the compost in - aggie horticulturethe compost bin november 2010 page 5 and speaking of compost,...

A Publication of the Travis County Master Gardeners - a volunteer program of Texas AgriLife Extension

Guest Presenter...

Naturalizing Flower Bulbs for

Central Texas

with

Ginger Soule

November 2010The Compost BinIpheion, Brodiaea, Muscari armeniacum, Ranunculus, Galanthus, Freesia, Dutch iris, Allium, Anemone, Scilla, Jon-

quilla, Tazetta narcissus, Tulips, Species tulips, Crocus and more Ipheion, Brodiaea, Muscari armeniacum, Ranuncu-

lus, Galanthus, Freesia, Dutch iris, Allium, Anemone, Scilla, Jonquilla, Tazetta

narcissus, Tulips, Species tulips, Crocus and more Ipheion, Brodiaea, Muscari

armeniacum, Ranunculus, Galanthus, Freesia, Dutch iris, Allium, Anemone, Scil-

la, Jonquilla, Tazetta narcissus, Tulips, Species tulips, Crocus and more Ipheion,

Brodiaea, Muscari armeniacum, Ranunculus, Galanthus, Freesia, Dutch iris, Al-

lium, Anemone, Scilla, Jonquilla, Tazetta narcissus, Tulips, Species tulips, Cro-

cus and more Ipheion, Brodiaea, Muscari armeniacum, Ranunculus, Galanthus,

Freesia, Dutch iris, Allium, Anemone, Scilla, Jonquilla, Tazetta narcissus, Tu-

lips, Species tulips, Crocus and more Ipheion, Brodiaea, Muscari armeniacum,

Ranunculus, Galanthus, Freesia, Dutch iris, Allium, Anemone, Scilla, Jonquil-

la, Tazetta narcissus, Tulips, Species tulips, Crocus and more Ipheion, Brodi-

aea, Muscari armeniacum, Ranunculus, Galanthus, Freesia, Dutch iris, Allium,

Anemone, Scilla, Jonquilla, Tazetta narcissus, Tulips, Species tulips, Crocus and

more Ipheion, Brodiaea, Muscari armeniacum, Ranunculus, Galanthus, Freesia,

Dutch iris, Allium, Anemone, Scilla, Jonquilla, Tazetta narcissus, Tulips, Species tulips, Crocus and more Ipheion, Bro-

diaea, Muscari armeniacum, Ranunculus, Galanthus, Freesia, Dutch iris, Allium, Anemone, Scilla, Jonquilla, Tazetta

In this issue ...

In the Vegetable GardenOrnamental Plants to AvoidInside Austin Gardens TourLeaf Cutting AntsCold Frames and HotbedsPresident’s Message

The Compost Bin November 2010

Inside this Issue....

• NovemberMeetingSpeaker—GingerSoule• ThePresident’sMessage• IntheVegetableGarden• BookReview• OrnamentalPlantstoAvoid• LeafCutterAnts• InsideAustinGardensTour• ColdFramesandHotbeds• ComingEvents

• 2010TCMGABoard

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Naturalizing Flower Bulbs for Central Texas

GingerSoulebegangardeningwithhermotherandgrandmotherasapreschooler.Ms.Soule’sgrandmother,fatherandshemaintainedalargeVictorygardenduringWorldWarII.However,herreallovewasthebeautifulfree-floweringdaffodilswhichgrewbackthen.Whenmanyoftheheritagedaffodilsbecameunavailablelater,shebegansearchingouttheseolderbulbvarieties,especiallyaftersheretired.HerprogramonWednesdaynightwillshowtheresultsofmanyyearsoftrialanderrortoarriveatacollectionofthemostreliablewinterandspringfloweringbulbsandthepracticesthatassuretheirsuc-cessfulgrowthhereinCentralTexas.

Ginger has been amember of Austin Organic Gardeners (theoldest continuously meeting organic garden club in the U.S.)

since1989. Shehasservedasaboardmember,specialprojectschairman,vice-president,presidentandoriginatoroftheclub’san-nualtransplantsale.

MasterGardenerMeetinginformation:Wednesday,November3rd,2010startingat7pm.ZilkerBotanicalGarden

November Meeting Speaker — Ginger Soule


Hello Master Gardeners:

A Message From Your President

We,throughoutthiswonderfulstateofTexas,havesomuchtobethankfulfor.LivinginthiswonderfulcityofAustinalsooffersmuchtobethankfulfor.ButitistheabsolutelybeautifulpeopleofthisMasterGardenerAssociationthatIalsogivemanythanksfor...yourvolunteeringspirit,yourcaring,yourloveofgardeningandthemanywayswefindeachandeveryyeartomakeallthiscometogether!Whatafabulouswaytoenjoythebenefitsofgivingbacktothiscommunity.IsitherereviewingthepastyearofworkingwithourExecutiveCommittee,whohavestoodbesideandbehindmethrougheveryissuewefaced.Ifyouhavenevervolunteeredtoserveinthiscapacity,pleasegiveitathoughtinthefutureasyouwillreallycontributetothisorganizationinatotallydifferentwaythatbenefitsandbuildsuponourstrengths.To thememberswho braved the cold at the East Austin Garden Fair and to all thememberswhovolunteeredforZilkerGardenFestival—abigthankyou.Youmadeboththeseeventsastrongmessageofgivingbacktoourcommunity.Whatagardeninggiftthosetwoweekendsgavetoourcity!Tothemanymemberswhohavetakenthetimetobecomespecialistsinsomanyareasandgivenbacksofreely...Wow!TothoseofyouthatworkwithourJMGprogramandschoolgardendesign—youarejustwonderful.And,tothosethatputtogetherourmany,manypubliceducationseminarsandgardentours,whatantrulyamazingscopeofprogramsyouhaveprovidedtothiscity.Tothemanymemberswhoworkplantclinics,thedemonstrationgarden(finallybackinbusiness),andansweringthosemany,manyphonecallsattheExtensionOffice—youdeservemanykudos.Tothegreenhousevolunteers who propagate, water, repot and pot again, thank you. To the SpeakersBureaugroupwhorepresentusatlargeandsmallgatheringsthroughoutthearea—alwaysspreadingourmessageofwhattoplant,whentoplant,etc.—youarejustgreat.TotheoneswhoworkwiththeMGClassandtheoneswhoworktobringustheCompostBineachmonth—youaredoingawonderfuljob.TothosewhohaveandcontinuetoworkwitheithertheGardenGuideorourupcomingnewxeriscapepublication,abigthankyoutoo.Toallwhosigneduptovolunteerwheneveracallgoesoutforhelpwithanevent,agarden,afriend—youarethebest.Andso,thismonth’smessagefrommetoyouisaBIGTHANKYOU!Itissoeasytofeelblessedwithsomanygardeningfriends,butitissometimeshardtoletallofyouknowthatyourcontinuedvolunteeringisnotsomethingItakeforgranted.ItissomethingIfeelveryfortunatetobeapartof!HappyThanksgivingandsafetravels!Carolyn

Above:FallcolorinKentucky.


Novemberishereandmuchofthehardworkofpreparingforthefallseasonisbehindus.Ourmildwinterweathermeansthatwecancontinuetoseedradish,beets,carrots, turnips,spinach,collardsandkale; theseplantsare frost tolerantandonceestablishedtheyarerarelybotheredbycoldweather.Plantingthesevegetablesinsuccession—ashortroworsmallblockevery2weeksorso-ispreferabletoplantingonelongrowthatwillbereadyallatthesametime.Unlessyouareplanningtopicklebeetsorshareturnipswiththeneighborhood(andthere’snothingwrongwiththat!),successionplantingisanexcellentwaytospreadyourharvestovertheseason.VegetablesthatwereplantedinAugustorSeptemberwillbereachingmaturitythismonth;besuretoharvestthemattherightsize.Lettuceandothergreenscanbeeatenatanysize,rootcropslikebeetsandturnipsshouldbeharvestedwhensmallandtender,about2-3”indiameter.Mostradishesarereadyin28-30daysandshouldbeharvestedafterwhentheyareonlyaninchorsoindiameter.Anybiggerandtheywillstarttogetwoody.Broccoliandcauliflowershouldbeharvestedbeforetheheadstartstoseparate.Checkcauliflowerplantsregularlyandoncetheheadbeginstoformpulltheleavesuparoundittoshielditfromthesun.Thistechnique,calledblanching,willhelpmaintainitspurewhitecolor.The large, outer leaves can beheld togetherwith twine, old panty hose, a rubber band or aclothespin.Theclothespinmakesiteasytopeakinsidetocheckonthedevelopinghead.Blanchingisnotnecessaryforcoloredcauliflowervarieties.

Ifcaterpillarsareeatingmoreofyourgreensthanyouare, dust or spray the leaves regularly with Bt. Thisorganic insecticide is fatal to all caterpillars (even theones that turn into pretty butterflies) once ingested,soapplyitonlywheretheyaredoingdamagetoyouredibles.As we anticipate our first frost and the transition toleafygreensandcolecropsbesuretoridthegardenofspentplantsfromsummerandfall.Healthyplantdebriscanbechoppedupandcompostedbutdiseasedleaves,stemsorrootsshouldbediscarded.

In The Vegetable Garden

By Patty Leander

Left:BroccolibeingdevouredbycabbagewormsRightAbove:SwisschardplantingatBannockburnChurchRightBelow:CompostmaterialPhotosbyBruceLeander


Andspeakingofcompost,thisisanexcellenttimetostartanewcompostpile,ortwo,oreventhree!Astheleavesbegintofallandfrost-tenderplants begin to fade, you will have plenty of material to add to theheap.Ifpossible,buildyourcompostpilesnearthevegetablegardensoyouwillnothavetototethecontentsfarwhentheyarereadytouse.Think of all the products coming fromwithin your home and gardenthatcouldbecontributedtoacompostpileinsteadofalandfill:coffeegrounds, leftovers (vegetables or grains) past their prime, vegetabletrimmings, ancient herbs and spices from deepwithin the cupboard,moldybread(whatdoyouthinkwillhappentoitonceitgetsdeepintothe pile?), cooking liquid from pasta or vegetables, stale crackers orcereal,freezer-burnedvegetablesnolongerfitforconsumption,grassclippings,planttrimmings,etc.Avoidaddinganimalproductsorfatastheymayattractcritterstoyourpile,butevenpapertowels,napkinsandnewspaperaregoodcarbonsourcesandwilleventuallybedecomposedbymicrobes.Sometimesinwinterwetendtohaveanoverabundanceofcarbonsources(leaves),soaddanitrogensourcebysprinklingsomecottonseedmeal, alfalfameal or even a handful of fertilizer betweenlayersofleavesasyoubuildthepile.Turnormixthepileperiodically,movingtheouterlayerofdriedmaterialtothecenter,andbyspringyouwillhaveavaluablesourceoforganicmatterforyourgarden.

Glazed Turnips and Apples2slicesbacon,chopped[optional]1Tbsp.butter1lb.smallturnips,peeledandslicedintowedges1cupapplecider2tsp.sugar1largeapple,peeledandcutinto½”slicesCookbacon till crisp;setaside todrain. Insameskillet,pouroffbaconfatandmeltbutter.Sautéturnipsinbutter2-3minutes.Addcider, sugar and 1 tsp. salt. Simmer 8-10minutes, until turnipsare tender. Add apple slices and simmer till liquid is reduced,2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon and season with pepper.Yield:4-6deliciousservings

Above:Newlyharvested‘TokyoCross’turnipsBelow:GlazedTurnipsandApples

In The Vegetable Garden Continued...


In The Vegetable Garden Continued...

Left:ThevegetablegardensatEast-sideCafeintheirfallglory.PhotobyBruceLeander

Sydney Eddison has written six other books on gardening. Her garden has been featured in magazines and on television. A former scene designer and drama teacher, Eddison lectures widely and continues to teach a course on color at the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York.

Read a review of her newest book on the next page.


GardeningforaLifetime:HowtoGardenWiserasYouGrowOlderbySydneyEddison

Mymothergavemethisbookaftershehadreadit.SheistryingtoscalebackandslowdowninherowngardenandwhileI’mnotatthesamestageasmymom,itissomethingIalsothinkabout—morethanIuseto.Istilllovetospendhoursoutsideinmygardenputteringaround,butnowIamawarethatIdon’thavethesamestaminaandenergyIhad10-15yearsagototacklethebigjobs.

SydneyEddison isawellknowngardenwriteranddesignerwholivesinConnecticutandhasalargegardenshehasdevelopedandmaintainedfor48years.Evenafterthedeathofherhusbandandwithherownhealth issues,shemadethedecision,at least forthepresent,tostay intheplaceshe loves.Ms.Eddisonrealized,however,tobeabletostay,shewouldhavetomakesomechangesandadjustments.Shedoeshavehelptomaintainhergarden,butisstillverymuchinvolvedinit.

Ifoundthisbookveryreadableanduseful.Itisfilledwithadvice,stories,plantlistsandsuggestions,butitisalsoapersonalstoryofhowthegardendevelopedovertimeandalsohowMs.Eddisonviewsthingsnow.Anadmittedgardenperfectionist,sherealizedthatshecouldn’tmaintainthegardenassheoncedid. Basedonherownpersonalexperiencesandthoseofgardeningfriends,shehaswrittenaboutsomeofthesolutionsshediscoveredalongtheway.

Toher,maintenanceisthekeyissue.Ms.Eddisonfeelsthatasunnyperennialbedisthemostlaborintensiveformofthegarden.So,shedecidedtoremovemanyperennialsandplantfloweringandevergreenshrubsinstead.Shestatesthatonceplanted,mostshrubsarelessmaintenance,butyoucanstillenjoyflowersandfoliage.

Anothersuggestionshehadtokeeptheplantsyoulove,particularlyifyouhavealargecollection,istoconsiderscalingbacktojustyourfavorites.Shepreviouslyhadalargedaylilycollection,butrealizedshecouldn’tkeepupthedailymaintenancewhentheplantswereinbloom.Afewyearsago,shechoseherabsolutefavoritesandgaveawayordonatedtherest.Shesaysitwasaharddecision,butsheishappywithitnowbecauseitmadethingsmuchsimpler.

Otherchaptersdiscussmoregarden-wisesuggestions includingmovingtocontainergardening,keepingto-dolistsofgardentaskssoyoudon’t feeloverwhelmedwhenyoustepoutside, learninglaborsavingtechniques,howtohire(andhowtofind)helpwhenyouneedit,anddecidingwhethertostayputormoveon.Attheendofeachchapter,thereisalistof“gleanings”whichhighlightthelessonslearned.Thisreallyhelpedsummarizethechaptersforme.

Ienjoyedreadingthisbookbecauseofthetouching,personalstoryofagardener,butalsobecausethebookcontainsa lotofpracti-caladvicetohelpsimplifyyourowngarden.EventhoughIgardenonamuchsmallerscalethanSydneyEddison,readingthisbookgavemelotstothinkabout.I’mthinkingofusingshrubsmoreandmaybeevencreatingamini-woodlandarea,whichshouldbelowermaintenanceonceestablished.ReadingthisbookmademelookatmyfuturegardenplansinadifferentwayandIthinkI’lltrytofindmorewaystokeepitsimple.

Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser As You Grow Older bySydneyEddisonispublishedbyTimberPress,$19.95,hardcover,April2010.ISBN:978-1604690651

Book Review

by Frankie Hart


Ornamental Plants to Avoid in Your Central Texas Garden

by Bob BeyerFallishereanditisthebesttimeofyeartoplanttreesandshrubsfornextyear’sgardenenjoyment.Weseemanyarticlesandresourcesaboutbestandrecommendedplantstogrowinourregion,withemphasisonnativeandadaptiveplantswellsuitedtoourclimateandenvironment.However,thereisaflipsidetothatcoin—plantstoavoidforvariousandverygoodreasons.Firstofall,weshouldavoidthespreadingofnon-nativeinvasiveplantsthatoverwhelmandthreatenourlocalnativeplants.AlistoftheseisfoundintheCityofAustin’s“GrowGreen”book—freeatanynurseryorplantcenterinAustin.Butinadditiontothoserecommendationsofplantstoavoid,Iseemanyotherplantssoldatlocalnurseriesthatcancreatemajorproblemsinyourgardenandshouldbeavoided.Here’smytop12“nogrows”list.

Photinia x fraseri-TheRedTipPhotiniadoesproducedramaticcoloronitsnewgrowthbuthasmanyreasonsnottouseit.Itgrowsrapidlyandultimatelyintoasmalltree,yetisplantedlikeashrub.Asamemberoftherosefamilyitissubjecttoafungaldisease(blackspot)andrequiresconsiderablepruningmaintenance.Mostoften,theyareplantedtooclosetofoundationsandtoeachotherforahedgeeffect.Thisinexpensiveandwidelyoverusedplantcomeswithmanypotentialproblemsforthehomeowner.

Artemesia vulgaris - ThisspeciesofArtemesiaspreadsrampantlythroughoutyourgardenfromrootswhichcangrow5–10’undergroundandsendupnewplantletseverywhere!Ifevenatinypieceofrootisleftintheground,anewplantwillemerge.Itisextremelyrampantandthere’sevenavariegatedvariety‘OrientalLimelight’thatisbeingwidelysoldatnurseries.Thiswouldbelikebuyingvariegatednutgrassforyourgarden!Containergrowonly.

Euonymus japonicus cultivars-ThisplanthasboldvariegatedcolortoofferalongwithEuonymusscaleandotherpestproblems.Frequentlyitrevertstosolidgreenandhasashortlife.Itisaninexpensiveplantthatisoverusedinlandscapes.However,E. fortuneidoesnot

havethesameproblemsasE. japonicus.

WaxLeafLigustrum(Ligustrum japonica)-Thegreenorwaxleafedligustrumisarapidgrower,hasapungentsmellingwhitebloominspring,andultimatelygrowstosmalltreeproportionbutisoftenplantedasashrub.Itisoneofthemostoverusedandinexpensiveshrubsusedininitiallandscapesandifoftenplantedtooclosetofoundationsandtoeachother.Watchoutforwaxscalealso.

VariegatedChinesePrivet(Ligustrum sinense)-Thiscolorfulsmall-leafedshrubisoverusedandinexpensivebutgenerallylooksveryniceinlandscapesuntilitbeginstoreverttosolidgreen!Thisisaproblem.Itspreadsrampantlybyseedendangeringournativeplants.

Heavenly Bamboo(Nandina domestica)-Theredberriesarebeautifulbutalloneneedstodoistakeawalkinanurbanorruralnatureareaandseethisplantcomingupeverywherefrombirdspreadseed.Itisveryinvasiveandendangersourlocalnativeplants.Onlynon-berryproducingvarietiesshouldbeused.Nandinacan’ttakeourintensebrightsunlightandheatofsummerwelleither.

IndianHawthorne(Rhaphiolepis indica)-Althoughpopularforit’sspringbloom,thisplantisveryofteninfectedwithscale,asootymoldandotherdiseases.Thisplanttendstobeoverusedinsouthernlandscapes,contributingtothespreadoftheseundesirableinfestations.Itfavorsacidic,organicsoilsoisnotsuitedwelltoTXHillCountry.

ChineseWisteria(Wisteria sinsensis)-Springbloomsarebeautifulandfragrantbutthisvinecangrowalmost12”perdayandstrangleanythingnearby.Itisespeciallyinvasiveandhardtocontrol—almostlikeKudsu. Above:IndianHawthorn

Left:Euonymusjaponicus


Ornamental Plants to Avoid in Your Central Texas Garden Continued...PampasGrass(Cortaderia selloana)-Peoplewhoplantthisregretit!Clumpsgetextremelylargeandthick,bladescontainsharpcuttingedges,andittakesastickofdynamitetoremove!

RunningBamboos-Thesearea fascinatingplant,butcanrunningbambooscanrunrampantamongyourgardenareaunlesscontainergrown. They are very difficult to remove, once spread out, soavoidrunningvarietiesunlessyouhaveacreagetospare.Clumpingbamboos,also spreadbut from thebase,not runners,andcanbecontrolledwithperiodicbasaltrimming.

Clerodendrum bungei ‘Cashmere Bouquet’ - This beautiful roothardy sub-tropical plant is enjoyed for its fragrant large cluster ofblooms,largefoliage,andtropicallook,butspreadsrampantlyfromundergroundroots,pluswindandbirddispersedseedandcancreateit’sownjungleinshortorder.Unlesscontained,avoiditinthegarden.

Pittosporum tobira-ThePittosporumalsogetslarge,requiresmuchpruningtomaintain,andissubjecttobeingdamagedatbelowfreezingtemperaturesandwaxscaleinfestation.

Ofcoursethisisnotacompletelist,sodoyourhomeworkbeforegoingplantshopping. I recommendgoinggoanurseryorgardencenterwithaspecificlistofresearchedplantselectionsinmind,andifnotavailablelookelsewhere.Iletmyfingersdothewalking(telephoninglocalsources)whenlookingforaspecificplant.Beforedecidingonanalternativeplant,Ionceagaindomyhomeworkfirst.

So,theFallseasonisagoodtimetobethinkingaboutnextyear’sornamentalgardenandgettingnewpermanentplantingsinplacesotheycanbecomewellestablishedbyspring.This isespecially trueofdeciduousandspringfloweringtreesandshrubs.Knowingwhichplantstoavoidisasimportantasthosebestsuitedforyourgarden.

ReprintedwithpermissionfromtheGardeningInCentralTexasblogwww.centraltexasgardening.blogspot.com

TopRight:Theshowyplumesofpampasgrass.BottomRight:Pittosporumtobiraprotectedagainstabuilding.


Leaf Cutting Ants

by Wizzie Brown

Texasleafcuttingantsareknownbynumerousnamessuchascutant,townantorparasolant.Manypeopleknowtheseantsforthedamagetheycause.

Leafcuttingantsarereddish-brownwiththreepairsofspinesonthethoraxandonepairofspinesonthebackofthehead(Fig.1).

Workerscome invarioussizes,butcanbeupto½an inch long.Moundscanbecomelargeandaresometimesmistakenforfireantmounds.Leafcutterantmoundshaveacentralopeningandoftenacratershapeatthetop(Fig.2).

Cutantstypicallyforageatnightwhenthetemperatureiscooler.Plantdamageconsistsofdefoliationandsmall treescanbecompletelystrippedovernight.Leafcuttingantsremoveleavesandbudsfromplantsinthelandscape.Plantpiecesarenotconsumedbytheant,butareusedbytheantstoraiseafungusgardenwithincolony.Cutantstendaspeciesofparticularfungusandweedoutanyotherfun-gusfromthegarden.

Coloniesmayexistforyearsandcanexceedovertwomillionants.Itisnotunusualforasinglecolonytocoveranacreofland.Coloniesareusuallyfoundinwell-drained,sandyorloamysoils.

Plantscanbetemporarilyprotectedbyusingsprayadhesivesaroundthebaseoftheplant.Thesewouldneedtoberefreshedoftenwhendirtordebrisaccumulatesontheadhesive.Temporaryprotectioncanalsobeprovidedwithcontactinsecticidalsprayordusts.Ifmoundsarelocatedinanarea,thebaitproductlabeledforleafcutterants,AmdroAntBlock,canbebroadcastwithahand-heldspreaderaroundthemoundarea.Ifnomoundsareseen,thenresidualspraysanddustscanbeusedalongforagingtrailsandaroundopenings. Fig.1(Top).Leafcuttingant.

Fig.2(Bottom).Leafcuttingantmound.


TheDate:Saturday,May14,2011

TheTravisCountyMasterGardenersAssociation,incooperationwiththeTravisCountyAgriLifeExtensionService,willhosttheInsideAustinGardensTour2011onSaturday,May14,2011,from9:00amto4:00pm.Thisyear,thetourwillfocusonwater-wisegardening.

ThetourwillfeaturetheworkofMasterGardenersSherylWilliams,SueNazar,RebeccaMatthewsandJoePosern,eachofwhomusesavarietyofwater-wisetechniquesincreatingtheirdistinctlydifferentspaces.AcollaborativeeffortbetweenMasterGardenerLinkDavidsonandneighborWendyBrennandemonstratesthatcooperationcanhavesomeprettyniceconsequences, includingamoreefficientuseofrainwater.Finally,JeffPavlat,presidentoftheAustinCactus&SucculentSocietyandspeakeratarecentTCMGAmeeting,willopenhisphenomenalsucculentandcactusgardentotourvisitors.

SherylWilliamsmovedtoAustinfromOregoninthelastcoupleofyears.Inthebrieftimeinhernewhome,she’sstrippedherWells-Branch-areayard—bothfrontandback—ofitslawn.Inthefrontspace, she’s planted native sedge grasses. Her back yard she’sconvertedintoafood-producingareawitheverythingfromvegetablestoherbsto fruit trees. About theperipheryof theproperty,she’susedamoundingtechniquetoretainwaterduringrainshowers.Hertwo rain-collection systems—onedrivenbygravity, theotherbypump—providewatertoallofhergardens.

SueNazarhasparticipatedintheInsideAustinGardenstouroncebefore.Sincethe2006tour,she’splantedthe“hellstrip”—theareabetweenstreetandsidewalk—infrontofherownandherneighbors’propertieswithdrought-tolerantplantvarieties.She’salsodevelopedaraingarden.Nowtherainwaterwhichfollowsaslopeawayfromherhomecatchesinaplantedarea.Sue’sfront-yardshadegardensjoinwiththeraingardentocreateatropicalfeelinaclimatewhichisoftenanythingbuttropical.

RebeccaMatthews’ space includesa front-yardcollectionofheatanddrought-tolerantnativeandadaptedplantsandabackyardshadegarden.Herquaint,backyardgardenfeelsfar-removedfromtheCentralTexasheat,remindingthevisitorofaseriesofcottagerooms,somethingRebeccahascreatedwithavarietyofcast-offobjectsandasenseforartfulplacement.Underground,she’sreplacedtheexistingharddirtwitharich,productivesoil.Waterrequirementsareataminimuminthistree-shaded,wildlife-friendlyoasis.

Inside Austin Gardens Tour 2011

By Link Davidson

Left:SherylWilliams’foodproducingbackgarden.Right:AshadyfrontgardenwillgreetvisitorstoSueNazar’sproperty.


Fromhisfrontyard,noonewouldguessthatJoePosern’shomesitsonnearlyahalfacre.Butgothroughthegateintothebackyardandwhatrevealsitselfisanexpansiveseriesofwater-wisegardens.Fromraingardensbrimmingwithwildflowerstoaproductionareaabundantwithfoodcropsto landscapedareas,Joereliesonwater-conservingtechniquestokeepeverythinglookinggoodanddoingwell.Heplanstotakeanevenbiggerstepthisfall,whenhehopestoinstallarain-collectionsystemmuchlargerthanhisexistingcity-issuedbarrels.PerhapsmostamazingaboutJoe’sgardensisthathe’sdoneitallinthelastseveralyears.

Nottoolongago,neighborsWendyBrennanandLinkDavidsonworkedtogethertocreateanatural-looking,low-maintenancetransitionbetweenthefrontyardsoftheirtwoproperties,andtore-makeWendy’sfrontyardwhichwasanexpanseofstrugglingSt.Augustine.Todayitisaminimalspaceinterruptedbylittleelsethanadry-creekbed,arecycledsidewalk,andashadegardenhasreplacedtheSt.Augustine.

Thetransitionspacebetweenthepropertiesfeaturesaseriesofterracesthatworktocatchandholdrainwater,andadry-creekbedwhichworksintandemwithWendy’sversionbelowittodirectexcessiverainfalltoasideyardraingarden.

Jeff Pavlat and his gardens have appeared onKLRU’s Central Texas Gardener several times.To many, he has become one of the bestinformation sources for everything cactus andsucculent related in the area. Jeff’sWestlakehomefeaturesayardpopulatedalmostentirelyby cacti and succulents, but peppered with anative plant or two. A series ofwalls terracethe severe slope which separates street levelfromfrontyard.Athouselevel,apondgentlydisrupts the space, creating an oasis about

whichmoreofthegardener’sfavoriteplantsthrive.Asifthespaceitselfwerenotenough,Jeff’sgreenhousecontainsacollectionofstillmorecactiandsucculents.It’sayardnottobemissed.

Informationonticketsalesandeducationalseminarsalongwithascheduleisforthcoming.Savethedate,andplantolearnsomething!

Inside Austin Gardens Tour 2011 Continued...

Left:ThewhimsicalgardenofRebeccaMatthewsisfullofwonderfulcastoffobjects.Right:OneofJoePosern’smanywater-conservinggardenbeds.BelowLeft:ThedrycreekbedinWendyBrennan’sgarden.BelowRight:TheamazingcactiandsucculentgardencreatedbyJeffPavlat.


Coldframes(orhotbeds)aresimplestructuresthat have two main purposes, to act likeminiature greenhouses to trap radiant heatandtoprovideprotectionandinsulationfromtheelements.Coldframestraditionallyhaveaslopedtopthatispositionedformaximumsunexposure,liftofforslideopensash(lids),insulatedsidewallsthatsitonthesoilsurfaceorareexcavatedbelowground.Coldframesandhotbedsdifferonlyinthatoneisheatedandtheotherisn’t.Bothtypesareusefulinthe garden—particularly from fall throughspringtoprotectplantsduringcoldorstormyweather. They are handy for extending thegrowing season and to provide a warm,shelteredareatoripentomatoeslongerintothefallorwinter,tostartcoolweathercrops(lettuce and leafy greens, radish, peas,cabbage, and more) earlier, or in somelocations to overwinter forced bulbs, rootvegetables,orhardwoodcuttings.Manycoldframeshavetheadvantageofbeingtemporaryand portable too. Some gardeners professthat their cold frame extends their growingseasonby4-6weeksinspringandfall.

Coldframesdifferfromrootcellarsbecausethey are designed to keep plants growing,not just for cold storage. They have nosupplementalheatbutrelyonsolarthermalenergyforwarmth.Thedesignoftheslopedwoodenouter framecollectsand trapsheatfrom the sun. With a purpose to protectplants,mostcoldframeswillkeepplantsonehardinesszonewarmer(about10degreesF.)andworkwelltoextendtheseason. Cold frames aregreatforgettinganearlier

start inthespring(especiallywhengrowingshorter,coolweatherplantssuchaspansies,dusty miller, primroses, dianthus, dwarfsnapdragons, cyclamen and ornamentalcabbage),hardeningoffyoungplantsinthespringortokeeprootcrops longer intothewinter(insteadofusingarootcellar).

Hotbeds are cold frames that have theaddition of a heat source (usually eithermechanicalorbiological).Hotbedsareusedfor the same purposes as cold frameswiththeadditionofbeingagoodsitetopropagatewoodycuttingswhichrootfasterwithbottomheat. Hotbeds can have electric heatingcablesinstalledinthebasesubstrateorusesomewhatfreshmanureforwarmth.

Cold frames can be easily made fromrecycled materials and cost almost nothingforthematerials,oranalreadymanufacturedversion can be purchased for $100-$500.Do-it-yourselferswithaccess to2x6s,2x

8s or 2 x 10s and window sash can easilyconstructacoldframe.

Location

Coldframesandhotbedscanbelocatedusingthesameprinciples.Asouthernexposureisbeneficialsocoldframesandplantscangetthemostbenefitfromsunlight.Awest-facingdirectionisthesecondbestorientation.Asolid(ormostlysolid)windbreakonthenorthside,whichdoesn’tcastanyshadeonit,willcreatean even warmer microclimate for the coldframe.Ifaclosewindbreakisnotavailable,balesofstrawcanbeusedonthenorthsidewallfortemporaryaddedinsulation.

Site your frame near the house for easyaccessandattention. Poolsofwater inthevicinityof the frameshouldnot sit for longperiods during the fall, winter and spring.Good drainage is beneficial for plants. Anaccessible (summer and winter) watersupply(andelectricityifneeded)shouldbeaconsiderationforlocatingacoldframe.

Construction

Most cold frames are a simple rectangularbox,about2-3fthighthateithersitsonthesoilsurfaceorcanbesunkintotheground.Thesloped front facessouthorwestand isangled at about 1” per foot (about a 6-8”difference from top to bottom or 35 to 55degrees). Theanglewill varydependingonwhetherthecoldframeistobeusedinthewinter. Thehigher the angle, themore sun

will enter the frame during thewinterwhen the sun is lower inthe sky. One simple formula is

Extend Your Growing Season with a Cold Frame or Hotbed

By Anne Van Nest

PlansavailableatPennStateCooperativeExtensionwww.abe.psu.edu/extension/ip/IP822-34.pdf


to add 15 to 20 degrees to your latitude.Another consideration is the equipmentavailabletomaketheangledcuts.Insomecasesastandard45degreeswillbeperfectlyadequate.

Theframeheightdependsonwhatthecoldframe is being used for — but to get thebest angle for the sash, there isn’t muchopportunitytogomuchbeyondthestandard18”back(north)and12”front(south)frameheights.Within reason, you canmake yourframetallerifyouwillbehardeningoffolderplantsorshorterforstartingflatsofseedlings.

Many different materials, both recycledand new can be used for the sash (framelid). These include such options as glass,fiberglass,polyfilmorwoodensnowfence.In many cases the size of the sash willdetermine thesizeof thecold frame—okit’sjustmucheasierthisway.

Doubleglazedwindowsmakegooddurablesashthatareheavierthanothermaterials.Glass is generally lookeduponas thebestmaterial to cover a cold frame. Othermaterials include discarded stormwindowsfromscreendoorsornolongerneededpatiodoorsorbathroomshowerdoors.

Ifpolyethyleneplasticisused,thefilmshouldbe clear and at least 6mil thick. Considerusingadoublelayerforextrainsulation.Thepoly is not very durable and will probablyhavetobereplacedeachyear.

Fiberglassorpolycarbonatematerialsmakeverygoodsashforcoldframes,althoughtheyarequiteabitmoreexpensivetopurchase.

ComparingColdFrameSashMaterial

SashMaterial,ProsandCons

Glass• Recycledwindowscanbeused.• Goodlighttransmission.• Goodinsulationvalue.• Morehail-proof(weatherproof)than

polyethylene.• Glassisheavy.Theextraweightmeans

thesashandsideframemustbeabletowithstandtheextraweight.

• Openingandclosinginvolvesadditionalweight.

• Brokenglassismoredifficulttoreplaceandrepair.

• Expensivetopurchase.

Polyethylene film• Inexpensivetopurchase.• Probablymustbereplacedeachyear.• Easytoinstallandlightweighttohandle.• Adoublelayerwillprovidemore

insulation.Won’twithstandlargehailstonesorheavysnoworiceloads.

• Sashmustbesecuredsothatitdoesn’ttakeflightinastrongwind.

Polycarbonate panel• Stronganddurable.Willlastmanyyears.• Betterinsulationvaluewhenusing

doublepolycarbonatelayerpanels.Expensivetopurchase.

• Nonstandardsizesinvolveextracutting.

Fiberglas panel• Maylosegoodlighttransmissionover

timeandbecomemoreopaque.• Expensivetopurchase.

• Nonstandardsizesinvolveextracutting.

Wooden fence/lath• Easytoconstruct.Oftenusedwith

polyethylenefilmtogiveaddedsupport.• Inexpensive.• Caneasilyberemovedto

ventilate. Notgoodinsulationorthermalconductingwithouttheadditionofothermaterials.

Side Frame Materials

Awide range ofmaterials canbeused forthe cold frame box. These include wood,brick, masonry, cinder, concrete blocks ormetal pieces. The insulation value of eachof these materials varies and should be aconsiderationwhenpickingthebestmaterialas well as availability and handling ease.Straw bales can also be used to make atemporarycoldframeusingacoupleofsawhorses and some heavy plastic.Metal coldframesshouldonlybeusedwhereminimaltemperature protection is needed as theyhave very little insulation value and heatwon’tberetainedlong.

Mostly cold frames have traditionally beenmadeofwood.Withthismaterialtheyareeasy to construct and can be dismantled,movedorexpandedeasily.Untreatedwoodisrecommended(recycledornew)andhometreatedusinganon-toxicwoodpreservative.Ifuntreatedwoodisused,thentheinsideoftheframecanbepaintedwithawhitelatex-basedpainttoaddmorelightreflection.Useaminimumof1” thick lumber (2”will addgreaterdurability,strengthandinsulation.

Cold Frame or Hotbed – Extend Your Growing Season Continued ...


Sealallcoldframejointstomaximizeheatretention. Foamboard insulation can beusedinsidetheframeontheabove-ground,north-facingsideforevenmoreinsulation.

Building a Hotbed

Cold frames can be turned into hotbedsthrough the addition of a heat source.Hotbeds have the advantage over coldframes because they are more consistentin their temperature and can be used foranevengreaternumberofoverwinteringorseasonextendingpurposes.Ifaconstantandaccurate temperature is required, electricheating cables should be used in the soilundertheplants.Ifthisisthecase,positionthehotbednearanelectricaloutlet.

For less demanding heating needs like wehavehereinCentralTexas,othermaterialssuch as light bulbs, manure, hot water orsteamcanbeusedtoheatthehotbed.Manypeoplefindthathotbedsarenotneededandsimplyusepassivesolarenergytoheattheircoldframes.Whendoingthis,blackpaintedbarrelsfilledwithwaterabsorbheatduringthedayandslowlyreleaseitatnight.

Using Manure

When available, manure is a cheap andconvenient heat source. Hotbeds can bemadebyplacingtheframeonamanurepileand mounding it around the frame. Thisworks best to extend the spring and fallseason.Alternatively,alayerofmanure18-30inchesdeepbelowthehotbedisasourceofheat.Letmanuresitforatleast10daysbeforeusingitinahotbed.Placea6”layerofsoiloverthemanuretoprotectplantroots.Monitorthesoiltemperatureandmoveplants

intothehotbedonlywhentemperaturesarebelow85F.Hotbedsusingmanuremustalsohave excellent drainage. Manure will stopfermenting (and stop producing heat) if itbecomessoakedwithwater.

Extra Insulation

On unusually cold nights, loose straw canbe piled on top of the cold frame sash toprovideextrainsulationifneeded.Athermalblanket(purchasedfromanurseryoracastoff flannel sheet) is also ideal to put overthe plants. This will trap the heat thataccumulated during the day and keep theplantswarmintothenight.

Starting Seeds

Soiltemperaturesbetween65-78F.areidealforstartingmanyseeds.Topreventseedlingsfrom stretching and growing soft, monitorthe temperature once they germinate andventtheframeifairtemperaturesareabove75F.Manycool-seasoncrops(lettuce,peas,cabbage,cauliflower,onions,etc.)areidealforcold framesandcanbestartedhere inlate summer. The frame though must becheckedregularlyandmayneedventingonbright,sunnydays.

Venting a Cold Frame

Coldframesaredesignedtobequiteversatilein their venting options.Depending on theamountofventingrequiredandthedirectionof the wind, the sash can be propped up,slidup,pusheddownorremovedentirelytoprovidegoodaircirculation.Inmanycases,when outside air temps reach 60 F. theinterior temps are high enough towarrantventing–evenifitisliftingthesashafewinchesatthebottomtolettheheatescape.

If other commitments don’t allow forfrequent temperature checking of the coldframesoplantsinsidedon’tgetoverheatedor chilled, several models of automaticventopenersareavailabletopurchaseandinstall.Thesecanbesettoopenandcloseatspecifictemperatures.Manyhavepneumaticcylinders that respond to temperaturechanges and gradually open the sash inincrementsasthetemperaturesrise.Thesestart at about $50. No external power isneededformanyofthemandtheautomaticopenersliftupto12poundsinweightupto17inchesinheight.

Best vegetables to grow in a cold frame.

Root crops:beets,carrots,parsnip,rutabaga,onions,leeks,kohlrabi

Leaf crops:Brusselssprouts,cabbage,cauliflower,radish,SwissChard,kale,collards,lettuce,mustard,spinach,mâche/cornsalad,scallions,kale

Coldframediagramscanbefoundatthefollowingwebsites:

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-381/426-381.html

www.abe.psu.edu/extension/ip/IP822-34.pdf

OriginallypublishedinAcresU.S.A.,September2010.

Cold Frame or Hotbed – Extend Your Growing Season Continued ...


Beekeeping 101

Saturday, November 6, 20108:45 am -4:30 pm

AustinCommunityCollegeSouthCampus

1820WStassneyLane,Room1130Austin,Texas

ThisAdvancedEducationalopportunityisforTravisCountyMasterGardenersandMasterGardenersinsurroundingcounties.TCMGAmemberswillreceive8hoursofContinuingEducationUnits(CEU)toward2010MGre-certification.TCMGAmembersmustsign-inforcredit.MGsfromothercountiesarere-sponsibleforobtainingCEUapprovalfortheclassandforreporthours.Cost: $30(lunchnotincluded)Beekeeping101givesyoueasy-to-under-stand,step-by-step instructionsonhowtostartyourfirsthive.PresentersareSanMar-cosAreaBeeWranglersexperts.Classisex-pectedtocover: Bees, flora & the apiary Beebiology Castes Lifecycle&jobs Reproduction, swarming and supersedurecells Apiarist location characteristics Beeflora Apiarist equipment Bee space — the hive and its components Toolsofthetrade Hive management

Checkingahive(theprocess) Findingthequeen,brood Feedingthebees Supervisingthehive Movingthehivetothenectar andpollen Othermanagement Pest, honey and winter Diseases Honeyharvesting Beesinthewinter RSVPdeadlineOct22:$30checkmadeouttoTCMGA,mailedtoRosalieRussell,mustbereceivedbyOct22.Minimumof20studentsorclasswillbecanceledandchecksreturned.Maximumclasssizeis40students.

Parking is free. Therewillbea45minutelunchbreak. Youareencouragedtobringyourownlunchorutilizethecaféinthebuild-ing. Asmallkitchenwithrefrigeratorandmicrowaveadjoinstheclassroom.Thereisalargeareaoftablesandchairsinsideandoutsideofthebuilding.Thereareanumberofrestaurantswithintwoblocksofthecam-pusofferingotherpossibilities.

Ifyouhavequestions,emailorcallRosalieRussell,TCMGAVPofPrograms,[email protected].

Growing Culinary Herbs in

Texas

Saturday, November 13, 2010, 10:00 am - 10:00 noon

AmericanBotanicalCouncil

6200ManorRd.,AustinTX78723

Herbsareadelighttothesensesandaneasywaytoaddbeautytoyourlandscape!ThisclasswillcoverthebasicsofgrowingbothseasonalandperennialculinaryherbsincentralTexas,andwilloffersomesuggestionsfortheiruse.Classsizeislimited,sosignupearlybycallingtheMasterGardenerHelpDeskat(512)854-9600.

Thisseminarisfreeandopentothepublic.ItispresentedbytheTravisCountyMasterGardeners,avolunteerarmoftheTexasAgriLifeExtensionServiceinTravisCounty.www.tcmastergardeners.org.

BeephotoscourtesyofWizzieBrown

Coming Events


CarolynWilliams,PresidentMandaRash,ImmediatePastPresidentRosalieRussell,VicePresidentforProgramsVickiBlachman,Co-VicePresidentforEducationBonnieMartin,Co-VicePresidentforEducationVacant,VolunteerCoordinatorforProjectsSherrillNilson,Co-VolunteerCoordinatorforTraineesPatMokry,Co-VolunteerCoordinatorforTraineesSusanJung,SecretaryMartyBerdan,TreasurerBeckyWaak,MembershipDirectorDorothyAkin,GreenhouseManagerChrisGiaraffa,GreenhouseManagerVickiOlson,GreenhouseManagerJoePosern,AustinAreaGardenCouncilRepresentativeJoKautz,StateCouncilRepresentativeTommieClayton,StateCouncilRepresentativeVacant,DirectorofPublications

PastPresidents(Non-voting):

BillBaldwinBillBoytimSusanCashinTommieClaytonSusanDeckerDonFreemanMandaRashPeggyStewartBeckyWaakWillWalker

ExOfficioMemberoftheBoard(Non-voting):

TexasAgriLifeExtensionTravisCountyHorticultureAgentDaphneRichards1600-BSmithRoad,Austin,[email protected]

TRAVIS COuNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

2010 ExECuTIVE BOARD


ThisissueoftheCompostBinhasbeenpublishedthankstothecontributionsofthefollowingTravisCountyMasterGardenersandWizzieBrown—TexasAgriLifeExtension:

ContributingWriters:

© 2010 Travis County Master Gardeners Association

512-854-9600

Visit the websites: www.tcmastergardeners.org and

http://travis-tx.tamu.edu

EditorandLayout:AnneVanNest

Webmaster:PaulaMiddleton

BobBeyer

LinkDavidson

FrankieHart

PattyLeander

RosalieRussell

AnneVanNest

CarolynWilliams

The End... Time to Get Gardening!

the compost in - aggie horticulturethe compost bin november 2010 page 5 and speaking of compost,...

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