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Michele Campbell, Editor | Todd Williams, Rockwall County Extension Agent

NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS: Laura Chaney, Randy Culpepper, Linda Gates, Kim Townsend,

Lisa Walker, Summer Winkler, Debora Zerneri

We love to talk plants! Visit our Extension Master Gardeners at the Rockwall County Library the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month from 10am - noon.

Also, find us at the Extension Office every Wednesday from 10am - noon. Call (972) 204-7660 or email us anytime at: rockwallmg@ag.tamu.edu

1. Remember what Mama Berenstain Bears says, “Spring is both messy and beautiful.”
2. Spring does not officially start until March 19^th, the average last frost is March 15^th – don’t plant warm season plants too early.
3. Don’t expect warm season annuals to grow well during the cool season.
4. Established warm season perennials return to active growth when the soil temperatures reach 70 degrees consistently.
5. Because we create microclimates and ecosystems not everyone's ornamentals will grow or blossom at the same rate.
6. Be thankful for the rain now, it may not be present during the summer months.
7. We live in black clay that can hold water if you water too much – most plants do not like wet feet.
8. Remember to appreciate the beauty of the growing season – all of the stages.
9. Don’t throw your hard earned money away – compost grass clippings, leaves and dead plantings when possible.
10. Don’t remove your old mulch when putting out new. The old bottom layer will decompose and be compost for your plants.

NOW!!! is the time to get ahead of the spring & summer weed invasion before it begins. A pre-emergent is the first step in this planned attack. And the word “pre-emergent” is the key point in this plan. Pre-emergents must be applied BEFORE weeds emerge in the spring. Timing is when soil temperatures are consistently above 55° F. In Rockwall County, this usually occurs two weeks before the last average freeze which is March 15^th. This is why it is necessary to act quickly before weeds have actively taken root.

A few points to know…

Before you head to the store, one should know which weeds a spring pre-emergent program will control. All pre-emergents act the same way. They chemically prevent seeds and young plants from growing. The henbit, poa annua, and dandelions that you see today, germinated back in the fall. Perennial weeds that come back from their root systems (nutsedge, Johnsongrass, and dallisgrass) will not be affected. But crabgrass, spurge, and fall aster are still out there waiting to take hold. Rockwall County has many months of weed growth ahead. Although you see dandelions today, thousands of summer weeds are waiting for their chance to emerge.



Additionally, consumer products rarely address BOTH annual grassy weeds (crabgrass, goosegrass, sandburs) and broadleaf weeds (spurge, chickweed, fall aster). To prevent all annual weeds, one would need two different applications of pre-emergent to address both weed types. Since Texas summers are long, a second application will be needed in June to be successful. Obviously, this is time-consuming and expensive. If you know the weeds that you wish to control, focus on the prevention program to address that weed. It’s easier to spray broadleaf weeds* after they have emerged than it is to kill grassy weeds that have developed. If one had to choose, use a pre-emergent that is effective on grassy weeds since they are more difficult to control. Read the label of the product to know which weeds will be targeted.

Do pre-emergents address only lawn weeds?

Pre-emergents all work the same way. They chemically prevent a seed from germinating. They stunt young vegetation from maturing. These products do not discriminate. They prevent weeds; but also, flowers, vegetables, and most plants that they encounter. So be careful to avoid over applying into areas where you want to plant a garden or flower bed; or, where you plan on reseeding an area of the lawn that might be thin.

What about weed-and-feed applications?

For the spring application, a weed-and-feed product achieves one thing: they “feed…the…weeds.” Temperatures required for turf grass to grow are a few weeks away. The only thing growing in the lawn right now are the weeds that have already taken root. Attack the weeds now. Feed your lawn in April when it is warmer.

Should I call my lawn care professional immediately?

Fear not. If you are on a seasonal lawn care program, professionals have access to different products than the average consumer. Those products have different application rates and allow for a wider window to treat weeds than the home gardener does.

*Use a product designed for broadleaf weed control in St. Augustine. Sprays formulated for use on Bermuda and other lawn grasses can kill the wider blade leaves of St. Augustine.

Do you have an area in your yard that needs some pizzazz? Are you considering converting a part of your yard to a planting bed? Perhaps you’ve tired of mulching these same areas each season?

Groundcovers may be the answer! Specifically, shade tolerant groundcovers are a low maintenance alternative to turf grass. Especially around and near trees that have grown to maturity and sunlight is hindered.

Groundcovers are environmentally friendly, moisture conserving, and allow for cost savings on water usage, grass mowing and maintenance upkeep. If an area has become bare dirt, groundcovers also help with erosion control. They can be an aesthetically pleasing feature to your home’s curb appeal. Deciding which groundcover to choose will depend on several factors, including your specific preference for their appearance, the location in your landscape, sun versus shade and watering requirements.

Here is a list of groundcover plants for consideration that are appropriate for our North Texas USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8B. Each one has their own unique appearance and requirements to thrive, so make sure to research the ones that best fit your needs and desires. All of them can be found at your local garden centers or plant specialty stores:

Ajuga, Asian jasmine, creeping lemon thyme, creeping Jenny, dusty miller, English ivy, horse herb, liriope and other varieties of mondo grass, moss phlox, oxalis, star or confederate jasmine, vinca, and winter creeper. 



Spring is a great time for enhancing your yard and creating a beautiful landscape utilizing groundcovers!  

Did you know that in 2021 Texas chose the rare Chorioactis geaster as our state mushroom? That declaration described the mushroom’s star shape “custom designed for the Lone Star landscape." Known as the Texas star mushroom, the fungus is highly selective about where it grows. It tends to grow on decaying cedar elm stumps in North and Central Texas. It has made appearances in more than a dozen Texas counties, including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton. It has also been spotted in Oklahoma and perhaps surprisingly, Japan, making it one of the world’s rarest mushrooms. The fungus typically appears in late fall as a fuzzy, dark brown capsule 3 to 4 inches in length, earning it the nickname “devil’s cigar.” After rain, the mushroom explodes open, unfurling into a tawny-colored star that makes an audible hissing noise while puffing smoke.

Bigger isn't always better for vegetable gardens. Harvest veggies at the recommended time to enjoy their best flavor and texture! Waiting too long could mean a tough, starchy and poor quality crop.

I say this every year it seems, and I probably sound like a broken record – but resist the temptation to plant too early! You can plant tomatoes and peppers in larger pots (especially mixing soil from where they will eventually be planted) rather than plant them outside if they are getting too big. Don’t let your tender spring plants be caught out in the cold! After plants are established, apply mulch in May at the latest to protect from the summer heat and help plants retain moisture. 

Check out Rockwall Vegetable Planting Guide and Dates for a complete listing.

March 

Seed Outdoors – Beans (Lima, bush, pole, snap), Beets, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Greens (Collard or Mustard), Leeks, Lettuce, Melons, Radishes, Scallions, Spinach, Squash, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Zucchini

Transplant – Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Greens, Kale, Lettuce, Melons, Peppers, Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Zucchini

April 

Seed Outdoors – Beans, Corn, Cucumbers, Gourds, Melons, Okra, Peas, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash, Zucchini

Transplant –Cucumbers, Eggplant, Gourds, Melons, Okra, Peppers, Pumpkins, Squash, Sweet Potato Slips, Tomatoes, Zucchini

May

Seed Outdoors – Corn, Cucumbers, Gourds, Melons, Okra, Peas, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash, Zucchini

Transplant – Cucumbers, Eggplant, Gourds, Melons, Okra, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash, Sweet Potato Slips, Zucchini

Seed Indoors – Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes

Herbs

In the past I have mainly focused on culinary herbs, however herbs have SO many uses. Herbs are generally defined as plants that have a use as a dye, a fragrance, in cooking, medicinally, or a combination thereof. For this newsletter, I’d like to highlight two of my favorite herbs that many people wouldn’t think of as an herb – Calendula and Echinacea.

These two wonderful herbs have a lot in common – they are both beautiful flowers that bring a lovely pop of color to any garden setting. They are also a lovely gift to our pollinators, attracting butterflies and bees to the garden and providing them with a much-needed food source. They are both very hardy and easy to care for – tolerant of drought, heat, and poor soil (as long as it is well-draining soil). They are both perennial plants and can be planted in early spring!

Calendula’s cheery orange and yellow petals are often used culinarily in dishes such as salads, quiche, or to make compound butters. I recently had French toast at a restaurant in Dallas, garnished with lavender and Calendula petals and the effect was beautiful and delicious! Calendula is also often used in skincare and lotions. Infusing sweet almond oil with calendula petals is an easy way to have an ingredient for making future salves, balms, or lotions.

Echinacea, also known as Coneflower, is often used to make soothing ointments for chapped skin as well as other medicinal properties. Before using anything medicinally, do your research and always check with your doctor or pharmacist! There is no such thing as a completely safe herbal supplement - herbs interact with health conditions, foods, and other medicines just like pharmaceutical medicines.  

The Extension Master Gardener program is focused on educating and providing research-based horticultural information to the community. Over the winter we enjoyed visiting with Rockwall's youth, adult and senior populations:

Rockwall FFA's Winter Fest

Help Desk @ the Rockwall County Library

Ask a Master Gardener Hotline

Bee in Love Intro to Beekeeping Class

Orchid Care Class

Rockwall Senior Living Communities

Friday Study Club

Master SNAPS!

Photos from Rockwall County Extension Master Gardeners

My tulips from last spring.

-Linda Gates

Monarch visiting Gregg's mist.

-Debora Zeneri

Water gardening.

-Lee Finley

In our last issue we asked how many living organisms can a teaspoon of healthy soil contain? 40% of respondents answered correctly - over 1 billion living organisms! A teaspoon of soil can hold up to one billion bacteria, in addition to fungi, protozoa, and beneficial nematodes, all playing a crucial role in maintaining healthy plants.

Please take our short survey to help improve our educational outreach.

Pokey!