Somervell County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Dog Days of Summer

by

by Bonnah Boyd, Somervell County Master Gardener

This phrase refers to the sultry days of summer.  In the Northern Hemisphere the dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of July and August.

The phrase has an ancient astrological origin.  The Romans noted that the brightest star, Sirius in the Big Dog constellation (Canis Major) was lined up with the sun during the hottest time of the year.  This conjunction was believed to cause the peak heat of summer.  The Old Farmers’ Almanac lists the traditional period as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11.

Many events are often planned during the “Dog Days”.  These include dog contests and pictures, parties, sports tournaments at the beach, baseball games and tours, with or without your dog.

If you plan a summer vacation during this time, don’t forget the plants, both indoors and out.  Below is a checklist of activities to do for your garden and plants prior to leaving.

Water:   Irrigate landscape and garden thoroughly.  If you have a vegetable garden, have a neighbor water, as needed.  Many containerized plants need watering at least every third day to survive the heat.  Group containers together in easy reach of the water hose. 

Mow:    Mow and trim your lawn the day before you leave.  The lawn may need to be mowed a week later, so either be home then or make arrangements for weekly mowing.

Weed:   Pull, spray or mulch over existing weeds in the garden and landscape.

Prune:   Check roses, perennials and annual flowers to determine if they need deadheading.

Mulch:   Mulching preserves water in the soil, reduces soil temperatures, reduces weed populations and gives a fresh look to the garden.

Do a pest check:   Check for insects and diseases.  Take action to control populations of insects pests that are present.  Diseases are less prevalent in the summer, but check for fungal diseases, such as black spot and blight.  Apply a fungal spray as needed.

Harvest:   In the vegetable garden, harvest all ripe and nearly ripe fruit.  Call a neighbor to come harvest for you, if you are going to be gone for more than a week.

Reference:  Doug Welch’s Texas Garden Almanac     

Esperanza – Favorite Plants of Master Gardeners

by

Esperanza or Yellow Bells, Tecoma stans

Submitted by Donna Hagar, Somervell County Master Gardeners

esperanzaHave you been in downtown Glen Rose lately? If so, you surely have seen the large yellow blooming shrub on the north east corner bed of the square by the Coca Cola building. Many folks have asked what this showy shrub is. The answer is an Esperanza or Yellow Bells, scientific name Tecoma Stans. This is a Texas Super Star, and is gaining popularity as an ornamental plant in Texas gardens. In the wild in Texas it can be found growing on rocky slopes near San Antonio and in the Trans-Pecos. This is a cold tender plant, hardy to zone 8b. In our area, if you plant it on the south side of a home or structure, protected it from the north winds, mulched HEAVILY in the winter, it will die back but should come back from the roots. It can also be used as a fast growing, large container plant which may be moved into warmer winter quarters. The striking, tubular 2 1/2-inch bright yellow flowers are highlighted by the attractive, shiny, green foliage and continue through the heat of the summer. The flowers have sweet pleasing fragrance and also provide nectar for bees. Plant with the purple fall aster for an amazing show of contrasting purple and yellow flowers for this time of year.

Plant Habit or Use: small shrub medium shrub
Exposure: sun
Flower Color: yellow
Blooming Period: spring, summer, fall
Fruit Characteristics: 4- to 6-inch-long capsule
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Width: 3 to 4 feet
Plant Character: deciduous,
Heat Tolerance: high
Water Requirements: low
Soil Requirements: neutral, alkaline

Unique Plants

by

Submitted by Bonnah Boyd, Somervell County Master Gardener

   Looking for an unusual plant to add to containers or in beds?  The eyeball plant, a short sprawling annual with copper-tinted foliage and unique golden “eyeball shaped” flowers may be a choice.

Eyeball Plant   Native to South American tropics, Acmella oleraceae (also known as Spilanthes oleraceae, and various common names as eyeball plant, toothache plant, peek-a-boo or paracress) is an herb used to add flavor to a bland diet.  The foliage has a pleasant salty flavor that eventually leaves a numb feeling to the mouth.  It may have received the common name of toothache plant because of its use as a local anesthetic for gums and teeth.  Some sources attribute that common name to the appearance of the flowers that resemble a sore tooth.  The flowers are bi-colored red and gold, looking like a yellow olive stuffed with a bright red pimiento “eye”.

   This plant is easily grown from seed.  Although it can be sown directly outdoors, it is better to start plants indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost, because it will not tolerate frost and requires warm soil to germinate.  Seeds should germinate in a little over a week. The plant grows about 12”- 15” tall and spreads 24”- 30”.  The flowers are produced on the ends of long stems.  A little extra maintenance will improve the plants appearance.  Pinch at about 3 weeks after transplanting, leaving 2 sets of true leaves intact.  Pinching encourages better branching and a more uniformly shaped plant, but will delay flowering by about a week.

   Plant in full sun or very light shade.  The plants prefer rich soil and evenly moist, but not wet soil. Irrigate when dry and do not allow the plants to wilt.  The plants  bloom repeatedly from midsummer to early fall.   Use it as a summer flowering container plant for sunny patios.                                          

References: University of Wisconsin – Extension Master Gardener Program

Pollinators, Pests and Predators

by

Community Horticulture Education Series
Monday, September 9, 6:30 pm
Somervell County Citizens Center
209 SW Barnard, Glen Rose
Free and Open to the Public

 “Pollinators, Pests and Predators”

Speaker Curt Decker, Natural Resource Specialist, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center

arthropodsJoin us on September 9, 2013 for our Community Horticulture Education Series program “Pollinators, Pests and Predators”. Curt Decker, Natural Resources Specialist at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center will examine the various arthropods we might come across in the garden and the various roles they play. By nearly any measure, the most successful animals on the planet are the arthropods . . . the REAL rulers of the Earth!

Curt will explore those commonly considered “beneficial” (pollinators and those that control “pests”) as well as some that might surprise us in how they fit into a gardens health. Discussion will involve ways we can encourage the desired ones and what we can do to discourage those we would rather not have. Each and every critter has a role to play and the more you know about the subject the better off your growing plants will be.  Curt is extremely knowledgeable about all things that creep and crawl about on the ground or buzz about in the air and loves to share one of his favorite passions. You are sure to learn AND be entertained as well!

This program is FREE and open to the public! Children are certainly welcome and encouraged, too! Door prizes will be given out as well!

Fall is Just Around the Corner

by

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.

Iris – Favorite Plant of Master Gardener

by

Submitted by Julie Conner, Somervell County Master Gardener

Louisiana IrisDid you ever drive by an old homestead where only the chimney remained standing. Yet in the corner of the foundation there is a growth of Iris. Why does that Iris come up each year? The Iris is from the family of flowers that grow from a bulb and when planted
in the right spot they require a minimum of care, as the Iris on the old homestead prove.
 
Rhizomes, corms, tubers and bulbs are a group of plants that grow their stems underground. Many of these bulbs require a low temperatures for a period of time before they send up new growth. Most of these plants prefer sunny spots because their leaves need the exposure to sunlight in order to product food which is stored in the bulb for the next season growth.
 
Iris can adapt to almost any soil but for best results prepare a bed for them and in a location that gets at least 6 hours of sun. Allow at least 3 inches of organic matter in the bed then place the bulb approx one inch below the surface then layer 2 inches of mulch on top and water thoroughly.
 
Iris bloom spring through summer depending on variety. Once the blooms have done their thing the bloom stalks can be removed. Do not trim back the leaves or blades much as the bulb still needs to produce food for the bulb. You can fertilize in the spring as new growth appears. A good rule of thumb for the bulb plants “if it blooms in the spring or summer then you will dig, divide and plant in the fall”.
 
There is a large variety of Iris from bearded to dwarfs and range in heights of 3 inches to 27 inches. There is a Ft Worth Iris Society which is having a sale Sept 28th at the Ft Worth Botanical Gardens. This would be a great time to investigate the possibilities of Iris in your garden.

Weed Killer from Your Kitchen!

by

By Joan Orr, Somervell County Master Gardener

If you have large areas of weeds that you want to get rid of, this recipe is for you. It will kill any vegetation it comes in contact with. Care must be taken to spray only the weeds you want to kill, avoiding spraying lawns and flowers.

Homemade Weed Killer1 gallon distilled vinegar
1-cup household salt
1 tbsp dish detergent
Spray bottle

Mix all ingredients in large kettle and heat over medium heat until the salt is completely dissolved. It is not necessary to boil the solution. Set aside to cool. Pour in spray bottle and get to work!

**Before you apply this weed-killer in your garden, here are some guidelines:

– This weed-killer is non-selective, which means that it will also damage/kill your desirable plants. So be careful when applying to weeds.
– Apply on a sunny day with NO wind.  The sun helps the vinegar to dry out the weed.  You also want to wait for a windless day so that your spray won’t inadvertently spray onto other plants.
– This weed-killer may or may not kill the root of the weed.  You may need to reapply it if green growth shows up afterward or pour a little of the weed-killer over the root zone to thoroughly kill large weeds
So, next time you need to kill weeds, simply open your cupboard and make your own with vinegar, salt and soap.  It’s natural, effective and cheap!

New Newsletter Distribution System!

by

MailChimpWelcome to the first edition of our new newsletter distribution system! In an attempt to keep up with the ever-changing technology environment, we are changing our email distribution system over to MailChimp. This will enable us to to streamline the articles with our website and our Facebook page! We hope you like the new look! As always, we welcome your comments or suggestions. Let us know what you think!

The Prairie Gentian (Eustoma grandiflorum)

by

prairiegentianBy Sheryl Kleinschmidt

The Prairie Gentian is the most recent of my wildflower discoveries and will forever remain ensconced in my memory as one of the most outstanding.  In early June of this year I was driving along Highway 144 between Glen Rose and Walnut Springs.

As usual, I kept one eye on the road and another searching the rightaway for any sign of life other than the dying brown Bermuda grass so prevalent in Texas’ landscape.

On down the road I went thinking how different things might look if only we could get some rain.  Mile after disappointing mile I drove until a soft, lavender color caught my eye.

Thinking I could not have possibly seen what I thought I saw, I turned around at the next available spot and slowly drove back to the point of interest.  Yes!  Pulling my truck off the pavement, I got out and walked down to the fence line where these magnificent flowers bent to and fro in the soft breeze.  Never having seen a Prairie Gentian before, I marveled at their beauty, grace and stamina.  Like others of their kind, they belied all reason and grew out of some of the hardest, rockiest dirt one can imagine.

Being on a tight schedule, and without a shovel, I tried desperately to pull up one of the plants.  Not going to happen, but a branch did break off which I lovingly took with me and put into water.  Three weeks later, this little branch was still blooming and has given me quite an accumulation of seed.

Having the plant in my possession gave me the opportunity to study it and look it up in my Audubon field guide.  Along with research on-line, I have learned that the Prairie Gentian grows in the prairies of the southwest USA.  All sources say it needs some moisture, but I have since seen it growing in Somervell, Hood and Evant Counties under extremely dry and poor conditions.

Besides lavender (the only color I’ve seen), the Gentian can be pink, yellow or white. It is also known as the Tulip Gentian or the Texas Bluebell.  It was formerly called Lisianthus russellianus, and its seed is now being sold by nurseries for use in the home garden.  The seeds are light-sensitive and therefore should be broadcast, not buried.

Since the taproot is long, the Gentian does not transplant well. However, this same taproot holds tremendous reserves of carbohydrates which allow it to recover quickly after natural disasters such as prairie fires.

The Gentians I saw were tall flowers—the tallest about 3 feet.  Their five petals are waxy and gradually darken as they come together in the center. They resemble a petunia in appearance, but I find them to be more attractive. The leaves are oblong, opposite and approximately 3 inches in length.

Now that the Gentian and I have become friends, I long to see her graceful emergence along the Texas roadways early next summer.  Until then, I lovingly guard her seeds, anticipating the day I may have my very own bed of Gentians.

Gardening For Color All Year

by

Speaker Mary Lynn Martin, Lake Granbury Master Gardener

Join us on Monday, August 12 to get a glimpse into how Mary Lynn Martin creates the fabulous gardens on her 5 acres of astonishing and lavish landscaping! Her country property, featured on the Tour of Homes for the 2011 Texas Master Gardener Conference in Glen Rose, features unique handmade ‘found art’ and boasts more that 65 varieties of roses including all of the EarthKind® Roses. The property is also home to a golf green, fruit trees, extensive perennial beds, water features and much more!

But what is even more astonishing is just how Mary Lynn created this magnificent piece of heaven. You might think she spends every waking moment tending and creating, or maybe she hires out much of the work. Nope! Mary Lynn is an admitted lazy gardener! So come and find out her tricks of the trade! See how the use of EarthKind® principals and simple early planning can make it easy to enjoy a yard full of color all year round!

This program is FREE and open to the public!