Concho Valley. May To-Do s. May Change irrigation timer over to summer watering from the spring schedule (for lawns, an inch once a week)

Transcription

1 Concho Valley May 2013 We have lost a lot of plants in recent summers, and some are still hanging on but showing residual stress from the heat and drought. Long periods of dry, hot, windy weather can really affect the health of plants. Large shade trees may still be showing stress years from now, as they can be very slow to show damage. The most important thing to do to help plants survive is to provide 3 to 4 inches of an organic mulch around all plants, even potted plants and in the garden. This will conserve water in the soil, helping the plant have enough moisture. Be sure to keep beds and plants weed free so they don t compete for water. Also don t be too hasty to fertilize, don t apply any unless you see new flushes of growth. Hot weather dries out plants, so the most important thing to do is keep plants watered. Plants need water to do photosynthesis and grow, and when it s hot, they also need water to keep cool. Plants take up water and it transpires through the leaves, which causes an evaporative cooling effect, much like how we humans sweat in order to stay cool. The hotter it is, the more water they use. If there is not enough soil moisture, the plants will overheat and can sunburn or sunscald. May To-Do s Change irrigation timer over to summer watering from the spring schedule (for lawns, an inch once a week) Apply glyphosate ( Roundup ) around bed edges to keep bermuda grass from creeping in Replenish mulch around beds to conserve water and maintain plant health Be careful to follow the rules for watering within city limits, since we are currently under water restrictions. Watering once per week should be adequate for most landscape plants, just be sure to water thoroughly each time. Hot, windy, dry weather will require more watering, but don t keep soil continuously moist. Irrigating too frequently and keeping soil too moist can promote diseases and can drown the plant. Try to keep plants watered as needed, use a lot of mulch, and keep out weed competition, and plants should be able to survive the rough conditions of a hot, dry summer in Texas. Spider mites are common pests during dry, hot weather. The damage appears specked, and is called stippling

2 At planting, prune back to two to three buds. Allow the summer growth to develop into what will be the main trunk. Grapes are fruitful on one year old wood, so the next year select two one-year-old canes to become the fruiting canes. Grape vines aren t very commonly grown around here, but can do pretty well in West Texas, whether on a large scale commercial vineyard or a few vines planted on an arbor in a landscape. One reason they can thrive is the dry climate - excess rainfall can cause vine to grow too vigorously, which can interfere with production and harvest. Heavy pruning every spring will help keep the vine balanced, and provide the required one-year old growth. Remove most of the vine, leaving just a couple of canes to produce next year s crop. For more information on growing grapes, look up aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu. Be sure to plant on a sturdy arbor, pergola or training system. Some of the recommended wine grape varieties for the area include Riesling, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Tempranillo. American grapes that would be good on arbors would be Black Spanish, Champanel, and Golden Muscat. Seedless grape varieties are Reliance, Venus and Mars. Lantana A Texas-tough perennial, Lantana comes in different colors and forms. Some trail nicely over walls, and others are bushy.

3 If insect or disease have been ruled out, the other possibility is cultural problem - and this is hard to figure out because there are so many factors - soil type, nutrients and fertilizer, sun or shade, water, weed killers, weather, and so on. Figuring out what s wrong with a plant can be like playing doctor or crime scene investigator - sometimes it s hard to figure out what exactly is causing the problem, and it can be a real mystery. Whatever the problem, we tend to want a quick and easy fix and often that doesn t happen - plants can be tricky and there needs to be just the right balance of conditions such as water, light and nutrition. The three broad types of plant problem causes are insect, disease, and cultural practice. Insect and disease are usually the easiest to figure out because there are often clear symptoms. The first thing to check is to see if there are any visible insects on the plant, or evidence of them having been there such as webworm webbing or spider mite debris. If there are insects on or around the plant, get them correctly identified in order to effectively control, if needed. First, ask yourself if the plant is in the ideal location - does it have the recommended amount of sun, water, drainage and other environmental requirements? Next, look back and ask yourself if you properly prepared the planting bed. The soil should be tilled and well worked, and for many plants organic matter should have been incorporated. Other common contributors are over fertilizing, and over or under watering. Too much can be as bad as not enough! Resources: Texas A&M Plant Diagnostic Clinic Texas A&M Entomology Department Insects in the City Also take a close look at any visible signs on the plant such as spots, powdery substances, cankers, lesions, galls or mosaic patterns. These can be indicators of insect or disease pests.

4 Pindo Palm Palm trees have the most tropical look of any type of plant, and many people in the Concho valley like to have them in the landscape. They have graceful leaves, and provide movement when they sway in the wind. There are two different types of palms, based on leaf shape. Fan palms have windmill shaped leaves, and feather palms have feather shaped leaves. There are some palms that are considered cold hardy in this area, but it s never guaranteed. Palm trees can be expensive, especially large ones, so to protect your investment plant them in a protected spot of the landscape. California Fan Palm There are usually microclimates in a home landscape that can keep temperatures a few degrees warmer, such as placing it against the home on the south facing side, and protecting from wind. Also, bigger palms are more cold hardy so try to get larger, older plants. Another consideration to think about if buying a palm tree, remember that every year, old leaves will have to be removed. Don t get one that is too tall to reach, or know that you ll have to hire someone to clean it up each year. If we have a winter with unusually cold temperatures, many palms can be damaged. If the following spring there is new, green growth coming from the top, the palm will be ok. If there isn t any green left, and no new growth, it probably needs to be replaced. Palm trees can t be cut down to the ground and expected to grow back - they only grow from the top. Sago Palm Some good palms that are generally cold hardy for the area would be Mexican Fan palm, California fan palm, Windmill palm, Pindo palm, and Sago palm.

5 Upcoming May 2013 Tuesday May 14th, 6:30 Container Gardening in the Concho Valley Location: Tom Green 4-H Building 3168 N. US Highway 67 (next door to animal shelter) Cost: Free Friday May 17, 12pm Lunch N Learn Class - Turfgrass Care and Recovery Location: Tom Green County Commissioner s Courtroom Judge Edd B. Keyes Bldg, 113 W Beauregard Cost: $5 For more info on any activity, please call the Extension Office at (325) For more information on any of the topics, or to ask questions please contact: Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Tom Green County 113 W Beauregard San Angelo, TX Educational programs conducted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.