Organic Landscape and Gardening Fair

Saturday, February 19, 2011
8am – 4pm

See you there!

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” Why did my parents Purple Martins fail to return this year?  Could this be from a  nearby tree that is now  as tall as the Purple Martin house” Bobby B., Houston, Texas

I asked bird expert, geologist, paleontologist, and nature, wildlife landscape photographer Michael Dumont for his expert advise. The most common reason martins abandon their colony site is because predators have raided their nests so watch out for startling crows, owls, snakes, hawks, squirrels. Trees provide cover for lurking aerial predators like Coopers and Sharp-Shinned Hawks, and martins seem to sense this and avoid settling into tree-encroached housing. The Purple Martin house should be cleaned, disinfected for unwanted invaders before the Purple Martins arrive.   Older Purple Martins usually return to past nesting areas where they have had breeding success in the past.   You can entice younger Purple Martins by having nesting material already in the house.  The best material is dry pine needles which do not retain moisture as wood shavings or leaves.  Most important the house should always face in the same direction or it will be abandoned.

Below are birdhouses for sale (not Purple Martin houses)and made in Austin, Texas.  Mainly made of ceder wood to make them long lasting. The houses are perfect during spring or summer seasons. However, the birds will enjoy living in them all year round. Birdhouses add  aesthetic value in your yard.

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• Cut spent blossoms from Crape Myrtles to extend bloom time.
• Fertilize your citrus this month with a good all purpose granular fertilizer such as MicroLife.
• If you must have color this month, plant marigolds, salvia,torenia, cora vinca,calendulas, begonias,  petunias, ipomoea sweet caroline and perennials like ornamental grasses, Mexican butterfly bush, russelia, false aster and groundcovers.  Don’t forget fall tomatoes they go quickly!
• Make sure everything is mulched and continue to water deeply.
• Foliar feeding each week with Ocean Harvest by San Jacinto Environmental helps the plants withstand the stress of prolonged heat.  It will also help with azaelas and camellias set bloom for next season.
• And don’t forget adjust your expectations of turf quality in late summer.  August and September are times of stress for your turf, so don’t fire your landscaper.

Thank you Michael Dumont for sharing another beautiful picture!

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If you work during the day and only get to enjoy your garden at night you might choose to do an all-white garden. In nature, art, and landscaping, white is a natural focal point that draws the eye to it.   If you have an area that needs to be lit up at night like a path or front door work it with white!

All of the plants listed  are blooming and available right now at Treesearch Farms!

Cat Whiskers, White (1)

Anthericum Shooting Star Lily

Allium Native Texas Onion (1)

Aloysia Almond Verbena

Duranta, White

Ginger, White Crepe

Dwarf Orange Jasmine

Native Spider Lily

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Last week my  friend /client  asked,  when should we  plant a fall garden? Dwight MacDonald recommends if you are sowing  by seed to start the following  fall vegetables: beans, brocolli, mustard, carrots, winter squash, and tomatoes no sooner than  August 20th. If you plant the seeds outside you will need to water  a few times a day  and protect your plants from snails and the hot sun.  We recommend sprouting seeds in the house or other protected area.The end of September is the best time for  lettuce and the seeds can be planted directly into the ground.

Jen Allgood

Below is an email I received today from my friend, Matt Raney.  If anyone is interested in receiving Matt’s garden tips and emails his address is below.  He also has a fantastic nursery!

How come my Carrots don’t taste good no mo?

“The answer lies in when you planted them—-they probably experienced a hot snap (above 80 degrees or so-ish) When that happens it burns the sugar in the carrots and that kills the flavor! So yea — your right they don’t taste good no mo.

It is for this very reason you should plant your under ground stuff in fall so that they will stay nice and cool. Plant your above ground stuff in the spring—if you follow that advice your carrots will be nice and sweet next year.”

Matt Raney / 713-895-9171
4305 Northfield Ln.
Houston, Texas 77092
Email:  Allinoneplants@comcast.net

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Houston Summer 2010

My mentor and associate,Dwight MacDonald also recommends for this tree and every tree you plant in Gulf Coast soil to use  an auger, to bore 3 root reservoirs around the root ball that are 30″ deep.  Then remove existing soil and fill the holes with ammonium sulphate   3Tbs to gallon every 30 days.  He says its not organic but its inexpensive and better than anything you can get at the store for the price. If you are going for the orgainic approach I recommend filling the holes with Super Seaweed Liquid Concentrate.

Organic expert, Mike Serrant of San Jacinto Environmental recommends the following products for Summer Landscape Survival.

MicroLife Humate Plus Granular – Help your soils get the most of your rain and irrigation water. Easy to spread. Provides much needed Humates, Kelp, Sugars, Potassium, Minerals, and Bio-Inoculation including the all important Mycorrhizas.

Super Seaweed Liquid Concentrate -The goodness of Super Seaweed will enhance plant color, increase chlorophyll content, build stronger roots, increase plant development and vigor. Reduce heat and drought stress with Super Seaweed. Super Seaweed packs a huge punch with Plant Vitamins, Sugars, Growth Hormones, and needed Minerals.

Soil Moist – Incorporate Soil Moist into the soil to hold more moisture in the root zone. The Soil Moist crystals absorb and release water and create void space for additional oxygen. Soil Moist can reduce water needs by as much as 50%.

Thank you Mike!

Where to Buy
MICROLIFE DEALERS

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Jen,

My bottlebrush trees continue to have dead to yellowing branches.  I cut them out, but they continue to reappear.  Do you have any solutions?

Paul H., Bellaire, Texas

Paul, sounds like too much water.  I consulted with the growers at Treesearch Farms to verify and  they agreed the bottlebrush needs very little water even to get established.

Part 2

Jen,That seems unusual as they were so lush last year, and my watering times and schedules haven’t deviated from last year.

Paul, Most “drought tolerant” plants such as the bottlebrush can survive through an average summer without supplemental watering.  The bottlebrush is usually not drought tolerant the first year and regular watering and an application of mulch are good ideas.  After that, you can pretty much allow them to fend for themselves with an occasional soaking.  Treesearch recommends to stop watering it all together for awhile, then practice a routine of giving it a deep soak and then letting it dry out completely before soaking again.

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This week I saw the  Cactus King  and picked up a beautiful  Agave Octopus. Lyn the owner told me it is now time to spray  agaves because its main pest the Japanese Beetle typically attacks in late summer which leaves your agave with wilted leaves and will collapse the plant. The Cactus King suggests  to spray your agave now with an insecticide which contains pyrethrin or polyurethane .  Pyrethrin is an insecticide ingredient prepared from pyrethrum flowers.   It is the common active ingredient in many flea and tick preparations which Lyn says will also work.

Please click onto Agave Octopus for plant file.

Agave Octopus

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If you really want to enjoy the day tomorrow  and learn something new stop by the Organic Horticulture Business Alliance booth at Discovery Green. I have been asked by Houston’s organic expert, Mike Serant,  owner of San Jacinto Environmental and chair member of the  Organic Horticulture Business Alliance to help answer questions at our booth along with other landscape professionals in the Houston Metro area.   JenScapes Inc. joined OHBA last year to continue our education focusing on soil health, plant health, organic practices, water quality and usage,  urban trees and design elements. We hope to see you at our booth  so we can share some of our Green knowledge with you.

DATE:              April 3, 2010

TIME:               8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

WHERE:           Discovery Green

COST:              FREE

The festivities kick off with the Mothers for Clean Air Earth Day 5K at 8 a.m. followed by a day-long celebration with family entertainment, environmental education, a Green Expo, music, and much more.

Earth Day Houston hosted activities and displays include:

MUSIC:

11:00 am – 12:30 pm        Leah White & The Magic Mirrors

12:45 pm – 2:15 pm           Beetle

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm           Allen Oldies Band

4:15 pm – 5:45 pm             The Norma Zenteno Band

• Farmers’ Market/Green Artist Market
• Kids Energy Zone
• Environmental Education Zone
• Earth Zone Featuring Exhibits for AIR, LAND, WATER & RENEWABLE ENERGY
• Green Expo

Presented by TXU Energy, Sponsored by: Green Bank, H-E-B, CenterPoint Energy, Bud Light, Mike Calvert Toyota, Waste Management, Community Coffee, Port of Houston, Sysco, and Discovery Green

NON PROFIT HOSTS: LAND – Houston Parks & Recreation Dept, AIR – Air Alliance Houston, RENEWABLE ENERGY – Blackwood Education Land Institute,  WATER – Bayou Preservation Assoc., Farmers Market/Green Artist Market – Urban Harvest

MEDIA PARTNERS: KIAH – Channel 39, Greensheet, Houston Community Newspapers, Houston Family Magazine, KSEV Thirty Green

PARKING: Downtown surface lots and garages

FOOD & BEVERAGES: Available for purchase on-site

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Spring is my favorite time of year to visit TreeSearch farms.    The Viburnums, Magnolias, Callary pear, Mexican plum, Red buds and apple trees all look astonishing this spring.  Heidi Sheesley says it is from Houston’s few weeks of exceptionally  cold weather.

Jenscapes Inc. would like to thank Michael P. Dumont for some of his fabulous spring photography and Mark Montgomery from  TreeSearch for the blooming tour!

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