Somervell County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

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”

 

Try Something Different!

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by Shirley D. Smith, Somervell County Master Gardener

I have never been afraid to try something different in the garden.  In fact, tell me it can’t go where I live and I will more than likely attempt that very plant as soon as I can find it!  Gardening is a never-ending search for the different, the fun, the unusual.  That’s just one of the many things that makes gardening so much fun.

bat-faced-cuphea

bat-faced-cuphea

firecracker cuphea

firecracker cuphea

A couple of years ago I tried two members of the cuphea family. I locally found the bat-faced cuphea (Cuphea Ilavea) and a cuphea called Firecracker (Cuphea ignea).  The bat-faced cuphea did not make it through the first winter even though I did mulch it fairly well.  The taller Firecracker cuphea is still in my garden.  It did nothing all summer, but as soon as the cooler weather of fall (finally!) set in, it bloomed and here at the end of November it is still going strong and so pretty.  See photo I included.  They were both planted on the north side of my house.  I will mulch this Firecracker heavily and hope that it will come back next spring.  As you can see from the photo, it is healthy and happy and doing very well.

“There are over 250 species of Cupheas, which include annuals, short lived perennials and small shrubs. Most are native to Central and South America. Cupheas bloom from spring through fall, and are excellent plants for attracting hummingbirds to your garden, as well as stunning additions to your butterfly garden.”  The Garden Helper.

These plants are winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-12. Somervell County is in Zone 7.  So you might want to grow the bat-faced cuphea as an annual,

plant or houseplant. In the garden, both of these are best grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. They will tolerate part shade. They are easily grown from seed started indoors 10-12 weeks before last spring frost date. They tolerate high summer heat (I can attest to that!) and also tolerate some drought, but perform best with regular moisture. Plants can become leggy as the growing season progresses, in which case stem tips may be pinched as needed to maintain good plant form. If grown in containers, plants may be overwintered indoors in bright, sunny locations with temperatures in the 60s and reduced watering. Plants may be propagated from tip cuttings in the fall for overwintering. It is generally best to start new plants each year.  The above description would apply to the Firecracker cuphea except I do leave mine in the ground and just mulch it.  So, if we have a mild winter I expect to have the Firecracker come back.

Happy gardening!

 

No CHES Meeting until February

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There will be no CHES meeting in December – a very busy month for all of us.

In January,  the weather often presents some dangerous driving conditions, so we have decided to wait until February to have our next CHES meeting.   Yes, we know about February weather, but it’s not usually as “iffy” as January, so we’re going to risk it.  Christine Morgan has a great program lined up for us on February 8th at 6:30. Please put this on your calendar.

Next CHES Meeting, November 14th

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Common Invasive Species on Rangeland

Characteristics, Management and Control

Are you overlooking a sea of cedar on your property? Wondering what to do about Johnson Grass?  Join us on Monday, November 14th to meet our local Natural Resources Conservation Service’s District Conservationist Bill O’Quin.  This will be the second time Bill has visited our chapter, and we are excited to have him back with us!  Save time for questions and answers, as he also has management grants available for landowners, and is himself a wealth of information!

 

Acorns and Acorn Flour ©

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By Dr. Christine Morgan, ND, PSc.D.

acornsDid you know that there is a nutritious food source literally dropping from your trees each fall? In fact, unless you are a squirrel, you may even see this food as a nuisance. But guess what? Acorns are edible!!

Alas, the lowly acorn was not always seen this way. Historical sources suggest that some of the world’s earliest civilizations ate acorns. In fact, the word for “oak” in Tunisian translates to “meal-bearing tree.”

Although acorns, which contain healthy fats, protein and minerals, found their way into many Native American foods and are the main ingredient of a traditional Korean jelly recipe, most people today shy away from eating them. Why? Anyone who has ever sampled a raw acorn can tell you. They taste bitter because of naturally occurring chemicals called tannins.

The secret to eating…and enjoying acorns…lies in removing the tannins. When you complete this process, you can produce a subtly flavored flour that works well in all kinds of baking recipes and even as a coffee-like beverage.

How to remove the tannins

The first step to removing the tannins is to select only ripe, brown acorns. Avoid green, blackened or mildewed acorns. Then remove the caps and boil the acorns for about 10 minutes. You will need to strain out the brown water and boil the acorns again in fresh water. Repeat this process three to four times until the water looks clear and the acorns can be easily shelled. This is the “work” that most people are unwilling to do to use acorns as a food source, but more and more people are looking for alternative food sources to increase variety in the diet which is important for true health.

Now that the tannins are removed, it is time to dry the acorns. First shell them. Spread the acorn nuts on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated 200*F. oven. Leave the door slightly ajar so moisture can escape. Let them dry until crunchy. You now have acorn nuts!

To make acorn flour

To make acorn flour, the process is a little different. Shell after the boiling process (leaching) and let freshly leached acorns dry out a bit on the counter. Grind slightly moist leached acorns in a blender or food processor. Spread the meal out on a tray and let dry at 200*F. in an oven until dry…or in a dehydrator at 105* until dry. Then re-grind the dry meal in the blender or food processor again to make a fine flour. Store ground flour in an airtight container on the counter or it can be frozen for longer storage use.

Acorns add a nutty, slightly sweet taste to recipes. You can use them as a substitute for chickpeas, peanuts or macadamia nuts. (Put them in banana nut bread or zucchini bread!) You also can use them to make acorn butter, which you can use instead of peanut butter or almond butter. You also can add them to salads, soups and stews for flavor and nutrition.

You can substitute the acorn flour in any recipe that uses wheat or other gluten-free flour, but keep in mind that acorn flour products will have a crumbly texture. If you prefer a spongy texture to your cookies or bread, you will need to mix in some other flour with your acorn flour, or increase the liquids in GF recipes with other flours.

Acorn Coffee

Another option is make acorn coffee. Now, this drink will not perk you up in the morning since acorns do not contain caffeine, but it is a pleasant beverage, especially in cold weather.

Place pieces of soaked (leached) acorns on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven at 400*F. for about 30 minutes. When the pieces are dark brown in color and have a pleasant roasted (not burned) aroma, they are ready.

Add one tablespoon of roasted acorn pieces per eight ounces of boiling water. Let the mixture steep for five to 10 minutes. Reheat if needed. Then you can add your regular coffee condiments or drink the acorn coffee black. Enjoy!

 

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.

 

 

My Favorite Plant

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by Pat Matthews, Somervell County Master Gardener

Texas LantanaI never had a favorite plant, however I like the flower of the lantana and it would be the first shrub I would plant when I needed to cover a space.  When I was a little girl, my mother had clip-on earrings that were the image and color of the lantana flower.  We do like the bush here in Texas, but in Australia and New Zealand, it is known as a weed and one of the most invasive plants they have to contend with.

There are so many bushes and trees that have little colorful flowers it would be so hard to designate one more captivating than another. Truth be known, I really can’t wait until the wildflowers bloom and that is what I think is so beautiful. Due to Lady Bird Johnson’s  1965 Beautification Act, our highways again have native flowers all over our nation.  It was such a change, my mother commented on the way back from a Houston trip, in the early ‘70s, that the flowers were so beautiful.  She said, “Can you just imagine all that came from little seeds!”

Now we are heading into winter and everything will fade back, but we know our spirits will be lifted in the spring, when we see all those beautiful wild flowers with so many colors, and we did not have to lift a finger!

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!

Butterfly Buffet

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By Sheryl Kleinschmidt, Somervell Co. Master Gardener

As most of us know, the Monarchs are on the move, winding their way down to their winter home in Mexico and Central America.  Another well-known fact is that our winged friends have been on the decline due to the lack of milkweed (their host plant).  Because of increased attention and education over the past decade or so, that particular problem is being resolved.

Gregg's Mistflower

Gregg’s Mistflower

However, more recent research (mainly by Cornell University), now shows us that we are losing a great number of these beauties to starvation along their fall migration route.  That’s where we gardeners come in.  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin recommends we grow the following fabulous five fall plants to help the Monarchs along their way:

  • Shrubby boneset (Ageratina boneset)—a fragrant bush that is drought-resistant
  • Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinium greggii)—has blue blooms and attracts many species of butterfly
  • Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)—does well in clay or rocky areas
  • Frostweed (Verbisena virginica)—likes shade, makes “frost castles” in winter
  • Fall aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)—cut back in early summer to encourage fall blooms; has purple flowers
Fall Aster

Fall Aster

Besides these crucial nectar plants, butterflies are also in need of trees and grasses in which to sleep and sun themselves.   Land development and agriculture are reducing acres of these natives every year.   We gardeners can make a difference by not only planting milkweed, but assisting the Monarchs as they travel through the great state of Texas with our home-grown feeding stations and stands of native grasses and trees.

If you’re interested in planting the fabulous five and you cannot find plants or seeds at your local nursery, go to www.wildflower.org and you will find some help.

Resources:  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Texas Wildflowers by Campbell and Lynn Loughmiller