Mason Bees are a group of native bees that are excellent pollinators. They are called mason bees because they use clay/ mud to make partitions and seal the entrance to their nest. They are sometimes known as orchard bees since many of them are very good at pollinating fruit trees (apples, plums, peaches, pears) and emerge in early spring to do so. To learn more, click this link. https://txmg-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/williamson/files/Mason-bees-March-2020.pdf

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Accomplishments 

• Donations to The Caring Place this month included both harvested and donated items.   191 lbs. harvested and 15 lbs. donated for a grand total for the year of 4062 lbs. 
• Plantings for this month included radishes, alfalfa, broccoli, kale, spinach, greens, cabbage, Swiss chard, cauliflower, basil, snow and sugar snap peas.
• Tomato trials continue    
• Solarizing of the Cinder block bed is complete with lots of compost added and mixed in and irrigation added.
• Fire ant eradication continued.
• Pea Trials continue until October.
• Sonia and Judy E. are producing very good reports on Pea and Tomato trials.
• Branches of tomato plants tied up.
• New irrigation lines to the orchard have been completed with just a few minor setbacks.
• New irrigation lines to orchard covered
• Continue to ready garden for upcoming trial plantings
• Trees composted, mulched and weeded
• .67 inches of rain for the month  Need much more.
• Rat poison placed
• Aphids sprayed
• ADA bed completed, irrigation placed and bed planted.
• Budget submitted

Problems: 

• Heat, heat and more heat and huge lack of rain
• Water turned off while work was done to plumbing and fire plug
• Lots of supplemental watering was required
• Plants are extremely stressed in over 100 degree heat. Through lots of extra care they are making it.
• Rats and rabbits are munching on new plantings, veggies on the plant, fruit on trees and irrigation lines
• Huge aphid infestation
• Need to make sure everyone is recording what they plant in their beds.
• Rust on pea plants need to be planted farther apart.

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Vegetable Demonstration Garden Report for August 2019

 Accomplishments

 

• Donations to The Caring Place this month will include both harvested and donated items. 190 lbs. harvested and 10 lbs. donated for a grand total for the year of 3856 lbs. 
• Plantings for this month included common buckwheat ground cover, beans and beats.
• Tomato trials continue    
• Solarizing of the Cinderblock Bed was reconfigured to maximize heat
• Fire ant eradication has continued.
• Pea Trials continue
• Sonia and Judy E. are producing very good reports on Pea and Tomato trials.
• Trimmed bottoms of tomato plants
• New irrigation lines to the orchard have been completed with just a few minor setbacks.
• Continue to ready garden for upcoming trial plantings
• Trees composted, mulched and weeded
• .69 inches of rain for the month  Need much more.
• Placed rat traps and rabbit traps.
• Started repairs ADA bed

Problems: 

• Heat, heat and more heat and huge lack of rain
• Lots of supplemental watering was required
• Water valves needed repairs.
• Plants are extremely stressed in over 100 degree heat. Through lots of extra care they are making it.
• Rats and rabbits are munching on new plantings, veggies on the plant, fruit on trees and irrigation lines
• Huge aphid infestation
• Need to make sure everyone is recording what they plant in their beds.