Front Page Home Grown Newsletter. Image Only
Hello Members.
For the longest time, I have been stumped on how I would be able to bring you the Home Grown Newsletter, when suddenly today – it came to me in a flash.
So here is the last HG Newsletter edition from June 2021. Please click on the image to download/open the file. You will need a pdf reader to access.
Vince sent this MOST interesting article to me and I’d like to share it with you.
Please read it over and if you’d like, you can leave a comment below on your thoughts.
You can read this short article by clicking this link.
You will need a pdf reader to read this article.
This week’s plant hails from Zimbabwe and the Eastern Cape of South Africa: Ceropegial linearis.
While this plant may resemble a coleus or caladium, it is in fact a succulent!
Plant Profile:
Name: Ceropegia linearis subsp. C woodii
Common name: Rosary Vine, Heart Vine or String of Hearts.
Family: Asclepiadaceae
Category: Succulent
Height/Spread: 3ft high; indefinite spread.
Growing Habit: vine/climber
Foliage and flower characteristics: Pendant evergreen with twining stems with heart-shaped, fleshy, mid-green leaves. The leaves are usually 1/2″ in long, purple underneath with gray-green or purple marking above. Leaves redden in sun. Will frequently produce bulbils from the leaf axis. Flowers are lantern-like, purplish-brown, 1/2″ – 3/4″ long with pinkish-green tubes margined with fine dark purple hairs. It has tuberous roots. Flowers are fragrant with a cinnamon-like scent.
In warm dry climates, they can be grown outdoors in hanging baskets or trained to climb pergolas and or trellises.
Care Requirements:
Bloom time: Spring to Autumn
Hardiness Zone: 12 – 15
Light Requirements: Partial Shade/Partial Sun
Soil Requirements: If growing indoors or in greenhouse, use 1 part loam, peat and leaf mold to 2 parts sharp sand and keep in bright filtered light. Grown outdoors, grow in sharply drained, poor, humus-rich soil or loam soil. Shelter from full sun.
Water & Fertilization Requirements: Low water needs. During growing season, water moderately and fertilize 2- 3 times. Keep dry at other times, as overwatering and low temperatures leads to basal rot of the caudices.
Propagation: Propagate from stem bulbils by taking stem cuttings 4 – 6″ long in early summer; root in a sand and peat mix at 72 -77°F (22-25°C) and keep moist.
Pests and Diseases: Prone to aphids, scale insects and sometimes mealybugs. No known real disease issues.
image courtesy of wikimedia commons
This week’s plant is for you bulb lovers! This is Rhodophiala Advena.
A native to Chile, Uruguay and Argentina and it grows in the wild., but can be grown in your garden or in a container.
Name: Rhodophiala advena
Family: Amaryllidaceae
synonym: Hippeastrum advenum.
Category: bulbous plant; perennial
Height: Up to 16in; spread 6 – 8 inches
Colors: reds, pinks, whites, yellows and some variegated.
Growing habit: clump forming
Foliage and flower characteristics: medium, basal, gray-green leaves. Leafless stem which carries a head of 2 – 8 narrowly funnel-shaped leaves, approximately 2″ in length.
Care requirements:
Bloom time Range: Late Summer – to early Fall
USDA Hardiness Zone: 9 to 10
Light Range: Full Sun
pH Range: 5.5 to 6.5
Soil Range: almost any type of soil, including heavy clay. Plant requires good drainage.
Water Range: Normal to Moist
Fertilization – every 2-3 weeks with a half-strength balance liquid feed.
Pests and diseases: infrequent but can suffer from root rot if not in well draining soil.
Propagation: Can be propagated by seed or division.
To grow from seed, material must be sown as fresh as possible. Sow seeds at 61°F (16°C).. Seeds can be floated in water with good germination. Good seeds will germinate in 2-3 days. However, they can be sown directly under 1/8-1/4 inch of potting mix with good results. Sowing of seeds must coincide with the growing season. Check periodically for germination. When the radicle appears, pot up the germinated seeds. Seedlings will grow well with a little dilute fertilizer and may remain in growth for the first 2 years. These plants are known for their preference of deep pots and will usually put their bulbs at the bottom of even very deep pots. Adult bulbs should be grown in a low organic mix (1:3 organic:inorganic). Keep dry when dormant.
If growing in container: Grow these in a very well draining mix (1:9 organic:inorganic) in a terracotta pot. These bulbs like to be planted deep. They dislike root disturbance, but can be re-potted every 3 years.
If growing outdoors in a warm climate, they can remain in the ground. Make sure to plant bulbs 6 – 8 inches deep. Outdoors, the plants can be transplanted or propagated, but do so when in dormancy by removing offsets in either autumn or winter. If dividing or transplanting, do not expect the plant to bloom for that year. You will get foliage, but may not get flowers.
NMG came out in strength to support the West Oso ISD Summer Bridge Program over two Wednesdays in July. The students were 7th to 12th grade ESL, Economically and Socially Disadvantaged Students who were specifically selected to receive the enrichment outing. None of the students nor the educators had ever visited the sites selected for the two field trips.
On Wednesday, July 21, 13 students were transported to the Corpus Christi Xeriscape Gardens for an interactive presentation on the principle of design requiring little or no irrigation or other maintenance, used in arid regions. Joan Salge, NMG and Project Coordinator and Vince Muscarello provided handouts, discussion and Q&A for the 45 minute excursion. They then boarded the school bus and headed across town to the 2nd Baptist Church Raised Bed Gardens located off Timbergate and Staples.
They were welcomed there by Daisy Castillo, Community Gardens Coordinator for the Texas A&M AgriLife Program and Vin who gave a presentation and tour of the gardens answering many questions. The students, educators and bus driver were treated to a fresh vegetable salad bowl with balsamic dressing which none had ever had. The students thought the dressing was chocolate dressing. They were hesitant at first, but quickly went back for seconds. All took extra bowls home with a greater appreciation for fresh vegetables and balsamic dressing thanks to Mary Helen (1VP) and Jim Johnston.
The 2nd Field Trip was conducted on Wednesday, July 28 at the South Texas Botanical Gardens. 16 NMGs and Interns welcomed the students and educators for a multifaceted interactive tour of the gardens and exhibits. NMGs and Interns were: Paul Parr, Patty DeGlopper (I), Carol Barrgay, Gloria VanZante, Angie Corley (I), Jack Harris, Renee Brown, Ronnie Munoz, Marie Privott (I), Tom Andrews (I), Rebecca Stalcup, Vince Muscarello, Donna Gonzales, Linda Frost, Kevin Gibbs, and Huxley Smith.
Orientation was conducted on Monday, July 19 at the Del Mar Economic Development Center for the 2021 Intern Class 32. Officers and key NMG individuals were present to introduce themselves and discuss the areas they are responsible for in the organization. The orientation was well attended in person and virtually via Zoom. This class has several first for the NMGs:
Below are the links for April 2019 and April 2021 Treasurer’s Reports.
These documents will open in either Excel or Numbers applications.
Aransas County Fair
Hi there Aransas County!
We are ONE week away for the Sesquicentennial County Fair! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enter the fun! Entry forms are attached.
For more information and other activities please visit www.aransascounty150.org.