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AT THE MARCH 2007 DCMGA MEETING TOM HARPOOL

WAS AWARDED A LIFE MEMBERSHIP BY JOHN COOPER, COUNTY HORTICULTURAL EXTENSION AGENT.

THE DCMGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED THE LIFE MEMBERSHIP FOR TOM BASED ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS, TENURE AND PARTICIPATION IN DCMGA, IN ADDITION TO HIS WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. TOM HAS BEEN A DENTON COUNTY MASTER GAR-DENER SINCE 1994, AND SERVED AS PRESIDENT IN 1999. “TOM IS WIDELY KNOWN FOR MANY THINGS INCLUDING COMMERCIAL SEEDSMAN, GENTLEMAN FARMER AND RANCHER; HE HAS HELD POSITIONS IN MANY CITY AND COUNTY AGENCIES. PEOPLE KNOW HIM WHEREVER HE GOES AS THE MOST CIVIC-MINDED AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY LEADER OF THE LAST HALF CENTURY IN DENTON COUNTY. HE IS A VISIONARY WHO DID HIS PART TO PROVIDE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE. WE ARE ALL INDEBTED TO HIM FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE AND ARE PROUD TO CALL HIM OUR FRIEND, AND NOW...

LIFE MEMBER OF THE DENTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION TOM HARPOOL, CLASS OF 1994.”

JOHN COOPER

T ABL E O F C ON T EN T ST ABL E O F C ON T EN T ST ABL E O F C ON T EN T ST ABL E O F C ON T EN T S

TOM HARPOOLTOM HARPOOLTOM HARPOOLTOM HARPOOL 1111

2007 GARDEN TOUR2007 GARDEN TOUR2007 GARDEN TOUR2007 GARDEN TOUR 2222

NEW KIDS on the NEW KIDS on the NEW KIDS on the NEW KIDS on the

BLOCK...BLOCK...BLOCK...BLOCK...

3,3,3,3,

4444

SHELBY KIRKPATRICKSHELBY KIRKPATRICKSHELBY KIRKPATRICKSHELBY KIRKPATRICK

AND STATE AWARDSAND STATE AWARDSAND STATE AWARDSAND STATE AWARDS

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4444

BOOK REVIEWSBOOK REVIEWSBOOK REVIEWSBOOK REVIEWS 5555

MINUTESMINUTESMINUTESMINUTES 6666

ASK THE MGASK THE MGASK THE MGASK THE MG 7777

TAMAN TINATAMAN TINATAMAN TINATAMAN TINA 12121212

COMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOONCOMING SOON 13131313

INDIAN PAINT BRUSHINDIAN PAINT BRUSHINDIAN PAINT BRUSHINDIAN PAINT BRUSH 14141414

DCMGA MEETINGSDCMGA MEETINGSDCMGA MEETINGSDCMGA MEETINGS 15151515

UPPER TRINITYUPPER TRINITYUPPER TRINITYUPPER TRINITY REGIONAL WATER DISTREGIONAL WATER DISTREGIONAL WATER DISTREGIONAL WATER DIST

16161616

BRENT’S GRAPE BRENT’S GRAPE BRENT’S GRAPE BRENT’S GRAPE ADVENTUREADVENTUREADVENTUREADVENTURE

17171717

RIDING THE RAILSRIDING THE RAILSRIDING THE RAILSRIDING THE RAILS 18181818

THIS AND THATTHIS AND THATTHIS AND THATTHIS AND THAT 19191919

SYSTEMATIC LAND-SYSTEMATIC LAND-SYSTEMATIC LAND-SYSTEMATIC LAND-SCAPE PLANNINGSCAPE PLANNINGSCAPE PLANNINGSCAPE PLANNING

20202020

GARDENS OF GARDENS OF GARDENS OF GARDENS OF JOEANN STAHELJOEANN STAHELJOEANN STAHELJOEANN STAHEL

24242424

ASTRO FLOWERSASTRO FLOWERSASTRO FLOWERSASTRO FLOWERS 25252525

PLANT SALEPLANT SALEPLANT SALEPLANT SALE 26262626

PICTURE GALLERYPICTURE GALLERYPICTURE GALLERYPICTURE GALLERY GARDEN TOURGARDEN TOURGARDEN TOURGARDEN TOUR

27272727

FRIENDS OF THEFRIENDS OF THEFRIENDS OF THEFRIENDS OF THE FAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILY

28282828

DCMGADCMGADCMGADCMGA

AWARDED DCMGA LIFE MEMBERSHIP

J U N E 2 0 0 7J U N E 2 0 0 7J U N E 2 0 0 7J U N E 2 0 0 7 V O L U M E X IV O L U M E X IV O L U M E X IV O L U M E X I , I S S U E 2I S S U E 2I S S U E 2I S S U E 2

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APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS...FLOWERS...FLOWERS...FLOWERS...

but we just flat lucked out get-ting a dry day for this year’s tour! It’s nice to see the same folks return year after year and even some of the graduating students from TWU were seen bringing their families as they visited Denton. We are becom-ing an event the community looks for and enjoys. The gardens of Gene Gumfory, Sher Harnish, Kristin Anthony and Tom Harpool were amaz-ing, with so much to offer. We had everything from shade to full-sun gardening, city lots to rural expanses, Texas natives, dry creek beds and poolside planting to vegetable gardening of every variety whether it be square foot or dedicated large scale areas. This is the first year we have added a project site to the event and the Children’s Com-munity Garden was simply magical with tunnels alive with flowers and veggies and fun picture plant markers with whirly gigs and much more. Marie Harris and Rebecca Way-mack should be congratulated for their dedication to this part of the tour agenda.

We had photos along with copy in the “Denton Connection” and the “Denton Record Chronicle” as well as with fly-ers and brochures set out in public view. However, even with the fabulous publicity by Pam McClimon, our attendance was lower than expected. We saw about 300 per garden for the city gardens and a bit fewer for the two rural gardens. Overall this pro-ject continues to educate our public, interest folks in garden-ing and encourage growth of our organization. Our thanks go to our captains and owners this year for a smooth event. Hats (or bright green visors!) off to the cap-tains: Adele Petty & Ruth Orpin, Debbie Van Ness, Re-becca Waymack, Brenda Wel-lenreiter (who wore 2 hats – captain and treasurer) & Carol Fitch, and Cindy Reece. Finally, we can’t forget to thank the behind the scenes contributions of Donna Wolfe. Many thanks to Tom Harpool, not only as a returning garden, but also for allowing the plant sale to share the glory of his vegetable plot.

Our feedback from the public has been fabulous, and that is due in no small part to the dedicated work of our garden owners who have been prepar-ing their gardens for years (and just didn’t know it!). One measure of success is the num-ber of folks who come back as captains following their experi-ence when their own garden was on display. Brenda, Carol and Debbie all get a pat on the back. Another sign of success is return gardens…and this year we had two (Tom’s and Sher’s new garden). Thanks to all who selected gar-dens, worked in the gardens, sold tickets, promoted mer-chandise, manned gates and acted as garden guides--it takes us all to make it work. Please make every effort to at-tend the June general meeting when some of our members will be recognized for their efforts. Darla Bostick Project coordinator

SEE PAGE 27 FOR THE WALK THROUGH THE GARDENS TOUR

2007 PICTURE GALLERY

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Chocolate Fudge Pie from Clarice LuceChocolate Fudge Pie from Clarice LuceChocolate Fudge Pie from Clarice LuceChocolate Fudge Pie from Clarice Luce 1 1/2 c. sugar 2 eggs, slightly beaten 3 1/2 T. cocoa 1/2 c. (1 stick) melted butter/margarine 1 (6 oz.) can evaporated milk 1 T. Vanilla 1/2 - 3/4 c. chopped pecans (optional) 1/8 t. salt Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix sugar, salt and cocoa. Add butter and eggs and mix well. Add milk and vanilla and stir in pecans. Pour into a 9-inch unbaked pie shell. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Cool, top with whipped cream. I make it without pecans for my family and it is like a chess pie.

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New Kids on the Block...New Kids on the Block...New Kids on the Block...New Kids on the Block...Lots of new faces running around DCMGA-here are a few of their stories...

JENNY ESTES...grew up in Arlington, left for awhile when she went to Tennessee for her Masters.

She has a passion for Garden Trains (see article on

RIDING THE RAILS), roses and Texas native plants.

Jennie has plans to extend the RR in the garden and

start a Children’s Garden at Evers Park.

BETSY FAULKNER...grew up in the Mid-west, her home is in Lawrence, Ks., but she has

been here for the last 25 years. When she moved to

Texas she had to learn what plants could withstand

the heat and drought and she likes the long garden

season. Her passion is to have a garden with plants

blooming most of the year. She plans to help estab-

lish gardens that are nice to look at and conserve

water. She would like an area for birds and butter-

flies.

DON GILL SR...hails from Oklahoma City, but has been in this area for 34 years. He learned

you have to plant earlier and can enjoy fall gardens

here in the state of Texas. His garden passions in-

clude wildflowers and vegetables. He plans to be-

come more informed about wildflowers and vegeta-

bles and to develop a wildlife habitat.

KELLY GARNEAUX...comes from just up the street in Pilot Point. Her garden passions include con-

servation, organic methods, native plants and drought

tolerant plants, and wildlife. Her favorite plants in-

clude herbs, cacti and succulents. Kelly is starting

from scratch, and wants her kids to enjoy the garden

and develop their own passion for plants, birds, etc.

She also wants to change people’s perspective of

what a garden should be or look like by expanding

their knowledge for the types of plants that can/

should be used in this area.

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Shelby KilpatrickShelby KilpatrickShelby KilpatrickShelby Kilpatrick Texas Junior Master Gardener of the YearTexas Junior Master Gardener of the YearTexas Junior Master Gardener of the YearTexas Junior Master Gardener of the Year

Shelby’s number one interest in 4-H has always been Entomology; her second is the WHEP program, Wildlife Habitat Evaluation. She has always had a strong interest in nature and how all things in nature work together sustaining and balancing life. When we checked into the JMG curriculum, to start this for our county, the Horticulture interested her as it all relates, but when she looked at the Wildlife Gardener Curriculum, she saw it as an opportunity to share her interests and promote all of these projects to other Denton County Youth, increasing awareness and interest. She jumped right in and picked out 17 activities from the 8 concepts in the book, designed a schedule, advertised throughout the county, prepared for and ran the 8 weeks of classes. Shelby always has a smile on her face, is always willing to share, teach and help others. Besides planning more JMG workshops, classes, service projects, and the like, Shelby is now a beekeeper.

She was chosen JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER of TEXAS for all these things. We are very proud of Shelby, CONGRATULATIONS!

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ANNABELLE HARN...was born and raised right here in Denton. She enjoys being outside, hardy native plants, both flowering and foliage plants and wildflowers. She loves to feed and watch birds. An-nabelle plans to redo her yard; it has gone from sunny to shady. She plans to use more drought tolerant plants, less grass, more groundcovers and add a water feature.

ALAN KIRCHHOFF...has lived in IA, OK, AZ, FL, DE, CA, HI and came to this ol’ state 13 years ago. He realized the soil here isn’t a rich deep loam, win-ters are brutal and the summer is hot! He does like the longer growing season allowing for a longer har-vest, if he can get his garden through Aug and Sept. His passion is for gardening veggies, which he feels is therapeutic, relaxing and rewarding when you share the produce. Alan hopes to continue to promote gar-dening as therapeutic. He wants to increase his pro-duce output to make donations to food pantries.

New Kids on the Block...New Kids on the Block...New Kids on the Block...New Kids on the Block...Lots of new faces running around DCMGA-here are a few of their stories...

SUSAN KILPATRICK...was born and raised in Irving, Tx., and has lived in Copper Canyon for the past 16 years. Her passion includes wildlife, birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects. She enjoys the fruits of her labor so plants herbs and vegetables mostly in the summer months. Susan plans to share the knowledge and pleasure of gar-dening with other adults and youth. She plans to expand her home garden and be more productive in other areas of life, such as cooking with herbs and rotating crops to be more successful. She looks for-ward to working on Denton County projects.

SOCIE LEMKE...came from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She has lived here for the last 26 years. Socie has to get used to less water in Texas, a longer and hotter growing season and more insects (or maybe it seems that way). She has a passion for vegetable gardens and Earth-kind Roses. She plans to have a spring and fall vegetable garden with more produce.

TEXAS MASTER GARDENER AWARDS DENTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

MEDIUM GROUP 3RD PLACE PROJECT

ARGYLE HILLTOP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OUTDOOR LEARNING AREA

PROJECT MANAGERS: KATHLEEN GIELINK

SHELLI STONE

2ND PLACE NEWSLETTER

ROTO TELLER EDITOR:

MARY MORROW

TOM CELEBRATED HIS 89TH BIRTHDAY ON MAY 11TH

WHEN HE WAS A CHILD HE REMEMBERS THINKING IF HE LIVED TO THE YEAR 2000

HE WOULD BE REALLY OLD!!!!!!!!!

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Pots in the Garden: expert design

and planting techniques

by Ray Rodgers

Timber Press, 2007

Ray Rodgers covers many aspects of using

pots to enhance the look and mood of the

garden landscape. He covers various

principles for using pots such as color,

form, texture, and placement. He

demonstrates how pots can be used as

focal points within the landscape or as a

way of directing the line of sight to a focal

point by the placement of the containers.

The type of materials, pots, and plants to

be used for successful container

gardening are covered and illustrated with

beautiful photography. Many plant

combinations and plant types are

discussed with an emphasis on the impact

that they will make in the garden. After

reading this book you will be well on your

way to being an expert container

gardener.

Review by Brent Bloechle

BOOK REVIEWS

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Crops in Pots: How to Plan, Plant, and

Grow Vegetables Fruits, and Herbs in

Easy-Care Containers

By Bob Purnell

Reader’s Digest, 2007

Author Bob Purnell provides an excellent

guide on how to grow edible plants in

containers. Step-by-step instruction is given

on the type of potting mix to use, how to

plant the pot, propagate the plants, and then

maintain them once you have them growing.

The book is broken into sections for

Starters, Main Courses, and Desserts with

vegetable, herb and fruit selections for your

pots that would be appropriate for the

courses of a meal. The author provides an

extensive list of plant combinations that are

suitable for use in creating a container

garden. Not only are the plants edible but

the author’s suggestions provide for a

contrast of texture, size and color, so the

container becomes an attractive addition to a

garden, porch or patio.

Review by Brent Bloechle

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DENTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION

BOARD MEETING May 2, 2007

I. CALL TO ORDER President Sandra Hiatte called the DCMGA Board of Directors Meeting to order at 9:05AM. Those in attendance were Darla Bostick, Barbara Burgin, Zoe Broxson, John Cooper, Peggy Durrett, Janie Farler, Sandy Hiatte, Maurine LeBeau, Mary Morrow, Brenda Wel-lenreiter, Linda Williams and Donna Wolfe.

II. MINUTES Mary Morrow, Secretary, presented the minutes to the board via email, they were accepted as written.

III. TREASURER’S REPORT Brenda Wellenreiter, Treasurer, submitted the Treasurer’s Report; it was discussed to the satisfaction of the Board. The ending bal-ance as of February 2007 is $13,819.16. See attachment 1.

IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Garden Tour Report – Darla reported ticket pre-sales were down and some of the gardens still needed help

the day of the tour. She reviewed the publicity to date; there was an article in the Denton Connection. She voiced a concern for the appearance of the roses of the Rose Trial at the Children’s Community Garden. Suggestions were made on how to handle the questions so the Garden wouldn’t have to have someone man-ning it during the tour.

B. Plant Sale Review – Mary advised everything was on track for the plant sale. She outlined the week before the sale and has plenty of help on board for transporting plants, etc and for the day of the plant sale.

C. Scholarship Committee – Mary advised there are 4 applicants for the 2007 scholarship. Peggy, Linda and Zoe will serve on the selection committee and have received copies of the applications for review. A rec-ommendation will be presented to the Board at the next meeting in June.

D. Report from County Coordinator – John reviewed requests from DCMGA and Master Naturalist for the new county complex that will house the TCE.

E. Publicity Committee – Peggy reviewed publicity for the Garden Tour and advised the project Square Foot Gardening received a write up in the Denton Record Chronicle.

F. Program Coordinator Report – Linda advised Dale Clark is on board for the May DCMGA Meeting on But-terfly Gardening. She reviewed the programs for the remainder of the year. Linda also gave an update on Ways and Means. Rain Gauges, Tool Tags and License Plate Holders will be purchased for sale to the public and DCMGA members. It was decided to purchase Rain Gauges prior to the Garden Tour and Plant sale. She reviewed information regarding the calendar: it will cost approx $7200 to print 5000 calendars, 36 ads would be sold for $200 to cover the printing cost, possibly a photography contest for the monthly pictures among members.

G. Project Coordinator Report – Zoe gave an update on the Garden Info Fest. A brochure is available to hand out at the Garden Tour/Plant Sale. Instructions have been posted for the laptop computer and equipment. She reviewed new projects, which are posted on the RT web pages. She will be conducting training sessions for project managers. The first one will be June 5th at 10am; board members are encouraged to attend.

V. NEW BUSINESS H. Signs – Mary advised we have 10 project signs available for projects. Zoe will send an email to all project managers to determine requests. I. Memorial to Tina – Sandy advised a letter has been sent to the parks dept to determine requirements for a

bench at the Children’s Community Garden. J. State Conference/State Awards - Mary and Zoe gave an update on the TMG board meeting held in Kerr-

ville. Argyle Hilltop Elementary School placed 3rd in state for Project of the Year and the ROTO TELLER placed 2nd in state for Newsletter of the Year.

K. Garden Info Fest – see IV. G. L. Status of CD Account Investigation – Brenda advised Kyle Nayfa (2007 Intern) would handle the money

market account. M. Yearly Hours Re-Certification – John will determine, based on circumstances, if a DCMGA member will

need to retake the class or will be able to makeup training and service hours the following year. N. Requests of the Association for Support – policy? – When requests come from members for support of a

project outside of the Association, it will be determined if it can be handled as a DCMGA project. E-mail sent by Donna to all members will be for DCMGA service and training related items. Meeting was adjourned at 11:30am.

7 page 7

On May 15th, 9 Denton County Master Gardeners attended Advance Turf Training with Dr. James McAfee and John Cooper. Dr. McAfee has put together the major problems expected this year with St. Augustine grass to help us with upcoming lawn consult calls.

Factors Contributing to Major Problems in St. Augustine Lawns Factors Contributing to Major Problems in St. Augustine Lawns Factors Contributing to Major Problems in St. Augustine Lawns Factors Contributing to Major Problems in St. Augustine Lawns James A. McAfee, Ph.D.James A. McAfee, Ph.D.James A. McAfee, Ph.D.James A. McAfee, Ph.D.

Extension Turf Grass Specialist, Texas A&M Research and Extension Center at DallasExtension Turf Grass Specialist, Texas A&M Research and Extension Center at DallasExtension Turf Grass Specialist, Texas A&M Research and Extension Center at DallasExtension Turf Grass Specialist, Texas A&M Research and Extension Center at Dallas Loss of St. Augustine grass in lawns throughout Texas was observed during the summer and fall months of 2006, with the problems continuing into the spring months of 2007. While other turf grasses growing in home lawns have also been affected during this same time period, the St. Augustine grass lawns appear to have been hit the hardest. Listed below are some of the major problems we are currently observing in the St. Augustine grass lawns (spring 2007). Dead areas of St. Augustine grassDead areas of St. Augustine grassDead areas of St. Augustine grassDead areas of St. Augustine grass. These areas can be anywhere from small, irregular dead spots to the entire lawn area. Yellow St. Augustine grass . Application of iron in most cases does not correct the problem of chlorsis (yellowing) in the lawn. Brown patch. Normally this disease is a problem in the fall months. However, this disease has been reported in St. Augustine grass

lawns throughout Texas this spring. Slow spring transition. Due to cooler than normal temperatures (especially nighttime temperatures) and cloudy days, the warm season

turf grasses have been very slow to transition from dormant state (brown) to green, actively growing turf grass. Once the weather warms up and we get more sunshine, many of these affected areas in the lawn should start growing and form a dense stand of turf grass.

Heavy infestation of winter weeds. Due to the drought conditions of 2006, many of the lawns, including St. Augustine grass, were thinned out going into the winter months. Then, the above average rainfall throughout fall, winter and spring months encouraged the germination and growth of many winter annual weeds. Weeds such as rescue grass, poa annua and winter annual thistle have especially been a problem.

Below is a list of potential problems that could have contributed to the loss of St. Augustine grass during the 2006 season and continu-ing into spring of 2007. In some cases, loss of the St. Augustine grass could have been from more than one factor. A. Major contributors to loss of St. Augustine grass in 2006 through spring of 2007: Extended drought conditions in 2006, followed by several days of freezing temperatures during the winter months of 2006 – 2007. Take-All Root Rot Nigrospora Stolon Rot

B. Minor problems observed in St. Augustine grass lawns in 2006 through spring of 2007. While these are minor problems, they could cause loss of turf grass plants in some St. Augustine grass lawns. Brown patch St. Augustine grass Decline (SAD) Gray Leaf Spot Chinch bugs Downey Mildew Grubs Rhodes grass Scale

Drought Conditions/Freezing Winter Temperatures: Drought Conditions/Freezing Winter Temperatures: Drought Conditions/Freezing Winter Temperatures: Drought Conditions/Freezing Winter Temperatures: For many areas of Texas, 2006 was one of the driest years on record. The drought conditions along with the high summer temperatures placed a tremendous stress on all grasses, but especially turf grasses such as St. Augustine grass and centipede grass. Also, in many areas of the state, cities implemented water restrictions that limited the number of days homeowners could water as well as the time homeowners could water their lawns. Due to these restrictions, many homeowners were unable to either properly water their lawns or in some cases just gave up watering. Most St. Augustine grass lawns and especially lawns not properly watered during the drought conditions went into the winter months in a stressed condition. During the winter months of 2006-2007, most areas of Texas received several days of freezing temperatures. Depending on which area of the state you live in, nighttime temperatures dropped down into the low teens to high twenties on several occasions. A healthy St. Augustine grass plant can normally survive temperatures well into the low twenties without any problem. However, because many of these lawns were stressed from the drought conditions of 2006 and/or disease problems, they were more susceptible to the freezing temperatures. Stress from drought conditions followed by freezing temperatures was a major contributor to loss of St. Augustine grass in some lawns, especially in the northern areas of the state were St. Augustine grass is grown. TakeTakeTakeTake----All Root Rot : All Root Rot : All Root Rot : All Root Rot : fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis Take-All Root Rot (TARR) has been a major disease problem in Texas for many years now. This disease was very active during 2006 and caused major problems in St. Augustine grass lawns. From early observations, it looks like the TARR will be a major problem in the spring of 2007. Note, Take-All Root Rot has been observed attacking all the major warm season turf grasses used in home lawns, but it is particularly a problem in St. Augustine grass lawns.

The fungus causing TARR attacks the plants root system primarily in the fall and spring months when soil temperatures are in the 60 to 65° F range. Any factor that causes the St. Augustine grass to become weakened or stressed will enhance the potential for TARR to become active. The drought/heat conditions of 2006 definitely placed a stress on all lawns. The disease weakens the root system or if severe enough will kill the entire root system thus causing loss of the St. Augustine grass. TARR can usually be identified by small to large irregular patches of dead St Augustine grass (see picture 1 and 2) or in severe cases loss of the entire lawn. In many cases, there are yellow (chlorotic) leaves in or around the affected areas of the lawn. Close observation of the affected areas reveal St. Augustine grass plants with brown leaf blades that are firmly attached, brown stolons (runners) and a shortened root system that is dark brown to black in color.

8

Picture 1. St. Augustine grass lawn damaged by Take-All Root Rot. Achieving successful control of this particular disease can be difficult at best. Applications of approved fungicides may help, but are not always successful. See table 1 for a list of fungicides approved for control of TARR. The fungicides are generally most effective when applied in the fall and/or spring when the disease is most active. Another treatment for TARR that has shown some success is topdressing affected areas with Sphag-num Peat Moss. Apply two bales of the 3.8 cu. ft. bales of Sphagnum Peat Moss per 1,000 sq.ft. The acidic affect of this peat moss is thought to provide an improved growing medium for the St. Augustine grass stolons to grow in and recover. The Sphagnum peat moss works best when ap-plied in the spring and fall when the disease is most active. However, it has also been shown to be effective in some cases when used in the sum-mer months. For the peat moss to be effective, it is important to thoroughly water in the peat moss once it is spread out over the lawn. If the peat moss is not watered in properly, it will not work. Like the fungicide treatments, topdressing with Sphagnum peat moss does not always provide control of the TARR.

Picture 2: Take-All Root Rot in St. Augustinegrass lawn. Note extensive chlorsis of St. Augustine grass in affected areas. Nigrospora Stolon Rot: Nigrospora Stolon Rot: Nigrospora Stolon Rot: Nigrospora Stolon Rot: fungus Nigrospora sphaerica: Nigrospora Stolon Rot was first identified in St. Augustinegrass lawns during the summer of 1980. This disease attacks the stolon area of the plant, usually next to a node (see pictures 3 and 4). Nigrospora Stolon Rot will eventually girdle the stolon, which stops the movement of water and nutrients to the leaves of the plant. The leaves soon wilt, turn yellow and then die. Until the summer of 2006, Nigrospora activity had not been identified as a major problem. However, it was observed in numerous lawns in 2006 and has

been seen in a couple of lawns already in 2007. Nigrospora Stolon Rot generally appears as irregular dead spots throughout the lawn and will often exhibit chlorsis (yellowing) of leaf blades in the affected areas. Close observation of the affected plants reveal lesions on the stolons, brown leaf blades that are firmly attached, brown stolons next to lesion, and roots that are brown in color. Note, unlike TARR, roots of plants affected by Nigrospora are not shortened and do not turn dark brown to black in color. The fungus causing Nigrospora Stolon Rot is associated with high temperatures and drought conditions, both which oc-curred in many areas of the state in 2006. At this time there is no fungicide that is labeled for the control of Nigrospora Stolon Rot. In 1980, Daconil was the only fungicide that demonstrated good activity on this fungus. However, Daconil is no longer labeled for use on turfgrasses in residential lawns. It can be used on St. Augustinegrass growing in lawns in commercial sites.

Picture 3: St. Augustine grass lawn damaged by Nigrospora Stolon Rot.

Picture 4: Lesion on St. Augustinegrass stolon caused by Nigrospora Stolon Rot. Brown patch: Brown patch: Brown patch: Brown patch: fungus Rhizoctonia solani: Brown patch can be a problem in most warm season and some cool season turf grasses, but is especially a problem in St. Augustine grass and centipede grass lawns ( see picture 5 ). The fungus is primarily a problem in warm season turf grasses in the fall and early winter months when nighttime temperatures are below 70° F and daytime temperatures are in the 75 to 85° F range. Brown patch can be active in the spring and it has been reported to be a problem in several areas of Texas in the spring of 2007. The above rainfall conditions and mild temperatures have most likely resulted in brown patch being active in the spring of 2007.

Picture 5: St. Augustine grass growing on sod farm with brown patch activity.

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While brown patch doesn’t normally kill the affected turf grass plants, it can weaken the affected areas and thus make them more susceptible to other stress problems such as freezing temperatures and drought conditions. Close observations of the affected area reveal leaves with rotted leaf sheathes (see picture 6), stolons that are still green to white in color and roots that still maintain a white to light brown color. Note, due to the rot-ting of the leaf sheath, the leaf blade can easily be pulled away from the stolon. This is very characteristic for brown patch activity in grasses such as St. Augustine grass and Centipede grass. See table 1 for list of fungicides recommended for the control of brown patch in St. Augustine grass lawns.

Picture 6: Rotted leaf sheath on St. Augustinegrass leaf blade caused by brown patch. Gray Leaf Spot: Gray Leaf Spot: Gray Leaf Spot: Gray Leaf Spot: fungus Pyricularia grisea: While gray leaf spot has been active in St. Augustine grass lawns for many years, it is not considered a major contributor to the loss of St. Augustine grass in lawns in 2006-2007. Gray leaf spot first appears as brown to ash colored spots on the leaf blade (see picture 7) with purple to brown margins. As the lesions grow in size, they can become diamond shaped. Areas heavily affected with gray leaf spot will have a burned to scorched appearance. Gray leaf spot likes shade areas, high humidity and areas with poor air circulation. Application of Nitrogen can greatly enhance the activity of this particular disease. If gray leaf spot is active in the lawn, then avoid making nitrogen applications until the disease has ceased activity or has been brought under con-trol with a fungicide application. Gray leaf spot is generally a problem in late spring, summer and early fall months. Table 1 contains a list of fungicides recommended for the control of Gray Leaf Spot.

Picture 7: Gray Leaf Spot lesions on St. Augustine grass leaf blade. Downey Mildew: Downey Mildew: Downey Mildew: Downey Mildew: fungus Schlerophthora macrospora: This disease is often mistaken for St. Augustine grass Decline. However, the Downey Mil-dew fungus produces white to yellowish streaks (see picture 8) in the leaf blade that run parallel with the leaf blade veins. Also, the affected veins in the leaf blade will be raised, thus giving a rough feel to the surface of the St. Augustine grass leaf blade. SAD will not produce the raised areas in the leaf blade. Downey Mildew is associated with excess moisture in the spring months. Generally, once the temperatures warm up and the grass dries out, the disease will cease to be a problem. Downey Mildew had not been considered a major cause for loss of St. Augustine grass in lawns during the 2006 growing season and through spring of 2007. Since the disease normally ceases to be active once the area dries out, applying a fungicide for treatment is not normally required.

Picture 8: Downey Mildew in St. Augustine grass leaf blade. St. Augustine grass Decline: St. Augustine grass Decline: St. Augustine grass Decline: St. Augustine grass Decline: panicum mosaic virus: St. Augustine grass Decline is caused by a virus attacking the St. Augustine grass plants. This virus produces a chlorotic mottling or stippling affect in the leaf blades (see picture 9) that is often mistaken for iron chlorsis. As the virus ad-vances in the cells of the St. Augustine grass plants, it weakens the plant and thus makes it more vulnerable to other diseases and environmental stress problems. Dr. Phil Colbaugh, retired research Plant Pathologists at the Texas A&M University Research and Extension Center at Dallas, noted in his work with the Take-All Root Rot fungus, that lawns affected with the SAD virus were generally more heavily damaged by the Take-All Root Rot fungus than lawns that did not contain the SAD virus.

Picture 9: SAD lesions on left leaf blade of St. Augustine grass (left) and iron chlorsis on l leaf blade of St. Augustine grass (rigtht). Being a virus problem, there are no chemical controls available to treat SAD. The best recommendation is to plant varieties of St. Agustine grass that have known resistance to this viral disease problem. St. Augustine grass varieties with known resistance to SAD include: Floratam, Raleigh, Seville, Delmar and AmeriShade. Note, varieties such as Floratam and AmeriShade should not be planted north of the Austin/San Antonio area due to poor cold tolerance. Southern Chinch Bug: Southern Chinch Bug: Southern Chinch Bug: Southern Chinch Bug: Blissus insularis While the southern chinch bug can be found in other turf grasses such as bermuda grass, centipede grass and zoysia grass, it is pri-marily a problem in St. Augustine grass lawns. Also, while the southern chinch bug is found mostly in the coastal areas of the state, damage from chinch bugs can be found any where in the state that St. Augustine grass is grown.

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10

Symptoms of chinch bug damage is characterized by expanding irregular patches of dying or stunted St. Augustine grass (see picture 10 ). In some cases, a halo of yellowing to orange St. Augustine grass will be observed at the outer edges of the dying grass. Chinch bugs prefer lush, actively growing St. Augustine grass that is found in hot spots of the lawn such as next to driveways and sidewalks.

Picture 10: Chinch bug damage to a St. Augustine grass lawn. Adult chinch bugs have small, black bodies with white wings ( see picture 11 ). The adult chinch bugs do not feed on the St. Augustine grass. The nymph (immature) stage of the chinch bug is wingles, yellow to pinckish-red in color with a light colored band across the back. Depending on the area of the state, chinch bugs can produce anywhere from 2 to 5 generations per year.

Picture 11. Nymph and adult stage of southern chinch bug. The nymph stage of the chinch bug can be found feeding underneath the leaf sheath of the turf grass plant. While feeding on the grass, the chinch bug injects a salivary fluid into the turf grass plant that disrupts the water conducting system of the plant, causing it to wilt, turn yellow, then turn brown and die. It normally takes 22 to 25 chinch bugs per 1,000 sq. ft. to cause damage to the St. Augustine grass. Generally, if there are enough chinch bugs to cause damage, they can easily be found moving around in the St. Augustine grass. See Table 2 for insecticides recommended for the control of chinch bugs. White Grubs: White Grubs: White Grubs: White Grubs: May/June beetles: White grubs are the larval stage of insects commonly known as May or June beetles. The creamy white, C-shaped larvae ( see picture 12 ) feed on the turf grass root system, thus destroying the roots ability to take in water and nutrients from the soil. If damage is severe enough, the turf grass plants will start to wilt, turn brown and eventually die ( see picture 13 ). Note, it normally takes at least 4 to 5 grubs per square foot to cause damage to turf grasses. Turf grasses killed by white grubs can easily be lifted from the ground since the root system of the plant has been destroyed. In Texas, the most common white grubs found feeding on the warm season turf grasses are the June beetle, Phyllophaga crinita and the Southern Masked Chafer, Cyclocephala lurida. Note, for the cool season turf grasses, the most commonly found white grub feeding on the root system is the May beetle, Phyllophaga congrua. Damage from the May beetle can start to show up in the cool season turf grasses as early as late spring to early summer months, while the damage from the June and Southern Masked Chafer larvae will start to show up in the warm season turf grasses in late summer to early fall months. Preventive insecticide applications for the June and Southern Masked Chafer grubs should be applied in late spring to early summer months while the preventive applications for the May beetle should be applied in early spring months. See Table 2 for a list of insecticides labeled for the control of the white grubs.

Picture 12: Larval stage of the white grub. Note the creamy white color with C-shape. Also, note that the larval stage has three pairs of legs.

Picture 13: Damage to lawn caused by feeding of the white grub.

Rhodes grass Scale (Rhodes grass Mealybug): Rhodes grass Scale (Rhodes grass Mealybug): Rhodes grass Scale (Rhodes grass Mealybug): Rhodes grass Scale (Rhodes grass Mealybug): Antonina graminis: Rhodes grass Scale was a major pest problem on St. Augustine grass lawns back in the 1950’s. However, with the release of a parasitic fly, this problem was pretty much wiped out by the late 1950’s. In 2006, this pest problem was observed in not only several St. Augustine grass lawns, but also in some bermuda grass lawns ( see picture 14 ). This is not recog-nized as a major pest problem at this time, individuals should be aware of its activity. At this time, there is not a recommended control for this est.

Picture 14: Rhodesgrass scale on St. Augustine grass stolon. Scale is usually found at the node area of the stolon.

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Table 1. Fungicides labeled for Control of Diseases in Home Lawns.Table 1. Fungicides labeled for Control of Diseases in Home Lawns.Table 1. Fungicides labeled for Control of Diseases in Home Lawns.Table 1. Fungicides labeled for Control of Diseases in Home Lawns.

I. Brown Patch Turfcide 10 G PCNB (Rhizoctonia solani) Ortho Lawn Disease Control propiconazole Sprectracide Immunox myclobutanil Ferti-lome Systemic Fungicide propiconazole Hi-Yield Lawn Fungicide Granules PCNB Green Light Fung-Away Systemic Granules thiophanate-methyl Green Light Systemic Fungicide triadimefon Dragon Systemic Fungicide 3336WP thiophanate-methyl II. Take-All Root Rot* Ferti-lome Systemic Fungicide propiconazole (Gaeumannoyces graminis Spectracide Immunox myclobutanil var. graminis) Ortho Lawn Disease Control propiconazole Green Light Fung-Away Systemic Granules myclobutanil Ferti-lome F Stop myclobutanil III. Gray Leaf Spot Ferti-lome Systemic Fungicide propiconazole (Pyricularia grisea) Ortho Lawn Disease Control propiconazole Spectracide Immunox myclobutanil Green Light Fung-Away Systemic Granules myclobutanil * Preventing stress to turf grass and topdressing with peat moss has been shown to be one of the best methods for controlling this disease problem in home lawns. ** Both Heritage and ProStar are not available in garden stores at this time. *** Note, the fungicide Chlorothalonil which is sold under the trade names of Daconil 2787, Daconil Ultrex, Daconil WeatherStix, etc. is not registered for use on turf grass in home landscapes.

Note, always read the label before purchasing any fungicide to make sure it is still labeled for the disease you are trying to cNote, always read the label before purchasing any fungicide to make sure it is still labeled for the disease you are trying to cNote, always read the label before purchasing any fungicide to make sure it is still labeled for the disease you are trying to cNote, always read the label before purchasing any fungicide to make sure it is still labeled for the disease you are trying to control.ontrol.ontrol.ontrol. Table 2. Insecticides labeled for the control of white grubs and chinch bugs in home lawns.Table 2. Insecticides labeled for the control of white grubs and chinch bugs in home lawns.Table 2. Insecticides labeled for the control of white grubs and chinch bugs in home lawns.Table 2. Insecticides labeled for the control of white grubs and chinch bugs in home lawns.

While this is not a complete list of insecticides labeled for white grubs and chinch bugs, it does contain some of the more commonly found insecti-cides found in garden/retail stores.

Note: Always read the insecticide label before purchasing to makes sure it is still labeled for the insect you are trying to conNote: Always read the insecticide label before purchasing to makes sure it is still labeled for the insect you are trying to conNote: Always read the insecticide label before purchasing to makes sure it is still labeled for the insect you are trying to conNote: Always read the insecticide label before purchasing to makes sure it is still labeled for the insect you are trying to control.trol.trol.trol.

Disease Trade Names Common NameDisease Trade Names Common NameDisease Trade Names Common NameDisease Trade Names Common Name

INSECTINSECTINSECTINSECT TRADE NAMETRADE NAMETRADE NAMETRADE NAME COMMON NAMECOMMON NAMECOMMON NAMECOMMON NAME INSECTINSECTINSECTINSECT TRADE NAMETRADE NAMETRADE NAMETRADE NAME COMMON NAMECOMMON NAMECOMMON NAMECOMMON NAME

White grub Merit ImidiPro Bayer Advanced Season Long Grub Control Scotts Grub-Ex

imidacloprid Chinch bugs Orthene T/O Ortho Systemic Insect Killer

acephate

Mach 2 Spectracide Grub Stop Hi-Yield Kill-a-Grub

halofenozide Talstar Lawn and Turf Ortho Bug-B-Gon Max Insect Killer for Lawns Basic Solutions Lawn and Garden Insect Killer TotalKill Lawn & Garden Insect Killer (granules)

bifenthrin

Bayer Advanced 24 hr. Grub Control Hi-Yield Dylox 6.2 Gran-ules Dylox

trichlorofon Spectracide Triazicide Once and Done Insect Killer (granules)

lambda-cyhalothrin

Sevin Garden Tech Sevin Lawn Insect Granules Bonide Eight Insect Con-trol Yard and Garden Granules Ortho Bug-B-Gon Lawn and Soil Insect Killer

carbaryl Bayer Advanced Com-plete Insect Killer

imidacloprid + Beta-cyfluthrin

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page 12

John, As I was coming home last Saturday, I realized that I had not forwarded this e-mail as I had intended. It is from our son Alden, the snake guy. Feel free to share it with the master naturalists and master gardeners. Merrill Litherland

Hi Merrill, Hope you are doing well and keeping yourself busy. I got back from my trip on Wednesday the 8th and have been busy ever since! Just wanted to let you know that I spread some of mom's ashes in the mountains of New Guinea like I said I would. When the Dani people were informed about what I was going to do, they took it a step further. We named the mountain range where the Boelens python is endemic to after mom. The area where I've been going to since 1994 is now called "Taman Tina". It means "Tina's Garden". This area is very rugged, but full of plants, flowers, butterflies and birds. So, from now on when I go back to this special place, mom can watch my back and see that I make it up there safely and back down again. Here is a photo of what part of it looks like from a distance. The elevation is between 7,000-8000 feet above sea level and stretches several miles long. The grass house (honai) is the base camp where I stay and is 6,500 feet above sea level.

13

Seminars by Texas Gardening Experts

Horticulture Demonstrations

Children’s Activities

Ask a Master Gardener Booth

Variety of Vendors

Plant Sales

Private Garden Tour On-Site

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SHOW OFF THE FRUITS (OR VEGETABLE OR HERBS OR FLOWERS) OF YOUR LABOR

OR COME JOIN IN AT 8AM-WITH YOUR FELLOW

MASTER GARDENERS FOR A FUN FILLED DAY

OR YOU CAN DO BOTH

CONTACT

MAURINE LEBEAU

TODAY

page 13

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

9am—3pm Location:

Upper Trinity Regional

Water District

“Garden Info Fest”

PROJECT MANAGER: ZOE BROXSON MEETING: JUNE 12, 10AM UPPER TRINITY REGIONAL

WATER DISTRICT

14 page 14

(1)It is a perennial herb adopted as Wyoming State Flower on January 31, 1917.

(2)It has the ability to grow and survive in serpentine soils, which most species are not equipped to handle due to the stressful amounts of high magnesium, low calcium and overloaded amounts of metals such as chromium and nickel. (3)It can produce it's own food, yet if malnourished it will parasitize off the roots of other plants.

(4)There are over 200 species in the Western United States.

(5)It will absorb selenium, a potentially toxic, alkaline mineral compound in the soil.

(6)The Chippewa Indians are known to use it as a medicine to treat rheumatism and as a bath rinse to make their hair glossy. (Both applications are useful due to its selenium content)

(7)The color of this plant is mainly on the leaf bracts. The actual flowers are hidden beneath the red-tipped leaves.

(8)It is related to the Snapdragon or Figwort Family.

(9) It is a hemi-parasite or a root parasite. The only way for a Paintbrush to survive is to stick its tubes, which are called 'haustoria' into the roots of a host plant.

(10)It is very difficult to transplant or propagate from seeds because of its parasitic nature.

BY JOE BOHN CLASS OF 2007

15 page 15

DCMGA MEETINGS

JUNE 13, 2007, 9:00 AMJUNE 13, 2007, 9:00 AMJUNE 13, 2007, 9:00 AMJUNE 13, 2007, 9:00 AM PRESENTATION BY

Rodolfo Noguera Rodolfo Noguera Rodolfo Noguera Rodolfo Noguera of CASA FLORAof CASA FLORAof CASA FLORAof CASA FLORA

"Ferns""Ferns""Ferns""Ferns"

JULY 11, 2007, ***6:30 PM***JULY 11, 2007, ***6:30 PM***JULY 11, 2007, ***6:30 PM***JULY 11, 2007, ***6:30 PM***

Presentation by

Rodney Sowalskie Rodney Sowalskie Rodney Sowalskie Rodney Sowalskie """"Xeriscaping in the Landscape"Xeriscaping in the Landscape"Xeriscaping in the Landscape"Xeriscaping in the Landscape"

AUGUST 8, 9:00 AMAUGUST 8, 9:00 AMAUGUST 8, 9:00 AMAUGUST 8, 9:00 AM

PRESENTATION BY

John CooperJohn CooperJohn CooperJohn Cooper “Weeds, Weeds, Weeds“Weeds, Weeds, Weeds“Weeds, Weeds, Weeds“Weeds, Weeds, Weeds

16 page 16

PROJECT MANAGER: LINDA WILLIAMS

Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD) is something that almost every Master Gardener has heard about, at one time or another, if they have been a part of the Master Gardener program for any time at all. In 2000, Denton County Master Gardeners and UTRWD entered into a partnership that has survived these 7 years and generated gar-dens of which we can be very proud. We were asked by UTRWD to address a demonstration garden that had been professionally designed and installed some 2 years earlier, but that was not performing well. The long term goal of UTRWD was to have these gardens as an example of water wise, and eco friendly environments that they could share or present as something that could be accomplished by any of their members. (UTRWD delivers water to 25 member communities throughout Denton County). Master Gardeners gathered at the gardens and assessed what existed in February 2001. We decided that we should establish a rescue garden for the plants that weren’t doing well. We re-arranged the beds to be easier on the eye and we made recommendations for new plants to be installed. Then we went to work. Yes, Master Gardeners, with the help of staff at UTRWD, did the work themselves; and we were able to accomplish our goals in time for the An-nual Meeting in June and give tours of our newly re-designed gardens. These initial efforts consisted of the 2 original beds plus the rescue garden. We also recruited and worked hand-in-hand with Master Naturalists in re-establishing the ponds. In 2002 we were asked to return and consider landscaping around the new water tanks that were being installed and the parking lot for the water treatment plant. We began meeting again, this time we were working from a clean slate. The resulting landscape was more commercial in flavor, but we were able to continue the demonstration gar-den’s theme of water- wise and eco-friendly design and introduce some hardscape elements. Again, we did the work with the help of staff of UTRWD and successfully completed the project by mid-June, in time for the Annual Break-fast where we were asked to docent regional VIP’s through the gardens. In 2003 UTRWD again asked us to look at some new areas and work with them. We had a number of other large pro-jects in full swing by then and our numbers were small. However, we were able to tackle another bed and landscap-ing around the “chlorinating station”. We did the work on these opportunities and made recommendations on other buildings. Again, we were successful in completing in time for the June Annual Breakfast and we were asked to lead people through the gardens. Master Gardeners consulted in 2004 by making recommendations for the plant material and landscape to be used in the new parking lot and Board room Area. We were happy to accomplish this, and we led interested folks through the gardens at the Annual Breakfast. Master Gardeners had their 2005 annual Retreat at UTRWD in the Board Room. In 2005 UTRWD, along with Keep Lewisville Beautiful, hosted a Smartscape event and asked Master Gardeners to lead people through the gardens as necessary after the event. We were asked back to this event again in 2006 along with various other opportunities to share the gardens with the public. In 2007 we continue to work with UTRWD in sharing the gardens with the Public and look forward to moving our rela-tionship to a different plateau. UTRWD has a responsibility to educate the public about water shed issues and water conservation. Master gardeners have a responsibility to educate the public on a myriad of issues including water con-servation. UTRWD has been asked to be part of the 12th Annual Water-Wise Garden Tour that will take place June 2. Master Gardeners have been asked to be on hand to share the gardens. It has been suggested that up to 1200 people could show up for this opportunity, so we will once again be looking for folks to share the UTRWD experience. MG’s have chosen UTRWD as the location for the 2007 Garden InfoFest, which you will be hearing more about as the plans take shape. Our gardens played a major role in this selection. We have worked hard in these gardens, and they continue to reward us with a good partner in UTRWD and public recognition of a job well done. As we move forward, Master Gardeners can be proud of the work they have done here and the good will they continue to garner.

17

BY BRENT BLOECHLE

About fifteen years ago I tried to grow grapes. That effort ended in com-plete and utter failure after two years. I figured out that it was due to putting them in a poor location with a combination of not enough sun and too much water (yes, even in Texas). Since that time, the local bird population has been highly successful growing wild grapes in my yard. In fact, there are a couple of locations where the birds and I have a peren-nial struggle over who gets the garden in that corner of the yard. Past failure had become a hazy memory one late winter trip to Lowe’s and I fell victim to impulse shopping. I responded to the siren call of the bare-root grapes. One corner of the vegetable garden was empty and needed something, so why not grapes? I picked up three Flame grape plants.

They were planted in early March. The location was slightly ele-vated for better drainage and had significantly more sunlight. The plants started to grow out nicely, just in time for the bright green new growth to freeze with our late frost this year. They have slowly recovered and begun to grow anew. Thank goodness for sec-ondary buds. With all of the rain and the warm days of May they are now starting to grow out very quickly. Now that I have plants, the next step is to get a trellis in place, to provide support for what I hope will be very happy and healthy grape plants. Wish me luck!

page 17

SEND YOUR FAVORITE

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PHOTO TO

ROTOTELLER06@AOL.COM

BE THE FIRST ON YOUR BLOCK TO NAME THAT

PLANT...FIRST 5 SUBMISSIONS TO rototeller06@aol.com WILL RECIEVE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

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18

On May 16th, 35 school children arrived by bus to the garden of Jenny Estes in Corinth. Jenny, with the assistance of her hus-band, Bill, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bob and Marcia Estes had been busy little bees putting together the B&B Garden Railway since February, 2007. Jenny escorted the children to the backyard where they were to begin on an adventure of -- — — — —. You must complete “Riding the Rails” to find out what your adventure brings! The children visited 5 stations located through-out the garden and participated in hands-on garden activities and experiments: STATION 1: Math Connection with Train Demonstration STATION 2: People/Plants Game (Oxygen/Carbon Dioxide Exchange) STATION 3: Brainteaser: “What plant has eyes?” STATION 4: Make & Take Sombreros/What Plants Need STATION 5: Read Tops, Middle, Bottoms Book & compare to Tortoise & Hare At each station the children participated in the activity and were given a letter to add to the clue of what their adventure would bring. Jenny had lots of support from the DCMGA, and thanks everyone who helped out on such an important project. The excitement from the project was so great that there are now plans to take “Riding the Rails” on the road (or tracks). There were visitors from the DISD Math and Science Curriculum who were very impressed, and now Jenny and her gang are moving forward to bring this project to all the elementary schools in Denton. Listen for the whistle blow to find out when the next opportunity arrives to

“RIDING THE RAILS”

page 18

PROJECT MANAGER: JENNY ESTES

19

SOME THINGS DO NOT CHANGESOME THINGS DO NOT CHANGESOME THINGS DO NOT CHANGESOME THINGS DO NOT CHANGE Parliamentary procedure is used daily by all kinds of decision-making bodies, including non-profit boards of directors and their constituents. Parliamentary procedure is used to make good use of everyone’s time. One of the most misused points of parlia-mentary procedure is that of the making and handling of a motion. Here are some easy guidelines: 1. A member seeks recognition and addresses the presiding officer, (“Madam President, Madam Chairman,” etc.), by standing. 2. The chair recognizes the member, who obtains the floor. 3. Member makes a motion, “I make a motion that...” 4. Another member seconds the motion, when appropriate. 5. Chair states the question and calls for discussion. 6. Discussion/debate (amendment and secondary motions). 7. Chair calls for the question and puts it to a vote. 8. Votes may be oral or written. 9. Chairman announces result of the vote.

Corn Bread Salad (from the Dallas Junior League cookbook "Dallas Dish") from Zoe BroxsonCorn Bread Salad (from the Dallas Junior League cookbook "Dallas Dish") from Zoe BroxsonCorn Bread Salad (from the Dallas Junior League cookbook "Dallas Dish") from Zoe BroxsonCorn Bread Salad (from the Dallas Junior League cookbook "Dallas Dish") from Zoe Broxson 1 recipe corn bread (I used Jiffy mix)

1 envelope buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix (plus buttermilk and mayo to mix in) 6 slices bacon 1 small head romaine, trimmed and shredded

2 tomatoes chopped 1 15-oz can black beans drained and rinsed 1 15-oz can whole kernel corn drained

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 8-oz package shredded Mexican four-cheese blend

5 green onions chopped 1 large avocado chopped Prepare and bake the corn bread. Cool slightly and crumble. Prepare the salad dressing using the package directions. Cook the bacon in a skillet

until crisp and drain on paper towels. Crumble the bacon. Layer the corn bread, romaine, tomatoes, beans, corn, bell peppers, cheese and dressing 1/2 at a time in a large salad bowl. Chill, covered, for 2 hours or longer. Sprinkle with the bacon, green onions and avocado just before serving. Serves 10 to 12.

page 19

HURRY, HURRY, STEP RIGHT UP….HURRY, HURRY, STEP RIGHT UP….HURRY, HURRY, STEP RIGHT UP….HURRY, HURRY, STEP RIGHT UP…. Plans are already underway to choose our gardens for the

WALK THROUGH THE GARDENS TOUR 2008! We are looking for gardens in the southern half of our county. In August we will be sending out the selection committee to find the gardens we can use as tools for educating our public. Don’t you wish you had a personal garden coordinator? You can if your garden is chosen for the tour. Each garden has a captain who helps the owner by doing the mundane things like orga-nizing workdays, putting together the workers the day of the tour, plant labels, etc.

“RIDING THE RAILS”

20

Systematic Landscape Planning for Your Residence by Rodney Sowalskie

Since the dawn of civilization man has been interacting with and cultivating the landscape around him.

There’s just something about creation that you want to be a part of. However, in today’s fast paced soci-ety, most of us no longer have the benefit of vast natural landscapes surrounding our homes. Instead we

are left with small tracts of land that barely enclose our residence. But, it is here we come home to re-treat from our busy day; it is here that we entertain our friends and family; and it is here where we carve

out our small piece of creation. For these reasons, we want to make our residential landscapes as enjoy-

able as possible. A well designed landscape can bring many benefits. It can stimulate our senses with eye catching beauty,

sweet aromas, sounds of wildlife in their habitat, and textures that we cannot walk by without touching.

It can improve our quality of life by providing a place to escape from the troubles of the day. And finally, research has shown that a well designed landscape can increase the value of our homes by as much as

20 percent. The problem is well designed landscapes don’t just happen…they need to be designed.

Landscape planning requires a systematic approach that brings together and synthesizes the desires of the home owner, the characteristics of the residence and the dynamics of the environmental surround-

ings. This planning process (Figure 1) includes four major phases: 1) information collection, 2) informa-

tion analysis, 3) synthesis and design, and 4) implementation and evaluation. The remainder of this text serves to highlight the phases of this process in more detail. In this edition we will discuss Phase 1.

Figure 1 Landscape Planning Process

Information Collection Before you can begin designing, you must first understand the goals that you seek to accomplish and the

attributes of the site conditions that you are working with. The information collection phase seeks to bring this understanding. One of the first tasks in this phase is to document your landscape design goals.

To do this, you need to answer some basic questions about how you intend to use the landscape.

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For example: Are you planning to entertain outside? Do you have children and need a play area? Do you want a vegetable garden? Is there a view that you want to block? Is a water feature important to you?

How much gardening do you like to do? Are there any existing problem areas that you are aware of? Are

there plants you really like or dislike? Do you live in a community with water restrictions? Answers to questions like these will help you shape your design goals. Make sure that when you are writing your

goals that they are specific (e.g., I want plants that are drought hardy.). Specific goals like these will be helpful when creating your design.

Once the design goals have been determined, it is essential to understand your budgetary considera-

tions. A budget can help determine the overall scope of the project. It can provide guidance on the mate-rials to use, the amount of soil preparation that can be done, the size of the plant materials to incorpo-

rate, as well as the timeframe of completion. As a rule of thumb, consider investing about 5-10 percent

of the value of your home into your landscape. If you are unable to invest this amount at one time, con-sider implementing your plan in a phased approach.

With a better understanding of your goals and your budget, you now need to better understand the site

you intend to landscape. This process begins with the creation of a site plan. The site plan is a drawing that identifies the position of the house on the lot, dimensions of the home, site elevations, and dimen-

sions from property lines – as illustrated in Figure 2. To create this plan, all you need is a good tape measure and a large piece of graph paper. If you have a survey of your lot, start with a copy of that as a

guide. The site plan provides the foundational size and scale information that is needed to help develop

the landscape plan.

Figure 2 Site Plan

25.23ft.

108.00ft.

N 65º 04' 51" E

N 65º 04' 51" E

50.50ft.

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22

Once the site plan has been created, you will next create a base plan and a base sheet. The base plan serves to document the existing landscape conditions including landscape beds, trees, shrubs, vines, etc.

– as illustrated in Figure 3. The base plan serves as a baseline to help you understand the starting point

of your landscape design.

Figure 3 Base Plan

Unlike the base plan that documents all of the existing landscape, the base sheet only highlights the

landscape characteristics that will remain unchanged during the design phase (e.g., large tree that will

not be moved). Site items to be removed from the existing landscape are not drawn on the base sheet. This gives you more room to be creative with your new design. Make lots of copies of the base sheet, be-

cause it will be used several times throughout the planning process. As you create the base plan and base sheet, don’t be too concerned about making things look like plants. Just draw some representative

circles that are approximately scaled and label them with the existing plants.

+ + +

AC # 2 AC # 1

Two Story House

Covered Patio

Base Map Denton County Master Gardeners Association

75007 SIZE DRAWING NO . MASTER GARDENER DESIGNER REV

11 " x 17 " 004 Rodney Sowalskie 1 SCALE 1 / 8 " = 1 ' - 0 " 4 / 20 / 05 SHEET 1 OF 13

N N N

Formal Living Room Dining Room

Breakfast Nook

Two - car Garage

Living Room

Library

Mail

Property Line

Sidewalk

RANDALL LANE

ALLEY

Driveway

6 ' Fence

8 ' Fence

0 ' 10 ’ Graphic Scale

+

Existing Trident Red Maple Acer rubrum var . tridens 1

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

+

+ +

+

Existing Shumard Red Oak Quercus shumardii 2

+ Existing Crepe Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica 3 +

+ + + Existing Crepe Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica 3

Existing Stacked Brick Border

page 22

23

The final step of the information collection phase is to create a site inventory. The site inventory is a col-lection of information about the site that includes physical attributes of the site and its limitations. In this

step you will record information about walkways, fences, utilities, vegetation, soil type, slope, prevailing

wind conditions, sun and shade patterns, specific views of importance, structures, sites, sounds, etc. Fig-ure 4 provides an illustration of what a site inventory may look like. Make sure to use the site inventory

to highlight all the things you like and don’t like about your landscape.

Figure 4 Site Inventory

SEPTEMBER ISSUE: INFORMATION ANALYSIS

AC # 2 AC # 1

Two Story House

Covered Patio

Site Inventory Denton County Master Gardeners Association

,

SIZ E DRAWING NO . MASTER GARD ENER DESIGNER REV 11 " x 17 " 005 Rodney Sowalskie 1

SCALE 1 / 8 " = 1 ' - 0 " 4 / 20 / 05 SHEET 1 OF 13

N N N

Formal Living Room Dining Room

Breakfast Nook

Two - car Garage

Living Room

Library

Mail

Heavily used room

Sidewalk

RANDALL LANE

ALLEY

Driveway

6 ' Fence

8 ' Fence

0 ' 10 ’ Graphic Scale

+ Existing Trident Red Maple Acer rubrum var . tridens 1

+

Existing Shumard Red Oak Quercus shumardii 2

+ +

Existing Crepe Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica 3

Existing Crepe Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica 3

V i e w

f r o m

n e i g h b o r ’ s

s e c o n d

s t o r y

View from neighbor’s patio

H o t A f t e r n o o n

S u n

NW Winter Winds

View to neighbor’s

V i e w t o b a c k o f n e i g h b o r i n g h o u s e s

Two way street with light traffic

P o o r

D r a i n a g e

Primary arrival view

Garden hose B l o c k e d

v i e w

F r e n c h

D r a i n

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24

FROM THE GARDENS

OF JOEANN STAHEL

AT HER HOME ON

LAKE BONHAM Two colonies of the elusive trout lily were discovered during the weekend of March 10th on trails at our house on Lake Bonham. I took photos and sent to Jim Varnum, a Dallas Master Naturalist, who has specialized in their locations for several years. He and Dr. George Diggs from Austin Col-lege had located only 44 colonies in Texas until the discovery of our two. Erythronium Albidum bloom for only a brief period of time between late February and the end of March. They grow from corms and spread through rhizomes. The name, Trout Lily, comes from the mottled mauve spots on the gray-green leaves, similar to the spots on the brown brook trout. This was the second great plant surprise on the property. We also have a Green Dragon’s Tongue (aresaema dracontium) but it has not appeared yet this year. It is a show-stopper!!!! It is amazing what you can find when you take the time to look around you.

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25 page 25

Aquarius (1/20 Aquarius (1/20 Aquarius (1/20 Aquarius (1/20 ---- 2/18) 2/18) 2/18) 2/18)

Dancing to a different beat, carnations and this sign share a distinct trait

Pisces (2/19 Pisces (2/19 Pisces (2/19 Pisces (2/19 ---- 3/20) 3/20) 3/20) 3/20)

Having a deep compassion for those in need makes the hydrangea the bud of choice.

Aries (3/21 Aries (3/21 Aries (3/21 Aries (3/21 ---- 4/19) 4/19) 4/19) 4/19)

With this sign's headstrong nature, stargazer lilies are the flower of choice

Taurus (4/20 Taurus (4/20 Taurus (4/20 Taurus (4/20 ---- 5/20) 5/20) 5/20) 5/20)

Yellow roses are perfect for this sign who sees the bright side in all situations

Gemini (5/21 Gemini (5/21 Gemini (5/21 Gemini (5/21 ---- 6/20) 6/20) 6/20) 6/20)

This sign sees the world in pairs, so go with yellow & pink roses hand-in-hand

Virgo (8/23 Virgo (8/23 Virgo (8/23 Virgo (8/23 ---- 9/22) 9/22) 9/22) 9/22) Gerbera daisies are the symbol of innocence, well-suited for the most reserved of the signs

Leo (7/23 Leo (7/23 Leo (7/23 Leo (7/23 ---- 8/22) 8/22) 8/22) 8/22)

The alstroemeria is made for this sign who likes to spend on the finer things in life

Cancer (6/21 Cancer (6/21 Cancer (6/21 Cancer (6/21 ---- 7/22) 7/22) 7/22) 7/22)

White daisies stand for loy-alty, which matches this sign's dependable ways

Capricorn (12/22 Capricorn (12/22 Capricorn (12/22 Capricorn (12/22 ---- 1/19) 1/19) 1/19) 1/19) Just like violets, they always remain true and faithful.

Scorpio (10/22 Scorpio (10/22 Scorpio (10/22 Scorpio (10/22 ----11/21)11/21)11/21)11/21)

Just like tulips, this sign has a magnetic personality, making them the perfect love

Sagittarius (11/22 Sagittarius (11/22 Sagittarius (11/22 Sagittarius (11/22 ---- 12/21) 12/21) 12/21) 12/21) Yellow lilies share this sign's motto ... "Don't worry, be happy!"

Libra (9/23 Libra (9/23 Libra (9/23 Libra (9/23 ---- 10/22) 10/22) 10/22) 10/22)

Snapdragons are perfect for this sign as they respond to others in need with grace

DO YOU GET ALONG WITH YOUR COMPANION’S FLOWER???

26 page 26

WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!...CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO BE??? PLANTS AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE, A BUTTERFLY BED, HYPERTUFA CONTAINERS, GIFTS FOR MOTH-ERS DAY, GARDENING MERCHANDISE, INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON GARDENING, MASTER GARDEN-ERS ANSWERING YOUR EVERY QUESTION, A WONDERFUL VEGETABLE GARDEN WITHIN VIEW AND LOTS OF FOLKS MILLING AROUND CARRYING OFF PLANTS TO BEAUTIFY THEIR GARDENS. COULD IT BE THE 2007 PLANT SALE? - WE HAD A BANNER YEAR IN SALES, APPROX. $4100. BUT THE BESTBESTBESTBEST THING WAS THE TURNOUT OF MASTER GARDENERS, BOTH NEW AND OLD, TO LEND A HELPING HAND TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT. WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THE PLANT SALE FOR A COUPLE MONTHS MAKING HY-PERTUFA CONTAINERS, POTTING PARTIES, PLANTING CONTAINERS, GATHERING PLANTS, LOADING PLANTS, UNLOADING PLANTS, HAULING PLANTS—JUST ABOUT ANYTHING YOU COULD DO WITH A PLANT EXCEPT PLANT IT! WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK TOM FOR LOANING US A PARCEL OF LAND TO SHOW OFF OUR WARES. TO EVERYONE WHO POTTED PLANTS FROM THEIR GARDENS, WE COULD NOT DO IT WITH-OUT YOU. THOSE HELPING HANDS CAME FROM: SUE NEWHOUSE (HAND MADE FLOWER PRESSES AND GARDEN STEP STOOLS), BETSY SCHENCK, MARY RUPERT, AL KIRCHHOFF, LYNDA HARVEY, JUDY MARTIN, ANNABELLE HARN, CINDY REESE, CONNIE JOHNSON, PEGGY WIDNER, BETSY FAULKNER, KELLY GARNEAUX, SANDRA SMITH, JENNY ESTES, KAY WARREN, DON GILL, JOE AND TINA BOHN, BARBARA CRAMER, JUDY STEWART, BRENT BLOECHLE, ANNIE BRACKIN, JUDY BROUGH, ZOE BROXSON, PEGGY DURRETT, JANIE FARLER, CONNIE JOHN-SON, GRESHA LEAMON, KATHLEEN GIELINK, CAROLYN GOLD, SANDY HIATTE, JACKIE KERSTETTER, LEAH KNACK, SCOTTY KOLB, LINDA KRIMM, MARIBETH LYNCH, AMY MARCOTTE, JOE AND MAXINE MOORE, LEEANN KEENER, DIANNE PENCE, SUZANNE PUGH, JUDY RILEY, SELENA SCHINDLER(CAME ALL THE WAY FROM SOUTH TEXAS!), KAYE TEEGARDEN, CAROLYN TINNER (FANTASTIC BUTTERFLY BED), BRENDA WELLENREITER, LINDA WILLIAMS, AND FINALLY DONNA WOLFE. ALOT OF YOU WERE THERE EVERYTIME- YOUR TRUCKS WERE THE BEST!... AND IT WAS

LOADS OF FUN.LOADS OF FUN.LOADS OF FUN.LOADS OF FUN.

PROJECT MANAGERS: MARY MORROW ANNE BANKS

27

2007 WALK THROUGH THE GARDENS TOUR 07

page 27

KRISTIN ANTHONY’S GARDEN SHER HARNISH’S GARDEN

CHILDREN’S COMMUNITY GARDEN

GENE GUMFORY’S GARDEN

TOM HARPOOL’S GARDEN

28

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ROTO TELLER STAFF

Brent Bloechle .......................................Class of 2003 Joe Bohn.................................................Class of 2007 Darla Bostick..........................................Class of 1997 Jenny Estes.............................................Class of 2007 Rodney Sowalskie..................................Class of 2005 Maurine LeBeau.....................................Class of 2002 Evelyn McMillen....................................Class of 2004 JoeAnn Stahel.........................................Class of 1998 Linda Williams.......................................Class of 2000 GUEST EDITOR.................DR. JAMES MCAFEE

Janie Farler...............................................Class of 2003

Mary Morrow............Editor.....................Class of 2001

Sue Newhouse..........................................Class of 2007

Pam Pierce................................................Class of 2007

Judy Riley...................................... ..........Class of 2002

Betsy Schenck..........................................Class of 2007

page 28

We hope you enjoyed your Quarterly ROTO TELLER, let us know what you like and don’t like— E-mail the Editor at ROTOTELLER06@aol.com, also send suggestions, comments, questions to the Editor.

FRESH FLOWERS DONATED FROM THE GARDENS OF DENTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS

FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY SHELTER RENOVATION PROJECT

DECORATIONS MANAGER: EVELYN MCMILLEN