Somervell County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Composting – A Healthy Garden Starts in the Kitchen

by

by Merilyn Cranford, Somervell County Master Gardener

A healthy garden starts in the kitchen.  That’s right—at the kitchen sink!  If you make a pot of coffee every morning you are well on your way to improving your garden’s soil.  Enjoy a crisp salad for lunch, and the prettiest plants are within reach.

So what does cooking have to do with composting?  Everything.  All of those nutrient-rich scraps you are scraping into the disposal or trash are food for your soil.  Change the location where you are putting them—not in the garbage,  but into a compost bucket.  And, if done right, the compost won’t stink or attract bugs.

Use a compost bucket with a double charcoal filter in the lid which keeps odors contained.  To keep things simple, whenever you take out the trash, empty the compost bucket into a bin for outdoor disposal.

Dos and Don’ts:  DO add vegetable scraps, grains and pasta, fruit rinds and peels, breads and cereals, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, crushed eggshells, paper napkins or towels.  DON’T:  add meat, fish or poultry, cheese, oily foods, butter, or other animal products.  AND be patient!  In less than two months you’ll be rewarded with nutrient-rich compost.

Dealing With Fungus Gnats

by

by Jes-c French, Somervell County Master Gardener Intern

Even in our relatively warm climate here in Somervell County, I’m sure there are many who brought some plants indoors to help them survive the cold of winter. I did, and with them some unwanted pests: fungus gnats.

I was asking for trouble from the moment I moved the plants indoors, because I didn’t adjust my watering appropriately. When plants are outside, they require more water because of the strong sunlight, heat and wind evaporation. Once they are brought inside, less water is needed because of lower light, temperature and wind (Browning). I had a routine to watering my plants, and when I brought them inside I continued on with the routine for a while before realizing I was overwatering.

When I understood my watering errors, I cut back on the frequency, hoping that the larvae would die off if they didn’t have a nice, wet environment to thrive. I also used yellow sticky traps to trap the adult gnats, keeping them from laying more eggs in the soil. Placing the sticky traps horizontally on top of the soil, beneath the foliage seemed to be the most effective way to trap the adults.

Fortunately, this method effectively solved my minor gnat problem. In some cases it might not be enough though. If there are still gnats flying around, you haven’t gotten to the root of the problem. Since the adults have short lives, one can assume there are still larvae in my soil (Savonen, 2006).

One way to address the gnats when simply letting the soil dry out doesn’t work is to completely repot the plants. The plants should be rinsed, the pots disinfected, and fresh soil that isn’t infested should be used. The infested soil can be solarized to kill the larvae. There are, however, other options if you do not want to repot your plants.

Adjusting our watering practices is a great first step of integrated pest management, but there are also chemical treatments that can be incorporated in the overall strategy. One highly recommended microbial insecticide for the larvae is Bacillus thuringiensis. Alternatively, parasitic nematodes, predatory mites, insect growth regulators, such as azadirachtin, or nerve-active insecticides, such as chlorphyrifos, can be used to kill the larvae (Drees, 1994).

For several other insecticide recommendations for killing both larvae and adult fungus gnats, see Drees’ Fungus Gnat Management at http://extentopubs.tamu.edu/bulletins/uc/uc-028.html.

Sources:

Browning, Sarah. “Winter Care of Indoor Plants (winter_houseplants).”Winter Care of Indoor Plants

(winter_houseplants). UNL Extension, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

 

Drees, Bastiaan M. “FUNGUS GNAT MANAGEMENT.” FUNGUS GNAT MANAGEMENT. Texas A&M

University System, 1994. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

 

Savonen, Carol. “Do Your Potted Plants Have Fungus Gnats?” Do Your Potted Plants Have Fungus Gnats?

Oregon State University Extension, 29 Dec. 2006. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

The Monarchs Are A’Comin’

by

By Shirley D Smith, Somervell County Master Gardener

If you are receiving this Newsletter, then I assume you are interested in gardening – and – if you are interested in gardening then it stands to reason you are interested in all its aspects.  One very important Monarch-Butterfly-17-HD-Images-Wallpapersaspect is the pollinators that keep almost all plants reproducing.  One pollinator that has been in the news of late is the Monarch butterfly and it is in trouble.  Many factors have contributed to the decline in Monarch butterfly numbers (i.e. climate change, encroachment into their habitat, etc.)

One important issue is the decline of the space on which the milkweed grows.  So much of the prairie, which runs through the middle of America has been and is in decline.  If you find milkweed growing on your property, leave it!  IT IS NOT A WEED! The monarchs lay their eggs on all different species of milkweed and this is what the caterpillar eats.  Many folks are trying to grow milkweed by using seeds.  This is not an easy task as many wildflowers are very picky about this sort of thing and prefer to “do it myself.”

"Antelope Horn" milkweed

“Antelope Horn” milkweed

We have milkweed in Somervell County and I actually have a lot of it on my property.  I make sure that our pasture is not mowed until the late fall when most of the wildflowers have done their thing.

If you want to learn more about milkweed then get online and read about it.  There is a lot of information about it and the more you know the better.  The scientific name is Asclepias.  Look up and see what the “baby” milkweed looks like so you won’t accidentally pull it up.

I have actually heard that over the past few years, the Monarch numbers seem to be steady but let’s you and I do all we can to make certain we continue to see this beautiful butterfly for many, many years.

CHES Program Monday, February 8th

by

Community Horticultural Education Series

Presented by Somervell County Master Gardeners

 Everyone is invited.  Program begins at 6:30 pm

at the Citizens Center, 209 SW Barnard, Glen Rose.

Featuring Dr. Christine Morgan, who will share her knowledge on

“The Importance of Greens in the Diet and How to Grow Them”

This will be a discussion about the importance of green leaf vegetables in the diet. For thousands of years it made up 45-60% of the daily diet of humans.

The availability of plant nutrition in leaves is unequal to any other vegetable we eat. The ability to alkalize the body’s pH and the ease of absorption of nutrients will be covered.

The lecture will include a PowerPoint presentation, covering the many varieties we have to choose from; how to have proper soil to grow the most nutritious greens; how to plant in succession plantings; how anyone…no matter their living situation, can begin to grow their own greens and why they really should; and how to enjoy greens for all seasons.

Two handouts will be included:  (1)  Growing Greens for All Seasons and                                                                                                                        (2)  Seven Fast-Growing Low-Labor, Edible Greens

There will be a short question and answer session at the end.

Christine Morgan picChristine Morgan is a long time resident of Glen Rose and has been quietly in practice for 26 years. She holds a Doctor of Naturopathic Ministry degree from Southern College of Natural Health. She started her career in the pre-veterinary program of St. Mary’s University and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology, majoring in Animal Nutrition Studies, and a Master of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition from the American College of Holistic Nutrition. She is also a Certified Nutritional Counselor, and a Holistic Health Care Practitioner from Leymans University. She has certification as a GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) and Gluten Sensitivity practitioner also. She also is an Amino Acid Therapy Practitioner, and EFT practitioner as well. She has been a researcher of human health all her adult life, and is passionate about continually learning about true health and effective living. She is a Master Gardener and a certified square-foot gardener, teacher and lecturer.

 

Growing Greens For All Seasons

by

GROWING GREENS FOR ALL SEASONS   ©

by Christine Morgan, ND, Somervell County Master Gardener

Cool Weather GreensGreen Vegetable

Kale, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, Chinese cabbage (bok choy, and pac choi) from the brassica family are the best known greens available to the home gardener. Also important are Swiss chard and spinach. They can all be grown as cool season greens.

Collards, kale, mustard, turnips and pac choi are related to cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi.  They are tolerant of cooler temperatures, and where winter is not too severe, kale will re-sprout from stems in the spring. They can be grown in spring and fall, but fall may be the preferable season because they benefit from frost which increases the sugar content and flavor of the leaves. These vegetables are quick to mature, being ready to pick in 30 to 60 days, depending on variety. I have grown collards all year long here…they will slow down growth in the summer…and then pick back up as the nights get cooler!

Turnips are a two way vegetable in that certain varieties can be grown to produce both greens and roots (ie. ‘Purple Top,’ ‘White Globe,’ ‘Just Right’ and ‘Tokyo Market’). Other two-way vegetables are beets and rutabaga. It is usually for sale in the store as a root only, but the greens are quite good. I think rutabaga is a sweet tasting love child between cabbage and turnip! The leaves taste more like cabbage, and the root tastes sweeter than a turnip.

Besides the greens mentioned above, lettuces, many Japanese greens, and other salad greens can be grown that have some kind of protection from the cold.

Herbs also included in cool season cultivation would be rosemary (which lives and produces year round), cilantro, parsley, and chives. Herbs are great additions in small amounts that help clean and strengthen your body.

Warm Weather Greens

Other greens are commonly called “spinach”, but are not in the spinach family. New Zealand, Ceylon, Red Malabar, and Purslane are four separate species of greens, but are grown in late spring and /or summer, as they require heat. Also sweet potato, and winter squash and pumpkin leaves are quite edible.

There are many Japanese greens to choose from…too many to list…and easy to grow. Dandelion, basil and other warm season herbs are delicious also.

Wild greens are another place to get greens as long as you know for 100% they have not been sprayed with herbicides! Purslane, chickweed, lambs quarters and miner’s lettuce are common here in Texas.

Another very heat tolerant green is Molokhia; it is from the okra family and is common in the Middle East, such as Lebanon. It can be grown in containers easily and does have some of the thickening ability like okra, but is quite good in stews or smoothies.

Cultivation:

In spring, plant seeds as soon as soil can be worked (3 to 4 weeks prior to frost date).  You can also germinate seeds indoors and plant 3 to 4 week old transplants into garden soil.

For fall planting, determine time to maturity (i.e. 55 days), then add 10 to 14 days (“the short day factor”) and plant seeds that many days prior to the first fall frost date (i.e. 65 to 69 days).

As in the spring, transplants can also be used in the fall. Also, many greens can be successfully grown in large pots or in “container gardens” that have a wide surface and a water reservoir in the bottom fed via a tube. I use container gardens from www.gardenerssupply.com with great results.

Sow seeds of these vegetables about 4 inches apart in rows 8 to 12 inches apart.  In fertile raised beds, seeds can be broadcast and thinned later.

Soil Remineralization and Amendments:

It is important to use beds or containers that have been remineralized with rock dust (Azomite) and contain amendments like course vermiculite, and/or perlite, and peat moss. In general, leafy greens should be spaced about 4 inches on center and the thinned plants can be eaten in their entirety! As with most vegetables, closer spacing will result in smaller, “baby leaved” plants, and farther spacing will result in larger heads or plants.

Fertilizing:

Leafy greens are medium feeders. Incorporate well-rotted manure (fall) or compost (fall and spring) at planting. Addition of manure or compost can add micronutrients and organic matter to soil. I prefer to keep all fertilizers organic because of the strong uptake ability of greens in regard to minerals, nutrients, synthetics, and poisons. I would not even consider eating non-organic commercial greens!

Harvesting:

With the exception of the Chinese cabbages…where the entire plant is usually harvested, the outer leaves of these greens are usually harvested. Make sure the outer leaves show no sign of yellowing, since at this stage they are past prime and should be composted. Alternatively, a raised bed can be thickly sown with your favorite leafy green and thinned to an 8 inch spacing after they are 6 to 10 inches tall. These thinned plants are your first harvest (the entire plant is edible), with future harvests coming from the outer leaves of the remaining plants.

Resource list:

Arrow Feed in Granbury has:

Azomite 44lbs. $34.99

Course Vermiculite 4 cu. Ft. $35.99

Perlite 4 cu. Ft. $26.99

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

R-95 dust masks home Depot or Lowes

Mushroom compost- Lowes

Organic garden soil-any of the above places

Gardening Tips and Hints – February 2016

by

By Shirley D Smith, Somervell County Master Gardener

Don’t know about you, but the sap is starting to flow in my veins and I am ready to start gardening seriously – NOW!  But, this is Central Texas and I know from experience that I had better wait just a bit before planting anything outside (unless it is located in one of those microclimates we all have around our homes).

So, I will sit here reading my seed catalogs and gardening magazines making grandiose plans for the upcoming Spring.  In the meantime, I would like to share with you some tips and hints that might make things a little easier on you as you garden.

Bunnies eating your winter veggies?  When you trim your rose bushes (which date is coming up very soon), put these trimmed, spikey canes around those veggies the rabbits seem to favor to discourage them.

Do you have a stash of smaller (lunch size) paper bags?  These make great vessels in which to start seeds.  Before you add the soil, first brush the inside of the bags with canola oil, let them dry, then fill with soil.  Now, they are ready to accept your newly purchased plant or seeds.  When it is time to plant these into the garden, leave the seedling or plant in the bag and plant the entire bag directly into the prepared soil.  The bags will decompose over time and the plants take root.

Those big red plastic Folger coffee cans make wonderful catch-alls for using around the garden.  They can even be used for plants (after poking several drain holes in the bottom).  Free!  The built-in handle make them easy to carry.

For those of you who have a wood-burning fireplace, save your cooled, clean wood ashes in a covered trashcan.  In early spring, mix 4 dry gallons of ash with ½ cup Epsom salts and sprinkle ½ pound of the dry mixture per 100 square feet of soil around your awakening bulbs.  Apply only once a year.  Wood ash contains calcium (35%), phosphorus, and potassium.  Epsom salts are high in sulfur (13%) and magnesium (10%) which are rapidly utilized by plants.

Are you lucky enough to have asparagus?  Spray an awakening bed of asparagus with a mixture of 5 ounces sugar and 1 tablespoon yeast in 1 quart of water to feed the soil and attract beneficial insects that do battle with the injurious asparagus beetle.

Need sun protection for your arms?  Take a pair of old, holey socks and cut the foot off.  Now, slip them over your wrists and arms to protect not only from the sun, but also to keep anything off your skin that might cause irritation or small cuts.

Keep bunches of long twigs or small branches around to be used as a trellis or stake for your plants and enjoy them as free-form garden sculpture.

“It’s better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”  –James Thurber

Source:  Trowel & Error – Over 700 Shortcuts, Tips and Remedies for the Gardener by Sharon Lovejoy

My Favorite Plant – Christmas Cactus

by

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!

Purple Martins

by

lowering-a-purple-martin-house-c by Mary Ann Steele, Somervell County Master Gardener Intern

The purple martin is one of the earliest neo-tropical birds to return to the United States each year.  After spending approximately five months in South America, purple martins make their appearance in Texas during the first half of February.  Sometimes individuals arrive as early as January.  These are called scouts.  Males usually arrive before the females of their age.  The oldest (five-seven years) generally are the first to arrive.  These scouts can be seen soaring and swooping high overhead as they search for nesting sites and insects.

The purple martin has been managed intentionally by humans longer than any other North American songbird.   Martins are very social birds, but they hate clutter; therefore, martin houses should be built between 10 -15 feet off the ground and, at least, forty feet from trees or structures. They can be made of wood, gourds, plastic, etc.  Natural nesting sites include cavities of trees, tree snags, pipe organ cacti, and even between large boulders.  Historically, most nesting probably occurred in woodpecker holes in tree hollows.

The purple martin is one of eight species of swallows that occurs in the United States.  All members of the swallow family are aerial insectivores.  They are the largest of the swallows, weighing approximately 1.75 ounces and having a wingspan of 15 inches.  They have broader wings and tails than any of the other swallows.  Males do not acquire their adult plumage until their second winter.  Females are duller with a sooty gray forehead, gray neck, and grayish underparts.images

Martins breed in all but the Trans-Pecos and western third of the Panhandle and South Plains.  They do most of their feeding 100-200 feet above ground.  Their diet is 100% insects.  Martins do devour large quantities of mosquitoes.  Most mosquitoes are not available to martins because of their nocturnal and low-flying habits.

Nest construction is a contiguous activity.  Once a few pairs begin, many others quickly become active in nest-building.  Both sexes construct the nest.  Nests are of coarse material, such as twigs, straw, pine needles, or coarse grass.  Prior to egg-laying, the nest cup is lined with green leaves.  Green leaves are thought to contain a natural insecticide to help reduce parasite numbers or aid in maintaining sufficient moisture for the eggs.  The green leaves are added throughout the incubation period.   Three to seven eggs are added throughout the sixteen day incubation period.

Males and females are on and off the nest in fifteen minute intervals.  The parents feed small insects to the young birds until they fledge at about 28 days. The brood is kept together for one to two weeks, returning to the nest at night or during daytime thunderstorms.  After fledging, they return to South America.  By the end of September most have left Texas.  Ninety percent are believed to winter in and around the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Others can be found from Venezuela to Northern Bolivia.  Martins can live to be thirteen years old in the wild.

House sparrows and starlings are their worst enemies.  Starlings will lay their eggs in the nest and push a martin egg out.  The mother martin does not know the difference and will hatch and feed the starling baby as her own.  Of course, the starling is much larger and will eat more, sometimes starving the martin babies to death.  House sparrows make nests in the martin houses, often destroying the nests and eggs that belong to the martins. Whereas sparrows can raise several broods a year, the martins can have only one.  People who have the enjoyment of martin houses also have the responsibility of protecting these special birds from the sparrows and the starlings.

 

 

Exciting New Plans for 2016 CHES Programs

by

by Sandra Skrei, CHES Programs for Prairie Rose Chapter, Native Plant Society of Texas

CHES and Prairie Rose Chapter of the Native Plant Society are now meeting together!

We’ll start the New Year with a SWAP and MEET

SWAP:

Gifts – White elephant style, but no spending money allowed and you don’t get to be anonymous!  Bring a gardening/native plant book you no longer use to recycle, a plant, something from your garden, to help someone else garden, or you’ve made from your garden, even those goofy socks with plants on them you got for Christmas.

Information – Have a question prepared for members of the ‘other’ group or bring a ‘factoid’ about gardening and/or native plants to share.  When your gift is chosen, you’ll introduce yourself, explain your gift, and share your information or ask your question.

MEET:

We’ll get to meet each other, and perhaps get to know your fellow members a little better!

How it will work:

Please bring your gift wrapped in a plain bag, newsprint, box, or something else reused, covering it just enough to disguise it.

When you sign in, you’ll get a raffle ticket, we’ll draw those to take turns.  When it is your turn, you pick a gift, and unwrap it.

The gift giver will then introduce his/herself, explain why they brought that gift, and then share their tip or ask their question.  If the question is asked by a Master Gardener, a member of the Native Plant Society will answer, and vice versa.

Gifts may be ‘stolen’ from each other, in which case the person who had to give up their gift picks another gift.  The first person who was drawn, will have a final chance to ‘steal’ a gift, too!

 

Doors open at 6:00

Meeting starts at 6:30

Monday, January 11th, Somervell County Senior Citizens Center

 

Future programs sponsored by the Prairie Rose Chapter of the Native Plant Society:

March: Texas A&M Forestry Service, Oak Wilt Program and Services, we will sign up for a field trip Tuesday morning with our speaker to show us how to inspect and manage for oak wilt.

May:  Native American natural dyes with Pat Kriener of the Big Bear Native American Museum and Johnson County Herbal Society, Cleburne.  Follow-up field trips to the Museum’s Native American Powwow on May 27/28 and the Herbal Society’s Natural Dyes workshop June 4th at 10:30

July:  TBD

September:  Minette Marr, Ladybird Johnson Wildlife Center’s seed bank director on their milkweed and Texas Ash projects.  Field trip Tuesday morning (to be confirmed in August) to High Hope Ranch, (bordering Fossil Rim in Glen Rose) to scout and learn collecting techniques.

November:  TBD

Please indicate your interest in a field trip to the Bamberger Ranch in Blanco County. www.bambergerranch.org. They are closed in August and Nov-Jan.  We can join a Land Steward Workshop April 23rd from 8:30 – 4:30 for $115 each (Texas Master Naturalist enjoy a discount), or schedule our own.

Information on ranch tours from their website:

Group Tours – want to see more?

While Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve is not open to the public on a daily basis, there are ways to visit the ranch. We have workshops, field days and public tours throughout the year, and we can also tailor a private tour to a specific group. There are many components of the ranch available to select from for a private tour including the Rain Machine Demonstration/Nature Trail Walk, Ranching Heritage/Horse Demonstration, Dinosaur Tracks/Fossils, as well as a visit to the Scimitar Horned Oryx. One or more of the knowledgeable ranch staff guides all tours.  If you have a group that is interested in visiting us, contact the ranch office for available dates and prices.

You can schedule a tour of the ranch, for your group on “The Bluebonnet”, our covered trailer. We will take you to see all the tour spots offered to other visitors.  Meal service maybe available for larger groups of 20 or more for an additional fee.

COST- $15 per person
($300 minimum*)

*20 or more people needed in order for everyone to pay just $15.00

Raising Shasta Daisies

by

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!