Earth-Kind

The last column I wrote was before the BIG FREEZE. Time will tell what plants made it through that unprecedented extended cold week. I can assure you, based on my years gardening in Ohio, that the snow helped protect the plants.

By now you are familiar with the fact that I like native plants because they require no pesticides or fertilizer, use less water, and generally survive the temperature extremes found in Texas. I also favor adapted plants that require no pesticides, use less water, use less fertilizer and can take our Texas heat. The jury is out about surviving the arctic cold for a week.

Texas A & M Agrilife Extension Service (us oldtimers remember them as Co operative Extension Service before their name changed) works hard to help Texans establish landscapes that are environmentally sustainable. One of their pet projects is Earth-Kind Landscaping. They have many links to ways to reduce water usage and improve soil conservation: www.aggie-horticulture. tamu.edu/earthkind.

Agrilife has established an Earth-Kind index for many plants to help Texans establish healthy earth friendly landscapes. They say:

Each plant in the database is rated for heat tolerance, drought tolerance, pest tolerance, soil requirement and fertility requirement based on region. The Earth-Kind Index value (which ranges from 1 – 10) is a measurement based on all 5 of these resource efficiency categories. The higher the number, the more resource efficient a plant is in that region.

In addition to searching the database for specific plant information on relative sustainability (both the good and the poor), you can get a list of plants in your area that have an Earth-Kind index greater than 8. At ekps.tamu.edu/zipcodesearch you put in your zipcode and do a “quick search” (at the bottom of the page) for a listing of plants with Earth-Kind index greater than 8! How cool is that?

Written by Jackie Mattice Hays county Master Naturalist