Pruning for Graftstock

HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER • JANUARY 2021

Urban Di

Gardening Events and Information for Texans

At this time of year I start getting restless. I’m ready for

spring. My downtime during the cold involves lusting for seeds

and planning for spring and summer. It means I am gathering

my tools to clean them up and get ready. The dirt is calling! Even

though there are tools I don’t use as often I still clean them up

and get them ready. My bow saw, the loppers, the hand pruners;

these are my trusty tools I use for pruning. I probably won’t use

the bow saw. That’s for heavier branches. No chain saw at this

house. After seeing one chain saw accident years ago I decided

if I couldn’t get it down with the bow saw then I could hire it

out. Two years ago I used the bow saw to prune my Moro blood

orange (too much, maybe?) and it has been mad for two years.

Last year I got three oranges from it. This year I will have around

forty. I think it’s coming around.

This year I want to prune for grafting purposes. Do you think

your yard is full of plants and you can’t squeeze any more in?

What about grafting? An orange tree can support other types of

citrus as well. Graft a lemon, a lime or a grapefruit on it. I have

seen multi-colored crepe myrtles, a citrus tree with four varieties

on it, a plumeria with brightly colored blooms and a peach tree

Pruning for Graftstock

with an extended

production cycle

because it had

several varieties

of peaches on it.

Look around your

yard. Maybe you

have something

you want to ex-

periment with.

There are

online garden-

ing groups such

as Texas Fruit-

ing Plant Grow-

ers. This group

did have scion

exchanges before

Covid. Now they

have a mail in

by Terri Simon, Master Gardener

cont’d on pg. 9

Upcoming Events ........................2

President's Perspective ..................3

Herb of the Month .......................4

2021 HGMGA Plant Sales ...........5

Claim Your Spot on Sales Team ...7

Home Grown Lecture Series ........8

Green Thumb Gardening Series . 10

Master Gardener of the Month ...11

Ask a Master Gardener ................. 12

Master Gardener Birthdays ........... 12

Getting Down to Earth .................. 13

Growing with Plants & Nature ...... 16

Master Gardeners in the City ......... 17

MG Garden Workdays at GFG ...... 18

Gardening Tools ............................ 19

Have Garden Questions?

Submit your questions to: https://hcmga.tamu.edu/ask-a-question/

Pruning!

Moro Blood Orange Photo by Terri Simon

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

January 2021

Green Thumb Gardening Series

We have collaborated with the Harris County Public Library and Houston Community College.

Join us for one or both!

Pruning Basics

Jan. 11, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. For HCC program, register in advance to receive the link:

hccs.edu/community-learning-workshops

Jan. 19, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Simply visit the Harris County Public Library System

No reservation required. Watch on Facebook – facebook.com/harriscountypl/live

Educational Programs

Home Grown Lecture Series - This webinar is provided by our Harris County

Ag/Natural Resources Department. Registration is required for these free events. Please visit:

please visit: homegrown2021Q1.eventbrite.com/

Jan. 7, 10:00 a.m. - Pollinator Gardens by Paul Winski, Texas A&M AgriLife County

Extension Agent-Horticulture

Jan. 21, 10:00 a.m. - Soil Testing by Shannon Dietz, Texas A&M AgriLife County Extension

Agent-Agriculture & Natural Resources

Gardening on the Gulf Coast - Webinar To register for these free events, please visit:

gardeningonthe gulf.eventbrite.com

Jan. 6, 10:00 a.m. - Growing Great Transplants by Skip Richter, AgriLife Extension

Horticulture Agent in Brazos Countyoil

Jan. 20, 10:00 a.m. - House Plant Maintenance and Identication by Paul Winski, AgriLife

Extension Horticulture Agent in Harris County Amenre Agent in Brazoria County

Youth Activities

Growing with Plants & Nature

Please visit us on our Growing with Plants and Nature Virtual Group found at the

following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GPNVG/.

Jan. 19, 10:00 a.m. - Winter Gardening by Candy Friday and Julee Jackson

For information about upcoming topics, dates, and registration, please email us at

[email protected]. Registration is required before each Family Zoom Event.

Fruit tree Plant Sale!

Currently ongoing at our Online Store at: http://hcmga.tamu.edu

Order online now, pick up January 23 at Richard & Meg Weekley

Park in Cypress and February 20 at Pasadena Fairgrounds.

U E

Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Horticulture Program in Harris County

13105 Northwest Freeway, Suite 1000

Houston, TX 77040

713.274.0950

Master Gardener Program Coordinator

Brandi Keller - 713-274-0956

CEA – Horticulture

Paul Winski - 713-274-0981

2021 Board of Directors

President

Alan Fisherman

[email protected]

First Vice President

Jonathan Correia

[email protected]

Second Vice President

Carolyn Boyd

[email protected]

Past President

Beth Braun

[email protected]

Secretary

Linda Saxman

[email protected]

Treasurer

Kathryn McCleod

[email protected]

Directors

Douglas McLeod

Dianne Lawrence

Janice Muhm

Dale Hudson

Alexa Haass

Carlos Domenech

Genoa Friendship Gardens

Steering Committee Advisors

Evan Hopkins

Georgia Lau

•

Urban Dirt Editor

Carolyn Boyd

U[email protected]

Assistant Urban Dirt Editor

Terri Simon

COVID-19

AgriLife Extension

Web Hub

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the following websites:

Please visit us at the social media pages below:

• Harris County Extension Horticulture Facebook Page

• Harris County Master Gardeners Facebook Page

• Harris County Family and Community Health Facebook Page

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

P’ P

2021 HCMGA Board and Ofcers

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Fisherman

1st Vice President ...............Jonathan Corriea

2nd Vice President ................. Carolyn Boyd

Past President ....................... Beth Braun

Secretary .........................Linda Saxman

Treasurer .......................Kathryn McLeod

Director #1 .....................Douglas McLeod

Director #2 ....................Dianne Lawrence

Director #3 ........................Janice Munn

Director #4 ........................Dale Hudson

Director #5 ........................ Alexa Haass

Director #6 ....................Carlos Domenech

Welcome to a new year of the Harris County Master Gardener

Association. Unfortunately, we are still wearing masks and social

distancing. Hopefully, we will be meeting in person soon. Until

then, we will meet virtually via Zoom on the rst Tuesday of the

month. The Weekly Update prior to the meeting will have the

Zoom link information.

With the help of many master gardeners and especially

Jonathan Correia, our online fruit tree sale is up and running.

More publicity is always needed and all of us can help. Spread the

word about the tree sale to all your friends and put it on your local

Nextdoor (I have Nextdoor Meyerland). You can view all that is

available at HCMGA-online.company.site

Even though we can’t meet in person, there is plenty that you

can do to earn your hours. There is lot to do in the gardens at

GFG, as well as, Centennial Gardens.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Class of Summer 2019

graduates! And, the 2021 Board and Ofcers have been voted in.

We are all looking forward to continued work to make

HCMGA better and better.

Alan Fisherman

HCMGA Board President, 2021

2021 Green Thumb Gardening Lecture

Series Schedule

by Brandi Keller, Harris County Master Gardener Program Coordinator

We are pleased to announce that our Green Thumb Lecture

Series will also be available through our collaboration with

Houston Community College (HCC) via a monthly webinar. This

lecture will be slightly longer than the Facebook Live version, but

it will not be available for later viewing. Registration is required

through HCC’s Community Learning Program, but it can be made

for talks from January through May at the same time.

January’s topic will be Pruning Basics, by Master Gardener,

Becky Larkin. For a list of the year’s topics, links to Facebook

Live and HCC registration, please visit our Harris County Master

Gardener Website. Many thanks to the Harris County Public

Library System and HCC for a new year of collaborations.

Before the pandemic, Harris County Master Gardeners hosted

four in-person lectures at four different Harris County Public

Libraries each month, January through October. In June, we

adapted to the circumstances and provided our rst online talk

with the Library System. Each month since, on the third Tues-

day, we have hosted our monthly lecture through the Library via

Facebook Live. This allowed it to be streamed to all 26 libraries,

increasing the availability to more community members. We

will continue to host the lecture once a month with the Library

System. Facebook Live not only allows for a dynamic interaction

with attendees, but it saves as a post so that it can be viewed at a

later time. Search videos on our Harris County Master Gardener

Facebook Page or the Harris County Public Library Page under

the category for “Videos.”

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

the product quickly gained widespread popularity nearly fty

years ago in Japan. The European Union approved candyleaf’s

use as a sweetener even later than did the U.S., in 2011. But the

original documented users of candyleaf, the Guaraní, a South

American Indian group of nearly ve million people residing

mainly in Paraguay, have known about and been using the herb

since around the time of Arthur’s legendary victory over the

Saxons, in 500 AD.

This versatile, natural sweetener’s leaves contain sweet-

tasting chemicals known as steviol glycosides, which can be

used either fresh or dried to sweeten beverages or desserts. The

leaves can also be commercially processed into both liquid and

powdered non-caloric sweeteners. Steviol glycosides, particu-

larly the chemicals stevioside and rebaudioside A, can be more

than 300 times sweeter than table sugar and are non-glycemic

(they do not affect blood glucose levels). How sweet is that?!

To this chef’s personal perspective, I have used several sugar

substitutes in various dishes, including those derived from

candyleaf. Aside from a slight resistance of its powder form to

well-incorporated blending – which can be easily overcome with

a high-speed blender (I use a Vitamix) – my experience with

it has been very positive across the board. I especially endorse

tapping it when a sweet factor is called for in savory dishes,

particularly in Asian and Asian-fusion cooking.

Here’s to a sweet new year – happy 2021!

Spring boarding from last month’s herb focus, the tooth-

ache plant (sugar-plums and all that), let’s keep the sweet vibes

owing into 2021 with this year’s rst herb article and put a

pre-Valentine’s Day focus on a sweetheart of the herb garden,

candyleaf.

Also known as stevia and sweetleaf (derivatives of stevia

rebaundiana are readily brand-identied, typically available on

the bak-

ing aisle

alongside

other

substitute

sweet-

eners),

candyleaf

is a tender

perennial

within

the aster

family, and is native to warm, humid climates in South America.

As such, local growers nd frequent success with candyleaf.

Reaching a height and width of about one foot each, candyleaf’s

tubular white owers are often kept pruned in order to improve

the taste of its edible leaves, for which the herb is grown.

Candyleaf is perfect for sunny to partially sunny locations

with either sandy or loamy soil, and is best grown in moderately

moist soil, provided good drainage is offered. Propagation by

seed can be quite challenging, so stem cuttings are the best bet

for success. Since candyleaf is tender, cuttings should be intro-

duced to the garden after the last frost. Candyleaf is pollinated

by insects.

While the FDA didn’t approve candyleaf’s use as a sweetener

here in the United States until 2008 due to stated carcinogenic

concerns, Japanese researchers developed a commercially

available product using candyleaf’s leaves in the 1970s, and

H   M

Candyleaf (Stevia rebaudiana)

by Karen McGowan, Master Gardener

Citations:

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/stevia-rebaudiana/

https://www.britannica.com/plant/stevia-plant

https://pfaf.org/USER/plant.aspx?latinname=Stevia+rebaudiana

Candyleaf (Stevia rebaudiana)

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

cont’d on pg. 6

2021 Harris County Master Gardener

Association Online Plant Sales

by Jonathan Correia, Master Gardener

Choosing your plant

Whether you’re an experienced or novice fruit tree grower,

here are a few points to keep in mind.

For proper plant growth and fruit production, make sure you

have a location that gets at least six hours of sun exposure during

the growing season.

Is your choice self-fertile or will it need a pollinating

buddy? Refer to the online catalog at https://hcmga.tamu.edu/

les/2020/01/2020-Catalog-Final.pdf for pollinating require-

ments as well as chill hour requirements. Several popular choices

like apples and blueberries need a pollinating buddy. Check out

whether the buddy needs to be the same variety or a different

variety.

The online Store at https://hcmga.tamu.edu has photos and

information on all available plants.

A fruit tree/plant from Harris County Master Gardeners will

cost between $20-$55. Transplanting costs include soils, compost,

mulch, irrigation, and a large planter if it will be container grown.

Caring for your plant before planting

All our fruit trees will be in 3-gallon containers with plenty

of compost, mulched soil and slow release fertilizer. Fruit trees

are best planted in mid-winter to allow the roots to develop before

spring growth and summer heat arrive. With watering and protec-

tion from wind and cold temperatures, the plant can be kept in

its container for several months before transplanting. Citrus and

avocados can wait until March or April to be planted.

Preparing the planting area

Select a planting location that will get at least six hours of

sun per day during the growing season. The sun should not be

Master Gardener plant sales offer varieties that thrive and

produce well in our area. Careful attention is paid to suitable chill

hours, hardiness, disease and insect resistance, and fruit quality.

Included are more than 100 varieties of fruiting plants: apples,

avocados, berries, coffee, gs, goji berries, lemons, limes, oranges,

mandarins, mulberries, nectarines, peaches, pears, persimmons,

plums, pomegranates, tangerines and more.

Harris County Master Gardener Association is a nonprot,

501(c)3 incorporated association afliated with the Texas

AgriLife Extension Service in Harris County and the Texas A&M

System.

Pick Up Day

For your safety and convenience, you will be assigned a half

hour window to pick up your plants at the location you’ve se-

lected. We ask that you have your vehicle ready for the plants and

other purchases to be loaded for you while you wait in your car.

Choosing, planting, and caring for a fruiting plant

Gardening with fruits has been a popular activity for genera-

tions, but there is a noticeable surge of interest in edible landscap-

ing. Fruit trees and citrus especially are a large part of edible

landscapes in the greater Houston area.

Not only will you enjoy homegrown avor, but fruit trees also

offer beauty in owers, form, and fragrance. There are fruit trees

to suit any landscape, whether a large tree like a pecan, a potted

dwarf Meyer lemon for your patio, or a pear, apple, or g tree to

espalier against a wall. Fruit trees can easily be incorporated into

permaculture, the simulation of natural ecosystems intended to be

sustainable and self-sufcient.

Who: Harris County Master Gardener Association

What: 2021 Fruit Tree Sales

When: Order online now, pick up January 23 at Richard & Meg Weekley Park in Cypress and February 20 at Pasadena Fairgrounds

Where: Online Store at http://hcmga.tamu.edu

Why: HCMGA raises funds to provide factual and relevant horticulture information to the public

Shop the safe and easy way—online!

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

and bottom of the root ball to encourage the roots to grow out-

ward. Prune off any broken, rotted, or twisted roots, making clean

cuts with sharp, sanitized pruning shears. Position the plant in the

hole, spread the roots, and stand back to make sure it’s upright

from all angles and is pleasing in its setting. Rell the hole with

the original soil, tamping the soil gently around the roots as you

go.

Water well to settle the soil around the roots and remove air

pockets. If planting in fast-draining soil, water thoroughly to n-

ish settling the soil around the roots. In slower-draining soils, wa-

ter a little at a time – over several days if necessary. Then make a

donut-shaped ridge of mulch 3-4 inches high and 6-8 inches wide

around the plant, keeping the mulch 2-3 inches away from the

trunk. The ring should be slightly wider than the planting hole.

Stand back again to admire your work.

Caring for your young fruiting plant

For the rst year after your new fruit tree is planted, concen-

trate on the health of the tree rather than getting a crop. Pinch off

the fruit during the rst year to encourage root growth. You will

need to protect your plant from high winds, extreme tempera-

tures, and over or under watering. Keep weeds and lawn from

invading the planting area. Monitor your plant regularly for any

signs of nutrition loss, fungal or bacterial diseases and non-bene-

cial insects.

blocked by buildings, fences, or other obstacles. Choose a spot at

least three feet from sidewalks and driveways and eight feet away

from buildings, as roots will spread wider than the tree crown.

Allow 10-15 feet between fruit trees.

A few months before planting, prepare the site by removing

the sod and weeds, roots and all, and thoroughly tilling an area at

least 4 feet by 4 feet. Break up any hard pan layer beneath the soil.

Level the site, and till again. Spread several inches of compost to

the area and work it into the top 8-12 inches of soil. Rake the area

smooth and mulch it with 2-3 inches of organic mulch such as

leaves, old hay, or composted native mulch. Do not add fertilizers;

your new fruits won't need them at rst. Let the bed rest until

time to plant. If you plan to espalier the fruit against a wall or

fence, clean the surface and ground of vines and their roots.

Planting

Rake the mulch back and dig a hole three times the width of

the container, about 30-36 inches, and loosen the sides of the hole.

Roots do not readily penetrate a slick interface created by clay

soil.

Dig the hole a little deeper than the root is tall, and make it

wide enough to accommodate the longest roots without bending.

Backll the bottom of the hole with the soil you dug out so that

the root collar—where the stem meets the root ball—is slightly

above the ground when it’s planted. Loosen the roots on the sides

2021 Harris County Master Gardener Association Online Plant Sales, cont'd from pg. 5

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

2021 Harris County Master Gardener Association Online Plant Sales, cont'd from pg. 5

There’s nothing quite like the buzz at Master Gardener plant

sales. These fundraising events make our mission of public edu-

cation and outreach possible. Miss the camaraderie of working

with fellow MG’s? Here’s your chance to engage. Whether you’re

new to the program or a veteran volunteer, there is a place for

you. Work has already started on the four 2021 plant sales:

January 23 – West Side Fruit Tree Sale Pickup in Cypress

February 20 – Genoa Friendship Garden’s Fruit Tree &

Tomato Sale Pickup in Pasadena

March 13 – West Side Spring Vegetable & Perennial Sale

Pickup in Cypress

March 20 – Genoa Friendship Garden’s Pepper, Perennial &

Herb Sale Pickup at Genoa Friendship Gardens

Claim Your Spot on the Plant Sales Teams!

by Jonathan Correia, Master Gardener

THE TOP PRIORITY NOW is to add volunteers to the

catalog team. Click HERE to see open positions, and HERE for

detailed descriptions of each position. Claim your spot and get

started by emailing PlantSales.HarrisHort@gmail.com. We are

counting on you!

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

scion group. Here’s hoping things return to normal post Covid.

Edward Self, a fellow gardener has several tips for preparing for a

scion exchange.

• Do NOT trade citrus

• There is a citrus greening quarantine for Brazoria, Ft. Bend,

Galveston, Harris and Montgomery counties. Citrus cannot

be taken out of the quarantined counties or across state lines.

• Negotiate your trade by private message or direct message.

Make it clear which scions you have and what you want to

trade for. Work out all the details beforehand.

• Don’t trade patented scion wood. Use a tracking number to

keep track of your package.

• Only trade scions that have fruited “true to type.” You must

have the variety name. if your plant has not fruited yet, wait.

Sometimes plant labels get switched. You do not want to

invest time in growing a tree that was labeled as something

different.

• Scion wood is precious. Take only what you need.

Pruning for Graftstock, cont'd from pg. 1

There are courses offered for grafting around town. Sign up

for one if you need it. Usually, exchanges take place in February

and March. Look around your yard. Figs, grapes, and pomegran-

ates can be stuck in soil and don’t need grafting. Wrap 18-24”

cuttings that have at least four bulbs.

To collect your scions choose the gap when the donor plant is

dormant but before bud swell. Which wood is best? Take from the

current year’s new growth located at the branch ends and cut to

down where the wood changed color. Take off the leaves and extra

material. Clean off the branches well. Trim each scion 4-8” long

and each should have four buds. Cut the bottom of scion at and

the top should be angled off. This lets others know which side goes

up. Store dry branches in quart or gallon bags. You can also use

plastic wrap, paralm or Buddy Tape. Label each bag clearly. Store

bags in the refrigerator. They should last at least a month or two if

properly stored. There is a Grafter’s Handbook by R.J. Garner that

has many grafting methods.

Good luck and may the new year bring us hope, promise and

plants

Please subscribe to our Harris County

Horticulture YouTube page for

access to recorded videos.

Thank you for your support.

https://www.youtube.com/channel

Have

Garden

Questions?

We have developed a new form

located at https://hcmga.tamu.edu/

ask-a-question/

You can submit your question and up

to three photos. Be sure your photos

are focused and clear.

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

reen Thumb 2021

ardening Series

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Harris County Master Gardeners

are pleased to offer the FREE

Green Thumb Gardening Series of Lectures now

provided virtually twice a month. We have collaborated with the Harris County

Public Library and Houston Community College. Join us for one or both!

Got questions? Go to hcmga.tamu.edu/ask-a-question/

Second Monday, 10:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.

Houston Community College

Second Monday of each month

January 11 – Pruning Basics June 14 – Intro to Plumeria

February 8 – Spring Vegetable Gardening July 12 – Fall Vegetable Gardening

March 8 – Composting August 9 – Gardening for Beginners

April 12 – Butterfly Gardens September 13 – Permaculture

May 10 – Integrated Pest Management October 11 – Plant Propagation

Third Tuesday, 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Harris County Public Library Facebook Live

No reservation required. Watch on Facebook – facebook.com/harriscountypl/live

Third Tuesday of each month

January 19 – Pruning Basics June 15 –Intro to Plumeria

February 16 – Spring Vegetable Gardening July 20 – Fall Vegetable Gardening

March 16 – Composting August 17 – Gardening for Beginners

April 20 – Butterfly Gardens September 21 – Permaculture

May 18 – Integrated Pest Management October 19 – Plant Propagation

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides equal opportunities in its

programs and employment to all persons, regardless of race, color, sex,

religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status,

sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Texas A&M University System,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of

Texas cooperating. Individuals with disabilities, who require an auxiliary aid,

service or accommodation in order to participate in any Extension activities,

are encouraged to contact the Harris County Extension Office at 713-274-

0950 for assistance five working days prior to the activity.

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

ongratulations to Regina Gardner!

With a BFA in illustration from Syracuse University,

Regina enjoyed a 16-year span in the advertising, graphic

design, and media industries, as an illustrator/designer, as well

as a sales and marketing executive with Prentice-Hall Publishing

(NY ofce), Mississippi’s Educational Television Station in Jack-

son, and First National Bank of Commerce in New Orleans.

After moving to Houston, Regina decided to go in a different

direction and purchased a corporate travel management franchise

from UNIGLOBE International, receiving multiple “Agency of

the Year” and “Franchise Owner of the Year” honors (out of 1150

franchisees) over the years and served on the Boards of several

UNIGLOBE International divisions.

In the early 1990s, Regina was appointed to the rst ever

Franchisee Advisory Council to the IFA. As the rst Chairper-

son, Regina was given the task of representing franchisees on the

Board and on the Hill in Washington D.C., but most importantly,

bringing franchisees in as active, contributing, members of the

IFA. After four years, Regina was elected as the rst-ever franchi-

see to its Board of Directors. She received the prestigious “Bonny

Levine Award”, given in recognition of her outstanding accom-

plishments in franchising and of her status as a role model for

women in the franchise community. She continued to serve for 12

years, and upon leaving she received the International Franchise

Association’s “Distinguished Service Award”.

Regina was the keynote speaker at the Franchise Association

of South Africa’s historical conference for franchisee inclusion.

and appeared on “Good Morning Africa”. On a local level, Regina

has spoken at several conferences, including The Texas Women’s

Alliance Conference held in Houston.

Regina and her husband, Pete

Before retiring, Regina worked with a ower franchise

organization headquartered in Boston. Responsible for some 50

plus franchisees nationwide, her primary focus was on sales and

marketing, operations, nancial controls and developing business

plans.

Regina has been involved with several volunteer endeavors.

She was an Easter Seal Society of the Gulf Coast Board member

and received Easter Seal’s “Volunteer of the Year” award. She

also volunteered at Ronald McDonald House and the Mission of

Yahweh and was very involved in the USS swimming program

for over ten years.

Regina has traveled extensively through the years. One of

her most memorable trips in recent years was with her daughter

a week-long trip to a cooking school in Tuscany. It was held in a

beautiful Italian villa. She loves to cook and considers herself a

“foodie” with over 165 cookbooks and growing!

Retiring after 25 years in franchising, Regina decided to

pursue her love of gardening and joined the 2014 class of Harris

County Master Gardeners. From her very rst class, she decided

she wanted to work in the greenhouse. It was a place where she

felt she could learn so much and she spent many, many hours

working in there. It was especially gratifying to see all of their

growing efforts at the sales, particularly the tomato/pepper sale

each year. She loves to garden at home and loves lots of color in

her yard so she rotates owers and plants in and out to accommo-

date the season.

The recent oods brought challenges, but Regina found

her home with what was, “Open Garden Day” and now called,

“Growing with Plants and Nature” (GPN). The committee has

very much missed being able to interact with the families face-to-

face. Regina feels that their hands-on experience with the children

was priceless and they are looking forward to the day they are

able to get back to teaching them to plant, grow and learn in

person. So, in the meantime, GPN has established alternative

ways to interact with them. The committee meets every week

via Zoom and they have established several programs both on

Zoom and on Facebook. In this challenging time, being able to

still participate and be a part of such a special group has been

very rewarding for Regina.

Regina and her husband Pete, have one daughter who lives

in Houston. She has recently become engaged and bought a new

home so they are looking forward to a wonderful new year for her!

MG of the Month - Regina Gardner

by Karen Breneman, Master Gardener

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Master Gardeners and Interns who celebrate a birthday during January

include the following. Wish them a HAPPY BIRTHDAY when you see them!

If your name is missing, please check that your online prole is complete.

Connie Bihner, Marcia Braschayko, Linda Brewer, Patricia Cordray,

Laurel Gonzalez, Lee Greb, Sanjeevi Gunarathna, Will Isbell, Jane

Kremer, Becky Larkin, Elizabeth Lewis, Douglas McLeod, Barbara

Morrison, Bunthath Pek, Aura Rainwater, Leewen Shen, and

Bobbie Wiese

• Grow vegetables from seeds. Purchasing seeds instead of plants can save you a bundle and may even produce

healthier plants. Vegetables like beets, carrots, radishes, and turnips need to be planted in the ground to thrive.

More tolerant species can be started by seed outdoors or indoors.

• Avoid professionally designed plant arrangements. Instead, buy separate ornamentals and combine them yourself

in a large pot. Seek annuals, vining plants, and loose bulbs, which are much cheaper than potted, actively growing

bulbs. Your planter should include a tall plant for interest and drama, plus bushy, broad plants to ll the container

and a trailing plant to complete the look. Just remember — thriller, ller, and spiller.

• Plant your garden in raised beds. Save water by planting in raised beds instead of containers. The soil takes longer

to dry, so you’ll need less water. Just watch out for root rot. Some plants need to be on the drier side to thrive.

• Save on planters by designing your own. You can even be creative with the containers you use. Some people enjoy

recycling old boots, colanders, cut-and-shaped PVC, old drawers, and more. Your imagination is the limit.

• Water your garden using drip irrigation. Drip irrigation is more water-efcient than hose-end sprinklers.

Ask a Master Gardener

by Teresa See, Master Gardener

Tips for a budget-friendly garden

Nominate a Master Gardener of the Month

We want to recognize the people who are working

hard to keep our organization functioning.

To let the Membership committee know about

the volunteers deserving of the award, contact

Karen Breneman at kbreneman2017@gmail.com or

phone at 281-463-2110 or 832-923-1712.

Thank you in advance for your nomination.

In November, Harris County Master Gardener, Teresa See, provided some tips for a budget-friendly garden, as part of Mercer

Botanic Gardens' article "Best Ways to Garden While on a Budget." To see the full article, click HERE. Many thanks to Mercer

Botanic Gardens for this continued collaboration.

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

News from Genoa Friendship Gardens

Rick Castagno, 2019 Intern and new Vegetable Garden Silo

Manager, has been very ambitious with his rst GFG garden and

has planted mustard greens, elephant garlic, green onions, yellow

hybrid onions, giant radishes and Georgia collards. There are

two open beds he is keeping fallow for new potatoes and sweet

potatoes. He will be donating harvested produce to the Heights

Interfaith Ministries. I found out Rick has been a Brew Master

for 20 years and specializes in Irish Red Ale. He was doing regu-

lar tastings at his home prior to Covid-19 hitting. Recently retired

from the oil and gas industry, Rick is a seasoned home gardener

and we welcome his know-how and winning smile!

Our horticulture agent, Paul Winski, visited GFG on Decem-

ber 16th to check on the plant trials. While there, he assessed and

really liked Rick’s intercropping of onions down the middle of

one of his beds. After hearing about Rick’s brewing experience,

Paul is going to look for hops seeds to also intercrop. By the way,

most of the vegetable seeds Paul obtains for the plant trials and

the other gardens are from Johnny’s Select Seeds. We talked

about eventually having mini-classes as part of Open Garden

Days (when we can resume in-person activities) teaching visitors

how to grow small theme gardens in a large container such as

a Caprese Garden, Salsa Garden or Marinara Garden, and later

offer to teach classes on moving from a container garden to a

production garden. The culinary theme gardens are very popular

Getting Down to Earth

at the Betty and Jacob Friedman Holistic Garden at Rice Univer-

sity, which is under the direction of professor, Joseph R. Novak.

Native Houstonian, Claudette Johnson and her master

gardener dad, Chuck Johnson, have taken over the orchard,

blackberry vines, grape vines and blueberries silo. They are now

building cinder block raised beds for exotic Asian vegetables

including Shisito peppers, Carolina Reaper peppers (the hottest

ever!) Azzuki beans, mung beans, Daikon radish, Chinese cab-

bage and leeks. Claudette loves to can and make pickles, jams

and jellies. Now, she will become an international cook mak-

ing Chinese red bean paste and Kim-Chi from the new garden.

Claudette was a docent at the Museum of Natural History and is

soon to start working for the Museum of Fine Arts.

And, I must mention our farm

cat, Samantha, who lives at GFG.

The late Guy Lazarus, who tended

the vegetable silo, made her a warm

bed atop a heating pad last winter,

which is keeping her cozy in the

shed.

by Pam Longley, Master Gardener

Samantha

Rick Castagno assessing the emerging vegetables

cont’d on pg. 14

Claudette Johnson in the revamped peach orchard with Asian vegetable

beds, curently under construction.

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Getting Down to Earth, cont'd from pg. 13

Christ the Good Shepherd Garden

by Dale Hudson, Master Gardener

The CGS Garden on the north side of Houston is well known for

its bountiful production of vegetables year-round, but any good

cook knows even the freshest vegetables can be spiced up with the

addition of fresh herbs. CGS has got that covered also.

Last year when the CGS folks decided to build a dedicated

herb garden, we recognized the success would hinge on nding a

dedicated gardener to adopt the area and provide the TLC that is

so important for herbs,

which can be tem-

peramental at times.

Master gardener

Cheryl Gans turned

out to be just who we

needed. To wit, Cheryl

recently shared these

stories.

Growth in any

garden changes due to

sunlight, soil, temper-

ature and weather. A

favorite herb greeting

us upon arrival in the

garden is rosemary.

The sweet aroma and

taste adds a bit of

avor to the ordinary

sandwich. When the

rosemary leaves are

lacking, one needs to

investigate the source

of the problem. The

herb will reveal its

needs. The best place

to start is the roots.

Amend the soil by

adding new compost

and improve moisture by adding a pine straw cover. Watch out for

infestations. Once I noticed how the rosemary can adapt to a harsh

environment. By investigating the root, I noticed an ant nest. To

my surprise the rosemary had sent out a new stem and transplanted

CGS herb garden

Cheryl Gans im the herb garden

itself in a location away from the infestation and was thriving.

At times like these it is important to learn a lesson from the herb

plant: be exible, trust the new roots and hum a tune of thanks.

The herb garden is also a great place to invite wildlife. At home

I rooted a pineapple top. I placed it in a small container. The plant

was not happy. I brought it out to the garden at Christ the Good

Shepherd and planted it in the herb bed. The plant is now ourish-

ing in its new location, a mixture of sun and shade with lots of

room to grow. In October I was surprised to nd a tree frog peer-

ing out from the

center of the plant.

I snapped a picture

as a reminder of

life thriving in this

garden.

We should never

forget that Mother

Nature does get the

nal word how-

ever. During the

brief cold snap in

early December we

learned that most

herbs are cold hardy,

but basil is not one of them. Not to worry; we now know that basil

will be much happier in our greenhouse until Spring. Sadly, there

was no happiness in our Fall tomato beds after a windy 30 degF

night either. If anyone is interested, master gardener Tony Ruppe

has green tomato pickles on offer.

Tree frog resting in a recently planted pineapple top

cont’d on pg. 15

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Getting Down to Earth, cont'd from pg. 14

Centennial Gardens

by Becky Larkin, Master Gardener

The fall harvest at McGovern Centennial Gardens has been

bountiful. Since September, we have harvested over 200 pounds of

produce with most of that going to the neighborhood food pantry

(most of the sun gold tomatoes don’t make it into the bags for the

pantry). The heaviest producer of those 200 lbs. were our sweet po-

tato haul of almost

90 lbs. We put in a

second bed of kohl-

rabi on our quest

to interest more

Houstonians in this

overlooked but very

yummy vegetable.

Along with the

kohlrabi, turnips

and radishes went

into the sweet po-

tato beds last week.

We can’t wait for

the radishes to

come up because

we love sharing

those with the kids.

It’s fun watching

them pull the radishes and even if the kids hate radishes, they are

usually willing to try them since they harvested it. Next week onion

sets (1015, sweet red, and

yellow granex) and bok

choy go into newly cleared

beds.

In other great news in

the garden, our partner

and gracious host at the

Family Garden, Hermann

Park Conservancy, is cur-

rently rebuilding two of

the beds and adding drip irrigation. We are looking forward to the

future when we’ll have the option of using either spray heads or the

drip irrigation on every bed in the garden.

A couple of MG’s have taken on specic chores to help get us

more organized and directed. Elizabeth Fisher is the administrative

queen and her task of documenting our garden work has created a

fabulous data set with every vegetable bed’s history since we started

in 2018. Judith Brocklehurst took on the cleaning and replanting of

the perimeter bed of native pollinators as well as one of the Tuesday

talks. She brought a vast

array of gardening tools

to demonstrate, and we

took copious notes on

her ideas and sources for

Christmas presents.

We’ve had a great

turnout of Master Garden-

ers, both veteran and

interns. Many thanks to

Danny Dunn, Elizabeth

Fisher, Phil John, Judy

Thomas, Judith Brock-

lehurst, Vivian Gallant,

Marisol Arteaga, Nelson

Harbison, and Lisa

Lawrence who all

continue as regulars on

Tuesday and Thursday

workdays along with our

2020 interns, Jim Rath,

Jacqueline Clarke, and

Patricio Arteaga. The

Arteagas are amazing since they drive in all the way from Galves-

ton each week. We have many more MG’s in and out every other

week or so; we’d love for you to come out and see if the Family

Garden is the place for you.

Judith Brocklehurst demonstrating garden tools

Harvested vegetables from the Family Garden at

Centennial Gardens

Judith Brocklehurst displays an

8 lb. cabbage harvested from

the Family Garden.

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Growing with Plants & Nature

Growing with Plants & Nature has moved all in-person events online until further no-

tice. Please visit us on our Growing with Plants and Nature Virtual Facebook Group

found at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GPNVG/

We hope this helps educate families and children on gardening and nature. Programs

are tailored to children and their families and include lessons and crafts, combining the

Facebook presence and a monthly live Family Zoom Event.

For information about upcoming topics, dates, and registration, please email us at

ogd.harrishort@gmail.com. Registration is required before each Family Zoom Event.

The GPN team is excited about our projects for the coming year. Just a few examples of top-

ics for our Zoom Family Events in 2021 include:

· Winter Gardening

· Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

· Monarch Butterflies

· Wildflowers

Also, we will continue our Facebook Group and we’ll pass out free supplies for growing mi-

crogreens and making bird feeders for families with children at the fruit tree sales.

The January Family Zoom Event, Winter Gardening, will be presented by

Candy Friday and Julee Jackson on January 19, 2021 at 10:00 am. As the

first presentation for 2021, we want our students to understand the reasons

why we garden and pair that with winter garden activities. We will explore

the following concepts:

¨ We garden to learn about science; starting new plants from seeds pro-

vides both an educational experience and the hope of renewing Springtime

gardens.

¨ We garden to share with others; so rooting leaf, stem, or root cuttings gives us an oppor-

tunity to share with friends, develop a sense of community, and cultivate bright Spring

gardens.

¨ We garden to enjoy the outdoor environment; so raking leaves into compost/mulch piles

brings about a source of nutritional matter to fertilize our Spring gardens and keep them

protected from winter’s cold.

¨ We garden to enhance our indoor environment; so cultivating and maintaining healthy

household plants provides a refreshing boost to our winter homes.

Julee will help students design and complete an indoor terrarium to enjoy for their winter gar-

dening project.

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

in partnership with

Hermann Park Conservancy

are pleased to present

Master Gardeners in the City

at McGovern Centennial Gardens

These educational programs are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

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

McGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park

1500 Hermann Drive

Houston, Texas 77004

When events resume: free tours and children’s activity. "Adult workshop at 10:30 a.m.

No registration required.

Visit the Harris County Master Gardeners

Facebook page for event details!

www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardeners

As a public health precaution to help prevent the spread of Covid-19,

Harris County Master Gardeners have suspended in-person

educational events until further notice.

However, this garden is a public space, so you are still welcome to visit

according to the guidelines set forth by Hermann Park Conservancy. The Harris

County Master Gardeners maintain the vegetable, herb, berry, and citrus beds in

the Family Garden, so if you see one of us working there, feel free to say hi.

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Genoa Friendship Garden Workdays are an opportunity for Interns and Master Gardeners

to meet with other gardeners, and to learn by working in a variety of gardens. Test your

practical gardening skills and learn from other gardeners’ knowledge. Explore the various

options of working in a collection of gardens with perennials, proven

Earth-Kind winners, the fruit tree orchard, native plants,

composting, and greenhouse activities.

Come and enjoy a few hours working in the garden with fellow

Gardeners while gaining your required membership service hours.

Work tasks will be outlined, and available to gardeners to seek

their interest. Garden leads will be on hand to guide you through

the tasks.

For some of you that have considered this a distance you couldn't commit to on a regular

basis, it is always available if you want to be surrounded by old or new friends.

GFG also offers Mon./Wed. workdays (8:45 a.m. – Noon) for MGs who can attend during

the week.

Please join us at our GFG Garden Workdays!

Evan J. Hopkins

Master Gardener

January 9th & 23rd

GFG Garden Workdays!

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

1210 Genoa Red Bluff Road, Houston TX

Appropriate Covid-19 protocols will be observed. As a reminder, please remain

socially distanced at least six feet apart, wash your hands and use hand sanitizer.

If working closer than six feet, a mask is required.

For Harris County Master Gardeners Only!

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Gardening Tools

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

Download the

Vegetable Garden

Planting Guide here!

URBAN DIRT • JANUARY 2021

Texas a&M agriLife

xTension service

13105 norThwesT freeway, suiTe 1000

housTon, Tx 77040

713-274-0950

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

hcmga.tamu.edu

Would you like to contribute to the Urban Dirt?

Send all questions and/or submissions to: [email protected]

Would you like to contribute to the Urban Dirt?

Send all questions and/or submissions to: [email protected]

www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardeners

www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyHorticulture

https://twitter.com/pharrishort

https://www.youtube.com/channel

https://www.instagram.com/harriscountymastergardeners

The Harris County Master Gardeners as well as Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Harris

County Horticulture are actively participating on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram offering

tips, lists, news and plant advice almost daily. The best part, instead of locating planting

guides or insect documents, and sale dates for individuals, you can add the HCMG site to

your account and easily share information with others. This is a denitely a timesaver for

these busy garden days and helps promote our organization. Reach us via these links:

Green Thumb Gardening Series

Jan. 11, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. For HCC program, register in advance to receive the link:

hccs.edu/community-learning-workshops

Jan. 19, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Simply visit the Harris County Public Library System

No reservation required. Watch on Facebook – facebook.com/harriscountypl/live

Pruning Basics

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Harris County Master

Gardeners are pleased to offer the FREE Green Thumb Gardening Series of

Lectures now provided virtually twice a month. We have collaborated with

the Harris County Public Library and Houston Community College.