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UrbanDirtGardening Events and Informat ion for Texans

Upcoming Events .......................................................... 2Herb of the Month ......................................................... 3Plant of the Month ......................................................... 4 Memorial Villages Farmers Market .............................. 5 Ask a Master Gardener .................................................. 8Master Gardeners in the City ........................................ 9 Open Garden Day - Genoa Friendship Gardens ......... 10Open Garden Day - Weekley Center ............................11 Gardening Tools ............................................................ 12

Think tiny. For a variety of reasons some of us have limited gar-den areas. Apartment dwellers or those who live in houses with small yards can find it challenging to find spaces for plants but it can be done. Is there a narrow walkway next to your house with a fence? Does it get eight hours of sun a day? You could espalier a hedge or fruit area in that area. Time, space and budget con-straints are factors (along with plant requirements) that weigh in when planning small gardens so all factors should be considered. For indoor plants a small terrarium placed near a lamp can brighten up a reading spot. Mount sturdy rods across windows that get good sunlight. You can hang small pots with plants from

hooks and hang them on the rods. Purchase plants with low light requirements for indoor plants. Tuck a plant or two in a basket and place it on a shelf. Dwarf and slow growing plant varieties, vertical gardening and square foot gardening methods can add to your eye appeal as well as your table. Flowers, fruits and herbs can be

Gardening for Small Spaces Article and photos by Terri Simon, Master Gardener

cont’d on pg. 6

grown for a variety of rea-sons. If your yard is small but you want some fruit trees, consider fruit trees grafted with a variety of fruit. A three-in-one citrus tree takes up less room than three citrus trees. Same as for a multi-grafted apple or pear tree. Trees with a variety of grafts can also extend your growing season. Container plants are also a possibility. The bulk of my plants are in containers. Yes, I have to water more frequently but I can also move them around. If some-thing is blooming or smells fragrant, then it will be moved next to the front door or on the patio so everyone can enjoy it at tonight’s gathering. If a plant doesn’t seem to be doing well in one spot, it will be moved. If a plant looks infected or infested then it is moved immediately to the “plant ICU” spot to await its fate. I try to avoid bringing in plants for the winter, but there are three that I do bring in. I prefer to garden organically so I will toss a plant before it spreads its nastiness to others. If I keep the pot it’s in I will have to bleach it out. I trash the soil as well. Photo courtesy

empressofdirt.org

Photo courtesy instructables.com

Container and

Small Space Gardening

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July 2019

Green Thumb Gardening Series Container and Small Space GardeningJuly 11, Barbara Bush Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. July 16, Spring Branch Memorial Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. July 18, Freeman Branch Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.July 20, Maude Smith Marks Library, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Open Garden Day July 1, 15, 8:30 - 11:00 a.m., Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Plants for sale in the Greenhouse Master Gardener Lecture Series July 11, GFG Second Thursday 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Beneficial Snakes in our area Venomous and non-Venomous by Johnson Space Center’s (NASA) wildlife biologist, Matthew Strausser. Genoa Friendship Gardens Education Center building, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd.

August 2019Green Thumb Gardening Series Fall VegetablesAug. 8, Barbara Bush Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Aug. 15, Freeman Branch Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.Aug. 17, Maude Smith Marks Library, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Aug. 20, Spring Branch Memorial Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m

Open Garden Day Aug. 5, 19, 8:30 - 11:00 a.m., Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Plants for sale in the Greenhouse Aug. date TBD, 10:00 - 11:15 a.m., Weekley Community Center - Registration required to: ogd.harrishort@gmail.com. Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Rd., Cypress, TX

Master Gardener Lecture Series Aug. 8, GFG Second Thursday 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Form Dictating Function: An Intimate Look at Plant Parts by Brandi Keller, Harris County Master Gardener Program Coordinator. Genoa Friendship Gardens Education Center building, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd.

Upcoming Events

Visit txmg.org or contact the Harris County Extension Office, 713-274-0950, coordinator.harrishort@gmail.com for information.

Have Garden Questions? Email your questions and photos to: phone hcmga@gmail.com or Call us Monday – Friday 9:00 am to Noon at 713-274-0950

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tap water, where roots will develop usually quite rapidly. Lemon-grass can be planted in the garden in partial shade, but it prefers full sun, and will also live relatively happily potted indoors in a very bright light location. Average, well-drained soil and medium-to-low water needs make lemongrass an easy addition to your garden. Once planted, it will grow rapidly to a height of two

to four feet, spreading two to three feet wide. With no serious insect or disease problems, lemon-grass outdoors will clump and spread, requiring division every few years or more often, dependent upon climatic conditions.

In addition to its benefits as an insect repellant and culinary enhancer, lemongrass has been tapped for many years in aromatherapy. In Brazil, a tea made from the leaves of lemongrass is brewed as a diuretic,

sedative, and anti-inflammatory treatment. Cuban usage includes lemongrass as a treatment for rheumatism. Returning to its native side of the globe, in India, the entire plant is said to repel snakes, and 2-3 drops of its essential oil in hot water are taken to soothe gastric issues. Lemongrass is also used in India as a sedative for the central nervous system.

No matter what your own intent for lemongrass, the herb is a sound addition to the garden, providing not only beauty, but purpose. Isn’t nature amazing? Have a happy July!

Herb of the Month - Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)by Karen McGowan, Master Gardener

One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing the Urban Dirt herb articles for the past few years has been the discovery and sharing of many herbs’ duality as both flavorful and highly functional additions to the garden. Herbs are some of the planet’s most hard-working plants and this month’s feature, lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), is no exception.

Native to Sri Lanka and southern India, lemon-grass is wildly popular as an addition to Thai, Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese cooking, and is cultivated throughout Southeast Asia just for that purpose. Lemon-grass’ delicate flavor and qualities are all but lost in the dried herb; therefore, for cooking, use of it di-rectly from the garden is recommended. Not only is this lovely ornamental grass often responsible for those oh-so-subtle notes in excellent Asian cuisine, its delicate scent does double-duty in the garden as a natural repellent to pesky mosquitos (as do most citrus-scented garden dwellers).

As a rule, in a milder Houston winter, lemon-grass is evergreen. Fresh stalks of lemongrass can be propagated by simply setting them in a glass of

References: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a504https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217679/

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The kumquat is the most cold-hardy of edible citrus, and can be container grown in zones 4 - 11. Combine that trait with its natu-rally smaller size and the dwarfing effect of growing in a contain-er, and you have a plant that’s easy to wrap and protect on those rare nights when the temperature plunges. A pot set on a rolling plant tray can easily be moved indoors or to a more sheltered area.

Kumquats bloom later than most other citrus. The smaller flow-ers and green leaves compliment the overall size of the plant, and the delicate fragrance is best enjoyed up close.

In the ground, most kumquats top out at 8’ - 10’ and 6’ – 8’ wide. A container-grown specimen can be kept smaller to suit your space and needs. Here are some pointers for growing a healthy kumquat in a container:

1. Buy your kumquat from a reputable nursery, or better yet, at a Harris County Master Gardeners fruit tree sale in early spring, to ensure that it’s a good variety for our area.

2. Choose a site that gets 8 – 10 hours of sun. Less than that and you’ll have a leggy tree/shrub with few flowers and fruit. Afternoon shade is OK, especially if the kumquat is placed in a hot area with afternoon sun.

3. Get a container with good drainage, or drill holes to provide drainage. The container should be larger than the plastic pot the plant was sold in. Glazed ceramic pots with thick walls are a good choice for protecting roots from our high tempera-tures. Wood and unglazed clay containers are also good, but the soil will dry out faster. Avoid plastic and metal pots.

4. Use a well-draining potting mix to fill in the pot. There are products specifically for citrus.

5. Loosen the roots during repotting. This is especially impor-tant if the plant is root-bound.

6. Avoid over-watering. Some experts recommend planting annuals around the perimeter of the new pot to gauge when the kumquat needs to be watered. Another rule of thumb is to water when the top inch of the potting mix is dry.

7. Use a citrus fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer, ideally in March.

Plant of the Month - Kumquat (Citrus japonica, Fortunella japonica) by Beth Braun, Master Gardener

Plenty of plants are great for container and small space garden-ing, but the list of candidates narrows if you also want the plant to be fragrant, ornamental, and produce edible fruit. Let’s add ever-green to that list. Maybe even thornless. Citrus—especially smaller varieties—are excellent choices provided you have a spot that gets good sun exposure. More on that later.

One of my favorite citrus is the kumquat, not to be confused with the loquat, an altogether different ornamental tree that also produces fragrant flowers followed by edible fruit. Both originated in China, and have been grown for hundreds of years in Southeast Asia. The loquat tree gets quite large, so isn’t a good candidate for container gardening. Let’s then turn our attention to the kumquat.

Depending on the variety, the showy fruit of the kumquat may be round or squat or long, and are ready to be picked when the skin turns a uniform yellow to orange, usually starting in No-vember. ‘Nagami’ produces an oval to oblong fruit with tart flesh and a sweet rind. ‘Meiwa’ is round, with a sweet rind and flesh. ‘Marumi’ is round, but smaller than ‘Meiwa’, and tart. My ‘Changshou’ kumquat has a delightful flavor combination—tart flesh with a sweet, soft rind.

The sweeter kumquats are eaten whole without peeling. The rind is described as “fleshy, thick, aromatic, spicy and edible”.1 Tart varieties are usually cooked into marmalade and other zesty treats.

1 https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/citrus/miscellaneous.htmcont’d on pg. 6

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Happy One Year Anniversary!Harris County Master Gardeners at Memorial Villages Farmers MarketArticle by Vivian Gallant, Master Gardener and Jane Kremer, Master Gardener

On the fourth Saturday morning of every month a few volun-teers enjoy serving our Master Gardener volunteer hours while listening to live music under the shade of a tent, sipping coffee and eating fresh baked goods or breakfast tacos while doing what we love to do most, talking about gardening with new friends. The wonderful relationship began one year ago, when we ap-proached Tim and Lee Ann Carlson, the managers at Memorial Village Farmers Market (MVFM) to make a request: a space for an Ask a Master Gardener (AAMG) table. Having been voted “Houston’s Best Farmers’ Market”, we knew we had to make a good case. Each week MVFM has fifty to sixty vendors, a mix of fresh produce, prepared foods, bakers, jams, jellies, honey, bever-ages, desserts, and crafts. Market patrons tend to live among the single-family homes south and north of I-10, between 610 and the Beltway 8. We were armed with a proposal to convince the managers that the Master Gardener Association was not simply a neighbor-hood garden club wanting to promote ourselves. Instead, we were interested in educating market patrons’ with respect to best gardening practice using research data from Texas A&M and

dispensing research based literature. Fortunately for us, Tim and Lee Ann were very familiar with Texas A&M Extension activi-ties. As recipients of an animal husbandry certification from A&M Extension, they realized their dream to own and operate a goat farm. Based on this experience, we were instantly granted a 3-month trial period to show that we could contribute to the market. Tim explained that they provided a tent to non-profits whose job was to realize their vision: “a community of market vendors and attendees.” To that end, live music is provided along with shaded areas with tables and benches for folks to meet up and linger. Once per month offerings include yoga as well as the library story time. Families tend to come eat breakfast or lunch and remain at the market rather than just purchasing their items and leaving. We were enthusiastic to get started providing helpful education from our new table. Saturday, May 26, 2018 we arrived for our first market and had 35 adults and 20 children stop and talk to us. Not too bad, but we also noticed that a lot more people were not stopping at our booth. They eyed us suspiciously, giving us a wide berth. Market patrons weren’t sure who we were, what we were doing there, and if we were soliciting donations. And so, we began to make changes to encourage folks to engage with us. We added signage in the form of white boards to make clear it was “FREE” garden-ing information we were provid-ing along with our credentials: “Texas AgriLife

cont’d on pg. 7

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8. Never fertilize after July, as it will encourage new growth that’s more susceptible to a cold spell.

9. Prune the kumquat in the spring before it sets flowers and to maintain a pleasing shape. Take no more than a quarter off at once, and cut off suckers (long, skinny branches that grow straight up). Cut out dead and crossing branches and those growing toward the center.

You’ll know it’s time to repot your kumquat when it sheds leaves and twigs die back, unrelated to drought or under-watering. You can do one of two things—move it into a larger pot or prune the roots. If you have the space for it to get larger and opt to repot it, choose a container that’s at least 25% larger than the current pot. Loosen the roots if they’re tight or twining, and fill in around the roots with new potting mix. Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer and water it well.

If, on the other hand, you want to keep your kumquat at its current size, carefully pull it out of the pot, cut about a quarter of the roots, loosen the roots and repot it with fresh potting mix. Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer and water it well. Finish by trimming off about a third of the foliage to minimize stress on the pruned roots.

To encourage healthy growth in its first year after potting, re-potting, or root pruning a kumquat, pick off some of the flowers to reduce fruiting. It’s a hard thing to do because the flowers are fragrant and pretty and the promise of a future harvest. It’s better for the tree in the long run, as its energy is directed to growing strong roots, branches and leaves, which will then make it more resilient to pests and temperature fluctuations.

In addition to all the attributes already described, kumquats are self-pollinating, meaning you don’t need more than one to have a producing fruit tree. How sweet is that?

Plant of the Month - Kumquat, cont’d from pg. 4

Gardening for Small Spaces, cont’d from pg. 1

theory, but I tell you this- the first time a caterpillar or bug drops on me in while I’m in the tub, ….. well, you better not be in my way! The internet is full of inex-pensive ideas for container gardening, living plant walls, and many other design ideas to maximize your garden space. Perhaps you have enough garden space but you want to tuck in a small hide-way? You can do that. A small bench, a ladder or trellis to hold plants and add some privacy and a side table to hold your tea? Just imagine. You could have your own quiet space.

Photo courtesy Paul Dyer

Photo by Roxanne Kim-Perez

Vertical gardening is becoming more popular. Ideas range from simple do-it-yourself gardens to those made by professionals. Small, slow growing plants, particularly succulents, can be suc-cessfully made into living art for a wall. A large plant wall can be used as a privacy shield. I’m not so sure about the photo I have included with the plant wall in the bathroom. It looks great in

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Happy One Year Anniversary, cont’d from pg. 5

Extension” and “Harris County Master Gardeners”. We had a board listing gardening “to do’s” for the month and announce-ments of Master Gardener events like the upcoming Green Thumb talk and/or plant sales. We, also, learned it was beneficial to get up and mingle with folks, asking them if they needed help with their landscape. As our popularity grew, we wanted to bring children’s educa-tion to our table as we have a strong belief that appreciation and respect for our environment must begin at a young age. As we implemented garden- or environmentally friendly kids’ projects, we found not only more children, but more adults at our booth. Keeping the projects simple, such as planting seeds in peat pots, creating pinecone birdseed feeders and painting garden rocks has allowed kids of all ages to enjoy our offerings. Mean-while, we began a rapport with the adults. When we ask waiting parents whether they have any gardening questions, they may answer initially with a quick “no”, but then after a minute reconsider with a “well, yes actually, we have a problem with….” We don’t always have an answer for them, but we can find one with a variety of handouts or guide them to the resources to find that answer. We also have lists of appropriate websites, for example, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, soil samples submission form, or a list of Texas Superstars. We also encourage sending specific questions to “Ask the Horticulturist.”

Nowadays, we have many repeat customers, and children will come up to the booth and ask what we’re planting. We try to keep plantings con-sistent with the monthly Green Thumb topic. We have also brought in AgriLife books from my own library for perusal. For example, when kids made the birdseed feed-ers during the winter-time, we brought books about Gulf Coast birds, and then discussed which ones they were likely to encounter at their feeder. Many children reported on the ones they saw when they visited our booth the next month. Both children and adults share their planting successes and failures. With the overall year total at about 1300 visitors, we have become a regular gardening resource for market patrons who are comfortable asking questions and sharing their gardening experiences. If you find yourself at this farmer’s market, be sure to come by and say Hi!

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Ask a Master Gardener is a volunteer program offered by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Volunteers staff booths and tables to provide free, research-based horticulture education to the public throughout Harris County.

In July we are going to be in the following locations!

July 6 Urban Harvest - 1st Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 3401 Westheimer Rd. (corner of Buffalo Spdwy. & Westheimer), Houston Garden Oaks/Heights - 1st Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at The Farmstand, 938 Wakefield, Houston July 13 Tomball - 2nd Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at 205 W. Main Street, Tomball, TX

July 21 Town Lake - 3rd Sunday, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at 9955 Barker Cypress Rd. Cypress, TX

July 18 Westchase - 3rd Thursday, 3-7 p.m. at 10503 Westheimer Rd., Houston

July 27 Memorial Villages - 4th Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at 10840 Beinhorn Rd., Houston

Ask a Master Gardener

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Visit the Harris County Master Gardeners Facebook page for event details!

www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardeners

Texas A&M AgriLife Extensionin partnership with

Hermann Park Conservancy are pleased to present

Master Gardeners in the Cityat McGovern Centennial Gardens

These educational programs are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas cooperating.

Saturday, July 6th & 20thMcGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park

1500 Hermann DriveHouston, Texas 77004

Events include garden tours and children activities.

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Open Garden Days at Genoa Friendship Gardens

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Harris County Master Gardeners invite you to join us

The Genoa Friendship Gardensis located at

1202 Genoa Red Bluff RoadHouston, Texas 77034

To schedule a special event for your garden club, school or professional organization please contact us to make your arrangements.

• Tour the variety of exhibits to inspire you with vegetable, perennial, rose, tropical and native gardens.

• Meet and talk with a Master Gardener about planting citrus, fruit or berries for your home orchard.

• Contemplate the joy in the Serenity Garden and catch a view of the Water Garden.• Don’t leave the GFG until you have shopped the Greenhouse where seasonal herbs,

vegetables and perennials are available for sale until September.

2019 Monthly Open Garden Days & Special Events February 23 Fruit Tree Sale June 3 and 17 Open Garden DayMarch 18 Open Garden Day July 1 and 15 Open Garden DayMarch 30 Spring Plant Sale August 5 and 19 Open Garden DayApril 15 Open Garden Day September 16 Open Garden DayMay 20 Open Garden Day October 21 Open Garden Day

The Orchard The Water Garden The Greenhouse

on the 3rd Monday of the month, March through October, 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Admission to the Exhibit Gardens is free, and register at the Welcome Table

to receive additional monthly notices for children and family events.

Open Garden Days

Second Chance Sale bargains can be found in the Greenhouse after our February and March plant sales.

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Open Garden Days at The Weekley Community Center Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Harris County Master Gardeners

invite you to join us for

Open Garden Day Activitiesis located at 8440 Greenhouse Road, Houston, Texas 77433

For information about upcoming topics, dates and registration, please email us at ogd.harrishort@gmail.com. Registration is required before each program.

Children and their parents looking for hands-on ways to learn, create, and have fun inspire our Open Garden Day volunteers to offer programs that do just that.

This FREE monthly children’s event includes a variety of activities:• Planting seeds, veggies or ornamentals into pots so children can continue to grow

them at home.• Creating a “nature theme” craft project with materials that are provided. • 30-40 minute hands-on lesson that focuses on a single topic each month.

Previous lessons have included making a worm farm, putting together a compost bin, learning about the importance of butterflies, and making a feeder to attract pollinators.

2019 Monthly Open Garden DaysFebruary 26 Registration required by Sun. Feb. 24 March 26 Registration required by Sun. Mar. 24.April 16 Registration required by Sat. Apr. 13May 28 Registration required by Sun. May 26June 25 Registration required by Sat. June 22

Recycled soda bottle

one Tuesday each month, January through November, 10:00 –11:00 a.m.

Open Garden Days

Past projects

Fantasy GardenSeed Pod mobile

July (TBD) Registration required August (TBD) Registration requiredSept. 24 Registration required by Sun. Sept. 22October, November and December dates are TBAat this time.

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Gardening ToolsThis chart is a handy guide for knowing the best times to plant in Harris County.

Download the Vegetable Garden

Planting Guide here!

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Texas a&M agriLife exTension service 3033 Bear creek Dr. HousTon, Tx 77084

713-274-0950

harris.agrilife.org/program-areas/hort/

hcmga.tamu.edu

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www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardenerswww.facebook.com/HarrisCountyHorticulture

https://twitter.com/pharrishort

https://www.instagram.com/harriscountymastergardeners

Follow Us On Facebook, Twitter & InstagramThe Harris County Master Gardeners as well as Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Harris County Horticulture are actively participating on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram offering tips, lists, news and plant advice almost daily. The best part, instead of locating planting guides or insect documents, and sale dates for individuals, you can add the HCMG site to your account and easily share information with others. This is a definitely a timesaver for these busy garden days and helps promote our organization.

July 18Freeman Branch Library

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

July 20Maude Smith Marks Library

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m

Container andSmall Space Gardening

July 16Spring Branch Memorial Library

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Green Thumb Gardening Series

July 11Barbara Bush Library

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.