Posted 12:36 am Thursday, February 02, 2012
February Time For Conferences, Planting Vegetables
February is a busy month for gardeners, with both indoor and outdoor activities. The indoor activities consist of several excellent educational opportunities coming up this month.
TURGRASS CONFERENCE
Today is the East Texas Turfgrass Conference at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton.
Registration is 8-8:30 a.m., and the program runs from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., so landscapers and lawn maintenance personnel may have time to make most of the program if you read this early enough in the day. Topics include: IPM and Its Role in Local School Districts; Turfgrass Recovery from the Drought; Weed Control Management in Turf; Disease Management on Bermuda and St. Augustine; Turfgrass Insects; Irrigation Efficiency in Times of Drought; and laws and regulations updates. Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide license holders earn 5 CEU’s, and fourStructural License CEU’s for attending the conference.
Cost is $30 per person, payable at the door, and includes lunch.
Registration is 8-8:30 a.m., and the program runs from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., so landscapers and lawn maintenance personnel may have time to make most of the program if you read this early enough in the day. Topics include: IPM and Its Role in Local School Districts; Turfgrass Recovery from the Drought; Weed Control Management in Turf; Disease Management on Bermuda and St. Augustine; Turfgrass Insects; Irrigation Efficiency in Times of Drought; and laws and regulations updates. Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide license holders earn 5 CEU’s, and fourStructural License CEU’s for attending the conference.
Cost is $30 per person, payable at the door, and includes lunch.
LANDSCAPE CONFERENCE
February is the annual East Texas Spring Landscape & Garden Conference at the Tyler Rose Garden Center. This program, sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service – Smith County office, is geared for home gardeners, both new and experienced, and features speakers and exhibitors on gardening-related topics.
The morning starts off with Dr. David Reed, Professor of Horticulture at Texas A&M in College Station, who will bring to Tyler his extensive experience teaching students how plants grow. His entertaining talk is entitled “Learn to Think Like a Plant, Then You can Talk to Them”, which helps gardeners learn the “language” plants use to grow and function, and how that knowledge helps us grow and take care of them. Malcolm Beck, who has been called the Father of Compost in Texas, and is the author of “Secret Life of Compost”, will share his vast experience of making and using compost with his talk “Compost – Good for Your Soil”.
Carmen Wagner, a bromeliad specialist from Canton, will show her favorite “Air Plants” – Tillandsias.
These are unique and easy-to-grow plants that can be used in a wide variety of ways as decorations because they don’t need soil to grow. She will discuss several types and how they can be used around the home.
After a catfish and chicken lunch, sponsored by Tyler Water Utilities, the afternoon session will cover topics related to the fires and drought of 2011. Dee Bishop and Anne Brown, Smith County Master Gardeners, will discuss how to help your yard avoid being fuel for the wildfires like the ones that devastated Texas last year.
Next is a series on coping with drought, water restrictions and keeping your plants healthy and alive. Greg Morgan with Tyler Water Utilities will be on hand to discuss east Texas water supplies and water restrictions.
I’ll speak on best watering practices for your yard and garden, and Daniel Duncum with the Texas Forest Service will cover the effect of drought on our urban trees. Finally, a panel will end the conference taking your questions on drought and water-related topics.
Registration is at the door (no pre-registration) for $35 (check or cash), starting at 7:30 a.m., and the programs begin at 8:30 a.m.
The morning starts off with Dr. David Reed, Professor of Horticulture at Texas A&M in College Station, who will bring to Tyler his extensive experience teaching students how plants grow. His entertaining talk is entitled “Learn to Think Like a Plant, Then You can Talk to Them”, which helps gardeners learn the “language” plants use to grow and function, and how that knowledge helps us grow and take care of them. Malcolm Beck, who has been called the Father of Compost in Texas, and is the author of “Secret Life of Compost”, will share his vast experience of making and using compost with his talk “Compost – Good for Your Soil”.
Carmen Wagner, a bromeliad specialist from Canton, will show her favorite “Air Plants” – Tillandsias.
These are unique and easy-to-grow plants that can be used in a wide variety of ways as decorations because they don’t need soil to grow. She will discuss several types and how they can be used around the home.
After a catfish and chicken lunch, sponsored by Tyler Water Utilities, the afternoon session will cover topics related to the fires and drought of 2011. Dee Bishop and Anne Brown, Smith County Master Gardeners, will discuss how to help your yard avoid being fuel for the wildfires like the ones that devastated Texas last year.
Next is a series on coping with drought, water restrictions and keeping your plants healthy and alive. Greg Morgan with Tyler Water Utilities will be on hand to discuss east Texas water supplies and water restrictions.
I’ll speak on best watering practices for your yard and garden, and Daniel Duncum with the Texas Forest Service will cover the effect of drought on our urban trees. Finally, a panel will end the conference taking your questions on drought and water-related topics.
Registration is at the door (no pre-registration) for $35 (check or cash), starting at 7:30 a.m., and the programs begin at 8:30 a.m.
PLANTING
Even though it’s still wintertime, there are many types of plants that can or should be planted at this time of year. Early to mid-February is vegetable planting time for cool season crops including onions, Irish potatoes, radishes, greens, lettuce, spinach, sugar snap peas, carrots, broccoli transplants, beets, Swiss chard and turnips. Early planting assures a good harvest prior to the arrival of summer heat.
Don’t be in a hurry to plant summer vegetables such as tomato, peppers, and squash – the average last winter freeze for the Tyler area is mid-March. A late frost or freeze will result in repeated plantings of frost-sensitive vegetables.
Summer vegetables not only require warm air temperatures, but also warm soils to quickly establish and grow vigorously.
February is time to plant many types of shrubs and trees including roses, bare rooted fruit and nut trees, grapes, blueberries and blackberries. Hardy container-grown trees, shrubs and groundcovers can also be planted this month.
Don’t be in a hurry to plant summer vegetables such as tomato, peppers, and squash – the average last winter freeze for the Tyler area is mid-March. A late frost or freeze will result in repeated plantings of frost-sensitive vegetables.
Summer vegetables not only require warm air temperatures, but also warm soils to quickly establish and grow vigorously.
February is time to plant many types of shrubs and trees including roses, bare rooted fruit and nut trees, grapes, blueberries and blackberries. Hardy container-grown trees, shrubs and groundcovers can also be planted this month.
FEBRUARY CHORES
Some other gardening items for February include:
— Prune and fertilize peach trees
— Check trees and shrubs for scale insects, and treat with horticultural oil if present
— Prune roses in mid- to late February
— Prepare beds and garden area for spring planting. Till in several inches of compost, composted pine bark or similar material
— Sow seeds in flats or containers to get a jump on plant growth before hot weather arrives. Petunias, begonias, and impatiens should be sown in February. Warm temperature plants, such as tomatoes, peppers, marigolds, and periwinkles, should be sown in early February
— Need to move shrubs or young trees to a new location? Now is the time. Cut back perennials and ornamental grasses before new growth begins
— Fertilize pansies and other cool season flowers
— Check compost pile and turn
— Apply pre-emergent herbicide in mid- to late February to lawns for weed control (but only if weeds were a problem last summer. No need to apply herbicides to thick, healthy, weed-free lawns). A pre-emergent herbicide will not control existing weeds.
— Wait until April to fertilize St. Augustine and Bermuda grass lawns
— Keep bird feeders stocked for both winter residents and migrating species
— Get bluebird and other nest boxes ready
— Check junipers, other narrow-leaf evergreens and roses for bagworm pouches. The insect eggs over-winter in the pouch, and start the cycle again by emerging in the spring to begin feeding on the foliage. Hand removal and discarding of the pouches reduces future damage.
Keith Hansen is Smith County Horticulturist with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
— Prune and fertilize peach trees
— Check trees and shrubs for scale insects, and treat with horticultural oil if present
— Prune roses in mid- to late February
— Prepare beds and garden area for spring planting. Till in several inches of compost, composted pine bark or similar material
— Sow seeds in flats or containers to get a jump on plant growth before hot weather arrives. Petunias, begonias, and impatiens should be sown in February. Warm temperature plants, such as tomatoes, peppers, marigolds, and periwinkles, should be sown in early February
— Need to move shrubs or young trees to a new location? Now is the time. Cut back perennials and ornamental grasses before new growth begins
— Fertilize pansies and other cool season flowers
— Check compost pile and turn
— Apply pre-emergent herbicide in mid- to late February to lawns for weed control (but only if weeds were a problem last summer. No need to apply herbicides to thick, healthy, weed-free lawns). A pre-emergent herbicide will not control existing weeds.
— Wait until April to fertilize St. Augustine and Bermuda grass lawns
— Keep bird feeders stocked for both winter residents and migrating species
— Get bluebird and other nest boxes ready
— Check junipers, other narrow-leaf evergreens and roses for bagworm pouches. The insect eggs over-winter in the pouch, and start the cycle again by emerging in the spring to begin feeding on the foliage. Hand removal and discarding of the pouches reduces future damage.
Keith Hansen is Smith County Horticulturist with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
