Hunt County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Growing African Violets

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Growing African Violets by Sylvia Leeds

Would you like a little color in your house in the winter? Do you like to grow things? Do you have an empty window sill that does not get direct sunlight? If you answered YES to any or all of these questions, why not try an African Violet? African Violets are the perfect houseplant to brighten up your home during the winter doldrums. These little plants are easy to grow in the right conditions and can reward you with a beautiful display of blossoms and healthy foliage if you give them enough, but not too much, attention. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

African Violets require plenty of bright light, either natural or fluorescent. If you choose natural light, place plants near a window that receives filtered light throughout the day, but avoid direct sun. Turn the plants every few days to encourage even growth.

If you use fluorescent lights, give plants 10 to 12 hours of light each day.

There are many ways to water African Violets. The most common methods include top or bottom watering, wicking and self-watering pots. When the top of the potting mix feels slightly dry, add room temperature water. Don’t let plants sit for more than ten minutes in water, but make sure they don’t completely dry out. Watch out for over-watering. It’s the most common mistake people make while trying to grow African Violets.

A regular application of fertilizer helps African Violets develop strength and produce plenty of blossoms. Some fertilizers provide a balanced diet for overall health while others encourage blossoms. Dilute the fertilizer to one-fourth tsp. to one gallon of room-temperature water, and fertilize each time you water. Consider alternating different brands in order to meet the plant’s needs.

Soil-free commercial potting mixtures especially made for African Violets generally hold too much water, so add a cup or two of perlite for drainage before potting your violets. Avoid swampy conditions at all costs. Repot your plants at least once or twice a year to stimulate growth and encourage the bloom cycle. Choose pots that are about one-third the size of the plant. A mature plant will rarely need larger than a four-inch pot.

Temperature, humidity and air circulation each play a critical role in a plant’s performance. Temperatures should remain around 70-75 degrees, with humidity at approximately 50 percent. Good air circulation discourages mold and fungus.

Regularly inspect your plants for insects to avoid infestation. Common pests to African Violets include thrips, mites and mealy bugs. Treat with commercial pesticides according to directions at the first sign of pests.

For more information about African Violets, contact the African Violet Society of America (AVSA), 2375 North Street, Beaumont, TX 77702-1722, 409-839-4725 or www.avsa.org.

Companion Planting

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Companion Planting by Byron Chitwood

The indigenous American’s sometimes referred to as Indians developed companion planting. It is not for sure where or when they came up with companion planting but must have observed over many years that it was a good idea since the yields of certain crops went up as a result. Their conclusions were not written down unless some of the hieroglyphics of the Mayan and Inca’s recorded it.

Their main companion planting consisted of the three sisters: corn, beans and squash. The corn provided some shade for beans and squash and the corn stalks were arbors for bean and squash vines to climb on. In return for the accommodations, the beans furnished nitrogen to the other plants through nitrogen fixation in the soil at the roots of the beans. All the plants prospered as a result of companion planting. The firs people occupied the Americas and outlying islands for twelve thousand or more years and have cultivated crops for at least 9,000 of those years. This figure has been established from various archaeological sites by carbon dating corn cobs and remains of other crops.

The American Indians domesticated and developed quite a few vegetables and tubers. Some of the most important to the world’s food supply are potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and corn. No doubt, much progress has been made in development of these important food items, especially tomatoes and corn. The ancients developed multiple varieties of these crops by saving the best seeds from a newly harvested crop to be planted in the following year. There are several thousand varieties of potatoes in Peru alone.

Now, we’ll go back to companion planting. I haven’t found any vegetable crop that won’t do better if a few green beans are planted as a companion. Not only do green bean plants add nitrogen to the soil, you usually can count on a crop of beans from the ones that were planted just as a companion plant. After the beans plants have produced all they can, about three pickings, pull the barren green bean plants and use them as mulch around the host plant. This is especially a good practice for plants such as tomatoes and peppers that bear fruit later than green beans. After the host plants have ceased producing, both the host and green bean plants can be tilled under to add organic material to the soil. If this is repeated year in and year out, the garden soil will become much more porous and permeable to water distribution throughout the soil, especially our blackland gumbo.

Another good companion combination is the practice of planting southern field peas within okra. There will probably not be a tremendous yield of field peas but the field peas are a legume and add nitrogen to the soil to help feed the okra plants.

Planting legumes in with other vegetables will cut down on the amount of commercial or organic fertilizer that needs to be purchased. Also, there is the benefit of eventual mulching and adding additional humus to the soil.

An excellent reference book to read is: “CARROTS LOVE TOMATOES” by Louise Riotte. It is easy reading and also very informative on vegetable gardening in general.

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Grape Harvesting 101

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Grape Harvesting 101 by Diane Sidebottom.

Whether you have a few grapevines in your backyard or acres of grape-producing vines, knowing when and how to harvest the grapes is critical to success. Make sure your grapes are ripe before you harvest. Grapes generally mature from late August to late November depending on the variety. Keep an eye on the color changes of the grape such as green to blue or red to white. Most cultivars color up long before they flavor up. Although color change is important, it is not the only consideration. When fully ripe, the natural bloom or whitish coating on the berries should become more noticeable, the seeds change from green to brown, and the berry becomes slightly less firm to the touch.

So, now we have covered the visual cues for ripeness, the best judge of when to harvest your grapes, taste them! Grapes will not continue to ripen after they are removed from the vine, and the longer they are on the vine, the sweeter they become. Grapes don’t require direct sunlight on the fruit to ripen and develop good color. Rather, the amount of light that reaches the plant’s leaves governs the quality of the fruit. The leaves manufacture the sugars that are then translocated to the fruit.

While maturing you will need to protect your ripening crop from critters, after all there is nothing like munching on sweet juicy grapes on a hot summer day. There are several methods you can use to achieve this goal. Netting the vines deters birds, as well as aluminum pie plates hung to twirl in the wind. You can place artificial owls, hawks, and snakes around your vineyard, but I personally don’t recommend the artificial snake, since your husband might think it’s funny to put it into one of your drawers for you to find. Human, dog and coyote scent helps to deter the deer, but it’s hard to get those coyote to stay where you want them.

So, the grape gods have smiled favorably and you actually have something to show from all your hard work. You have properly pruned the vines and cleaned up the grape leaves the previous fall, thereby helping decrease the number of overwintering pests. You have planted coriander or borage to help attract bees. You have planted chives and nasturtiums to discourage Aphids. You have planted Geraniums in and around your vineyard to deter Japanese Beetles. The Rose Chafer Beetles and the Grape Berry Moths are vacationing in California this year so no problems there. You have received enough rain to produce sufficient foliage but not too much rain and humidity to cause Powdery Mildew, Downy Mildew, or Black Rot. And if all else fails you pull out the insecticides and anti fungal and spray like a crazy person.

You, my friend, are ready to harvest. Make sure you have decent weather and grab your sun screen, hat and long sleeve shirt because after all, it’s summer in Texas. Get a pair of pruners that are sharpened, oiled and fit your hand. Grasp the cluster of grapes with your free hand and gently pull the cluster away from the vine while clipping it off with the shears. Leave a little bit of stem on the cluster for easy handling. Place the grape clusters gently in a container and keep them out of direct sunlight. Don’t stack too many grape clusters on top of one another, so you don’t damage the grapes. Continue harvesting.

After harvesting, you can store the grapes, possibly up to eight weeks, depending on the cultivar and storage conditions. Ideally, grapes should be stored at 32F with 85% humidity. If you have an abundance, grapes are excellent for making jellies, jams, juice and most notably, wine. If you intend to make wine, or if you just like gadgets, you may want to purchase a refractometer to determine the sugar content. A refractometer is a hand held device that measures the index of refraction of liquids. A juice sample is placed on the prism, and the device measures how the light is reflected, which corresponds directly to the sugar content of the sample. Wine grapes usually need a sugar content of 22 to 24% or more.

Remember, no matter how well you grow and care for your grape vines, your result can depend on the care and attention given to the harvest. So the next time you look at that $$ bottle of wine, reconsider the complexity of growing and harvesting grapes, and maybe it won’t seem so expensive.

As always, happy harvesting.

Growing Wildflowers

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Growing Wildflowers by Charles Bomfalk

Wildflowers are becoming a popular landscape alternative by adding color and natural beauty to any landscape.    Wildflowers are generally easy to grow from seed.  However, some wildflowers require more effort than broadcasting the seed on the ground and waiting for them to grow.  Many wildflowers require special soil preparation, temperature conditions, ongoing personal attention and patience. 

Wildflower planting dates largely depend on site location and weather patterns. The planting timetable should be decided by seasonal rainfall rather than by temperature.  Wildflowers can be planted in the fall or early spring throughout all regions of the U.S.  The autumn months of September through December are the most favorable to plant most wildflowers in our area, USDA Zones 7B and 8A.  Bill Neiman had this to day in his article, ‘How to Grow Native Wildflowers.’  “I always try to do what the particular species’ ancestors are doing. The way I got my best stand of bluebonnets was to cast seed out onto the ground in late June when all the other bluebonnets were going to seed.”  “I did not freeze, soak or poke the seeds. They sat out on the ground all summer and germinated when they were ready in the fall.”

Site selection is very important.  Most wildflowers require a site that gets full sun.  Some will tolerate some shade or full shade.  Are there plants growing in the area where you desire to plant your wildflowers?  If the site does not support grass, weeds or other plants, it will NOT likely support wildflowers.  If the site is poorly drained or has heavily compacted soils you can expect poor or unsatisfactory results.  In my own bluebonnet patch, I have a severe weed and spring grass problem that I need to address next spring.  Address site weed problems BEFORE you plant your wildflower seeds.   I plan to use a pre-emergent weed killer in the late winter after my bluebonnets have germinated.                                                        

 

Starting Vegetables from Cuttings

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Starting Vegetables from Cuttings by Byron Chitwood

I recently wrote an article for the newspaper describing how to start tomato plants from cuttings.  Some other vegetable plants can also be started from cuttings but the method might differ slightly from one vegetable to the other.  This article will elaborate on how to start all kinds of pepper plants from cuttings.

If you have kept your pepper plants alive that were planted in the spring and there was one of these that was really productive, use this plant for the cuttings that you are going to use for rooting.  For the container, I like a clear plastic one that is at least four inches deep.  Drill or cut at least one hole in the bottom for drainage.  Fill the container with a good potting soil or one that you have mixed using equal amounts of peat moss, Vermiculite or pearlite and well composted organic material.  Make sure the potting mixture is moist.  Punch a hole with a Dipple stick or some other sharp object about three inches deep in the soil mixture.  Now, you have a pot that is ready to receive a cutting.  If you are in doubt about the chances of success of one cutting, make several holes in the soil for more than a single cutting.

Use a sterile cutting tool or knife for taking cuttings from the healthy plant that has been selected for the propagation process.  As you are aware, the tomato plants have hair like growth on the stems which form into roots.  However, the pepper plant forms roots at the bulblike growth or node where the leaves are attached to the stem.  Snip the specimens so that there are at least two of the nodes making sure to cut below the bottom node.  Snip the leaves off the bottom node and dip the bottom end of the cutting into a rooting stimulator.  Then, place the stem of the cuttings into the hole in the potting soil mixture to a depth that the remaining leaves are above the soil level.  Lightly tamp the soil around the stem in order to close large voids.

You can build a small greenhouse over the top of the pot with a small sandwich bag that is secured to the container with a rubber band.  Make sure that the top of the greenhouse does not touch the cutting.  This will help maintain a relatively high humidity which the pepper plant will like.  The cutting will start roots if the top is kept at about 70 degrees F and the soil is about 10 degrees warmer.  Just place the container on a window   sill or lighted area a dark mat under the container.  Keep the soil slightly moistened and periodically mist the top of the plant in order to maintain a high humidity level.

After the cutting has formed roots and they are about one inch long, transplant it to a larger container if you are planning on keeping it to full maturity in a container.  Otherwise, plant the pepper plant in the garden at a depth that will not exceed that of the soil level in the propagation pot.

Starting plants from cuttings is easy and will give you the satisfaction of thinking and saying “look what I did”.

Hanging Baskets

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Hanging Baskets by June Morgan

Hanging baskets can add much to the outdoor porch and deck summer décor, but it can be a challenge to keep them looking their best.  Proper siting, basket design and proper watering are key elements of good management.

The best siting is a protected area which allows sunlight from above or the sides such as a deck canopy out of the strong winds which will tear the plants apart.

In contrast to the ordinary solid plastic container, the larger mesh basket is the most visually effective while also holding the most soil and plants. Also, coco fiber or moss sphagnum looks more natural when viewed from below. Coco fiber is a natural insulator against the heat and helps to keep the soil evenly supported inside the fiber liner. Some ambitious gardeners have their baskets made to order from a metal shop using special ornamental effects.

To set up a basket from scratch, start with a fiber layer, then a plastic sheet with holes in the bottom.  Add a soil-free potting mix that includes water holding crystals, then add a slow release fertilizer.  If using sphagnum moss soak it overnight before using. Now, one can get creative with plants. Try an upward growing plant such as coleus and surround it with a vine such as one of the many ivies or trailling  pelargoniums.  Further plant additions can be made by wrapping roots in paper for protection while slipping them through side slits into the potting mixture.

Watering baskets is more challenging than for ground plants.  Quite often, using a hose will simply result in water immediately running out of the bottom. One solution is to soak the whole basket in a container such as a wash tub of water for several hours or even overnight. Another is to fill a large pan of ice and dump it into the basket, insuring a slow melt of water. To care for your baskets during the season, deadhead the flowers, fertilize once a week and keep watered.

Beyond the run-of-the-mill baskets available in big box stores, check out the uncommon local nurseries, seed catalogs, the internet( google hanging baskets), and where ever herbs and tomatoes are available as possible basket material. So don’t settle for just the common offerings.  Put together your own combinations to bedazzle the eye!

Propagating Tomatoes

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Propagating Tomatoes by Byron Chitwood

This has been a super year for tomatoes, not for everybody, but some of us.  The temperature stayed just right in the early spring for the plants to set blooms in time to form into tomatoes.  Now is the time to extend the life of those tomato plants that were the most rewarding during the early summer.  Just try to remember which ones were the most productive and take a few cuttings from each of them.

Tomato plants can be easily started from these cuttings if you want to start some for your fall garden.  First, select healthy suckers or top growth of the plants in your garden and cut them about six inches from the top leaves.  Immediately place them in good clean water to prevent the end of the stems from scabbing over.  For the best results, the cuttings should be started in a potting soil that you have made from equal parts each of vermiculite or pearlite, peat moss and well composted organic materials.  Fill four inch containers with the potting or starting soil.  If you do not want to mix your own, you can purchase starting or potting soil from your favorite garden supply house.

Fill sterile four inch deep containers with the potting soil.  These containers should have holes in the bottom for drainage.  Do not compact the soil too tight.  Then press a pencil or sharp stick, sometimes referred as a Dipple stick down into the soil.  Take one of the cuttings from the water and cut off most of the leaves leaving only a few at the top.  Place the stem end of the cutting into the hole in the potting soil and lightly tamp the soil around the stem to fill any voids.   Complete this process until all the cuttings have been used.  Water thoroughly and place the containers in a shaded area.  Some folks place a plastic sandwich bag over the top of the container to keep the cuttings moist until they are ready to be transplanted.  The cuttings might look wilted for a few days after they are first planted in the cups but if they are kept out of the hot sun, they should survive.

If you used clear plastic cups for the containers, you will be able to observe roots forming when they start to grow and reach the sides of the containers.  Otherwise, if everything goes like it should, the cuttings should be ready to transplant in two to three weeks.  After transplanting into the garden soil, the plants might need some shade during the heat of the day.  Shades made of cardboard can be set on the west side of the plants.

Many other vegetable and fruit plants such as pepper, eggplants, strawberries and blueberries can be propagated using this method.  If you have a gardening friend who has had exceptionally good luck with some variety, you might work up an exchange of cuttings with him or her.  Also, before the first frost, take some more cuttings from your fall garden and propagate them in the house for the following spring garden.  Propagation of your own plants gives you a sense of pride and some bragging rights to your fellow gardeners.

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Fall Gardening

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Fall Gardening by Byron Chitwood

In the heat of the summer, it is difficult to think about starting a new garden.  However, this is the time to begin thinking about a fall garden.  You can plant almost everything in a fall garden that you do for spring except asparagus.  You might have to start with seeds for most of the vegetables that you plan to grow.

The first two that need to be planted are tomatoes and peppers.  These are usually not available in our area until much later.  The best way to start tomato and pepper plants from seeds is to start them in small pots in the house or some cool place.  If you started them in mid June, they will be ready to transplant to the garden in mid to late July.  Before transplanting, clear out the bed by pulling all the old plants or tilling them under.  Till the plot several times to completely break up the clods.  Before the second pass with the tiller, add some slow release high nitrogen fertilizer and then till this in.  The slow release will insure that the young plants have enough fertilizer to last throughout their growing and producing cycle.  Dig small holes and plant the transplants about an inch deeper than the level of the soil in the pot.  Take care in this process to not break or otherwise damage the delicate stem of the young transplants.  Keep the young plants moist while they are getting acquainted to their new environment.  During this time of the year, it might be advisable to water lightly at least one time a day.  After the plants are established, water deeply as needed.

Another vegetable that can be grown in the fall is potatoes.  You won’t find any seed potatoes at the nursery but if you still have some that you harvested in the fall; some of them will be starting to bud at the “eyes”.  Use these for your seed potatoes.  Cut the individual potatoes into several pieces which have at least one eye per piece.  Also, you might have some of your spring potatoes that you missed when harvesting that are starting to sprout.  These can be easily transplanted or left to grow where they are.  Plant the potato seeds in trenches that are 4 to 6 inches deep and about a foot wide.  If you have some bagged leaves or compost, cover the potatoes in the bottom of the trench with this organic material and then add back the soil that was dug to form the trenches.

Again, I will emphasize that fall gardens are great.  You will have fewer insects and sooner or later will get some rain that will keep the soil moist longer during the cooler season.  Salad greens such as lettuce and spinach will thrive in the fall and be much tastier than some of the spring ones.  Also, the fall is a perfect season for growing all kinds of greens such as Swiss chard, mustard greens, collards, kale and turnips.  Plant plenty of these for both your own use and to give to some of your closest friends.

Every year, I preach about the benefits of a fall garden and a lot of folks are catching on.  For my planting guide, email me at: chitwood@geusnet and I will send you a copy at the earliest possible time

Water Conservation

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Water Conservation by Dave White

Texas has seen a boom in population growth with many people discovering the state is a great place to live, work and play. This increase places more demand on the limited supply of both groundwater and surface water available. The last few years we have experienced some severe drought conditions. Take a drive by any of the many area lakes and you will be shocked by the low water levels. These are the lakes built to catch, store and provide the water we use and expect when we turn on the faucets in our homes.

We also enjoy having a manicured lawn and flowers blooming in our beds along with landscaped roadsides, mediums, and parks. All this could be in jeopardy if the water is not available to keep it alive. Typically 30 to 50 percent of the community water supply is used for landscape irrigation.

We all must learn to use this limited natural resource wisely and conserve so it is available for our basic needs. Rainwater harvesting is one method of water conservation. Rainwater harvesting captures, diverts and stores rainwater for later use. The easiest way to use this water source is in your landscape. Your plants will love rainwater since it is low in pH, free of salts and other minerals that harm root growth and contains no chlorine.

Simple rainwater harvesting systems consist of a catchment, a conveyance system, a storage container and a distribution system. A catchment is any area where water is collected from, such as a roof, paved or concrete surfaces or the soil surface. A conveyance system channels the water from the catchment area to the holding or storage area. The conveyance system may include gutters, downspouts, sloped sidewalks, driveways, channels, ditches and swales. Gravity usually carries the water to the storage area.

A simple landscape holding area is a concave area with a border or berm to retain runoff water. Spillways and channels can distribute the water throughout your site. These holding areas will enable the water to slowly soak into the ground and benefit your landscape plantings. This method of water harvesting also prevents flooding and erosion.

Rainwater can also be captured in a simple rain barrel or larger storage container. The water is stored until it is needed to irrigate your plants. Once captured, the water can be hand carried to your plants or connected to a distribution system such as a drip irrigation system using gravity flow.  A pump can be used to distribute the water in more elaborate systems.

There are many different rain harvesting designs available, from the simple to complex. You can build a simple rain barrel yourself from a food grade barrel or purchase them from one of the many different sources in the size to fit your individual needs.

Go to http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/  for more information on this topic. The website contains details on Rainwater Harvesting Basics, System Components, links to additional information, publications available and an In Home Use Video presentation to learn more on the subject.