Somervell County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Musical Chairs in the Garden

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By Mary Ann Steele, Somervell County Master Gardener

Crop rotation is like playing a long term game of musical chairs in the garden.  Every plant is different:  inviting specific pests and diseases and demanding more of nutrients than others.  Growing the same crop in the same spot year after year drains the soil, and can lead to sick plants.   To make matters worse, some diseases and pests can end up taking residence in the soil around the plants they prey on most.  Keeping those plants in the same place is like inviting pests to an “all-you-can-eat” restaurant where their favorite meal is served every day.

Keeping a record of each crop allows you to perform the old switcharoo, confusing pests and diseases, and giving the soil a chance to catch up on depleted nutrients.  As a general rule, replacing a crop with a member of a different family will make a big difference.

Plant light feeders with heavy feeders, and deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants.  Deep-rooted plants dig up the soil and bring nutrients from way below up to the top, while shallow-rooted crops create a web of roots near the surface, preventing erosion.

Some insect pests are put off by the smell or chemical composition of certain plants.  Protect vulnerable plants by growing repellent plants nearby.  Surrounding a vulnerable plant with something strong-smelling, like onion or garlic, can confuse pests.  Try marigolds, garlic chives, lavender or mint.

Insect pests are known to prefer some plants over others.  Try growing a known pest magnet near your favorite crop as a decoy.  Once infected, remove the decoy and destroy it, pests and all.  Try nasturtiums, mustard greens, or marigolds.

Legumes, such as beans and peas, can convert nitrogen from the air and release it into the soil.  Follow legumes with nitrogen-loving brassicas, such as broccoli, cabbage, or kale.

Grow tall, sturdy plants in front of delicate and sensitive crops as a protective shield against wind or excessive heat.

Grow short, quick-growing, shallow-rooted plants such as lettuce and greens under tall, leafy plants like tomatoes or okra.  The short plants will shade the soil surface for the tall plants while they work to get established, and the tall plants will provide shade for the short plants later in the season when the summer gets hot.  Try leafy greens, lettuce, parsley, and thyme.

 

 

Next CHES Meeting, Rainwater Harvesting, October 10th

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Presented by Zach Davis, Somervell County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources

Water? It’s an issue that people don’t want to think about, but it’s something we all need. We know our water supply is limited and it’s something that is not going to get a whole lot better. As society moves forward we need to find ways to conserve as much as we can.  A simple solution that will continue to be important in the future is Rainwater Harvesting.

Rainwater Harvesting reduces the demand on our existing water supply and helps reduce the contamination of surface water which is a “win-win” for everybody. Rainwater can be sanitized so you can use it for basically any purpose you use traditional water. Different uses include:

  • Landscape watering
  • Wildlife and livestock watering
  • In-home use
  • Fire protection, etc.

As diverse as our needs are, whether you live in a rural, semi-rural or urban setting, a rainwater harvesting system can be just as diverse and just as beneficial. The systems can be as simple or as complex as you would like it to be. The choice is yours to make it your own!

RainBarrelHow much rainwater can you catch from a couple barrels??? A 2,000 sq. ft. house X 0.6 X 1 inch of rain = 1,200 gallons of water. To put that in reference to how much we use, the average American uses approximately 69 gallons of water per day. A one inch rain could supply you with water for 17 DAYS. AND leave 1,200 gallons of ground water in our aquifers.

If you are interested in learning more about this topic come down for the Community Horticulture Educational Series, October 10th, at the Senior Citizens Center, Glen Rose, at 6:30 pm.

 

About the presenter:

Zach DavisZachary A Davis, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, has been employed for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for seven years serving in three different counties. Stationed in Somervell County for over one and a half years, Davis has worked with master gardeners, homeowners, master naturalist, livestock producers and 4-H youth to promote proper agriculture practices.

Zach and his wife Kristen, a self-employed wedding photographer, currently have a 2 year-told daughter named Emma. In addition to his extension work Davis has a small herd of black maine-angus cows that are managed on his parent’s ranch in Slidell, TX.

 

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Please Don’t Cut Me Down Yet!

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winterinterestAs 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.

  1. seed-headsFree 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!
  2. 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!
  3. 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!
  4. 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!

Next CHES Meeting, September 12th

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Community Horticultural Education Series

September 12, 2016, 6:30 pm

Citizens Center, 209 SW Barnard

Glen Rose, Texas

110277-378x317-Colorful_Fall_Veggies

Fall Vegetable Gardens – What and When to Plant

Presented by Dr. Christine Morgan,  ND, PSc.D.,  

Master Gardener and Vegetable Specialist 

Program is open to the public and free of charge

Caring for Caladiums in Winter

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by Merilyn Cranford, Somervell County Master Gardener

Caladium+Pot+001What can I do with my caladiums during the winter in order to use them again next spring?

This question has crossed the minds of many gardeners and solutions vary.  For example, one suggestion is to leave them in the garden into fall so that the leaves can continue working and the tuber can continue to grow larger.   However, once frost is in the forecast, don’t stand on ceremony-just dig them up.

Another suggestion is to put the tuber into storage after removing from the ground or pot up the whole plant and place it in a brightly lighted windowsill.  By late January, the caladium is going to look tired and will need to rest before the tuber is repotted in the spring or planted in the garden after the soil has warmed up.  Chop off the foliage, knock off the soil and let the tuber dry at room temperature.  Any condensation will encourage bacterial rot, therefore, store the tuber in dry vermiculite or in a mesh bag (like an onion bag) in a dry place.  Ideally, storage is best at 70 to 75 degrees—but never below 50 degrees, making sure there is good air circulation.

Caladium is an extraordinary foliage plant.  Its leaves can be white with narrow green borders or combinations of white, green and rosy pinks, in pale to outrageous patterns that approach a third graders first attempt at stained glass.  Most caladiums are hybrids of Caladium bicolor or Caladium picturatum, native to the tropics of the Americas and the West Indies.  Plants can be costly, but tubers are inexpensive, so you can just say goodbye at frost time if you like.

My Three Favorite Summer Plants

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By Julie Connor, Somervell County Master Gardener

Perennials are a landscape best friend as they come back every year.  In my yard I have 3 favorites: Gregg’s Blue Mistflower, Lantana and Mexican Petunias.  All 3 are durable, tough and very hardy.  Because they thrive so well in our Texas soil,  I plant in confined areas, as Blue Mistflower and Mexican Petunias can become invasive if not controlled.

Greggs Blue Mistflower with butterfliesGreggs Blue Mistflower with MonarchGregg’s Blue Mistflower is a guaranteed butterfly attractor, even when the flowers turn brown. It’s a native plant which can grow even in partial shade. Cut back in early spring to encourage new growth.

Texas Lantana and Swallowtail ButterflyTexas LantanaLantana is a good trailing plant for walls or raised beds, and also a very colorful butterfly magnet. Plant in early spring and give them lots of sun. Prune them to keep their shape, and water before they dry out.

Mexican RuelliaRuelliaMexican Petunias, or ruellias, come in low-growing varieties for ground cover or as tall as 3 feet.  Early spring is a good time to plant in an area which receives at least 6 hours of sun.  Only prune to remove bloom stalks.  Most blooms are purple, but they do come in pink and white. All 3 plants are colorful, long-lasting bloomers.  You will enjoy them year after year.

The Sharpshooter

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by Maci Raney, Texas A&M Extension Service Intern 

 

The glassy-winged sharpshooter, Scientific Name: Varies, Order: Homoptera, is a large leafhopper that obtains its nutrients by feeding on plant fluids in the water-conducting tissues of a plant (the xylem). Feeding on plants rarely causes significant plant damage, although the insects do excrete copious amounts of liquid that can make leaves and fruit appear whitewashed when dry. The excrement is a special nuisance when shade trees are heavily infested because cars parked under the trees tend to become spotted. During hot weather, heavy populations of glassy-winged sharpshooters feeding on small plants may cause them to wilt. The real problem associated with glassy-winged sharpshooter, however, is that it can spread the disease-causing bacterium Xylella fastidiosa from one plant to another. This bacterium is the causal agent of devastating plant diseaseEggMasss such as Pierce’s disease of grape, oleander leaf scorch, almond leaf scorch and mulberry leaf scorch.

Often noticeable on garden plants like okra, resting along stalks and “hiding” from viewers by quickly walking sideways around to the other side; produce minimal plant damage to most crops, although they are capable of transmitting plant diseases such as Pierce’s disease of commercial grape varieties, which prohibits the establishment of vineyards along coastal areas of Texas. They are medically harmless.

The life cycle: Eggs are inserted into host plant tissue (a slit cut into the petiole).  Nymphs are whitish yellow develop through several stages (instars). Depending on species, several generations can occur per year.

The current strategy for containing the problem is to keep the insect out of new areas. If you find a sharpshooter, remove it immediately.

 

PESTICIDES FOR SUPPRESSION:    (1)  IMIDACLOPRID    (2)  PYRETHRIN + PIPERONYL BUTOXIDE   (3)   FENPROPATHRIN   (4)  ACETAMIPRID

Sources:

http://texasinsects.tamu.edu/aimg89.html

http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7492.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Week Recap

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by Jessica Brandt, Somervell County Master Gardener

Saturday, April 23 concluded the Somervell County Master Gardeners’ week-long celebration of Earth, as we joined several other organizations at Heritage Park for the Native Plant Society’s Earth Day Celebration. Members of Prairie Rose Native Plant Society, Rio Brazos Master Naturalists, Dinosaur Valley State Park, Glen Rose Garden Club, Glen Rose Bird Club and Dino Bee Club all joined in the celebration, sharing information with the many visitors to the park that day.

While we Master Gardeners celebrated Earth Week in many ways, including bike rides, recycling and turning off the lights, there is one thing that from this past month that stands out as a gardener’s ideal way to celebrate the earth: composting.

When I think of Earth Day, I immediately think “reduce, reuse, recycle,” and when you think about it, composting really achieves that goal. When composting, you can reduce the number of items that end up in the garbage, but you can also create a great soil amendment that can now be reused in the garden. I can’t think of a better way to recycle.

It just so happens that our April horticultural education program was on composting, so we’re all excited about our own composting. If you didn’t make it to the CHES program, you can always contact a Master Gardener with any questions about how to get started on your own composting system.

Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate a fun and successful Earth Week.

Buying Healthy Plants

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by Mary Ann Steele,  Somervell County Master Gardener

Now that gardening time is upon us, here are a few tips on buying your plants.

1.  Look closely at the leaves and stems.  Check underside for signs of pest damage.

2.   Inspect shoot tips closely for aphids, small pear-shaped insects that come in many colors.  They feed on young tender shoots, distorting growth and giving lower leaves a sticky look.

3.  Look on leaf surfaces for signs of spider mites.  These pests feed on the underside of leaves, causing a stippled or tan appearance on the leaf  surface.  They may even produce a fine webbing.

4.  Brush your hand over the plant to disturb the foliage.  If whiteflies are present they will fly up.

5.  Check leaves and stems for scale, small dark lumps that can be scraped off with your fingernail, and galls, tumor-like growths that indicate the shrub or tree is infected with crown gall, a bacterial disease.

6.  Avoid plants with wilted or discolored stems or leaves.

7.  To be on the safe side, spray plants all over and under with an insecticidal soap.

Garden Centers buy their plants from many different growers and any one of them can have a problem that goes undetected, and you end up with it in your garden.

Bottom line:  Check your plants carefully for signs of pests and diseases.  If you see a problem put the plant back and shop somewhere else.  You don’t want to bring problems home to your healthy garden.

 

 

 

 

Beards or No Beards? (Either way, the iris is one handsome dude!)

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DSCF2492By Sheryl Kleinschmidt, Somervell County Master Gardener

El Nino and springtime have brought an abundance of irises to Somervell County this year.  In my eight years in the area, I haven’t seen better, but until recently, hadn’t given much thought to whether or not an iris had a beard!

Now, to the novice gardener, this has nothing to do with gender but refers to the fuzzy growth found coming from the flower center and down the petals.

My research led me to discover that there are hundreds of varieties of bearded irises and not so many of the “clean-shaven” types to be had.  Given the bearded irises are more showy, I can see why.  Iris farms abound from New Mexico to California, to Oregon—some having over 400 varieties for sale.

Some of the categories of bearded irises are:  space age, re-bloomers, fragrant, and historic.  Ironically, the historic ones aren’t all that old with most under 100 years of age.

Before purchasing your irises, be sure you have a location suitable for growing them.  Irises need 6-8 hours of sunlight in order to bloom.  They will grow in dark shade but won’t bloom well.  They also need a well-drained soil free of heavy leaf droppings as the rhizomes need the sunlight to warm them.

It is best to plant or replant irises in late summer.  Dig shallow holes for the rhizomes and don’t plant them too thickly—about 12-24 inches apart.  They can be planted closer but will need thinning out sooner (every 3-5 years).

When your plants do become over-crowded they will not bloom as well, so it is good to thin them out at the end of bloom or end of summer.  Dig them up by clumps and discard the center foliage fans as they will not have viable rhizomes.  The “fans” with heavy tuber-like rhizomes are what you want to keep for replanting.  Trim off most of the foliage before transplanting.

Irises will benefit from fertilizing about a month prior to blooming in the spring.  They will also appreciate another feeding about a month after bloom.  Do not use a fertilizer high in nitrogen (the first number on the package) as nitrogen tends to rot the rhizomes.  It can also prevent flowering.  So, choose a fertilizer with numbers of 10-10-10 or 5-10-10 for best results.

To keep your iris strain pure, cut down the flowering stalk after all the blooms are finished.  Bees can cross-pollinate irises resulting in seed pods that will drop and grow into undesirable plants.

The bearded irises are definitely the most popular ones coveted by gardeners everywhere, but the beardless ones have their place in the landscape as well.  They are known for their hardiness and are greatly appreciated by many.

 

*Information came from The American Iris Society