grecker – Page 8

Welcome to March!

March 6, 2020 by grecker

“March is a month of considerable frustration – it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away.”

– Thalassa Cruso

March has indeed blown in like a lion. In fact, as I sit writing, it is storming up a storm! But, hang in there. I see nice, warm days in the 70s heading our way. This is the month when we can really get going in our gardens. Be cautious though. Those late March freezes and cold soil temperatures can rise up and catch the overly anxious of us. So, take a few moments, sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy some spring time reading.

Georgette Recker

Somervell Master Gardener

March Checklist

March 6, 2020 by grecker

Planning

___ Get your lawn mower in good condition. Make sure the blades are sharp.

___ Make a final decision on vegetables to be planned for an early to midsummer harvest.

___ Gather dropped live oak leaves to use as mulch.

Planting

___ Start warm-season annual seeds in flats or pots. Seedlings may be placed outside for 6 hours a day during daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s.

___ Starting this month, plant perennials, vines, groundcovers, shrubs, and spring-flowering trees.

___ Plant roses purchased in containers.

___ This is ideally the last month to plant balled-and-burlapped trees.

___ Plant by seed: collards, lima beans, mustard, radish, snap beans, Swiss chard, and kohlrabi.

Care

___ Remove faded flowers and developing seedpods from spring-flowering bulbs. Do not remove the green foliage.

___ Do not disturb or stress warm-season turf grass this month by aerateing, filling over or dethatching.

___ Keep an eye out for late frosts, and cover any perennials you think might be vulnerable.

___ Keep the area (1-2 feet) around newly planted trees free of grass and weeds.

Watering

___ Monitor newly planted bedding plants and seeds started in pots or flats for water.

___ Although irrigating this month is not usually required, water established turf grass, perennials, roses, and shrubs thoroughly if there has been insufficient rainfall. Newly planted perennials, roses, and shrubs will need special attention.

___ Water newly planted trees, vegetable transplants, vegetable beds, vines, ground covers, and ornamental grasses thoroughly as needed.

Problems

___ Stay on top of weeds, and keep beds well mulched with at least 3 inches of material such as dry grass clippings or leaves.

___ Prevent warm-season weeds in lawns and weeded perennial beds by applying a pre-emergent. Be sure to read and understand all label instructions.

___ Rake or mow (with bag attached) to remove leaves from lawns.

___ Evergreen trees such as hollies and Southern magnolias will drop leaves in spring. This is an event called natural pruning or shedding and is not cause for alarm.

Pruning

___ Prune roses now if you have not already done so.

Month-By-Month Gardening in Texas by Dan Gill & Dale Groom

Let’s Talk Perennials

March 6, 2020 by grecker

by Shirley D Smith, Somervell County Master Gardener

I love Perennials. Just in case there is any confusion about the difference between an
annual and perennial, I recall the difference by remembering annuals actually get their
name because they only have a one-year life span. Perennials, on the other hand,
come back year after year. Since they don’t have to be planted each year, they’re more
permanent.

Some of my favorites would have to start with Purple Passion vine (Passiflora
incarnata). This beautiful vine is very hardy in our area in that it is extremely drought
tolerant and will grow in full sun in most any soil once it gets established. This plant is
the host for Gulf Fritillary butterflies. Each year I have hundreds of caterpillars that
practically devour this plant, but it just keeps on blooming. The flower of the Passion vine is one of the more beautiful ones in the plant world and has a lovely aroma.

Another winner in my flower garden is Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). The
pollinators love this plant as do hummingbirds. Even after it has quit blooming, I leave
the spent plants in my garden because they are covered with seeds, and birds will take
advantage of this free meal when nothing else is available. Again, they are easy to
grow in our area and love full sun.

I have a Texas Lantana (Lantana horrida) in the front of my house that is just beautiful,
even in the heat of summer. I do give it supplemental water if we have not had rain for
a while and it is extremely happy to bloom almost all summer. Again, the pollinators
love this plant and requires very little care. If you want to keep it more compact, then a
trim every so often will not hurt it.

Coreopsis will not disappoint you with its bright golden yellow-like flowers. These
will bloom practically all summer and are very low maintenance. They will reseed
themselves so you might want to thin them out in the spring.

Artemisia is another favorite. It is a small bush with intense gray, wooly foliage. I love
its gray color. I have a ‘Powis Castle’ that does well but does seem to need a drink
more often than some of my other plants.

I could go on further, but I will stop here. There are many wonderful native or adapted
perennials that do great here in Somervell County. If you need more information,
contact the Somervell County Extension Office and ask to be contacted by a Master
Gardener. We would be more than happy to share our experiences with you.

Meet the Gardener

March 6, 2020 by grecker

Name

Julie Conner

What year did you become a Master Gardener?

2007

Do you hold a position in the group (officer, chair, etc)?

President

What are your gardening special interests?

Trying new techniques in the garden. This year my garden is in containers.

Is there a particular gardening book you enjoy?

Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide to Texas Gardening.

Have you had a particular gardening success?

Garlic and onions for well for me as they don’t require much of my attention.

What do you enjoy about being a Master Gardener?

Learning from others.

Do you have a favorite plant?

Perennial flowers

Paluxy Heritage Garden

March 6, 2020 by grecker

Our friend, Master Gardener, Mary Ann Steele wrote a note to the Somervell County Master Gardener group to encourage us in our efforts to create a new garden at Heritage Park in Glen Rose, Tx. Please be sure to stop by now and then to check out our progress and enjoy a few minutes the park.

Just an update on the progress at the Paluxy Heritage Garden. The weeds have done really well! They seen to have enjoyed the mild winter.

The fencing has been ordered and should be delivered in a week or two depending on the weather. As soon as I know when it will be delivered, I will get with the County crew to see about installing it for us.

Section heads need to be deciding and preparing for what to plant in their areas.

We have several projects ahead of us, and we will get them done. We are, “Can do girls!”

The Leaves Are Falling?

February 4, 2020 by grecker

The Leaves Are Falling?

Georgette Recker

Somervell County Master Gardener

Autumn is the time of year when leaves wither and fall to the ground. We expect it, and some of us even look forward to the event. However, if you are noticing leaves dropping from your live oak trees now that we are anticipating spring, you may be having very different feelings. As Texas is experiencing the ravages of oak wilt, seeing any of our well-loved, prized beauties dropping their leaves to the ground can be concerning especially when we think of live oaks as being evergreen.

Live oak trees are not true evergreens, and it is normal for them to drop their old leaves in spring. Although oak wilt may attack live oaks in late winter or early spring, the symptoms of the fungus are usually not apparent until summer.

Signs of normal live oak leaf drop include yellowing of leaves and/or brown or black spots or blotches. Some leaves may even have veins that turn brown while the remainder of the leaf stays green. While these signs and symptoms may mimic oak wilt, they are typical of a spring time process called senescing – or the dying off of old leaves.

There are some things you can look for to determine if the leaf drop your live oaks are experiencing now is normal and healthy. Check the dying leaves for new buds at the leaf petiole. These new buds will start small then will grow as the older leaves die. Once the old leaves drop off you should see tiny new leaves develop. Seeing these signs should assure you that your tree is likely experiencing a normal yearly cycle. If, on the other hand, you do not notice the buds, check for dead branches by breaking a small stem on the tree. If it breaks with a snap and has a brown interior, the branch is most likely dead. Healthy trees will usually have some dead branches; however, if more than 10% of the branches of a tree are dead, you should seek the help and advice of your county Extension agent.

Ong, Dr. Mark. “Live Oaks Dropping Leaves.” Texas A & M Agrilife Extension. Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab, 24 March 2008 Web. 3 February 2020.

Happy 2020!

January 28, 2020 by grecker

Georgette Recker
Somervell County Master Gardener

DON’T THINK THE GARDEN LOSES ITS ECSTASY IN WINTER. IT’S QUIET, BUT THE ROOTS ARE DOWN THERE RIOTOUS.

-RUMI

In the blink of an eye, January 2020 is coming to its end. I hope you had a wonderful December and that the new year is finding you refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to create some memorable experiences in your garden. I, for one, am anticipating my best garden ever, but then again I feel that way every January. The seed catalogs are piling up, I’m watching the weather report, checking my slumbering perennials for signs of life, dreaming of the smell of warm earth and the feel of dirty fingernails and the taste of ripe tomatoes. Crazy, right? But, maybe not so crazy. According to an article by Janet Keift in Horticulture Update from Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A & M University, “Gardens play an important part in our well being. A garden might serve as a tranquil retreat or private escape from the demands of everyday life. The beauty of flowers can lift spirits, while pulling weeds can be a great release for stress and excess energy. A harvest of colorful flowers or tasty vegetables provides a sense of achievement and feelings of success, while neighbors and visitors often express their appreciation for those efforts.”

So, with apologies for being tardy with the newsletter this month, let’s roll up our sleeves, pull on our gloves and hats, and let’s get ready to garden!