Wood County Master Gardeners

Former Ag Agent’s recipe for tomato fertilizer.

Clint’s tomato fertilizer recipe:
2 tbsp Edson salt
2 tbsp Gypsum
1/4 to 1/2 tsp of fertilizer or liquid fertilizer like Miracle Grow
Repeat every 3 to 4 weeks.

Betty Stark gave an excellent program on care of orchids at today’s Lunch and Learn. Who knew they weren’t so fragile! With all the information I learned maybe my orchids won’t die! Thanks Betty!

Are you having problems with your orchids? Come and hear Betty Forrest-Stark talk about orchid care. Bring your lunch.

This will be awesome!

Newest Texas Superstar plant.

Lantana camara varieties named newest Texas Superstars - AgriLife Today Lantana camara varieties were named the latest Texas Superstar plant for their full-season flowering and ability to tolerate the Texas heat.

This is a good tour! Our Wood County Master Gardeners interns take this tour every year.

Join us next Saturday, May 4th, at 11am to walk the property and learn about the different fruit trees and native plants growing here at the nursery! It will be an enriching time to learn more about the plants that grow well in Texas.

Tomorrow at noon at the Extension Office in Quitman. Subject is about composting. It’s a good talk.

The Art of Rose Pruning: How(& When) to Prune Roses in 7 Simple Steps🌹💬👇

The Power of Crop Rotation in Sustainable Farming 💥🌿💬👇🏻

If you see these on your fennel, dill or parsley plants, do not kill them. They are the caterpillars of the Black Swallowtail butterflies. Read more here: http://butterfly-lady.com/do-you-have-parsley-worms/

Foundational tips for no-dig gardening
By Katharine Cook
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

No-dig is a gardening method that has been growing in popularity, and its practice perfectly matches its name. As a low-effort form of gardening, no-dig literally means you do not need to dig or alter the soil.

Joe Masabni, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist from the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, said no-dig gardening utilizes adding compost on top of your soil and letting its microorganisms give your plants the nutrients they need.

“It’s similar to how nutrients are transferred in a forest,” Masabni said. “When leaves fall to the ground, they form a layer above the soil and then they rot, releasing nutrients to the plant roots.”

How to start your no-dig garden

Starting a no-dig garden is not a challenge, especially if you already have a raised-bed garden. When starting your bed, cardboard is a key component.

Masabni said using cardboard in your no-dig garden creates a physical barrier against weeds for protection. You can also use cardboard on the top of your garden instead of mulch to further prevent weeds.

“If you’re starting a new garden, you’ll need to build the frame and put cardboard at the bottom, then fill with compost, plant in the bed and then leave it alone,” he said.

Already existing gardens with raised beds just need an addition of compost and plants and for gardeners to refrain from any tilling. Masabni has a variety of video examples online regarding no-dig gardening.

Best practices for a successful garden

While no-dig gardening is a low-maintenance option for home gardeners, there are still some important practices for caring for your garden. Gardeners should still add fertilizer to their no-dig gardens to help their plants.

“Compost by itself is not enough plant food all season long,” Masabni said. “It is important to add additional fertilizer on the top of your garden, whether it be chemical or organic.”

Additionally, Masabni said gardeners should never step on their no-dig garden to avoid damaging the layers of compost. Choosing a location for your garden away from foot traffic and in the right part of your yard can contribute to your no-dig garden’s success.

“Gardeners should be mindful of their location to avoid any standing water in your garden; selecting a location away from a low spot in your yard is a good choice,” he said.

Masabni also said no-dig gardening can be practiced with square-foot gardening and companion planting for expanded benefits.

Good things come to patient gardeners

When starting their journey with no-dig gardening, gardeners must practice patience with their yields.

“In the first year or so, a till garden will give you a better yield than a no-till garden,” Masabni said. “But over time, the nutrients will build up in the layers of good quality soil and you will have a successful yield without as much effort.”

While no-dig gardening takes a different approach, he said reframing your mentality and learning new skills is always a good practice in gardening, especially in the first few years of maintenance.

“Take note of your mistakes and try new things to keep the passion and pleasure of gardening alive, and learn to improve year after year,” Masabni said.

The next Lunch and Learn is April 25, 2024, at 12 noon in the Extension Office in Quitman. Come and learn all the new ideas about composting!

How and when to Prune Tomatoes for An Impressive Harvest💥🍅💬👇

From the Ground Up: The Beginner's Guide to Building and Preparing Your Vegetable Garden Bed
Full guide in the first comment 💬👀

Best tomato fertilizer recipe:
2 tbsp Epson salt
2 tbsp Gypsum
1/4 to 1/2 tsp of fertilizer or liquid fertilizer like Miracle Grow
Repeat every 3 to 4 weeks.

SAVE THE DATES! Mark your calendars and join us to learn from local Master Gardeners about timely topics you can put to use at your place!

Applications are now open for the Wood County Master Gardener 2024 Training Class!

Even though the information meeting was held yesterday, that doesn't mean you can't join. The closing date to apply is December 5, 2023, so we can get all the book and supplies ordered. If you are interested, list your name on the comments section and I will message you. Or call the extension office (903-763-2924) and leave your name and number. I would love to talk to you about joining this class! The classes start January 9, 2024 and go until the first part of May at the Extension Office in Quitman. The classes are on Tuesdays from 9am until 1pm.

Congratulations to Linda Long and Linda Timmons for 20 years of service to the Wood County Texas Master Gardeners.
Both ladies were in the first Master Gardener class offered in Wood County. So that also means — Happy 20th Birthday to WCMGA! Interestingly, the first Master Gardener class of 2003 started the Mineola Nature Preserve project.
These ladies have stuck around to see all the changes that have taken place over the years. Boy are we grateful they did!
Here is just a bit about the contributions from these two amazing Master Gardeners:
--Linda Long helped the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent, Wood County, Emily Husmann Castillo, with the past two Master Gardener classes and she's been on the tip book committee since it started in 2021.
--Linda Timmons was president of WCMGA in 2016. In addition, in 2016 she took over as project manager for the Mineola Nature Preserve, she is the awards committee, and she is our VMS person.

The November/December version of the Wood Works newsletter is now available on the WCMG website Newsletter tab:
https://txmg.org/woodcounty/newsletters/
The newsletter is available to the general public.
This version has articles such as:
--2024 WCMGA Officer Candidates
--Congratulations to Linda Long and Linda Timmons for 20 Years of Master Gardener Service
--Fall at the Wildscape—Education and Wildlife Habitat
--Hawkins Oil Festival – A Public Education Opportunity
--Phenology Report
--Deterring Insect Pests: Using Trap Crops in the Organic Garden
--Trap Crops for Various Plants
The Index of articles for 2019 - 2023 is also updated and available on the Newsletters tab.

Are you interested in becoming a Wood County Master Gardener?

If so, come learn more about the Wood County Master Gardeners 2024 Training Class at the info meeting TOMORROW, November 1st!

Applications for the class open November 1st and will be available at the info meeting. Attendance at this meeting is NOT required to be in the class.

Join us TOMORROW, October 26th from 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m. at the Wood County AgriLife Extension Office for the 2023 Lunch & Learn Series program- Tree Care!

Bring a lunch and enjoy! Free of charge, open to the public, no sign up necessary!

Join us in two weeks for the Wood County Master Gardeners 2024 Training Class Info Meeting!

Are you interested in becoming a Wood County Master Gardener?

If so, come learn more about the Wood County Master Gardeners 2024 Training Class at the info meeting on Wednesday, November 1st!

Applications for the class open November 1st and will be available at the info meeting. This info meeting is NOT required to be in the class.