Hale County Master Gardeners

Texas AgriLife Extension August, 2012

Volume 1, Issue 3

Master Gardener Interns enjoyed a field trip to the country home of Darryl and JoAnna Birkenfeld of Nazareth on July 5. Their home is dedicated as an educational facility for the advancement of self-sustained living and naturalist study. The house, begun in 2006, was built in a unique cross shape on a 45 degree angle from cardinal directions. Bamboo and cork floors prevail throughout the all-natural interior. The home is heated with a central-ly-located wood burning stove and uses cross ven-tilation to cool the interior as nature allows. Em-ploying passive solar energy, thick walls, and mul-tiple verandas, the home is insulated somewhat like a Styrofoam cooler from the harsh West Texas environment. Rainwater harvesting is accom-plished through the use of roof collection pipes and a steel roof that filter down to 3 septic tanks located around the large yard. Darryl uses a sump pump and drip hose to irrigate his raised beds gar-dens and other areas of his property as needed. Extensive xeriscape plantings in the garden areas enhance the beauty of the house and grounds. Even with the sparse 5 inches of rain that fell this spring, he expects his underground water cache to last through August.

Greenh

ouse

Raised bed Gardening & Underground Water Storage

Thanks go out to the Birkenfelds for allowing us to tour their home and property. Submitted by: Lori Reed

Xeriscape

2

Biography of Rita Cronholm

Page 2 Master Gardeners of Hale County Vo lume 1, Issue 3

My name is Rita Heiser Cronholm and I do my best thinking while playing in the dirt. My favorite “escape” as a child on our family’s farm in western North Dakota was to take a walk in the pastures and pick wildflowers. I grew up to earn a

degree in Biology from the University of North Dakota and then I wanted to go play with wildflowers in the deserts of Arizona but it turned into playing with sea grasses on the coast of Texas while I earned an MA in Botany and Marine Science. Life being what it is I eventually had to get a job so I was hired as an agronomist for the Texas Department of Agriculture. I ended up in Lubbock, TX and met my husband and moved to Plainview, TX. I obtained a broad field secondary science teaching certification thru TTU taught for several years before and after our daughters were born. I tried several other occupations in the seed industry and human services but I have not stayed with any of them for very long. My favorite job was selling plants for the Mahagan Garden Center from April thru June. I mostly worked for the cost of the plants that I took home. I now consider myself “retired” except for occasional substitute teaching positions.

A degree in Botany does not make you a horticulturist anymore than a degree in Biology makes you a veterinarian. Many botanist I have met only recognize a plant if it is in a test tube. My interest in gardening and growing plants comes partially from my farm upbringing but mostly as my favorite avocation. I love to get my hands in the dirt for the first time each spring, visit garden centers and plan my garden and flower beds. Greg and I recently moved into a new house (new to us) that had no flower beds just a lot of healthy Bermuda and Fescue grass and large trees and shrubs in the front yard. My goal is to create a plan for extensive beds in the backyard and lay them out this fall while taking measures to eradicate the existing lawn in the chosen areas.

I am really enjoying the classes for Master Gardening this summer and getting to meet people with interests in gardening and community service. I am the gardener for our church most of the summer and also occasionally for the Christian Manor Apartments which our church administers. I am looking forward to

extending my community service efforts through Master Gardeners.

Rita Cronholm 

BIO

Ever have trouble removing that sticky sap from your hands after pruning shrubs and trees? Well here is a great way to help get the sticky off! Try some vegetable shortening! Works like a charm!

And it helps to soften those garden calluses as well.

At the close of the Birkenfeld tour, we stopped by the Nazareth City Park to view the xeriscape plantings and inspiring grounds adjacent to the Holy Family Catholic

3

Master Gardener Interns Get Their Hands Dirty (submitted by: Lori Reed) Last month, Mark Hilliard, Wayland Baptist University Fine Arts professor, spoke to our class about the use of ollas as an alternative method for watering raised beds and home gardens. An olla is a “half-baked” ceramic jar with a lid used for alternative watering in pots or in a home garden. He makes them out of clay and partially fires them in a kiln to finish them for use.

They are then buried up their necks in soil and filled with water to provide a source of constant water seepage for maximum plant growth.

Page 3 Master Gardeners of Hale County Vo lume 1, Issue 3

Mark piqued our curiosity and, as a result, invited the Interns to experience first-hand the creating of an olla. We had so much fun getting our hands in the clay as you can tell from the photos that follow.

Thank you, Mark, for opening the pottery lab and letting us experience first-hand how hard it is to make an olla, when you made it look so easy. We’re extremely pleased we can buy them from you instead of making them ourselves!

Mark is a busy man. In addition to his classes at Wayland, he is also is in charge of the Community Garden at WBU and is a local vendor in the Plainview Farmer’s Market. More information about his ollas, produce, and projects can be found on his website:

Running Water Pottery: http://runningwaterpottery.wordpress.com

Master Gardener Interns to Assist in Main Street Beautification Project Submitted by: Lori Reed

Last month, Eric Turner, Main Street Coordinator, met with the Master Gardener Interns to discuss the possibil-ity of a partnership with the group. There are many empty planters along Main Street this summer due to drought or neglect and they need replanting and a lot of TLC to boost the curb appeal in Downtown Plainview along Broadway. Several options were discussed, including the use of perennials and the installation of an olla for continuous watering. Beverly Wall will coordinate the project and is asking for volunteers to “Adopt a Pot”. The City of Plainview has potting soil and mulch in reserve for our use and Robert’s Tree House will be the source for new plants. More details will be given during Master Gardener Classes. All hours volunteered will count toward the needed 50 hours to achieve Master Gardener Certification.

The following pictures represent “Before Renewal”.

Hale County Courthouse

Kari’s Boutique

Myatt Law Office Hale County Teacher’s Federal Credit Union

Oswald Printing

O’B

riens

Uniques and

Antiques

Plainview Police Dept

Fair Theatre

Horton’s A

ntique

s

4

Hopefully next month’s newsletter will contain the finished products. Let’s get busy!

5

(continued from page 1)

The Birkenfelds recently added a labyrinth (or mandala) and kiva for spiritual meditation which is used by several reli-gious groups for meditation and prayer. A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the im-agery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world.

Adopt th

e pace o

f 

nature: h

er secret

 

is patien

ce. 

Ralph Waldo

 

Emerson 

TO DO THIS MONTH Watch for pests in the vegetable garden

Watch for pests on your flowers

Treat lawns for grubs

During hot dry months, water plants thoroughly and deeply

Remember to keep newly planted shrubs and trees watered well

Deadhead all flowers to encourage continued blooms

Divide irises

Fertilize annuals and late summer perennials

Fertilize roses

Remember to cut your grass taller during hot days

Pinch back asters and chrysanthemums to encourage bushy growth and more blooms

Did you 

ever think 

how a bit 

of land 

shows the 

character 

of the 

owner? 

Hale County Extension Office 225 Broadway, Suite 6 Plainview, Texas 79072

Hale County

Master Gardeners

Phone: 806.291.5267 Fax: 806.291.5266 http://hale.agrilife.org

Texas AgriLife Extension