W elcome to the Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to give you a month-by-month agenda of what you should be doing with your landscape. We will feature horticul-

tural articles that we hope you will find interesting, and important dates where you can find the Master Garden-ers speaking, demonstrating, and passing out information relative to your garden. If you would like to receive this newsletter monthly via your email address, log onto our website www.ECMGA.com and click on subscribe. Best of all; it’s FREE! Editors and Newsletter Team: Susan Ellis, Donna Hubbard, Bree Shaw

Volume XI, Issue 11 November, 2018 Official E-Newsletter of the Ellis County Master Gardeners Association, Waxahachie, Texas

Inside this issue:

It’s Nov., What Needs To Be Done 2

Wildflower of the Month 3

November Herb—Osage Orange 3

Seed Sawing 4

Cool Weather Annuals 4

Predicting Winter Weather 5

November Garden Checklist 6

Get the Yard Ready for the Cold 6

Recipe of the Month 7

Tree Trimming 101 8

Eclectic Gardening 8

Indian Trail Master Naturalists 9

Become a Master Gardener 10

Listen to KBEC

Saturday mornings at 8:10 a.m. on 1390 AM and 99.1 FM.

The Ellis County Master Gardeners have a fifteen minute segment every week, offering you helpful infor-mation on what you need to be doing in your landscape, as well as “happenings” around the county. Be sure to listen in!

Melinda Kocian

By Susan Ellis, Ellis County Master Gardener

In September Gayle Johnston and I attended a Texas Superstar Specialist training in Tyler, TX. We had two full days of classroom training about the current Superstar plant selection, followed by the opportunity to visit Seville Farms, a commercial nursery in the Tyler area. Most interesting of the entire training was how these Superstar selections are made. Much more goes into these selections than we imagined.

The presentations were made by several of the people responsible for Superstar selections. This included a description of the process from finding (and there were some funny/strange stories of how some plants were found), developing, testing, naming, etc. to the final determi-nation of making a plant a Texas Superstar, or not.

Thus, we are going to share with you each month one of the Superstars. While all may not do their very best in our zone or soil type, we did learn that as part of their evaluation to become a Superstar, all Superstar plants will grow in most parts of the state. Part of what we would like to share with you is what we learned about these plants to accommodate them to different soil types and environmental conditions.

As you visit (or maybe even move to) a different part of the state and see one of these plants, you will be somewhat familiar with what you see.

'Natchez' Blackberry Rubus fruticosus ‘Natchez’

From TexasSuperstar.com and article by Robert Burns (burns@tamu.edu)

Natchez blackberry is a thornless cultivar released by the University of Arkansas. It is a trailing plant that produces an abundance of large, elon-gated fruit. The fruit is the largest produced by a thornless cultivar. Fruit quality is firm and outstanding and could be a commercial variety.

Exposure: Full sun for maximum production Height: Canes are trailing and can attain heights of six to eight feet; some sort of trellis will be neces-sary in order to keep the canes off the ground Plant type: Biennial; grow a top the first year, those canes fruit the next year and then they die; the plant sends up new canes each growing season for the next year's crop Planting time: Ideally plant dormant root cuttings in early winter (mid-to-late January or early Febru-ary), three feet apart, but container plants can be planted anytime they are available at nurseries or gar-den centers. Soil type: Numerous as long as well drained; iron chlorosis may be an issue when soil pH is over 7.8 Suggested uses: These can be planted as a container patio plant or as fruit producing accent bed in the landscape, but they will need a trellis or support of some type. Special notes: To maintain plant health and vigor, some of the fruit should be removed each growing season; too much fruit can cause subsequent prima canes to be weak with a poor crop the next year. Fertility needs: Natchez fertility needs are minimal, needing only a nitrogen fertilizer. If the soil pH is low, a 3-1-2 (ratio) fertilizer can be used; i.e. 15-5-10.

Disease: There were no substantial common diseases observed in the Texas trials.

Blackberries are historically grown in Texas as they are easy to grow and packed full of healthy fiber,

vitamins, and essential minerals. These are only some of the reasons the Natchez thornless blackberries

were chosen to be one of the Superstars in 2013.

Page 2 — November, 2018 Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter

Planting

Now through February is the perfect time to plant container-grown trees and shrubs. Dig a hole two times the diameter and one inch shallower than the root ball. Make sure the root ball and the hole are thoroughly wet before planting. Backfill with existing soil and water well. November through February is also the ideal time to dig and transplant trees and shrubs during their dormant, non-growth period. Roots will continue to grow even though the rest of the plant is dormant. This allows the transplants to become well established prior to spring growth and summer heat.

Use the “Custom Tree Selector” at http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu for help in selecting the right tree for the location. Also, see “Native and Adapted Plants for North Texas” at http://wateruniversity.tamu.edu/about/publications.

Plant pansies and violas now. Bluebonnets can still be planted from transplants. Daffodils and grape hyacinth may be planted once soil temperatures drop below 55° F. Plant two to three times as deep as the

bulb is tall.

Fertilizing and Pruning

Feed winter annuals growing in the ground and in outdoor containers with a high-nitrogen, water-soluble plant food every two to three weeks. Also, feed and water cool-season vegetables that you are growing now.

Remove the tops of herbaceous perennials after they have died. Add two to three inches of mulch to the beds to reduce winter weed growth.

Trim patio plants and hanging baskets before moving indoors for the winter. Locate them near bright windows. Refrain from pruning freeze-damaged woody plants at this time. This pruning is best done in late winter.

Garden Watch

It’s time to winterize! Disconnect hoses from faucets and drain all hose-end sprinklers. Drain fuel from gasoline-powered en-gines and run the carburetor dry. Greenhouse owners should check the heating and ventilation systems to ensure proper opera-tion.

Check outdoor potted plants for insects (mealy bugs, whiteflies, spider mites, aphids, roaches, ants) before moving inside for the winter. Apply a labeled insecticide if needed.

When planning new landscapes, select trees, shrubs and perennials that are winter hardy in your area. According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, Ellis County is located in Zone 8 (average lowest annual temperature is 10° F to 20° F). Therefore, it is best to choose plants listed for Zone 8, or the one or two zones to the north (Zone 6 or 7).

With frosts and freezes approaching, sensitive plans need protection. During light frosts, cover plants with a cardboard box or fabric, with paper such as cardboard being an especially good insulator. For low plants, covering with several layers of news-paper works well. It is best that the plant not actually touch the covering material, so use something like a tomato cage or stakes to keep the plant separated from the covering. It is especially important that plastic covering not touch the plant since this can cause damage. This method can also work with potted plants. Be sure to remove the coverings during warm sunny days. Before hard freezes, plants must be sheltered in a greenhouse, garage, or other warmer area.

Conservation-Wise

Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your home to receive the most benefit from summer shading while allow-ing the sun to warm your home during winter months. Just three trees properly placed, can save you up to thirty percent in energy use.

Plant evergreen trees on north side of your home to block winter winds and reduce heat-ing bills

Stockpile fallen leaves for use in compost or as mulch. It is an excellent way to enrich the soil and to nourish plants. Mix one cup of high ni-trogen fertilizer per cubic yard of compost. Turn pile with spade fork to keep it aerated. Water, if needed.

In Texas, Arbor Day first appeared in Temple on February 22, 1889. The first statewide ob-servance was held in Austin in 1890, to encour-age the planting of trees. Today, the official Texas State Arbor Day is the first Friday in No-vember – the perfect time to plant a tree.

Peach trees were first introduced to the colonial settlements along the Unites States Gulf Coast by the French explorers in 1562. Peaches provide a source of vitamins A and E, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin. They are also a good source of minerals, in-cluding potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium.

Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter November, 2018 — Page 3

By: Arlene Hamilton, MG and Rainwater Harvesting Specialist

Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera), also known as Hedge, Hedge Apple and Bois d’arc, is a very beneficial plant which is the broad definition of an herb. Osage Orange trees are common throughout the Midwest but were originally found only along the Red River valley of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas. The tree’s name comes from the Osage Indian tribe which lived in the area. Also, the skin of the ripe fruit has a slight orange-peel smell. The trees are easily recognized by their glossy leaves and their short, strong thorns.

Settlers to this region planted the trees as living fences along the boundaries of their homesteads and pastures. Before the invention of barbed wire in the 1880’s, many thousands of miles of young hedge trees were planted close to-gether in a line. The trees were pruned aggressively to promote bushy growth. “Horse high, bull strong and hog tight” was the criteria for a good hedge made with Osage Orange. After the invention of barbed wire, the hedge fence be-came obsolete, but the tree was still useful for fence posts. The wood is so strong and dense that it will not rot and is not susceptible to termite attacks. Many of the older homes in Ellis County (ours included) are supported on piers of century old wood. The French word Bois d’arc, pronounced Bodark, comes from the Native American’s use of the wood to make their bows and arrows. Also, the wood is a bright golden yellow and its sawdust makes a clean lemon-yellow dye. Many a prairie woman’s dress was dyed with this bright, long lasting color.

The fruit of the Osage Orange is a large, green, wrinkled ball up to 6 inches in diameter, easily visible in the trees after the leaves have fallen. They have a sticky, white juice in them. Chop one in half and you will find a pithy core filled with up to 200 seeds. The seeds are edible by people but must be picked out of the pulp and removed from a slimy husk. Generally, they are best left to the squirrels which find them to be a great treat.

The tree is easily grown from the seeds but if you are considering growing them be mindful that they spread readily, pruning is difficult, and the thorns can easily cause a flat tire, even on the thick tread of a tractor tire.

Many people believe that the fruit will keep insects out of the house. It was a common practice to place them around the base of the house or roll them under the floor to discourage crickets and roaches. Research at Iowa State University has shown that there are chemical compounds in the fruit that repel cockroaches.

The trees are common throughout Ellis County. Take a walk along Waxahachie’s Hike and Bike Trail and you will find a num-ber of places where the large, green, wrinkled Hedge Apples have landed. Take a few home and add the striking green orb to the other autumn decorations greeting visitors to your front porch.

Puccoon – Borage Family (Boraginaceae) Lithosoermum incisum Lehm.

Region: 1 through 10 (Ellis County is Region 4) Size: 1 foot Blooms: November - June, Perennial

This little plant is distinctive because of the ruffled edges on the lobes of its bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers. The trumpets are sometimes more than an inch long and up to three-fourths of an inch across, in terminal clusters. They produce no seed. Later in the spring or summer, three to four large, white, stone-like seeds are produced by small, self-pollinating flowers hidden in the bracts. A rosette of linear leaves that give rise to them usually withers by bloom time, but smaller leaves farther up the stem may be three inches long and are fuzzy, as in the stem. Puccoon root yields a red dye. A tea brewed from this plant was used as birth control in the past, and several hormone-like molecules have been identified from its juices. Puccoon is one of the many native herbs being studied for poten-tial medical value.

Featured Texas Wild Flower of the Month Submitted by Melinda Kocian

Ellis County Master Gardener

Page 4 — November, 2018 Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter

How are annuals and perennials different? Annuals are often planted and used for quick color, and when they fade they can be replaced with new and different flowers for seasonal color. The annuals may produce seed, but they do not return from the original plant each year. Perennials should return each year, if weather is not severe. Gar-deners like to plant annuals in the garden before the perennials have an opportunity to grow and produce flower buds. Three flowering annuals that are used in North Texas are the Pansy, Snapdragon, and Dianthus. They can be started from seed and planted, or a visit to the nursery will have a variety of starter plants.

PANSY Pansies and violets belong to the genus Viola. These plants are perennials and treated as annuals. Pansies are just one of many flowers that will bloom in cool to cold weather. Pansies can take a freeze and then recover to bloom again. If you wonder how and why they are called pansies, it is based on French or English origin. Pansies got their name from the French word “pensee” which means thought. Therefore, the word Pansy refers to being thoughtful. You may have read a book where someone gave a gift of violets or pansies to their loved one.

Pansies will do well in containers and flower beds. They come in various colors; orange, purple, and white are just a few of the color choices. The size of the flowers will vary. Depending on the type of pansy, the flowers can be very small to very large. The flowers that have a smaller bloom (i.e. viola) will survive the cold and will produce blooms longer. Pansies can survive cold weather if the roots have a chance to develop before the freezing temperatures arrive. You can plant seeds but is it cost effective to plant starter plants. Once planted, water daily for about 5 to 7 days. Addition of blood meal will encourage blooms. You can mulch around the plant to protect the roots. Mulch will allow the roots to develop deeply into the soil.

DIANTHUS is a flower that is used for cool weather. Again, as other plants, you will find various varieties. Dianthus will grow in cool weather if the roots do not stand in water. The roots will rot and the plant will die if the soil remains waterlogged. Some vari-eties are annuals and other are biennials. The biennials take two years to complete the life cycle. Most of the dianthus found in North Texas for sale are annuals. These plants will bloom in the cool period, with red, pink and white flowers.

SNAPDRAGON, botanical name, Antirrhinum, is a unique name for a flower. Derived from the Greek words "anti", meaning like, and "rhino", meaning nose, it is a fitting description of this snout-shaped flower. It is said that the common name for this colorful flower comes from the snap it makes when the sides of the "dragon's mouth" are gently squeezed. While their actual origin is un-known, it is believed that snapdragons were originally wildflowers in Spain and Italy. Snapdragons come in gorgeous colors and can bring a lot of color to your garden. Snapdragons perform best during the winter in the warmer parts of the state, but for cooler areas they perform best in spring. They make a spectacular cut flower and can really brighten up your home. Make sure to dead-head snapdragons regularly to ensure the best blooms.

These are just three possible flowers that can be used in the garden in cool weather.

By Jane Sloan, Ellis County Master Gardener

It’s time to turn our thoughts to fall garden clean up and plans for autumn planting. Although some garden projects are of the mundane and necessary type, it’s nice to have a change of pace with a relaxing project like saving summer flower seeds. Favorite warm summer annual flowers such as impatiens, zinnias, marigolds, and petunias can easily be saved to grow the following year. In fact, you can save just about any flower seed you want!

Non-hybrid flower seeds, when grown, will ‘come true to type’, meaning you will get a plant similar to its parent plant. These flowers include heirloom and open pollinated flowers. Hybrid flower seeds (denoted on seed packages as an F1 Hybrid) will not resemble the parent plants they came from, but don’t let this discourage you from saving them

as well. You might just come up with a new and interesting flower. This is part of the fun of seed saving!

Seeds from zinnias and marigolds are collected from ‘spent’ or dead flower heads. Allow them to dry, then split open and remove the seeds which look like tiny match sticks. Petunia seeds are found at the base of spent flowers in a seed pod, known as the calyx. Watch as the calyx swells with seeds, turns brown as it matures and splits open. You can also pick the calyx off before it opens and place in a paper bag for storage. The numerous seeds appear like tiny dark balls.

Impatiens seeds also develop in a pod behind individual flowers when pollination has occurred. Wait until the seed pods swell before picking but be careful as they can explode at a slight touch expelling seed everywhere! For this reason, hold a paper bag underneath to catch the brownish, round mature seed.

As with any seed ‘harvested’, allow it to dry for up to a week on a non-stick surface such as wax paper. Then store them in la-beled air tight containers or paper envelopes. Keeping them in a dry, cool environment prolongs their viability and increases their success rate of growing. Some interesting and helpful books related to seed saving and tips on growing them are by Carole B. Turner, “Seed Sowing and Saving”, and by Lynn Coulter, “Gardening with Heirloom Seeds”.

Saving seeds is a lot of fun and easy to do. You will have free seed ready to sow the next spring and summer. And hopefully gain a renewed appreciation of how flowers naturally grow and produce their seed. Magical!!

By Lynn Halowec, Ellis County Master Gardener

Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter November, 2018 — Page 5

Second Tuesday of the month

There will not be a guest speaker at our monthly meeting in November. The master gardeners will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 15, 2018, during the meeting. Social time begins at 9:30am and the program begins at 10am. Please be our guest! The meeting takes place in the Fidelis “Banquet” Hall of the First United Methodist Church, 505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie. For info, call (972) 825-5175.

Have you seen cute, fuzzy, and downright fun to watch caterpillars inch their way across a sidewalk? The harmless caterpillar has enjoyed being at the center of weather folklore. Like the groundhog's shadow, the woolly bear's thirteen distinctive black and red-dish-brown bands have become a rule of thumb in forecasting winter.

Woolly Bear Facts

The common moth (Pyrrharctia isabella) is known by different common names at its two main life stages. The adult is the Isabella tiger moth and the larva are called the banded woolly bear. The larvae of many species of Arctiid moths are called "woolly

bears" ("wooly bears", "woollybears") because of their long, thick, fur like setae. This species is black at both ends with a band of coppery red in the middle. The adult moth is dull yellow to orange with

a robust, furry thorax and small head. Its wings have sparse black spotting and the proximal seg-ments on its first pair of legs are bright reddish-orange.

The banded woolly bear larva emerges from the egg in the fall and overwinters in its caterpillar form. It survives winter freezes by producing a cryoprotectant in its tissues. Once the weather

warms, the larva devours all the grass and weeds it can, pupates, and becomes an adult, which then lives through the summer. It is the larvae of this species which are the subject of common folklore, which has it that the forthcoming severity of a winter can be predicted by the amount of black on the caterpillar; this is the most familiar woolly bear in North America.

The History of Woolly Bear

The woolly bear wackiness all started more than three decades ago. Northeast Ohio TV weatherman, Dick Goddard of Fox 8 TV in Cleveland, talked with some friends and co-workers about his idea of a celebration built around using the woolly bear to forecast what kind of winter is ahead.

The annual Woollybear Festival is held every fall in downtown Vermilion, Ohio, on Lake Erie. The one-day family event, which began in 1973, features a woolly bear costume contest in which children, even pets, are dressed up as various renditions of the woolly bear. The festival, normally held in mid-October, was moved up in 2007 and this year’s 46th festival was held Sunday, September 23, 2018. It is touted as the largest one-day festival in Ohio.

The exit of summer always ushers in fall familiarities - apple cider, pumpkins, changing land-scapes, and the site of nature's most recognizable caterpillar; the woolly bear.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the longer the wholly bear’s middle brown band, the milder and shorter the coming winter; the shorter the brown band, the longer and more severe winter will be. Woolly bears share winter predictions with some of nature's other critters like honeybees and yellow jackets. Folklore tells that honeybees will store honey en masse in preparation for a severe win-ter, and yellow jackets will build nests either high in the trees or in the ground depending on what the coming winter has in store.

The truth behind the woolly bear's band length has more to do with age than with predicting the weather. As the caterpillar prepares to overwinter, the caterpillar molts, becoming less black and more reddish-brown as it ages. Woolly bears overwinter from Septem-ber to May and are commonly found along nature trails and wooded edges and crossing sidewalks and roadways seeking overwin-tering sites.

By James Kocian, Ellis County Master Gardener

November 22

Page 6 — November, 2018 Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter

Roses often put on some of their best displays in the November-December period of cooler weather. Encourage them at this time with plenty of water during dry spells and good cultivation, finishing with a topping of fresh mulch to save moisture and ameliorate temperature changes. Rose 'Perle d'Or' is a charming rose for Texas gardens.

Take advantage of good weather to prepare garden beds for spring planting. Work in any needed organic matter, and have beds ready to plant when needed.

Prepare beds and individual holes for rose planting in January and February. Use composted manure, pine bark, and similar materials mixed with existing soil.

Don't forget to give your landscape a steady amount of water, through irrigation or by hand, if there is not adequate rain.

Protect your lawn from excessive winter damage by providing irrigation during dry periods.

Bring in late-blooming plants such as decorative kalanchoes or Christmas cactus so they may finish flowering in the warmth of the house.

As soon as the November weather appears to be settled, it is time to select and plant cool-season bedding plants, such as pan-sies, violas, stock, snapdragons, dianthus, and ornamental cabbages and kale.

Plan now for your spring flowering season with a mixture of annuals and perennials.

Reduce the fertilization of indoor plants from late October to mid-March. An exception would be plants in an atrium or a well lighted window.

November through February is a good time to plant trees and shrubs.

Place orders for seeds this month so you will have them available when you are ready to plant. By ordering early, you will be more certain of getting the varieties you want. In addition to ordering seeds that you are already familiar with, try a few new kinds each year to broaden your garden contents.

Don't forget tulip and hyacinth bulbs in the refrigerator. They can be planted any time in December if they have received sixty or more days of chilling.

By Dr. William C. Welch, Professor & Landscape Horticulturist, TX A&M

With Nancy Fenton , Ellis County Master Gardener

There are a few things that still need to be done in the yard before we get to the freezes. If you haven’t ferti-lized the yard yet, it’s not too late if you do it right away. A well-balanced blend will feed the grass and help it make it through our winter.

Hopefully you have soaked your yard after this long dry August and September and then turned off your sprinklers and will leave them off this winter. (Thankfully we have had much needed rain after our dry summer.) Lawns need moisture in the winter, but most years the natural kind is enough.

Watering weekly puts too much moisture in the ground, and encourages the bad guys that like to chew on the grass roots. It also leads to rot problems and high-water bills!

It’s not too late to plant those spring blooming bulbs if you get to it soon. Bulbs do not have to go into a prepared bed since they are finished blooming by the time the grass is ready to be mowed. Mine are creekside and under trees that will shade out every-thing else come June. You can enjoy the blooms next spring and the next and the next! I choose the ones that will naturalize and come up year after year. Just dig a hole, throw in some earthworm castings, put the bulb in, and cover with soil that is about twice the depth of the diameter of the bulb. Add a little water and you are set.

The beds and flowers can all use a “mulch check” about now. Three inches is a good number to protect roots and tender canes. (You can use the “three finger method; that is, you stick your hand down into the mulch and if it hits the compacted layer at about the palm, you have about three inches.)

I use the leaves from many of my trees, after grinding them with the mower, so I don’t have to worry about weight on the small plants. The leaves will decompose over the winter and add to the soil for next years’ blooms. Don’t forget the free mulch at the

Waxahachie Recycling center. It works well for larger plantings, trees, and other large bushes.

Now is also the time to check your outdoor water faucets (also called hose bibs). I cover mine with those foam boxes they carry at our local hardware stores. I have seen frozen, split pipes and I don’t want to see them ever again. If you get the covers in November, you won’t have to race out the first day it’s scheduled to freeze and look for them. (Done that, too!) Continued on page 7

Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter November, 2018 — Page 7

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE FILLING :

3 T unsalted butter 4 med pears peeled & chopped into about ½-inch pieces ¾ C granulated sugar ¼ C all-purpose flour ½ t ground cinnamon ¼ t salt ½ t vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pears, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt, and stir to combine.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved, and the mixture is bubbly. Allow the mixture to bubble for 2 or 3 minutes, or until thickened.

Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla.

Transfer the filling to a 1-quart baking dish. Set aside while you make the topping.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:

Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.

Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers until the butter is about the size of peas.

Add about 3 tablespoons of the milk and continue mixing the dough. Add the remaining milk, a small amount at a time, and mix just until the dough comes together.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the top of the filling. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if using.

Place the baking dish on a lined, rimmed baking sheet to catch any potential spills.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the filling is bubbly.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

FOR THE TOPPING:

1½ C all-purpose flour ½ C firmly packed light brown sugar 1 t baking powder 1 t ground cinnamon ½ t ground cardamom ¼ t ground ginger ¼ t ground allspice 1/8 t ground nutmeg pinch of salt ¼ C unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½-inch cubes ¼ C milk Sanding sugar for garnish (optional)

AUTUMN SPICE PEAR COBBLER YIELD: 6-8 SERVINGS

PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES COOK TIME: 35 MINUTES

Sweet pears and a wonderful, warm blend of spices combine for this sim-ple and delicious cobbler

Getting The Yard Ready For The Cold (continued)

Don’t forget your tools. They probably all need a bit of cleaning up and a light coat of oil to protect them from the rust. The handles all love a bit of oil and they won’t break as easily next spring!

When they finally do forecast a hard freeze (in the 20’s), a quick drink of water before bedtime will help the ten-der plants in the beds. Grass that is healthy shouldn’t have a problem if the temperature goes up above freezing or if it gets sun at all the next day. Its growth cycle is really on hold when the days get short and the temperature cold. Nothing like those hot days of August when it is growing even at night if the temperature is about 75 de-grees. (Yes, it really does grow and grow!!)

Watch the thermometer and your rain gauge. Finally, start thinking about all those pretty plants you wanted to put in your yard last year, but didn’t quite get to. The catalogs will be coming full of good ideas. Start planning, but don’t buy yet.

We still have a while to wish!

Page 8 — November, 2018 Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter

What NOT to do when trimming a tree:

Do not top your tree. Topping is unfortunately a common practice designed to encourage vigorous new growth. While that is achieved, the overall strength and structure of the tree are sacrificed. The limbs that are forced from latent buds are very often weakly attached, which makes them susceptible to wind damage. Pollarding is often confused with topping, but this practice is followed by thinning, and is more technically demanding. Many Europeans utilize this practice to dwarf their trees.

Do not make stub cuts. Do not leave a portion of the branch sticking out; this will allow rot to enter more easily.

Do not remove all of the lower limbs on newly planted trees. This is sometimes referred to as 'limbing up'. Some of the lower branches should be left intact for a period of time to encourage caliper growth. No more than one-third of the top growth on younger trees should be removed.

Do not make cuts flush with the trunk or adjoining limb. The proper cut is made flush with the col-lar at the base of the branch. The collar is the somewhat raised area surrounding the branch union with the parent branch or trunk. This zone contains chemically-protective tissue; if it is cut off or severely cut into, proper natural 'healing' cannot occur. And, once this area is damaged, it is damaged for good. Trees have the unique ability to compartmentalize or surround injured tissues with a protective barrier.

Do not cut large limbs with a one-cut method. This will surely result in bark peeling from the weight of the cut limb. Rather, use the three-cut method.

Do not use pruning paints or wound dressings. They do not encourage 'healing', nor do they prevent path-ogens from entering the tree. Although they will not damage the tree, they will certainly prove to be an unwarranted cost. Painting could be justified where aesthetics is concerned. A dark paint can hide the glaring spots made from fresh wood being exposed from a recent cut.

What TO DO when trimming a tree:

Do approach the tree and look for any limbs that might be a hazard to someone underneath it or to a building or structure near-by. Broken branches, weak branches, narrow crotch angles, and other obvious faults should be identified. First and foremost, these limbs should be taken care of.

Do remove any dead or dying material on the tree.

Do remove limbs that are rubbing each other or cross over one another. Limbs that rub will develop wounds that attract in-sects and diseases.

Do remove excessive vertical sprouts. Some may need to be left in place to encourage caliper growth.

Do prune to encourage fruiting. In the case of fruit trees, thinning out of limbs will allow allocation of nutrients, etc., for fruit production. In addition, practices such as open-center pruning allow sunlight penetration for fruit ripening.

Do choose to keep branches with wide crotch angles. Wide crotch angles are generally from 40 to 90 degrees and are very strong as a result of being composed of solid wood. Narrow crotch angles are less than 40 degrees and contain a bark inclu-sion that causes them to be very weak. Narrow crotch angles should preferably be pruned out while the tree is still young. In older, established trees, bracing and cabling may be the only resort.

Do prune the tree to your liking. There are many ways that one particular tree may be pruned. Even experts will have differing opinions on which branches to remove. The bottom line is: whatever you like is what you should do, so long as you utilize proper cutting techniques and pruning methods.

Do keep in mind that you should always have a reason for every cut that is made.

This article, by Brad Abrameit, Extension Horticulturist and Master Gardener Coordinator for Rio Grande Valley, appeared in

"Valley Master Gardeners," Vol. 1, No. 8, May 1997. Some of the material was from a workshop by Don Mueller, of the Texas Forest Service.

By Gail Haynes, Ellis County Master Gardener

Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter November, 2018 — Page 9

The Croton, Codiaeum variegatum, is a beautiful multicolored plant. It has the beauty of green, yellow and brown leaves. This plant can be enjoyed outdoors. Gardeners in the very southern part of Texas can enjoy crotons as in-ground plants. In our area it is best to keep the plant in a container. The croton can be moved from outdoors to indoors based on the season. There are some species that may be adaptable to the cold weather, however, the typical croton found in our local stores are sold as house plants only.

What is a Croton?

It is classified as a Euphorbiaceae. Euphorbiaceae is a group of shrubs, herbs or even a tree. The plants are referred to as the Spurge family. They have the commonality of having a milky substance inside of the plant stem and leaves. What is a calyx? The sepals of a flower, typically forming a whorl that encloses the petals and forms a protective layer around a flower in bud. In many flowers sepals are modified in various ways or even completely missing.

Crotons as Houseplants

You can enjoy crotons as a colorful fall houseplants, no matter what climate you live in. They are an excellent choice for bringing color and texture to your home or office, especially in dreary winter months. As indoor plants crotons will thrive in bright light. They also prefer average to warm temperatures, and average to above-average relative humidity. Humidity is as important as the amount of light.

The most common issue we see with crotons as houseplants is when they don’t get enough light and shed their foliage. Water them when the top inch or so of the potting mix dries to the touch.

Reproducing a new plant from the old plant

Some houseplants are easily propagated; the Croton is not one of these plants. Cutting the stem and trying to root is difficult. The best method is to start the roots before you remove the stem; which is referred to as air layering. This technique was developed by the Chinese and may be called Chinese layering. Select a top stem that is healthy. Make an upward cut about half way through the stem. Insert a small stick or toothpick into the opening, which will keep the plant from healing over the cut. Use rooting hor-mone on the open region of the stem. Using wet sphagnum moss, wrap the open area with a generous amount of moss. Take clear wrapping cellophane and wrap the tennis ball size structure, then secure at the top and bottom of the stem. It should take several months before the roots can be seen in the moss structure. Allow the roots to develop fully within the wrapped stem. Once the roots are visible, cut the stem below the wrapping. The plant can be planted into a container and staked if needed. Keep the new plant out of bright sunlight until the plant has established a good root system.

So, bring the fall inside and enjoy the colors of the Croton. And possibly propagate and share with a friend.

With Jane Slone, Ellis County Master Gardener

Bring The Winter Inside

Join the Indian Trail Master Naturalists at their monthly meeting on Monday, November 26, 2018. The program for the evening is entitled “Indian Marker Trees”. Steve Houser will discuss how American Indians used trees not only to mark a trail, but also to signal the presence of important features, some of which were critical for survival. The program is free and follows the 6 pm Master Naturalist meeting that is also open to the public. Meeting loca-tion: First United Methodist Church, Family Life Center 505 W. Marvin Ave., Waxahachie. For more info, call (972) 825-5175 or email ellis-tx@tamu.edu

Friday, November 9, 7 pm—Night Hike at Mockingbird Nature Park (1361 Onward Road, Midlothian). The Indian Trail Master Naturalist Chapter invites you to come and learn about the sights, smells, and sounds of nature in the park at night during this family friendly hike. Cowboy Poet, David Smith, will return to entertain us by the campfire. Snacks, water, and hot chocolate will be provided. Closed-toe shoes and long pants are recommended. Plan to be outdoors about two hours. The hike will be cancelled in the event of rain. Info at: http://txmn.org/indiantrail/ or email: Information@itmnc.com

Save The Date! Saturday, March 30, 2019

Page 10 — November, 2018 Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter

Do you like the feel of the earth between your fingers, the fragrance of growing flowers, the taste of homegrown tomatoes and herbs? Do you want to share your interest in gardening with others? Become a Master Gardener! The Master Gardener Program is a volunteer development program offered by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and is designed to increase the availability of horticultural information and improve the quality of life through horticultural projects in your community.

What is a Master Gardener?

The Texas Master Gardener program is an educational volunteer program conducted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Ser-vice of the Texas A&M University System. Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flower and vegetable gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and help others, and able to com-municate with diverse groups of people. What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special train-ing in horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their county’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office to provide horticultural-related information to their communities.

Is the Master Gardener program for me?

To help you decide if you should apply to be a Master Gardener, ask yourself these questions:

Do I want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of many types of plants?

Am I eager to participant in a practical and intense training program?

Do I enjoy sharing your knowledge with people?

Do I have enough time to attend training and complete volunteer service hour requirements?

Do I have special interests that could benefit the community or an interest in developing one? (e.g., bird or butterfly knowledge, native gardens, wildflowers, etc.)

Do I have a sincere interest in nature or gardening?

Training

If accepted into the Master Gardener Program you will attend a training course which offers a minimum of 56 hours of instruction that covers topics including: lawn care, ornamental trees and shrubs, insects, disease and weed management, soil and plant nutri-tion, vegetable gardening, home fruit production, garden flowers and herbs, plant propagation, and water conservation. These courses are taught by specialists in their specific areas.

The Master Gardener training course will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the month of February 2019, at the First United Methodist Church, 505 W. Marvin Street, Waxahachie, Texas.

Volunteer Commitment

In exchange for the training, participants are asked to volunteer at least 75 hours of service by November 30th to earn the title of “Texas Master Gardener”. The volunteer time will take place during the normal work week with the exception of the Annual Lawn & Garden Expo which is held on a Saturday in the spring. The type of service done by Master Gardeners varies according to community needs and the abilities and interests of the Master Gardener. Some Master Gardeners answer telephone requests for information related to gardening. Others staff plant clinics or displays in shopping malls, farmers’ markets, or community cen-ters. Master Gardeners may speak to local groups and conduct workshops. They may help establish school and community garden projects, work with 4-H youth, or assist their agent with news or radio releases related to gardening. The Master Gardener Coordi-nator in the county Extension office decides how volunteer time can best be used.

Certification

Participants become certified Master Gardeners after they have completed the training course and fulfilled their volunteer commit-ment.

If you are interested in the Master Gardener Program and would like an application, please contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Ellis County at 972-825-5175, e-mail Ellis-tx@tamu.edu or find the application on the master gardener website, ECM-GA.com. Applications will be mailed upon request and must be returned no later than January 11, 2019, at which time you will be called to schedule an interview.

Note: Master Gardeners are representatives of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. In all volun-teer work related to the program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommenda-tions of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. The title “Texas Master Gardener” can be used by volunteers only when engaged in Extension-sponsored activities.

Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, reli-gion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Ellis County Master Gardener’s E-Gardening Newsletter November, 2018 — Page 11

AmeriGrafix, Boyce Feed & Grain, CNB of Texas, Gerdau, Holcim, Living Earth Tech-nologies, Renewal by Andersen Roland’s, Nursery & Landscape, Tex-Scapes Greenery,

Texas Tree Farm, Waxahachie Civic Center

We couldn’t do it without your support!

360 Painting of South DFW

Adam Rope State Farm

Angie & Teresa’s Garden Store

Artisan Outdoor Lighting

Barris Pottery & Ceramics

Beldon Dallas

Best Bug Bait

Bertha’s Best

Blue Moon Soaps

Bluebonnet Worm Farm

Boyce Feed & Grain

C & J Farms

Central Kubota

Chautauqua Preservation Soc

Concrete and More

Costco Wholesale

Creative Quilters Guild, Ellis Co.

Custom Fence & Pergola

DFW Custom Decks

Earth Tones Greenery

Ellis County Engineering

Ellis County SPCA

Ennis Garden Club

Flamingo Food & Beverage

Garden Charms

Garden Variety Organics

Gardenscapes by Diane

Girl Scouts NETX

Goss, Karl & Jim

Greenery, The

H. Summit Enterprises

Habitat for Humanity, Ellis Co.

H-E-B

Hollyberry Herb Farm

Homestead EQ./Maint-BCS

Hot Produx

Imagine That

Indian Trail Master Naturalists

Jams, Jellies and More

JL Glass Designs

KA-Ranch

Koke Gardens

Landmark Equipment

Lazy River Pool Co.

LeafFilter North Texas

Living Earth Technology Co.

Native Solar

Ovilla Garden Club

Peachy Page Farm

Perline Company Inc.

Prairielands Groundwater GCD

Rain Drop Studio

Real Time Pain Relief

Renewal by Andersen

Rigsby’s Garden Center

RiverMist Pools & Spas

Rolen’s Honey Bee’s

Silverado Lawn & Landscape

Skinkle Tools

Synthetic Turf of North Texas

Texas Rustic Works

Texas Toffee

Texas Tree Farms

Tex-Scapes Greenery

Tommy’s Bird Houses

Tommy’s Hot Dog

Travis Equipment

Waxahachie Equipment Co.

Wimbish Tree Farm

Thanks to the sponsors, exhibitors and visitors for making the 2018 Ellis County Master Gardener’s Lawn &

Garden Expo a great success!