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MMGG GGAAZZEETTTTEE
MISSION: The mission of the association shall be to organize and promote volunteer efforts that
Support Extension programs advancing sound horticultural practices in Nueces County.
Nueces Master Gardeners, Inc. Issue 3 March 2015
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MG Officers and Elect 2015
President
Deborah Holliday
(956) 433-7110
El leElect Elect
Debra Martin
(361) 815-1867
Vice President Alene Burch
[email protected] (361) 334-1021
Elect OPEN
Secretary Linda Lamprecht
[email protected] (361) 215-7738
Elect Beth Spirko
(610) 349-1099
Treasurer/ Bookkeeper
Theresa Stelzig
[email protected] (361) 643-6491
Elect OPEN
Publicity ALL MASTER GARDENERS
Gazette Editor Jenny Mohundro
[email protected] (361) 816-4646
Ex-Officio
Norma Hernandez
[email protected] (361) 816-8206
Members-at-large
DeAnna Baumgartner, Carlos Valdez, Sandra Williams
State Directors Jenny Mohundro, Betty Rogers
Volunteer Hrs. Coordinator
Betty Rogers
[email protected] (361) 877-7060
Extension Office
Lisa Martinez
[email protected] (361) 767-5217
MG Helpline
(361) 767-5250
Plant Roma tomato
Botanical Name
Lycopersicon esculentum
March Topics
MG Officers President’s Corner Happenings Agent’s Notes Potluck Lunch Meeting Dates Garden Book Birthdays Note from Betty Botanical Garden
Classes Volunteer
Opportunities February Meeting
Hours MG’s In Action MG Logo Shirt YEEHA! TMG Conference Bottle Tree Plant a Pizza State Directors
Minutes Winter Learning
Series
If you are a fan of fresh tomato sauce, you should be growing roma tomatoes in your garden. Roma tomatoes belong to a group of varieties also known as Italian, paste or plum tomatoes. These relatively thick-skinned, heavy-walled fruits make good sauce and paste because they contain much less liquid than other varieties. Roma tomato plants are determinant, which means they grow to a set height and produce one large crop. The final height of your Roma tomato depends on its variety and cultural conditions. Romas do tend to be a little easier to grow than other tomatoes due to the fact than many are fusarium and verticillium wilt resistant. While these diseases can kill other tomatoes, many times roma tomato plants can withstand the disease.
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Other Happenings
March ‘15
Wed. Mar. 4 *Coastal Bend Cacti & Succulent Society, 7pm, GC, 852-7700 *South Texas Orchid Society, 7pm, GC, 816-1948 Thurs. Mar. 5 *Orchid Novice Class, 7pm, BG, 854-7624 *Rose Society, 7pm, GC, 853-7554 Fri. Mar. 6 *Gene Blacklocks’ “Beginning Wildflower ID and Natural History Short Course, 6:15-9:15pm, field trip from 8:30am-1:30pm Sat. Mar. 7, BG, 852-2100 Tue. Mar. 10 *Corpus Christi Area Garden Council, 10am, GC, 537-8231 Wed. Mar. 11 *Rockport Herb & Rose Study Group, 10am, ACISD Maintenance Dept., 619 N. Live Oak St., Room 14, Rockport, 361-790-0103 Sat. Mar. 14 *”Miniature Fairy Gardens” seminar, 10am, BG, 852-2100 Tue. Mar. 17 *MG Executive and General Meetings, 10am and 12Noon, GC, 956-433-7110 *Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardener Association, 10am, 892 Airport Rd., Rockport, 361-790-0103 *”Spring into Spring, What Natives to Plant Where”, brown bag, 12-1pm, 892 Airport Rd, Rockport Ext. Office, 361-790-0103 Wed. Mar. 19 *Bromeliad Society, 7pm, GC, 658-8650 Sat. Mar. 21 *”Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden” seminar, 10am, BG, 852-2100 Thu. Mar. 26 *Bonsai Society, 7pm, GC, 992-0009 Sat. Mar. 28 *Aransas/San Pat MG Spring Plant Sale 9am-1pm, Coastal Oaks Garden at Rockport Extension, 361-790-0103 BG=Botanical Gardens GC=Garden Center (Greely Senior Center) Remember! You get CE credits for the program portion of horticulture-based meetings that you attend which are not Master Gardener Meetings.
Deb Holliday
President 2015
Nueces Master Gardeners, Inc.
FEBRUARY REVIEW - Yes, the Gazette is a little late because
of me. I'm reviewing the first scholarship fundraiser of the
year, the Feb 28 plant sale at the Farmers' Market on Everhart.
It was cool and wet, but people came to buy our organically
grown veggies and herbs. Sandra Williams and her team
have been working on the seedlings in Ray H.S. greenhouse
since before Christmas. Frank Eicholz added to the bounty
by donating beautiful lettuce, parsley and collards. Volunteer
MG's showed up to lend a hand and purchase plants. Thank
you, everyone who participated. We had a great time this
morning. Enjoy John Slusarz's photos inside this issue.
FEBRUARY MEETING AT SOUTH TEXAS BOTANICAL
GARDENS - A big "Thank You" to Michael Womack and his
staff for hosting the February meetings at the Botanical
Gardens. Michael's program was an update of activities and
programs that are new this year. We learned of several new
opportunities for MG's to earn volunteer hours there. Despite
a cool and cloudy day many of us enjoyed Michael's guided
tour of the gardens - some even got a sneak peek at the new
orchid greenhouse. Thank you, Phyllis O'Brien, and your
telephone committee for getting the information out to the
membership.
MARCH MEETING AND PROGRAM - The March meeting is
traditionally when we recognize Nueces Master Gardeners for
achievements and continuous years of service as Certified
Master Gardeners. Our VP, Alene Burch, and her group are
planning a nice presentation ceremony. This is a POT LUCK
luncheon, so bring a favorite dish to pass. Brief Board
Meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m., followed by a brief General
Meeting at 11:00 a.m. Food will then be served. Presentation
ceremony will begin at noon. We'll see you at the Garden
Senior Center, Tuesday, March 17.
TEAM YEEHA! - will be presenting at Barnes Elementary
March 4, 9-noon; and at Mireles Elementary on March 12, 9-10
a.m. Interns, get your youth hours here! We'll train you.
Email me at [email protected] to join in on the fun.
Deb
President’s Corner
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Jason P. Ott, CEA-Ag/NR Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Nueces County
It is hard to imagine that I am writing for the March newsletter given how cold it is outside right now. Nonetheless, spring will soon be here and you as MGs will be busy not only in your own gardens but in the many gardening projects around the county as well. Our office has received many positive reports, from the MG efforts at the Spring Home & Garden Show. Obviously, you had an outstanding line up of educational presentations and delivered timely and relevant information to those in attendance. Your help in the two city-lead initiatives did not go unnoticed either and has certainly lead to the success of those programs. Rain barrel distribution events have been held in Austin, Ft. Worth and other major Texas cities with the biggest event being around 340 barrels. Brent Clayton, with the City Water Department, reported that 667 rain barrels have been sold through the Corpus Christi program. Assuming average precipitation and that a barrel is placed on a 540 ft
2 catchment, each barrel could yield over
10,000 gallons of water! That is over 6.5 million gallons of potential water savings for the city! With the overwhelming response in barrel purchases comes the formidable task of distributing them to their owners. Purchased barrels will need to be picked up on March 28
th and the City is
looking to MGs for their support in this phase as well. The anticipated need is 15 to 20 volunteers working in shifts of 5 to 6 people during the distribution event from 9am -1pm. During the distribution event, Extension and MGs will have an opportunity to offer educational programs on water conservation and rainwater harvesting and speakers and topics are being identified at this time. I hope you will take the time to assist in this worthwhile task. Those in need of CE should make plans to mark your calendar for the April 15
th Lawn Irrigation Workshop in Sinton. Several
outstanding presenters are scheduled to speak at the event that will address how to properly tune a home irrigation system to maximize the use of every drop of water applied. Last year 26,155 individuals were reached by MG volunteers and mostly through the Learning to Grow program. Not only were they taught about gardening, they were also taught how to apply the principles of math and science in the real world, and the pillars of character essential to developing better communities. With a garden bed in every school in CCISD and more being constructed this spring, weather permitting, the success of the program can be a challenge. The Leaning to Grow Team has done a yeoman’s job installing and implementing this school program but in order for it to be maintained at this level more help is needed. (Continued at right)
Agent’s Notes
March Potluck
To volunteer for future dates, contact Rita Phillips 991-0750
or e-mail [email protected].
PLEASE GIVE RITA YOUR SUPPORT Always sign up the month ahead of time!
Next MG General Meeting
NOTE NEW TIME
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Next MG Board of Directors Meeting
March 17th
, 10:00 a.m. at GC
(3rd
Tuesday monthly, except December)
(3rd
monthly, except December)
The New Full Color Garden Book Corpus Christi Area Garden Council,
Publisher Available at Gills and at Turners
$25 plus tax ($27.06)
Contact Huxley Smith, Betty Whitt or Pat Parr for more information.
Please consider serving as a “Garden Scout” for this team. No one person can get across all the CCISD beds, but together we can ensure that these beds are the best learning tool that they can be. And to help as a “Garden Scout” you do not even have to teach kids you just have to help the teacher asses the condition of the beds and give them guidance to keep the project moving forward.
Without a doubt the community impact of Horticulture Education could not been made without the expanded capabilities Master Gardeners offer Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to disseminate information to the community. Thank you for your continued service to this great organization and the fulfilment of the extension mission.
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Ongoing: Ray High School Greenhouse
Behind Ray H.S., Staples & Texan Trail
Tuesday MG Workday 9:00-11:00
Ongoing: Food Bank Project “Outgrow
Hunger” 826 Krill Dr. (Navigation
then right on Savage Lane to Krill).
Tuesdays 8:00a.m.( Except MG meeting day
then Wednesday) Contact: Mary Lambert
813-7596 or e-mail her at
Ongoing: Nature Conservatory, Mon., March 10
& March 24, 4:00 & Blucher Park 5:00
until sundown (Behind the Main Library)
Bring gloves, bug spray, plus a bag lunch &
chair if you plan to stay for our Chat &
Chew time.
Contact: Karen Smith 877-9723
Ongoing: Courtyard Maintenance at the
Senior Garden Center, 1st Monday,
9:15 a.m. Contact: Betty Whitt 991-5375
Ongoing: Botanical Gardens,
Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m.
Contact: Jessica Latimer 993-6013 Areas to work:
1. Hummingbird Garden
2. Butterfly Garden (new)
3. Sensory Garden
4. Earth Kind Garden
Check With
Michael,
Carol, Billy or
Brenda for
work tasks.
03-04 Jenny Mohundro Class 19
03-11 Carol Krank Class 16
03-14 Alene Burch Class 23
03-20 Roger Myers Class 25
03-21 Joanne Salge Class 20
03-24 Ana Abarca Class 23
03-30 Ola Mae Batteau Class 11
February 17th MG Meeting Hours
Volunteer Hours
Executive Meeting = 1 hour
Master Gardener Meeting = 1 hour
Time Traveled = Figure your own
Continuing Education Hours
Master Gardener Program if you only stayed for
Dr. Womack’s talk = .75 hour
Master Gardener Program if you stayed for Dr.
Womack’s talk AND the tour = 1.25 hour
A NOTE FROM BETTY ROGERS
Attending society meetings (Orchid Society, Plumeria Society, Rose Society etc.) does not count for volunteer hours. The only thing you may count is Continuing Education (CE) time IF they have a program. Travel time is not allowed
either since we never count travel time for CE.
Botanical Garden Classes MINIATURE FAIRY GARDENS! Saturday, March 14, 10-noon. STBGNC Horticulturist talks about containers and accessories to create your own miniature container garden, perfect for fairies, gnomes and other tiny garden guests. Materials are available to purchase separately for a hands-on workshop following lecture. MEMBERS FREE! Non-members free with General Admission. ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES TO YOUR GARDEN Saturday, March 21, 10-noon. Learn the necessary components of a Butterfly Garden from Brenda Dziedzic, author of Learn about Butterflies in the Garden. Want Monarchs, Giant Swallowtails, or Cloudless Sulphurs in your landscape? Choose the butterflies you would like to see and learn the right plants to ensure they come to your yard. MEMBERS FREE! Non-members free with General Admission.
HERBS FROM GARDEN TO TABLE Saturday, March 28, 10-noon. STBGNC Horticulturist Carol Krank and Nueces Master Gardener “Herbies” share secrets of their favorite herb varieties that thrive in South Texas, offering growing tips, harvesting techniques and simple recipes to get them from garden to table. A tour of the STBGNC’s Earthkind Herb Garden will follow. MEMBERS FREE! Non-members free with General Admission.
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Intern Recognition Event
Seed Packing Day for Learning-To-Grow Beds
MG Meeting and Program at the Botanical Garden
MG’s Star in the Spring Home & Garden Show
Is this a “board” meeting? Nueces MG’s tour the new Orchid House
Dr. Michael Womack’s tour of the Butterfly House
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Fund-raising Committee At Ray Greenhouse Gets Ready For The Plant Sale
Neither snow, nor rain, nor freezing weather stays Deb Holliday from her MG Plant Sale.
Nueces MG Fundraising Plant Sale is ready for customers.
Carol Barragy and Suzy Murray bring in more plants to sell.
Sandra Williams points out a great plant specimen and explains organic advantages.
Suzy Murray and Thorunn Kelley make a sale.
Fund-raising Committee Spring Plant Sale
MG Logo T-shirts Are Here!
A good selection of sizes are still available. White shirts $10.00
Grey women's sizes $13.00
Grey mens' sizes $11.00
TEAM YEEHA!
Presentations March 4th at Barnes Elementary from 9 :00 - noon
March 12th at Mireles Elementary from 9:00 -10:00 a.m.
This is a great opportunity to earn youth hours. We will train you. Come and observe. Email Deb Holliday, [email protected] to reserve a spot.
This is fun! fun! fun!
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Appalachian History
Stories, quotes and anecdotes
The bottle tree
Posted by Dave Tabler | October 21, 2010
http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2010/10/bottle-tree.html
Submitted by Nueces MG, Sandra Davis
Are your premises safe against haints, furies and other such ornery spirits? Have you painted your front door
blue? Has the neighborhood seen a sudden upsurge of bottles dangling upside down in the trees?
She knew that there could be a spell put in trees, and she was familiar from the time she was born with the way bottle trees kept evil spirits from coming into the house — by luring them inside the colored bottles, where they cannot get out again. —Livvie, by Eudora Welty
Glass ‘bottle trees’ originated in ninth century Kongo during a period when superstitious Central African people
believed that a genii or imp could be captured in a bottle. Legend had it that empty glass bottles placed outside,
but near, the home could capture roving (usually evil) spirits at night, and the spirit would be destroyed the next
day in the sunshine. One could then cork the bottles and throw them into the river to wash away the evil spirits.
Furthermore, the Kongo tree altar is a tradition of honoring deceased relatives with graveside memorials. The
family will surround the grave with plates attached to sticks or trees. The plates are thought to resemble
mushrooms, calling on a Kongo pun: matondo/tondo [the Kongo word for mushroom is similar to their word to
love]. And so, trees and bottles eventually came together.
This practice was taken to Europe and North America by African slaves.
Thomas Atwood, in History of the Island of Domi (1791), made particular
note of the bottle tree as a protection of the home through an invocation
of the dead. Atwood writes of the confidence of the blacks “in the power of
the dead, of the sun and the moon—nay, even of sticks, stones and earth
from graves hung in bottles in their gardens.”
While Europeans adapted the bottle tree idea into hollow glass spheres known as “witch balls,” the practice of
hanging bottles in trees became widespread in the plantation regions of Southern states and from there migrated
north and inland into Appalachia.
Traditionally the bottles are placed on the branches of a crepe myrtle tree. The image of the myrtle tree recurs in
the Old Testament, aligned with the Hebrews’ escape from slavery, their diaspora and the promise of the
redemption of their homeland.
Bottle tree colors can range from blue, to clear, to brown, but cobalt blue are always preferred: in the Hoodoo
folk-magic tradition, the elemental blues of water and sky place the bottle tree at a crossroads between heaven
and earth, and therefore between the living and the dead. The bottle tree interacts with the unknown powers of
both creative and destructive spirits.
The bottles are placed upside down with the neck facing the trunk. Trees need not be thickly populated with
bottles. Malevolent spirits, on the prowl during the night, enter the bottles where they become trapped by an
‘encircling charm.’ It is said that when the wind blows past the tree, you can hear the moans of the ensnared
spirits whistling on the breeze. Come morning they are burnt up by the rising sun.
Today, the bottle tree has entered the realm of folk art. Companies now market bottle tree armatures meant to
serve, once clothed with milk, wine, or milk of magnesia bottles, as colorful garden ornaments. The poor man’s
stained glass window, you might say.
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you’ll a
h
PLANT A
PIZZA
Share Some Down And Dirty Gardening Fun With Your Family
Most kids love pizza…almost as much as they like getting
dirty, wiggling their toes in wet mud, digging holes and looking
for worms. So what better way to have some fun this spring or
summer than by growing a “pizza garden” together! You’ll do
more than grow some herbs and veggies—you’ll also be
feeding your kids’ curiosity, fostering a sense of responsibility
(maybe even a lifelong love of gardening), teaching them about
climate, nature and healthy eating---and harvesting armfuls of
lasting family memories.
hold the pepperoni?
Some kids (and grown-ups) just won’t call it pizza unless there’s some meat on their pie. For healthy add-ons to your garden pizza, try lean meats like chicken, low-fat turkey sausage or even
turkey pepperoni,
HERE’S HOW:
1. Pick a spot, explaining that plants need sunlight, good soil and a nearby water source. Have the kids turn over the soil with a little fertilizer or compost.
. 2. Create a pizza-shaped garden by
driving a stake into the center point of your spot. Tie a 3-foot rope to the stake and tie the other end to a stick. Pull the rope taut and let the kids drag the stick 360 degrees around in the dirt to create a circle. Edge it with marigolds to look like a crust.
3. Divide your circle into pizza “slices” for
your veggies and herbs. Basil, oregano, Roma tomatoes, green peppers and onions are some tasty, easy-to-grow choices. Use stones to mark off the slices.
4. Keep the kids involved with all aspects: planning, buying seeds or plants,
preparing the soil, planting, watering,
weeding, and harvesting.
5. Make a great pizza sauce with your kids using the tomatoes, veggies, and herbs you’ve grown. Add a ready-made pizza crust, some low-fat cheese, and presto- homegrown pizza!
Healthy cooking. April/May 2013, p. 63.
Growing your own pizza herbs and veggies teaches kids gardening skills—and finally a good excuse to get dirty.
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State Directors Meeting Minutes
February 7, 2015
Doug Welch led those members present on a walking tour of the Texas A&M Gardens and Greenway Project for the first hour or so of the meeting. A&M is asking for contributions from all Master Gardener groups to help make the Earthkind Gardens a reality. With what was collected at the meeting, A&M has now collected over $40,000. The president talked about how important the job of State Director is in taking information back to local groups. New State Directors were recognized. Texas Master Gardeners has a balance of $41,270 of which $2,420 is from dues collected for 2015. Twenty-two of eighty-six counties have paid dues which are due March 1, 2015. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS AUDIT: An audit was performed December 6, 2014, and was pronounced an accurate summary. AWARDS: It is important to get ready now so you can submit your awards next January. CONFERENCE: The 2015 conference will be held in Bell County. In 2016 Collin County will host the event. A site for 2017 has not been decided. NEWSLETTER/WEBSITE: The two will be merged. Please send your comments. OUTREACH: Districts 7, 9, and 11 (Nueces County) need Outreach Persons. This entails reaching out to other MG groups in your district to see if they need help in any way. The Outreach Person would follow up with other groups about dues, awards, and other questions they might have enable freeing up the Agent for other duties. TAX ADVISORY: When filing use your county number, NOT Texas MG number. IRS fines are about $750 if rules are not followed. OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS CONFERENCE: Nine to ten hours of CE will be available at the conference. Plans have not been finalized for the topics. The speakers will be very good but have not been finalized. CHARTER: The Nueces County charter has been received. HOURS: Jayla stated that the reporting of hours is so important. Your hours tell what you have done. She would like to be able to call up the hours herself and cut out the middleman (the Agent and Hours Coordinator), but at this time our program does not offer her that capability. Nueces County hours are due by the 5th of the month. The Hours Coordinator must get those hours to the Agent so he/she can turn them in to State by the 7th of the month. Please try to be on time in turning in your hours. DIRECTORS MEETING: The meeting at the conference will be held on Thursday at 4:30. GARDEN BOOK: Jayla discussed a garden book, Gardenpedia, by Pamela Bennett and Maria Zampini that she thinks would be very good for interns. Class Directors should contact Jayla if they are interested. NEWSLETTER: Go to the website to upload your newsletter. It can be judged that way. Meeting was adjourned.
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WINTER LEARNING SERIES – FOOD PRESERVATION
Come out to the AgriLife Extension Office and learn from Erin Denny of Auntie Handy’s Harvest how to preserve the fruits and vegetables you’re growing in your gardens. Three months and three INTERACTIVE lessons with goodies to take home. Pressure Canning, The Basics - Saturday, March 21, 12:30-5:00 pm - $35 per person Fermentation & Pickling Basics - Saturday, April 18, 12:30-3:00 pm - $25 per person
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1n8IH_zP407WDLQPWDxk8U33t_iuhuRftRo7bSrO5XHY/viewform
Sponsored by: Coastal Bend Health Foods & Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
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Jason Ott, CEA- Ag/NR Editor: Jenny Mohundro Disclaimer - the information herein is for informational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Master Gardeners is implied. Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating ******************************************************** Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service, or accommodation in order to participate in any Extension event are encouraged to contact their County Extension Office at 361-767-5217 at least one week in advance of the program in order for proper arrangements to be made. ************** In the event of a name, address or phone number change please contact the office at: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 710 E. Main, Suite 1, Attn: Horticulture