Let’s take a moment to have a short class in some basic Gardening Terminology.

Hardiness zone:  Expressed as a number and letter combination from 1a to 13b, the US Department of Agriculture has assigned a zone to every geographic area of the United States based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. Tags on plants sold commercially often identify the zone(s) in which the plant will grow. The bulk of Somervell County is in a bit of an island in Zone 7b (5º to 10º) while the outlying areas to the east and west are Zone 8a (10º to 15º). Click each photo to see a closeup of Somervell County and the bulk of Zones 7b and 8a in Texas.

Microclimate. Climate affected by landscape, structures, or other unique factors in a particular immediate area. The north or sound side of a structure, under a shade tree, next to a stream bed, all can play a part in changing the localized climate for a small area. These need to be considered when designing a complete landscape. To further complicate matters, microclimates can develop or change over time with the growth or death of landscape plants, trees or shrubs, as well as the addition or subtraction of structures and hardscapes.

N-P-K:  Acronym for the three major plant nutrients contained in manure, compost, and fertilizers. N stands for nitrogen, P for phosphorus, and K for potassium. Very basically, nitrogen promotes leaf development, phosphorus plays a key role in the growth of roots, blooming, and fruiting, and potassium also plays a part in root growth as well as in stem development.

Compost. Simply defined, compost is organic matter that has decomposed in a process that recycles this ‘once living’ material into usable, nutrient dense matter. Compost is used in the garden or landscape to add a natural fertilizer or soil conditioner to the soil.

Mulch. Material used on the soil surface to aid in preserving soil moisture, reducing weeds and provide aesthetic appeal. When an appropriate organic mulch is used, it can also aid in improving the fertility of the soil as in breaks down over time. Mulches can also be inorganic, such as rocks, rubber or even sheet plastic. These inorganic materials will aid in the suppression of weeds and assist with soil moisture retention but will do nothing to add nutrients to the soil.

Integrated pest management. A method of managing pests that combines cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical controls, while taking into account the impact of control methods on the environment. An entire article would be needed to fully explain the concepts of IPM!

Xeriscape. Pronounced zeh·ri·skeip. A combination of two critical horticulture terms, xeric, meaning low to no water use and landscape, meaning the visible features of a piece of land altered by planting trees, shrubs or ornamental items. Xeriscape landscaping is quality landscaping that conserves water and protects the environment. This concept is a comprehensive approach to landscaping for water conservation. Note – xeriscape does NOT mean no landscape plants. Many xeriscapes are actually quite lush!

Zeroscape. Often confused with and a mispronunciation of xeriscape. Zeroscape is a landscape made up of dirt or gravel with essentially no plants in it. There is no planning or design involved in zeroscape landscapes. Zeroscape yards are typically extremely plain.

Annual: Plants started from seed that grow, mature, flower, produce seed, and die in the same growing season. They may return from seed each year, but not from the roots of the original plants.

Biennial: Plants that take two years, or a part of two years, to complete their life cycle. By freely reseeding, a biennial plant may seem to come back year after year, but you are actually seeing new plants, with some germinating one year and others the following year. Standing Cypress is a great example of a wildflower in this area that is a biennial, as well as parsley in the garden.

Perennial: A plant that lives more than two years and produces new foliage, flowers, and seeds each growing season. Tender perennial:  A perennial that is not tolerant of frost and cold temperatures. Applying a winter mulch can help it survive. It may die off above ground and regrow from the roots. Esperanza or Yellow Bells is a tender perennial in our area. Woody perennial: A plant that goes dormant in winter and begins growth in spring from above-ground stems. Deciduous trees and many shrubs are woody perennials. They drop their leaves in the winter and regrow from branches in the spring. Herbaceous perennial: A plant that dies back in the winter and regrows from the crown in spring. Most of your bulbs would fall into this category, as does asparagus.

Exotic: A plant of foreign origin or character; not native; introduced from abroad, but not fully naturalized.  Naturalize: The process whereby plants spread and fill in naturally.

Native plant: A plant indigenous to a specific habitat or area. Nativar: A plant that is a cultivar of a native plant. Cultivar: A cultivated variety of a species. Propagation of cultivars results in little or no genetic change in the offspring, which preserves desirable characteristics.

Invasive. Growing vigorously and outcompeting other plants in the same area; difficult to control. Even some of our native plants can become invasive. Our local common cedar trees, or Ashe Juniper, is a good example of a native but invasive plant.

Noxious weed. Weeds that have been declared by law to be a species having the potential to cause injury to public health, crops, livestock, land, or other property. Noxious weeds are very invasive. There are 31 plants in Texas that meet the legal criteria. Fortunately, there is only a handful of these found in Somervell County!

By Claryssa J Medina, Somervell County Master Gardener Intern

Succulents have been very popular among plant and flower enthusiasts for many seasons now.  One group of succulents that get less notice than many others are Lithops.  If you are unfamiliar with this type of succulent, please allow me to introduce them to you.

Lithops belong to the ice plant family, Aizoaceae.  They are in the order of Caryophyllales, which are “flowering” succulents.  Lithops are an angiosperm endicot.

Lithos means “stone”, opsis means “like”.  Lithops are “living stones.”  There are about 37 species and 145 varieties with new ones being discovered all the time.

Lithops’ native habitat is Namibia and South Africa.  Most natural habitats for Lithops receive annual rainfall of 4” or less – a few rely soley on mist or fog as a main source of moisture.  You can find them growing in quartz grit, stony ridges, sand, decomposed granite, shale, and limestone.  This is when being “stone like” is a benefit!  Lithops will get passed over as a moisture/water source by most animals as they mimic stones and keep a very low profile.  Keeping a low profile helps minimize the effect of the intense heat and sunlight of their native habitat.

Lithops are able to survive this harsh environment  because of their ability to store water – indeed almost the entire plant is devoted to this function!  The Lithops design is two succulent leaves fused together with no stem.  A tap root is connected at the base of the leaves.

When it is time for the Lithops to multiply, two new leaf sections will break forth between the fissure.  Have I mentioned their flowering?  Most bloom during fall or early winter with daisy-like yellow, pale orange, or white flowers.  Blooms emerge from between the two leaf pairs and have an average height of 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches tall.  They also have a sweet scent!

These little beauties are not for the faint-hearted or timid gardener.  Hitting the sweet spot on watering and sunlight can be something of a game of trial and error, however, once your Lithops bloom for the first time after your gentle care and TLC, you will be hooked on these wonders of the succulent family!

Until next time, may all your gardens be green!

 

by Donna Hagar, Somervell County Master Gardener

As the days get cooler and chances of rain return, we are all finding it to be far more enjoyable to be back in the garden. If you are like me, there are some chores that need to be done, as well as some fun things to get excited about!

First and foremost, if you haven’t cleaned up your summer veggie garden, now is the time to do so. Any dead or spent veggie plants can go straight to the compost, if they aren’t diseased.

If you are wanting some fall crops, there is still time but you will need to get on it PDQ. Add compost to your garden and work it in the top few inches.

There is still time for root veggies – beets, carrots, radishes, turnips and parsnips if you lean that way. Also greens such as collards, kale, lettuce, mustard, spinach and Swiss chard. Maybe now you will want to try some Chinese cabbage varieties, bok choi, tat soy or pak choi. And of course, get the garlic in! And as most people are unaware, cilantro is a cool season plant, so it goes in now, too.

Veggies not your thing? How about annuals for color? Pansies can go in, as well as pinks, dianthus, ornamental kale, snapdragons. Don’t forget, Swiss chard comes in many colors and withstands the winter quite well. If you haven’t eaten it before, give it a try! Mix some in with your landscape and save a trip or two to the grocery store for veggies! Spring flowering bulbs, daffodils and narcissus go in this month.
Fall is actually the ideal time for planting container grown trees and shrubs and many perennials. Getting them in now gives them several months head start to get their roots established before the spring growth and hot, dry summers next year.

Divide those perennials now, as well. Daylilies, iris, oxeye and Shasta daisies, coreopsis, purple coneflower all will handle a fall transplant or being passed along to some favorite friend. Leave ornamental grass inflorescence for fun winter color. Trim just before spring growth begins.

This is your last chance to get wildflower seeds out as well but get to it quick. Make sure there is good seed to soil contact for best germination. Fall rains and Mother Nature should take care of the rest.
And last but not least, mulch, mulch, mulch! Get a new 2-4” fresh layer of mulch on all those existing beds to protect it from potential early freezes! (Don’t cover seeds in the garden tho or they won’t sprout!) It also helps retain moisture thru the winter and prevents weed seeds from germinating. Just be sure to water those beds good before adding the mulch.

By Claryssa J. Medina, Somervell County Master Gardener Intern

 

 

If you’re out and about these days, no doubt you have seen a sign at lawn and garden departments that says “Time for Pre-Emergent’. If you are a diligent turfgrass advocate, you probably already know the time is indeed upon us. What you may not know is that all pre-emergents are not created equal. Choosing the right pre-emergent is important for the continued beauty and health of your lawn.
The purpose of a pre-emergent is to prevent the germination of weed seeds. An application in spring and fall is ideal.

Apply in early September for winter annual weed control. The targeted weeds for this fall application are the ones that will be growing rampantly in the late winter and spring.

While it is somewhat less important in spring, when choosing a pre-emergent for fall you will want to choose a granular herbicide that has no nitrogen and apply with a spreader. Apply in early September for winter annual weed control.

Why no nitrogen? Especially in the fall, the risks of increasing nitrogen are:
1. It extends the mowing season and increases clippings;
2. You will gain shoot growth over root growth;
3. It will deplete stored energy in your turfgrass;
4. Possible fertilizer burn;
5. It encourages annual winter weed growth; and
6. Increased liklihood of disease.

Another note of caution is not to choose a slow release fertilizer near the end of the growing season, when turfgrasses are on the verge of dormancy.
Don’t forget – the goal is uniform coverage and water it to activate it.
With proper management and preparing the ideal turfgrass environment, you’ll be on your way to getting the “yard of the month” award!
May all your gardens be green!

Resource: Texas Master Gardener Handbook

By Claryssa J. Medina, Somervell County Master Gardener Intern

 

With temperatures still in the upper 80s & 90s, it can be hard to turn our attention to Autumn. But rest assured, the days will gradually start getting longer, and the temperatures will gradually get cooler (or at least less hot, right?).
Knowing that fall is around the corner, we can start thinking about fall gardening. Just a few of the fall gardening benefits: more rain, fewer insects, frost tolerant plants, and better flavor in your veggies. Many cool-season crops can actually withstand some cold. In fact, their flavor may even be enhanced after a frost.
Timely planting is the key to a successful fall garden. To determine when to plan a paticular vegetable for the latest harvest, consider the average date of the first killing frost and the number of days to maturity for the particular crop variety. Using lettuce as our example, you would plant 10-14 weeks before the average fall-freeze date, harvesting 40-85 days after planting.
If you’re less in the mood or fall planting, fall and winter offers an excellent chance to clean up and amend your beds in preparation for the next spring planting season. By spreading compost and other wastes on the soil, you will add nutrients to the soil for next year’s crops. The beneficial insects and microorganisms in the compost will help integrate the compost with the soil, and the added humus will improve the soil structure. Leaves are also abundant, and non-gardening neighbors are usually glad to give away their leaves. This provides a win-win for the gardener the non-gardener, and the leaves, as they get recycled back into the ground to provide an amendment to the soil.
Whichever you choose, gardening or garden clean-up, for us Texans, fall is always a welcome gift to revive us after the summer beat-down!

May all your gardens be green & fruitful!

 

By Mary Ann Steele, Somervell County Master Gardener

If you don’t have the space for a vegetable or fruit garden, consider the possibility of container gardening. 

Container-grown garden benefits extend beyond bushels of fresh produce. When growing in these closed-system environments, you are able to more easily manage soil and pests. They are also a wonderful way to introduce children to the joys and rewards of vegetable gardening.

So, grab your garden gloves and let’s get started! You will need container-friendly plants, fast draining growing media, suitable containers, and time for hands on tending.

Almost any vegetable that thrives in a typical backyard garden will do well as a container grown plant. Just choose the right varieties. The “soil” that goes into the container delivers all the water, nutrients, physical structure, and support that your plants need to grow vigorous roots, stalks, leaves, and fruit. Soil from your yard is definitely NOT a good choice. A fairly lightweight mix is best for container gardening. 

Fill your containers with organic soilless mixtures found at your garden supply center or prepare your own. Most container gardeners have found that this mixture works best. In addition to draining quickly, these mixes are lightweight and free from soil borne diseases and weed seed.

To determine when to sprout your seeds and how many hours of sunlight they require, read the back of your seed package. Plant your specimens at the same time you would in a regular garden and place your containers in a sunny location.

You can give your seeds a jump start by germinating them indoors for four to eight weeks before you put them in their final containers. Transplants should have their first two to four true leaves before setting them out.

Tending to your container garden is easy. Just keep the growing medium fairly moist with a diluted water-fertilizer blend and make certain the water drains well. Once a week, leach the unused fertilizer out of the growing mix by watering it with plain water until it flows freely from the bottom. This flushes harmful minerals out of the water.

Water temperature does matter! Make certain the water feels cool before applying to the plants, especially if the water hose has been sitting in the sun.

Vegetables and fruits grown in containers can still be affected by diseases and insects, so be sure to check regularly.

Harvest your fruits and vegetables when they reach the peak of maturity. Pick them when their flavor has been fully developed. After harvest season, compost the plant and the soil or growing medium and use fresh material for next year. 

Container gardening makes it easy for everyone to grow produce. You may have only a few pots of herbs on your windowsill or a patio filled with flats of tomatoes, squash, and pole beans. Any space with warm sunshine makes a great place for setting up a container garden. 

Happy Gardening!

By Julie Conner, Somervell County Master Gardener

From Newsletter archives

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.

 

Gregg’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.

 

Lantana 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 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.

By Mary Ann Steele, Somervell County Master Gardener

Zinnias fill your summer garden with bright colors of yellow, pink, red, white and orange. These easy to grow annuals are a favorite of many gardeners because of their prolific blooms which make excellent additions to summer bouquets.

Zinnias thrive in hot weather and grow best in a bright, sunny spot. Sow zinnia seeds directly in the ground once the danger of frost has passed. Plant the seeds about 1/2” deep and keep the soil moist during germination. Once your zinnias are established, you will find that these heat loving flowers like their soil on the dry side. Seeds can be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost, but handle seeds delicately when transplanting.

Zinnia species grow easily nearly anywhere in the USDA zones 3 thru 8. Try the petite flowering “Persian Carpet”, which blooms in autumnal colors of golden yellow, burnt orange and crimson. If you are looking for large, luscious flowers, you can’t go wrong with classic favorites like “Cut and Come Again” and “State Fair” varieties. Each produce bouquets full of big blooms in colors of bubble gum pink, sunny yellow, deep scarlet, and sunset orange. Zinnias produce blooms through summer and into the fall. Be sure to cut them often to encourage more flowers.

Happy Gardening!

resource:  Organic Farm and Garden magazine

By Tessa Chenoa, Somervell County Master Gardener

One of my favorite parts of gardening is weeding.  I weed differently than most people.  I realize that most of the “weeds” I should be pulling are grasses and forbs native to the ecosystem I’m in.  Instead, when I “weed,” I am pulling anything that doesn’t belong in my ecosystem.  Side by side with the peppers or onions in my garden, yellow wood sorrel thrives.  I almost never pull wood sorrel, as I love to grab a few leaves whenever I wander by.  I love their lemony taste.

Last year, I let a gaura stay among my tomato plants. One. One gaura. Today I am considering how best to transplant about a hundred baby gaura plants to a more suitable location so I can use my square foot bed again.

In my pollinator beds, “weeds” coexist with native plants I’ve bought and paid for or been gifted from friends.  I don’t like to pull a plant I am unfamiliar with until I see what it looks like growing alongside all the rest.  That’s why I have autumn sage and coral honeysuckle giving way to native gum bumelia, which the tiny native birds my land is set aside for so love for nesting.

I never weed out dandelions.  Never.  Why would I throw out such a useful plant?  I love the leaves in sandwiches, its ground-up root makes a tea good for your liver, it has a fanciful name that always makes me smile, and the happiest face of any flower…and I haven’t even gotten to the “old grannies!”  I can certainly do with a wish…or two hundred.

Most of what I do pull out when I weed is grasses – and normally non-native, invasive grasses.  Their runners take over my garden beds and choke all the light from the soil, leaving no room for any of my lovely natives.

So, if I really weed out so few types of plants, why do I love it so?  First, I always feel like Mary Lennox*, clearing the spaces around the struggling bulbs and new plants, giving them space and light to grow.  It’s rewarding to come back a few days later and see that my efforts have made a difference.  

Weeding helps me alleviate stress, too.  Most people would say it’s the fresh air, or the time outside, or even the exertion.  But there’s more.  As I sink my fingers or weeding tool under the root ball of a weed and gently coax it up out of the ground, it gives a very satisfying “pop” as it lets go of the earth. I often think of a frustrating moment at work or an asinine coworker, whose head, at least in my imagination, can be lopped off.  I imagine it makes just such a “pop.”  Fun.

Mostly, though, I love the creativity of it.  Just as in music the silences are as important as the notes, in a garden spaces keep the plants from spilling all over each other in a haphazard, mangled, cacophonous arpeggio played by a 13-fingered pianist. So, weeding creates the rests, the spaces, the room for the blooms to sing out individually.

*from The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Copyright 1911 F.H. Burnett, published by J.B. Lippincott Company