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A.  Thanks to our cooperative weather, our fruit trees are really doing well this year. For the best quality fruit, it’s time to thin. With peaches, the earlier the better, preferably when they’re about thumb-size, but golf-ball size is okay too. Thin to about 6” apart—approximately the width of your outstretched hand from thumb to little finger.

Thin plums to the width of your clenched fist—one plum on either side of your hand. Apples and pear grow in clusters. Pick one per cluster—generally the central fruit unless it is scarred or damaged. Persimmons thin themselves, and figs don’t require thinning at all.

Remove water sprouts and other growth from the center of the tree to promote good air flow.

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Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)

Blackfoot Daisy is a central Texas native that thrives on the limestone outcroppings of the hill country. This low growing perennial forms mounds of small white blooms from April to frost. It is truly a Texas tough performer, but its only Achilles heel is soggy wet soil conditions, so plant it in a spot with good drainage. It will return each spring and be blooming about the same time as bluebonnets. Best flowering is in full sun but it tolerates part-shade conditions.

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• With the cool nights and humidity, gardeners are seeing a lot of problems with black spot and powdery mildew. Check out John’s Formulas for home-made controls (link to John’s Formulas, Baking Soda recipes for Black spot).
• For black spot, many gardeners have good luck with a milk and water mixture sprayed on the plant. A garlic spray will also deter powdery mildew.

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