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THE ANNUAL DENTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

ASSOCIATION GRADUATION AND AWARDS CEREMONY WAS HELD JANUARY 10, 2007, AT CELEBRATIONS GRAND BALLROOM IN HIGHLAND VILLAGE. WE

GRADUATED 24 NEWLY CERTIFIED MASTER GARDEN-ERS, RECOGNIZED OUR ASSOCIATION’S ACHIEVE-MENTS IN 2006 AND INSTALLED 2007 OFFICERS.

SEVERAL MASTER GARDENERS WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION IN

2006. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THE BOARD HAS GIVEN AN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TO RECOGNIZE A MEMBER WHO SERVES “BEHIND THE SCENES”. THE WINNER OF THE 2006 BOARD AWARD WAS JULIE LE-VINE, CLASS OF 2002. SHE DOESN’T LIKE TO GO TO MEETINGS OR WANT TO BE A PROJECT MANAGER BUT SHE IS THE GO-TO PERSON IF YOU NEED A CREATIVE

IDEA OR SOMETHING RESEARCHED. SHE HELPED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MG HELP DESK AND HAS RESEARCHED PROBLEMS BROUGHT BY CLIENTS. SHE

HAS BEEN A MENTOR EACH YEAR SINCE SHE BECAME CERTIFIED. SHE SERVES ON THE TREE CALL TEAM AND DEVELOPED BROCHURES FOR THE FALL INFO FEST,

ROUND-UP, AND ONE OF THE GARDENS ON THE TOUR. HER WILLINGNESS TO SERVE IS GREATLY APPRECI-ATED.

THE INTERN OF THE YEAR AWARD WENT TO JACKIE KERSTETTER FOR HER 100+ SERVICE HOURS IN A VARI-ETY OF PROJECTS: ARGYLE ACRES; LISDOLA; ARBOR

DAYS; CHILDREN’S GARDEN; HELP DESK, AND HER WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON AS PROJECT MANAGER ONE OF OUR LARGEST PROJECTS, COOL SHADE FOR THE 3RD

GRADE. THERE ARE FOUR PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS, THESE RECIPIENTS WERE CHOSEN BY THE MEMBERSHIP:

PROJECT MANAGER AWARD -- GIVEN TO A PROJECT MANAGER WHO EXCELS IN DEMONSTRATING LEADER-SHIP ABILITIES, INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES, AND POSI-

TIVE RESULTS IN MANAGING A PROJECT. THE PROJECT MANAGER AWARD WENT TO MARIE HARRIS FOR THE CHILDREN’S GARDEN.

THE EDUCATORS AWARD – GIVEN TO A MEMBER(S) WHO CHAMPIONS EDUCATIONAL GOALS THROUGH PROJECTS OR WILLINGNESS TO GO OUT AND SHARE

KNOWLEDGE WITH THE PUBLIC. WE HAD TWO OUT-STANDING MEMBERS FROM THE SPEAKER’S BUREAU WHO EXCELLED IN THIS CATEGORY. THE WINNERS

ARE JUDY COBB AND RODNEY SOWALSKIE FOR THEIR TIRELESS WILLINGNESS TO ACCOMMODATE SPEAKER REQUESTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SPECIAL MERIT AWARD – GIVEN TO A MEMBER WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO THE ORGANI-ZATION FOR FIVE YEARS AND IS RECOGNIZED AS THE

“ROCK” OF THE GROUP. THE SPECIAL MERIT AWARD WENT TO MARY MORROW.

BEFORE DINNER WE ALL ENJOYED A 2006 DCMGA PIC-

TURE REVIEW COMPOSED BY JANIE FARLER. CENTER-PIECES LIGHTED UP THE BALLROOM AND WERE AR-RANGED BY MARY MORROW.

OUR GUEST SPEAKER WAS MAGGIE MCNEELEY PRE-SENTING “CLASSIC DESIGN IN THE HOME GARDEN”. WE ENJOYED THE SLIDE PRESENTATION OF HER

GARDEN AND WILL BE TOURING MAGGIE’S GARDEN IN APRIL. THE 2006 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE

CHAIRS EXPRESSED THIER APPRECIATION TO SANDY HIATTE FOR HER DEDICATION TO DCMGA AND SERV-ING AS PRESIDENT FOR 2006 AND 2007. SHE WAS GIVEN A BOUQUET OF WHITE FLOWERS AND A GIFT CERTIFI-

CATE FOR A SPA DAY.

SANDY HIATTE, PRESIDENT DCMGA

Picture Gallery located on Page 19 and 20

T ABL E O F C ON T EN T ST ABL E O F C ON T EN T ST ABL E O F C ON T EN T ST ABL E O F C ON T EN T S

2005 GRADUATION AND

ANNUAL DINNER 1

2007 GARDEN TOUR 2

NEW KIDS on the

BLOCK...MARTHA CHERRIE JAN JOE AND TINA BARBARA B BARBARA C

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A PRODUCTIVE

VEGETABLE GARDEN

STARTS WITH ...

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SQUARE FOOT GARDEN

PROJECT 5

MINUTES 6

ASK THE VETERANS 7

JUMP START YOUR

SPRING GARDEN 8

BOTANICAL NAMES 10

“PONDEROSA PINES” 11

A PATHWAY TO THE

FUTURE 12

GENERAL MEETINGS 14

THIS AND THAT 15

TREES-A CELEBRATION

IN DIVERSITY 16

ASK THE MG DESK 18

2007 PLANT SALE 18

PICTURE GALLERY 19

DCMGADCMGADCMGADCMGA

M A R C H 2 0 0 7 M A R C H 2 0 0 7 M A R C H 2 0 0 7 M A R C H 2 0 0 7 V O L U M E X I IV O L U M E X I IV O L U M E X I IV O L U M E X I I , I S S U E 1I S S U E 1I S S U E 1I S S U E 1

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2006

Bernie Kay Brown Zoe Broxson Diane Burch Cindy Carrell Kimi Dailey Lucille Del Vecchio Judee Gordon T Hanson Lynda Harvey Cyndi Hyer Lee Ann Keener Jackie Kerstetter

Diana Kline Leah Knack Anita Maynor Kamen Moynihan Kathryn Neiswender Dianne Pence Cindy Reese Terri Smith Melanie Souder Sara Spencer Loretta Stubbs Rebecca Waymack

2006 VOLUNTEER HOURS

# OF MASTER GARDNERS:

132

HOURS VOLUNTEERED: 7641

# MG CONTRIBUTED HOURS:

107

PEOPLE REACHED: 9990

HOURS TRAINED: 3725

# OF VOL TRAINED: 122

NUMBER OF PROJECTS: 41

NUMBER OF SITE VISITS: 44

SPEAKER’S BUREAU PRESENTATIONS: 38

SAVINGS TO COUNTY:

$137,852.66

FULL TIME EQUIVALENT: 3.7

TENURE RECOGNITION

10 YEAR

Darla Bostick

Mary Ellen Richards

5 YEAR

Janet Gershenfeld Kathleen Gielink Monique Goodhart Bobbie Hanford Maurine LeBeau Amy Marcotte

Cheryl Parkinson Susan Randolph Judy Riley Shelli Stone Carolyn Tinner Connie Youngblood

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6th ANNUAL MASTER GARDENER 6th ANNUAL MASTER GARDENER 6th ANNUAL MASTER GARDENER 6th ANNUAL MASTER GARDENER GARDEN TOUR 2007 UNDERWAY...GARDEN TOUR 2007 UNDERWAY...GARDEN TOUR 2007 UNDERWAY...GARDEN TOUR 2007 UNDERWAY... Mark your calendars now for the second Satur-

day of May--May 12May 12May 12May 12. This is the weekend of Mother’s Day, and a wonderful venue for Denton County area folks to get out with loved ones to view our gardens. Our garden tour has proven to be the best way we reach our local community. In tandem with the plant sale, it has become our largest fund-raiser of the year. Thanks to our Selection Committee and to those who volunteered, or were volunteered, their gar-dens for viewing! We will have 5 gardens on tour this year, making a nice little slice from Aubrey, at Kristin Anthony’s garden, to Gene Gumfory’s gar-den in Sanger. In between we have gardens in Denton at Sher Harnish’s place, our Children's Community Garden project, as well as Tom Har-pool’s garden.

Most of the gardens this year will offer ideas on vegetable gardening. The gardens range from ex-pansive 4-acre country acreage to smaller scale city gardening, so we will get a good representa-tion of styles for gardening in Denton County. Workdays are already in place, so check our web-site for updates of when you can join us to prepare these gardens. Some of the workdays have doubled up, so you can work one in the morning, break for lunch, and then hop over to another garden that afternoon. Make the most of your service hours! Thank you all for your support of this important

event. Mark your calendars now. Darla Bostick, Project Manager

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GARDEN OWNER CAPTAIN/CO-CAPTAINS WORK DAYS TIME

Sher Harnish DENTON

Adele Petty/Ruth Orpin

Thur, Mar 22, 1pm

Thur, Mar 29 1pm

Thur, Apr 5 1pm

Thur, Apr 26 1pm

Gene Gumfory SANGER

Debbie Van Ness

Fri, Mar 23 9:30am

Fri, Mar 30 9:30am

Fri, Apr 20 9:30am

Fri, Apr 27 9:30am

Kristin Anthony AUBREY

Brenda Wellenreiter/Carol Fitch

Thur, Mar 15 9:30am

Thur, Apr 12 9:30am

Thur, Apr 26 9:30am

Thur, May 10 9:30am

Tom Harpool DENTON

Cindy Reese

Children's Community Garden DENTON

Rebecca Waymack

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2007 New Kids on the Block...2007 New Kids on the Block...2007 New Kids on the Block...2007 New Kids on the Block...

Lots of new faces running around DCMGA-here are a few of their stories...

Martha Ahearn...HAS BEEN IN THIS AREA

SINCE 2001. SHE HAS MADE 11 MOVES IN THE

LAST 20 YEARS. SOIL AND WATER REQUIRE-

MENTS HAVE BEEN HER BIGGEST CHALLENGE

IN TEXAS. SHE HAS A PASSION FOR WORKING

WITH STUDENTS AND ENJOYS GARDEN EDUCA-

TION. SHE PLANS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY

INTEREST IN OUR PROGRAM SO IT WILL CON-

TINUE INTO THE FUTURE.

CHERIE ARRUDA...HAS LIVED IN ARGYLE FOR 2

1/2 YEARS. SHE LIVED MOSTLY IN N. TEXAS,

AND SPENT HER CHILDHOOD IN EAST TEXAS.

SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO TEACHING CHILDREN

ABOUT GARDENING THROUGH COMMUNITY

AND SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS. SHE WANTS

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HERBS FOR COOKING

AND MEDICINAL PURPOSES. SHE PREFERS NA-

TIVE PLANTS AND XERISCAPING METHODS.

CHERIE PLANS TO CREATE A GARDEN, AND

ANY KNOWLEDGE SHE LEARNS IN CLASS WILL

BE PUT TO GOOD USE.

JOE AND TINA BOHN...HAVE BEEN IN THIS

AREA FOR 33 YEARS. JOE HAILS FROM LUB-

BOCK AND TINA FROM DENTON. THEY SHARE A

PASSION FOR WILDFLOWERS AND NATIVE

PLANTS, WHILE JOE ALSO INCLUDES WATER

FEATURES, FOUNTAINS,& PONDS IN HIS PAS-

SION. THEY HAVE 2 1/2 ACRES AROUND THEIR

NEW HOME TO ADD LOTS OF GARDENS AND

HARDSCAPES. THEY PLAN TO HAVE A LARGE

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

JAN BAILEY...HAS LIVED IN TEXAS FOREVER!

SHE HAS A PASSION FOR GARDENING FOR

WILDLIFE, HERBS AND GREENHOUSE GARDEN-

ING. JAN MADE A GARDEN WHEELCHAIR AC-

CESSIBLE FOR HER DAD. SHE PLANS TO DO

MORE VEGETABLE GARDENING AND PLANTING

TEXAS NATIVES. JAN WANTS TO BE A LITTLE

MORE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HER GARDENS

ONCE SHE BECOMES A MASTER GARDENER.

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BARBARA CRAMER...WAS BORN IN KS CITY, MO

AND MOVED AROUND TO CA, NY, IA AND IL. SHE HAS LIVED IN DENTON FOR 30 YRS. GAR-DENING IN TEXAS REQUIRES MORE WATERING, THE DAYS ARE HOTTER AND PLANT SELECTION VARIES FROM OTHER AREAS SHE HAS GAR-DENED. HER PASSION IS TO HAVE A GARDEN THAT “LOOKS GOOD” AND APPRECIATES “MOTHER NATURES” SUCCESSES. BARBARA PLANS TO SELECT BETTER SUITED PLANTS AND PLANT MORE PERENNIALS.

BARBARA BURGIN...HAS COME ALL THE WAY

FROM VISALIA, CA AND GARDENED IN FRE-MONT,CA FROM 73-89. SHE HAS LIVED IN DENTON FOR 18 YRS. SHE REALLY ENJOYED THE MODERATE TEMPERATURES IN CALIFOR-NIA AND HAD FEWER BUG PROBLEMS. HER PASSION IS SHARING PERENNIALS WITH FRIENDS, GROWING FLOWERS FOR CUTTING. SHE PLANS TO REDO HER FLOWER BEDS DE-PENDING ON SUN/SHADE REQUIREMENTS. BAR-BARA WOULD LOVE TO ELIMINATE LARGE ARES OF TURF AND REPLACE USING XERISCAPE PLANTS, AND ALSO HAVE WEED-FREE BEDS.

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We’ve all been there: months of planning and laboring over a well designed, wonderfully irrigated vegetable garden, dreams of delightful summer salads and succulent seasonal vegetables evaporating into compost because the Grubs, Pillbugs and Aphids invited themselves to the feast! According to the Texas A & M educational website, white grubs are larvae, or the immature scarab beetles of June Bugs, Japanese Beetles and Oriental Beetles. Best known for damaging the lawn, they can also attack roots of flowers, vegetables and ornamentals, obliterating the roots and dooming your well-tended plants. They often go unnoticed because they live underground, burrowing between 2 to 12” beneath the soil. They are rather easy to identify, because of the telltale “C” shape of the white, waxy-looking body. Their natural predators are raccoons, opossums, skunks and moles, which love to dig through your yard for these lovely buggers. Pillbugs, or Roly-Polies, are not actually classified as insects. These arthropods are crustaceans and are more closely related to crayfish than insects! Between 1/8 to 3/4” long, their elongated, oval shaped bodies range from light to dark gray in color and are distinctively segmented. They are best known and loved by our children for their ability to roll into a tight little ball when they are threatened. Although they rarely feed on and damage the roots of plants in the soil, they predominately devour anything that comes into contact with the soil surface: roots, seedlings, foliage and fruit, as well as decaying plant matter. It is easy to see how these pests can work well together, effortlessly obliterating your well tended garden: The grubs wreak their havoc underground, and once the plant’s roots are damaged and the foliage begins to wilt and reach the ground, the pillbugs move in to finish the job. Aphids, however, are the most common and prolific pests of all. Their small, pear-shaped bodies come in a variety of colors, including green, white, yellow, red, grey, black and brown! They have needle-like mouths that pierce your precious veggies and suck the sugar-rich sap from them. They secrete a clear, sugary, sticky substance that can attract ants and stimulate the growth of a sooty mold, turning your damaged plant into a deformed specimen gasping for air. Usually, by the time you notice that your carrots have toppled over, the roots have evaporated and the leaves shriveled, these common bugs have taken hold of your vegetable garden, and it’s almost an uphill battle against nature. The best protection, says the TAMU website, is prevention.

TAMU recommends the following simple steps to ensure a bountiful harvest of vegetables:

Plant a garden of manageable size. Although this sounds simplistic, it’s really rather important and practical. Your garden’s size can directly affect the control methods that you choose to use for both plant and pest management. The larger your garden, the more challenging it may be for you to keep pests at bay and properly nourish your plants. Leave the garden fallow before planting. This is very important! Insect pests such as grubs, wireworms and cutworms over-winter in the soil and feed on abandoned plants or weeds. And, remember, grubs can burrow up to a foot beneath the soil’s surface, especially in colder months. Removing these food sources during the off-season can reduce potential pest numbers before your spring planting. Maintain good sanitation. Just as grubs will hang around and munch on the roots of old plants or weeds, pill bugs are attracted to dying and decaying plant material. Additionally, pill bugs congregate in areas that provide moisture and shelter from spiders and other predatory insects. Removing dead leaf piles, boards, and railroad ties will make your designated vegetable garden less attractive to these opportunistic bugs. Select pest-free plants and transplants. Inspect the plants you purchase before you bring them home. Most common insects and mite pests are found under the surfaces of leaves. Pill bugs can even be hiding in the tops of your 4” pots! Also check the undersides of all leaves for aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, as well as any possible egg clusters of armyworms and squash bugs. Practice good horticultural methods. Start with the basics: spend time preparing the soil thoroughly by tilling it to kill or reduce soil insects and provide positive growing conditions for seedlings and transplants. The healthier the plant, the less susceptible to severe pest damage. Remember that the composition of the soil and positive spring growing conditions, or good weather, will also affect your pest population. Soils high in organic matter (like our Dyno Dirt) are more likely to support grubs, root maggots, and pillbugs, even though properly amended soils may promote better plant growth. It’s just a matter of being aware of your soil’s inhabitants! Select pest-resistant vegetable varieties. Some vegetable varieties are considered unattractive or resistant to certain pests. Planting resistant varieties adapted to our zone can help reduce the need for insecticides. Check with local nurseries or visit the TAMU website to learn about new and improved varieties. (Continued on next page)

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A Productive Vegetable Garden Starts with A Bit of Planning and Prevention MAGGIE METZINGER

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Project Manager: Rebecca Waymack

The Square Foot Garden project will teach through demonstration the intensive gardening technique championed and developed by Mel Bartholomew. This method uses less space, water and labor than traditional gardening techniques. The garden will be located at the Denton Community Gardens, and members of the community will be invited to learn how they, too, can create their own square foot gardens. Square Foot Gardens are easy, foolproof, and fun, in addition to providing beauty to the landscape. A typical Square Foot Garden grows the same amount of produce in 20% of the space of a traditional row garden. Two seminars will be conducted in the spring to demonstrate the basic techniques of Square Foot Gardening including construction, planning, planting, and harvesting. Additionally, during the growing season, the Square Foot Garden plot will serve as a demonstra-tion garden for the community. The first seminar will demonstrate the basic techniques of Square Foot Gardening, including bed construction, soil preparation, vertical gardening, and plant spacing. The second seminar will concentrate on planting, harvesting, watering and crop rotation. Service opportunities for Master Gardener Interns will be available to help with teaching the seminars and maintaining the garden during the growing season.

As much as possible, keep a weed-free garden. Remember that weeds provide food for insects and compete with vegetable plants for soil nutrients and water. Keeping weeds out of the garden and keeping grass mowed short around this area will discourage in-sects such as grasshoppers and armyworms from moving in. Fer-tilize properly to provide adequate nutrients for your plants to thrive. Without proper nutrients plants may be slow growing, stunted and more susceptible to pest damage. But, using too much fertilizer can produce lush green plants that will attract in-sects such as aphids. Water properly, remember that too much or too little will be unhealthy for plant growth.

Inspect plants for pests and properly identify them. Know your bugs! Learning to identify various insects can save you time, money and frustration. Your County Extension Agents can be helpful in identifying bugs that are thought of as pests, and those thought of as helpful. Because pests can attack garden plants from seed to maturity, inspecting your crop weekly can help you detect infestations early. Remem-ber, there are many bugs that are actually helpful to your plants, some of which will help keep those pesky ones under control! Consider all Pest Suppression Methods. When a pest out-break does occur, consider how it might have been pre-vented and investigate the best method of reducing pest numbers. Here are a few ideas: Reflective mulch, such as foil paper, can slow aphid infestation, but use caution because this non-biodegradable matter can create a moisture barrier at the soil level and attract soil-level pests such as pill bugs. Create a barrier between young plants and possible pests. Plants can be protected by placing a barrier around the base, such as cardboard, plastic or metal containers with bottoms that have been cut out. Another option is placing a barrier screen such as a fine mesh screen or fabric over the garden area to protect plants from pests such as aphids or white flies.

Employ the use of cages or trellises to keep vining plants, such as beans or cucumbers, or plants heavily laden with produce, such as tomatoes or peppers, off the ground. These plants will be easier to monitor when kept off the ground. Use high-pressure water sprays to help dislodge aphids, or spider mites. It’s easy to dislodge these pesky pests by di-recting the spray to the undersides of the infested plant’s leaves. What to do if you’ve followed these common-sense tips to planning a pest-free garden, and yet you still have “visitors”? Here are a few more tips! Try visiting your local organic nursery for a supply of benefi-cial nematodes. According to Cornell University’s Integrated Pest Management website, these microscopic worms infect and kill grubs, and can effectively reduce pest populations. While you’re at the nursery, invest in a container or two of Ladybugs. These colorful cuties thrive on sap-sucking aphids and will stay around as long as needed, or as long as you’ve also planted some of their favorite pollen and nectar-rich plants such as yarrow, mints or dill, according to Jerry Baker’s Giant Book of Garden Solutions. Louise Riotte’s book Roses Love Garlic suggests relocating “visiting” frogs and toads into your vegetable garden because they love feasting on grubs and pill bugs. You can create an inviting habitat for them by recycling your broken ceramic pots, positioning them throughout the garden upside-down. Providing a shallow pan of water will help them feel right at home as well. Another recommendation from Jerry Baker is to provide a food source other than your much-pampered vegetables. Try placing potato peelings, old cabbage leaves and corncobs throughout the garden to distract the pill bugs. It’s certainly true that planting a vegetable garden involves a bit more effort and vigilance on the front end. But when it’s all said and done, and you’re enjoying the fruits of your labor at the dinner table, there’s an undeniable sense of

satisfaction.

A Productive Vegetable Garden Starts with A Bit of Planning and Prevention

(Continued)

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DENTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETING February 7, 2007

I. CALL TO ORDER President Sandra Hiatte called the DCMGA Board of Directors Meeting to order at 9:05AM. Those in attendance were Darla Bostick, Zoe Broxson, John Cooper, Peggy Durrett, Sandy Hiatte, Maurine LeBeau, Mary Morrow, Carolyn Richards, Brenda Wellenreiter, Linda Williams, and Donna Wolfe. II. MINUTES Mary Morrow, Secretary, presented the minutes to the board via email, after changes made they were accepted as written.

III. TREASURER’S REPORT Brenda Wellenreiter, Treasurer, submitted the Treasurer’s Report; it was discussed to the satisfaction of the Board. See attachment 1. As of last week 34 members had not paid 2007 dues. IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS

A. Zoe Broxson, 1st Vice President, submitted an update of 2007 Projects. See attachment 2. There is still an opening for the Brown Bag Lunch Project reviews on March 6th. She will begin having Project Managers present an overview of projects at monthly meetings, beginning with Darla and the Walk Through the Gardens 2007. Zoe has volunteered to be the project manager for the Garden InfoFest. Zoe, Maurine and Linda will locate a venue for the project.

B. Linda Williams, 2nd Vice President, reported on Ways and Means. She visited Denton Depot to select items that would be of interest to the members for purchase. These items will be presented to the membership at the February meeting to determine which items would be the most popular for re-sale.

C. John Cooper, County Horticultural Agent, advised of the planned development in Denton, Rayzor Ranch Town Center. John discussed with the contractors what opportunities Master Gardeners might have in this project. Sandy and Gene Gumfory, EarthKind Rose Specialists, will be promoting EarthKind Roses and proper care and soil preparation at the Denton and Lewisville Callaways.

D. Maurine LeBeau, Mentor Coordinator, advised the Mentor/Intern Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb 6th was a success. The majority of mentors have been in contact with their interns. She also advised 2 submissions were submitted for TMG awards, the ROTO TELLER for Newsletter and Hilltop Elemen-tary School for Project.

E. Darla Bostick, Walk Through the Gardens Tour 2007 Project Manager, reported the pre-tour for owners and captains will be on Monday, Feb 12th. The time for the tour has been changed to 9am-3pm. She will contact Julie Levine for assistance with the tour brochure. Adele Petty has volunteered to captain the garden of Sher Harnish.

V. NEW BUSINESS

A. Awards – see IV.D. B. Graduation Debrief – Sandy asked for input of having a dinner vs. luncheon. After some discussion it was decided a

dinner makes the event more special and allows for spouses to attend. Celebrations Grand Ballroom will be considered for the dinner venue next year.

C. Monthly Programs – Linda advised she has all but a few programs confirmed. She gave an overview of confirmed pro-grams and planned programs. The April meeting will be a field trip to Maggie’s Gardens in Ft Worth. We will meet at Linda’s home to carpool at 9:30 and everyone should be back to pick up children from school.

D. 2007 Class – There are 33 members in the new class. Attendance has been very good. They were given MG bags, pocket calendars and Membership Directories.

E. Audit – The Audit was completed, no major problems found. See attachment 3. F. 2007 Budget – Brenda submitted the 2007 Budget. After some discussion for changes, the Board agreed it is ready to

present at the February meeting. G. Advanced and Specialist Training Opportunities – Sandy advised Carolyn Tinner has set up advanced training for

DCMGA members on March 28th. Denise Robb from the Dallas Arboretum will present “Celebrate the Joy of Herbs”, the cost is $15. See the ROTO TELLER web for specialist training opportunities on the UPDATES page.

H. Other Business – Mary asked Peggy to notify the local papers we are accepting applications for the 2007 Tom Harpool Horticultural Scholarship.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30am.

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I have a 10-year-old cotton-less cottonwood about 15 feet from my pool deck and attached spa. I have recently developed a leak in the spa and have had the desk raised up a bit. Not only is the tree 15 feet away, but also it is also about 5 feet lower than the deck. My questions are: 1) How deep and far do roots of a cottonwood extend?

2) Can a barrier wall realistically be constructed between the tree and the pool plumbing? 3) Should I just remove the tree? I might add that I am not sure the tree is at fault. It could have been the dry ground, but it does look likely to be the tree. Thank you in advance, Khris

Help Desk response: The information I have found so far supports the theory that cottonwoods can be troublesome in the home land-scape. This is a large, fast-growing, weak-wooded tree with extremely vigorous, invasive roots. Apparently, the roots have been known to clog sewer pipes, septic systems, and water channels. The tree is also known to pro-

duce an abundance of suckers from the roots. You may wish to consult with your spa company for best advice about what to do about your tree vs. spa situation. They most likely will have encountered this problem before. --Julie Levine

I just moved to the West Frisco area from Tennessee three months ago. I would like to plant

a garden with either a couple of small tress (must stay fairly small to not affect the roof line)

or medium to tall (4-6 feet) bushes outside my master bedroom windows.

The problem is the area gets NO direct sunlight. The area is on the north side of the house

and the tall two story next to me blocks most of the indirect light. It would definitely be considered a

low light area. There are three large beautiful windows that I would like to look out of and see some-

thing more than the brick of my next door neighbor's house. Can you give me any ideas for small

trees or bushes that could do well in such a low light area?

Thanks, Monica

Hi, Monica

Welcome to Texas. I am mailing you a copy of a Denton County Horticulture publication

entitled "Ornamental Plant List According to Landscape Use". This list was developed by the

Denton County Horticulture Extension Agent and includes lots of tried and true plants for this

area. I have reviewed the list and I think you will find several choices that will meet the size

and light (or lack thereof) requirements for your spot. You can also access this publication

online by visiting the web site denton-tx.tamu.edu. Click on Publications (top of page), then Horticul-

ture/Environmental Stewardship. You can then click on the plant list to see it online. Good luck with

your project and please contact us again if you have additional questions. Zoe Broxson

Get your soil tested early Go to http://soiltesting.tamu.edu for

details

John Cooper's advice: My rule of thumb is that "the roots of a tree extend as far from the trunk as the tree is tall" . . . and after I let that soak in, I add . . . "in all directions". This is much improved over the drip-line rule which has circulated and been believed for decades. It is generally applicable to all species. The exception is for newly transplanted trees for which the rule is, "the root ball diameter plus one or two feet radius per year," then when this number equals the

"radius of the height" (shortened version of rule one above), rule one is applied. The root barrier does work, but it needs to extend five feet deep in sandy soils (three feet in clay), be located 10 feet or more from the trunk, and be long enough to intercept roots radiating from the trunk to the protected site. Most people do not want to go to this trouble, though, and, without the root barrier, I would be afraid to leave the tree in place.

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Jump Starting Your Spring Garden

Susan Dawson

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Looking out my window, I see rain mixed with sleet, temperatures in the 30’s, and no spring in sight (except for my hydrangea that is already sending out a few buds). The Christmas decorations have been stored and I’m feeling the need for a gardening fix. I’ve never tried starting seeds inside to be set out when the tempera-ture is right, but this may be the year. I’ve also run across some interesting information on cold frames, which I formerly assumed were hard to build or expensive to purchase. But I have found some options that make this form of seed starting more interesting. Master Gardener training gives great resources regarding timing for all kinds of garden projects. Starting seeds indoors for planting in the garden is a fairly straight forward process that requires only a few items and some new seed packets. Research suggests that using seed from plants of previous seasons can sometimes produce unsatisfying results. Flower colors may not be the same or the hardiness may be compromised. Us-ing seed dated for use this year, purchased through catalogs or reputable retailers, produce more reliable re-sults. If you’re a seed harvester, my suggestion would be to try some of both and compare the results. That way you’ll know if collecting seed in the fall is worth the effort. Starting seeds indoors between 6 and 8 weeks prior to the last freeze is a great way to add instant pizzazz to beds in March. The last freeze date for Denton County is around April 6th, according to the climatography data compiled by the National Climatic Data Center between 1971 and 2000. If you set out plants on this date, there is only a 10% chance of a late freeze. Supplies needed include flats, pots, peat pots, and Styrofoam meat trays from the grocery, or any other man-ageable container you choose. Make sure the container has drainage hole(s) and will fit inside a clear plastic bag that will be used to simulate a greenhouse effect. Use a sterile potting medium that contains perlite and vermiculite to fill flats, and pick a place with bright, but not direct, sun light for germination. If you put them in direct sunlight while under glass (as in a cold frame) or inside a clear plastic bag, the seeds could get hot enough to actually cook. Moisture is the key ingredient here. If the soil dries out after seeds have been sewn, the new seedlings will die. Inserting the container into a plastic bag to create a tent and using a twist tie to seal the end until germination occurs will help maintain moisture levels. Open periodically to water using a spray bottle with fine mist setting so the seeds will not be disturbed. A fish aquarium can also be used as a mini greenhouse for this project. Upon germination, open the end of the bag but do not remove the bag for 24 hours. Still, moisture is key, don’t let seedlings dry out. Continue to water and let plants develop. Before setting out in April, these plants will need to be hardened off, a simple process of getting the plants accustomed to being outside. This can be accomplished by using a cold frame or just placing the plants outside on a porch during the day and bringing them back inside at night for around 2 weeks. When starting seeds indoors, the object is to reproduce, as nearly as possible, the conditions that the seeds re-quire in nature to germinate. For many perennial seeds, that means a period of cold. Some seeds require dark and others require light. Some seeds are so hard that the only way to get them to cooperate is to nick them or soak them. Check your Master Gardener materials, seed packets or catalogs for specific instructions on each type and also the appropriate time for transplanting outside. (Continued on next page)

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If you’d like to build a cold frame, they are much easier than I had anticipated. A cold frame is a bottomless box with clear sloping lid used to raise plants when the weather is too cold to do so. The most simple version can be built from several bales of hay or cinder blocks and an old window sash with glass intact, a piece of Plexiglas, or wood frame fitted with clear heavy duty plastic. Ideally, situate your cold frame on the South side of your house. The soil beneath should be dug to a depth of 8”–12” and amended with compost. It should slope in such a way that it is higher in the back than in the front by about 10 inches depending on the size of the frame. This will provide the maximum amount of light inside the cold frame along with good drainage. Place the frame against a north wall, a fence, or row of shrubs for protection against the howling winds. Stack hay to create the walls around the outside perimeter of the cold frame after amending the soil. Make sure there are no gaps for wind between the bales and that when the lid is put on top that it is also a good fit. Seeds can be sown directly in the cold frame or flats put in here for germination. Again remember that moisture consis-tency is the key to successful germination. Use your frame for hardening off plants after you’ve started them inside. This is also a perfect place to raise cool weather plants such as lettuce, radishes and pansies after the temperatures have gotten too cold outside. With our variable Texas weather, you will have to watch out for those warm days that we get every so often. If the temperature is going above 50 degrees, prop the lid open 6” – 8” during the day and then close again at night. Otherwise the plants could be exposed to temperatures around 100 degrees. Of course this also depends on the cloud cover and winds. Using a thermometer inside your cold frame is also suggested. A remote control thermometer (you can find these in the grill department at your local hardware store) can be checked from inside and the frame can be adjusted when needed. If the temps in the cold frame are getting too low at night, add several plastic gallon milk jugs filled with water to your frame. These absorb heat during the day and emit it during the cold night. You can also plug in a string of miniature holiday lights (still in their box) to raise the overnight temp up to 10 degrees. Use several boxes if extremely cold. If temperatures will be getting below 20 degrees, throw a heavy blanket and plastic sheeting over the top for added insulation. Remove during the day so the plants will get the needed sunshine. The cold frame described above is the most simple form I’ve found, but there are many kits and instructions for “build-your-own” frames available through websites. If you’re interested in these, go to www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/garden/07409.html or search for cold frame on www.hgtv.com. There are a num-ber of upgrades available, such as warming mats and cables to keep the soil temperature consistent. Remem-ber that garden critters are also looking for a warm place to sleep and tender green plants to munch, so watch for rodent activity in your cold frame and control as needed. Yes, I’m getting the to do some seed planting, how about you?

References Adee, Sue, Try Cold Frames, on-line posting, www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/county/smith/tips/misc/trycoldframe.html Feucht, J.R. Growing Plants From Seed, on-line posting, www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/garden/07409.html U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Climatic Data Center, Climatography of the United States, No. 20, 1971-2000. Gardening by the Yard: Episode GBY-405, Cold Frames, on-line posting, www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cda/aritcle Starting from Seed, on-line posting, http://earthnotes.tripod.com/seeds.htm

Jump Starting Your Spring Garden

(continued)

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And what about WHEN ?? Mary Ellen Richards

The Common Name of Primrose applies to Primula and that is from the Latin word primus, meaning “first” - “early flowering” or the first rose of the year. In southern climes like ours, some Roses seem to bloom nearly all year, so that may not hold true to form.

The flowers and shrubs that do bloom for us here early in the year are not to be discounted by the lack of “timely” names. The beautiful combination of a Redbud tree, Cercis canadensis, and Daffodils, Nar-cissus, nearby mean Spring to me. The name Narcissus is derived from the Greek youth who fell in love with his own reflection in the water.

And what about the BlueBonnet? Scientifically named Lupinus texensis, the BlueBonnet was adopted as the official state flower by the Texas Legislature in 1901. Lupinus is from the Latin word for wolf because it was thought that lupines ravaged the land like a wolf. Actually, they are good for the land, as like all legumes, they fix nitrogen in the soil. And who could deny their beauty? Henry David Thoreau, describing a hillside of bluebonnets, said,

“The earth is blued.”

BLACK-EYED SUSAN Rudbeckia hirta

ah-kwah-LEE-jee-uh kan-ah-DEN-siss

YELLOW COLUMBINE Aquilegia sp. az-KLEP-ee-as

species

BLUE LARKSPUR Delphinium carolinianum dell-FIN-ee-um

kare-oh-lin-ee-AY-num

OBEDIENT PLANT Physosetegia virginiana fye-soh-STEE-jee-ah ver-JIN-ee-AY-nah

BUTTERFLY WEED Asclepias tuberosa az-KLEP-ee-as too-ber-OH-zah

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COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME

____1. PANSIES AND VIOLETS A. Calendula officinalis

____2. MARIGOLD B. Lupinus texensis

____3. SNAPDRAGONS C. Antirrhinum spp.

____4. STOCKS D. Viola spp.

____5. TEXAS BLUEBONNET E. Matthiola spp.

PONDEROSA PINES BY EVELYN JANE POWELL

Tall ponderosa pines,

Pole-straight for fifty feet or more,

Dot the desert landscape,

Of our Park-like grounds.

Even when wind-whipped

They stand serene and strong,

Eager to share their shade,

Shot through with dappled light.

In friendly groups,

Or in solitary splendor,

Strength and beauty

Displayed in tawny, shaggy bark.

Amid the stark, demanding thirst

Of a land of sand and thorns,

They remain aloof by day,

On guard throughout the star-lit night.

Jane Powell, DCMGA Life Member and class of 1994, sold her Denton home of 30 years and moved to a retirement community in Mesa, AZ. She required special care after back surgery and now lives close to most of her children. She has written an extensive letter to John and shared the poem “Ponderosa Pines” she wrote for a friend. Her letter can be read in its entirety at the Ext Office.

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Across this stone will pass the footprints of the future. The Promise Path that follows will serve as a foundation for dreams yet to fulfill, aspirations yet to be rewarded,

and greatness yet to come. The Promise Path will be their guide and our school’s legacy.The Promise Path will be their guide and our school’s legacy.The Promise Path will be their guide and our school’s legacy.The Promise Path will be their guide and our school’s legacy.

Downing Middle School’s Promise Path Garden

Those are the words on the entrance stone to Downing Middle School’s Promise Path Garden. The Promise Path was started as an idea from a PTA member, a way for the first students of a brand new school to leave a legacy and a path to follow for the students who would come after them. Her idea was to sell stepping stones engraved with the students’ names, creating a path in front of the school. She sold a few stones that first year, but they were laid out in the middle of a bare grass lawn, a path to nowhere. Then an addition was built onto the school which made it necessary to pick up the stones. That’s when the Master Gardeners got involved. I was on the PTA board by that time. The front of the school was like most newly-built schools: Bermuda grass, some liriope in the planting beds, some holly bushes in a straight line across the front, a few tiny oaks planted here and there. It was bare and sterile. The original vision of the Promise Path was to plant a garden around the path of stepping stones. I thought it might be better to plan the garden, making the stepping stone pathway an integral part of the garden, with a logical starting point for the pathway off the sidewalk in front of the school. We had the full support of our principal, and the PTA board pledged $3,000 to the project. I worked with the school district, the building contractor, and the landscape contractor while the new addition was being built. By doing this, we were able to plan out where the garden would go so they wouldn’t plant Bermuda seed there, and I had input as to where lawn sprinklers would be located. We even got a little free labor out of it, because the building contractor had his guys lay the edging that forms the outside of the garden so the landscaper could hydromulch around it.

Dianne Wetherbee, Project Manager

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MG Rica Potenz designed the garden. Our requirements were challenging. The garden had to be very low maintenance, since it was a school garden, and it is sometimes difficult to get volunteers to put in a lot of time on continuing care. It had to incorporate a path that was long enough to accommodate about 10 years of stepping stone sales. And it had to be beautiful in all seasons of the year, because it is a highly visible site right on Bridlewood Boulevard, the main street through the upscale Bridlewood golf course de-velopment. Rica came through with an amazing plan that met all these requirements. The garden itself resembles a long winding path along the sunny hillside in front of the school and its parking lot. It is filled with beauti-ful native and well-adapted plants. Her plant choices were designed to withstand the long hours of direct sunlight and a possible shortage of water, although the garden has almost been over-watered, since the district waters to keep the thirsty grass green. There are over 50 different plant varieties in the garden, including trees like Eve’s necklace, redbud, Mexican plum, and vitex; shrubs such as spirea, flame acan-thus, Texas sage, and fragrant sumac; a variety of grasses including gulf muhly, Mexican feather grass, and Adagio miscanthus; Earthkind roses like mutabilis, Knockout, and Katy Road Pink; and almost 20 different perennials, including black-eyed Susans, daylilies, Flare hibiscus, ox-eye daisy, creeping phlox, and zexme-nia. MG Susan Randolph of Lantana Gardens helped us out a lot by giving us a great discount on the plants and donating outright some of her “extras.” The garden was planted in the fall of 2004 and dedicated in May 2005. This past summer it blazed in all its colorful glory, despite the drought. Working with the landscaper to take advantage of the lawn sprinklers proved its worth! So far, it’s been a good example of the new garden that “sleeps, creeps, leaps,” so we are looking forward to this summer, when it should leap into full bloom. We don’t have any photos of it from this past summer, but please drive past in April, when the roses will be in their full flush and the red-bud and Mexican plum will be perfuming the air. You can also take a look at the garden’s beginnings on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwnM_Y1BoLk. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

The Promise Path Garden was a labor of love from the beginning, with many Master Gardeners helping out with the planning and planting and some follow up weeding. One of our Master Gardeners, Brent Bloechle, was even injured in the line of duty when he lost a battle with an augur while digging planting holes in the cement-hard ground. The middle schoolers were involved in the planting, and the brick edging, mulching, laying of the stepping stones, and installation of the entrance arbor were all done as a couple of Eagle Scout projects by two Boy Scouts that were attending Downing at the time. They managed to get a lot of the kids from the school to come and help them. The edging isn’t exactly straight, the bricks aren’t all right side up, and the path meanders a little crookedly at times, but the kids were justifiably proud of all they had accomplished. There has been virtually no vandalism to the garden, both because it is so visible and because the kids have a stake in it, as well. The garden can be viewed at 5555 Bridlewood Blvd. in Flower Mound. It’s in the winter doldrums right now, but from April through the first frost, it will be spectacular!

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MEETINGS

MARCH 14, 2007 VEGETABLE GARDENS

PRESENTED BY WALK THROUGH THE GARDENS TOUR 07

GARDEN OWNERS

APRIL 11, 2007 A TOUR AND LECTURE OF

MAGGIE’S GARDENS FT WORTH

MEET AT LINDA WILLIAMS HOME AT 9:30AM

TOUR BEGINS AT 11:00AM

MAY 9, 2007 BUTTERFLY GARDENS

DALE CLARK

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BLUE ___B__ A. Donna W, Nancy R, Annell B, Jorja M, Pam M, Adele P, Tom E, Dianne

W

GREEN ___E__ B. JoeAnn S, Bobbie H, Judy B, Leah K, Sharie P, Celia C, Jan H, Deanna M

Larry S, Brent B

YELLOW ___A__ C. Carol F, Judy C, Maribeth L

RED ___F__ D. Fay S

PURPLE ___H__ E. T Hanson, Cyndi H, Sher H, Jackie K, Ann L, Zoe B, Tracy D, Mary Ellen

R, Maggie M, Ruth B, Shelli S, Ruth O, Tom H, Scotty K, Mary M

ORANGE ___D__ F. Carolyn T, Kimi D, Diane L, Judy G, Annie B, Melanie S, Gene G,

LeeAnn K, Judy R

PINK ___C__ G. No one

BLACK ___G__ H. Anita M, Carolyn G, Kathryn N, CC, L, Darla B, Linda K, Janet G

DUES ARE DUE...MAIL $15 TODAY TO BRENDA WELLENREITER 1018 ZIPPER RD, PILOT POINT 76258

SEND YOUR FAVORITE “CRITTER IN YOUR YARD”

PHOTO TO ROTOTELLER06@AOL.COM

WE WERE STORING 4 WHEELS IN OUR GARAGE IN FRONT OF A CRATE OF TOWELS, I WENT TO MOVE THE WHEELS WHEN I NOTICED THE INSIDE OF THE LAST ONE WAS RATHER HAIRY!!! WHEN MY HUSBAND AND SON CAME HOME THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WISE TO CAREFULLY MOVE THE WHEEL TO A SAFER PLACE...LO AND BEHOLD A OPPOSSUM HAD MADE A NICE COMFY BED IN THE LAST WHEEL—SHE (OR HE) HAD CARRIED EACH LEAF (AND OTHER THINGS!!!) INSIDE THE GARAGE AND DOWN THRU 4 WHEELS TO MAKE THE SAFEST, WARMEST, DRYEST SPOT HER HOME.

THE OPPOSSUM STORY

Mary Morrow

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The Farmers Almanac says that the time to plant root crops is Feb. 23rd, 27th and 28th

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Rica Potenz

As I look out my window on this rainy day, I have to laugh at the goofy downy woodpecker that pecks at my cedar porch post. I planted over 30 trees in my new yard last year, but he chooses my post for his rat-a-tat-tat. As I plan my landscaping, I always keep in mind how it will benefit the wildlife. Part of the beauty for me, is the birds that fill the trees, the butterflies that flit about, even the creatures that hop and crawl that mostly go unseen. I know I’m providing them with a home, or at least a meal. In order to attract the greatest number of animals, diversity is key. Everyone has their preferences. As for food - some like ber-ries, some like nuts, some acorns, some seeds, some flowers, some fruit, some insects. As for shelter – some like dense, some like open, some big leaves, some small, some even like dead trees. Mother Nature is amazing in how she provides for every living thing. I look at my goal as finding those plants that will provide the birds, butterflies, insects and animals with what they need, and that will live and grow in our climate. Of course there are some trees that are just beautiful or interesting that I want to grow for the aesthetics, but even those I generally find fulfill some niche. Since I just moved to my acre lot a little over a year ago, I can’t report on long-term success with the trees I chose, but I can give you the short-term “survival of the fittest” over the brutal summer. My soil, unlike most in Denton County, is very sandy, so I amended it with a lot of Dyno-dirt, to help hold in the moisture. And, of course, I use a lot of mulch. Even so, I did have to water every other day during the hottest part of the summer, to get my new plantings established. The largest tree I planted was a 3” diameter – most were 15 to 30 gallon. Small trees establish much more easily than large ones. The big trees: Red Oak, Chinquapin Oak, Bur Oak – these oaks survived, but they did struggle. All had leaf burn on the edges by August and the Chinquapin and Bur Oak dropped their leaves a little prematurely. Live Oak – deep watering kept this one happy. Chinese Pistache, Lacebark Elm, Cedar Elm – all seemed to do well. Bald Cypress – this one always likes some extra water, but even planting it in a low spot wasn’t enough to keep some upper leaves from burning. Pecan – this tree was basically a stick with a few leaves on top, so it’s hard to say, but it survived. Gingko – the leaf edges did burn significantly, but not until the end of the summer. The medium trees: Little Gem Magnolia – they were champs – they did drop some leaves, but I think that’s normal. Texas Ash – the best ash for our area – I highly recommend it. Lacey Oak – a pretty little oak, it seemed to do fine. Mexican Plum – beautiful spring flowers and pretty bark are highlights on this native that did great. Shantung Maple – this one had a hard time living up to its Texas Superstar designation – it hung on, but the leaves were burned all summer and I had to baby it. Chitalpa – this one’s a cross between a desert willow and a Catalpa – this was one of my few unplanned purchases, therefore I hadn’t researched it beforehand. When some ugly brown spots appeared on the leaves in spring, I learned that was fairly normal and there wasn’t anything I could do about it. Other than that, this tree grew more than any other, thrived and bloomed beauti-fully all summer and the hummingbirds loved it! Eve’s Necklace – it survived, but didn’t grow one inch - these take a while to establish. Vitex – this one laughed at the heat. I did have it in a spot where it got late afternoon shade; it not only survived, it grew at least a couple of feet! Small trees: I love Redbud, so I have several – Mexican is the most drought tolerant, but the leaves even burned on this one; Forest Pansy got brown spots as did the Eastern and the Weeping. Wax Myrtle – I love this one for screening and its fast growth – it’s a tough one. Mexican Buckeye – one branch did die back but it’s very shrubby so it didn’t matter. Possumhaw – I love this for the winter berries – so do the birds, so they usually don’t last. It’s a tough native. Goldenball Lead Tree – this little known tree bloomed on and off – so far a worthy addition. Texas Persimmon – thick, leathery leaves helped this one stay nice all summer. Buttonbush – this one likes lots of water, so I planted it in the lowest, wettest spot and it did fine – bloomed nicely too. Purple Smoketree – this one had me worried – it was very unhappy all summer, all the leaves were burned – it probably would ap-preciate more shade than it got. It’s under the Chinquapin, which isn’t big enough yet to provide shade. Crepe Myrtles – I inherited these with the house – they’re tough, but one died from the cold last winter. Yellow Bird of Paradise – heat, what heat? This one’s not only a survivor but a great bloomer. Apricot, Apple, Peach and Fig— all survived without too much stress, just some leaf burn. The fig actually froze back in the win-tertime, but new growth came from the bottom. Coral Bark Japanese Maple – this is the only tree I lost. It hung on all summer, but I went away at the end of August and when I got back I knew it had bit the dust. I didn’t realize it would get so much sun in the summer. Coral Bark is one of the most sun tolerant Japanese Maples, but sun until 4:00 was too much for it. So sad! I didn’t like losing even one tree, but considering the summer we had, I was happy the rest of the trees survived. By using so many different types of trees, I had blooms spring, summer and fall, fall color, beautiful bark to look at in the winter, some ever-green winter interest, and the wildlife seem to appreciate them year round.

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Chitalpa bloom Bur Oak Vitex Lacey Oak

Gingko Eve’s Necklace Chinese Pistache Forest Pansy Redbud

Little Gem Magnolia Weeping Redbud –Lavender Twist

Chitalpa in background, Texas Persimmon, Little Gem Magnolia

Mexican Plum

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What are those white bugs on my rudbeckia, and how can I get rid of them

without pesticides? What is an indestructible grass for my back yard? How do

you prune a pecan tree? Those are the most recent questions received by the DCMGA help desk. Occasionally someone calls with a stumper, but most are

fairly common garden questions in our area. If you don’t know the answer to

these questions, how would you find out? (Hint: Asking John is cheating!)

We are currently staffing the desk on Monday mornings from 10-1, and we

welcome additions to the help desk team. We try to have two people per shift.

You do NOT have to be an expert, but you DO need to be willing to dig for an-

swers. You will be trained on how to do internet research as well as the office procedures involved. If you are interested, e-mail Janie Farler-

janief@hotmail.com.

2007 PLANT SALE

SATURDAY, MAY 12TH, 9AM-3PM

2222 HOUSTON PL DENTON

Project Managers Anne Banks

940-383-2961 coyote4573@verizon.net Mary Morrow

817-961-0518 hawkilitle@aol.com

???What can you do to help???

COME TO A POTTING PARTY

Mary Morrow’ s Garden

9am—April 20th

DONATE PLANTS

Have your own potting party or pot up a few plants from your garden

DONATE CONTAINERS

We are looking for a few large containers

COME JOIN US TO MAKE

HYPERTUFA POTS

Mary Morrow’s Garden

10am—March 26th

SIGN UP TODAY Thursday, May 10th and Friday, May 11th—labeling, moving, pricing

Saturday, Mary 12th—plant sale and clean-up

If you are interested in any of the above e-mail Anne or Mary

Held in conjunction with the 2007 Walk Through the Gardens Tour

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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ROTO TELLER STAFF

Darla Bostick....................................Class of 1997 Susan Dawson...................................Class of 2005 Janie Farler........................................Class of 2003 Sandy Hiatte......................................Class of 2003 Maggie Metzinger.............................Class of 2004 Rica Potenz........................................Class of 1994 Mary Ellen Richards..........................Class of 1997 Diane Wetherbee................................Class of 2001 Rebecca Waymack.............................Class of 2006

Lucille Del Vecchio..........................Class of 2006

Janie Farler........................................Class of 2003

Mary Morrow............Editor..............Class of 2001

Sue Newhouse...................................Class of 2007

Pam Pierce.........................................Class of 2007

Judy Riley..........................................Class of 2002

Betsy Schenck....................................Class of 2007

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We hope you enjoyed your Quarterly ROTO TELLER, let us know what you like and don’t like— E-mail the Editor at ROTOTELLER06@aol.com, also send suggestions, comments, questions

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

2006 GRADUATING CLASS

5 YEAR TENURE

2007 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS