CORPUS CHRISTI —
Divide spring-flowering perennials such as irises, Shasta daisies, gaillardias, cannas, day lilies, violets, liriope and ajuga. Reset divisions into well prepared soil with generous amounts of organic material worked into the top 8 to 10 inches.
Pat Botkin
GARDEN TALKS AT GILL: Gill Landscape Nursery, 2810 Airline Road, will host the fall 2012 garden talks beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday: growing and using herbs with Mary Dunford; Oct. 6: 10 a.m., organic gardening with Andy Chidester; Oct. 13:10 a.m., container gardening with Merlien Wilder. Information: 992-9674.
PLANT SALE: Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners will have a fall plant sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the AM AgriLife Extension Service, 892 Airport Road, Rockport. Information: 361-790-0103.
WINTER VEGETABLES: Carol Krank will discuss “Winter Vegetables” at 2 p.m. Sunday at Turner’s Gardenland, 6503 S. Padre Island Drive. Free. Information: 991-9002.
ORCHID SOCIETY: South Texas Orchid Society meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Drive. Weyman Bussey will discuss “Showy Mexican Orchid Species: Where They Come From and Grow.” Free. Information: 361-364-3425.
CACTI/SUCCULENT: Coastal Bend Cacti Succulent Society meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Drive. Johnny Smolik will discuss the proper soil mixture for growing cactuses and other succulents. Free. Information: 361-592-1538.
ROSE SOCIETY: American Rose Society consulting rosarians will present “Making Beautiful Arrangements with Roses” at the Rose Society meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greeley. Free. Information: 853-7554.
GARDEN HABITS: Earl Matthew will discuss “Healthy Garden Habits and Unseen Critters to Know — Microbe Dangers in the Garden” at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 6 at the Aransas AM AgriLife Extension Service, 892 Airport Road, Rockport. Information: 361-790-0103.
HERBS IN SOUTH TEXAS: The seminar “Growing Herbs in South Texas” is from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 6 at the South Texas Botanical Gardens Nature Center, 8545 S. Staples St. Nueces Master Gardener and Turner’s Gardenland certified nursery professional Carol Krank reveals her recommended herb varieties and growing tips for successful herb gardening and harvesting. Cost: $8. Information: 852-2100.
GROWING HERBS: Carol Krank will discuss “Growing Herbs in South Texas” at 2 p.m. Oct. 7 at Turner’s Gardenland, 6503 S. Padre Island Drive. Free. Information: 991-9002.
BAY GARDENS: The Corpus Christi Area Garden Council Inc. will host the fall garden tour, “Gardens Around the Bay” from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 21. Tickets are $10 and are available at Turner’s Gardenland, Gill Landscape Nursery, Green’s and Thing’s and garden club members. Three gardens in Corpus Christi and two in Portland will be featured, plus admission to South Texas Botanical Gardens Nature Center. Information: 991-5375 or bwhitt33@swbell.net
GARDEN CLUB: First Presbyterian Church Garden Club meets at 9:45 a.m. in Kleberg Hall, 430 S. Carancahua St. Meetings are open to members and nonmembers. Oct. 23: Don and Rhoda Poenisch, Native Plant Society, “Easy to Grow Native Plants”; Nov. 27: Carol Krank, Turner’s Gardenland, “Butterfly Gardens”; Jan. 22: Michael Womack, “Best Shade Trees for Corpus Christi”; Feb. 26: Kathy Hubner, Gill’s Nursery, “Plants for Shady Areas”; March 26: Susan Matthews, “Preparing the Easter Cross”; May 28: Induction of officers and salad luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Information: 884-4057.
If you want to speak with a master gardener, contact the help desk at the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Nueces County, by calling 767-5250, or post questions and/or comments at mpotterhort.blogspot.com/.
ASK THE GARDEN PRO
Q: I have some shrubs and a few small trees that have dead branches around the top, but there are still green leaves closer to the main trunk. Should I cut these branches off and can that be done now?
A: Tip dieback is common problem with trees after drought. It is recommended to remove dead branches from trees and shrubs, because dead wood can be a harbor for some wood-feeding insects. It also will provide space for new growth to develop. Just make sure you use sharp lopping pruners to make clean cuts. Don’t just try to break off dead branches.
Shrubs can be cut back some in early fall, especially if you have some dead branches or tall leggy stems. Just be careful not to severely cut back tropical plant like hibiscus and bougainvillea right now. It is better to wait until spring for major pruning on these freeze-sensitive plants.
Michael Womack is a horticulturist and executive director of the South Texas Botanical Gardens Nature Center. Contact him at wmwomack@gmail.com.
Speak Your Mind