pollinators visit these flowers as a nectar source. Obedient Plant will die back to the ground in winter but will revive as soil temps warm in mid-Spring. Obedient Plant will perform well used in a rain garden and can grow in shallow, standing water.

If you have spot in your garden that has well-draining soil, try Woolly Stemodia (Stemodia lanata), a Texas native found in dunes and sandy soils in the Gulf Coast Prairies down into Mexico. Once established, Woolly Stemodia can form a dense mat with silver-green foliage as soft as Lamb’s ear offering delicate lavender flowers from mid-Spring to Fall. It is a tender perennial adapted to USDA Zone 8 to 11 that is drought and saline tolerant.

You may consider Silver Pony’s Foot (Dichondra argentea), a plant growing from Texas Chihuahuan Desert to Big Bend into New Mexico. Variety Silver Falls™ is cultivated as a drought-tolerant vigorous trailing plant producing silver leaves and stems, an adaptation to withstand high summer temperatures. I invite you to share your thoughts using groundcovers by joining me for my live call-in garden show Garden Success airing weekly on Thursdays at 12 pm on KAMU-FM 90.9. Keep on growing my friends, and I look forward to seeing you in the garden.

The Joy of Composting

July 21, 2026 by stephenbrueggerhoff

Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture, Brazos County AgriLife Extension; published 7/21/2026

All images unless otherwise noted by Stephen Brueggerhoff

Keyhole Garden image — Keyhole Garden at the DIG

I am delighted with the thought that in my lifetime the action of composting is embraced as a practical method of conserving resources. Our Brazos County Master Gardeners are actively bringing this practice to the masses, interpreting the process at our Demonstration Idea Garden, The DIG, located at 2619 West Highway 21 in Bryan. We have a compost demonstration area with open and closed systems, as well as a newly installed Keyhole Garden. A Keyhole Garden is an elegant method combining a cylindrical compost bin centrally installed into a raised cinder block bed, acting as a source of nutrients to the surrounding garden.

Composting Saves Dollars

There are benefits gained from composting as a household activity, primary is the fact that composting helps reduce waste that is sent to landfills. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension EarthKind program states ‘millions of tons of leaves, grass clippings, tree limbs, weeds, organic debris and other yard wastes end up in Texas landfills.’ It is estimated that 20 to 30 percent of household trash can be diverted from entering landfills with this simple activity. This also means that composting has the potential to lighten the fiscal load of taxpayer dollars spent collecting and disposing of household waste. In the garden and home landscape, compost can be used as mulch or mixed into the soil to aid in soil conditioning and supplement soil nutrition. The organic material in compost helps loosen the soil and provides improved aeration and drainage. The composition of compost also improves soil ability to hold water and can reduce the frequency of landscape irrigation.

From Organic Decay to Gold

When we compost, we imitate a natural process of decay to capture nutrient rich material that we can use in the garden. The materials needed to enhance this decomposition are carbon rich brown materials such as fallen leaves, nitrogen rich greens such as lawn clippings or vegetable scraps, water and oxygen. There are microorganisms such as different kinds of bacteria and fungi that assist in breaking down organic materials to form compost. The microbes use carbon for energy and nitrogen for protein synthesis. Water helps with decomposition and keeps the pile’s temperature regulated. Active composting is also an aerobic process, occurring in the presence of oxygen.

DIY Compost Bin

Here’s a few tips to making a compost system. Pick a location for your compost pile that is in a convenient place for transferring finished material to your garden as well as access to a water source. Placement should also take into consideration aesthetics – check on your HOA policy regarding line of site restrictions and have a conversation with your neighbors to help inspire and educate about your activity.

Three bin compost system image — Three-bin Compost System

You can purchase a commercially made compost tumbler made of molded plastic if you are limited in space. I recommend constructing a 3-sided structure that surrounds your compost pile, one end open to facilitate material turning, watering and eventually digging out. I have created a bin made from used wooden pallets and am currently using a prefab bin with panels made of coated wire. There are 3 bin composting units that are made of conjoined wooden panels, creating a system with one bin devoted to unfinished organic matter, central bin to turn in material in decomposition and the final bin for a finished product. Clear an area in your yard that is at least 4 ft x 4 ft. Begin by laying down three to four inches of carbon-rich browns such as corn stalks, straw and leaves. Top that with several inches of greens. Don’t forget to spray water on the layers before you add the next. Remember water is a vital component expediting decomposition. Continue to layer greens and browns until the pile is three feet high and add a thin layer of soil as a composting starter.

When thinking of the kind of appropriate materials to add, I offer a simple rule of thumb as advice that I once heard from a well-seasoned gardener: add nothing with eyes! This means not adding animal waste like meat products or dairy, materials that will emit foul odors as they decay and may attract unwanted pests such as rodents and fire ants. Use a ratio of two parts carbon-rich materials such as shredded leaves, brown paper bags, coffee filters, etc. to one part nitrogen-rich matter such as vegetable scraps and lawn clippings. When watering and maintaining moisture in your pile, the mixture should be as wet as a wrung-out sponge. Mix the entire pile occasionally and allow decomposition to occur for a few months, then incorporate finished compost into your vegetable or ornamental beds as appropriate.

Composting is an activity you can do solo or as a family and can be performed year-round. Aggie Horticulture (aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu) is a great resource with fact sheets and program information to help us use best practices in the garden. Take some time and see composting in action at our DIG in Bryan or join us at one of our many public education programs. Find out more about Brazos County Horticulture from the Brazos County Master Gardeners website: txmg.org/brazos. Compost away, my friends, and I look forward to seeing you in the garden.

Fabulous Figs for Summer Harvest

June 24, 2026 by stephenbrueggerhoff

Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture, Brazos County AgriLife Extension; published 6/23/2026

All images unless otherwise noted by Stephen Brueggerhoff

I’m delighted to report that fig fruit are beginning to ripen and are ready for picking. Fruit availability may seem to go by in a flash as fresh fruit is highly perishable. Unlike tomatoes that can be harvested at the breaker stage, figs will not ripen on the countertop until in the later stages of ripening on the stem. A crop of figlets from my in-ground variety Celeste developed about a month ago, and I am fortunate that it has produced almost four pounds as of this writing with more to come.

Figs Are Healthy and Tasty

Figs offer health benefits that include high dietary fiber content, a great source of calcium and potassium and easily digestible natural sugars. Fresh figs are favored for their jam-like, delicate texture. I smile when I read flavor descriptors like those used by a sommelier – the all-encompassing berry with hints of vanilla, or light cherry with a syrupy interior. I speak from direct experience and report on the sweet and sugar jam flavored profile of Celeste and Little Ruby, an aroma of fresh strawberries from green skinned Nagle, and the light honey flavor of LSU Gold. I have a variety called Smith that offers a rich taste, one that is difficult to describe but is outstanding in flavor.

Fig Varieties

There are hundreds of named varieties, each offering difference in taste, texture and harvest time. I offer a few recommended for ease of cultivation and consistent producers.

Diversity of fig fruit image — L to R: Celeste, Little Ruby, Smith, LSU Gold

Celeste, a popular dooryard tree, produces a light-bronze fruit averaging 1.5-inches in diameter with a closed eye. It has the capacity to produce ten pounds annually from mid-June thru July. Reddish pulp offers a rich, sweet taste when fully ripe. Celeste is a cold hardy tree, down to low teens with short duration freeze event.
LSU Gold was developed through Louisiana State University’s fig breeding program and reached commercial markets in 2001. The fruit is a large 2-inch diameter oblate form, offering a greenish-yellow skin when ripe and the potential to produce 24 pound in one season. The tree begins producing fruit in mid-June. The pulp is light pink to amber color with a honey-like flavor. Mature fruit has a partially closed eye (ostiole). One challenge is the fruit may split or crack with excessive moisture from rain events during maturation.
Smith was brought by the Becnel family to their nursery in Louisiana in the early 1900s. Reputed to be a classic southern fig, Smith produces from June through early July and expresses an exquisite berry taste. You know when Smith is ripe when the skin expresses prominent purplish ribs and an amber droplet emerges from the semi-open eye.

Cultivating Fig Fruit

If planting anew, wait until early spring and after anticipated hard freeze events in well-drained soil. Do not fertilize and prune newly planted trees to half their height, forcing shoots to grow from the base of the plant. The following late winter, select three to five vigorous leader shoots and prune back to one foot from the base. Ensure each leader is widely spaced to accommodate up to 3-inches of girth as it matures. Other than dwarfed varieties like Little Miss Figgy, Little Ruby and Fignomenal, all fig trees can become quite large at 20-feet or more tall and wide. Give them room to grow and prune annually mid-February to early March to keep at a harvestable height. Use thinning cuts, removing branches to their lowest point and avoid heading cuts that shorten branches and encourage vigorous, upright sprouts.

While annual maintenance includes fertilization, apply with caution as fig trees can respond vigorously with little to no fruit production. My advice is to submit a soil sample to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory (soiltesting.tamu.edu/) and determine any nutrient deficiencies for a more accurate measure of fertilization. For newly planted trees and after the first year in the ground to around three years, split approximately 3 cups into thirds and apply early spring, mid-May and mid-June. Mature established trees can be fertilized once in the spring annually. LSU Extension recommends annual application from half to one pound per year of plant age and no more than ten pounds per plant at maturity. Cut back on the fertilizer application next year if the foliage growth outcompetes fruit production. The fig season may seem to go by in a flash, but I encourage you to cultivate at least two for your backyard orchard to extend the bounty. Figs are truly a part of our southern culinary culture, and I look forward to sharing knowledge and supporting your urban orchard efforts. You can always chat with me about figs on Garden Success, my live call-in garden radio show every Thursday at 12 pm on KAMU-FM 90.9. Fig on, my friends and I’ll see you in the garden.

Registration is full – Tomato Tasting Event

May 20, 2026 by stephenbrueggerhoff

Thank you, and we have reached full registration for the 2026 Tomato Tasting Event. Find out more about future BCMG sponsored programs at: https://txmg.org/brazos/events/.

Brazos County Master Gardeners invite you to a Tomato Tasting at The DIG, our demonstration garden in Bryan. Free with registration (form below), and hosted by our Texas Master Gardener Interns and featuring:

Judging best in show of slicers, roma and cherry tomatoes!
Seminar on best practices cultivating home grown tomatoes
Self-guided tours of our gardens
Report of our tomato research project

The DIG, 2619 W Highway 21, Bryan, TX 77803. For more information, call the Brazos County AgriLife Extension office: 979-823-0129

Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for effective participation in the program should contact the County Extension Office at least one week prior to the program or event to request mobility, hearing, visual or other assistance. Phone: 979-823-0129

The event is free with registration. Fill out the form below to register for the 2026 Tomato Tasting event.

Basil is the King of Herbs

May 14, 2026 by stephenbrueggerhoff

Stephen Brueggerhoff, CEA – Horticulture, Brazos County AgriLife Extension; published 5/12/2026

All images unless otherwise noted by Stephen Brueggerhoff

There are several culinary herbs that are staples in my kitchen such as basil, rosemary and thyme. All are often stored in dry form and sometimes neglected until we come upon a recipe that requires their attention. Fortunately, herbs retain essential oils when dried and bring spark to a home cooked meal at a moment’s notice. Depending on storage conditions, the shelf life of a home-dried herb can remain viable for up to one year, while commercially dried herbs are estimated to be useful for up to two years. I find basil is best used as a fresh cut herb, imparting a familiar flavor and scent that you cannot replicate in dried form.

A Royal Herb with Ancient Origin

Basil 'African Blue' image — Basil ‘African Blue’

Basil (botanical name Ocimum basilicum) is a semi-woody annual used for its aromatic leaves as a foundation for pesto or to spice up your pizza. While basil has worldwide use and appeal, evidence of its origin is complex. According to Rutgers University through the US Basil Consortium website, usbasilconsortium.rutgers.edu/, estimates of origin are the African continent and India, eventually migrating to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The species name basilicum is traditionally interpreted from the ancient Greek term for king, imparting a royal presence in the garden.

Basil is herbaceous and varies in height, form, leaf texture, color and scent. We often start them from seed indoors about a month prior to the last anticipated frost. Sow about one-quarter inch deep in seed-starting media in a tray and provide bottom heat through a horticultural heating mat. Cotyledons, the primary leaf-like structure of a seedling, will emerge within ten days. Basil is a warm season plant and responds to sowing directly in the ground when the soil temps are consistent in mid-spring.

Basil is Bold and Beautiful in the Garden

Cultivars can be bold in stature and flavor, and exhibit large, sweet anise-flavored leaves measuring 3-inches long by 2-inches wide. Most of these types are generically named Sweet or Green-leaf basil, and the preferred of the large-leaved varieties is one named ‘Genovese’. Bees and other pollinators are attracted to the wands of flowers and, depending on the varietal, flowers vary in color from white to bright purple. One outstanding in its field of the Genovese types is ‘Cardinal’, offering clustered deep purple flowers that form a bouquet and draw your eye to the landscape. Consider height as some of the basil’s previously described provide a canopy up to 2 feet tall. On the opposite end of the spectrum is a small-leaved, uniform and compact basil ‘Boxwood’, coming in at 10 inches in height and more appropriate in the edible landscape as a garden border.

A variety with promise and disease resistance released within the last several years is called ‘Everleaf Emerald Towers’. This herb is a tall drink of water, columnar in growth and averaging up to 3 feet tall and retaining the pleasantly bold taste of a ‘Genovese’ basil. While most basil will focus energy on flower and seed production within a month of growth, ‘Emerald Towers’ is delayed in bloom later than standard varieties, the advantage is continual harvest through the summer. If you like a bit of bite out of your basil, try ‘Perpetuo Pesto’, a variegated form with lime-green foliage and each leaf expressing a thin, white color along the margin.

Basil 'Perpetuo Pesto' image — Basil ‘Perpetuo Pesto’

‘Perpetuo Pesto’ grows in a somewhat bushy, columnar habit to 2-feet tall and can be found as a 4-inch container start. Companies offering this plant for sale market it as sterile and not producing flowers, which means the plant you purchase has been vegetatively propagated. The variety I grew out a few years ago wasn’t paying attention to the rule book and expressed delicate mauve flowers but did not produce seed. I found the foliage perfect for making pesto, its spicy flavor reducing the need for excessive garlic. If you are steadfast in deadheading your basil to reduce loss of foliage flavor, take heart that you can grow out variety ‘African Blue’ and cultivate it as a pollinator plant. ‘African Blue’ is grown not so much for its flavor, more for the aesthetics of the dark-purple leaf veins and stems, and primarily for profuse wands sporting pink flowers that attract bees and other flying insects to the bounty.

You can tell I love to grow herbs for use in the kitchen as well as for my garden pleasure, and I will focus future articles on the variety of different types of herbs that you can incorporate into your home landscape. Aggie Horticulture provides Easy Gardening fact sheets cultivating herbs from our website: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable. The Herb Society of America – Pioneer Unit is an outstanding regional chapter that meets regularly in Brenham, Round Top and Burton and hosts monthly educational programs. Find more info about their activities at: www.herbsocietypioneer.org. Speaking of education, Brazos County Master Gardeners are offering a free seminar Creating Keyhole Gardens and Raised Beds on May 16, starting at 10 am at the Clara B. Mounce Public Library in Bryan. This is the first of our Learning at the Library series, a great program designed to help your gardening success. Find out more from the Brazos County Master Gardener website – txmg.org/brazos. Let the spice of herbs bring flavor and health to you and I look forward to seeing you in the garden.

Wildflower Day at Boonville Heritage Park

March 7, 2026 by stephenbrueggerhoff

Wildflower Day, March 22 from 10 am to 2 pm, is a family celebration of Boonville and the season of Texas wildflowers. Horticulture Agent Stephen Brueggerhoff and Brazos County Master Gardeners will have a booth celebrating native plants.

Come identify wildflowers, interact with local artists and organizations, and create your own unique wildflower masterpiece! Watercolors, coloring pencils, paper, and clipboards will be available, and budding artists are also welcome to bring their own supplies. Parking is extremely limited; visitors may park in surrounding public areas. Sponsored by Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History.