Comal Gardener - Texas Master Gardeners Association

September 2015
Comal Gardener
A monthly publication of the Comal Master Gardeners Association through the Texas A& M AgriLife Extension Service in
Comal County, 325 Resource Drive, New Braunfels, TX 78132 (830-620-3440)
Volume XVIII
http://txmg.org/comal
The Fair is Fast Approaching
When school starts and September rolls around, all Comal
Master Gardeners know that the Fajita Social and the
Comal County Fair are right around the corner. CMGs
will be setting up their annual booth at the Grant Street
Gardens, maintained by the CMG Fairgrounds Committee.
During fair time CMG volunteers answer questions and
give out information about the 2016 class and the 2016
Spring Seminar. There is a table where children visiting
the booth can plant a seed or make a seed ball. Free plants
and seed packets are also available to visitors.
The Fairground Garden committee needs everyone’s help
with this endeavor. If you have not already begun to
gather your unwanted plants and seeds, now is the time.
All plants and seeds brought to the booth must be labeled.
Remember that any member bringing ten labeled plants is
eligible to receive one volunteer hour credit. Members are
also needed to staff the booth. Sign up sheets will be
available at the September meeting. (Cont’d on page 5)
Number 9
Inside this Fall Gardening Issue:
Comal Fair, Fajita Social
1, 5
Garden Posts
2
Open House, Youth Education
3
Speaker, Lrning Opp, What Missed
4
Auction
Aunt Linda, River Garden
5
6
School Volunteers
7
CMG Calendar
7
Choosing Trees
8
Companion Planting
9
Crop Rotation
10
Saving Seeds
11
Committee Reports
12-13
CE Opportunities
13-15
It’s Time for the Fajita Social
All Comal Masters Gardeners and their families are
invited to attend the 15th annual Fajita Social on Sunday,
September 20 at 6:30 pm. The social will be held at the
Fair Grounds Gardens, just inside the Grant Street
entrance. In case of rain, the social will move to the food
court. (Cont’d on page 5)
Comal Master Gardeners
General Meeting
Monday, September 21, 2015
6:00 pm at GVTC Auditorium
Speaker: Dr. Greta Schuster
Topic: Interactive Session on Plant
Pathology (see page 4)
Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service, or
accommodation in order to participate in meetings are encouraged to contact the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, 830-620-3440 for assistance. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial
products or trade names do not intend discrimination or imply endorsement by the Extension Service. Extension forbids employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, or national origin in any term,
condition, or privilege of employment.
September 2015
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September Garden Posts
Fall 2015 CMG teacher training was conducted
at the AgriLife Extension Office with 41 participants attending, representing both Comal and
New Braunfels ISD. Thank you to speakers and
presenters: Judy Chantos, fall vegetable garden,
Dan Krueger, compost, extension office staff
Krystal Batteen and Connie Sheppard, the new
JMG curriculum “Learn Grow Eat Go” and Vivian Miller and Sharon Deeny, Greenhouse Management.
Save the Date! The 2015 annual Comal Master
Gardener Educational/Scholarship Fundraising
Auction will be held October 19. For further
information and how you can help, read the associated article in this newsletter.
Save the Date! Saturday, October 10, from 9
am to 2 pm, CMG will hold its 2015 AEGC
Open House. For further information and how
you can help, read the associated article in this
newsletter.
If you are interested in helping to celebrate Arbor Day, October 24, with the CMG booth or
the tree-planting and give-away, contact Volunteer
Coordinator
Pat
Hartley
([email protected] or 210-6516172) or sign up at the September membership
meeting.
Remember, NEITHER the October Auction or
the December party will include a membership
meeting. You will NOT be able to count either
as one of the two necessary meetings to meet
membership requirements.
If you can get a copy and have not already read
it, check out emeritus member Nancy Horne’s
August 5th front-page article in the HeraldZeitung on the invasive cat’s claw vine.
Save the Date! The CMG Holiday Party will
be Tuesday, December 8 in the GVTC auditorium. Mark your calendars.
Nominating Committee Chair Lee Franzel announced the 2016 slate of CMG officer candidates: President-Elect Clare Carnicom, VicePresident-Elect Rex Klaurens and Secretary
Bonnie Leitch. Lee also appealed for volunteers
to become Director(s) to represent CMG with
the TMGA. The position has been held by two
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people in the past. The job involves four daytrips to College Station, plus the annual TMG
meeting.
Anyone interested, contact Lee
([email protected] or 830-885-7733).
Texas AgriLife has asked for a copy of sign-in
sheets for all programs and public presentations.
Members responsible for those meetings are required to send a copy to the county extension
office. Copies are available from the CMG
website.
Lee Franzel’s neighbor has made a CMG mug.
The logo is a modified version of the CMG shirt
logo, with the original logo designer Marlene
Skaggs’ approval. The 15-ounce mugs are $10
each and come with a name of your choice on
the opposite side. A nice gift for a CMG. Any
member
interested
can
contact
Lee
([email protected]). CMG is not involved
in this offer and does not profit from any sales.
Congratulations to newly certified CMGs Julie
Barak, Barbara Rich and Jolene Steuckrath, pictured with Lee Franzel, leader of the 2015 Class.
September 2015
Page 3
CMG Open House at AgriLife
by Lee Franzel
Comal Master Gardeners will stage the association’s third Open House on the AgriLife Grounds,
325 Resource Drive, on Saturday, October 10 from
9 am to 2 pm. Comal Master Naturalists and Native Plant Society of Texas will also contribute to
the event.
Families are invited to attend the free event. Tours
of the Demonstration Gardens include the Vegetable Garden, Earth-kind Rose Garden, the Native
and Adapted Landscape areas, the Herb Garden and
Native Grass beds. Baby farm animals will be on
hand for a Petting Zoo. Kids are invited to make
bird feeders using toilet tissue rolls and birdseed.
Demonstrations include speakers on bugs, butterflies, drip irrigation, water catchment, mulch and
compost, with a rain collection barrel as a door
prize. The Comal County Gardening Guide will be
available for sale. Mailboxes around the grounds
will contain informational bulletins on various gardening subjects.
Vegetable chili will be available made by the Comal County agents. CMG members are encouraged
to bring transplant starts with one volunteer hour
awarded for a donation of ten plants. Also, remember that cookie donations for the event are welcome. For more information, see the CMG website: www.txmg.org/comal
Youth Education Garden Post for September
Volunteers are needed to support the Learn Grow
Eat Go JMG curriculum in several school settings.
Schools are in both Comal and New Braunfels ISD.
Volunteers may assist with teaching and garden
activities with students or preparing simple recipes
for tastings from vegetables in the garden. Volunteers may work on a regular schedule or for specific
occasional projects.
Volunteers are needed to support the New Braunfels
Middle School Education Foundation grant that
includes a vegetable garden, JMG curriculum and a
greenhouse. Activities will involve a monthly schedule and special projects in the greenhouse.
Volunteers are needed for assistance with plantings
at two school settings where butterfly gardens are
planned. Rex Klaurens has designed a butterfly
garden at Lamar Elementary. Students and science
teacher Teri James have planned a butterfly garden
at Church Hill Middle School. Comal Master Gardeners are asked to save cuttings or to give donations for a butterfly garden for that September planting. Any butterfly specific plant can be used. Preferences are coral honeysuckle vine, purple passion
vine, gold star esperanza, tropical sage, blue sage,
autumn sage, dill, parsley, fennel, marigold, zinnia,
cosmos and verbena. A September workday will be
announced through e-minders for both schools.
A volunteer is needed to assist with grant writing for
youth education. Grant writing will focus on
providing funding to assist area schools with training, curriculum and garden seeds and plants.
Contact Mary Helen Phillips
([email protected] or 830-964-4212) for
more information on any of these projects.
September 2015 Gardening Experiences
Sunday, September 20, 2 – 4 pm. San Antonio
Daylily Society Auction. Bid on some stunning
daylilies! They are yours to have and take home if
the price is right. Cash and checks accepted. The
best tip for winning that “gotta-have” daylily cultivar: Just keep your hand up high. San Antonio Botanical Gardens Educational Building, 555 Funston
Place.
September 2015
Page 4
September Speaker — Plant Pathology
Dr. Greta Schuster, September’s meeting speaker, is
a
professor of agronomy at Texas A&M
Kingsville. Her expertise is plant pathology.
Dr. Schuster will review plant symptoms and diseases in a combination presentation and interactive
exercise. She will bring microscopes for CMGs to
view specimens for discussion. It is very important
for CMG members attending the meeting to bring
in specimens, for instance insects or diseased
plants/plant samples, for discussion and teaching. This program should be enjoyable for new
members as well as the more experienced
membership.
Another Learning Opportunity
The Master Wellness program is a new opportunity
to develop habits and knowledge for living a more
healthful life. The Master Wellness class is run in a
similar manner to a Master Gardeners class –
roughly the same length of time in the classroom
and workshops and roughly the same time commitment required. It, too, is offered by TAMU AgriLife
Extension and encompasses foods, health, exercise,
good living practices, food/lifestyle living and safety.
Because it has not been offered here before, there
are currently no Master Wellness graduates from
by Pat Hartley
Comal County. As Volunteer Coordinator, Pat Hartley was asked to promote it and find at least ten
people to take the class. Because it is very much
like master gardening, helping people live better
lives, she has agreed and will be one of the ten taking the class in January. Present Comal Master Gardeners will be able to take the class without cost.
The volunteer commitment might involve teaching
people how to live better or perhaps working in the
food bank. If you think you might like to join,
contact
Pat ([email protected] or
210-651-6172).
See What You Missed
Recently I attended a seminar that discussed what to
do with autumn
leaves. In my
opinion,
the
leaves that are
on display in
the fall are the
most beautiful of all leaves. The many shades of
red, orange, yellow and brown found in fall leaves
are, for me, indescribable. I have traveled hundreds
of miles to see the gorgeous array leaves in the autumn. What a beautiful memory!
Alas! The leaves will soon fade, fall and cause
problems. There are, however, many options for the
by Patsy Vann
dead leaves, as I learned from a knowledgeable lecturer in Bastrop. The easiest way to remove dead
leaves is to mow over them once or twice, allowing
the organic materials to add nutrients to spring
lawns. Gathering the dead leaves to spread mulch in
flowerbeds is always a good option. Making compost works well, too; then fresh, organic material is
available in the spring. Because of the resplendent
colors of fall leaves, many people decorate with the
dead leaves, often treating them with glycerin to
preserve color longer. Magazine and newspaper articles are filled with ideas for arrangements, crafts,
gifts and more. My favorite thing to do with dead
leaves, much to my embarrassment, is to play in
them. Piles of raked leaves make a wonderful playground for running, jumping, hiding and laughing!
See what we are all missing!
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September 2015
The Fair is Fast Approaching
The days and times for the booth are Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26, from noon
to 6 pm, and on Sunday, September 27, from noon
to 4 pm. Set-up time starts Friday 10:30 am to
noon, and shutdown is at 4 pm on Sunday. Volunteers will work in two or more hour shifts and will
receive a free pass on the day they work.
Plants and seeds may be dropped off on Friday or
Saturday at the Grant Street entrance. If you have
plants or seeds but are unable to get them to the
fairgrounds, contact Jeanette Willard (830-7089822 or [email protected]) by Wednesday,
September 23 to make arrangements for pick-up.
If you have any other questions, contact Jeanette.
There will be a workday at the Fair Ground Gardens on Thursday September 24 at 8 am for final
beautification for the Comal County Fair. Come
join us for the fun.
It’s Time for the Fajita Social
The social is a good way to end the summer season
and enjoy the gardens at the Comal County Fair
Grounds. Meat, tortillas, tea and water, as well as
the eating utensils, will be provided. Members are
asked to bring a side dish that will go with fajitas.
Desserts are also needed. There are picnic tables
available, but feel free to bring lawn chairs. If you
wish to drink other beverages, bring them as well.
(Cont’d)
(Cont’d)
Members will be able to sign up at September meeting so the fairgrounds committee members will
know how many to prepare for and what members
will be bringing.
To sign up, contact Jeanette Willard (830-708-9822
or [email protected]). Look forward to seeing you all there.
The Auction is a-Comin’
by Clare Carnicom
Get ready for an exciting evening on Monday, October 19, at the GVTC Auditorium with the annual
Comal Master Gardener Educational/Scholarship
Fundraising Auction. The doors will open at 4 pm.
The annual chili supper begins at 5 pm, with the
silent auction beginning at 6, and the live auction
at 7.
Every year all proceeds are used for CMG member
specialist training and scholarships for area high
school seniors in agricultural or allied fields. Consider giving new or used donations of good quality
for the auction. Drop-off points for donated items
have been established around the county, and pickup is available for large items. A donor letter is
available for personal or business donations.
RSVPs for Comal Master Gardeners and their
guests are now available online at www.txmg.org/
comal/. Donated items may be entered online at
the same site. Remember to provide a description
and an estimated monetary value for the items.
For additional information or to volunteer, contact
Gene and Clare Carnicom at [email protected]
or 830-438-4286.
September 2015
Page 6
Aunt Linda Really Needs You!
This is a list of positions and responsibilities that
CMG needs filled. Some of these positions are critical to the organization’s functioning.
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2016 Hospitality Chair: This committee takes
care of hospitality for the general meetings as
well as organizes the Spring Picnic, Fajita Supper, Auction Chili Supper and Christmas Party.
This is a big job! Talk to Doug Sawin for further information.
2016 Membership Chair: This person handles
notifying members when their background
checks are due, of their volunteer hours and CE
credits, or lack thereof. Makes sure all required
forms are signed and in place. Another big job,
but one that can be done at a member’s convenience.
2016 Award Committee Chair: This committee
should be able to gather information and write a
compelling (complete and concise) application
for CMG nominees for state awards.
2016 Auction Chair: This committee organizes
the auction, the item forms and the set-up of the
meeting room.
2016 Booth Chair: This committee organizes
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the set up and volunteers for booths for special
occasions like Arbor Day and Tye Preston Memorial Library’s Earth Day celebration.
Director(s): The position requires two people.
The job involves four day-trips to College Station, plus the annual TMG meeting.
Thanks to those who volunteered to fill the following positions.
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Back up for Timekeeper: Rex Klaurens has
volunteered to be back up and knows how to
generate reports for the membership.
Back up for Photographer: Lee Franzel has
volunteered to take photos at the meetings and or
special occasions like spring picnic and open
house.
2016 Poinsettia Sales: Catherine Hall has volunteered to be continuing backup and chairman for
2016.
If you are interested in any of these positions or need
more
information,
contact
Linda
Valdez
([email protected] or 210-651-0356).
CMG River Gardens Project
by Mary Helen Phillips
River Gardens, located at 750 Rusk in New Braunfels, is a residential facility providing housing and
programming for 160 intellectually disabled adolescents and young adults. The group home was established in 1981 on ten acres bordering the Guadalupe
River. The property includes a workshop, classroom
area and recreation center for the residents.
In January, CMG Callie Jacks requested CMG Board
approval for assistance in drawing landscape plans to
enhance the River Gardens facility. The request was
approved and a committee formed, consisting of
Mary Helen Phillips, Callie Jacks and Dwight Micklethwait. Donna Mechler, member of the River Gardens Board, and Penny Stapleton, River Gardens facility manager, were also members.
The committee met several times to determine the
best location for landscaping. As a retired architect,
Dwight Micklethwait drew detailed plans for landscaping an area near the common grounds. Plants
used for the project included bi-color iris, fire cracker bush, white guara, verbena, purple salvia, gold
lantana, angelina and three chinquapin oak trees. The
River Gardens Board enthusiastically endorsed his
plan. Funding for the project was provided by the
River Gardens Board and Friends and Families of
River Gardens, a support group for the home.
Three trees and approximately fifty native plants
were added to enhance the common grounds area
nearest to the resident’s primary living area. Seating
with picnic tables and benches was also added to encourage residents and family to visit and to use the
area for other social gatherings. Plants were designated to three large beds and three 4-by-6 feet metal
troughs. The preparation of the landscape beds
(Cont’d on page 7)
Page 7
September 2015
CMG River Gardens Project
(Cont’d)
and the planting were completed in two scheduled
workdays with several CMGs, River Gardens staff
and residents working together. Comal Master Gardeners who participated in workdays included
Dwight Micklethwait, Randy Jacks, Callie Jacks,
Julie Barak, Cindy Scifres and Louise Norberry.
Thanks to Dwight Micklethwait, who led this project, and all CMGs who made it a reality.
New School Volunteer Opportunities
by Nancy Pappas, Sow Healthy Director
The Sow Healthy Coalition, formerly Resolute
Health & Wellness Charity, will again be partnering
with the Comal Master Gardeners to support school
garden projects at both Comal ISD and New Braunfels ISD schools. The program has lots of enthusiastic teachers and projects at about fifteen schools
around the county. Help is needed in presenting
special topics, for instance, good bugs vs. bad bugs
or creating compost. Consider giving some master
gardener support on planting days. We would love
for you to join us!
The Sow Healthy Coalition is excited to be supporting another generation of gardeners by providing
seeds, transplants, compost and curriculum to the
schools, but the coalition cannot provide all the
expertise and real support the schools need without
the wisdom, knowledge and volunteer contributions
of the Comal Master Gardener team. So continue to
contact Mary Helen Phillips and let her know how
you would be willing to support school gardening.
September 2015
Page 8
Fall: Time to Select Trees and Shrubs
by Lee Franzel
Experts say that
September, with
the entry of fall
and winter, is a
great time in our
area to plant trees
and shrubs because plants have
the best conditions to get established. The hot
months of summer
are,
of
course, the worst time. Fall is better than spring because the tree and shrub roots grow and start becoming established over fall and winter to ready them for
the growth spurt of spring. Yes, even a deciduous
tree’s roots are active over fall and winter when the
foliage is gone.
fifteen or more feet from the house. Planting too
close to a house leads to problems. Check for power
lines and don’t get a delayed unpleasant surprise from
a tree blocking desirable views after a few years.
Dr. Jerry Parson’s Plant Answers website gives the
“Five S’s” to choose the right tree: Specific, Site,
Space, Structure and Standards.
Many Comal landscapes have large numbers of live
oaks and red oaks. A homeowner might wish to add
some small non-oak species as insurance against a
disastrous infection of oak wilt.
Choose a tree for the Specific purpose of the tree —
shade, privacy, color, fruit or nut production. Site
refers to the needs of the tree, matching depth of soil
and acid/alkaline pH requirement. It is a big mistake
to mail order a tree or shrub that needs acid soil in
Comal County. Most pines, dogwood, deodar cedar
and shrubs like azaleas are doomed from the start
here. Additionally, many people plant a tree in the
middle of a lawn area. Trees and lawns are not compatible. Contrary to common thinking, tree roots do
not grow down; they grow out, with most roots between six and twelve inches under the surface, the
same root zone as grass roots. In addition, lawn grass
needs sun, while the tree makes shade.
The Site consideration also includes positioning a
new tree with the future in mind. A rose or flower
garden will not perform well if, when a tree matures,
it shades the beds. Generally, planting a new tree on
the perimeter of a front yard is best.
Space consideration is extremely important. Envision
the mature size of the selection. Locate a large tree
Structure refers to the shape of the tree. Is a straight
trunk with top growth better or a full tree with width
from the bottom up? Some tree shapes denote a
theme, like yews linked to graveyards, or Italian cypress, an icon of Tuscan style.
Standards refers the technical consideration of root
ball diameter to trunk caliper. A rule of thumb is
twelve inches of root ball for each one inch of trunk
diameter.
Other considerations besides the five above involve
the neatness of the tree’s habit and whether an evergreen or deciduous tree is acceptable. If a fruit or nut
tree is considered, some thought should be given to
pruning and spraying needs.
Choosing native and adapted species gives best odds
for success. Observe the mature trees in the neighborhood to see the types that like the environment.
Soil depth in central and eastern parts of New Braunfels is good. But the Hill Country areas have woefully thin soil, which strikes magnolia and pecan off the
list, to name only two. An experienced local nurseryman, rather than a big box store, will steer a person to
a wise decision.
Comal Master Gardeners are reminded that their
Master Gardener Handbook has an excellent section
on the selection, planting and care of trees and shrubs
in the Landscape Horticulture section. Dust off that
old handbook and review it. Also, most own a copy
of Austin Grow Green that includes a useful list of
trees and shrubs for our area, with color pictures, or
the Comal County Gardening Guide, which also gives
excellent listings of trees and shrubs for our area.
Page 9
September 2015
Companion Planting
by Julie Siliven
“Plants are conscious of the company they keep.
Some help other plants grow, while others repel insects or even other plants. And there is no accounting for tastes—plants prefer some strange bedfellows….” (Pamela Alardice in her book A-Z of Companion Planting.)
Separate rows of vegetables with a strip of some
companion herbs. For example, plant alternating
garlic and chives between rows of lettuce and peas to
control insect attack. Set nasturtiums between broccoli clumps to control aphids and place rosemary,
thyme hyssop and sage between cabbage rows.
By using companion planting, many gardeners find
that they can discourage harmful pests without losing the beneficial allies. There are many varieties of
herbs and flowers that can be used for companion
plants.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, dill and basil
planted among tomatoes protect the tomatoes from
hornworms, and sage scattered about the cabbage
patch reduces injury from cabbage moths. Marigolds are as good as gold when grown with just
about any garden plant, repelling beetles, nematodes
and even animal pests.
Here are some tips that will help both fall and winter
gardens have a bountiful harvest. Plant spinach between rows of beans to shade the soil and prevent
drying and cracking. Dry cracked soil attracts blackflies, and blackflies eat beans. Certain herbs will
benefit nearby plants as well. Planting garlic under
roses discourages aphids and many other unpleasant
predators. Strawberries have been observed to grow,
fruit and taste better if clumps of cucumber-flavored,
blue-flowered borage are planted alongside. Some
plants exude a natural nematode repellant from their
roots. These include marigolds, dahlias, some salvias and asparagus.
Some companions act as trap plants, luring insects
to themselves. Nasturtiums, for example, are so favored by aphids that the devastating insects will
flock to them instead of other plants. Carrots, dill,
parsley and parsnips attract garden heroes – praying
mantises, ladybugs and spiders -- that dine on insect
pests.
Companion planting can combine beauty and purpose to produce an enjoyable, healthful landscape.
There are many ways to incorporate these useful
plants in the garden. Try some.
Companion planting of carrots and onions
KarottenZwiebeln 266" by [email protected]
September 2015
Crop Rotation Yields Benefits
Page 10
by Jolene Steuckrath
One of the first things Comal Master Gardeners learn
concerns the health of soil. The message is don’t
keep wearing the same dress day in and day out
when you’ve got others in your closet; any dress
tends to look old when worn and washed so often
and is soon discarded.
Dividing the garden into a number of growing areas
simplifies a valuable tried-and-true method called
crop rotation. Crops yield better if they grow where
something else grew the year before, if that something else is an unrelated crop, like potatoes then
sweet corn. Planting relatives of the same family,
for example potatoes and tomatoes, the solanaceae
or nightshade family, will give a bushel full of grief.
Successive planting of the same or similar plants can
lead to exhausted soil, because different crops remove different nutrients.
For the year-round garden, it is vital for good garden
health to apply crop rotation, and this is not too complicated to plan. The eight-crop rotation plan developed by market gardener Eliot Coleman, as discussed in his book Four-Season Harvest, incorporates decades of farm and garden research. For
instance, harvest a bed of early lettuce, then follow it
with beans, carrots, or corn rather than plant more
lettuce. The next lettuce planted could go where early beet greens were harvested. A four-year rotation
is optimal. All gardens are different, so customize a
plan to fit circumstances.
pacted subsoil. Nitrogen-fixing legumes often take
more nitrogen out of the soil than they replace, but
their presence stimulates the growth of beneficial
soil microorganisms. In some circumstances, the
rotation effect defies easy explanation; no one knows
why potatoes tend to grow well when planted after
sweet corn.
Similar results were found by interrupting disease
cycles. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University
studied early blight on tomato growth in the same
plot for four years without rotation. Early-seasonal
infection rates were measured when 5% of the fruit
turned red. The study showed that infection increased from 3% the first year to 74% by the third
year. This same metric was applied to the cantaloupes that developed alter aria blight earlier with
each passing season.
Finally, identify crop sequences that work well in the
same growing season. For instance, garlic can remain in the ground from fall to midsummer. In the
area where the garlic was grown, plant shell beans;
in a cooler climate, a gardener could consider a garlic/lettuce sequence. Once a gardener starts rotating
plants, he should notice the benefits after a few
years. Long-term dividends will be huge.
What happens without a crop rotation plan? According to Mother Earth News, field trials in Connecticut
and Europe indicate that potato production will
quickly fall by 40 percent, and disease will be the
culprit. A seven-year study from Ontario indicates a
similar decline when tomatoes are planted year after
year in the same plot. Snap beans turned into paltry
producers, too.
Rotation will replenish nutrients, for example, tomatoes need plenty of calcium while beans and beets
crave manganese. Exact benefits of effective rotations, however, vary with crop sequence. Broadleafed greens are weed suppressors, and the deep
roots of sweet corn are great for penetrating comFrom “Vegetable Garden Crop Rotation Made Easy”
by Julie Day
September 2015
Page 11
Saving Seeds
by Betty Jackson
Saving vegetable and flower seeds is a good way to
provide seeds for next year’s planting. Can it really
be as simple as just collecting the seeds and saving
them in a cool, dry place to use next year? No, it
isn’t quite that simple to duplicate the crops. Some
planning is required if harvesting seeds for reuse is
one goal of a garden’s bounty.
First, only seeds that come from non-hybridized
plants may legally be harvested for replanting. Hybrid seeds and plants may now carry utility patents
causing patent infringement if the seeds from such
protected plants are saved and planted. If seeds are
to be harvested, plant only F2 varieties, which are not
hybrid. (The seed packet lists this information.)
Second, the seed pollination method must be considered. If a plant with the same genetics as the parent
is desired, pollination must be from a plant of the
same variety. If a species is pollinated by the wind,
no other varieties should be planted within one mile
to prevent cross-pollination. If the plants are insectpollinated, one quarter mile between varieties is sufficient to prevent crossing. Self-pollinated plants
usually provide the most reliable seeds for the home
gardener to collect. Self-pollinated vegetables include beans, chicory, endive, lettuce, peas and tomatoes. While peppers are not self-pollinating, studies
show that little cross-pollination occurs if varieties
are separated by forty feet and interspersed with a
tall, flowering plant species. Planting the right varieties in the correct location is the first step to successful seed saving.
Harvest seeds after the fruit is ripe but before it rots.
Allow pod seeds to dry to brown before gathering
them. If frost is imminent, pull up the whole plant
and hang it in a cool, dry place until the pods are dry.
Peppers must be mature before collecting their seeds.
Most bell peppers are red when they are ripe. Collect the seeds, wash them and spread them on clean,
dry plates or sheet pans. Pepper seeds are dry if they
break when folded.
Flower seeds are also good to gather to replant next
year. For true replication of the parent flower, similar pollination rules apply as for vegetables. However, it is fun and easy to collect flower seeds from
both purchased and wild flowers. After the flowers
are spent and the seed head has dried, place a container under the seed head so no seeds are lost and
detach the seed head from the stem. Gently rub the
seed heads to separate the seeds and the chaff. Place
seeds in envelopes labeled with the name of the plant
and include any other information that is important.
Store them in a cool, dry place. Interestingly, wild
flowers and other native plants undergo a process of
selective natural breeding that results in individual
plants that are best adapted to their environment.
Weaker plants die off and the best of the variety,
called landraces, survive and continue the species.
Commercial growers use this landrace tendency to
hybridize the best of the species.
It is almost Comal County Fair time. One activity
that is always popular at the CMG fair booth is the
seed giveaway. So, harvest some seeds from the
yard and garden and bring them to the fair. Help
spread the joy of planting and growing in our
community.
September 2015
September 2015 Committee Reports
Page 12
Visit the Comal Gardeners’ site at http://txmg.org/comal/ and select the Upcoming Events link to see all of
the current volunteer activities and add an event to your calendar.
Agrilife Extension Garden Complex (AEGC) The Office Gardens of AEGC will have workdays on
Tuesdays, September 1 and 15 (and possibly 29, date still pending) at 8:00 am. Jobs to be done will
mostly be maintenance and getting the gardens ready for Open House on October 10. Sign up sheets for donations of cookies and plants will be at the next general meeting. For donations of cookies , email Jan
Waguespack ([email protected]).
Note new assignments below.
For more information contact any of the following committee chairs:
Linda D. Valdez, (210-651-0356 or [email protected])
Rich Bradley, Native Grasses ([email protected])
Kathryn Bryant, Wildscapes ([email protected])
Sandi Larsen, Roses ([email protected])
Ed Finger, Special Projects ([email protected])
Tai Flynn, Herb Garden ([email protected])
Jeanette Willard, Cactus Garden ([email protected])
Rex Klaurens, Data Base and Understory Gardens ([email protected])
John Cruickshank, Irrigation ([email protected])
Maria Godlewski, Texas Superstar and Salvia Garden ([email protected] or 830-899-3102).
AEGC Vegetable Garden will meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at 8 am and thereafter unless further notified. Bring gloves and appropriate tools. Contact Sam and Susan Norris
([email protected] or 830-626-7893).
BUTTERFLY GARDENS AT THE BULVERDE/
SPRING BRANCH LIBRARY workday is the 4th
Thursday, September 24 at 9 am. Come meet and
greet Mike Caldwell and the rest of the West Comal
County CMGs. Contact Michael Caldwell, Native
Plant Enthusiast, ([email protected] or
was
a lovely
setting for a picnic.
210-355-2147)Itfor
more
information.
COMAL COUNTY FAIR GROUND GARDENS
will meet the 3rd Thursday, September 17 at 8:30
am. The group will continue maintenance, preparing
the gardens for the fair at the end of September.
Bring gardening tools. Water will be provided.
Jeanette has requested plant donations and volunteers
to man the booth for the fair. For more information,
contact Jerry Finke ([email protected] or 605-2919440) or Jeanette Willard ([email protected]
or 830-708-9822).
YOUTH EDUCATION/JUNIOR MASTER
GARDENER PROGRAM IN SEVEN SATELLITE LOCATIONS Master Gardeners interested
in volunteering and schools interested in obtaining
more information regarding the JMG curriculum
should contact Mary Helen Phillips (830-964-4212
or [email protected] ) to schedule a teacher
training or an informational PowerPoint presentation.
See additional reports in this newsletter.
LINDHEIMER GARDENS workday will be the
2nd Tuesday, September 8 at 8:30 am. Maybe it
will be a bit cooler by then. If not, we always have
the shady backyard to work in. For more information, contact Germaine Tuff (830-608-9176 or
[email protected]). (Cont’d on page 13)
September 2015
Page 13
September 2015 Committee Reports
NEW BRAUNFELS CONSERVATION PLAZA
ROSE GARDENS There will be two workdays,
the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, September 9 and 23 at
8:30 am. For more information, contact Janis
Womack ([email protected] or 830-6207002), Dan Krueger ([email protected] or
830-629-5338) or Jack Ralph ([email protected]
or 830-620-5058).
NEW LIFE BUTTERFLY GARDEN workday is
the 3rd Monday, September 21, at 9 am. For more
information contact Lois Ricci ([email protected] or
(Cont’d)
830-899-5362) or Patty Malek
([email protected] or 830-964-5613).
THE SUSAN BOGLE BUTTERFLY GARDEN
AT TYE PRESTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY
workday is the 3rd Friday, September 18 from 9 to
11 am. We will be doing regular maintenance. For
more information, contact Winnie Butts
([email protected] or 281-543-3282) or Steve
Grainger ([email protected] or 903-4520801).
September 2015 CE Opportunities
Wednesday, September 2, 9:30 – 11 am. “Indoor
Plant Décor,” with author Jenny Peterson. Includes
book signing. San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N
New Braunfels Ave. For more information on any
meetings and scheduled events, contact the garden
center ([email protected] or 210824-9981). 1 CE
Wednesday, September 2, 7 – 9 pm. “What Orchids Eat,” with Rick Lockwood. Rick is an active
member and past office holder of the Orchid Society
of Middle Tennessee and a major contributor to the
SlipperTalk orchid forum. Alamo Orchid Society.
Lion’s Field Adult & Senior Citizen Center, 2809
Broadway.
Free.
Contact
Carole
Gage,
[email protected] for details, or go to: http://
alamoorchidsociety.org 1 CE
Thursday, September 3, 10:30 – Noon. “Bugs
Every Gardener Should Know,” with entomologist
Molly Keck. Molly will discuss ten to fifteen prominent insects sharing our gardens. She will explain
some of the challenges and choices in dealing with
these neighbors. Rooms A, B & C. Bulverde-Spring
Branch Library, 131 Bulverde Crossing. For more
information, go to www.bsblibrary.org or contact or
contact Laura Hardwick ([email protected]
or 301-471-7948). 1.5 CEs
Thursday, September 3, Noon – 1 pm. “Drip Irrigation,” with Jim Johnson. How to install an easy
and inexpensive drip irrigation system and ways to
save money and make watering easier and more efficient. Lunch & Learn Gardening Program. Free.
Just bring your own lunch (optional). Guadalupe
Master Gardeners. AgriLife Building, 210 E. Live
Oak, Seguin. For further information, contact Treva
Hicks
(830-303-4712)
or
visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org. 1 CE
Saturday, September 5, 10:30 am – Noon. Fall
Vegetable Seminar, with David Rodriguez. Free,
but donations to the Children’s Vegetable Garden
Program would be appreciated. Fanick’s Garden
Center, 1025 Holmgreen Road, San Antonio. For
more
information,
visit
http://
www.fanicknursery.com/ or call 210-648-1303.
1.5 CEs
Tuesday, September 8, 15 and 22, noon – 3 pm.
San Antonio Garden Center Floral Fall Design
School. Preregistration required. San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels Ave. For more
information on any meetings and scheduled events,
contact the garden center (210-824-9981 or [email protected]). 9 CEs
Tuesday, September 8, 7 – 8 pm. “Inviting All
Birds and Butterflies,” with Meredith O’Reilly.
Talk will emphasize using drought-loving, lowmaintenance, beautiful native plants in the landscape
to provide the critical elements of habitat (food,
shelter and water) that will welcome all species of
guests. Native Plant Society of Texas, Guadalupe
Chapter. Plant/seed exchange and greeting at 6:30
pm. St. John’s Lutheran Church, 606 S Center St.,
Marion. For more information or membership applications, go to http://npsot.org/wp/guadalupe/ 1 CE
(Cont’d on page 14)
September 2015
September 2015 CE Opportunities
Thursday, September 10, 10 am – Noon. “Native
Pest Control.” AgriLife-Travis County, 1600-B
Smith Road, Austin. Register at 979-845-2604 or
http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/TravisCounty
For
additional information, contact Sue Carrasco (512854-9610 or [email protected]). 2 CEs
Thursday, September 10, 7 – 8 pm. Cheryl Koch
from Koch Ranches will present. Koch Ranches,
Inc. is a family business that is owned and operated
by fifth, sixth and now seventh generation Texas
farmers and ranchers and has a long family and local
history in the ag-business. San Antonio Herb Society. San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels Ave.
For more information, go to http://
www.sanantonioherbs.org/ 1 CE
Friday, September 11, 10 am – 2 pm. “Harvesting
Rainwater with Gardens,” with Rachel Cywinski.
Besides flooding and erosion, preventing rainwater
from running off yards into rivers can also provide a
free water resource to vegetation. Planting rain gardens and bioswales can be beautiful alternatives used
in preventing runoff, filtering and harvesting rainwater. Learn the differences between the two types of
gardens, learn how to use your soil to increase and
improve vegetation, and learn another way to retain
free water. The instructor will integrate classroom
instruction with planting demonstrations. Sponsored
by SAWS. Fee $50 ($45 members). San Antonio
Botanical Gardens, 555 Funston Place. For more
information, go to http://www.sabot.org/education/
adult-classes/ 3 CEs
Saturday, September 12th, 9 am – Noon. Rain
Barrel Workshop. Limit 30. $25 fee per person.
RSVP with payment to Angel Torres (210-467-6575
or [email protected]) by September 3. Make
check
payable to Texas A&M AgriLife.
3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 212, San Antonio. 3 CEs
Monday, September 14, Noon – 1 pm.
“Companion Planting in the Landscape and Vegetable Garden,” with Peggy Jones. Plan gardens to
take advantage of natural friendships between plants.
Learn what plants enhance the growth and quality of
each other, and which plants attract beneficial insects
or repel them. Lunch & Learn Gardening Program.
Page 14
(Cont’d)
Free. Just bring your own lunch (optional). Guadalupe Master Gardeners. GVEC Community Room,
908 C, 809 Curtiss Ave., Schertz. For further information, contact Treva Hicks (830-303-4712) or visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org. 1 CE
Monday, September 14, 7 – 8 pm. “Bugs That
Love Roses,” with Ed Bradley. Ed will discuss the
Integrated Pest Management methods and controls,
insecticides, the 6 “target bugs” that cause the most
damage, the “lesser bugs” and the good bugs that it
is necessary to protect. This presentation will provide the fundamental information needed to successfully maintain a healthy rose garden, relatively free
of harmful insects. San Antonio Rose Society. San
Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels
Ave. Go to http://www.sarosesociety.org/ for more
information. 1 CE
Monday, September 14, 10 am – Noon. “Keyhole
Gardens,” with Merry Saegert. Please RSVP by
September 9th to Linda Ray ([email protected] or
830-214-1922) if you plan to come. Herb SIG.
AgriLife Extension Office Meeting Room. 1 CE
Tuesday, September 15, 7 – 8 pm. “Monarch
Conservation,” with Cathy Downs. This program is
a developing monarch habitat project in cooperation
with Native Plant Society of Texas and Monarch
Watch. Native Plant Society of Texas, Lindheimer
Chapter. GVTC Auditorium. For more information,
go to http://npsot.org/wp/lindheimer/main-page/
1 CE
Wednesday, September 16, 6:30 – 9 pm. TBA with
Attila Kapitany. According to the newsletter, not to
be missed! San Antonio Cactus & Xerophyte Society. Social hour starts at 6:30, and the talk starts at
7:15. San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New
Braunfels Ave. For more information, go to http://
sacxs.org/ 1 CE
Thursday, September 17, 6:30 – 8 pm.
“Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About
Trees!” with Mark Krotze, Texas A&M Forest Service. BCMG. Bexar County Extension Office, 3355
Cherry Ridge St., Ste. 208, San Antonio. 1 CE
(Cont’d on page 15)
September 2015
Page 15
September 2015 CE Opportunities
Thursday, September 17, 7 – 8 pm. “Better
Lights for Starry Nights – the Dark Skies Program,” with Christy Must, Executive Director of the
Hill Country Alliance.
Christy will explain how
light pollution is impacting wildlife and man’s ability to see the stars, and offer some solutions for us to
put to use on our property and in our communities.
Lindheimer Master Naturalist Chapter. AgriLife
Center, 325 Resource Drive, New Braunfels. For
more information, go to http://txmn.org/lindheimer/
calendar-of-events/ 1 CE
Thursday, September 17, 7 – 8 pm. “Bog Plants
and Gardening,” with Keith Amelung. Guadalupe
Master Gardeners. AgriLife Building, 210 E. Live
Oak, Seguin. For further information, contact Treva
Hicks (830-303-4712) or visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org. 1 CE
Saturday, September 19, from 9:30 – 11:30 am.
“Proper Maintenance for Texas Tough Landscapes.” While landscapes designed to be Texas
tough minimize care by about 50%, some maintenance is necessary. Learn how to encourage a
healthy landscape with proper pruning, mowing,
pest control, feeding, weeding, soil and watering
advice. Sponsored by SAWS. Fee: $10 per class
($9 members). San Antonio Botanical Gardens,
555 Funston Place. For more information, go to
http://www.sabot.org/education/adult-classes/
2 CEs
September 19 – 20, 8 am until closing. “Pollinator
Advocates.” Anyone interested in pollinators and
monarch butterflies is invited to the Texas Pollinator
Powwow. Cost is $75.00 for both days including a
buffet lunch. Register by September 5 at
www.texaspollinatorpowwow.org. One-day tickets
for $45. Schreiner University Event Center, 2100
San Antonio Highway, Kerrville. Multiple CEs
Monday, September 21, Noon – 1 pm.
“Fire
Wise Landscaping,” with Jose Contreras. Tye
(Cont’d)
Preston Memorial Library, 16311 S Access, Canyon
Lake. Lunch is included! For more information,
contact Jeanette Willard
(830-708-9822 or
[email protected]) 1 CE
Monday, September 21, Noon – 3 pm. Gardening
Volunteers of South Texas.
Session 1: 12:15 – 1:15 pm. “Natural Pest Control
Techniques,” by Robert (Skip) Richter.
Session 2: 1:45 – 2:45 pm. “Gardening for Our
Native Bees,” with Michael Warriner, who heads up
Texas Bumblebee Watch. Michael will discuss the
contributions of bumblebees and why there is cause
for concern about their declining numbers—and
how gardeners can do our part to save the bees. San
Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels
Ave. For more information, call 210-251-8101 or
go to http://www.gardeningvolunteers.org/gvstwp/
2 CEs
Wednesday, September 23, 3 – 4 pm. “TXDot
Wildflower Program,” with Dennis Markwardt.
Dennis will discuss this highway beautification program by the Texas Department of Transportation.
New Braunfels Public Library, 700 E. Common
Street.
For more information, go to http://
newbraunfels.libguides.com/content.php?
pid=493151&sid=4048738 1.5 CEs
Saturday, September 26, 8 am – 4 pm. Native
Landscape Certification Program. Learn the value of including and preserving native plants in your
landscape. Cost $37. Snacks provided. Bring lunch
or order box lunch when ordering for $10. Look at
class schedules and register at http://npsot.org/wp/
nlcp For more information or to complete a mail-in
registration, contact Meg Inglis ([email protected] or
512-589-1316). Tye Preston Memorial Library,
16311 Access Rd, Canyon Lake. 7 CEs