First Impressions - Collin County Master Gardeners

ECHO
Texas AgriLife’s Community Horticultural Outreach
First Impressions
Dear Collin County Master Gardeners,
May-June 2008
Educational programs of Texas
AgriLife Extension serve people of all
ages regardless of socioeconomic level,
race, color, sex, religion, disability, or
national origin. The Texas A&M
University System, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas
cooperating.
Over the past five months I have had the opportunity to meet many of
you through meetings and events, such as the recent plant sale. I would
like to say how impressed I am with the Collin County Master Gardeners. It is outstanding that more than 130 of you continually learn about
horticulture and share your knowledge through educational programs
and service in the community. It is truly amazing how we have come
together to reach a common goal and fulfill the mission of the Texas
In this issue:
AgriLife Extension Service to improve the lives of people, businesses,
from Dr. Greg Church
and communities across Texas and beyond through high quality, relevant Message
……………………………………..……Page 1
education. The most impressive achievement is the exceptional projects
that all of you have worked so hard to develop and offer to the residents
Book Review
of Collin County.
………………..………………….……...Page 2
I appreciate all those who volunteered at our recent plant sale. I was
Gardener’s Journal:
impressed with how well it was organized. The event was successful in
Taste the Joy of Daylilies………..Pages 3-5
raising funds to support our educational and outreach programs. It also
served to share horticulture information through the educational presenPlant Sale Recap
tations, the information booth, and the direct interactions with the cus……………………..…………….……...Page 5
tomers.
Since I am new to the Extension Service and functioning as a
Mystery Plants
Master Gardener Coordinator, it has taken me time to understand the role …………………………………………..Page
6
I play in your organization. I am eager to provide leadership and direction to the Collin County Master Gardener Association and look forward
Water Container Gardens
to working with each of you. In the absence of a horticulture agent, Rene ………………………………...……..Pages 7-8
Mahoney did an excellent job managing the horticulture program and the
master gardener association. I enjoy working with Diane Sharp, the
Math with Matt
members of the executive board, and the project leaders. There is vast
…………………………………...…..….Page 8
potential for extension programs and the master gardener program in
Collin County. Continuation of the many excellent projects, while conGarden Checklist for May/June
tinually looking for new opportunities is essential for success. I am
………………………………….. .Pages 9-10
working to develop partnerships with organizations throughout Collin
County in order to better serve our clientele. There are opportunities to
provide our programs and expertise in new areas with new approaches in
order to make an impact in our community. I am always impressed with the many useful and exciting
ideas from the master gardeners. I encourage you to continually be thinking of new ideas to make a difference and for each of you to get involved with new and existing projects, continuing education opportunities, and the organizational aspects of the association.
Sincerely,
Greg Church, Ph.D.
County Extension Agent - Horticulture
ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Book Review
By Kathleen Brooks
And for the Master Gardeners who would
like an explanation of what you should be doing in the garden during each month, look to
“Doug Welsh’s Texas Garden Almanac”!
Month by month direction for our very own
climate and seasons are presented not as a
“worksheet” but as sage advice, such as,
“Don’t be too quick to turn on the irrigation
system. In the
eastern half of
Texas, irrigation systems
should probably not be
turned on until
April.” And,
“Don’t monkey
with the soil
too much.
Stick to adding
just organic
matter.”
In the May chapter is an article titled
“What’s wrong with my plant?,” which is a
very good review of insect pests, infectious
plant diseases and cultural or environmental
causes. It is very familiar material to our
“Texas Master Gardener Handbook,” for
which Doug Welsh was coeditor.
But the style of his writing in the Almanac
is more personal and anecdotal. Doug Welsh
is a professor and extension horticulturist at
Texas A&M University and a statewide coordinator for the Texas Master Gardener program. He hosts a gardening call-in radio show
and provides gardening tips on television each
week in the Brazos Valley. (For information,
see: http://www.kbtx.com/weekendgardener/
headlines).
In the past three days, seven of my various
houseplants were repotted into two matching
containers. Now their arrangement is somewhere between mounding and filling, and I
expect they will each flourish becoming tall,
mounding or spilling as God intended.
This book “Absolutely Beautiful Containers” by Sue Amatangelo turned on the
light bulb
over my head
and made my
lips speak
“Ah, ha!”
Amatangelo’s formula is
“Upright +
Mounding +
Trailing= A
Beautiful
Container.”
Sounds familiar? We use the “Thriller, Filler,
Spiller” approach which seems easier to remember. Studying all these photographs, seeing the spilling and thrilling, made me observe
how much more interesting and appealing
groups of plants are than individuals. Each of
the 200 container plans includes a plant list,
planting diagram and a spectacular photograph of the result. And suggestions are given
for seasons, holidays, hanging baskets, herb
gardens, window boxes and more. Well, there
are 200 of them. Just visualize Combination
172: Herchera ‘Plum Pudding’, Autumn fern,
Isolepsis ‘Live Wire’, Coleus and New
Guinea Impatiens. Rich color and the ‘Live
Wire’ really makes it stand out.
And even more thrilling than her book is
the author! Sue Amatangelo is a Master Gardener who has won the Illinois Outstanding
Master Gardener Award. Highly recommended for the visual Master Gardener!
About the Author: Kathleen Brooks, Class of 2005, lives
to read, research and learn.
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ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Gardener’s Journal: Taste the Joy of Daylilies
By Mary Nell Jackson
My dear mother’s daylilies had taken
over the garden as daylilies do, and I had
become too lazy to divide them. However,
each year when they bloomed a sea of orange, I was delighted; and thoughts of
mother, long gone, flooded my memory.
Mother was a wishful gardener. By that, I
mean she didn’t have the time or money to
indulge.
I have often wished she could have seen
all of her transplants in my garden, now multiplied and somewhat overgrown but still
loved because of their origin. At my sister’s
insistence, I transplanted many of mother’s
plants in my garden 100 miles away. I was a
young and inexperienced gardener, trying
everything without research or guidance. I
wrongly thought that mother just dug a hole
and all her beautiful plants thrived. I never
gave a thought to the acid soil that made her
hydrangeas sky blue.
We all led busy lives in our own little
world, but when I became a young bride I
longed for permanence and a bit of land to
call my own garden. It was many years until
that happened, but when it did, I thought I
was ready to dig my holes and stand back.
The story is always the same with inexperienced gardeners: failure.
I didn’t let my failures stop me. I soon
learned that I had transplanted daylilies
where they wouldn’t thrive—in shade. I began to move them into the sunlight, and each
spring their foliage peaked out as early as
February. Before I knew it, they were reaching for the sky. I have given mother’s daylilies to almost every gardener friend I know
and some that refused them until I persuaded
them to take the old common orange daylilies for color in their garden.
Some of my friends have had their lilies
long enough to complain about how they
have multiplied, but I reassure them that
they need to divide them and gift others with
them. The sweetest words I hear about them
is when my friends tell me, “Your mother’s
orange daylilies are blooming so beautifully
in my garden.”
This year I plan to tackle clumps to thin.
Some may end up in the compost pile much
to my regret, but mother would know I was
being a smart gardener. I always intend to
buy more daylilies; the delicate, pastel ones
from the catalogues. They look so innocent
as I stare at them from the pages, but I know
they multiply just like my orange ones. I
have succumbed to a few fancy choices, but
none nod to me like my flashy orange ones.
I do have several spots in the garden that
have landscape lilies, and they are the rewards of a theft. I must confess, as I always
do, about my ‘stolen yellow’ daylilies. I
spotted a vacant lot where a lovely house
once stood. The sign in front told me that the
concrete truck would arrive soon, so I took
my trusty shovel and rescued 2 small
clumps. My friends are beginning to beg for
them as they brighten most spring days when
they are in bloom. The concrete did appear
eventually, and my lilies are grateful I kept
them from an awful demise.
(Continued on page 4)
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ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Taste the Joy of Daylilies
ing liquid. To puree,
place *[divided use]
½ of the daylily
mixture into a food
processor bowl or
blender container.
Cover and process
or blend until nearly
smooth. Set aside
the pureed and
coarsely chopped
daylilies.
In a large saucepan, melt the butThe daylily is not the humble plant
say it is. Check out all the
ter. Stir in the flour, some
recipes available in this book,
lemon peel, thyme, available through amazon.com
pepper and salt.
Add the reserved
cooking liquid. Cook and stir until thickened
and bubbly. Stir in the pureed daylily mixture,
the reserved coarsely chopped daylily mixture, and whipping cream. Cook over low heat
until heated through. Ladle into warm soup
bowls. Yield 4 servings. Serve on plate with
whole daylily flower.
After I read this recipe, I was off and running with my research on edible daylilies.
There it was in black and white: use orange or
yellow daylilies. That spring my family ate
more daylily soup than they desired, but for
me the harvest was magic. I reassured them
that I had read that daylily buds and blossoms
have almost as much protein as spinach, more
Vitamin A than string beans, and about the
same amount of Vitamin C as orange juice. I
also was sure my daylilies came from a totally
organic garden.
We had lots of green salads with daylily
petals on top that year, and once I took a
lovely salad to a covered dish luncheon. The
lady at my table commented that the thin carrot shreds didn’t taste like any carrot she had
ever eaten. If her nose had not been out of
joint, I would have shared with her my magic
daylily find but felt I should remain silent and
(Continued from page 3)
It was many years later that I discovered
that daylilies were edible. I had to research it
until I believed it myself. It was many years
later that I discovered that daylilies were edible. I had to research it until I believed it myself. Daylilies look beautiful but seem a bit
poisonous to anyone that goes about the garden snacking; a no-no unless you are very certain the plants you munch on are edible. The
recent surge of edible flower books and articles that are a helpful guide to young gardeners of today.
Quite by accident, as I sat in a dentist’s office, I came across an article in a longforgotten magazine all about the culinary delights of daylilies. I discovered it was the daylily buds that contained the flavor. I quickly
jotted down a most memorable soup recipe.
Cream of Daylily Soup
2 cups yellow or orange daylily buds [they
should be on the verge of opening]
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons shredded lemon peel
1 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream or half & half
Remove the green daylily stems. Wash the
daylilies; drain well. Coarsely chop the buds.
In medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over
medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and
cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the
daylilies and chicken broth. Bring to boiling.
Reduce heat, then simmer, covered, for 5 minutes or until daylilies are tender. In a colander,
strain the daylily mixture, reserving the cook-
(Continued on page 5)
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ECHO Newsletter
Taste the Joy of Daylilies
May-June 2008
Plant Sale Recap
(Continued from page 4)
gloat. Serving daylily petals (fresh or dried)
has been referred to as golden needles in
Asian dishes. I have surprised my friends with
chicken salad stuffed daylily blossoms, first
removing the stamen and pistil from the blossom before filling. I have found recipes with
pasta and daylily buds, usually using about a
cup of the buds. Stuffing daylily blossoms
with a herbal cream cheese mixture from the
grocery store is also a great way to serve the
blossoms. Use about 1 ½ tablespoons per
blossom to stuff. Using daylilies in food
preparation is not a new fad. The Asians have
used them in Mu-Su Pork and Hot and Sour
soup since ancient times.
Daylilies are classified as Hemerocallis;
they are easy, sun-loving perennials. The
American Horticultural Society’s Encyclopedia lists over seven pages of varieties. My yellow daylilies are Hemerocallis flava, and I
suspect that the orange one is flava also. They
are star shaped, single petal, semi-evergreen
with narrow leaves, 20-26’ long. In my research I read of their origin in China, and that
explained the Mu-Su Pork.
Today is a cool, rainy day in North Texas. I
can just see my daylilies peeking out of the
earth. Before the family knows it, orange will
once again color our landscape and nourish
our dinner plates.
Bibliography:
Flowers in the Kitchen, Susan Belsinger,
Interweave Press, ISBN no. 0-934026-63-7
American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
The Herb Quarterly, spring 2004, “A
Spring Floral Brunch” by Lynn Smythe, page
44-48.
The 2008 Plant sale was a huge success.
There were hundreds of hours volunteered,
and we made a good profit for our upcoming
year’s activities. Plus, we had many opportunities to talk to Collin County (and beyond)
residents about waterwise landscaping, Texas
SuperStars, Earth Kind roses, and more!
About the Author: Mary Nell Jackson, class of 1997, is a
herb lover and discovered her love for writing about the
garden a few years ago when she penned an article
about gardening in her p.j.'s.
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ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Mystery Plants
Think you know what these plants are? Then help us out! Some we think we know, and others
we have nary a clue. Drop Katherine Ponder a line to identify any or all of these mystery
plants, A-F.
We’ll let you know in the next issue which is which!
A
B
D
E
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C
F
ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Container Water Gardens
By Beth Mortenson
Water gardens and ponds have become
quite popular lately, and many gardening
magazines and websites have been devoting
more and more space to this wonderful style
of gardening. Lush plants and flowers are
always a welcome sight in a Texas garden
where the hot summer sun and limited rainfall can often be too harsh for these plants.
Not everyone is willing, however, to invest the time and expense of building a pond,
nor is everyone willing or able to give up the
yard space for such an undertaking. In addition, a pond requires constant maintenance
and oversight. Is there a way to experience
the joy of water gardening without the hassles of a pond? You bet there is!
Water gardening in containers is a beautiful and creative way to enjoy the lush and
exotic foliage and flowers of water-loving
plants. Container water gardens can be a direct reflection of an individual’s sense of
style and imagination, for there are limitless
ways to create these works of art.
Start with a container. Almost anything
that holds water is a candidate for a water
garden container, so be imaginative. Whiskey
barrels are always popular and look at home
in a county-style garden. The barrel may leak
at first, but with time, the wood should swell
to close any gaps. Other choices for containers include terra cotta planters, the new lightweight synthetic planters, galvanized tubs,
livestock watering troughs, and washtubs. Be
sure to plug any holes with cork or wax or
other non-toxic sealant.
Next, look for a sunny spot to place the
container. Most aquatic plants will require a
minimum of six hours of direct sunlight.
Make certain that the ground is level and
sturdy because water is quite heavy and it
will be very difficult to move a filled con-
tainer. Also
consider the
safety of children, as well
as any local
regulations or
homeowner
association
rules, in the
placement of
the water garden.
There are many water-loving plants to
choose from, and it may be difficult to limit
the selection to just a few, but it is important
not to overcrowd the planter. A large terra
cotta planter can probably handle four plants.
To make the arrangement pleasing to the eye,
choose one the has some vertical height such
as variegated sweet flag; choose another with
foliage and flowers that float on the surface
such as water lily; and choose one that will
spill over the container’s side such as water
hyacinth. Keep in mind the plants’ fully
grown size so that the plants will have the
room that they will require to grow.
If the plant requires repotting, be sure
to use heavy clay and not a potting soil mix;
the potting soil will just float out of the
(Continued on page 8)
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ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Vertical water plants include variegated
(Continued from page 7)
plant’s pot. Place small gravel at the bottom of
the pot, then the clay and the plant, and then
finish the top with more gravel. Slowly lower
plants into the water. If the water is too deep
for the plant, simply place a brick or two under
the plant. Plants should be fertilized with tablets after they show growth in the spring.
To keep the water garden healthy and beautiful, remove spent flowers regularly, trim
away dead foliage, and dip out fallen leaves or
other debris. Two methods for eliminating
mosquito larvae include overfilling the container every few days which will cause the
floating larvae to wash out of the container, or
place one or two goldfish in the garden – they
will be happy for their mosquito larvae meals.
It is unlikely that a container water garden
will successfully over-winter outdoors in North
Texas. Even if hardy plants are chosen, the
container itself might freeze due to a lack of
volume. It is possible to over-winter many of
the plants if the water is drained to a low level
and the container is placed in a garage.
sweet flag, water canna, cattail, and umbrella
plant. Floating plants include water lettuce, water lilies, and water hyacinth. Cascading plants
include pennywort, water hyssop (bacopa), and
water mint. To learn more about these plants,
and for local purchase information, go to:
www.aquaticlandscapes.com or
www.backyardconcept.com.
About the Author: Beth Mortenson, class of 2006, is a
local business owner with products focusing
on rainwater harvesting.
Math with Matt
Matt Grubisich, the speaker from our March
meeting and former member of the Texas Forestry Service, gave us some great formulas to use
in our gardening pursuits.
Q: How much do trees help eliminate greenhouse gases?
Q: How much should I water a
tree that’s being established (2-3
years in current location) during
dry periods?
A: Diameter of tree × 2-3 gallons
= gallons needed per week
Q: How far away should a tree be
planted from a home?
A: U.S. forests sequester 200280 million tons of carbon per
year, offsetting 12% of the U.S.
GHG emissions resulting from human activity.
A: Mature height or crown spread
÷ 2 = feet away from a house
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ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Garden Checklist for May-June
By: Dr. William C. Welch, Professor & Landscape Horticulturist, Texas A&M University, College
Station, TX. The following information was compiled from the 2007 updates available at http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/extension/newsletters/hortupdate/.
May
• It is not too late to sow directly into the soil seeds of sunflower, zinnia, morning glory, portulaca, marigold, cosmos, periwinkles, and gourds. Achimenes, cannas, dahlias, and other
summer-flowering bulbs can also be planted in May.
• Allow foliage of spring-flowering bulbs to mature and yellow before removing.
• Pinch back the terminal growth on newly planted annual and perennial plants. This will result in shorter, more compact, well branched plants with more flowers.
• Time to plant caladium tubers, impatiens, coleus, begonias, and pentas in shady areas.
• Replace or replenish mulch materials in flower beds and shrub borders to conserve moisture
and reduce weed growth.
• Make cuttings of your favorite chrysanthemums and root them in a mixture of sand and peat
moss. Cover cutting box with plastic and place in shaded area for 5 or 6 days to prevent
wilting.
• Prune climbing roses as they complete their spring bloom season. Remove dead or weak
wood as needed.
• Take a critical look at your landscape while at the height of summer development. Make
notes of how you think it can be better arranged, plants that need replacement, overgrown
plants that need to be removed, and possible activity areas that can be enjoyed by family
members.
• Check for insects and diseases. Destroy badly infested plants. Spider mites can be especially
troublesome at this time. Select a chemical or organic control, or use insecticidal soap.
• During the summer, soil moisture becomes extremely important and essential for good plant
production. Because continual watering is oftentimes costly and time consuming, it pays to
conserve the moisture around plants. This is best done by mulching. A good mulch will retain valuable moisture needed for plant growth, and improve overall gardening success.
Mulches are usually applied 2 to 6 inches deep, depending on the material used. In general,
the coarser the material, the deeper the mulch. For example, a 2-inch layer of cottonseed
hulls will have about the same mulching effect as 6 inches of oat straw or 4 inches of
coastal Bermuda hay.
June
• Take a critical look at your landscape while at the height of summer development. Make
notes of how you think it can be better arranged, plants that need replacement, overgrown
plants that need to be removed, and possible activity areas that can be enjoyed by family
members.
• Check for insects and diseases. Destroy badly infested plants. Spider mites can be especially
troublesome at this time. Select a chemical or organic control, or use insecticidal soap.
• Supplemental irrigation is essential for many ornamental plants such as coleus, caladium,
geranium, dahlia, azalea, and camellia during the hot dry summer days ahead. Water lawn
(Continued on page 10)
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ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Garden Checklist for May-June
(Continued from page 9)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
and garden thoroughly, but not too frequently. As a general rule, soak to a depth of 8 inches.
Finish watering by early afternoon, to lessen the chance of disease.
During the summer, soil moisture becomes extremely important and essential for good plant
production. Because continual watering is oftentimes costly and time consuming, it pays to
conserve the moisture around plants. This is best done by mulching. A good mulch will retain valuable moisture needed for plant growth, and improve overall gardening success.
Mulches are usually applied 2 to 6 inches deep, depending on the material used. In general,
the coarser the material, the deeper the mulch. For example, a 2-inch layer of cottonseed
hulls will have about the same mulching effect as 6 inches of oat straw or 4 inches of
coastal Bermuda hay.
There is still time to plant some of the colorful, heat-tolerant summer annuals. Direct-seed
zinnias and portulaca, and purchase plants of periwinkle, salvia, marigold, and purslane. Be
sure to water transplants as needed until roots become established.
Removing faded flowers from plants before they set seed will keep them growing and producing flowers. A light application of fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks will also be helpful.
House plants can be moved out of doors this month. Sink the pots in a cool, shaded garden
bed to prevent them from drying out so quickly; water pots, container plants, and hanging
baskets often. Monthly feedings with house plant fertilizer will encourage continued
growth.
Now is the time to plan for next spring. Consider digging and dividing any crowded spring
bulbs. Once the bulbs have matured and the foliage has turned brown, it is time to spade
them up and thin out the stand. Crowded bulbs produce fewer and smaller blooms. They
usually need thinning every 3 to 4 years.
June is the time to select daylily varieties as they reach their peak of bloom. + Fertilize roses
every 4 to 6 weeks. Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer immediately after a flush of bloom.
Continue to spray susceptible roses with a black-spot control such a Funginex every 7 to 10
days.
Re-blooming salvias, such as Salvia greggii and S. Farinacea, should be pruned back periodically during the summer. To make the job easier, use hedging shears, and remove only
the spent flowers and a few inches of stem below. Fall-blooming perennials, such as Mexican marigold mint (Tagetes lucida), chrysanthemums, physostegia, and Salvia leucantha,
should be pruned in the same manner during the summer to keep them compact, reducing
the need for staking. This type of pruning should be completed prior to September 1, since
flower buds begin forming about that time.
Highlights from State Master Gardener Conference
Check out the original home page for an overview, and the Texas MG page for photos.
http://www.2008texasmastergardenerconference.org/
http://www.texasmastergardeners.org/photo_album/photo.html
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ECHO Newsletter
May-June 2008
Thanks to ECHO Newsletter contributors:
Kathleen Brooks
Greg Church
Nancy Harmon
Mary Nell Jackson
Beth Mortenson
Susan Norton
Katherine Ponder
Claudia Ross
Dr. William C. Welch
The submission deadline for the July/August
2008 issue of the Echo Newsletter is June 10,
2008. Send submissions, comments and suggestions to:
Editor, Katherine Ponder at:
[email protected]
CCMGA
Texas AgriLife Extension
825 N. MacDonald Street
Suite 150
McKinney, TX 75069
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