Going Under Plastic, Pt 2

September 3, 2017 by Donna Hagar

As you may have read from last months newsletter, we have decided to try a new attempt (for us) to reduce weeds, pests and diseases from our gardens. This effort involves covering the beds with plastic and letting the sun ‘cook’ the soil to remove or reduce these garden plagues! The actual method is called soil solarization.

The process sounds simple enough. Remove plant debris, till the soil, cover with clear plastic, leave in place for 6-8 weeks to let the sun do its thing and voila – clean garden soil. This series of articles will document my efforts to achieve this gardening feat!

We are starting with 4 of our 8 large raised beds. So first effort was to clean out the beds. No small task as we started with a pretty big mess! But we persevered and got all of the old plant material out. This included a large comfrey plant, one entire bed of blackberries, a couple artichokes, cucumbers, melons, lots of elephant garlic, a few miscellaneous herbs, a tomato plant and a few peppers. And of course, an abundance of nut-sedge, bermudagrass, euphorbias and other lovely weeds and grasses! (the first two being a large part in the decision to tackle this project!)

Once cleaned out, my wonderful husband tilled 2 of the 4 beds while I was visiting family. We decided to experiment by not tilling the other 2 as a comparison (and save him the extra work!). Once cleaned/tilled, it was a simple matter of raking the beds smooth to make sure there were no rocks or sticks poking up that could puncture the plastic.

And then it was time! Time to cover with this ‘miracle’ plastic that is going to make our future gardening chores a breeze…..we hope! Now for the plastic. We are supposed to use ‘clear’ plastic. In my research, it was suggested to use 4 mil thickness. So after scouring the internet, I ordered a roll of 10’x100′ clear 4mil plastic. Some reviews indicated it wasn’t entirely clear but I was hopeful. FYI, I paid $30 for this roll. And no, it is NOT exactly clear! But it will have to do!

All of our beds are raised beds, so securing the plastic was a bit of a head scratcher. We knew that the plastic could easily tear using rocks and that 2×4’s may not be heavy enough in high winds. So we settled on making a channel just on the inside of the beds, put a layer of compost over the plastic in the channel and then laid t-posts on the compost for added weight. Works like a charm! One bed did not have the stone border so we were able to lay 2×6’s down on the plastic for that one and it is holding well.

It had rained the day prior to laying the plastic so we knew there was ample moisture, which is needed to help with the solarization process. Within an hour of laying the plastic, we noticed beads of water already accumulating on the plastic! This meant HEAT! Yay, we are on our way!

Or so we hope! One little problem has since arisen that we did not fully consider. While plastic retains the needed moisture UNDER the plastic, it also creates a bit of an issue on TOP of the plastic when it rains! Oops, so we now have a bit of a swimming pool in one of the beds! Hindsight says we should have mounded the soil better and fortunately it is in just 1 of the 4 beds. (We will leave this water during this Harvey induced rain spell and then I will make efforts to drain it.) I suspect this experiment isn’t over in teaching us many things!

Going Under Plastic

August 4, 2017 by Donna Hagar

I love to garden. I love growing my own fruits and veggies, knowing where my food comes from, what chemicals have, or moreover, have NOT been used on the food we eat. But it doesn’t come without its challenges! Pests, weeds and diseases can show up no matter how much time and care goes into it. I’ve used companion planting, trap cropping, physical removal of weeds and pests, chickens and guineas for bug control, crop rotation, etc etc all in an effort to reduce or control pests and disease.

Leaf Footed Bug on Tomato

I have some success but also some epic failures! Last year, the squash bugs decimated my zucchini, this year, the leaf footed bugs have completely ruined my artichokes and peaches and did a number on my tomato crop too.

Weed proliferation (how embarrassing!)

Yes, I am an admitted lazy gardener but this year’s wonderful Spring rains, which took a big load off of the watering chores, allowed the nutsedge and dayflower to take hold in abundance! So, I’m ready to take my Gardens UNDER THE PLASTIC.

No, I’m not talking about a greenhouse or hoop rows. I’m talking about SOIL SOLARIZATION. This will involve using a very passive but effective method of using the suns rays and corresponding heat to kill off weed seeds, insects, soil-borne diseases and other harmful soil organisms to give the plantings a boost.

Over the next few months, I will update on the process as I tackle this daunting task. See, we have not one or two beds that need this process but over 8 raised beds, ranging from 8′ x 10′ to 8′ x 40′. Not much I can do about the peach tree but hopefully reducing the pests in the nearby beds will also reduce those that affect the peach crop!
The process sounds fairly simple, though it does involve some preparation. Here is the full process outlined by AgriLife Extension.

To solarize your garden or flower bed, first prepare the soil. Eliminate all weeds and old garden plants. Next, rototill the soil as deeply as possible to produce a uniform soil texture. If your soil is too dry to easily work, irrigate, wait a few days and then rototill.

For solarization to work, the soil needs to be moist and damp to allow sun’s heat to penetrate the ground as deeply as possible. So, give the garden a good soaking before covering it with plastic. An ideal garden setup incorporates drip irrigation under the plastic to maintain soil moisture during solarization and later for watering your garden crops. The plastic used to cover the area should be clear, not black. Clear plastic lets light energy pass through and then traps it, much like a greenhouse. Black plastic absorbs most of the sun’s heat without letting it pass through to the soil below. 1-to-6 mil plastic will work fine – the thicker the better. Pull the plastic tight and cover the edges with soil to help keep the soil moist and to prevent strong gusts of wind from blowing it away.

Leave the plastic in place for at least a month and the longer you leave it on the better the results. Two to three months would be ideal, but good short term weed control can be gained in a month. The soil in the top several inches should heat almost to 150 degrees F. which is hot enough to pasteurize the soil and kill many of the harmful organisms. Apparently beneficial soil organisms bounce back quickly and are not greatly harmed by the treatment.

So I have my work cut out for me! We will likely tackle just a few beds in the next few weeks and leave them covered until well into the fall. My biggest issue will be securing the plastic in place as most of our raised beds are constructed of uneven rock borders. So laying 2x4s or rocks on top of the plastic won’t be enough to hold the plastic in place without gaps.

Stay tuned…

March Gardening Chores

March 7, 2017 by Donna Hagar

Time to get busy in the garden! While February certainly felt like March by the temperatures, it’s now REALLY time to get busy digging in the dirt! There is still plenty of time to get winter chores completed and begin the exciting spring planting!

If you have not already done so, now it the time to cut back all the winter die back on your perennial plants. Many have already started to break bud with the warm temperatures we’ve had so just cut back to where you see the new growth springing forth. Ornamental grasses should be cut to the ground, as well as flowering native perennials such as lantana, blue mist and most salvias. Autumn Sage should be trimmed to about 1/3 of existing growth. And don’t forget roses! I have a few blooms on some of my rose bushes, but if you haven’t trimmed them back, get to it quickly. There is still time for them to put on a good growth spurt without losing too many blooms. Cut out weak or crowded growth and dead or damaged canes. Shape the plant by cutting a forth to a third of the vigorous canes. As new growth emerges, don’t forget to add a new layer of mulch! It will be like frosting on the cake in your landscape!

pooh-piglet-planting-pea-seeds For the vegetable garden, hopefully you have prepared your beds with some addition of compost or other organic matter. Onions should already be in, but you may still get a decent crop if you get them in asap. Start a new perennial asparagus bed by planting crowns now. Just remember it takes a full 3 years to begin harvesting. Set out artichoke plants this month. March is the time to be direct seed beans, peas, greens, radishes, and beets. There is still time to get in a good crop of lettuce, too. Tomato transplants can go in the garden as well by mid-March but be prepared to protect them if we get a good cold snap – which we all know is a good possibility!

Consider starting an herb garden if you haven’t already! There is nothing like fresh herbs to go along with all the wonderful fresh veggies from the garden! Perennial herbs such as oregano, sage, thyme and Mexican mint marigold are great for beginners. As with most herbs, they will need good soil drainage and full sun. Cilantro and dill like the cooler temperatures so plant from seed now. Parsley and fennel are great additions as well.

Please Don’t Cut Me Down Yet!

October 4, 2016 by Donna Hagar

As the Fall sets in and perennials start to die back, the temptation to trim that ‘ugly’ death matter down to the ground can send us searching for the pruners. But WAIT! There are many reasons you may want to wait until late Winter to remove what you perceive to be unacceptable appearances.

First of all, if you have perennials with an abundance of seeds that will quickly take over in the Spring, by all means take those off and give them to some unsuspecting friend – or better – enemy! Seriously, for those perennials who love to multiply, move those seeds to the trash. They may survive in a compost bin so be very careful if you choose to compost. Also, if you have diseased plant material, move that out as well. Many diseases and critter infestations can survive a winter, so that needs to be trashed as well.

But for otherwise healthy perennials, please consider the following reasons why you might want to leave them in place.

Free bird seed – Flower heads from many perennials are a great source of food for our feathered friends! Echinacea, Sunflowers and many ornamental grasses can sustain many birds over the cold months! Let them eat seeds!
Winter Interest – yes, some of these plants actually can add beauty to the landscape over the Winter! Many of the ornamental grasses in particular are very showing in the otherwise desolate chilly garden! And you can get some really cool pictures when we get those dreaded ice storms!
Butterflies – Yes, even in the Winter months, we need to be thinking of the fluttering beauties. Many lay their eggs on perennials or can even have cocoons over winter on dead foliage and branches. If you remove them to the compost heap, they likely won’t survive!
Mulch – Yes, the dead matter of the plants can actually help provide the much needed mulch for both moisture retention and temperature fluctuations.

So this is one time it may actually be best to procrastinate on some of those gardening chores! Your plants, the birds and butterflies may just thank you!

SCMGA Members attend Groundbreaking

July 2, 2016 by Donna Hagar

SCMGA attend Groundbreaking Four members of the Somervell County Master Gardeners Association made the trek to College Station on Friday, June 17 for the Groundbreaking Ceremony for The Gardens at A&M. Shirley Smith, Donna Hagar, Julie Conner and Mary Ann Steele were among the many Master Gardeners from throughout Texas attending this momentous occasion. Having raised over $135,000 towards the naming rights of the Earth-Kind® Teaching Garden, Texas Master Gardeners were among many other founding donors embracing the beginnings of this incredible undertaking.

The Gardens at A&M is a 40-acre project that will be a public teaching garden and greenway focused on expanding Texas A&M’s research and outreach. There is the need to enrich lives by connecting people with the living world of horticulture. The importance of plants to life on earth is immeasurable. We depend upon them for the air we breathe, the food we eat, the shelter we need, and the medicine we can’t live without. Through our numerous programs and educational materials, guests can learn about ecosystems, growing food, growing plants, conserving water, and much more. In addition, recreation and events in our tranquil and eclectic landscapes will bring the community together. It will be a place where creativity sprouts, knowledge flourishes and Aggie roots run deep. The Gardens will be used to take research further and understanding wider.

Get that Bastard Cabbage NOW!

May 30, 2015 by Donna Hagar

Gaillardia pulchella AKA – Indian Blanket or Firewheel

Last month I submitted an article on the horribly invasive plant called Bastard Cabbage. I would like to make one more stab at bringing this horribly noxious weed to the forefront and implore folks everywhere to make a concerted effort to eradicate it!

A recent article published by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center reiterates the success in using more native wildflowers to control the Bastard Cabbage. Specifically, success is seen by heavily sowing Indian Blanket or Gaillardia pulchella.

Annual Bastard Cabbage

For those who missed the article, Bastard Cabbage is a spring, yellow blooming exotic invasive plant that crowds out our beloved wildflowers. The rosettes form in the fall, covering the ground with its broad leaves and shading out other wildflowers from germinating. It loves disturbed areas, new roadsides and construction sites particularly. But it is creeping into natural areas and pastures, creating monocultures of this rather useless plant.

Pulling existing plants is the best measure of control, but if too large a population, regular mowing to prevent the plant from setting seeds can help. Then simply heavily sow Gaillardia seeds to prevent the annual Bastard Cabbage from re-establishing next year.

Source – LBJ Wildflower Center

The Menace of Annual Bastard Cabbage

May 3, 2015 by Donna Hagar

There once was a wonderful wildflower site near Aledo, Texas, along Iona road. It was a cattle-range field that I would drive past each spring to watch the glorious diversity of Texas wildflowers color the landscape in rainbows of bluebonnets and orange paintbrush, and a dozen other wildflowers all blooming in natural diversity.

One year I noticed stands of bright yellow pop up here and there – tall airy globes of yellow sparsely scattered in the acreage. The year after that the field was solid yellow; if there were other wildflowers, they were hidden under the onslaught of this one aggressive plant. While the kaleidoscope of Texas wildflowers normally run just a foot or two tall, in two short springs this field was taken over by Giant Mustard growing three to five feet tall and shading out all the native flowers.

It happened that fast, and it is happening all over Texas. Giant Mustard, Bastard Cabbage, Wild Turnip-weed — they are all the alter egos of the bully of the mustard family, Rapistrum rugosum, also known as RARU to the invasive plant hunters from its official USDA designated symbol.

This year has been especially splendid for the wildflowers, with huge stands of bluebonnets lining the roadsides. But in so many locales, the fields of deep blue are edged with tall borders of the airy yellow waist-high hedges of RARU. As the bluebonnets flourish, so do the invasives. However, the native bluebonnets disappear after their spring show. The RARU drops its seeds and develops a basal mat of dense leaves that out-competes native species and quickly forms a monoculture. With the ground well-mulched by the RARU rosettes, other seeds in the soil have no chance of germinating next year. The RARU wins.

What you can do

The easiest way to control RARU is simply to keep it mowed to prevent it making seeds. It is an annual plant which only lives one year; stopping the seeds from forming stops next year’s crop. If the stand of RARU has not spread too far, you can also remove the entire plant, including the tap root, to control it. In the late fall or early winter, the rosettes can be sprayed with herbicides. (Always use herbicides only according to directions.) Once the RARU is removed or killed in fall, over-seed with natives. Gaillardia/Indian Blanket is an especially a good choice for over-seeding against RARU.

If left uncontrolled, RARU spreads fast and far. Wherever the ground is disturbed, by new construction or wildfires, drought-stricken fields or parched lawns, road construction or laying new pipes, RARU seeds will take hold and block native grasses or flowers from germinating to fill the void.

We should all be on the lookout for this noxious plant and do what we can to eradicate it!

Source: Excerpts taken from an article published by NPSOT Invasive Crowds Out Wildflowers by Marilyn Sallee We should all be on the lookout for this noxious plant and do what we can to eradicate it!

Master Gardener Training – Register NOW!

February 25, 2015 by Donna Hagar

The next tri-county Master Gardener training registration ends Friday!

Classes will be held on Tuesdays from 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm beginning March 31 and runs through May 26. Location of classes rotate between Glen Rose, Granbury and Cleburne.

If interested, please call the Somervell County Extension Office at 254-897-2809 and HURRY, registration ends Friday, February 27th!

Master Gardeners to Assist with Community Garden at new Papa’s Pantry Food Bank

February 25, 2015 by Donna Hagar

Master Gardeners Donna Hagar and Shirley Smith met with Trey Sexton and Debi Bly on Wednesday, Feb 18 to begin formulating plans for the installation of a Community Garden located on the new Papa’s Pantry Food Bank Property.

Trey Sexton, a senior at Glen Rose High School has spearheaded this endeavor, already obtaining 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit organization. Trey then approached the Master Gardeners to gain assistance and advice for the planning and installation of the actual gardens.

Initial plans are for two 4 foot by 40 foot long rectangular raised bed gardens, which will be partitioned into 8 to 10 foot sections. Trey envisions various local organizations to adopt these sections of the garden to plant and grow fruits and vegetables with intentions to donate all or part of the produce to the food bank. Max Bly, current director of the Food Bank and Debi Bly, Secretary, are thrilled with the prospect of having fresh produce to offer their clients.

The Master Gardeners will adopt at least one section of the gardens and will be available to offer assistance and advice to other groups who would like to participate.

Future plans include several key hole gardens, trellis gardens and an extensive rainwater harvesting system.

Master Gardener Training Nears

February 1, 2015 by Donna Hagar

The Somervell County Master Gardener Association has been in existence since 2001. We are one of the smallest fully-functioning Master Gardener associations in Texas whose membership has varied between 10-25 members throughout the years.

But our small size does not reflect the amount of effort we put into our community. Since our inception, we have established several projects, including the landscape beds around the Farr House at Heritage Park, an EarthKind Rose Trial Garden (also at Heritage Park), promoted EarthKind Roses with the “Bring Back Roses to Glen Rose” campaign in 2010, and held the Texas Master Gardener State Conference in 2011, bringing Master Gardeners from all over Texas to Glen Rose for several days.

Besides those endeavors, we publish a monthly newsletter and host regular Community Horticulture Education programs. Somervell County Master Gardeners thrive on the diversified talents of our membership. Some prepare and deliver horticulture-related programs to the public, some design and manage garden projects within the community, others create and maintain websites, write articles and publish newsletters. Many just like digging in the the dirt, but we all share a passion for gardening. And most of all, we do all these things while having FUN!

If this sounds interesting to you, call the Somervell County Extension Office at 254-897-2809 and put your name on the list for the Master Gardener Training class for 2015. Classes will run from late March to mid-May and meet once a week.

To speak with a Master Gardener regarding the training classes, email [email protected] and we will be happy to visit with you. We would also like to invite you to attend our monthly meetings held at the Extension Office on the third Wednesday at 10 a.m.