What’s all the Buzz? by Hopkins County Master Gardener Phyllis Kitten
By Phyllis Kitten, Hopkins County Master Gardener Mason bees, Osmia spp., are a group of native bees that are excellent pollinators. They are called Mason bees because they use clay/mud to make partitions and seal the entrance to their nest. Within the insect world, bees are some of the greatest pollinators. One quarter of the food we eat is pollinated by the honeybee species, but there are approximately 4,000 bee species in North...
April Is National Volunteer Month – Hopkins County Master Gardeners Announce Plant Swap
Front Row (Left to Right): Joan Brennan, Charlotte Wilson, Mario Villarino (County Agent), and Judy Jones.Second Row (Let to Right): Brenda Payne, Jon Dalzell, Ronnie Wilson, Phyllis Kitten, Gere Camper, Pam Jorgenson and Dawn Wilburn. Volunteers are an ESSENTIAL component of our Extension Office and we love them!. The Hopkins County Master Gardeners conduct demonstration programs, trainings, public events and even make school...
Extension Recognizes Outstanding Volunteers, Supporters At Annual Banquet
Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Office recognized outstanding volunteers and supporters Thursday evening, Nov. 3, during the 2022 Extension Leadership Banquet. Featured Speaker While honorees and special guests enjoyed a meal of salad, baked potatoes, barbecue and peach cobbler prepared by Andy and Mary Lou Wright, Hopkins County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace BJ Teer discussed ways everyone can became gamechangers. Precinct 1...
What Is A Winter Solstice?
The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words /sol (Sun) and /sistere/ (to stand still) because, during the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still. So what does that mean, exactly? On the arrival of the winter solstice, the Sun appears at its lowest in the sky, and its noontime elevation seems to stay the same for several days before and after this...
Ladybug, Ladybug … 450 Of 5,000 Species Are Native To North America
Submitted By Phyllis Kitten, Hopkins County Master Gardener Are there ladybugs flying around your house? Maybe inside as well? It may feel like an invasion. Where do all the ladybugs come from? They seem to be everywhere in the fall. Are they a sign of a harsh winter to come? Are they bringing good luck? Adult lady beetle eating aphids. (Photo: Pat Porter) Ladybugs are actually beetles, not bugs. And, while they are sometimes called...
Hopkins County Master Gardener: Why Do Leaves Change Color?
By Phyllis Kitten, Hopkins County Master Gardener What makes all that color happen? The whole image of falling leaves and gorgeous color begins with the deciduous trees. Those are the trees that shed their leaves each year in the fall season. These trees tend to have an appearance of a round shape with branches that spread outward as the tree grows. The leaves of these trees are mostly broad and flat. Fall enthusiasts begin to watch...
Top Tips for a Successful Fall Vegetable Garden
By Phyllis Kitten, Hopkins County Master Gardener As planting time for fall vegetables begins, it’s important to know that a fall vegetable garden will need to be managed somewhat differently than a spring garden. The good news is, a well-prepared garden can ensure a bountiful harvest now that the time is here. Sunlight For Fall Vegetables Most important is planning for adequate sunlight. Vegetable garden spaces should receive at...
What’s In A Name: Heirloom, Hybrids And GMOs?
By Phyllis Kitten, Hopkins County Master Gardener When it comes to understanding and distinguishing the difference between heirloom plants, the lines may be a bit blurry to the home gardener. Heirloom Plants If you’re part of the baby boomer generation, your grandparents, and probably your parents grew heirloom vegetables almost exclusively. Most heirloom seeds have been handed down from generation to generation — most regions of the...
Master Gardeners: Don't Guess, Soil Test — Your Landscape Will Thank You
Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Office, 1200-B West Houston St., Sulphur Springs, Texas By Phyllis Kitten, Master Gardener For gardens and landscapes, the term soil improvement means making the soil favorable for plants to grow. Many soil conditions can inhibit plant growth, including compaction, poor drainage, low fertility, excess nutrients, and thin topsoil. Have you ever had your soil tested? To make the soil of your front yard,...
Johanna Hicks To Retire As Extension Agent
When Hopkins County Commissioners Court convened for what is the last scheduled meeting of 2022, County Judge Robert Newsom announced what he called a bit of sad news: it would be Johanna Hicks’ last regular Extension activity report during Commissioners Court. Hicks plans to retire at the end of January as Hopkins County’s Family and Community Health Extension Agent. Hicks has dedicated 27 years of service to educating...
