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Its been a busy spring-time this year with many events going on across the county. The cold weather delayed some of

Meetings are the second Thursday of each month, 7pm in the Extension

Office Auditorium Upcoming Meeting Dates:

May 13 — TBA June 10— TBA

July—No Meeting

May, 2010 Official Newsletter of the Jefferson County Master Gardeners

By Melody Weaver By Micah Meyer

I hope you are all enjoying the wonderful spring weather as much as I am. Things are blooming out

our spring plantings of warm season plants such as tomato, pepper, beans, cucumbers and squash. As of now we are still waiting to hear back from local growers who sell at the Jefferson County Master Gardeners Farmers Mar-ket. The market usually opens in late May, but we might be pushed back a few weeks because of the extended cold conditions we had this spring. The weather could also affect the Fruit, Vegetable & Herb show which is always held on the second Saturday in June at Central Mall in Port Arthur. This year’s show will be on June 12th, and hopefully we will have plenty of great entries. The Master Gardener Training Course will be held this summer from July 19th through 30th and we have already received paid applications, so the class might fill quickly.

and the birds and bees are humming all over. Sunshine is much needed after the cold winter we just endured. De-spite the winter’s freezing tempera-tures, we managed to have another successful Spring Market Day with plenty of beautiful plants. With just a few expenses still out, we are looking at a profit of around $5600! As usual, we had a great time. Thanks to every-one who turned out to help! For the first time, we had the assistance of St. Anthony’s Boyscout Troop #779. They were great! Earlier in April, several of us attended the state conference in Dallas. Our newsletter, “The Latest Dirt”, edited by Micah Shanks, received a 2nd place award. Paul Eyre received his vegetable specialist certificate and pin. On May 6, we will sponsor a break-out session at the Christus Hospital Live Well Women’s Conference. Our topic is EarthKind Principles for South-east Texas. Farmers Market is sched-uled to kick off on the last Saturday in May. The annual summer picnic is planned for June 19th at the Botanical Gardens. We have a very enthusiastic group of interns that will be graduating and receiving their hard earned certifi-cates.

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MISSION STATEMENT The Jefferson County Master Gardener Association supports the Texas AgriLife Extension Service by sharing and promoting horticulture in Southeast Texas through a wide variety of educational, social and volunteer activities. 2010—2012 Board Members President—Melody Weaver Vice President—Paul Eyre Secretary—Stellina Reed Treasurer—Dorothy Norris At Large— Mel Day, Larry Jacobs, Dave Cummings Past President—Micah Shanks Newsletter Staff: Editor: Micah Shanks Layout: Peggy Coleman

For the year of 2009, we entered four categories for state awards: Mass media : “Out in the Yard with the Master Gardeners”, weekly radio segment on KVLU Newsletter: “The Latest Dirt” Individual: Phyllis Smith, JCMG Master Gardener of the Year Project : Children’s vegetable garden at the test site

Jefferson County Places Second

“ We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.” Native American Proverb

The submissions were judged by out-of-state judges and results were an-nounced at the state convention in April. Our newsletter placed second! Thank you to everyone who contrib-uted articles.

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Master Gardener Hotline Our Master Gardener Hotline is functional once again and is much easier to update since the installation of a new phone system at the County. The hotline number is 835-8742. If you would like something included in the hot-line message, please call Peggy in the office and she will be glad to add it. This is a great way to check on upcoming events.

38th Annual Fruit & Vegetable Show Saturday, June 12 at Central Mall in Port Ar-thur. Free to enter and open to the public. Entries accepted from 9am until Noon—Judging begins promptly at noon. Call the of-fice at 835-8461 or 727-2191 ext. 8461 for a copy of the rules and regulations.

“Throughout history, the weather has provided the vast majority of the population with an excuse to start a conversation. This is resulting in an ever increasing amount of hot air which may ultimately prove to be the primary source of global warming.” Michael Cate

Summer Picnic and Intern Graduation The picnic will be held at the Botanical Gar-den this year on Saturday, June 19th from 10:30—1:30 pm. Remember to get your hours into Ann Bares by June 10th. You can email them to her at mudpies514@aol.com or call her at 892-7351.

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The crape myrtle is one of our best ornamental trees in South-east Texas. They can take the heat and absolutely have to be in full sun to bloom. And when they do, it is a sight to see. From white to red to wa-termelon to purple, there are literally thousands of varie-ties to choose from. There is a crape myrtle for every landscape and it is v i ta l that you choose the correct one. First of all, de-cide how much room you have and then choose a plant that will fit in that space as it matures without constant pruning. Also, choose the one with the most powdery mildew resistance in the color and size you want. Some new varieties are even showing resistance to the crape myrtle aphid, but you can avoid that problem in the first place by planting in an area with good air circulation. Check with your lo-cal nursery and the county ex-tension office for help with your selection. Once your selection is

made, you will need to add organic matter to your soil if you are planting in a flower bed. No soil preparation is needed if planting for hedges or shade trees. Water deeply when first planted, and then irrigate for the first

year as they become es-tablished. After that, rain-fall will typically be all they need. Now, about pruning, we have all seen what is referred to as crape murder…trees that are cut off straight across the top. This ruins the natural structure of the plant and results in larger

blooms but fewer of them. The only pruning that needs to be done is re-move sucker shoots at the base and keep dead branches trimmed out. Deadheading your blooming plants will keep them blooming easily for 100 days. No wonder the crape myr-tle is such a popular landscape choice.

Crape Myrtles By Micah Shanks, JCMG

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While visiting local garden centers, or even your own backyard, keep your eye open for plants t h a t h a v e b e c o m e overcrowded in their pots, such as the tall spear-shaped Mother-in-Law Tongue. This plant can be easily divided to give yourself and others, a new a n d e a s y - t o - g r o w houseplant! First, remove the plant from the pot by hitting the sides and bottom of the pot with the base of your hand. Use your fingers to brush away the excess soil. Gently pry the roots apart, looking for natural divisions in the roots. Break the plant into sections or if necessary, use a knife to divide the clumps into a couple of sections. Next, repot the new sections using new or clean pots that are a few inches larger than the root balls of your new plants. You can clean old pots with a mild bleach solution. Place pebbles or pot shards inside the bottom of the pots for drainage. Fill the pots halfway with moist potting mix.

Sharing Mother In Law Tongue Kathy Attaway, JCMG

Place a section of plant in the pot and add more soil until the level is

about an inch from the top of the pot. This helps prevent spills as you water the plant. Finally, water each plant, adding more soil if necessary. Place these new plants in a bright spot out of direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist for the first week and in about one month, feed the plants with a liquid fertilizer. You now have beautiful green

foliage to brighten your house, to brighten a friend’s day, or to treat your mother-in-law. 

“She was a gardener first and a housekeeper when she had time.” Monetta Gunn

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We all know Dorothy as our hard-working treasurer of the last five years, but did you also know that Dorothy is a card-carrying Motorcycle Mama? That’s right! She and husband, Johnny, are regular riders and love to travel with other biker friends. They recently enjoyed the ride to Freder-icksburg to view the bluebonnets. Wildflowers are a favorite since she became a Master Gardener in 2004. Dorothy says she likes to grow just about anything, but mostly roses. She also enjoys Texas Natives and is re-sponsible for the native planting at the test garden. Dorothy spent many years in banking before joining MCT Credit Union in 1986. She retired in 2001, went back for awhile, and retired again. Since joining Master Gardeners at the urging of Lynn Creel (Sarah’s husband – they are both in Austin now), she has been a driving force in just about every plant sale, social event, and workshop held. Her grand-girls, Cheyenne and Cierra, frequently help out as well. They have assisted with the Kids Korner at Mar-ket Day for several years.

Dorothy says her favorite way to spend her time is “teaching the girls to cook and garden.” Her two children, Bart and Leslie, live in Port Neches and Beaumont respectively, so she is able to see them often. Besides taking care of her M.G. tasks, she also takes care of her own yard and that of her 90 year old mother-in-law. She is active in her church, Infant Jesus Catholic in Lum-berton, is a member of the Red Hat so-ciety, and loves to make jelly and bake. In fact, she is so good at baking that she used to make wedding cakes. Eve-rytime she brings a confection to the general meeting, not a morsel is left! She and Johnny enjoy going to com-petitive car shows and have won nu-merous awards for Johnny’s truck, a 1986 red chevy Silverado. Not one to ever be idle, she knits while watching TV and has donated some of her won-derful knitted dish towels to sell at Market Day. We are so lucky to have her in our group. So remember to al-ways look out for motorcycle riders! It just might be someone you know!

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Think Habitat First. The key is to offer lots of flowers that bloom at different times. Must Haves in-clude salvias, firebush, flame acanthus, turk’s cap, red penta, cypress vine or cardinal climber, red yucca and Dallas red lantana. Also consider coral honeysuckle, cigar plant, crossvine, columbine, red hibis-cus, desert willow, vitex, althea and bird of paradise.

Put hummingbird feeders out in late March, early April when the “scouts” come to our area. You will see the big-ger populations arrive during the first week of July. Have more than one feeder. Either place multiple feeders out of sight of each other or in a line. The theory is that dominant males with ruby throats can’t defend all the feeders at once. Place feeders in the shade if possible. This keeps the nectar cooler as sum-mer heats up.

10 Tips to Attract Hummingbirds Pat Tolbert, JCMG

Keep feeders clean with hot water (no soap or bleach). Replace sugar water every 3 days. The best sugar water recipe is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Do not add red food coloring. To make large quantities, boil for 1 minute, pour into clean container and refrigerate. Don’t use pesticides. Hummers get protein from eating flies, gnats, aphids, spiders and other insects. They are very sensitive to toxins. Add a water feature somewhere in your yard. A fountain, birdbath or dripper gives them a good place to bathe and stay cool. Leave a few dead limbs for them to perch on. They like to sit in the open and contemplate life. They also like hanging baskets. Place a red object near your feeder such as an umbrella, beach ball, towel, red ribbon, or red Christmas tree ornament.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU !!!!

May: Alice Schwing-Smith—4 Jeanene Eberling—9 Janice Kimler—12 Sandra Davis— 13 Larry Jacobs—16 Ann Bares—14

June: Dorothy Norris—4 Jerry Jobe—18 Verna McCollom—21

July: Jane McBride—1 Glenda Johnson— 2 Donald Leger—12 Penny Hickman—14 Janis Prestridge—16 Hortense Price—30

1 can sliced, unsweentened 2 c fresh strawberries water packed peaches 1 packet Kool-Aid tropical 1 can unsweetened pineapple fruit punch flavor sweetened Chunks (reserve liquid) with NutraSweet 4 sliced bananas Combine in large mixing bowl all fruits and liquids. Mix together. Sprinkle evenly 1/2 package tropical fruit punch Kool-Aid (NutraSweet) over fruit and stir to blend well. Refrigerate overnight. Makes 1/2 cup servings. Variation: Other seasonal fruits such as kiwi, grapes, and mangoes may also be used. This makes an excellent topping and quick dessert when spooned over an-gel food or low calorie pound cake topped with a spoonful of lite dessert topping. One serving about 60 calories. A 1/2 cup serving = 1 fruit exchange.

Hawaiian Delight

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Last minute tweeks were put into place as we got ready for our Master Gardener Market Day and Plant Sale. Our day began with anticipa-tion mounting as more and more peo-ple lined up in front of the entrance gate waiting for someone to say come on in, let the sale begin. Many people were looking for specific plants but most were just wanting to replace some of what they lost during our long and bitter cold winter. There were many plants that sold almost immediately and the Hibiscus was one of them. That splash of red and yellow, people just couldn't resist, or the size either. Lots of hanging bas-kets with color didn't hang around very long. The giant Ligularia was a much sought after shade plant as well as the Fatsia. Vines seem to be in the top 10 of those plants people were looking for. Citrus was also on that list and Bonnie Childers was selling it as only Bonnie can. Everyone wants to talk to Bonnie about their citrus or just to find out what to do for the newly purchased one. The Peggy Mar-tin Roses are always a good seller and

Market Day and Plant Sale Phyllis Smith, JCMG

the way Sharon LaBove can dress up an area inside a airport hanger is simply aw-some. The roses nestled in the back-ground of old antique relics, white washed screens and old chairs makes for a very charming and inviting area for people to gather together. As if Sharon's ability to create such a beauti-ful and enticing area to look at wasn't enough she also fixed up a vintage bicy-cle with plants in the baskets to hold a raffle at the end of the day. How cool is that! The couple who won the prize was ecstatic!!! For the people who wanted that kitchen herb garden we had a vast array of herbs to look at and purchase. The Master Gardener Booth was open for questions manned by Dave Cum-mings and Paul Eyer. Great Job guys!! Ann Bares set up a children’s area so shoppers could look for plants without having to worry about their kids. We also had a great food booth that sup-plied hot links, and a variety of other things to eat while shopping. Everyone who had anything to do with the Mar-ket Day and Plant Sale - we greatly ap-preciate all of your hard work and dedi-cation. Everyone who helped load and

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Perhaps the easiest fern to grow is the Bird’s Nest Fern. It is tolerant of low light and low humidity. It doesn’t mind if you miss a watering. This plant has wavy, bright green leaves called fronds. The fronds coil tightly in the center prior to opening, which resemble a bird’s nest, thus the name Bird’s Nest Fern. Originally a tree-dwelling fern, this plant is well suited to life indoors. It enjoys a s h a l l o w conta iner with soi l that holds water such a s Sphagnum o r p e a t m o s s . Allow the soil to dry s l i g h t l y between waterings. It can even handle dry soil for short periods of time. When the plant is actively growing, fertilize with an all purpose house plant fertilizer at the recommended strength, about every 4-6 weeks. Although ferns prefer high humidity, the Bird’s Nest Fern can live in drier air than most ferns. It enjoys warm to average temperatures, between 70 and 90F. The Bird's-Nest Fern prefers bright indirect light. Placing the fern in low light levels will cause its fronds to be smooth, while higher light levels will increase the crinkling of its fronds. Do not place your plant where the sun will shine directly on it and always protect the Bird’s Nest Fern from drafts.

Bird’s Nest Fern Kathy Attaway, JCMG hats are off to you. Great job!!!! All

sales people who were on the floor selling plants and answering ques-tions I couldn't have done it without you. I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful group of people to help in making this day such a success. My special thanks to those people who did double duty for me without even having to ask. Thank you, Pat, Donna, Kathryn, Holly, Larry, Jerry, and Cecil. Dorothy and her crew made it possi-ble for those shoppers to get out with their purchases as quickly as possible. The cashiers were on top of things. Super Job! I must also say the women (Ann & Marci) that made those plant signs and the plant information sheet.. wow ladies! Great work!!! The day wasn't complete without giving Aletha Kirkwood a big hearty "Happy Birthday" along with a birthday card from all who were there. Last but not least the ones who took care of the gates, thank you, thank you for being there so we could get in and out to take care of business.... The end result for the whole day was Success, Suc-cess, Success!!!!! Thanks, Phyllis P.S. If you helped and I forgot to men-tion your name please know how much I appreciate your help and also know I am only human.

Market Day and Plant Sale Continued from page 9

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The purple coneflower is one of the most beautiful native wildflowers to be found in Texas. A faithful peren-nial, coneflower is also known as Echinacea which is valued for its im-mune building properties. All parts of the plant can be used in teas, however the roots and seeds have the strong-est concentration of what you need to fight off colds and flu. The flower it-self is a standout in the garden. Once naturally abundant in the wild, they are now uncommon because of centu-ries of harvesting for medicinal uses. We can still get beautiful coneflowers from seed or transplants offered by local nurseries or reputable seed cata-logs. The newer ones are not cheap, so make sure you know who you are buying from. The most common pur-ple coneflowers can grow to 3 ft tall and last for weeks on the stem or as

Purple Coneflower Micah Shanks, JCMG

cut flowers. Plant breeders are culti-vating new varieties all the time. We have a choice of white, hot pink, yellow, neon orange, lime green. The centers also vary. Some are brown, others black, pink, green, or orange. There are also smaller versions that only grow to 12 inches. The culti-vars also known as novelty cone-flowers require a bit more care in Texas than the native coneflowers. These more expensive plants need morning sun and afternoon shade. An occasional dose of 10-10-10- fer-tilizer and regular watering will keep them healthy Always remem-ber to mulch to retain water and keep the roots cool in summer and warm in winter. Many growers pre-fer to grow these in containers. With so many colors and styles to choose from, consider using cone-flowers in your garden. It will soon become one of your favorites.

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Programs conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service 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

“The Latest Dirt” is the official newsletter of the Jefferson County Master Gardeners. It will be published in February, May, August, and November. Members will receive color copies via e-mail. It will also be posted on our website at http://jefferson-tx.tamu.edu. Click on newsletters. Black and white copies will be available at the monthly meetings and at the office. Input is greatly appreciated. Call Micah Shanks at 409-749-0083 or e-mail your suggestions to mshanks52@gmail.com.

May 2010 Official Newsletter of the Jefferson County Master Gardeners

Jefferson County Master Gardeners 1225 Pearl Street, Suite 200 Beaumont, TX 77701