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The
              Compost Bin                                                     March 2010



A Publication of the Travis County Master Gardeners - a volunteer program of Texas AgriLife Extension.




                                                Guest                    Presenter...

                                                    Matt Welch on Plants for
                                                     Sequential Blooms




In this issue...

   In the Vegetable Garden

   Peckerwood Gardens

   Termites

   Cellphone Gardening Apps

   Hints from Wolf’s Garden

   Designing Small Garden Part 2

   President’s Message
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                       Page 2



Inside this Issue....
•	 February Meeting Speaker - Matt Welch            .....   Page   2
•	 The President’s Message                          .....   Page   4
•	 In the Vegetable Garden                          .....   Page   6
•	 Hints from Wolf’s Garden                         .....   Page   9
•	 Termites                                         .....   Page   11
•	 Peckerwood Garden visit                          .....   Page   15
•	 Gardening Cellphone Apps                         .....   Page   18
•	 Designing Small Gardens (Part Two)               .....   Page   21
•	 Coming Events                                    .....   Page   26
•	 2010 TCMGA Board                                 .....   Page   29
•	 Compost Bin Contributors                         .....   Page   30



March Meeting Speaker — Matt Welch


 On Plants for Sequential Blooms

 Do   you    want   year    around    color    in   your      garden?   Planting     for	

 Sequential Blooms by Matt Welch will help you learn plants which will fill the	

 color voids.   He’ll include examples of plants for full sun, some shade and full

 shade conditions with an emphasis on plants requiring lower amounts of water.  


 After earning a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Stephen F. Austin State	

 University (SFA), Matt moved to Raleigh, NC to work as head propagator at Taylor’s	

 Nursery, a wholesale grower.   After two years working at Taylor’s and	

 living at Plant Delights Nursery, a specialty mail order nursery, Matt moved back to	

 Texas to help build the Ruby Mize Azalea Garden on the campus of Stephen F. Austin.  


 After two years as Azalea Garden Technician he began construction of the Pineywoods	

 Native Plant Center, also on the SFA campus, which fueled his fascination for	

 native plants and their habitats, and led to a year of graduate work in plant ecology.  


 Later, Matt partnered up with garden writer Greg Grant and gardening friend Bill
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                      Page 3



Jobe to build Naconiche Gardens, a retail destination nursery specializing in heirloom,	

hardy and hard-to-find plants.   As nursery/garden manager and head of the	

landscape division, Matt saw the small nursery grow from flat spot to 2 acres of	

display gardens, greenhouses, retail space and lecture barn which featured guest

speaker authors Joe Liggio, Felder Rushing, David Creech, and Greg Grant.   Since	

moving to Austin four years ago, Matt has managed a tree farm and worked as	

manager/special       events   coordinator      at   The   Great    Outdoors.   He’s	

written many plant articles and given lectures on subjects ranging from	

container gardening to prehistoric plants to great bulbs for southern gardens.  


Currently,   Matt    owns    Plantsmith    Gardens,    a   garden   design/landscap-

ing company he runs with his fiancée Meagan and his dog, Merle.


Please   thank      Hella   Holoubeck     for   suggesting   this   topic!   Carolyn	

Williams deserves the credit for suggesting the first two speakers this year,	

Carol Ann Sayle of Boggy Creek Farms and Keith Amelung owner of Heirloom-

TomatoesofTexas.com and Have Spade, Will Travel Landscape & Consulting.


Meeting information:
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 starting at 7 pm.
Zilker Botanical Garden
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                          Page 4



Hello Master Gardeners:
A Message From Your President

Spring Needs to be Sprouting!

Texans do not appreciate nor are we fans of a long winter!   No indeed, we need

a   sign of the upcoming spring around here…fast!   Daffodil and iris blooms,	

redbuds and Lady Banks roses all in their beautiful spring colors will soon make their

appearance.   We head outdoors to work in new compost, plant those early spring	

veggies, prune and fertilize our roses and break in our new trowels.  Is there anything

any better than the smell of freshly turned soil?!  Yes, gardeners need springtime!


We have experienced a brutal past summer (even by old Texans’ standards), a	

glorious autumn with much needed rains that have lasted through this cold winter.

Now, with springtime approaching, the rains should help provide us with a marvelous	

showing of beautiful Texas wildflowers.  If you have never experienced the drive of the

Willow City Loop (right outside of Johnson City), give yourself a treat and plan on it this

year.  You will be amazed at what the Texas Hill Country can provide in the way of beauty!


Another way to celebrate spring is to volunteer for one or more of the sev-

eral upcoming March events.   First is the East Austin Garden Fair, “Gardening

the Earth-Kind Way”, on Saturday, March 20th.   Contact: Manda Rash, manda-

rash@austin.rr.com.   Followed by Zilker Garden Festival on Saturday, March 27th

and Sunday, March 28th. Contact Cheryl McGrath, mcgmil@sbcglobal.net.   Our	

greenhouse staff is working diligently and can always use a pair of extra hands

in getting ready for both of these events.   Watch for their announcements asking

for volunteers.   The Demonstration Garden at the AgriLife Extension Office is also	

gearing up and looking for volunteers.  So, springtime is approaching and much work is	

needed.  All of us need to “pitch in” and volunteer wherever we can to make it all work!
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                       Page 5



The President’s Message 						                                     Continued...


Big thanks go out to two of our members: Becky Waak, computer guru, who worked tireless-

ly on several projects regarding our membership reporting forms and rosters. Also to Mike

McGiffin, Speakers’ Bureau, who has worked diligently through numerous long meetings

to upgrade and update our speakers’ outreach program. Job well done Becky and Mike!!


Savor the sweet smell of spring’s early delights, volunteer to help our organization

and enjoy your garden.


Happy Springtime!


Carolyn Williams, President




                      Heads Up! After The April Meeting...
                       Garden to Garden Plant Exchange

Hate to throw away all of those extra plants that have sprouted in your garden or do
you just want to exchange them for new plants?  Pot up your extras and bring them to
the plant and garden-related exchange, which will be held immediately after the April
meeting (next month.)  Make sure your plants, seeds and cuttings are well labeled.  If
you have extra garden magazines, there will be plenty of takers at the meeting also.

Don’t forget to bring plastic bags, boxes or flats to take your new plants home.  	
Baggies and labels are also needed.  We need some volunteers to stay and help with
clean-up, too.  Also, please plan to take any of your extra items back home.

We also want to say a big “thank you!” to Roxane Smith for heading up this most	
popular plant exchange for the past few years and for keeping it going so efficiently.

Liz Caskey & Frankie Hart
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                   Page 6



In The Vegetable Garden
By Patty Leander

It’s go time, vegetable gardeners!


In March, we generally see nighttime temperatures in the high 40’s and lower 50’s and

daytime temperatures in the 60’s – perfect “working in the garden” weather. And more	

importantly, our last frost usually comes this month,

and soil temperatures will begin to warm up which

means quicker germination and growth.   If your	

garden space is limited, now is a good time

to harvest most of your cool-season crops

to make room for new plantings.   Turn the

soil and mix in a 1-2” layer of compost,	

removing weeds as you go and forming a smooth,

level surface for planting. One half to three fourths cup of

garden fertilizer (like 15-5-10) can be added per 10’ of row;

if you are using an organic fertilizer (like 8-2-4 or 6-2-2)	

double the amount since it is lower in nitrogen. These are	

general recommendations; a soil test is the best way to	

determine your soil’s specific fertility requirements. Once

you have your garden bed prepared and ready to go, take a	

moment to stand back and contemplate your work. A freshly	

prepared garden bed, amended with organic matter, soaking up the	

sunshine               and           teeming             w i t h	

microbes is the foundation for a successful garden season!


Heat-loving vegetables like okra, sweet potatoes and Southern peas should be	

planted next month, but most warm season vegetables can, and should, be planted this
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                           Page 7



In The Vegetable Garden 						                                   Continued...

month as they don’t take the scorching heat of a Texas summer very well. The key to

a successful spring garden is to plant early and harvest before the inferno takes hold.

We have been known to have a blast of freezing

weather even in April, so be prepared to protect

your young plants with row cover, sheets, hot caps

or boxes.  Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant take a

long time to reach maturity and should be planted

from transplants, but the other spring crops can

easily be planted from seed. Transplants should

be hardened off by gradually exposing them to

the outdoor environment over a 4-5 day period	

before planting in the garden. Water them in

with a dilute fertilizer. If you feel like taking a	

gamble, set a few tomato transplants out early

in the month; wrap the cages with plastic or row	

cover to protect from cold weather and strong winds.


                          Check out the ‘Gardens and Orchards’ heading of

                          the Central Texas Horticulture website, http:aggie-

                          horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/index.htm,                        f o r	

                          recommended vegetable varieties and planting dates.


                          If     you    planted        onions   in    J a n u a r y,      be

                          sure     to   keep     them     watered    and       weeded;	

                          potatoes that were planted in February should be

                          hilled up this month with soil or mulch.   Weeds are
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                           Page 8



In The Vegetable Garden 						                                        Continued...

abundant this time of year, especially if we are blessed with rain. They compete

with our vegetable plants for water and nutrients, so pull or hoe them and throw

them in the compost bin before they have a chance to produce seed. Also add spent

plant material from your garden and fruit and vegetable waste from your kitchen

– this is a good way to minimize your personal contribution to the city’s landfills.  




                                    Coming Events
                       Cool Plants for the Shade Garden
                            Friday, April 9, 9:00-11:00 am

          Demonstration Garden at AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County

                           1600B Smith Rd., Austin TX  78721

Cool Plants for the Shade Garden is a free in-the-garden discussion.  See some of the shade

loving plants growing and learn about other perennials and annuals which require limited sun.

This seminar is free and open to the public.   It is presented by the Travis	

County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife	

Extension Service in Travis County. For information, see http://www.tcmastergar-

deners.org or call the Travis County Master Gardener’s help desk at (512) 854-9600.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                                                      Page 9



Hints from Wolf’s Garden - Companion Gardening
By Becky Waak

Part of planning our garden is determining which plants thrive when planted together

or perhaps which plants might help repel bugs, fungus, or other problems that confront

the gardener.  I love the idea that these wonderful living things have properties we

can use to enhance our gardens.  There are different kinds of companion gardening.  


The most common companion gardening technique is deterring pests.   Simply by	

planting a row of strong-smelling plants next to a row of vulnerable vegetables, you can

ward off many pests such as white fly and aphids.  Alliums (leeks, onions or garlic) mask

the smells of sweeter smelling vegetables, such as carrots and salad leaf crops, and deter

pests from attacking your vegetables.  Alliums also prevent fungal infections, so a row

of onions planted near strawberries helps prevent strawberries from developing mold.  


Basil and marigolds act as a natural insect repellent when planted among	

tomatoes, helping to ward off whitefly.   We have planted a new variety of	

marigold         at    the      greenhouse              this         year        that        is   supposed   to   repel	

nematodes.   We hope all of you will test this new variety.   And then it’s said that	

nettles attract cabbage white butterflies, keeping them away from the brassica crops.  


Did you know that tomato and asparagus are a dynamic duo?   There’s some-

thing about asparagus that tomato hornworms don’t like, and asparagus	

beetles avoid tomato plants.  Plant them together to rid both crops of their deadliest	

enemy.   If you can’t keep tomato hornworms out of your tomato patch, try	

planting         some         dill    nearby           as        a       trap         crop.  
                                                                                           	

Hornworms like dill better than	                 Tomato hornworm caterpillar Manduca
                                                 quinquemaculata parasitized by Braconidae
t o m a t o e s ,  a n d  t h e y ’ l l          wasp larvae. Photo by Stsmith


g o  e a t   t h a t  i n        s t e a d .
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                                           Page 10



Hints from Wolf’s Garden 					                                                    Continued ...


For     a    list    of   some    of     the      plants      that       grow        well       together,	

visit       http://www.companionplanting.net/ListofCompanionPlants.html.


Most plants have certain odors and root secretions that repel certain insects, but

some have more than others.   Plants that are universally “unappealing” to insects	

include marigolds, chrysanthemums, chives, onions, garlic, basil, horseradish, mint, and	

nasturtiums.  The more you have in your garden, the fewer pests you’ll have.  Be sure

to check the companion planting list above for plants that are not compatible as well.


Eventually natural predators and parasites will arrive at the feast you’ve	

provided.  Beneficial insects are a wonderful organic way to limit the damage of pests.  
                                                                                       	

Planting brightly colored flowers near your crops will attract a wide variety of	

insects to the garden.   Attracting ladybugs and lace-

wings to your garden will help reduce damage from

aphids.   The predators will lay their eggs on your

plants.   These will hatch into larvae which can each

eat up to 150 aphids per day.   Of course another	

benefit      of     planting   flowers       is   that     more

bees visiting your garden will result in more	

pollination which will lead to bigger yields of vege-

tables.   To attract beneficial insects, plant candytuft,	

cilantro, sunflowers, lavender, Echinacea, Phacelia, and	

buckwheat.  	         	    	     	       	        	      Above: Allium cepa var. proliferum (Walking Onion)


Sources of these companion gardening ideas include 1,001 Gardening Secrets by

Gayle K. Wood and the Editors of FC&A Publishing; and the websites 	

CompanionPlanting.net and GrowVeg.com.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                      Page 11



Home Invading Termites
By Wizzie Brown

Inspecting Your Home for Termites

While termites may not come to mind for gardeners, it is easy to keep an eye out for

signs of the damaging pest while you clear areas preparing for spring planting.

There are three main types of termites that can cause problems for homeowners

in Central Texas- formosan termites, subterranean termites (Fig. 1) and drywood	

termites.   While these termite each come with their own specific set of problems,

the first problem homeowners need to tackle is realizing that they have a termite	

infestation.




Fig 1. Subterranean termite workers and soldiers.


Tools and equipment you may need:

•	      Flashlight

•	      Ice pick or screwdriver

•	      Ladder
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                                                           Page 12



Termites 									                                                                             Continued ...


 •	      A floor plan of the structure (clipboard & pencil)

 Signs of infestation:

 •	      Presence of shelter (mud) tubes (Fig. 2) - looks like a mud-like substance of-

         ten going up the foundation; active tubes will have workers and/ or soldiers

         inside

 •	      Swarmer termites - termites swarm at different times but swarmers have

         four wings of equal shape and size, no pinched waist (differentiates them

         from ants) and straight antennae

 •	      Wings- termites often swarm to window and leave their wings behind on the

         sill

 •	      Damaged wood, sheetrock (Fig. 3), etc. - wood damage can be hidden under

         paint, wallpaper, etc.; termite damaged wood often contains soil deposits




 Fig 2. (above left) Shelter (mud) tube going up a foundation. Fig 3.(above right) Sheetrock damage due to termites.


 Where to look outside:
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                      Page 13



Termites 									                                                     Continued ...


•	    Foundation of the house & other structures- Look for mud tubes (Fig 1) or

      cracks in the foundation.  Any locations where the foundation is covered with

      soil should be noted.  Soil should be moved away from the area so the 	

      foundation is exposed.

•	    Attached porches (Fig. 4), patios, etc.

•	    Areas where pipes penetrate the structure (AC units, gas & electric services)-

      Look for wood decay and moisture problems.




                                                    Fig 4.  Attached porch


Where to look inside:

•	   Door & window facings (Fig. 5), baseboards, hardwood floors- Look for wood 	

     damage.

•	   Ceilings- Look for water damage.

•	   Foundation cracks or expansion joints- Look for termites or mud tubes.

•	   Plumbing areas (Fig. 6) - If no bath trap exists install a removable hatch so

     this area may be inspected periodically.

•	   Attic - Look for mud tubes, water leaks, rotting wood or water damage.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                                                                Page 14



Termites 									                                                                                   Continued ...


•	        Pier & beam areas (on pier & beam homes) - Look around piers for mud tubes

          or damage.




                                                                       Fig 5. Debris on a windowsill.


If you are not a do-it-yourself person, then call a pest management professional to

inspect your home for termites.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife

Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600.  Check out my blog at www.

urban-ipm.blogspot.com




                                                           Fig 6. Shelter (mud) tube going up plumbing.


The information given herein is for educational purposes only.  Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with
the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas AgriLife Extension Service or the TexasAgriL-
ife Research is implied.
Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national
origin.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                       Page 15



Master Garden Field Trip to Peckerwood Gardens
By Manda Rash

The day was bright and sunny and the air was crisp and cool…it was a beautiful day

for a garden tour.  A total of 18 Master Gardeners (15 from Travis County and 3 from

Williamson County) were treated to a very special afternoon at Peckerwood Garden.  


John          Fa i r e y                                     who has developed this

garden over the                                              last 39 years talked with

us about the his-                                            tory of the garden and its

d e v e l o p m e n t .                                      When he first purchased the

property         near                                        Hempstead in 1971 he

set     about        to                                      plant a more traditional

garden that focused on azaleas and camellias.   Following a devastating tornado in

1983 and a plant finding expedition to the mountains of Mexico in July 1988, his entire	

concept changed and the garden became what is known today as Peckerwood Garden.


The majority of the plants are rare and unusual specimens that were found

in the United States, Mexico and Asia.   Many of these plants are now	

available in nurseries because of the work of John, Lynn Lowrey and many others.


Plant material is introduced to the garden at a very early age and once established is not

pampered with regular watering or fertilizing.  Many sections of the garden do not have	

irrigation at all.   Peckerwood Garden is fortunate to have neutral soil that

you can actually dig in (wouldn’t it be nice?!) and the garden receives on	

average of 46 inches of rain.   However, like Austin they can receive all of

their rain in a very short period of time and go months without much at all.


Some specimens were lost this winter, others were damaged but will survive and many

did just fine.  The yuccas and agaves had some serious damage and were in the process
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                            Page 16



Peckerwood Gardens 							                                             Continued ...


of being cleaned up.  Some plants will be omitted from the garden because of their	

                                                      performance, which of course,

                                                      makes room for another plant-

                                                      ing   opportunity.   Chris,         our	

                                                      fabulous guide, told us that one

                                                      very large palm will be removed

                                                      to make way for an acacia tree.


                                                      I had visited Peckerwood one spring

                                                      a couple of years ago so it was very	

                                                      interesting to see the garden in	

                                                      winter.   A few specimens were	

actually blooming including a flowering apricot (the fruit is edible but it is not very tasty)	

according to Chris.  Even in dormancy the garden is lovely.  At this time of year, you can	

truly   see    the   “layers”     of   the    landscape      from    ground      covers    to

shrubs/small trees and large trees.   You really get a sense of the
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                                     Page 17



Peckerwood Gardens 							                                                      Continued ...


overall plan.  It is stunningly beautiful.

Following our garden tour we were allowed to shop from their selection of agaves,

yuccas, palms, sedums and much more that they had propagated from the plants in

the garden.  I came home with 4 lovely specimens including a cactus that is really

spineless.  They are very tiny now but I saw one of the older plants in the garden

and know that I will enjoy watching it grow.

If we have an opportunity to visit Peckerwood Garden again, I hope that some

of you who couldn’t make this trip will want to go along.   The garden is only

open by invitation and hosts some open days throughout the year.   To learn

more about this garden, visit the website at www.peckerwoodgarden.com.  



                   Left: Chris, our tour guide at Peckerwood Gardens


                                         A Celebration of Urban Birds
                                   Saturday, March 6, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm


                          Austin Nature & Science Center, 301 Nature Center Drive

                   Learn all about urban birds and celebrate their amazing pres-

                   ence in our city! Many on-going fun, family activities through-

                   out the event including bird walks, biodiversity survey, bird talks,

                   citizen science bird counts, bird of prey demonstration, kids bird

drawing and more. Please come join the fun and bring your family and friends!

Visit   www.keepaustinwild.com                    for     more         information   or   call   512-

327-8181      ext.     29     or     email        wildlife@ci.austin.tx.us           Presented      by	

Austin Parks and Recreation Department and Travis Audubon Society.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                       Page 18



Cellphone Gardening Apps
By Liz Caskey

Road Trip Via Computer This Month —  Using Gardening “Apps”


I’ve heard of smartphone applications or “apps” to perform functions, such as	

calculate tips, but I never imagined that there would

be one that could help me with gardening!    What

is an app?   It’s is fun or useful software that, in the

case of this article, works with an iPhone providing a	

specific function or information, such as weather, sports

or games.  The cost varies, but there are many free apps.


I’ve researched some iPhone/iTouch apps and dis-

cuss them below.   These apps do not work with	

other types of smartphone hardware, but you should

be able to do a web search for the apps that fit your	

device.  Many of these applications may be similar to those	

available on the iPhone, but will not be exactly the same.


To get started, I used key search words in the iTunes

app store like “garden,” “wildflowers,” “garden design,” and “Texas garden” to find

lists of gardening apps.   From the ones that looked promising, I then checked the	

reviews and a sample of the app appearance.  I found the reviews to be very help-

ful.  For instance, reviews for one app that I was interested in indicated that the app

frequently crashed.  I didn’t really want to pay for that, but I might check it out later,

in hopes that the problem is corrected.  Another app was rated only 2 out of 5 stars,

with most people rating it a 1 star.  Once again, I’ll keep that app in mind for later,

hoping for a better product.  I was also looking for an app to help me landscape some
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                             Page 19



Gardening Apps 								                                                  Continued...

of my beds.  I had heard that there were some that let you take a picture with your

phone and then “try out” plants from a database by inserting them into the picture.  

                                  Unfortunately, the apps I found did not receive very high	

                                  ratings, so once again, I will postpone purchasing them.


                                  These are the ones I chose:


                                  Floral Envi Free (free) This app has beautiful photo-

                                  graphs of flowers and is very relaxing.   Unfortunately,

                                  it was also an ad for the Floral Envi, which is not free.


                                  AllOrganic ($.99) This app lists restaurants, stores and

                                  farmers markets that feature organic items.  Sixteen cit-

                                  ies are preprogrammed, but it allows you to search by zip

                                  code and city too.  It also includes an awesome soil calcu-

lator in the “tool” section.  Once you select the length, width and depth to be filled, the soil	

calculator will figure out how much soil you need.  A handy shopping list page is also included.


Garden      Ideas     ($.99)    This   app    includes    videos,    narrated     by   Rebec-

ca Kolls, on topics such as “Growing a Pizza Garden,” “Creating a Bamboo	

Trellis” and “Growing Lettuce in a Pot.”   The videos are fun and include projects

that I would try in my garden.   Hopefully, they will add more videos in the future.


iLocate Gardening Supplies ($.99) This is my favorite garden app.  I love to stop and see

nurseries in cities that I visit and this allows me to enter a zip code and get a list of shops

in the area.  I wish it would provide a little information about the shops, since some didn’t

seem to fit the gardening theme.  Also, there are some listings that do not appear to be retail

businesses.  It provides the address and phone number and allows you to view the business
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                              Page 20



Gardening Apps		                   						                                  Continued...


location on the map.  Note: there is also an iLocate Plants app, but I did not purchase it.


Master Gardener ($.99)-I have been trying to figure out how to put together a database

of the plants in my gardens and this handy app seems to be the answer.  It allows you to

name the garden and catalog your plants.  It has a database of 30,000 plants, with useful

information.  Unfortunately, because of licensing problems, they were not able to include a

picture of each plant, but the app allows you to take a picture of a plant and upload it.  In ad-

dition, it includes a to-do list, which can be linked to each garden.  It also provides a journal.


Gardening News and Updates ($.99) This fun app helps you to stay

current on blogs and tips and trends in the gardening world.   I never seem to

take the time to access garden blogs, so I’m excited to now have them readily	

available.   This app allows you to include a link to your favorite blog.   Unfortunate-

ly, iPhone cannot always load the blog pages, depending on the size and/or how

the blog is formatted.   However, it includes an option to open the blog on the web.


Other apps that looked interesting, but I didn’t buy include: MyLite flashlight, for	

working late in the garden; Botanical Interests (one of the top rated garden

                              apps), a seed company with tons of information and

                              beautiful pictures and Audubon Texas Wildflowers.

                              Hopefully, this will inspire you to check out apps

                              that   will   help   and    inspire    you    in   your   garden.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                        Page 21



Designing Small Garden Spaces (Part Two)
By Anne Van Nest


For smaller gardens - Keep things small!  
Scale down ponds, benches, sculpture to sizes that fit the garden. The same	

impact can be made with smaller scaled items as with grandiose ones. To make

smaller scaled items appear even bigger - paint them bright colors like yellow,	

orange or red. An 8-person patio set (with oversized umbrella) that fills the entire back

garden is a valuable accessory for parties but not appropriate for small garden life.  

Use a couple of café or bistro tables for two instead so that there’s room to garden.  

An Abelia is a great shrub for a small garden. It has these wonderful glossy	

evergreen leaves and beautiful pinkish white bell-shaped blooms for most of the year.  

Manage your resources and use space conservatively
Space is a precious commodity in small gardens so be restrictive about how

you give it out. Tough decisions may have to be made about which plants can	

realistically fit into the garden. Avoid the “there always room for one more plant”	

syndrome or stick to annuals. Yes there is often lots of room just after planting but

not when perennials, shrubs or trees reach full size. Using space conservatively means

that you may have to make sacrifices and take your favorite tree or shrub off the	

planting list because they are “ground” hogs. Realizing the fact that the garden has

restrictions and some plants won’t make the cut is a key step in small garden design.  

A promising trend in the nursery industry has been to breed plants for smaller areas.  

Adapting the garden to hold miniature versions of your favorite plants is a good solution.  

Consider all the seasons
Like large gardens, smaller areas should reflect all four seasons and make the most of each

one. Plan for something of interest during all the months. A narrow front garden can have
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                       Page 22



Designing Small Garden Spaces			                              Continued ...




tulips and narcissus that are a colorful start to the season. Coleus and other groundcover

annuals can follow through the beginning of the summer and drought-tolerant Gazanias for

the end of the summer. Snapdragons and dianthus can carry on into the winter with pansies.

Use layers
Consider the upper storey tree layer, the mid layer of shrubs and the ground	

level layer of perennials, annuals and bulbs. All three of these layers can hold

plants. The most action is in the lowest layer that can have a different show for

every season. Consider using perennials as groundcovers to increase the	

excitement in the garden. Don’t waste space on boring traditional groundcov-

ers in a small space when so many other small stature plants will do better.

Look at forms
Plants that grow low and wide are highly prized in the garden but they take up too

much valuable ground level space. Plants like this that are low and wide are not	

going to allow for many layers. Reach for the sky and choose high and wide instead.

Use borrowed views and landscapes
To take advantage of anything that you can — think about what you can use

that is beyond the garden. One easy tip is to use your neighbor’s trees as part of

your landscape. Design your garden as if the space were bigger. Just a small	

opening, big enough for one person, is all that is needed to open up a dramatic	

vista view of someone else’s landscape. Half the fun is pretending that it is all yours.  

Use plants as screens
Smaller city gardens have more unwanted views to contend with than larger	

gardens. Ugly buildings, nosy neighbors, noisy highways, power lines, signs,	

parking lots, the list goes on and on.  Use plants to block out the sight (and reduce the
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                              Page 23



Designing Small Garden Spaces			                                   Continued ...


sound) from these ugly views. Tall upright perennials such as Salvia along a drive are

very good at blocking a view of a neighbor.  Other plants like ornamental grasses and

Dwarf clumping bamboo will also create great living screens.

Use colors to your advantage
Small amounts of bold reds, yellows and oranges have a huge impact. Use cool	

colors in a narrow space or along the perimeter to make the garden appear	

larger than it really is. Cool colors recede, while warm colors come forward. Balance

the quantities of color, because a little yellow goes a long way especially in a small	

garden. Also remember the smaller the space the fewer the colors that should be used.  

Use several mediums
Think about the number of different construction materials that are in a small	

garden. Having diverse materials such as stone, wood, brick, metal, and	

ceramic is fine up to a point but don’t use too many different ones. Small gardens are	

usually not large enough to hold more than three of these types of materials comfortably.

Focus on textures
Look at the amount of coarse and fine textures that there are in the garden.   oarse textures come
                                                                             C

toward the viewer and close in.   hile fine textures expand the garden by making it seem larger.
                                W

Use magic
Think about using shiny surfaces, mirrors and reflection to expand the area and make

it look larger. The reflection of plants on water can greatly enlarge the feel of a garden.

Use angles
Angles can be used to make a garden appear larger.   A small garden	

between two buildings can appear at least two times larger because of the	

angles used in the centre.    The journey to the end of the garden will take	

longer and the view will be more interesting when angles are incorporated into
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                           Page 24



Designing Small Garden Spaces			                                Continued ...


the design. Another garden illusion tip is to hide part of the garden from view.  

Plant intensively
Consider the good old gardening tradition of mixing plant groups.  Put annuals, perennials,

vegetables, shrubs and vines together in the garden.  Small gardens do not have room to

keep everything separate.  Besides the surprise of finding vegetables with perennials is quite

fun. Imagine the surprise of finding ‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard, roses and rosemary together.	

Companion planting aside, putting annuals with vegetables makes aesthetically pleas-

ing gardens.

Goodbye Lawn, Hello Garden
Small gardens don’t have the space to waste on lawns!

Prune to your heart’s content
Learn to sculpt to keep plants in bounds.  Sometimes this is the only way to grow what

you want to grow in the space that you have. Pruning shrubs does not have to be dull

geometric shapes. Try some fun by trimming a rosemary into a seal (complete with ball).

Use prospective
Narrow a path as it retreats to make it appear that the distance is greater. Make the	

journey interesting along the way (no matter what length the path). Hide the end of the

path from view to increase the mystery about what might be around the turn of the path.  

Plant vegetables above ground
No space for a vegetable garden then grow them in containers. Now	

vegetables can be grown where they have never been grown before. If you don’t

have room for the full sized version of a vegetable, grow the miniature one.

Design using all the vertical spaces
Buildings, walls, and fences are excellent spaces for adding plants. Use window boxes,

wall bags and half pots to grow plants in mid-air. Also consider vines on a fence or wall.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                           Page 25



Designing Small Garden Spaces			                                Continued ...


Each one takes up less than 1 foot of ground space. Espalier is the technique of growing

and training plants so that they are flat against a wall or fence. It is a great space saver.  



So to deal with a small area and still have a rewarding garden, use all your space	

wisely. Use both the horizontal and vertical surfaces. Don’t think a small garden is

a liability. Gardening in containers opens up many possibilities. Grow plants where

they have never been grown before. Most importantly, be creative and have fun.



                                     Coming Events
    4th Annual A Passion For Plants: An East Austin Garden Fair
                      Saturday, March 20, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

                Govalle Park, 5200 Bolm Road, just East of Airport Blvd.

Govalle Park will once again be the site of A Passion for Plants: An East Austin Garden
Fair on the last weekend of Spring Break.   The theme of the fourth annual fair is
“Gardening the Earth-Kind Way”.  This FREE public gardening event will feature hands-
on demonstrations of how to dig a garden bed, harvest rain water, grow fruits and
vegetables organically, create wildlife food and shelter, start plants from cuttings and
seeds, and how to cut back on chemicals that harm our environment and ourselves.  
Come for the free advice from our on-site experts to answer all of your gardening
questions, for tips on living healthier and happier, and for fun educational activities for
kids to get them out in nature in your own back yard!  Visit our booths and get a free
plant!  Get ready for Spring with all the free information you need to start your own
Earth-Kind garden, whether it’s one plant in a pot or a whole yard full, and then relax
with a free massage!

Hosted by Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Travis County Master Gardeners Association,
the Sustainable Food Center, the Green Corn Project, and the Holistic Education and
Health Network.

Call the Texas AgriLife Extension Service at 854-9600 for more information
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                     Page 26



 Coming Events




                                DIY Pond Building
                        Wednesday, April 28, 7:00-9:00 pm

                                Zilker Botanical Garden

                          2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin TX  


 Always dreamt of a little pond in your yard?  Not only can you have one but you can

 build-it-yourself.  Come attend this free seminar and learn step-by-step lessons on the

 basics of building a pond yourself.  This seminar will help you determine the supplies

 and equipment needed for the job, gather information about pond plants, and deter-

 mine which fish will do well in your pond.  In addition, hear instructions on general

 pond maintenance, installing pond lighting and how to prevent unwanted critters in

 your pond. This seminar is free and open to the public.  It is presented by the Travis

 County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension

 Service in Travis County. For more details, see http://www.tcmastergardeners.org.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                                            Page 27



 Coming Events 	 	                 	         	    	        	         	        	       Continued ...

 Heart O' Texas Orchid Society's 39th Annual Orchid Show & Sale,
                                        "Easter Orchids"

                                   April 3rd & 4th, 2010

                             Zilker Botanical Gardens Center

               2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746 (512) 477-8672

Show & Plant Sale : 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday & 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday.


This year we are very proud to present the 39th Annual Orchid Show here in Aus-

tin. Orchids are Mother Nature at her best, so come join us and check out all the	

beautiful orchids that will be on display. There will also be hundreds of blooming	

orchids for sale, as well as helpful information for growing these beautiful plants from

vendors and society members. Need flowers for Easter...orchids are becoming one

of the most popular flowers in the U.S. , so why not get an orchid this year for that	

special occasion. Admission to the event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

For   a   complete      schedule       of   events,   or       for   more         information,         please	

contact: Geoffrey Frost, 1011 Strickland Drive. Austin, TX 78748-4847

Te l e p h o n e    (512)         413-3199;            e-mail                 geoffreylfrost@ya-

hoo.com),          or     visit        our       web-site:               h t t p : / / w w w. h o t o s . o r g /


                            53rd Zilker Garden Festival
                                   March 27-28, 2010
                                   Zilker Botanical Garden

              2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746 (512) 477-8672

Support the TCMGA by buying your Zilker Garden Festival tickets from
Joe Posern at the next meeting only $3 each ($5 at the gate)
Volunteers still needed to fill many positions.  Contact Cheryl McGrath for
details.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                       Page 28



 Coming Events 	 	               	    	     	     	      	      	    Continued ...


             Gardening For Butterflies and Hummingbirds
                       Friday May 7, 2010, 1:00 - 2:30 pm

         Demonstration Garden at AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County

                         1600B Smith Rd., Austin TX  78721



Gardening    for   Butterflies   &   Hummingbirds      is    appropriate   for   anyone	

wanting to incorporate the correct plants into the garden to attract these beau-

ties into your surroundings.   Learn plant foods sources, host plants, and	

nesting places for the most common butterflies and hummingbirds in Central Texas.


This seminar is free and open to the public.   It is presented by the Tra-

vis County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife	

Extension Service in Travis County. For information, see http://www.tcmastergar-

deners.org or call the Travis County Master Gardener’s help desk at (512) 854-9600.


                     How To Create a Wildlife Habitat
                    Saturday May 22, 2010, 9:00 - 11:00 am

         Demonstration Garden at AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County

                       1600B Smith Rd., Austin TX  78721
Learn how to attract butterflies, birds, insects, toads, etc. by utilizing plants which

create food, cover, places to raise young and water.  A Master Naturalist volunteer will

lead the discussion.  This seminar is free and open to the public.  It is presented by

the Travis County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriL-

ife Extension Service in Travis County. For information, see http://www.tcmastergar-

deners.org or call the Travis County Master Gardener’s help desk at (512) 854-9600.
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                       Page 29



           TRAVIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION
                        2010 EXECUTIVE BOARD

Carolyn Williams, President                    *The position of Director of Publications

Manda Rash, Immediate Past President           remains open
                                                   Past Presidents (Non-voting):
Rosalie Russell, Vice President for Programs

Vicki Blachman, Co-Vice President for Edu-
                                                    Bill Baldwin
cation
                                                    Bill Boytim
Bonnie Martin, Co-Vice President for Edu-
                                                    Susan Cashin
cation
                                                    Tommie Clayton
Cheryl McGrath, Volunteer Coordinator for
                                                    Susan Decker
Projects
                                                    Don Freeman
Sherrill Nilson, Co-Volunteer Coordinator
                                                    Manda Rash
for Trainees
                                               	    Peggy Stewart
Pat Mokry, Co-Volunteer Coordinator for
                                               	    Becky Waak
Trainees
                                               	    Will Walker
Susan Jung, Secretary

Marty Berdan, Treasurer

Janet Newton, Membership Director

Dorothy Akin, Greenhouse Manager

Chris Giaraffa, Greenhouse Manager

Vicki Olson, Greenhouse Manager

Joe Posern, Austin Area Garden Council

Representative

Jo Kautz, State Council Representative

Tommie         Clayton,   State    Council	

Representative
The Compost Bin March 2010		                                                            Page 30



Ex Officio Member of the Board

(Non-voting):

Texas AgriLife Extension Travis County

Horticulture Agent

Daphne Richards

1600-B Smith Road, Austin, Texas 78721

512-854-9600   drichards@ag.tamu.edu




This issue of the Compost Bin has been published thanks to the
contributions of the following Travis County Master Gardeners and Wizzie
Brown - Texas AgriLife Extension Service...
                                             Editor and Layout:
Contributing Writers:	                       Anne Van Nest
 Wizzie Brown
 Liz Caskey                                  Webmaster:
                                             Paula Middleton
 Patty Leander
 Manda Rash
 Rosalie Russell                         © 2010 Travis County Master Gardeners Association
 Anne Van Nest                               512-854-9600
                                            
 Becky Waak                                  Visit the websites: www.tcmastergardeners.org and
                                             http://travis-tx.tamu.edu
 Carolyn Williams




 The End...

 Time to Get Gardening!

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Companion Gardening - Travis County Master Gardeners, Austin, Texas

  • 1. The Compost Bin March 2010 A Publication of the Travis County Master Gardeners - a volunteer program of Texas AgriLife Extension. Guest Presenter... Matt Welch on Plants for Sequential Blooms In this issue... In the Vegetable Garden Peckerwood Gardens Termites Cellphone Gardening Apps Hints from Wolf’s Garden Designing Small Garden Part 2 President’s Message
  • 2. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 2 Inside this Issue.... • February Meeting Speaker - Matt Welch ..... Page 2 • The President’s Message ..... Page 4 • In the Vegetable Garden ..... Page 6 • Hints from Wolf’s Garden ..... Page 9 • Termites ..... Page 11 • Peckerwood Garden visit ..... Page 15 • Gardening Cellphone Apps ..... Page 18 • Designing Small Gardens (Part Two) ..... Page 21 • Coming Events ..... Page 26 • 2010 TCMGA Board ..... Page 29 • Compost Bin Contributors ..... Page 30 March Meeting Speaker — Matt Welch On Plants for Sequential Blooms Do you want year around color in your garden? Planting for Sequential Blooms by Matt Welch will help you learn plants which will fill the color voids. He’ll include examples of plants for full sun, some shade and full shade conditions with an emphasis on plants requiring lower amounts of water. After earning a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA), Matt moved to Raleigh, NC to work as head propagator at Taylor’s Nursery, a wholesale grower. After two years working at Taylor’s and living at Plant Delights Nursery, a specialty mail order nursery, Matt moved back to Texas to help build the Ruby Mize Azalea Garden on the campus of Stephen F. Austin. After two years as Azalea Garden Technician he began construction of the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, also on the SFA campus, which fueled his fascination for native plants and their habitats, and led to a year of graduate work in plant ecology. Later, Matt partnered up with garden writer Greg Grant and gardening friend Bill
  • 3. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 3 Jobe to build Naconiche Gardens, a retail destination nursery specializing in heirloom, hardy and hard-to-find plants. As nursery/garden manager and head of the landscape division, Matt saw the small nursery grow from flat spot to 2 acres of display gardens, greenhouses, retail space and lecture barn which featured guest speaker authors Joe Liggio, Felder Rushing, David Creech, and Greg Grant. Since moving to Austin four years ago, Matt has managed a tree farm and worked as manager/special events coordinator at The Great Outdoors. He’s written many plant articles and given lectures on subjects ranging from container gardening to prehistoric plants to great bulbs for southern gardens. Currently, Matt owns Plantsmith Gardens, a garden design/landscap- ing company he runs with his fiancée Meagan and his dog, Merle. Please thank Hella Holoubeck for suggesting this topic! Carolyn Williams deserves the credit for suggesting the first two speakers this year, Carol Ann Sayle of Boggy Creek Farms and Keith Amelung owner of Heirloom- TomatoesofTexas.com and Have Spade, Will Travel Landscape & Consulting. Meeting information: Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 starting at 7 pm. Zilker Botanical Garden
  • 4. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 4 Hello Master Gardeners: A Message From Your President Spring Needs to be Sprouting! Texans do not appreciate nor are we fans of a long winter! No indeed, we need a sign of the upcoming spring around here…fast! Daffodil and iris blooms, redbuds and Lady Banks roses all in their beautiful spring colors will soon make their appearance. We head outdoors to work in new compost, plant those early spring veggies, prune and fertilize our roses and break in our new trowels. Is there anything any better than the smell of freshly turned soil?! Yes, gardeners need springtime! We have experienced a brutal past summer (even by old Texans’ standards), a glorious autumn with much needed rains that have lasted through this cold winter. Now, with springtime approaching, the rains should help provide us with a marvelous showing of beautiful Texas wildflowers. If you have never experienced the drive of the Willow City Loop (right outside of Johnson City), give yourself a treat and plan on it this year. You will be amazed at what the Texas Hill Country can provide in the way of beauty! Another way to celebrate spring is to volunteer for one or more of the sev- eral upcoming March events. First is the East Austin Garden Fair, “Gardening the Earth-Kind Way”, on Saturday, March 20th. Contact: Manda Rash, manda- rash@austin.rr.com. Followed by Zilker Garden Festival on Saturday, March 27th and Sunday, March 28th. Contact Cheryl McGrath, mcgmil@sbcglobal.net. Our greenhouse staff is working diligently and can always use a pair of extra hands in getting ready for both of these events. Watch for their announcements asking for volunteers. The Demonstration Garden at the AgriLife Extension Office is also gearing up and looking for volunteers. So, springtime is approaching and much work is needed. All of us need to “pitch in” and volunteer wherever we can to make it all work!
  • 5. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 5 The President’s Message Continued... Big thanks go out to two of our members: Becky Waak, computer guru, who worked tireless- ly on several projects regarding our membership reporting forms and rosters. Also to Mike McGiffin, Speakers’ Bureau, who has worked diligently through numerous long meetings to upgrade and update our speakers’ outreach program. Job well done Becky and Mike!! Savor the sweet smell of spring’s early delights, volunteer to help our organization and enjoy your garden. Happy Springtime! Carolyn Williams, President Heads Up! After The April Meeting... Garden to Garden Plant Exchange Hate to throw away all of those extra plants that have sprouted in your garden or do you just want to exchange them for new plants? Pot up your extras and bring them to the plant and garden-related exchange, which will be held immediately after the April meeting (next month.) Make sure your plants, seeds and cuttings are well labeled. If you have extra garden magazines, there will be plenty of takers at the meeting also. Don’t forget to bring plastic bags, boxes or flats to take your new plants home. Baggies and labels are also needed. We need some volunteers to stay and help with clean-up, too. Also, please plan to take any of your extra items back home. We also want to say a big “thank you!” to Roxane Smith for heading up this most popular plant exchange for the past few years and for keeping it going so efficiently. Liz Caskey & Frankie Hart
  • 6. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 6 In The Vegetable Garden By Patty Leander It’s go time, vegetable gardeners! In March, we generally see nighttime temperatures in the high 40’s and lower 50’s and daytime temperatures in the 60’s – perfect “working in the garden” weather. And more importantly, our last frost usually comes this month, and soil temperatures will begin to warm up which means quicker germination and growth. If your garden space is limited, now is a good time to harvest most of your cool-season crops to make room for new plantings. Turn the soil and mix in a 1-2” layer of compost, removing weeds as you go and forming a smooth, level surface for planting. One half to three fourths cup of garden fertilizer (like 15-5-10) can be added per 10’ of row; if you are using an organic fertilizer (like 8-2-4 or 6-2-2) double the amount since it is lower in nitrogen. These are general recommendations; a soil test is the best way to determine your soil’s specific fertility requirements. Once you have your garden bed prepared and ready to go, take a moment to stand back and contemplate your work. A freshly prepared garden bed, amended with organic matter, soaking up the sunshine and teeming w i t h microbes is the foundation for a successful garden season! Heat-loving vegetables like okra, sweet potatoes and Southern peas should be planted next month, but most warm season vegetables can, and should, be planted this
  • 7. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 7 In The Vegetable Garden Continued... month as they don’t take the scorching heat of a Texas summer very well. The key to a successful spring garden is to plant early and harvest before the inferno takes hold. We have been known to have a blast of freezing weather even in April, so be prepared to protect your young plants with row cover, sheets, hot caps or boxes. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant take a long time to reach maturity and should be planted from transplants, but the other spring crops can easily be planted from seed. Transplants should be hardened off by gradually exposing them to the outdoor environment over a 4-5 day period before planting in the garden. Water them in with a dilute fertilizer. If you feel like taking a gamble, set a few tomato transplants out early in the month; wrap the cages with plastic or row cover to protect from cold weather and strong winds. Check out the ‘Gardens and Orchards’ heading of the Central Texas Horticulture website, http:aggie- horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/index.htm, f o r recommended vegetable varieties and planting dates. If you planted onions in J a n u a r y, be sure to keep them watered and weeded; potatoes that were planted in February should be hilled up this month with soil or mulch. Weeds are
  • 8. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 8 In The Vegetable Garden Continued... abundant this time of year, especially if we are blessed with rain. They compete with our vegetable plants for water and nutrients, so pull or hoe them and throw them in the compost bin before they have a chance to produce seed. Also add spent plant material from your garden and fruit and vegetable waste from your kitchen – this is a good way to minimize your personal contribution to the city’s landfills. Coming Events Cool Plants for the Shade Garden Friday, April 9, 9:00-11:00 am Demonstration Garden at AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County 1600B Smith Rd., Austin TX 78721 Cool Plants for the Shade Garden is a free in-the-garden discussion. See some of the shade loving plants growing and learn about other perennials and annuals which require limited sun. This seminar is free and open to the public. It is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County. For information, see http://www.tcmastergar- deners.org or call the Travis County Master Gardener’s help desk at (512) 854-9600.
  • 9. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 9 Hints from Wolf’s Garden - Companion Gardening By Becky Waak Part of planning our garden is determining which plants thrive when planted together or perhaps which plants might help repel bugs, fungus, or other problems that confront the gardener. I love the idea that these wonderful living things have properties we can use to enhance our gardens. There are different kinds of companion gardening. The most common companion gardening technique is deterring pests. Simply by planting a row of strong-smelling plants next to a row of vulnerable vegetables, you can ward off many pests such as white fly and aphids. Alliums (leeks, onions or garlic) mask the smells of sweeter smelling vegetables, such as carrots and salad leaf crops, and deter pests from attacking your vegetables. Alliums also prevent fungal infections, so a row of onions planted near strawberries helps prevent strawberries from developing mold. Basil and marigolds act as a natural insect repellent when planted among tomatoes, helping to ward off whitefly. We have planted a new variety of marigold at the greenhouse this year that is supposed to repel nematodes. We hope all of you will test this new variety. And then it’s said that nettles attract cabbage white butterflies, keeping them away from the brassica crops. Did you know that tomato and asparagus are a dynamic duo? There’s some- thing about asparagus that tomato hornworms don’t like, and asparagus beetles avoid tomato plants. Plant them together to rid both crops of their deadliest enemy. If you can’t keep tomato hornworms out of your tomato patch, try planting some dill nearby as a trap crop. Hornworms like dill better than Tomato hornworm caterpillar Manduca quinquemaculata parasitized by Braconidae t o m a t o e s ,  a n d  t h e y ’ l l wasp larvae. Photo by Stsmith g o  e a t   t h a t  i n   s t e a d .
  • 10. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 10 Hints from Wolf’s Garden Continued ... For a list of some of the plants that grow well together, visit http://www.companionplanting.net/ListofCompanionPlants.html. Most plants have certain odors and root secretions that repel certain insects, but some have more than others. Plants that are universally “unappealing” to insects include marigolds, chrysanthemums, chives, onions, garlic, basil, horseradish, mint, and nasturtiums. The more you have in your garden, the fewer pests you’ll have. Be sure to check the companion planting list above for plants that are not compatible as well. Eventually natural predators and parasites will arrive at the feast you’ve provided. Beneficial insects are a wonderful organic way to limit the damage of pests. Planting brightly colored flowers near your crops will attract a wide variety of insects to the garden. Attracting ladybugs and lace- wings to your garden will help reduce damage from aphids. The predators will lay their eggs on your plants. These will hatch into larvae which can each eat up to 150 aphids per day. Of course another benefit of planting flowers is that more bees visiting your garden will result in more pollination which will lead to bigger yields of vege- tables. To attract beneficial insects, plant candytuft, cilantro, sunflowers, lavender, Echinacea, Phacelia, and buckwheat. Above: Allium cepa var. proliferum (Walking Onion) Sources of these companion gardening ideas include 1,001 Gardening Secrets by Gayle K. Wood and the Editors of FC&A Publishing; and the websites CompanionPlanting.net and GrowVeg.com.
  • 11. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 11 Home Invading Termites By Wizzie Brown Inspecting Your Home for Termites While termites may not come to mind for gardeners, it is easy to keep an eye out for signs of the damaging pest while you clear areas preparing for spring planting. There are three main types of termites that can cause problems for homeowners in Central Texas- formosan termites, subterranean termites (Fig. 1) and drywood termites. While these termite each come with their own specific set of problems, the first problem homeowners need to tackle is realizing that they have a termite infestation. Fig 1. Subterranean termite workers and soldiers. Tools and equipment you may need: • Flashlight • Ice pick or screwdriver • Ladder
  • 12. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 12 Termites Continued ... • A floor plan of the structure (clipboard & pencil) Signs of infestation: • Presence of shelter (mud) tubes (Fig. 2) - looks like a mud-like substance of- ten going up the foundation; active tubes will have workers and/ or soldiers inside • Swarmer termites - termites swarm at different times but swarmers have four wings of equal shape and size, no pinched waist (differentiates them from ants) and straight antennae • Wings- termites often swarm to window and leave their wings behind on the sill • Damaged wood, sheetrock (Fig. 3), etc. - wood damage can be hidden under paint, wallpaper, etc.; termite damaged wood often contains soil deposits Fig 2. (above left) Shelter (mud) tube going up a foundation. Fig 3.(above right) Sheetrock damage due to termites. Where to look outside:
  • 13. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 13 Termites Continued ... • Foundation of the house & other structures- Look for mud tubes (Fig 1) or cracks in the foundation. Any locations where the foundation is covered with soil should be noted. Soil should be moved away from the area so the foundation is exposed. • Attached porches (Fig. 4), patios, etc. • Areas where pipes penetrate the structure (AC units, gas & electric services)- Look for wood decay and moisture problems. Fig 4. Attached porch Where to look inside: • Door & window facings (Fig. 5), baseboards, hardwood floors- Look for wood damage. • Ceilings- Look for water damage. • Foundation cracks or expansion joints- Look for termites or mud tubes. • Plumbing areas (Fig. 6) - If no bath trap exists install a removable hatch so this area may be inspected periodically. • Attic - Look for mud tubes, water leaks, rotting wood or water damage.
  • 14. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 14 Termites Continued ... • Pier & beam areas (on pier & beam homes) - Look around piers for mud tubes or damage. Fig 5. Debris on a windowsill. If you are not a do-it-yourself person, then call a pest management professional to inspect your home for termites. For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check out my blog at www. urban-ipm.blogspot.com Fig 6. Shelter (mud) tube going up plumbing. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas AgriLife Extension Service or the TexasAgriL- ife Research is implied. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.
  • 15. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 15 Master Garden Field Trip to Peckerwood Gardens By Manda Rash The day was bright and sunny and the air was crisp and cool…it was a beautiful day for a garden tour. A total of 18 Master Gardeners (15 from Travis County and 3 from Williamson County) were treated to a very special afternoon at Peckerwood Garden. John Fa i r e y who has developed this garden over the last 39 years talked with us about the his- tory of the garden and its d e v e l o p m e n t . When he first purchased the property near Hempstead in 1971 he set about to plant a more traditional garden that focused on azaleas and camellias. Following a devastating tornado in 1983 and a plant finding expedition to the mountains of Mexico in July 1988, his entire concept changed and the garden became what is known today as Peckerwood Garden. The majority of the plants are rare and unusual specimens that were found in the United States, Mexico and Asia. Many of these plants are now available in nurseries because of the work of John, Lynn Lowrey and many others. Plant material is introduced to the garden at a very early age and once established is not pampered with regular watering or fertilizing. Many sections of the garden do not have irrigation at all. Peckerwood Garden is fortunate to have neutral soil that you can actually dig in (wouldn’t it be nice?!) and the garden receives on average of 46 inches of rain. However, like Austin they can receive all of their rain in a very short period of time and go months without much at all. Some specimens were lost this winter, others were damaged but will survive and many did just fine. The yuccas and agaves had some serious damage and were in the process
  • 16. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 16 Peckerwood Gardens Continued ... of being cleaned up. Some plants will be omitted from the garden because of their performance, which of course, makes room for another plant- ing opportunity. Chris, our fabulous guide, told us that one very large palm will be removed to make way for an acacia tree. I had visited Peckerwood one spring a couple of years ago so it was very interesting to see the garden in winter. A few specimens were actually blooming including a flowering apricot (the fruit is edible but it is not very tasty) according to Chris. Even in dormancy the garden is lovely. At this time of year, you can truly see the “layers” of the landscape from ground covers to shrubs/small trees and large trees. You really get a sense of the
  • 17. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 17 Peckerwood Gardens Continued ... overall plan. It is stunningly beautiful. Following our garden tour we were allowed to shop from their selection of agaves, yuccas, palms, sedums and much more that they had propagated from the plants in the garden. I came home with 4 lovely specimens including a cactus that is really spineless. They are very tiny now but I saw one of the older plants in the garden and know that I will enjoy watching it grow. If we have an opportunity to visit Peckerwood Garden again, I hope that some of you who couldn’t make this trip will want to go along. The garden is only open by invitation and hosts some open days throughout the year. To learn more about this garden, visit the website at www.peckerwoodgarden.com. Left: Chris, our tour guide at Peckerwood Gardens A Celebration of Urban Birds Saturday, March 6, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Austin Nature & Science Center, 301 Nature Center Drive Learn all about urban birds and celebrate their amazing pres- ence in our city! Many on-going fun, family activities through- out the event including bird walks, biodiversity survey, bird talks, citizen science bird counts, bird of prey demonstration, kids bird drawing and more. Please come join the fun and bring your family and friends! Visit www.keepaustinwild.com for more information or call 512- 327-8181 ext. 29 or email wildlife@ci.austin.tx.us Presented by Austin Parks and Recreation Department and Travis Audubon Society.
  • 18. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 18 Cellphone Gardening Apps By Liz Caskey Road Trip Via Computer This Month — Using Gardening “Apps” I’ve heard of smartphone applications or “apps” to perform functions, such as calculate tips, but I never imagined that there would be one that could help me with gardening! What is an app? It’s is fun or useful software that, in the case of this article, works with an iPhone providing a specific function or information, such as weather, sports or games. The cost varies, but there are many free apps. I’ve researched some iPhone/iTouch apps and dis- cuss them below. These apps do not work with other types of smartphone hardware, but you should be able to do a web search for the apps that fit your device. Many of these applications may be similar to those available on the iPhone, but will not be exactly the same. To get started, I used key search words in the iTunes app store like “garden,” “wildflowers,” “garden design,” and “Texas garden” to find lists of gardening apps. From the ones that looked promising, I then checked the reviews and a sample of the app appearance. I found the reviews to be very help- ful. For instance, reviews for one app that I was interested in indicated that the app frequently crashed. I didn’t really want to pay for that, but I might check it out later, in hopes that the problem is corrected. Another app was rated only 2 out of 5 stars, with most people rating it a 1 star. Once again, I’ll keep that app in mind for later, hoping for a better product. I was also looking for an app to help me landscape some
  • 19. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 19 Gardening Apps Continued... of my beds. I had heard that there were some that let you take a picture with your phone and then “try out” plants from a database by inserting them into the picture. Unfortunately, the apps I found did not receive very high ratings, so once again, I will postpone purchasing them. These are the ones I chose: Floral Envi Free (free) This app has beautiful photo- graphs of flowers and is very relaxing. Unfortunately, it was also an ad for the Floral Envi, which is not free. AllOrganic ($.99) This app lists restaurants, stores and farmers markets that feature organic items. Sixteen cit- ies are preprogrammed, but it allows you to search by zip code and city too. It also includes an awesome soil calcu- lator in the “tool” section. Once you select the length, width and depth to be filled, the soil calculator will figure out how much soil you need. A handy shopping list page is also included. Garden Ideas ($.99) This app includes videos, narrated by Rebec- ca Kolls, on topics such as “Growing a Pizza Garden,” “Creating a Bamboo Trellis” and “Growing Lettuce in a Pot.” The videos are fun and include projects that I would try in my garden. Hopefully, they will add more videos in the future. iLocate Gardening Supplies ($.99) This is my favorite garden app. I love to stop and see nurseries in cities that I visit and this allows me to enter a zip code and get a list of shops in the area. I wish it would provide a little information about the shops, since some didn’t seem to fit the gardening theme. Also, there are some listings that do not appear to be retail businesses. It provides the address and phone number and allows you to view the business
  • 20. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 20 Gardening Apps Continued... location on the map. Note: there is also an iLocate Plants app, but I did not purchase it. Master Gardener ($.99)-I have been trying to figure out how to put together a database of the plants in my gardens and this handy app seems to be the answer. It allows you to name the garden and catalog your plants. It has a database of 30,000 plants, with useful information. Unfortunately, because of licensing problems, they were not able to include a picture of each plant, but the app allows you to take a picture of a plant and upload it. In ad- dition, it includes a to-do list, which can be linked to each garden. It also provides a journal. Gardening News and Updates ($.99) This fun app helps you to stay current on blogs and tips and trends in the gardening world. I never seem to take the time to access garden blogs, so I’m excited to now have them readily available. This app allows you to include a link to your favorite blog. Unfortunate- ly, iPhone cannot always load the blog pages, depending on the size and/or how the blog is formatted. However, it includes an option to open the blog on the web. Other apps that looked interesting, but I didn’t buy include: MyLite flashlight, for working late in the garden; Botanical Interests (one of the top rated garden apps), a seed company with tons of information and beautiful pictures and Audubon Texas Wildflowers. Hopefully, this will inspire you to check out apps that will help and inspire you in your garden.
  • 21. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 21 Designing Small Garden Spaces (Part Two) By Anne Van Nest For smaller gardens - Keep things small! Scale down ponds, benches, sculpture to sizes that fit the garden. The same impact can be made with smaller scaled items as with grandiose ones. To make smaller scaled items appear even bigger - paint them bright colors like yellow, orange or red. An 8-person patio set (with oversized umbrella) that fills the entire back garden is a valuable accessory for parties but not appropriate for small garden life. Use a couple of café or bistro tables for two instead so that there’s room to garden. An Abelia is a great shrub for a small garden. It has these wonderful glossy evergreen leaves and beautiful pinkish white bell-shaped blooms for most of the year. Manage your resources and use space conservatively Space is a precious commodity in small gardens so be restrictive about how you give it out. Tough decisions may have to be made about which plants can realistically fit into the garden. Avoid the “there always room for one more plant” syndrome or stick to annuals. Yes there is often lots of room just after planting but not when perennials, shrubs or trees reach full size. Using space conservatively means that you may have to make sacrifices and take your favorite tree or shrub off the planting list because they are “ground” hogs. Realizing the fact that the garden has restrictions and some plants won’t make the cut is a key step in small garden design. A promising trend in the nursery industry has been to breed plants for smaller areas. Adapting the garden to hold miniature versions of your favorite plants is a good solution. Consider all the seasons Like large gardens, smaller areas should reflect all four seasons and make the most of each one. Plan for something of interest during all the months. A narrow front garden can have
  • 22. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 22 Designing Small Garden Spaces Continued ... tulips and narcissus that are a colorful start to the season. Coleus and other groundcover annuals can follow through the beginning of the summer and drought-tolerant Gazanias for the end of the summer. Snapdragons and dianthus can carry on into the winter with pansies. Use layers Consider the upper storey tree layer, the mid layer of shrubs and the ground level layer of perennials, annuals and bulbs. All three of these layers can hold plants. The most action is in the lowest layer that can have a different show for every season. Consider using perennials as groundcovers to increase the excitement in the garden. Don’t waste space on boring traditional groundcov- ers in a small space when so many other small stature plants will do better. Look at forms Plants that grow low and wide are highly prized in the garden but they take up too much valuable ground level space. Plants like this that are low and wide are not going to allow for many layers. Reach for the sky and choose high and wide instead. Use borrowed views and landscapes To take advantage of anything that you can — think about what you can use that is beyond the garden. One easy tip is to use your neighbor’s trees as part of your landscape. Design your garden as if the space were bigger. Just a small opening, big enough for one person, is all that is needed to open up a dramatic vista view of someone else’s landscape. Half the fun is pretending that it is all yours. Use plants as screens Smaller city gardens have more unwanted views to contend with than larger gardens. Ugly buildings, nosy neighbors, noisy highways, power lines, signs, parking lots, the list goes on and on. Use plants to block out the sight (and reduce the
  • 23. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 23 Designing Small Garden Spaces Continued ... sound) from these ugly views. Tall upright perennials such as Salvia along a drive are very good at blocking a view of a neighbor. Other plants like ornamental grasses and Dwarf clumping bamboo will also create great living screens. Use colors to your advantage Small amounts of bold reds, yellows and oranges have a huge impact. Use cool colors in a narrow space or along the perimeter to make the garden appear larger than it really is. Cool colors recede, while warm colors come forward. Balance the quantities of color, because a little yellow goes a long way especially in a small garden. Also remember the smaller the space the fewer the colors that should be used. Use several mediums Think about the number of different construction materials that are in a small garden. Having diverse materials such as stone, wood, brick, metal, and ceramic is fine up to a point but don’t use too many different ones. Small gardens are usually not large enough to hold more than three of these types of materials comfortably. Focus on textures Look at the amount of coarse and fine textures that there are in the garden. oarse textures come C toward the viewer and close in. hile fine textures expand the garden by making it seem larger. W Use magic Think about using shiny surfaces, mirrors and reflection to expand the area and make it look larger. The reflection of plants on water can greatly enlarge the feel of a garden. Use angles Angles can be used to make a garden appear larger. A small garden between two buildings can appear at least two times larger because of the angles used in the centre. The journey to the end of the garden will take longer and the view will be more interesting when angles are incorporated into
  • 24. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 24 Designing Small Garden Spaces Continued ... the design. Another garden illusion tip is to hide part of the garden from view. Plant intensively Consider the good old gardening tradition of mixing plant groups. Put annuals, perennials, vegetables, shrubs and vines together in the garden. Small gardens do not have room to keep everything separate. Besides the surprise of finding vegetables with perennials is quite fun. Imagine the surprise of finding ‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard, roses and rosemary together. Companion planting aside, putting annuals with vegetables makes aesthetically pleas- ing gardens. Goodbye Lawn, Hello Garden Small gardens don’t have the space to waste on lawns! Prune to your heart’s content Learn to sculpt to keep plants in bounds. Sometimes this is the only way to grow what you want to grow in the space that you have. Pruning shrubs does not have to be dull geometric shapes. Try some fun by trimming a rosemary into a seal (complete with ball). Use prospective Narrow a path as it retreats to make it appear that the distance is greater. Make the journey interesting along the way (no matter what length the path). Hide the end of the path from view to increase the mystery about what might be around the turn of the path. Plant vegetables above ground No space for a vegetable garden then grow them in containers. Now vegetables can be grown where they have never been grown before. If you don’t have room for the full sized version of a vegetable, grow the miniature one. Design using all the vertical spaces Buildings, walls, and fences are excellent spaces for adding plants. Use window boxes, wall bags and half pots to grow plants in mid-air. Also consider vines on a fence or wall.
  • 25. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 25 Designing Small Garden Spaces Continued ... Each one takes up less than 1 foot of ground space. Espalier is the technique of growing and training plants so that they are flat against a wall or fence. It is a great space saver. So to deal with a small area and still have a rewarding garden, use all your space wisely. Use both the horizontal and vertical surfaces. Don’t think a small garden is a liability. Gardening in containers opens up many possibilities. Grow plants where they have never been grown before. Most importantly, be creative and have fun. Coming Events 4th Annual A Passion For Plants: An East Austin Garden Fair Saturday, March 20, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Govalle Park, 5200 Bolm Road, just East of Airport Blvd. Govalle Park will once again be the site of A Passion for Plants: An East Austin Garden Fair on the last weekend of Spring Break. The theme of the fourth annual fair is “Gardening the Earth-Kind Way”. This FREE public gardening event will feature hands- on demonstrations of how to dig a garden bed, harvest rain water, grow fruits and vegetables organically, create wildlife food and shelter, start plants from cuttings and seeds, and how to cut back on chemicals that harm our environment and ourselves. Come for the free advice from our on-site experts to answer all of your gardening questions, for tips on living healthier and happier, and for fun educational activities for kids to get them out in nature in your own back yard! Visit our booths and get a free plant! Get ready for Spring with all the free information you need to start your own Earth-Kind garden, whether it’s one plant in a pot or a whole yard full, and then relax with a free massage! Hosted by Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Travis County Master Gardeners Association, the Sustainable Food Center, the Green Corn Project, and the Holistic Education and Health Network. Call the Texas AgriLife Extension Service at 854-9600 for more information
  • 26. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 26 Coming Events DIY Pond Building Wednesday, April 28, 7:00-9:00 pm Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin TX Always dreamt of a little pond in your yard? Not only can you have one but you can build-it-yourself. Come attend this free seminar and learn step-by-step lessons on the basics of building a pond yourself. This seminar will help you determine the supplies and equipment needed for the job, gather information about pond plants, and deter- mine which fish will do well in your pond. In addition, hear instructions on general pond maintenance, installing pond lighting and how to prevent unwanted critters in your pond. This seminar is free and open to the public. It is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County. For more details, see http://www.tcmastergardeners.org.
  • 27. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 27 Coming Events Continued ... Heart O' Texas Orchid Society's 39th Annual Orchid Show & Sale, "Easter Orchids" April 3rd & 4th, 2010 Zilker Botanical Gardens Center 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746 (512) 477-8672 Show & Plant Sale : 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday & 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday. This year we are very proud to present the 39th Annual Orchid Show here in Aus- tin. Orchids are Mother Nature at her best, so come join us and check out all the beautiful orchids that will be on display. There will also be hundreds of blooming orchids for sale, as well as helpful information for growing these beautiful plants from vendors and society members. Need flowers for Easter...orchids are becoming one of the most popular flowers in the U.S. , so why not get an orchid this year for that special occasion. Admission to the event is free and the public is encouraged to attend. For a complete schedule of events, or for more information, please contact: Geoffrey Frost, 1011 Strickland Drive. Austin, TX 78748-4847 Te l e p h o n e (512) 413-3199; e-mail geoffreylfrost@ya- hoo.com), or visit our web-site: h t t p : / / w w w. h o t o s . o r g / 53rd Zilker Garden Festival March 27-28, 2010 Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746 (512) 477-8672 Support the TCMGA by buying your Zilker Garden Festival tickets from Joe Posern at the next meeting only $3 each ($5 at the gate) Volunteers still needed to fill many positions. Contact Cheryl McGrath for details.
  • 28. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 28 Coming Events Continued ... Gardening For Butterflies and Hummingbirds Friday May 7, 2010, 1:00 - 2:30 pm Demonstration Garden at AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County 1600B Smith Rd., Austin TX 78721 Gardening for Butterflies & Hummingbirds is appropriate for anyone wanting to incorporate the correct plants into the garden to attract these beau- ties into your surroundings. Learn plant foods sources, host plants, and nesting places for the most common butterflies and hummingbirds in Central Texas. This seminar is free and open to the public. It is presented by the Tra- vis County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County. For information, see http://www.tcmastergar- deners.org or call the Travis County Master Gardener’s help desk at (512) 854-9600. How To Create a Wildlife Habitat Saturday May 22, 2010, 9:00 - 11:00 am Demonstration Garden at AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County 1600B Smith Rd., Austin TX 78721 Learn how to attract butterflies, birds, insects, toads, etc. by utilizing plants which create food, cover, places to raise young and water. A Master Naturalist volunteer will lead the discussion. This seminar is free and open to the public. It is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriL- ife Extension Service in Travis County. For information, see http://www.tcmastergar- deners.org or call the Travis County Master Gardener’s help desk at (512) 854-9600.
  • 29. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 29 TRAVIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION 2010 EXECUTIVE BOARD Carolyn Williams, President *The position of Director of Publications Manda Rash, Immediate Past President remains open Past Presidents (Non-voting): Rosalie Russell, Vice President for Programs Vicki Blachman, Co-Vice President for Edu- Bill Baldwin cation Bill Boytim Bonnie Martin, Co-Vice President for Edu- Susan Cashin cation Tommie Clayton Cheryl McGrath, Volunteer Coordinator for Susan Decker Projects Don Freeman Sherrill Nilson, Co-Volunteer Coordinator Manda Rash for Trainees Peggy Stewart Pat Mokry, Co-Volunteer Coordinator for Becky Waak Trainees Will Walker Susan Jung, Secretary Marty Berdan, Treasurer Janet Newton, Membership Director Dorothy Akin, Greenhouse Manager Chris Giaraffa, Greenhouse Manager Vicki Olson, Greenhouse Manager Joe Posern, Austin Area Garden Council Representative Jo Kautz, State Council Representative Tommie Clayton, State Council Representative
  • 30. The Compost Bin March 2010 Page 30 Ex Officio Member of the Board (Non-voting): Texas AgriLife Extension Travis County Horticulture Agent Daphne Richards 1600-B Smith Road, Austin, Texas 78721 512-854-9600 drichards@ag.tamu.edu This issue of the Compost Bin has been published thanks to the contributions of the following Travis County Master Gardeners and Wizzie Brown - Texas AgriLife Extension Service... Editor and Layout: Contributing Writers: Anne Van Nest Wizzie Brown Liz Caskey Webmaster: Paula Middleton Patty Leander Manda Rash Rosalie Russell © 2010 Travis County Master Gardeners Association Anne Van Nest 512-854-9600 Becky Waak Visit the websites: www.tcmastergardeners.org and http://travis-tx.tamu.edu Carolyn Williams The End... Time to Get Gardening!