Learning to Write
I never knew how difficult and time consuming it would be to write a newsletter, but I have had fun and actually learned quite a bit. Since I started the newsletter I have to do research for the different articles, and I think this has made me a smarter person (that is my opinion, but nobody seems to agree with me). I have had fun writing about my experiences in my garden and home and I hope that you have enjoyed my misfortunes, but more importantly I hope that you have learned from these stories.
Sandra, lets me know how much she loves me after every article I write using her as my scapegoat. I wish I could print some of the things she says, but I have found that there are children who read this, too. Alfred, must be a smart dog, every time I write about him he makes me give him a cookie in payment.
In my first Newsletter I asked for help in writing the articles and unfortunately, have not received any from people outside of Rohde’s. I think that it would be great to have outside information on organic methods or controls that work for others. This invitation still stands and I would be very grateful for any articles that are sent. No, I will not put out two newsletters a month, but I have started to update the newsletter with sales or important information.
I would apologize for my grammar, but in doing so I would more then likely make a mistake and somebody would correct me. I have had fun reading notes from my "teachers" out there, I do think that my grammar has improved with their help (please correct me if I am wrong). I hope that one day I will have a perfect Newsletter and I will get an A+ from all of you. Please let me know what you think of the newsletter, a simple word like good or bad will be sufficient.
Anyway. On to the new year. My family and I are going to New York City for Christmas. We got round trip tickets for $24.95 (TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS and 95 cents). We are going to see Beauty and the Beast, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and of course The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. I was able to get third row seating for this show. Sandra has promised to hurt me if I try touching any of the performers long legs as they pass overhead. Look for us on Time Square for the dropping of the ball on New Years Eve, my family will be wearing T-shirts that say: "Go Organic".
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a safe New Year.
Things to Do in December
December is a time for joy and friendship, by now your yard work should be finished, the tools oiled, beds have been mulched with a nice thick layer of organic mater…oh, wait I forgot one of the major garden chores is to procrastinate so, get off the couch and finish your garden work now.
Cold Protection
One day it is 85 degrees the next day it is 23, plants are not ready for these drastic changes, then bam…an arctic front catches them and you with their pants down. Don’t let this happen to your plants, start applying Kelp or Seaweed now while the plants can absorb this wonderful product.
Seaweed is a rich source of elements and minor minerals, chelators, amino-acids, and plant growth regulators. Research has found that plants treated with Kelp or Seaweed’s that contain plant growth regulators are less susceptible to environmental stress conditions. Increased frost and drought resistance is achieved by reducing the transpiration rate, the plant loses less moisture under drought and frost conditions, resulting in less damage due to water stress. Seaweed extracts aid in changes in the metabolic pathways, veins that conduct fluids, permitting the roots access to extremely low moisture levels which during a drought are normally not available to plants. When we have hard prolonged freezes the plants can not get enough water as if they were in a drought condition. In our 5th Newsletter dated March, 1998, we go into detail about seaweed and how it works.
For added protection simply cover the plants with a light woven material called Row Cover™. Do not put plastic directly over plants, this will burn the leaves that come in contact with this material. Make a cold frame by using PVC tubing and place the plastic over it. This allows you to remove the plastic easily when temperatures warm up again.
Watering
I can not stress the importance of proper watering during the winter months. Before a freeze, water. Make sure that the temperatures are above freezing and if necessary drain the pipes after you are done. I do not because my house is on a slope and all the water naturally drains to the lowest head. Disconnect the hoses from the house and cover the hose bib to protect the house pipes from freezing.
After a rain, water where needed. Inspect the plants under the eaves of the house to see that they have sufficient moisture. Tall evergreens work as umbrellas and do not let understory plants get enough moisture.
If a plant does not get sufficient moisture the cold winter weather can kill many plants.
Composting
What you compost now will save you money next spring. Leaves and dead plants should be added to the compost pile. Do not forget that the nasty smelling gunk in the gutters should also be added to the compost pile. That smell lets you know that it is already rotting and will add microbes to your pile. Remember that the smaller the particle that goes into your compost the quicker it will break down and be ready for use, so if you can grind or cut up the materials before they go in, pat yourself on the back. Keep compost piles from becoming water logged by covering with plastic or better yet build it up into the shape of a pyramid, so that the sides repel the excess water.
Bulbs
If the soil temperature has dropped to the 40 degree range you can plant tulips and hyacinths bulbs. The spring flowering bulbs (spider lilies, daffodils, crocus etc), can still be planted this month.
Prepare the soil by mixing compost to the existing soil. Before planting bulb soak them in kelp for five minutes and add Rock Phosphate with each bulb at time of planting. Plant the bulbs two and a half times deeper than the diameter of the bulb.
Dormant Spraying
December is a great time to apply dormant spray to help on deciduous trees, shrubs or problematic plants like some of the Euonumous. This will help kill over wintering insects and their larvae. If you have released beneficial insects, Tricograma Wasp, Green Lace Wings or Lady Bugs, I would not apply dormant sprays. Only use dormant sprays if you are just now starting an organic program or you had a heavy infestation of an insect in a particular area or plant.
DO NOT blanket spray. This should be your second application of three. The last one will be done in February before bud break.
Planting
Now is a great time to transplant trees, shrubs and perennials. Plants are dormant and will go through very little stress from the move to a new location. When you transplant a tree make a large ugly hole no deeper then the root ball that you have dug out, drench the root ball with kelp and backfill using the native soil that you removed when you dug the hole. Add up to three inches of compost to the finished level.
Do not stake the trees unless they are in a wind tunnel where they get blown around. Only stake for the first season and remove all materials as soon as possible. For perennials and shrubs prepare the soil for transplanting using as much compost as you can afford, up to 1/3, turn it into the soil.
Is your home energy efficient. Do you have rooms that are very cold because of a Holly or other evergreen is shading a window and not letting the sunshine come in? Yank that sucker out and replace it with a deciduous plant to permit the warm rays of the winter sun to come in. More on this in January.
Do not throw away your Christmas tree this year. Come on down and buy a live Christmas tree. Do not keep the tree indoors for more than a week keep the tree so that it will not go into shock when you plant it outside.
Pruning
If we have had a hard freeze or two really good frost you can now prune Live Oaks and Red Oaks with very little chance of become infected with Oak Wilt.
Remember pruning is something you do that the tree does not need. Only remove branches that are hazardous to humans or property. Do not cut a large branch next to the trunk until you have relived some of the weight. Your first cut should be two feet from the branch, starting from the bottom of the branch cut 1/4 of the way through the branch and then go to the top and cut through. After that portion has fallen away go to the trunk and look for the collar of the branch, normally 1/2 to one inch from the trunk and make a flush cut on the outside of the collar or ring. Fruit trees can be pruned for easier picking of fruit and to relive over weight of branches.
Fertilizing
Organically, if you want to fertilize, you can do it now. If you are just now starting an organic program go ahead and fertilize everything trees, shrubs and perennial beds, with an all purpose organic fertilizer. Kelp can be applied once a week on anything growing.
Xeriscape
Growing up in Peru, I went out into the Nazca Desert several times. For hours and hours I was able to travel over sand dunes that were as old as time itself. These sand dunes raised up as high as mountains and then gracefully arched back down towards the sea. Many years later I was able to travel to Arizona and was amazed at the beautiful cactus that grew majestically towards the sky as if they were guardians of the desert. It seems like an eternity since Sandra, my wife, and I went to Morocco and decided to drive into the Sahara Desert. We were surprised at what we saw. There were no sand drifts that were millions of years old; instead, there was a hard surface that seemed to be made of crumbled rock. There was a multitude of colors ranging from yellow to orange and red to purple. Towards dusk the colors changed so much that we had to stop and admire this beautiful area of the Sahara. Now, I try to remember these beautiful deserts; each one different, but just as breath taking as the other.
This year's drought has made many homeowners think about their landscapes. Many homeowners saw their landscapes dry up and die due to lack of rainfall and the excessive summer heat. Several cities asked homeowners to conserve water, while others had mandatory water rationing. Cities that permitted watering delivered water bills three times as high as normal.
To help solve landscape water problems in the years to come, several organizations are promoting Xeriscape landscaping. Texas A&M, Dallas Water Utilities and a few Landscapers such as Howard Garrett, Rosa Finsley, Randy Weston and Carol Feldman.
When I first heard of the term Xeriscape, I thought of the deserts that I had visited and described to you earlier. I was concerned about customers turning their gardens into desert-looking landscapes using rock and cactus as their mainstay.
Xeriscape comes from the word Xeros, which mean dry. Rocks and cactus would work great since they like it dry. But, Xeriscape is a term that means quality landscaping that conserves water and protects the environment. Xeriscape is considered a viable alternative to the conventional high water requirement landscapes.
As our landscapes have expanded in the last two decades, so has water consumption. By incorporating Xeriscape principles into our landscapes, water usage can be cut in half.
So, Xeriscapes can be more than rock and cactus. Incorporating Native and adapted plants to your landscape plan will allow your landscape to be beautiful while conserving water. Xeriscape means more than dry. You do not have to do a rock garden similar to the ones in Japan, even though that would be pretty, to conserve water.
Here in Dallas you must remember that your home’s foundation needs to be watered, and roots help control soil erosion. With controlled watering you will be able to achieve a stable foundation and a beautiful landscape. When you use an assortment of plants that are known to do well in your area you can save money on your watering bill and look good, too. No, I don’t mean you. Your landscape can look good.
There are several steps that must be followed to achieve a Xeriscape:
Knowledge: Learn about drought tolerant plants for your area.
Design: Start with a plan, but do not be afraid to change as you go.
Create Practical Turf Areas: Use grasses appropriate for the area and use.
Select Low Water-Requiring Plants: Find out which group of plants require the same amount of water. Plant them together.
Proper Bed Preparation: Good soil amendments, like compost and plenty of lava sand, will retain moisture while promoting root growth.
Mulches: The key to water retention is a good mulch, this will help cool the soil and reduce evaporation.
Water Wisely: Water when the plant needs it not when your timer is set. Adjust your sprinkler heads or watering devices to water what is needed, not the house or concrete.
Upkeep: Proper maintenance is a must. Do not let things get out of hand. Remember what produces fruit or seed that can be used to feed wildlife and prune so that this vital production is not ruined. Fertilizing regularly and determine what plants need more or less NPK or minerals.
Check out the Heard Museum in McKinney, A&M Research Center on Coit Rd. north of Cambell in Richardson, Dallas Pump Station at White Rock Lake, Federal Reserve Building in Downtown Dallas. Take photographs or notes of the plants you like. Write down the location of the plant, sun, shade, morning or afternoon, all day, near concrete, good drainage, damp soil, etc.
Do not be afraid to try something new. Change is good and can be fun.
That’s My Boy
I was at home working on this Newsletter early in November, when I heard some voices down by the creek. I looked through my window and saw four teenagers walking in the creek. At first I thought that they were just passing by. A few minutes later I noticed that their voices were still outside my window, so I looked again. One of the kids had removed his socks and shoes and was standing in the middle of the creek with water up to his knees. Crazy, I thought, as I sat back down to continue my work. Minutes later I heard laughter and looked again to see that all four kids had removed their shoes and were standing together. I opened the window so I could hear them. Each one was daring the other to sit in the water, dunk their heads or splash water on their bodies. Nothing malicious, so I went back to work.
Not more then a minute passed when I heard whispering right outside my window. One of the voices sounded familiar. My son, Victor, and some friends were spying on these older kids. More minutes passed and I heard some loud screaming and laughter. I was amazed when I saw that these four kids had stripped down to their underwear and were sitting in the middle of the creek. I saw some movement down by a thicket near the creek. Victor was leading his friends closer to where the kids had stacked their clothes. I saw Victor lead his gang in a mad dash towards this pile of clothes. Ha! My son and his young friends grabbed the older kids’ clothes and ran for about 50 feet, just up the bank. Why are you stopping? Run, my son, run, I prayed softly.
Victor and his friends stopped, turned around and started shouting at the teenagers, "We got your clothes, you sissies!" My son and his friends are only 10.
Why did they have to stop and show their faces to these older kids? What have I taught this boy? I was thinking of my son’s health; black eyes, broken bones or worse. Now the teenagers were out of the water and running toward the younger kids. I thought that Victor was going to give the clothes back, when they started running down the street and into one of his friends homes. The teenagers were now standing behind the wing wall of my house, near my window.
"Hi, guys," I greeted them. "How’s the water?"
Embarrassed and confused one of the teenagers answered my question. "Water’s fine," he mumbled.
"Where’s your clothes?" I asked.
"Some brats ran away with them," the same kid said.
"Can you lend us some clothes?" He pleaded.
"Sure, I will be right back."
When I returned I gave them some dresses that no longer fit my wife expanding wife.
"We can’t wear these," they said.
I started to grab them back, but they decided to keep them. I laughed until I cried, or should I say, until the next morning, when I went to get the paper. I noticed that we got wrapped and had shaving cream on the windows. They did not return the dresses.
It has been three weeks now, and thank God, Victor has not been beat up or any further pranks have been done to the house.
Next month I will get back to gardening.
Happy Holiday’s!