Hunt County Master GardenersTexas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Keyhole Gardens

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Keyhole Gardens by John Sanger, Hunt County Master Gardener.

The keyhole garden was developed in sub-Saharan Africa to help people grow food in hot, dry conditions – much like we have here in Texas during the Summer months. It is very efficient at holding moisture and retaining nutrients. The keyhole garden is essentially a round raised bed garden built on a compost pile with a central compost basket. The keyhole is a small aisle on one side of the circular garden that enables the gardener to reach the compost basket to add to it or turn it. It also brings the gardener closer to the center of the bed to reach plants more easily. Keyhole gardens get their name from the appearance of the garden as viewed from above.

The keyhole garden can be made of anything that can contain the soil. The ideal size for maintaining moisture is about 6 feet in diameter. I like the garden walls to be about two feet tall, as I like to tend the garden from a standing position. People use wood beams, cinder blocks, stacked stones, fencing material, even wine bottles and concrete for their garden walls.

To build the garden, lay out a 6-foot diameter circle on the ground. Keep in mind that if you plan to angle your materials inward for strength, you may want to start with a wider base to allow for that angle so that the top of your garden is about 6 feet across. The central compost basket can be a 1-foot diameter cylinder of hardware cloth that will extend about one foot above the final soil level. On my gardens, a 48” wide roll of hardware cloth was the perfect height. Secure the basket with wire and cover the exterior with weed block, burlap, or other permeable fabric. Lay out where you want your keyhole and move your garden wall materials to create an aisle that will allow you to stand near the center of the bed to reach the compost basket.

The keyhole garden should be lined with wet cardboard, and then filled with alternating layers of brown and green compost. Browns include lots more cardboard and dry leaves, and greens can include green, leafy material or manure. Alternate layers until the bed is almost full, then top with a rich planting mix. Plant the bed densely so that the canopy of foliage will shade the soil and then add several inches of mulch around plantings. Put compostable materials into the compost basket regularly. When watering the plants, also water the compost basket so that the water will leach nutrients into the surrounding soil. During the hottest months, some gardeners build a frame so that shade cloth can be hung over the garden.

If you want to maximize crop output in your vegetable garden even during the hottest and driest months, try a keyhole garden. It is a versatile and efficient design which is easy to maintain and can provide a family with a year-round abundance of vegetables.

Rainwater Harvesting

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Rainwater Harvesting by Wayne Bowman, Master Gardener.

The collection of rainwater, or rainwater harvesting as it’s termed nowadays, has been around for centuries. Archeological digs have documented the building of cisterns for more than 10,000 years. All water is rainwater. Rain falls from the clouds and runs into creeks and rivers, where municipalities use the water for drinking or sanitary purposes and then return it to streams. Streams flow into lakes and oceans where it evaporates and again forms clouds and rain to complete the cycle. I’ve read claims that our planet only has a certain amount of water, it just gets continually recycled.

The practice of rainwater harvesting is encouraged here in Texas. Laws enacted since the early 2000’s cover subjects such as limiting an HOA’s restrictions on harvesting and tax incentives for harvesting installations. More details can be found at Texas Water Development Board’s website: http://www.twdb.texas.gov/innovativewater/rainwater/faq.asp#title-06.

As rainwater falls through the atmosphere, it picks up dissolved oxygen and nitrogen. A good soaking by rainfall is much better than watering from a hose. Energy, delivered through atmospheric lightening, splits stable nitrogen atoms into nitrites. Plants take up these nitrites as nitrogen, essential for their growth. Rainwater is also free of the kinds of chemicals typically added to tap water, and lacks the salinity and minerals found in groundwater.

There are four parts to every rainwater harvesting system: catchment, conveyance, storage and distribution.

Catchment is the term used for the collection area. Roofs are the most commonly utilized catchment. Metal or clay tile roofs are superior, but asphalt shingled roofs work fine as well. Patios, driveways or any surface from which you can direct rainfall may work as catchment.

The conveyance moves water from the catchment to the storage area. When planning the conveyance, take into consideration the dirt, leaves, etc. that are flushed off the catchment with each rainfall. A diverter can take the first few gallons of contaminated water to a holding area to be discarded later. Commercially designed filters installed on downspouts can perform the same duty. This link provides an illustrated design of a first flush diverter: https://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/pre-storage-treatment/

Rainwater storage options range from small, simple barrels to tanks holding thousands of gallons. Food grade barrels can be used for a smaller installation, as long as an overflow is provided to direct water away from the house when a barrel is full. Keep in mind that even a small amount of rain can overflow a single barrel, as one inch of rain on 100 square feet of roof surface can equal over 60 gallons of harvested water.

Harvested rainwater can be distributed by pump, hose, or watering can. Many gardeners avoid pumps and pressure tanks, as they add greatly to the cost and complication of a system. Gravity is free, and a spigot at the bottom of the barrel or storage tank will cause the water weight to provide plenty enough pressure. Raising the storage even a foot or two will increase the pressure at the outlet.

Don’t forget that storage barrels contain still water, the perfect environment for mosquitos. Control solutions of bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) are sold commercially. Look for the brands “Dunks” or “Mosquito Bits.” These provide effective mosquito control in rain barrels, puddles, ponds, etc., and are safe to use where you have aquatic animals.

With a little bit of creativity and probably a bit of sweat, a rainwater harvesting system can provide ideally suited water for your garden and plantings. During our dry spells here in Texas, even when your city restricts use, you can have water.

Water Efficient Gardening

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Water Efficient Gardening by Wayne Bowman, Master Gardener.

There’s one constant fact of gardening: If it grows, it needs water. This includes the garden you call your lawn, your flower beds, and that patch where you struggle to grow a few edible vegetables.

In case you haven’t noticed, Northeast Texas is booming, and there’s no end in sight. A critical issue for now and in the future is maintaining an adequate supply of quality water. The pressure on an already limited supply is increasing with the population. Other issues with which we Texans must contend are dry summers and occasional drought. Sometimes we have sufficient water; sometimes we don’t– so we best take care of what we have.

We’re all in this together, so what can we do to help?  Plan for the demand. You don’t need to turn your lawn into a rock garden filled with cactus, or a concrete slab. Choosing the right turfgrass for our climate and soil will make better use of landscape water. Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Zoysia are all suitable for our climate, requiring low to moderate amounts of water. If you have an area where there is little traffic, Buffalo grass is excellent and requires the least care and hydration.

Nearly 25% of urban water usage is attributed to lawn irrigation. I’m sure you’ve seen someone watering the street with a poorly planned system or irrigating during a driving rain. Many urban areas now limit the number of days lawn watering is allowed. Just because it’s “your day” to water, doesn’t mean your lawn is thirsty. Using a “cycle and soak” method prevents most runoff by watering for a shorter period of time, then allowing a period for the water to soak into the soil, followed by another, or several, cycles and soaks. If you haven’t already, consider adding to your system a soil moisture monitor that will only allow the system to activate if the soil needs a drink, and a rainfall monitor to stop watering when the heavens are doing the irrigation. Your watering cycles should be set for the early morning (4:00-6:00 am), to take advantage of better water pressure, lower wind, and less evaporation caused by the sun. Aerifying (plugging) your turf will help moisture get to the root systems, making more efficient use of both fertilizer and water. Don’t forget to monitor the system for leaks, etc. Unchecked leaks waste huge amounts of water.

In the garden and flower beds, drip irrigation allows a more precision watering system. Properly designed and installed, it delivers a slow and deep watering to the root zones of your plantings, reducing water loss through evaporation.

Properly conditioning your soil, for both turf and garden, will contribute to the best use of water. A soil test should be considered a must before you plant. Organic amendments will help the clay soils of Northeast Texas better absorb water and nutrients. The benefits of using mulch cannot be stressed enough. A 2-6 inch layer of mulch will protect the soil in your garden from drying out, preventing the baking effects of sun and wind. Layering mulch over a drip irrigation system will make your watering more efficient.  Instead of bagging lawn clippings, consider leaving them on the lawn to return nutrients to the soil. A mulching lawnmower and more frequent mowing benefits your lawn and prevents beneficial clippings from wasting away in a landfill.

Choose your plantings wisely, taking into consideration the amount of time you wish to spend tending them and how well they are adapted to our climate.  Check with your local certified nursery professional about Texas Superstar plants that have been tested under “Texas conditions.” Visit TexasSuperstar.com for more details.  Proper planning, maintaining your irrigation system, mulching, and choosing the right plantings add up to a better lawn and garden, while saving a natural resource and your water bill.

Water Wise Ways

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Water Wise Ways by Byron Chitwood

We are currently out of the woods on water supply and soil moisture compared to what we have been through in the past.  However, knowing Texas and the hot summers, there is no time to conserve like the present.  We might need to do that in the present.

First of all some facts are that agriculture and water management are a global issue.  The population is increasing while the supply of water worldwide remains about stable.  Less than 3% of the world’s water is considered fresh which includes all water with less than 500 ppm so dissolved salts.  97% of the world’s water is ocean.  The world’s fresh water as a percentage of total water is: glaciers, ice caps and snow account for about 2%; ground water and soil moisture is about 1%; swamps and rivers are about 0.01 percent and the atmosphere is about 0.04%

Human needs range from about 11 to 53 gallons per day per person while farm animal require from 2 to 15 gallons per day per animal.  Minimum crop needs in our area require a minimum of 25 inches of rain per crop year.  May was an exceptional good month for rain in our area.  After the soil became saturated, the rest ran off and filled the lakes.  I remember when I was a kid, the Guthrie city lake went dry and the only water we had for all needs was well or cistern water, neither of which was plentiful enough for all our needs or wants.  A pipe line was laid from the Cottonwood Creek and the water sure didn’t taste good but it was wet.

I mentioned cistern water in the previous paragraph.  Nothing is new about that.  The first source of water for the early settlers was creeks or springs until they were able to hand dig a well.  The well water wasn’t always good.  My granddad’s first farm had a hand dug well and the water was “gypy” and not good for human consumption.  I suspect the water was slightly salty since the farm was less than a mile away from the Cimarron River which was highly salty. The cows, horses, hogs and chickens didn’t seem to mind it but they didn’t have much of a choice.  After farm homes and barns were built, the farmers constructed cisterns most of which were concrete lined and underground.  The pumps were hand cranked and had a multitude of small buckets attached to a chain and emptied into a catch device that delivered the water to an outlet.  To be on the safe side, cistern water needed to be boiled since the cisterns were not mosquito or critter proof.

If you are interested in constructing a cistern or “rain water harvesting system” you can obtain plans at the Hunt County AgriLife Extension office or on the internet at AgriLifebookstore.org.  All your houseplants, garden crops just love rainwater and you will do your share in helping conserve one of our precious natural resources.

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.

Water Conservation

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Water Conservation by Byron Chitwood

Right now, it’s anybody’s guess as to whether we are in the beginning, middle or nearing the end of an extended drought.  If I had to, I would guess that we will experience chronic water problems from now on.  We have some factors that contribute to the shortage of one of our most precious resources.  Thus, we should learn to use what we have more frugally.

There are many reasons for water shortages and I will go into some of them.  First, this country has grown to more than three times the population when I was a wee kid.  Second, we use more water per capita than ever.  Everybody likes a nice green lawn with plenty of bushes, flower beds and trees.  All of them take water.  Third, most water supplies such as lakes have limited capacity and they are gradually losing some of that capacity due to silting.  Fourth, very few lakes are being built.  The permitting process is a very lengthy one involving governments, legal entanglements, environmental concerns and lack of good available sites to build dams and lakes. A prime example of the time it takes to build a lake is the proposed Bois de Arc Lake near Bonham.  I attended a Rotary meeting in Bonham about five years ago and the program was all about the proposed lake.  It was stated that the project was very near to starting.  One old timer in the room made the comment that he moved to Bonham fifty years ago and that same statement was being made then.

Therefore, we must “use what we got” to conserve what “we got”.  If you are a vegetable gardener, try to time when to plant seeds by listening to weather forecasts.  If you can get seeds in the ground the day before a rain or shower, the seeds will more than likely germinate before the next rain.  Do not let the soil get dry before the seeds have germinated.  The best way to water at this stage of the seed germination if it doesn’t rain is do what I refer to as survival watering.  Just hand water to keep the soil moist enough to get the plants started.  All the experts say to only water once per week and then water enough to equal a one inch rain.  However, if your soil has had a lot of organic material into it, it will not hold water for a week, especially if the weather is hot.  Just hand water when the soil needs it or the plants are showing a little stress.  When the plants have grown a few inches tall, mulch with shredded leaves, newspaper or some other organic material.  This will conserve water since evaporation will be reduced.  Also, the organic material will eventually compost and add to the enrichment of the soil.  Watch for signs of nitrogen deficiency of your plants since the organic material will rob some nitrogen from the soil while composting.  Use high nitrogen, slow release fertilizer that will only need to be applied once during the growing cycle.

Select plants for the landscape that require little water.  Also, raise the blade of your lawnmower that will help conserve water.  There are brochures at your local AgriLife headquarters that will help you make selections.  Spend a few bucks on a rainwater harvesting system.  Conserve what we got.

Rainwater Harvesting

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Rainwater Harvesting by PJ LaRue Smith

Depending upon where one lives in Hunt County, the average annual rainfall can range from 35” to 44”.  Keep in mind however, that this is the average rainfall for this area each year, not what actually falls every year.  Very dry years might have rainfall amounts in the teens and in extremely wet years it might rain 60 plus inches.  With variations like this, the saying, “plan for the worst, and hope for the best” certainly applies!

Historical documentation shows that man has been collecting and transporting rainwater for his use since ancient times.  While technology, society, etc. have changed, our need for water, both for ourselves and the crops we grow, have not.

Rainwater collection begins with a catchment area – any surface from which water can be collected.  Roofs (metal, shingle, or wood) and pavements/concrete (driveway, sidewalk) shed water rapidly and are considered the optimum catchment areas due to their hard, smooth surfaces.

Soil, as many a rancher/farmer knows, is a viable catchment system.  Particularly if it is clay-based, as it will shed water quickly if the rain is falling fast enough.  (Sandy soil, however, will absorb a considerable amount of water, and often requires a modified method of collection.)

From the catchment area, water is moved (distributed), typically via gravity, to a holding area.  These distribution systems need not be elaborate.  Water dripping from the edge of a roof to a planted area or a diversion channel located directly below the drip edge is an extremely simple method of moving water to a desired location.  Gutters and downspouts, sloped sidewalks, hillsides, along curbs, and through ditches are all fairly easy to employ as distribution systems.  (Note:  For sandy soil, lining a run-off ditch with an impermeable material (i.e. plastic), will increase the amount of water movement.)

Now that the water has been caught, and is moving, where does it need to go?  A simple “landscape holding area” can be a place that typically holds water after a heavy rain, a small pond, stock tank, or lake.  These types use soil to harness water for future use.  Maintaining and building such holding areas can be somewhat expensive as well as labor intensive.  However, if done correctly and properly maintained, this type of water holding system will be useful for many years, add beauty to the landscape, and be a harbor for a variety of wildlife.

Man-made “landscape holding areas” are typically storage containers made of polyethylene, fiberglass, wood, concrete or metal which can be placed either below or above ground.  While below ground placement will incur costs related to excavation and require some sort of pump system to move water from the tank into the landscape, their visual footprint is minimal.  Above-ground tanks require pad preparation (to maintain the stability of the tank); generally rely on gravity to move the water from the tank to the needed area(s) of the landscape; and make a large visual impact in the landscape.  The visual impact of above-ground tanks can be reduced by the use of fencing material, plants, or a combination thereof.

Harvesting rainwater can be a small, simple, and relatively inexpensive operation, or a large, elaborate, high-cost one, depending upon the amount of water that is to be harvested and the topography of the landscape.  Regardless of size, however, the following benefits certainly argue the case for harvesting rainwater:  reduces water bill cost; reduces demands on the municipal water supply; efficiently uses a valuable resource; and reduces flooding, erosion and contamination of surface water.  Rainwater is also free of salts and other minerals that harm root growth – making for much healthier plants and fewer disease problems.

Collecting rainwater, even in a small way, is a win-win situation – consider giving it a try this season!

Rainwater Harvesting

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Rainwater Harvesting by Kim Quimby

Rainwater Harvesting is becoming more popular for many reasons, but the number one reason is to save money. You can save money by collecting and storing rainwater and using it to irrigate your trees, shrubs and lawns.

Efficient water use is increasingly important to Texas. With the state’s limited supply of both groundwater and surface water, Texans must use water wisely. Rainwater harvesting is an innovative approach anyone can use.

Rainwater harvesting captures, diverts and stores rainwater for later use. In many communities, 30 to 50 percent of the total water is used for landscape irrigation. If that demand for a limited natural resource can be reduced, everyone benefits.

Harvesting rainwater for use in the landscape saves you money by reducing your water bills. It also reduces demand on the municipal water supply, makes efficient use of a valuable resource, and reduces flooding, erosion and the contamination of surface water with sediments, fertilizers and pesticides in rainfall run-off.

Rainwater is good for plants because it is free of salts and other minerals that harm root growth. As rainwater percolates into the soil, it forces salts down and away from root zones, allowing roots to grow better and making plants more drought tolerant.

Rainwater harvesting can be used both in large-scale landscapes, such as parks, schools, commercial sites, parking lots and apartment complexes, and in small residential landscapes. Whether you landscapes large or small, developed or new, installing a rainwater harvesting system can help you save money on your water bills while reducing the demand on the municipal water supply.

For more information on designing and building rainwater harvesting system, go to http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/