The news is Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, saw his shadow, and we will have 6 more weeks of winter.  I’m not sure about you, but I believe in that little rodent!  Although in February we are fortunate enough to have days when the weather allows us to get outside and do a little gardening, our primo gardening days are still in the future.  So, this month seems like an opportune time to do a little planning, and I have a suggestion.

Integrated pest management (IPM), is a method of management (whether those pests are insects, weeds, or fungus), that requires a little planning.  IPM is a cost-effective way to avoid, prevent, and manage pest damage.  The added benefits include minimum harm to human health, the environment, and nontarget organisms.

The basic components of IPM are pretty straight forward:

1. Prevent the development of plant health problems.
2. Regularly check the health status of the plants.
3. Accurately diagnose plant health issues or problems.
4. Collect and use good information to make good treatment decisions.
5. Use only effective pest management tools.

According to Texas A&M University,  The goal of IPM is not to to eradicate pests, but to eliminate pest problems by strengthening and stabilizing the landscape so that conditions are more favorable for plants than for pests. This balance is achieved by employing a combination of practices to prevent or avoid pest problems rather than treating them once they occur. By using scouting and monitoring practices for pests that include insects and other arthropods, actions to suppress population levels can be made in a timely manner, using a combination of the most environmentally-friendly and cost-effective tactics available.

Emphasis is given to cultural (non-chemical tactics) and biological (biological control using predators, parasite and pathogens) methods of control. Properly-applied chemical control methods are used only when justified, and then by choosing the least toxic methods.

Now that you have the basics, let me direct you to further information on how to employ the strategies of IPM in your own gardens:

https://landscapeipm.tamu.edu/

Once at this site, you will find all the information you could want to spend a few hours educating yourself on IPM, but watch out!  Perhaps you will become so interested in learning more about gardening, you just might decide to join us as a Somervell County Master Gardener!  You are always welcome to join us as a guest at meetings.  Contact the Somervell County Extension Office at (254) 897-2809, and they will put you in touch with one of us.

Georgette Recker

Somevell County Master Gardener

 

 

Name:

Cindy O’Quinn

What year did you become a Master Gardener?

2019

Do you hold a position in the group?

Not at this time.

What are your gardening special interests?

I love vegetable gardening, native plants, and planting for the birds and pollinators.

Is there are particular gardening book you enjoy?

The Postage Stamp Vegetable Garden by Karen Newcomb

Have you had a particular gardening success? 

I can’t think of a particular one.  I just try to have more successes than failures.

What do you enjoy about being a Master Gardener?

I enjoy sharing ideas and learning new things.

Do you have a favorite plant?

No way I can pick just one!

 

 

Have you exhausted your Netflix options?

Are you tired of scrolling though social media pages?

Would you like to shake some of the cobwebs out of your brain?

Take some time to check out the Aggie Horticulture Facebook page for tons of good information!

Below are the dates for the Wednesday and Friday live videos.  The videos will air at 1:00pm, but don’t worry if you’re late to the party.  The videos will still be available on the Aggie Horticulture Facebook page.

Planning

___ Plan your perennial beds.

___ Plant small to medium sized shade trees for summer cooling on patios.

___ Consider using ground covers in areas where it is difficult to mow or where grass will not grow.

Planting

___ Plant any Spring bulbs that may still be hiding in your refrigerator.

___ Plant by seed: beets, carrots, collards, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard,

radish, shallots, and turnips.

___ Plant transplants or seed pieces of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Irish potatoes.

___ Sow seeds of corn, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes in hotbeds or greenhouses.

Care

___ Wipe or wash off leaves of dusty houseplants.

___ Stake newly planted trees if they seem unstable.

Watering

___ Keep an eye on perennials in pots.  They may need to be watered.

___ Maintain moisture around newly planted roses.

Problems

___ Collect and dispose of fallen of yellowing leaves caused by blackspot on roses.

Pruning

___ Remove old, dead growth on perennials.

___ Cut back ornamental grasses to within a few inches of the ground.

___ Use hedge shearers, string trimmer, or lawnmower set at highest setting to shear back overgrown ground covers.

Fertilizing

___ Fertilize greens, such as kale, collards, turnips, and spinach with a 15:5:10 or other 3:1:2 ratio fertilizer.

Month-By-Month Gardening in Texas by Dan Gill & Dale Groom

I had unexpected visitors the other day.  On a whim, two of my Master Gardener friends decided to stop and say hello.  Thankfully, I had just woken up from my what has become my almost daily habit of taking a nap.  Thankfully, I had clothes nearby to slide into.  Thankfully, I love company and, had I still been sleeping and had not dressed for the day, I still would have been thrilled with the surprise.

Winter is a time of rest.  Not only for sleepy gardeners, but also for our gardens.  While a few precious plants are still showing off at my place, most are quietly resting.  The yard is brown and prickly looking.  While it might be easy to focus on the barren sight and become disheartened, there is reason for cheer.  My garden  isn’t dead, it’s sleeping!  Sleep restores us, and our gardens, and prepares us for activity to come.  Already I am starting to see small green shoots emerging from the ground, and soon my garden will be keeping me so busy there will be no time for naps.

I apologize for the this newsletter arriving so late in the month and vow to try to do better. And while I could attempt to give reasons and explanations for my tardiness, I think I will leave it at this: I’ve been napping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

Georgette Recker

What year did you become a Master Gardener?,

I became a Master Gardener in 2019.

Do you hold a position in the group?

I am the editor of the monthly newsletter and am thankful for my fellow members who contribute to the task!

What are your gardening special interests?

I help to wrangle a 1/4 acre fruit and vegetable garden with my husband.  I love Texas natives for their beauty, ease of care, and for their gift of creating wildlife habitat.  And, I will poke an herb plant just about anywhere I can find a space.

Is there a particular gardening book you enjoy?

While they are not gardening “how to” books, I would highly recommend Noah’s Garden by Sara Stein, and Second Nature-A Gardner’s Education by Michael Pollan.

Have you had a particular gardening success?

I am particularly proud of the veggie garden.  After 5 years of working the area, the garden provides the majority of our food for the entire year.

What do you enjoy about being a Master Gardener?

I love to learn, and being a Master Gardener keeps my brain active!  My fellow gardeners are always ready with a recommendation, a word of encouragement, a new way of looking at gardening, and plenty of teasing, camaraderie, and love.

Do you have a favorite plant?

I cannot narrow it down to one favorite, but I do love Gregg’s Mistflower for its gift of attracting Queen butterflies.

 

Feeling a little cooped up?

Feeling uninspired?

Feeling bored?

Feeling like spring will never come?

Feeling the need to get your fingers in the soil?

Feeling just plain grumpy?

Don’t despair; Texas A&M ArgriLife Extension can help put that smile back on your face and a spring in your step.  Head right over to the Aggie Horticulture page on Facebook and check out some amazing gardening videos.  You can watch live on Wednesdays and Fridays, but don’t worry if that time table doesn’t work for you.  The videos can be accessed anytime.  Coming up-

Planning

___ Increase humidity for house plants by placing on trays of pebbles with water added being careful that water does not touch the bottom of the pots.

___ Plan your vegetable garden.

Planting

___ Plant/transplant perennials, roses, shrubs, and trees. Do not plant right after rainy weather or before a freeze in the teens.

___ Start Spring vegetable seeds indoors.

Watering

___Water perennials as needed only if temperatures have been mild/dry.

___ Thoroughly water new trees after planting.

Pruning

___Cut back and remove dead upper portions of perennials.

___ Prune fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches, and plums.

Fertilizing

___ Fertilize heavy feeder, cool season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, and other greens.

 

Month-By-Month Gardening in Texas by Dan Gill & Dale Groom

 

Christmas, for me this year, is for the birds.  It might be easy to assume I am feeling a bit hum bug about this most glorious time of the year, but that is certainly not the case.  With Christmas gifts bought and sent to my family many miles away and plans made to visit with them on the 25th via technology, I find myself with pre-Christmas time on my hands.  I do have my beloved husband and his sister here with me, however, they do not provide the same holiday bustle and excitement brought by children and grandchildren.  So, I am spending much of my Christmas attention on the birds.

 

You see, I love birds.  I read about birds, look at pictures of birds, follow bird sites on social media, feed and give water to the birds, and spend every morning drinking coffee and watching the birds.  Perhaps most importantly though, I garden for the birds.  If you came to my home this time of year, you might question the fact that I am a Master Gardener.  Instead of a perfectly tended yard, mine is filled with piles of sticks and twigs to lend shelter, faded flowers that have been left without a winter trim, and, I have to admit, I just mowed the front of the property for the first time since the beginning of the year. All of this untidy mess for the sake of the birds.

 

I love living in rural Texas where I can enjoy the company of so many birds all year, but there is something magical about birds in December.  The robins with their red breasts have shown up en masse and the cardinals have increased in number sporting their very best Merry Christmas red.  The holly berries are being enjoyed, and I have strung garlands of cranberries and oranges to hang outside.  I have even created a special Christmas tree made of juniper boughs full of berries, holly branches, natural garlands, and a hanging feeder full of seed.

 

 

Christmas, for me this year, is for the birds.  They bring me peace and joy, and that is what I wish and pray for every one of you.  Christmas peace and joy.  Be kind to the birds and be loving to others.

Merry Christmas!