Just like that, the spring season is here. Birds that are chirping, the pollinating insects that are working hard, and our flowering trees are blooming in vibrant displays of red, yellow, purple, pink, and white.
Now, if you're still on the fence about adding the shade tree for summer or planting a fruit or citrus tree for homegrown food this year, DO NOT WAIT ANY LONGER. We seriously cannot stress this enough. All the recent rain has made right now one the best times in decades to plant. Do not wait until we're hitting triple digit weather. Plant now so your trees and shrubs will have amble time to establish a root system before it's too hot. As we do every month, our nursery professionals have listed a few tips and chores for your landscape and they have also listed the top trees and shrubs to plant this month!
- Control Your Weeds: Weeds are everywhere and if weeds haven't started to sprout on your yard consider yourself one of the lucky ones! It's best to control your weeds now until it gets too hot and your weeds are uncontrollable. No one wants to pull weeds in triple digits. Moon Valley Nurseries stocks all of the things you will need for your weed prevention plan at our locations.
- Fertilizers: It's the prime growing season right now, and you can give everything on your landscape a boost with a custom blended fertilizer from Moon Valley Nurseries. All of our fertilizers have been specifically crated for our native soils. We have fertilizers for everything on your landscape. From palms, to fruit and citrus, to flowering trees. In addition, we also have fertilizers that can assist in material on your landscape that is still recovering from the winter or any stress. These can be purchased at all Moon Valley Nurseries locations or online.
- Watering: It's starting to heat up and you're going to want to keep a close eye on the temperature and how everything is doing in your landscape. Always remember to deep water. Small and short applications do not assist in the development of a strong root structure. For more information on deep watering practices download our water guide help you get a better idea on how to just take care of your landscape.
- Mulch: The temperature isn't hot now, but it will be and it's always a good idea to prepare your landscape with some mulch. Adding a few inches of mulch can help keep your soil cool during the warmer summer months and warm during the cooler days. Mulch is available at any Moon Valley Nurseries location.
Below are a few trees our experts recommend planting for this month
Tipu
If you're looking for both shade and color, the Tipuana tipu, along with the Museum Palo Verde, are the best two on this list. The Tipu tree is one of the most popular trees we offer at Big Tex Tree Nurseries, and it is everywhere in our city. We guarantee you passed one on the way to work today. They are very fast growing trees that have an upright growth pattern creating and providing a large area with shade. These trees are also drought tolerant once established and they can handle even the hottest summer days. It produces a unique show of golden blooms from late spring and into early summer that contrasts beautifully with its feathery green foliage. If you are looking for shade and color, this is your tree.
Japanese Blueberry
The Japanese Blueberry is a visually appealing evergreen due to its dense, lush foliage and striking leaf color throughout the year which provides a fantastic backdrop for contrasting flowers and shrubs. It thrives in full sun and handle the cold extremely well. It has become one of Houston’s most planted hedge variety and is an excellent choice for just about any landscape.
Red Bud
The Eastern Redbud, also known as the Judas tree and Redbud, this easily identifiable around the Houston area for its early spring blooms of beautiful, rosy pink blossoms that are quite a sight to see. This low-maintenance flowering tree is sure to add color to any landscape and in the fall, the the leaves turn a striking golden yellow color.
Bottlebrush
Named for its bright crimson bottlebrush shaped flowers, the Bottlebrush tree (Callistemon citrinus) is a perfect fit for our region. There are two aspects that make the Bottlebrush a fantastic choice. It's ability to crate a massive amount of year-round shade, because its an evergreen, and its red flowers that have a lemony scent to them. Pollinators, especially butterflies and hummingbirds love this tree. Now, don't let the graceful appearance of this tree throw you off. The Bottlebrush is one of the hardiest trees around. It is drought tolerant and it can handle both cold and heat. At Moon Valley Nurseries, we offer this tree in tree form or as a shrub for a colorful privacy wall.
Live Oak
The Southern Live Oak is our choice of Oak Tree for Houston planting because it not only adapts and performs well in hot climates with clay-type soils, but also looks stunning on display. It’s a true Oak, so you’re getting the weight, stability and strength of the type of tree that’s the benchmark for sturdiness. Plant Live Oaks in rows to get a privacy wall or shady property barrier that provides immense protection and beauty.
Shumard Red Oak
Shumard Red Oak trees are a popular tree native to the Texas region. This tree is popular for many reasons; it is a fast grower, sprouts a large canopy, and grows attractive foliage. This tree benefits all landscapes by working as a privacy hedge, blocking noise from traffic. Most importantly, its foliage changes with the seasons; allowing the sun to add heat to your home in the winter by dropping its leaves and growing its leaves back just in time for the summer blocking out the warm sun and adding cooler temperatures.
Moon Valley Nurseries is your one stop shop for all your landscape needs. Our experts have decades worth of experience and they will be able to assist you with any and all projects you may have. Click here to map a nursery near you.