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A. I spoke with Dave Mix at The Great Outdoors. He grows his brugmansias in the ground, and pots them up during winter. Container-grown all the time is fine too. Age should not be a factor

Make sure your plant has enough light. They will accept partial shade, but do require some sun. The main problem is fertilizing the wrong way. Avoid high phosphorous products like SuperBloom. Also, avoid straight fish emulsion, because it has too much nitrogen. What Dave uses on a regular basis is a fish emulsion and seaweed blend. HastaGro is also excellent, he says.

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Turks Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)
Look around the neighborhood after a Texas summer has taken its toll and you'll find the true Texas tough plants that can survive and even thrive without pampering. Turks cap is a tough native perennial shrub that generally reaches about 3 feet tall but can grow larger under ideal conditions. It blooms from late spring on into fall. The unique bright red blooms never unfurl but are quite attractive to hummingbirds. Turk's cap does best in a bright shade location and prefers an occasional drink of water but can take a drought if necessary.

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Lightly shear roses and perennials to encourage fall blooming. Get ready to plant cool weather vegetable seeds in pots or shaded gardens. Prepare their beds with compost and soil amendments.

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