Villarino: Benefits of Soil Sampling
Farmers across Texas are familiar with standard soil testing procedures and many make use of soil tests to determine fertilizer applications for a wide range of crops and soil types. You have likely been encouraged to soil test annually and “Don’t Guess—Soil Test” to better pinpoint your soil fertility program. According to Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Soil & Crop Sciences there are considerations to help you...
How to Spot Freeze Damage on Trees, by Mario Villarino
Over a week after severe winter weather in East Texas, many landowners may just now be seeing signs of freeze damage to forest trees and having concerns that some trees may not make it. “The most common sign of freeze damage on trees is the turning of needles and leaves from a dark green to a strange reddish-gray color,” said Eric Taylor, Texas A&M Forest Service silviculturist, Overton. “Other than the strange color, the crowns...
What’s In the Bag? by Mario Villarino
On any visit to a nursery or a big-box garden center one will find many types of soil additives and amendments. It can be confusing to any gardener, as compost, mulch, potting soil, and potting mix are all commonly sold in bags. Selecting the right product for your garden will not only improve your soil, but also result in healthier, more productive plants. Knowing what is in the bag and how to use it can be the key to gardening...
How to Assess Tree Damage Due to Icy Weather, by Mario Villarino
Recently I have got several reports of tree deaths due to the recent ice-storm. According to Texas A&M AgriLife storms can leave trees looking like there is no tomorrow. Major limbs may be broken or damaged, foliage can be shredded or stripped, or the bark may be torn or gouged. But what at first glance may look like mortal wounds are not necessarily fatal to a tree. Trees have an amazing ability to recover from storm damage....
Plant Some Trees This Winter! by Mario Villarino
According to King A.R former graduate student in the horticulture department in Texas A&M University and contributor for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, from the gardening perspective, the cold months of the year can seem to be relatively mundane. With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, garden activities seem less numerous and important. These cold months have been reserved for planting bulbs, soil preparation, and a...
Time To Prepare Soil For This Year’s Garden
By Gere Camper, Hopkins County Master Gardener It is time to prepare the soil for this year’s garden. A soil test is inexpensive, easy to do, and has many benefits. The first benefit is to maximize the garden’s production. It will tell you how much of the primary plant nutrients, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K) that need to be added. It will also tell you the status of other important nutrients such as...
Robert “Bob” Suson
Memorial service for Robert “Bob” Suson, age 74, of Sulphur Springs, will be held at a later date. Mr. Suson passed away on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at Christus Mother Frances Hospital, Sulphur Springs. Robert was born on October 5, 1946 in Boyd, Texas to Robert and Flora Mae (Brown) Suson. He married Janice Parnell on November 28, 1975 in Decatur, TX. Bob was a strong union person and a 35 year member of UAW Local 276. He held...
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...
How To Identify Some Common Flying-Stinging Insects
By Charlotte Wilson, Hopkins County Master Gardener While working in the garden or playing in the yard, it is easy to become alarmed in seeing wasps or “bees” as many people call any flying insect. However, the flying insects are doing us all a tremendous favor in pollinating our fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Many of these insects are also keeping unfavorable insects and caterpillars under control. Wasps you see on your vegetables...
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...
