by Elaine Wilshusen, Somervell County Master Gardener

A favorite plant of mine is the Texas native, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium, known commonly as Fall Aster. It appears most of the spring and summer as a smallish dark green shrubby plant, disappearing into the background. However, after most other plants have stopped flowering, Fall Aster rewards the patient gardener by bursting into bloom with hundreds of 1″-sized purple flowers with yellow centers. It is deer resistant, plus bees and butterflies love it!

Fall Aster is a vigorously growing perennial, growing 2-3 feet tall with a spread of the same dimensions. It appreciates full sun but will tolerate part shade. Fall Aster will tolerate most soil types with good drainage and it is fairly drought tolerant. It is hardy to USDA Zone 4, making it a good choice for our North Central Texas winters. The top growth will typically die back after the first freeze of winter and can be pruned back at that time, if desired.

To keep the plants tidy and more rounded in shape, pinch back or trim them with scissors by no more than half in early June. This will also result in many more flowers in the fall.

Another great thing about Fall Aster is that they are so easily divided and passed along to others or planted in a new bed. I planted small, finger-sized divisions I dug up from my daughter’s garden last April. They appeared on the verge of death for a couple of weeks but then rebounded quickly. By June, they were already large enough to pinch back. Now, they are busily forming tiny buds getting ready to bloom in a few weeks!

Our first CHES (Community Educational Horticulture Sessions) meeting for the Fall season will  be held on Monday, September the 11th, at 6:30 pm, at a different location.  

We will meet at the Texas A&M Extension Office, 1405 Texas Drive, Glen Rose.

Shirley Smith and Donna Hagar will present a program on

Building a Rain Barrel and Harvesting Rain Water.

You won’t want to  miss this one!

 

Submitted by Merilyn Cranford, Somervell County Master Gardener

Another hot summer is almost behind us and everyone should be looking forward to cooler weather and Fall time.  However, those fantastic gardens that were planted last spring are now looking downright shabby.  Daylilies and hostas are starting to look tired, with yellowing foliage and spent bloom stalks.

But just because it’s nearly Fall doesn’t mean you have to give up on the garden and wait until spring to clean it up.  In fact, this colorful season offers some of the most pleasant weather for working outdoors.  It doesn’t take a lot of time and money to have a beautiful fall garden, but you need to get started by cleaning up what’s left over from spring before adding anything new for fall.

Cleaning up may not mean more work than a swift tug of the old plants for quick removal.  But if you’re more proactive and get to work while the old plants are still somewhat green, just snip tall stalks back with pruners.  Cut near the base of the plant, down to the foliage, to keep plants looking tidy.  With cleanup taken care of, you can see what holes need filling and go shopping.

Some suggestions for your consideration might be Hamelin fountain grass, Indian blanket, Pineapple sage (salvia), Chrysanthemum, Blue mist, Sedum, Mexican heather and other ornamental grasses.  Play with color, be creative and don’t be afraid to be different.  Also, don’t forget that fall is bulb planting and dividing time.

 

The Community Educational Horticulture Sessions have been suspended for the summer, but go ahead and mark your calendar for the second Monday in September, the 11th, at 6:30 pm, Citizen’s Center, Glen Rose.

Shirley Smith and Donna Hagar will present a program on Building a Rain Barrel and Harvesting Rain Water.  You won’t want to  miss this one!

Have a safe and wonderful summer.  Enjoy your garden!  August is a good time to stay inside where it’s cool and plan your winter vegetable garden.

by Julie Conner, Somervell County Master Gardener

If you are looking for a low maintenance colorful annual the Zinnia fits that bill.  They are a member of the Aster family which includes marigolds and the sunflower. Zinnias come in a variety of colors, flower head size and heights.

Zinnias do best in full sun and soil that has been enhanced with organic matter in a well-drained area.  Seeds can be planted directly in the bed after the last frost and covered with 1/4 inch of soil.  Water in well and when seedlings are coming up thin them to 6 to 12 inches apart depending on variety you have chosen.  The space between plants allows for air circulation which helps prevent any fungus growth.

Zinnias can be prone to black spot, rust and powdery mildew, but on the upside they attract beneficial insects, birds and butterflies.  Deadheading the blooms encourages more bloom growth.

To save seeds for next year’s planting simply allow the flowers to dry on the stem then store in a dry place.  Zinnias also make a great cut flower to bring indoors to enjoy.

by Linda Heideman, Somervell County Master Gardener

For the lawn and beds:

• Make sure the lawn is getting about 1-1.5 inches of water every week, watering between 2a.m.-6a.m. is ideal.
• Keep lawn mowed and landscaping weeded to prevent an infestation of chiggers.
• 
• Plant heat loving plants such as salvia, purslane, and portulaca.
• Water potted plants and baskets often – twice a day on triple digit days.
• Give plants a summer boost by fertilizing throughout lawn and beds.

For the garden:

• Check the garden daily and harvest veggies regularly for the best tasting and tender vegetables.
• All month long: Sow black-eyed peas, parsley, Swiss chard, and collards.
• Beginning of the month: Sow bush and pole beans, Irish potatoes
• Middle of the month: Sow cabbage and head lettuce.
• End of the month: Sow kale, spinach, and turnip seeds.
• Turn your compost pile.

Copied from the website of Ideal Partners Landscapes, Fort Worth

by Linda Heideman, Somervell County Master Gardener

 

Sometimes the bounty from our gardens is way too much!!  Got Too Many Tomatoes??  You know you can easily freeze tomatoes without the fuss of canning, and they will also taste fresher than canned.  Simply wash, pat dry, place whole tomatoes in freezer zip-lok bags, suck out the air with a straw, seal, and freeze. When you thaw them, the skins will slip right off, and they are ready to go into  a hot tomato bisque, tomato soup,  homemade spaghetti sauce, or your very own hot salsa (yum, yum) .  So on a dreary, cold winter day, put another log on the fire and enjoy your creations.

Children’s Herb Workshop
(K-6^th grade)
3 Saturdays, June 10, 17, 24
9:00-10:00 a.m.

 June 10 – Lavender
June 17 – Mint
June 24 – Basil & Oregano

 Paint a pot, then join The Master Gardeners and learn to plant and grow the herb of the week, and, finally, taste the herb in a dish at Sweet Magnolia Market!

$10 per class
limit 10 per class

Reserve your spot in advance at Sweet Magnolia Market!
603 Austin St., Glen Rose, TX 76043