Somervell County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Meet the Gardeners

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This month begins a chance to meet the Somervell County Master Gardeners.  Each month the newsletter will highlight one member and help you get to know who might be sneaking around the county pulling weeds and gathering seeds.  We are a fun group comprised of many different personalities, but we all have one thing in common.  We love to garden! If you’ve ever thought about joining the group, stay tuned.  There will be more information in the coming months.

 

Meet the Gardeners

Name

Cyd Brown

What year did you become a Master Gardener?

2019

Do you hold a position in the group?

Secretary, Director for Texas Master Gardener Association

What are your gardening special interests?

Using native plants in landscaping.  I also think plant propagation would be very interesting; l want to learn how to reproduce beneficial native plants I already have and propagate them to increase their abundance.

Is there a particular gardening book you enjoy?

My sister recently gave me a book, “Plant Propagation” from the American Horticultural Society that should prove to be interesting. I refer to “Native Texas Plants” by Sally and Andy Wasowski and “How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest” by Jill Nokes on a regular basis.

Have you had a particular gardening success?

Not yet. The house beds and landscaping are just getting started; although I have gotten two mountain laurel seeds to sprout.

What do you enjoy about being a Master Gardener?

I enjoy learning new things about gardening and plants and I enjoy the company of my fellow Master Gardeners greatly.

I also enjoy “digging in the dirt”. I always feel better after weeding, planting, etc.

Do you have a favorite plant?

I love gardenias and grew some in North Carolina. I probably won’t grow any here because of the different climate.

 

Two Favorite Natives

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Shrubby Boneset

If you’ve ever taken a close look at shrubby boneset, you can see why butterflies (and moths and hummingbirds) are so attracted to it: It’s basically a floral landing pad. The dainty blooms of Ageratina havanensis form welcoming clusters, and the spindly tendrils along their edges even seem like a safety fence or built-in railing. Their alluring scent and stores of nectar literally sweeten the deal — especially at a time when migrating Lepidoptera like monarchs need a serious snack break. In fact, shrubby boneset is one of our top five fall nectar plants for powering the monarch migration!

 

Four-Nerve Daisy

Four-nerve daisies,  (Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa), are well-suited to Somervell County, because they do well on rocky ledges and bluffs.   They’re also  one of  only a few species that blooms all year long, given suitable conditions.  Add it along a sunny border to bring cheer to your garden, and don’t forget to move in for a close-up: The ray flowers on this daisy, also known as “hymenoxys,”  have striking, dark purple veins on either side.

 

 

 

 

A Favorite Plant

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by Pamela Frye, Somervell County Master Gardener

One of my favorite plants is one I just recently learned about called the leopard plant, or Farfugium japonicum.  It is a native to most streams and meadows of Japan.  The leopard plant is a perennial that produces waxy showy foliage and is a great candidate for shady areas.  It is hardy in zones 7 through 10.

Leopard plant comes in several different species.  The foliage ranges from small to very large, smooth or glossy, and even in a variegated one with bright yellow spots which might explain its common name of Leopard plant.    

Leopard plants can tolerate temperatures to below 20 degrees F in winter.  If temperature falls below that they will drop their leaves and re-emerge in spring.  In addition to the beautiful foilage the plants produces tall spikes of yellow blooms similar to daisies in late summer and early fall.

Plant attracts butterflies with yellow flowers and is deer resistant.

It can reach a height and width of two feet.  During bloom time it may reach up to three feet.   Leopard plants can tolerate some morning sun or dappled shade throughout the day. They must have shade during the heat of the day.  Moist soil is must but with good drainage.

So, if you would like to add a dramatic effect to your shade garden, check out the Leopard plant.

Favorite Plant – Jerusalem Sage

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by Shirley Smith, Somervell County Master Gardener

I love trying new and different plants.  But, I do make sure they are either native to Texas and/or adapted for growing in this area.  One particularly good find is Jerusalem Sage.  The botanical name is Phlomis fruticosa.  Some common names are Satiny Wormwood, Mugwort, and Silvermound Artemisia.  I have had mine in the ground for about 3 years and it has done well.  I garden south of Glen Rose and have “good” soil to a depth from 8” to 24” before hitting white rock.  This plant has done well in this soil.

It grows in full sun.  I gave it supplemental water the first year (when I could remember!) but after that it has been on its own.  It has done well and blooms so prettily in the late spring/early summer.  Then (and this is a plus), when it is finished blooming the flowers dry up and even they are interesting so I just leave them on the plant.  Also, it is a pollinator magnet.

Here is all the information you might need to make a decision about using this in your landscape.  One thing I LOVE about this plant is that the deer leave it alone!

Jerusalem Sage

  • Botanical Name:Phlomis fruticosa
  • Plant Type:Perennial
  • Light Requirement:Full Sun
  • Water Demand:Low
  • Landscape Use:Deer Resistant, Focal Point/Specimen Plant, Rock Garden
  • Ornamental Value:Yellow
  • Native/Adapted:Adapted
  • Wildlife Value:Butterflies, Birds
  • Season:Summer
  • Deciduous/Evergreen:Deciduous
  • Plant Form:Upright
  • Plant Spread:3′
  • Plant Height:3′

 

Happy gardening!

 

Sources:

TexasSmartScape

USDA Plant Database

Artemesia

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by Merilyn Cranford, Somervell County Master Gardener

imagesThis plant is an aromatic perennial named for the goddess Artemis.  Medicinal and culinary herbs, soft wooded shrubs like the sagebrush of the West, and a treasure trove of silver-filigreed perennials from grasslands and seacoasts around the world all belong to Artemesia.

For prairie gardens the willow-leafed silver sage affords the proper place to begin an exploration of this genus.  Tall enough to show in the midst of the grasses or at the side of a pale pink shrub rose, this perennial manages to be pretty yet remains untamed.  Wildness is no illusion for the running roots to spread through a garden at a frightful pace.  Even so, the slender plumes of frosty gray make this prairie herb among the most visually arresting of silver plants.

When the clumps require weeding, as eventually they will, it is a pleasant task, for the aromatic leaves are the same western “sage” often sold as incense.  ‘Silver Queen’, the best known of several cultivars, distinguishes itself with especially  white, slightly cut leaves.  Many artemesias struggle in the heat and humidity of the South, but this one is foolproof.

So, if you are looking for a native plant that’s easy to grow and maintain, plus one that brings outstanding beauty to your flowerbeds, this one is for you.

Source:  “The Moonlit Garden”

 

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.

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

My Favorite Plant – Christmas Cactus

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By Sheryl Kleinschmidt, Somervell County Master Gardener

Christmas Cactus DSCF2460I have had my Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera) for approximately four years now.  It is actually a combination of two plants I got from my cousin.  One is red, and the other is white.  The red one is a pass-along plant she acquired about twenty years ago, but the white one is much younger.

In talking with her, she confirmed what I have already observed—the red-blooming cactus is much heartier than the white cactus.  Since I put them both in the same pot (on a lark), I wondered whether the white would stay true to color or turn pink.  So far, it has stayed white.

Of course, the main goal of owning said plant is to try to get it to actually bloom for the holidays.  According to Nikki Phipps, author of The Bulb-o-licious Garden,  there are a few things we can do to force Mother Nature’s hand:

  • Limit water in the early fall
  • Put plant in total darkness for 12-14 hours/day
  • Keep it in cooler temperatures (50’s are good)
  • Once buds form, move plant near a window
  • Keep plant away from heaters/drafts/direct sunlight

I have also had some success from moving the cactus from outdoors (in the shade)  to indoors prior to first frost.  This seems to force some dormancy needed for the plant to bloom.

Further study told me that I need to mist my cactus regularly and feed it several times a year after it blooms.  To promote branching, prune the cactus back about one month following the last bloom.  These cuttings can then be used to propagate new plants—only two or three joints are sufficient.

Once established, Christmas Cactus needs to be repotted at least by the third year.  Although it likes a crowded pot, the soil gets depleted.  So, move on up to the next sized pot and you should enjoy your cactus for many years to come!

Raising Shasta Daisies

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By Merilyn Cranford, Somervell County Master Gardener

downloadShasta Daisies have long been sunny garden favorites, both in beds and, with their long, stiff stems, as cut flowers.  They’re a cinch to grow, they bloom for a long time and they attract butterflies, but not deer.

One of the more familiar types is known as ‘Becky’, a heavy bloomer with an upright habit.  It starts to flower in July and keeps it up straight through to September.  It’s true that ‘Becky’ is a great favorite of many people, but there are others as well.

Plenty of the new cultivars sport larger flowers, with more eye-catching petals than the older Shastas.  One that might catch your eye is named ‘Fluffy’ because of its double flowers sprouting threadlike petals.  Another is ‘Fiona Coghill’, with its audacious pompon flowers.  The stout stems are strong enough to hold heavy blooms, even when they are wet after watering or rain.  Additionally, ‘Crazy Daisy’ is a 30-inch tall Shasta that adds a playful attitude to the garden and the haphazard arrangement of petals is as endearing as its name.

There is a size to fit everyone’s taste.  Some Shasta cultivars range in height from 10 to 40 inches and flower size from 2 to almost 5 inches across.  For the most part white is the color of Shasta daisies, though there are a few that claim yellow petals.  Two of these are named ‘Sunshine’ and ‘Cobham Gold’ which is closer to a soft butter-cream color.

Because of their inherently rugged nature and the range of plant sizes, there are many different uses for Shasta daisies.  Some may look well at the center or back of the flowerbed.  Or a large grouping makes a big impact, especially when you view it from a distance.  If you’re not crazy about deadheading all those daisies, place the bed at the far end of the yard where a few faded blooms aren’t as noticeable.  Or grow them in containers.  Give them full sun and even moisture, but make sure the potting mix is well-drained, so the roots don’t rot.

So try a few Shastas – you’ll soon be hooked.  Because however you use them, Shastas add a touch of magic to your garden, along with tons of fresh white blooms, from simple to simply splendid!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Poinsettia

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by Linda Heideman, Somervell County Master Gardener

poinsettiaNo flower says Christmas in the United States like the beautiful Poinsettia.  It is part of the large and diverse Spurge family, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Poinsettias received their name in the United States in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the country in 1828.  Poinsett was a botanist, a physician, and the first United States Ambassador to Mexico.  He sent cuttings of the plant he had discovered in Southern Mexico to his home in Charleston, South Carolina.  The word Poinsettia is traditionally capitalized because it is named after a person. December 12th is Poinsettia Day, which marks the death of Poinsett in 1851.

Today the plant is known in Mexico and Guatemala as “La Flor de la Nochebuena” (Flower of the Holy Night, or Christmas Eve).  In Chile and Peru, the Poinsettia is called the “Crown of the Andes”.  In Spain it has a completely different holiday attribution:  “Flor de Pascua” meaning “Easter Flower”.

Poinsettias have also been called the lobster flower and the flame-leaf flower, due to the red color, but today there are more than 100 varieties in many solid colors, or even marbled and speckled varieties. The Paul Ecke Ranch in California grows over 70% of all Poinsettias purchased in the United States and does about 50% of the world-wide sales.

The showy colored parts of Poinsettias that most people think of as the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves).  The yellow flowers, or cyathia, are in the center of the colorful bracts. The plant drops its bracts and leaves soon after those flowers shed their pollen.  For the longest-lasting Poinsettias, choose plants with little or no yellow pollen showing.  The colors of the bracts are created through “photoperiodism”, meaning that they require darkness (12 hours at a time for at least five days in a row) to change color.  On the other hand, once they finish that process, the plants require abundant light during the day for the brightest color.

In nature, Poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that were once considered weeds.  But they are not frost-tolerant.  They will grow outdoors in temperate coastal climates, such as Southern California beach communities.  In the ground, they can reach 10 feet tall!

Despite rumors to the contrary, Poinsettias are not poisonous.  Some people with latex allergies have had a skin reaction, most likely to the sap in the leaves.  A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than a pound-and-a-quarter of Poinsettia leaves (500 to 600 leaves) to have any side effects.  The most common side effects are upset stomach and vomiting,  The leaves are reportedly not very tasty, so it’s highly unlikely that kids or even pets would be able to eat that many!  But be aware that leaves can still be a choking hazard for children and pets.

If you’re up for the challenge, it is possible to keep your Christmas Poinsettia through the year and get it to bloom next year, but recreating the size and color of this year’s bracts is almost impossible.  These plants are plentiful and cheap.  Why not just look forward to new ones every year?  They will keep a few weeks if you put them where it’s cool (65 to 70 degrees), where the light is bright in the daytime, and let them dry out between waterings.  Remove the pretty outside wrapping and don’t let them stand in water.

Good luck!