Many people ask me about organic supplies, low water-use plants, whether native or adaptable to our climate and conditions, and other gardening services or information. I have not visited or tried every gardening source in or for the Panhandle, by any means. There are many local businesses, in addition to the plant nurseries, that sell quality topsoil, organic soil amendments, compost and compost blends, mulches, plants and native grass seeds or turf. Indeed, I have noticed over the last few years, our local nurseries are increasing their selection of organic gardening items. If you don’t see what you’d like or need, ask them to order it.

I have compiled a list of resources to help you in gardening. This list should give you a starting point. I only hope to highlight businesses for gardening services that might not be readily apparent or are particularly noteworthy. I don't consider listing these resources in violation of my non-commercial policy, but merely to assist the gardener in acquiring supplies. I do not receive kickbacks or money for listing a business or site.  I’ve also listed some informational websites.

Appropriate Plants

Canyon’s Edge Plants

Neal Hinders, open April thru September at his nursery store just off the square in Canyon at 1401 5^th Avenue, Canyon TX 79015.  Write to Neal at his home: 11691 W. Country Club Road, Camyon, Tx 79015, call (806) 670-5736, or email neal@midplains.coop. Click on Neal’s website to view his list of plants, www.canyonsedgeplants.com. Our local source for native and drought tolerant plants – buy direct from Neal, the grower! Open select weekends in the spring. Take Buffalo Stadium exit from 1-27, from overpass go 3 miles west on West Country Club Road to intersection of Hope Road. Neal is 1/8^th mile south on a private dirt road.

Chaparral Cactus and Succulents

11180 Chapman Drive, Amarillo, TX 79118, 806-622-9302 and email: chaparralcactus@gmail.com. Locally owned grower and nursery just south of Amarillo between Western and Geogia streets, south of the Loop. Chaparral Cactus and Succulents is Amarillo's closest and best place for a large selection of native and adaptive plants for our climate. They also specialize in non-cold hardy succulents for the cactus and succulent collector. Their website, http://www.chaparralcactus.com, includes of list of plants available for spring planting, and a photo gallery of some of their plants. Chaparral Cactus and Succulents has planted a display garden filled with plants they sell and ornaments for the garden.

HomeBase

4717 S. Washington, Amarillo, TX 79110, 806-373-3057. Lumber and Home Center. A national chain that acts more local. Of the home improvement centers, Sutherlands carries more reasonably priced plants, for the most part, that are low water-use and adaptable to our climate and conditions.

HighCountryGardens.com

Award winning catalog and internet source of plants for Southwest gardens. Even if you don’t order plants from them, order their catalog – it’s a great information resource. www.highcountrygardens.com, or call 1-800-925-9387. Under new management in 2013.

Agua Fria Nursery

A xeriscape, native and adaptive plant nursery, 1409 Agua Fria St., Santa Fe, NM 87501. Catalog available. Call 1-505-983-4831.

Plants of the Southwest

A source of mail order and retail nursery of adaptive and xeric plants, both for plants and seeds. The website contains a section on gardening with native plants. Locations in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. www.plantsofthesouthwest.com, 1-800-788-7333, 3095 Agua Fria, Santa Fe, NM 87507, and 6680 4^th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107.

Sunscapes Rare Plants Nursery

www.sunscapes.net, 330 Carlile Avenue, Pueblo Colorado 81004, tel/fax 719-546-0047. Their catalog is on the web with plant descriptions and some pictures. “Rock garden, hardy native and unusual plants dry land plants from around the world” that are cold hardy for the Pueblo Colorado area, including scree conditions.

Sunshine Nursery and Arboretum

They are located one mile north and 1/4 mile west of Clinton, OK on Highway 183. They are easily accessible when traveling on 1-40. Phone: (580) 323-6259 FAX: (580) 323-3759.  A great source for Great Plains, short grass prairie and Edwards Plateau natives, many of them suitable for the Texas Panhandle. Terrific selection of shrubs and trees (specific varieties) more suitable for the High Plains than one would normally find. Check them out on Facebook: https://www.google.com/search?channel=fs&client=ubuntu&q=sunshine+nurser... .

Wichita Valley Landscape

Wichita Falls nursery that sells native and xeric plants. 5314 SW Parkway, Wichita Falls, TX 76310, 940-696-3082. www.fallsonline.com/wichitavalley

National Plant Database

http://plants.usda.gov In-depth website and plant data base by the USDA, includes taxonomic information!

Native American Seed

127 N. 16^th Street, Junction, TX 76849, 1-800-728-4043. www.nativeamericanseed.com A source of wildflower and grass seeds, including tips on planting wildflower fields and seeding native grasses.

Native Plant Society

http://npsot.org/wp/amarillo/. Our local chapter site of the Native Plant Society of Texas. A great source of information on Texas native plants, the local chapters, and resources for Texas native plants is the site for the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Southwest Colorado Water Conservancy District

www.secwcdxeriscape.org A list of plant resources in our Southwest area. Click on Plant suppliers and Plant Database. Many of these plants will grow for us as well.

Rio Grande Cacti

Specializing in wholesale and retail quality hardy cacti of the southwest. 505-535-0687, 2188, NM Hwy 1, Socorro, NM 87801. www.riogrande-cacti.com.

Soil Testing

Texas Plant and Soil Lab

My preferred soil and plant testing lab. www.txplant-soillab.com. 956-383-0739. Courteous and helpful with a quick response. You can call them up and ask questions about your results. I especially like this lab because they test for soil organic content and give good comments on the results. Their website includes soil sample instructions and fee schedule.

Servi-Tech Laboratories

6921 S. Bell Street, Amarillo, TX 79109 806-677-0093, or 1-800-557-7509. www.servitechlabs.com. Finally, a local soil testing lab. They also test for soil organic content.

Organic Growers - Local

Cimarron Organics

Ronnie Kimbrell, grower, 806-383-1366, 7122 Bluebonnet, Amarillo, TX 79108. Ronnie has been supplying organic fruits and vegetables to United/Market Street for several years and is a regular at Amarillo Farmer's Market every Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturday mornings during the growing season. Cimarron Organics also has a CSA, Community supported Agriculture.  Be healthier and eat organic --  I think we'll all be better off eating less herbicides and pesticides. www.cimarronorganics.com

Tree Care

Amarillo Arborlogical,

Kelley Sims, Certified Arborist. Call Kelley at 354-6733 or 681-8733. http://www.amarilloarbor.com. Kelley and his crew are trained according to the standards of ISA International Society of Arboriculture.

Denver Water

Save Our Shade, A Guide to Tree Care in Dry Climates; a conservation tip from the folks who originated the xeriscape name and concept. Go www.denverwater.org then to Conservation, Conservation Tips, click on A Guide to Tree Care in Dry Climates.

International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)

www.isa-arbor.com and www.TreesareGood.com, a general consumer information website about trees and tree care.

Turf and Grasses

Roberson Seed Company

806-622-8111. 920 W. FM 1541, Amarillo, TX 79118. Call ahead for availability. A variety of quality native grass seeds, particularly buffalograss and blue grama, but also many others.

H Bar H Turf Farm

6270 S. Osage, Amarillo, TX 79118, 622-0861. Buffalo grass sod and other turf grass sods, www.hbarhturf.com.

Organic Gardening

For a start, try these websites. If you don’t find what you need, go to their links, or resources section.

www.ams.usda.gov/nop

The National Organic Program

www.dirtdoctor.com

Howard Garrett’s website, information on organics and Metroplex gardening.

www.organicgardentips.com

A list of 300 organic gardening tips.

Interra (formerly Patco Organics)

Local business that sells organic products for the home landscape and agriculture, particularly humate blend and microbe stimulators. www.InterraUS.com Convenient bag humate blends formulated for our higher pH soils (alkaline) or foliar sprays. Call Bob Patton, cell 806-206-8289, or email Bob at bob@interraUs.com.

www.pesticide.org

Northwest Coalition for alternatives to Pesticides. This website contains a wealth of documented information on the dangers of pesticides use, and solutions to common problems in the landscape.

www.invisiblegardener.com

Andy Lopez’ website that has just about everything you’d ever want to know about organic gardening, natural products, natural disease and pest control and other related websites. Stay an hour or all day!

Cimarron Organics

Ronnie Kimbrell, grower, 806-383-1366, 7122 Bluebonnet, Amarillo, TX 79108. Ronnie has been supplying organic fruits and vegetables to United/Market Street for several years and is a regular at Amarillo Farmer's Market every Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturday mornings during the growing season. Be healthier and eat organic --  I think we'll all be better off eating less herbicides and pesticides. www.cimarronorganics.com

Soil, Soil Amendments and Mulch

Texas Plant and Soil Lab

www.txplant-soillab.com. An alternative to the Cooperative Extension soil tests. Texas Plant and Soil Lab standard test will also give you organic content percentage in your soil and make helpful recommendations. Call 956-383-0739, in Edinburg, TX.

Soil Food Web

Soilfoodweb.com. For information on how the soil food web works, including information on making aerobically activated compost tea.

Soil Mender Products

www.soilmender.com Tulia based soil amendment company with soil amendments designed to promote healthy soil. 3071 Hwy 86, Tulia, TX 79088

The Rock Ranch

15801 I-27, 655-1100, between Amarillo and Canyon, Rockwell Rd. exit, soil blends sold by the cubic yard. Also a good source of a wide variety of rock, stone and gravel and stone mulch.

Morris Truck and Tractor

123 N. Grand, Amarillo, 372-2511. Bulk soil, soil/compost blends, and composted manure.

Natural Fertilizer Company

Shannon Leavitt, Wildorado, on the feedlot side of I-40, 346-4727. Composted feedlot manure by the ton (1 ton equals 1 ¼ cu. yd.). Minimum delivery charge of $200 (about 10 ton). The composted manure passes testing with STA (Seal of Testing Association, U.S. Composters Council); good for Certified Organic operations per Mr. Leavitt. Also sells by the 40# bag, 3/8” screened for use in the lawn spreader.

Ranchers and Farmers Supply

8048 River Rd., Amarillo, TX 383-2181. Ask them if they’d order if you don’t see what you need. An inexpensive source for corn gluten meal and alfalfa pellets Alfalfa meal and pellets (rabbit food) is a convenient and inexpensive organic amendment and/or top dressing.

City Chipping Stations

Free mulch. Four locations around Amarillo: Broadway and Hastings across from Ross Rogers Golf Course, Southeast Park,  Soncy Road and 77^th Street and 801 N. Soncy Road, Amarillo, TX.

Efficient Use of Water

ET Rate

The ET rate for the Amarillo/Texas Panhandle area is sometimes hard to find. Formerly, the nearest weather station publishing the ET rate is the JBF Bushland Weather station, http://amarillo2.tamu.edu/nppet/station.htm. Click on JBF Bushland, then daily fax, then scroll down to the date you're interested in. The ET rates are listed at the very bottom. I have not found a new source for ET rate for our area yet (2013).

Drip Irrigation

Ewing Irrigation, 6664 Canyon Drive. Supplies Netafim drip system material for under ground and under mulch systems.

Dripworks

Catalog supplier of drip systems. Call for free catalog, a good source of information. 800-522-3747, or go to www.dripworks.com.

Water Conservation Information

Colorado Water Wise Council

www.xeriscape.org Learn about Colorado xeriscape. Terrific links section!

Denver Water

www.denverwater.org . Learn all about xeriscape from the people who came up with the name and concept. Go to section on Conservation and Xeriscape for information. Brochures and books are also available for purchase.

ET Rate

The ET rate for the Amarillo/Texas Panhandle area is sometimes hard to find. Formerly, the nearest weather station publishing the ET rate is the JBF Bushland Weather station, http://amarillo2.tamu.edu/nppet/station.htm. Click on JBF Bushland, then daily fax, then scroll down to the date you're interested in. The ET rates are listed at the very bottom. I have not found a new source for the ET rate for the Texas Panhandle at this time (2013).

Texas Water Development Board

P. O. Box 13231 Capitol Station, Austin TX 78711. www.twdb.state.tx.us. Go to Publications, then brochures to order free brochures, or peruse site for other information.

New Mexico Water Use and Conservation Bureau

1-800-WATER-NM, or www.ose.state.nm.us. Offers many free publications on various aspects of water conservation. Click on Conservation, then Water Use and Conservation, then NM Water Conservation Program, then Education and Public Information for free printable material.

Southwest Colorado Water Conservancy District

www.secwcdxeriscape.org Information and links related to water use efficiency.

Water Conservation Conference

www.waterconservationconference.org The water conservation conference and Xeriscape Expo official website. Click on this for the agenda and other information about attending this yearly conference. Free seminars, along a multi-track schedule, are offered FREE for gardeners and other interested people on Saturday and Sunday.  It's well worth  attending if you have an interest in learning more about all aspect of water conservation and xeriscape gardening.

Xeriscape Council of New Mexico

Hosts a water conservation conference and xeriscape expo each year in Albuquerque, NM. The group’s main interest is to educate people about water conservation and to promote the idea of using native, low-water plants and landscaping/irrigation methods in New Mexico as a means of water conservation. Their programs and materials apply in many instances to the Texas High Plains as well as New Mexico. www.xeriscapenm.com.

Other

Amarillo Botanical Gardens

Gardens and Mary E. Bivins Tropical Conservatory for the Texas Panhandle region. 1400 Streit Drive, Amarillo TX 79106, 806-352-6513.

Potter and Randall County Master Gardeners

View the Potter and Randall County Master Garening website and learn all about this local service and education oriented organization. Keep in touch with the many gardening project they are working on and their educational and fun programs. http://txmg.org/potter, http://txmg.org/randall/

The American Horticultural Society

www.ahs.org The American Gardener is the magazine of the American Horticultural Society and my favorite national gardening magazine. The American Horticultural Society sets the standards for American gardening; loaded with information on earth-friendly gardening. Become a member of AHS and receive the magazine as part of your membership.

Colorado Gardener

www.coloradogardener.com My favorite regional gardening magazine. It’s loaded with gardening information that has relevance to our area. Click to subscribe.

Denver Botanic Garden

www.botanicgardens.org One of the premier botanic gardens and horticultural libraries in the United States within a day’s drive from Amarillo, and a good place to view stunningly gorgeous plant compositions, as well as native and xeriscape gardens. Over 25 individual gardens in 4 locations. Main gardens are at 1005 York Street, Denver, CO 80206, phone 720-865-3500. Plan to spend the entire day. There is an onsite café (at least during the growing season). Special show are an added bonus to an already worthwhile visit.

Rio Grande Botanic Gardens

www.cabq.gov/biopark/garden The botanic gardens in Albuquerque, NM is located in the Albuquerque Biological Park with 20 acres of gardens and conservatory. 2601 Central Avenue NW, 505-764-6200. Only a four hour drive from Amarillo! View xeric, southwestern gardens and other theme gardens along a 1.6 mile walk. A pleasant way to spend the weekend.

Angie Hanna

Last updated, July, 2022.