Plum Happy About Plumerias - Harris County Master Gardener

HARRIS COUNT Y MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER  APRIL 2013
Urban Dirt
Plum Happy About Plumerias
W
ho would have guessed? Tucked away near the
end of a block in a quiet Pasadena neighborhood
is a small slice of Hawaii. Plumeria, or frangipani,
abound in the backyard of Eulas and Lake Stafford’s
home. The genus Plumeria, used to make popular Hawaiian
leis, is related to oleanders. They are found in tropical areas
throughout the world. Eulas and Lake have collected many
species in their travels.
The Staffords are members of the Plumeria Society of
America. Eulas has held the title of president in the past. Their
love of the exotic flower is evident when they refer to it. They
began collecting in 1979. By the 90s, they realized they had
stepped outside the bounds of “casual collectors.” At one time
they had over 1,000 plumeria plants. Now their collection is
around 600, including 400 varieties. In the past, they planned
several of their trips to tropical areas in order to collect cuttings
of their beloved plumeria. On one trip to Hawaii, they brought
back 250 cuttings.
Since the plumerias are tropical plants, caring for them
during the winter takes some work. Eulas and Lake spend two
weeks pulling the plants up for storage in a huge greenhouse
with a heater. The plants are stacked like cordwood. When
spring comes, it takes another two weeks to haul them out and
place them in the ground again. A few remain in the ground
Plum Happy About Plumerias.......... 1
Upcoming Events.............................. 2
Rodeo Roundup................................ 3
From the Agent's Desk...................... 4
Spring Plant Sale .............................. 4
by Terri Simon
Master Gardener
permanently beneath the greenhouse. One of these is huge with
limbs as big as a man’s forearm.
One spectacular tree has 13 different varieties, 12 of which
have been grafted onto it. Eulas prefers to graft onto the plumeria
c.v. ‘Slaughter pink’ since it has a sturdy trunk and good
branching. The Staffords take the term “family tree” literally. The
plumeria they refer to as their “family tree” has branches grafted
onto it for each family member. They also hold several patents
for hybridized plumerias they have developed.
While they are slowly decreasing the number of plumerias
they own due to the amount of work involved, their love of the
plant has not decreased. For more photos of their plumerias, visit
www.plumeriaacres.com.
The Stafford's Plumeria Garden in Winter (L) and Summer (R)
Precinct 2 Happenings ..................... 5
Master Gardeners of the Month........ 6
Field Trip Opportunity...................... 7
Like Us On Facebook....................... 8
U R BA N D I RT  A P R I L 2 0 1 3
Continuing Education
April 2013
Master Gardener Lecture Series
April 2. Texas SuperStars by Skip Richter. Extension
Office, noon.
April 9, P2 Summer Color & Smart Planting for
Water Conservation Clear Lake Meeting Room, 6:30 p.m.
April 17. Plant Sale Preview by Chris Liles. Extension
Office, 7 p.m.
April 17. P2. Heat & Drought Tolerant Roses by Gaye
Hammond. Clear Lake Meeting Room. 10 a.m.
Green Thumb Gardening Series
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Horticulture Program in Harris County
3033 Bear Creek Dr
Houston, TX 77084
281.855.5600
fax 281.855.5638
CEA – Horticulture........................................Robert "Skip" Richter
281.855.5600
CEA – Horticulture.........................................................Paul Winski
281.855.5600
Volunteer Coordinator................................................... David Parish
281.855.5611
Planning a Water Star Garden - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
April 2 Maude Smith Marks Library, Katy
April 9 Clear Lake Meeting Room, Seabrook
April 11 May Community Center, Huffman
April 18 Trini Mendenhall Sosa Community Center, Houston
May 2013
Master Gardener Lecture Series
May 7, Bay-friendly Landscaping Begins at Your
Watershed Address, Extension Office, noon.
May 15, Bobcats and Coyotes in Our Area by Diana
Foss. Clear Lake Meeting Room, 6:30 p.m.
May 22, Orchids by Lee Rowell. Extension Office, 7 p.m.
Green Thumb Gardening Series
Insects in Your Garden - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
May 7 Maude Smith Marks Library, Katy
May 9 May Community Center, Huffman
May 14 Clear Lake Meeting Room, Seabrook
May 16 Trini Mendenhall Sosa Community Center, Houston
* Visit txmg.org or contact the Harris County Extension Office,
281.855.5600, dwparish@ag.tamu.edu for registration details.
Harris County Master Gardener Association
2012-2013 Board of Directors
President .......................................................................... Peggy Moore
281.304.6271
First Vice President .................................................Susan Delcambre
832.647.1985
Second Vice President........................................................Rob Lucey
281.627.6818
Past President ..................................................................Linda Brewer
832.276.6818
Secretary .............................................................................Judy Franco
281.463.7504
Treasurer ................................................................................Jo Huskey
281.829.2956
Directors: Karen Breneman, Dianna Bernsen, Loesther Foley,
Cathy Preator, Teresa See and George Williams.
•
Precinct 2 Steering Committee Coordinator............... Sid Kapner
281.487.2065
•
Urban Dirt Editor .............................................................. Rob Lucey
Rob_Lucey@yahoo.com
Assistant Urban Dirt Editor ........................................... Terri Simon
Assistant Urban Dirt Editor ...................................Mickie Warriner
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U R BA N D I RT  A P R I L 2 0 1 3
Rodeo Roundup!
by Patti Suler
Master Gardener
I
toured the rodeo grounds with a friend before the concert
started. As we walked, I told of the various projects and
events that the Master Gardeners were participating in.
Pointing out the lovely planter boxes filled with flowers, I
remarked how the Master Gardeners came up early before the
rodeo and planted everything. My friend asked me where my
box was. I quickly advised that I had not been a part of that
project. As we walked past an empty planter my friend pointed
to it and stated, “Oh, that one must be yours.”
This is the fourth successful year that the Master Gardeners
have proudly participated in the Houston Livestock and
Rodeo. Once again, the Master Gardeners enjoyed multiple
opportunities such as container planting, fun crops, a kiosk
and live demonstrations to provide educational and enrichment
opportunities.
Another successful Houston Rodeo has hit the trail. Harris
County Master Gardeners provided great gardening and
landscaping information to hundreds of rodeo-goers who stopped
by the Extension booth in February and March.
A few MGs went a step further with their participation by
creating miniature landscape demonstrations. The miniscape
Beverly DeMoss, Heman Wei & Christa Kaiser take a break.
planters located around the outdoor carnival area included one
by Precinct 2’s Beverly DeMoss and Christa Kaiser
(winners in the event last year). They called it “Gulf Coast
Favorites – Texas Country Garden,” filling it with mostly native
plants including daisies, bluebonnets, roses and salvia. Heman
Wai from Bear Creek created a planter called “A Walk in the
Woods.”
We seek to continually improve our service each year based
on valuable feedback provided by volunteers and encourage
those who worked this year to continue the tradition.
Education, training, awareness, all of these things begin with
participation. Take a moment to check your commitments – is
there room for us? Volunteer today.
Photo by Christa Kaiser
Volunteer Opportunity -
David Vining, Chevvy Tang and Sara Brana work the booth.
Harris 4-H Round-Up "Get Your Green On" and support
4-H!Harris 4-H Round-up April 6th Saturday. Volunteers
needed to serve as judges for several events. Find something
you are interested in and judge an event or two!Contact Sheryl
Nolen at snolen@ag.tamu.edu or call 281-855-5621 See
you at the Harris 4-H Round-up- Saturday April 6th, 2013.
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U R BA N D I RT  A P R I L 2 0 1 3
From the Agent's Desk
Harris County Horticulture on Facebook - Like Us!
by Paul Winski
Extension Agent · Horticulture
H
arris County is the largest county in Texas. In order
to reach as many people in the county as we can with
information about our programs and research, the Hort
team has established a Facebook page. The goal is to provide
information, images and videos to the green industry and
residents.
As our web presence improves and a planned Extension blog
comes online, we’ll be able to link this information and improve
our outreach.
So, if you are on Facebook check us out and “like” our page
at www.facebook.com/harriscountyhorticulture.
While you’re there, if you haven’t already done so, you can
also check out the Master Gardener Facebook page. Go to www.
facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardeners. Click the “like”
tab to follow the page and don’t forget to share it with your
friends.
T
he Harris County Master Gardeners are actively
participating on Facebook offering tips, lists, news and
plant advice almost daily. The best part, instead of
locating planting guides or insect documents, and sale dates
for individuals, you can add the HCMG site to your account
and easily share information with others.
This is a definite timesaving device for these
busy garden days and helps promote our
organization.
Plant Sale Features Top Texas Picks
H
arris County Master Gardeners will hold a Spring
Plant Sale April 20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Agrilife
Extension Office, 3033 Bear Creek Dr. The
overview of the plants being sold will be held at 8 a.m. in the
auditorium.
The sale will feature dozens of drought tolerant plants,
antique roses, daylilies, herbs and other plants selected
because they thrive in our area. The sale also features
a selection of garden books for local gardeners and an
assortment of gently used gardening-related products.
This is just one of several annual plant sales in Harris
County to raise funds to assist the Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service in its educational mission. Specifically,
the funds are used to: support the school Cylinder Gardening
program that teaches youth to raise their own vegetables,
promote the Junior Master Gardener program in Harris
County, maintain the demonstration gardens at Bear Creek
and the Genoa Friendship Garden in Precinct 2, provide
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educational workshops and informational displays to the public,
and a variety of other educational activities.
Volunteers are needed in many different areas to make for a
successful sale. Everyone is needed so the sale runs smoothly
and efficiently. We will need volunteers to man the Ask-AMaster Gardener booth where they can get information about
particular plants while shopping or help during the pre-sale
talk. Volunteers are needed to help set up the tents and tables,
to unload and arrange the plants as well as to label and tag the
plants for sale. We need people to write up the sales tickets and
so much more. Join the fun and be sure to go to Volunteer Spot
to sign-up to help with the sale! http://vols.pt/MwEDgx
U R BA N D I RT  A P R I L 2 0 1 3
Precinct 2 Happenings
O
by Georgia Lau
Master Gardener
It seems as if everyone who comes out to Genoa Friendship
Garden has that old malady common to all gardeners this time
of the year – SPRING FEVER!!!! Yes, spring is here and the
gang of regular Monday and Wednesday volunteers continue
the garden’s spring cleaning. All of the gardens, including the
Perennial Garden, Tropical Garden and Rose Garden receive
lots of attention as the numerous shrubs and vines are pruned in
anticipation of the growth and flowers soon to come.
Photo by Ann Abernathy
The new building has been delivered and we are moving in
all the sales equipment and office materials in anticipation of
vacating the county facilities. Having a building that we can
Photo by Christa Kaiser
ur two Spring Sales were an outstanding success. This
year we tried a new procedure and split our one Spring
Sale into two sales. The first sale was held on February
16, and we sold only fruit trees. The second sale was held on
March 9, and we sold perennials, herbs, tomatoes and peppers.
We had great attendance at both sales, and the pace was less
hectic than when we had the sales all at the same time. The sales
are always a lot of hard work, but they are a wonderful way to
perform your volunteer hours and visit with MG friends at the
same time.
Master Gardeners encourage early habits at WalMart
easily access every day of the week will certainly help us prepare
and conduct our sales.
We have had many helpers, including Louis Mickler,
Mark Gandee, Keith Homan, Greg Pearson and Sid
Kapner doing an excellent job on the new irrigation system
in phase one of the Production Bed Project. The new beds will
be so much easier to plant, maintain and water. Some special
workdays are planned to move this major project along. During
the month of February, we harvested and donated 34.85 pounds
of produce, most of that cabbage and kale.
Guy Lazarus is a welcome sight at Genoa Friendship
Garden. He was a Master Gardener from way back, but had
to move to Louisiana several years ago. He has since moved
back to Houston and is itching to get back into the ‘garden
groove’ at Genoa Friendship Garden. He was our Production
Garden Manager before he left, and he hasn’t wasted any time
planting empty rows in the garden, some with his beloved ‘taters.
Welcome back Guy!
Sid, Greg, Louis, Linda, and Mark laying new irrigation
lines
The first Saturday in March, several P2 Master Gardeners,
who had been busy growing tomatoes and peppers for the plant
sale, spent a portion of their day teaching children how to plant
seeds at the nearby Wal-Mart. Thank you to those of you who
gave up a portion of your weekend and for your dedication to
gardening education.
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U R BA N D I RT  A P R I L 2 0 1 3
Master Gardeners of the Month
Mary McGowen - Precinct 2
Mary McGowen is the
Harris County Pct 2 Master
Gardener of the month for
February. Mary is a graduate of
the 1999 Master Gardener class
at Bear Creek. She then helped
start the classes that are held
at P2. She has since worked
with all the classes at P2 and has
been very active in the educational area of Master Gardeners by
serving as mentor and advisor to these summer classes. She
has also helped with The Green Thumb lecture series, spring
and fall plant sales, and assists other gardeners at the Ask A
Master Gardener booth. She can be seen working in the Genoa
Friendship Garden on many workdays.
Doug McLeod - Bear Creek
Doug McLeod, a Master
Gardener for 14 years, is the
Master Gardener for the month
for March. One of Doug's many
volunteer activities is to oversee
the fruit tree sale. His relationship
with Mr.Schackelford and son help
secure the best fruit trees to sell
on consignment. Doug spends
many hours selecting the trees that will sell and do the best in
our area. Doug personally contacts Kathy Huber to help get
advertising in the Chronicle to increase the chances of getting
a good turnout for the sale. His attention to detail is the reason
we continue to have successful fruit tree sales.
Doug is also the fearless leader in the orchard and has
created a great team to work with. If you haven't recently, take
a stroll through the orchard at Bear Creek. It has never looked
better. Several hundred pounds of fruit from the orchard
have been donated to the local food bank. He makes trips to
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Mary’s love of flowers, playing in the dirt and watching
plants grow was influenced by her farming native Texan parents
and grandparents. She was born and raised in the Houston
area and has stayed true to her Texan roots. Important to her is
continuing her gardening education and seeing the results of her
gardening labors.
In addition to her MG activities, Mary, a retired nurse, is the
vice president of the Frey Garden Club and is an active volunteer
with the Altar Society and Rosary Society and Grieving Garden
where she attends church. She is an alumnus of the Memorial
Hospital School of Nursing and is very active in that alumni
organization, serving as Vice President and Treasurer. Mary and
her husband have four children, nine grandchildren and two great
grandchildren.
Congratulations, Mary! We truly appreciate all your work
and efforts on the part of the P2 Master Gardeners.
Wharton to buy chicken poop fertilizer for the Master Gardeners
to purchase. He even provides samples as door prizes.
Among other activities and projects too numerous to mention,
Doug has served as Master Gardener President, wagon master for
sales, and provided seeds for the vegetable garden to try among
other activities too numerous to mention.
Thank you Doug for all you do.
Nominate a MG of the Month
Volunteers are doing a wide variety of great work, some quietly,
some behind the scenes. You can help recognize their efforts.
Submit MG of the Month nominations to the Membership
Committee by placing a note with their name and why they
should be selected in the suggestion box in the Master Gardener
room or e-mail them to kmbrene@att.net (Bear Creek) or
gclau@comcast.net (Precinct 2).
U R BA N D I RT  A P R I L 2 0 1 3
Upcoming Field Trip
I
tching to get outdoors? Then join the field trip on Wednesday,
April 17, to tour the Matt Family Orchard, the Kleb Woods
Nature Preserve and the Arbor Gate Nursery. The cost is
cheap! Five dollars gets you on the bus and, in addition, you can
earn three CEU hours.
Lunch is not included in the five dollar charge for this trip,
but the group will be stopping at Mel’s Country Café in Tomball.
They feature home style cooking at family prices. They offer a
variety of foods including burger, salads, sandwiches and hearty
dinners.
Space is limited to 39 participants and the registration
deadline is Tuesday, April 9. Registration starts on Hamburger
Tuesday, April 2. Bring exact change or a check. Your
registration request (see back cover) can also be mailed or
dropped in the box at the MG room if all spaces are not filled on
April 2. Please date your request.
We have a full day of activities planned for this trip. Sign-in
is at 8 a.m. Departure is at 8:30 a.m. and will return at 4 p.m. If
you have any questions, call 281.855.5600.
Kleb Woods Nature Preserve was a farm owned by
descendants of early German immigrants who settled in Harris
County in the 1840s. The 142-acre plot was eventually inherited
by Elmer Kleb who lived on the farm his whole life. He was not
a farmer and allowed the farm to revert to its natural state. The
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and The Trust for Public
Lands worked with County Commissioner Steve Radack and
Elmer's attorney/guardian to purchase the farm. The Kleb Woods
Nature Preserve was established in 1994 with a small portion
of the property. Elmer lived in a house on the remainder of the
property until his death in 1999.
Photo from the Matt Family Orchard
The Matt Family Orchard is located 30 miles northwest of
Houston off Highway 290. Rick Matt will lead us on a guided
tour. The orchard has 40 acres planted with various fruits as well
as picnic facilities for over 100 people.
The Matt Family Orchard transforms into a pumpkin
patch each fall.
Located in Tomball, the Arbor Gate Native Plant Nursery has
unique decorative pieces, unusual plants, and also specializes in
roses. They have more than 100 varieties. Bring extra shopping
bags because you’ll want to pick up extra items at this stop.
Master Gardener Birthdays Celebrated in April
Master Gardeners who celebrate a birthday
during April include the following. Wish them
a Happy Birthday when you see them! Ann
Abernathy, Kristina Baldwin, Kathleen
Collins, Rebecca Cooper, Vivan
Cromwell, Judy Franco, Carol Fraser,
Dolores Gordon, Gail Huggett, Philip
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John, Janice Kapner, Nathan Keiser,
Louis Mickler, Cindy Moore, Marleine
Orene, Diane Perez, Karen Pol, Donna
Price, Susan Russell, Nicole Smith,
Patricia Stier, and Marilyn Zavatsky.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
3033 Bear Creek Dr.
Houston, Tx 77084
281.855.5600 fax 281.855.5638
harris.agrilife.org/program-areas/hort/
hcmga.tamu.edu
U R BA N D I RT  A P R I L 2 0 1 3
Sign in: 8:00 a.m. Extension parking lot. Leave promptly at 8:30 a.m. Return: 4:00
Cost: $5 – Lunch is on you with individual billing. Registration begins Hamburger Tuesd
(Check or exact change, please). If the trip is not filled at this time, you may mail registrat
drop in box in MG room. Be sure it is dated. Deadline is Tuesday April 9th.
REGISTER
City/State/Zip
Mailing address
E-mail
Phone Number
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Emergency Contact Info:_______________________________________________________
Name and Phone Number
Matt Family Orchard
Kleb Woods Nature Preserve
For those gardeners tha
Arbor Gate, you’re in fo
those that have, welcom
her crew will be glad to
and show you around.
Arbor Gate Native Plant Nurser
Mel’s Country Café. Delicious home-style meals
understatement. Folks of all ages come from the
delicious meal at Mel’s. Lunch is on you with ind
Lunch Break
This beautifully restored farm-turned-forest is furthe
Rd. just south of Hwy 2920. Steve Radack and Fred
manage this 100+ acres of farmland once owned by d
the early German immigrants who settled in this par
l840s. We will be given a tour and historical informa
site which has become one of the best birding and hi
Gulf Coast region.
Like Us On Facebook
Rick Matt will give us a guided tour of his ever-incre
includes blueberries, blackberries, figs, jujube, Asian
mons and citrus. This is a family-oriented pick-your
includes activities year-round.
www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardeners
You might bring an extra shopping bag or two to hold your purchases.
CEUs, 3 Hrs. – Space is limited to 39 participants – Questions? 281.855.
Registrant Name______________________________________________________________
Registration deadline:
April 9, 2013
Texas AgriLife Extension, Attn: Master Gardener Field Trip
3303 Bear Creek Drive, Houston, Texas, 77084
Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids, services or accommodations in order to participate in Extension programs are encouraged to call 281.855.5600 to discuss specific needs. Harris
County Master Gardeners is a program of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Educational
programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to
race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
A separate form must be completed for each registrant. Payment of $5.00 must accompany
registration. No refunds after April 9, 2013.