We've got a whole page devoted to the when and how of planting spring-flowering bulbs in Collin County. Check it out.

There are two main actions you can take that will protect your lawn and plants from excessive heat and will help the environment at the same time.

• First, learn the proper techniques for watering your lawn. Whether you utilize an automatic sprinkler system or rely on manual watering, frequent, shallow watering of your garden is the least efficient and most wasteful method of irrigation. The Aggie Turf web site has some excellent information about landscape watering, including maximizing your sprinkler system's efficiency, handling drought conditions, and more.
• Second, mulch any exposed soil. Utilizing mulch goes a long way in maintaining a desirable level of moisture and temperature in soil. And if you use an organic mulch, it will add nutrients to the soil as it breaks down over time. Read more about the benefits of mulch from the EarthKind website.

Crape Myrtles need very little pruning to prepare for spring growth.

• Prune in winter when dormant and before new growth. February is a good time.
• Prune any suckers that have sprouted at the base of the tree.
• Prune out any branches that may be crossing each other or rubbing together

Never "top" your crape myrtles. Old seed heads can be trimmed off, but this is not necessary. New growth will form and these will drop eventually.

Dwarf or shrub form crape myrtles can be cut back and shaped similar to other shrubs.

Proper planning of the home landscape is essential to avoiding problems. It is common for inexperienced gardeners to position plants too close to the house. Plants should be placed in the landscape to allow for the mature size of the plant. This will reduce the effort required to maintain your landscape and avoid numerous problems.

The distance a tree should be planted away from the house is determine by taking half the mature width of the tree. For instance, a bald cypress can grow to a height of 100 feet and a width of 30 feet. Therefore the Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum, should be planted 15 feet from the house or other structures. On the other hand, a Live Oak, Quercus virginiana, can grow to a width of 100 ft and require a 50 ft buffer.

The major concern with foundations in North Texas is differential settlement. The expansive clay soils in our area expand and contract with changes in moisture. The roots of plants extract water from the soil and when they grow under the foundations of a home it can cause more dramatic changes in soil moisture resulting in more changes in the soil that supports the home.

Roots grow towards moisture. Excessive amounts of water applied through irrigation or roof runoff to the area around the foundation can encourage roots to grow toward the foundation. It is recommended to provide adequate distance between the plants in the landscape and the foundation.

It is possible to decrease the affect roots have on the foundation. The installation of a root cap, root barrier, or root wall will reduce the growth of roots under the foundation or other structures. This is encourage when a home owner applies water at the edge of the foundation in an attempt to maintain an even soil moisture under the foundation.

In extreme cases where a tree or large shrub is planted too close to a home it may need to be removed or relocate the tree to a better location. Trees are a valuable plant in the landscape that increase home values and improve air quality. When possible, steps should be taken to preserve trees in the landscape, especially the ones that are established.