Randy Culpepper, Editor | Todd Williams, Rockwall County Extension Agent

NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS: Stephanie Black, Michele Campbell, Laura Chaney, Brian Cook, Randy Culpepper, Ann Denson, Faye Gadberry, Jacki Lindsey, Kim Townsend, Debora Zerneri

IN THIS EDITION

Fall is upon us. Old Man Winter is knocking on the door. But before we snuggle in for the cold, there is plenty of gardening ahead of us.

In this edition of Envirosmart, you will learn:

• Seasonal To-Do's
• Ask a Master Gardener
• Winter Vegetable Gardening
• Vegetable Spotlight- Carrots
• When to Cutback Perennials
• Benefits of Winter Rye
• Preparing Strawberries for Winter
• Texas Native Shrubs
• Chatbots for Gardening
• Rainwater Harvesting
• MG's Around Town
• We Love Bugs!

What practices keep winter-blooming annuals thriving all season?

Winter annuals like pansies, violas, snapdragons and wallflowers provide vibrant color while perennials rest. Plant in October–November, once daytime highs are consistently below 80°F, so they have 4–6 weeks to establish before the first frost. Our warm fall weather may have cool season plants looking stressed; but with consistent watering and proper fertilization, the roots have continued to develop. This will set the plants up to thrive once temperatures drop.

For best performance, plant in full sun and in rich, well-draining soil. A layer of mulch helps conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Water only when the top few inches are dry. Add a slow-release, all-purpose fertilizer at planting and again mid-season. If you skipped fertilizing at planting, use a water-soluble, all-purpose liquid fertilizer with a balanced or higher phosphorus content every 2-4 weeks. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can lead to excess foliage and fewer flowers. 

Winter annuals tolerate freezes well. A few days before a hard or prolonged freeze, water flower beds and containers thoroughly. Wet soil provides more insulation than dry soil. For a faster recovery, protect plants with frost cloth and move containers into a garage for added warmth. Pansies and violas may wilt during a freeze, but they rebound quickly once temperatures rise above 32°F. Continue deadheading to encourage continuous blooming. Snapdragons may die back after a prolonged freeze but simply leave them; they will regrow and flower beautifully in spring.

I read a wonderful passage in a book recently that referred to Gardening as an “infinite game." A game where the rules, and whole purpose, of the game is to keep playing it.

The author, James Carse, wrote in his book, "Finite and Infinite Games,"

"Gardening is not outcome-oriented. A successful harvest is not the end of a gardener’s existence, but only a phase of it. As any gardener knows, the vitality of a garden does not end with a harvest. It simply takes another form. Gardens do not ‘die’ in the winter but quietly prepare for another season"

I loved this concept so much I had to pass it on to you, dear reader. The gentle reminder that even if a vegetable crop fails, the game isn’t over. The goal is to keep the game going, and with that in mind be good stewards of nature. So, whether you have a Winter harvest or not, you can prepare for Spring in big ways by expanding garden beds, soil testing, and overall improvements. Or quietly let nature do its thing and prepare itself. 

December

Transplant – Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Greens (Collard, Mustard), Kale, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard

January

Seed Outdoors – Spinach, Swiss Chard

Seed Indoors – Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Greens (Collard, Mustard), Eggplant*, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Peppers*, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes*

Transplant – Onions

February

Seed Outoors – Carrots, Cauliflower, Greens (Collard, Mustard), Leeks, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard

Seed Indoors – Eggplant*, Peppers*, Tomatoes*

Transplant – Asparagus Crowns, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Greens (Collard, Mustard), Kale, Lettuce, Potatoes, Spinach, Swiss Chard

*Do not transplant until all danger of frost has passed.

Herbs

Late winter is the time to seed a favorite of mine – Chamomile!

The most commonly grown Chamomiles for culinary use are Roman Chamomile and German Chamomile. While they taste very similar and can be used the same, their growth habits are different and something to consider before planting.

German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita or Matricaria chamomilla) is an annual that prefers full sun, is low maintenance and doesn’t require a lot of water. The plants do tolerate poor soil and, do well in sandy soils, but do require good drainage. I’ve had good success growing Chamomile in large containers or raised beds. They do tolerate frosts but should be protected from hard freezes, especially if close to flowering. Since seed to harvest time is 60-90 days, start seeds indoors in early February to transplant after frost. Or start in larger containers to move outside while the weather is nice. If flowers are not harvested, this plant will reseed itself but not spread otherwise.

Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) on the other hand is a perennial herb that will spread. This plant starts easily from seed but once established it will also spread by creeping stems and can be aggressive in the right conditions. This plant prefers sun to part shade and is best grown with morning sun and afternoon shade during our hot summers. This plant is even grown as a lawn substitute in shady areas due to its spreading nature and short height – it can be mowed as a regular lawn but won’t tolerate a lot of foot traffic.

The flowers on both types of Chamomile are best harvested when fully open. They can be used in teas, added to butter, cream cheeses, or in salads. As they are aromatic flowers, they are wonderfully used in potpourris, bath products, lotions, or floral sprays. Flowers can be used fresh off the plant, or dried and store in airtight containers.

This is the time of year when your landscape chores start to change. The need for mowing the grass and fertilizing everything is replaced with raking leaves and cleaning flowerbeds of brown plant material. This is when the temptation is to go through and start cutting all your perennials back. However, there are different guidelines depending on what the plant might be. The best time for most perennials is after the first hard frost.

Here are some guidelines:

For plants with rhizomes, wait until after the first hard frost turns the tops brown. You can then cut the stalks 2-3 inches from the ground to tidy up the bed. This allows the plant to send energy to the roots for winter survival.

Example: hostas, daylilies

For woody perennials and ones that have problems with fungal issues, prune back in late winter and before new growth begins. You do not want new foliage to be damaged by freezing temperatures and the plant needs time to go into dormancy.

Ex: lavender, Russian sage

For plants that go to seed, leave these perennials to stand over winter. They shield the plant’s crown for better survival and provide natural food sources for birds. You can cut these back when temperatures warm up in spring.

Example: coneflowers, ornamental grasses, sedums, rudbeckia

On a side note, there are flowering shrubs that you might be tempted to prune back as well when they go dormant and they look like they need tidying up. But keep in mind you might be pruning back next years blooms. So, if you are wondering why, you are not getting any blooms, that may be the reason. Hydrangeas, forsythia and azaleas are one of those plants that bloom on old wood. That does not apply to all varieties though. If you do not know what variety you have, it is best to wait until after they bloom to prune.


Image courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

A funny assumption I think most master gardeners (and everyone else for that matter) make is that we assume someone with access to so much talent in the gardening world will have an amazing landscape around their home. While this is most certainly true for SOME master gardeners, it is most definitely NOT true for many of my fellow MGs including myself. It’s somewhat of a funny occurrence when hosting other MGs at your home, there is often a disclaimer: “My landscape is a work in progress!”

I have been known to be the scourge of the neighborhood from time to time with all my compost and mulch deliveries, my lawn being brown most of the time because it was comprised mostly of random native grass, Bermuda, and St Augustine grasses. On more than one occasion the neighbors have asked me about it and if I had any plans, as well as the city coming to ask about the mountain of mulch that was sitting on a portion of my lawn waiting patiently to be spread and tilled into a VERY depleted soil base. I find these encounters to be opportunities for education and shared vision. Sometimes very much to the joy of either of those parties OR met with a face of confusion and a deep sigh of anxiety. One saving grace has been my winter lawns.

Since reestablishing residence in my childhood home, I have been steadily rebuilding the soil from decades of neglect, or just downright wrong-headed thinking about how to use chemicals to combat insects, and add nutrients for a green lawn. There is an absolute correct way to use chemicals and an absolute wrong way. Earth-Kind is an amazing program that teaches these principles plainly and clearly. This practice ideology uses scientific research to allow mother nature to do her thing and when necessary, give her a boost. One such practice I learned to embrace was over seeding my lawn for the cold season with winter rye turf grass.

You may wonder how someone has such a spectacular golf green looking lawn in the dead of winter here in North Texas. Any landscaper will know “It’s winter rye… come spring it’ll look as bad as everyone else’s.” It may seem like a trick from landscapers to sustain revenue over the down season, but there truly are some amazing benefits that will help build better soil, and protect your summer turf grasses. Winter rye will help keep our black land prairie soil loose by using its deep root structure, it will help protect dormant grasses during a hard freeze which allows them to bounce back in the spring much faster. This assists in suppressing weeds, fungi, and the odd complaint from neighbors who may or may not appreciate a native landscape esthetic as much as you do.

In my experience, this is a way to reward my super patient neighbors with a spectacular looking lawn for a few months out of the year. Add to that my occasional gift boxes of home grown produce during the summer, it seems to be something much more tolerable over all for everyone. I can say, especially for me, since it is the only time of year I can all but guarantee a brilliant lush green landscape even if only for a short period of time (for now).

Image courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/


https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/homehort/archives-of-weekly-articles-davids-plant-of-the-week/winter-ryegrass/

Preparing strawberry plants for winter in Texas begins in late summer. After the last harvest, it is prudent to keep your strawberry plants pruned, fertilized, and watered. This is also the best possible time to thin out your plants and remove unwanted runners. It is very important and extremely beneficial to do so prior to the strawberries moving into their dormant stage. When the temperatures begin to drop, it is time to execute your plan to protect your strawberries from the winter weather.

In Rockwall County, winters are usually mild enough for strawberries to survive. However, on freezing nights, it is helpful to cover them with a frost blanket or a light fabric cover to prevent any damage. There are many types of garden covers to use such as: burlap rolls, sheets of cloth or plastic, garden hoops, fiberglass covers, etc. Many people prefer to mulch their strawberry plants in the fall as the lower temperatures begin. Mulching protects the plants (specifically the crowns) from extreme cold. Additionally, mulch insulates the soil so that strawberry roots are protected. A thick layer of mulch will also lock in moisture reducing the need to water your plants in the winter.

In the Rockwall area, the ideal time to mulch your strawberry plants is during November and December. This is the time strawberries begin to move into the dormant stage. Use a natural mulch such as pine needles or straw. If you are using straw, make sure it is weed free. It is important to use a light-weight mulch because the strawberries need airflow around the plants. To use straw mulch, you will place three to five inches of mulch loosely around the strawberries.



Many people in Texas grow strawberries in pots. If you have potted strawberries, you may want to bring them into a greenhouse, shed, or garage after the plants are dormant. You should wrap the pots with blankets or towels and place six to nine inches of mulch (pine needles or straw) over the plants and soil. Don’t forget to water your potted strawberries at least once a month to keep them from drying out.

Strawberry success begins with understanding the lifecycle of a strawberry. The strawberry is a hardy perennial and has been known as an aggressive ground cover. In Texas, strawberries grow dormant during the winter and start growing heartily as the soil warms in spring. After winter, the dormant crowns will form new roots and leaves continued by flowers and fruit. After producing the fruit, the plants begin to generate runners with baby plants. This is a great time to gift your friends and family with their own strawberry starter plants. The baby plants are easily started by clipping and planting in their own pot or area. Then the cycle continues.



According to the tamu.edu, strawberries should be planted in the fall from early to mid-October for early harvesting (Spring) in the Rockwall area. Strawberries need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun in a bed with good drainage. If you only plan to grow a few strawberry plants, you may find it easier to plant in pots or containers. This allows you to mobilize them as needed to follow the sun and bring inside during frost. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension recommends combining two-parts builder’s sand, one-part peat or fine compost, and one-part loam topsoil for the ideal raised bed blend. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension have evaluated the following varieties for top growth: Albion, Benicia, Camino Real, Camarosa, Chandler, Festival, Radiance, San Andreas, and Seascape.

Sources:

https://stories.tamu.edu/news/2022/04/20/getting-the-most-from-your-strawberry-plants/

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/05/Production-Guide-for-Texas-Grown-Strawberries-1.pdf



Planting Texas native shrubs supports resilience, beauty, and sustainability—a smart choice for a thriving landscape. In Zone 8b, with short winters and hot, humid summers, native shrubs offer year-round beauty and resilience. Adapted to local soils and climate, they support wildlife, need less water, and develop deep roots that improve drought tolerance and clay soil structure. Though slow to establish, they’re a smart, sustainable choice for long-term success.

The table below includes brief descriptions of a few Texas native shrubs and a downloadable guide from the Native Plant Society of Texas to help you design a thriving Zone 8b landscape.

Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) is a semi-evergreen shrub that thrives in partial shade, blooming summer to fall with red, turban-shaped flowers and winter fruit.

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) produces white, globe-shaped flower clusters. It thrives in sun to part shade and resists most pests and diseases.

Creek Plum shrub (Prunus rivularis) produces white flowers and red-yellow fruit. This shrub can tolerate full sun to shade.

Esperanza or Yellow Bells (Tecoma stans) produces yellow flowers then long pods in the autumn. This shrub can tolerate sun or part shade.

White Sage (Artemisia ludoviciana) has small yellow flowers then produces single seeded fruit. Very drought tolerant.

Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) is an evergreen. It prefers sun. White flower are produced in the spring and red berries in the fall.

American Beauty Berry (Callicarpa americana) grows 4-6 feet tall and wide. It prefers partial shade. The white flowers bloom then purple fruit appears in the fall and winter.

Wahoo shrub (Euonymus atropurpureus) grows 15-25 feet tall and 10-15 feet wide. It will take sun, part shade, or shade. Small purple blooms appear then fruit that opens up to expose scarlet-colored seeds.

Elbowbush (Forestiera pubescens) can reach a height and width of 4-10 feet. Small, yellow flowers appear in the spring and purple fruit appears only on the female plant.

Kidneywood shrub (Eysenhardtia texana) grow 8-15 feet and 6-8 feet wide. The plant leaves give off a citrusy smell when crushed. Tiny flowers bloom in May followed by legume pod fruit.

Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) grows 1-3 feet tall and wide. The plant likes full sun. The shrub has fern like leaves.

False Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa) has purplish-blue flowers in the spring. The shrub can grow to 6-12 feet in height and width. This is a fast-growing plant that is used as a windbreak and for erosion control.

If you are looking for reliable, science based gardening information you might contact your local Texas A&M Agrilife Extension specialist, you could “Ask A Master Gardener,” or you could download gardening and landscaping resources at our Rockwall County Master Gardener website or the TAMU AgriLife website. However nowadays, we often prefer to type our question into a generative A.I. interface. Depending on your prompt. you can get perfectly good answers from various AI chatbots.

A downside is that AI in gardening can lack detailed information, and may use unreliable sources, some of which are sponsored to come up first, and it may not tell you the sources for their answers. While the TAMU chatbot requires a TAMU staff or student account, the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service has developed an AI chatbot that is open to all users. The OK State chatbot generates responses based on more than 400,000 Extension publications, articles, fact sheets and program content sourced exclusively from 30 state Extension networks and the United States Department of Agriculture. Ask it a gardening question at https://extension.okstate.edu/extensionbot/

One side note : be aware that MasterGardener.ai is not affiliated with the TAMU Extension Master Gardeners. Be sure to include "in Texas" or "in Dallas, TX" into your prompt. If not, you may be reading advice that is regional to the Oklahoma hardiness zones and soils.

Even though the yard is not growing at this time of year, there are still plenty of gardening chores to do. I have leaves to rake and compost. Garden beds to turn. Tree pruning to do. And it’s time to begin the off-season construction project that I have been thinking about all year long. This winter, I’ve decided that I need a rainwater collection system near the new garden beds that I built last winter.

For those of you contemplating a rainwater collection system, allow me and the State of Texas to convince you how good of an idea this is.

Aside from the water conservation aspect of this project, did you know:

• Texas Tax Code 151.355 removed the sales tax on Rainwater Harvesting Supplies?
• Texas Property Code 202.007 prevents HOAs from banning the installation of rainwater harvesting systems?
• Water tanks are available to hold enough water to satisfy your outdoor irrigation needs all summer long?

In my pursuit of knowledge, I discovered VOLUMES of information about how to set up a gutter-fed system. Rather than write an article with how-to’s and plans to build a rainwater harvesting system that will get me sued when my plans go wrong, I will instead take a moment to point out a few items to consider when constructing your rainwater collection system.

• Add a fine screen to the inlet AND overflow pipe to prevent mosquitos from entering the barrel and laying eggs.
  
• You may want to add another filter at the end of the downspout if your system is roof fed. Asphalt shingles release a large amount of grit that will settle in the bottom of your barrels. Eventually, so much sediment will accumulate that you will be forced to flush the entire system and lose all of the rainwater you collected.

• A rain gutter can expel a LOT of water at one time in our Texas thunderstorms. A 1,000 square foot roof can yield about 600 gallons of water from only 1 inch of rain. Your drainage system should be designed to handle this fast-moving water flow so that more water is collected than splashed over the top of the barrel. One trick is to install a deep plastic pot as your catchment system. Cut a hole in the top of the barrel. Cut another hole in the bottom of the pot. Set the top of the pot level with the barrel top and feed the downspout into the submerged cavity. Although splashing during a thunderstorm is unavoidable, you’ll catch more water than allowing run off from a level surface.
  
• Set the barrel higher than the area you wish to water. Gravity will feed the water flow. If you fail to do this, you’ll need a pump to ensure water moves through the hose to your plants.
  
• A 50-gallon water barrel can hold over 400 pounds worth of water weight. Set your barrels on cinder blocks or some other platform system that can handle the weight of the barrels when full.

• For aesthetics, consider wrapping the outside of the barrels in a decorative cover. Or line cedar pickets around the sides to mimic the look of a real wooden barrel.
  
• Most importantly, SECURE YOUR BARRELS FROM TIPPING. Your children and pets will thank you.

The project itself can be an easy one to build. As I mentioned, a lot of information and construction plans are available on the Internet. There are hobbyists such as the Facebook group “Texas Residential Rainwater Harvesting and Garden Group” that create systems that are fully independent from municipal water systems.

To get you started, go to the Rainwater Harvesting section of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service website. The website provides a lot of helpful information, photos, and videos to help you begin. Your plants will be grateful.

Images courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Sharing research-based horticulture with Rockwall’s youth, adults, and seniors, here's what we've been doing throughout the fall.

Ask a Master Gardener & Library Help Desk

Rockwall Farmers Market

FFA Fall Fest

Fall Plant Sale

Sheriff's Posse Roundup

Helping Hands Festival of Trees

Young Chefs Academy

Blue Ribbon News Contributions

Senior Outreach: Rockwall Nursing Care

Senior Outreach: H.A.T.S.

Fall Classes:

The Bulb Hunter w/ Chris Wiesinger

Pumpkin & Dried Floral Class @ Honey Locust

Composting 101

Youth Butterfly Class

Youth Storytime - Sammy Squirrel

Youth Fall Fairy Gardens



Master SNAPS!

Photos from Rockwall County Extension Master Gardeners

Clematis bloom in October

-Victoria P.

Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

-Stacie W.

Life in the Discovery Garden

-Debora Z.

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