About two years before the recession hit, Kenton Neuhouser says, his accountant told him to close his business accounts at a big bank and start a relationship with a smaller, local bank.

“I never took the time to do it,” said Neuhouser, the owner of Neuhouser Nursery, which also operated a landscaping company and a garden and gift shop. “I had been with them so long,” about 30 years, he said.

That all changed one December day four or five years ago. Neuhouser called the bank and asked that some money be taken from his credit line and placed in his company’s checking account. The bank cheerfully agreed to do it.

About an hour later, though, the bank called back.

“Out of the blue they canceled the line of credit that I’d had for years,” Neuhouser said.

The bank, he said he was told, had decided that small-business loans were high risk and it was closing down its small-business lending operation.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. In the previous year, Neuhouser’s business had actually operated at a loss for the first time. All businesses rely on a line of credit, he said, but when he called other banks, “they said to come back when you show a profit again,” he said.

The change in banking policies was stunning.

“We used to be treated like royalty,” Neuhouser said.

Banks looked at businesses’ assets and willingly lent them money, and in 30 years, he said, he had never missed or been late on a payment.

Suddenly, assets meant nothing, he said.

“It’s like you wake up one day and they’re telling you the exact opposite,” he said. “They’re telling you you’re great, and then you wake up and they’re telling you your assets are worthless, you have to show better cash flow.

“Once you lose your line of credit, it’s hard to continue when the economy is bad,” Neuhouser said.

So Neuhouser was suddenly the victim of two vicious blows to his livelihood.

First, there was a recession that pinched sales.

“We had the same traffic flow,” Neuhouser said, “but the tickets were a lot smaller. Everyone was so cautious about what they spend.”

Then there was the loss of credit.

There were the constant jabs from the competition, big-box stores ranging from groceries to hardware stores to discount houses selling nursery goods.

“To be an independent business you have to stay on the cutting edge” and offer items that the big-box stores don’t sell, Neuhouser said. “You have to stay ahead.”

Then came the summer’s heat and drought. It was too hot for people to go into their gardens. Bans on watering lawns left some people with the impression that they weren’t allowed to water their gardens, either, so they quit buying plants.

Sales dropped to practically zero.

Tuesday, Neuhouser finally gave up. No financing, no sales, horrible weather had killed another local small business.

In announcing that he was closing and throwing 21 people out of work, Neuhouser put out a little plea that people shop local.

“Small businesses make up the majority of businesses in the city and state, and that money (that they make) stays in the community,” he said.

It’s an old refrain, “but unfortunately the majority of people don’t listen,” Neuhouser said. “Get out and see what the locals have to offer before you go to the big-box store and buy everything.”

by Ken Quintanilla

Guam – Hoping to teach others about the impacts of runoff to our
water quality on Guam, a rain garden training workshop was held earlier this
month hoping to show others how landscaping can lead to healthy streams. Center
for Watershed Protection program director David Herschman says a rain garden
will help purify and protect the lagoon nearby.

He told KUAM News, “So this is one kind of practice that’s
designed to capture the runoff from impervious surfaces such as rooftops or
roadways or any other types of hard surfaces that generates runoffs and capture
runoff and absorb it.”

The workshop aimed to show others how to build a rain garden.
Island Girl Power’s Juanita Blas says her organization received a $30,000 grant
to work with the some of the villages to build rain garden and was on site to
learn about the process. “There’s only so much you can learn from research
on the computer and talking with people but getting hands on and working on a
rain garden is really amazing,” she explained.

Ultimately for Horsley Witten Group project engineer Michelle
West, she hopes residents can learn about rain gardens and even build one at
home. She said, “And every little bit helps if everyone built a rain
garden at their home it can help the overall problem we have on Guam.”

The training was put on by Guam Coastal Management and the NOAA
Coral Reef Conservation Program. 

By Jaimee Green 

Winterizing Gardens and Lawns

Fall Edition

Grafted ornamental trees provide nice landscaping while allowing leaves to blow through yards rather than collect.

With the worst of the summer heat behind us and the cooler fall temperatures offering a mild reprieve before the winter weather settles in, now is the time to begin preparing lawns and gardens for next year’s growing season.

Several simple tasks will help ensure your lawn’s health and garden’s beauty is revived come spring.

“It’s that time of year when the leaves are turning different colors because they lack moisture and the days are getting shorter. This is a great time to take advantage of good weather and start preparing flower beds, edible gardens and lawns for winter and next season,” said Ann Ronning, Roosevelt County Extension Agent.

Fertilizing and winterizing grass, trees and shrubs will allow home foliage to enter its winter slumber nourished and comfortable.

It’s a good time to add a large amount of compost to the garden soil. This can be done using anything from grass clippings, dead leaves, kitchen trash or dry manure. The composting materials can be placed in a hole and covered over, or just left on top.

When it finally comes time to accept the fruits of the gardening labor have been realized, it is beneficial to pull all of the plants out of the garden and perform a soil test. This will provide time in the fall for applying necessary nutrients that can meld all winter long and prepare the soil for spring. “By knowing what you have and what you need in your soil, you’ll be ready to feed your plants as soon as warm weather permits,” Ronning said.

Soil tests cost an average of about $35. The primary nutrients that will be evaluated are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as the acidity and alkalinity of the soil.

Fall tilling can also be beneficial by working in any left-over and healthy garden material. By adding these nutrients, it will help to build strong, healthy plant roots for spring crops. As the soil is turned it allows for better air circulation and helps with the decomposition of any added organic matter. It can also prevent the growth of new weeds in the spring. It can also prevent garden pests and insects from wintering in the soil.

One simple way to remember where everything was planted in the garden this year is by taking a picture of it that can be looked at later. It’s an easy and efficient way to help determine where to best place next year’s root crops, fruit bearing and edible plants.

Sharon Salvevold, a Culbertson resident, has been gardening her yard for some 35 years. For years she enjoyed her large perennial gardens but got tired of the maintenance and upkeep required with keeping plants from getting root bound and transplanting them to different areas. “Even though you don’t have to replant them each year there is still a lot of work involved,” Salvevold said. Today, she enjoys a lush landscape of trees and shrubbery that require little maintenance.

Salvevold uses only plants zoned for the climate of Northeast Montana, growing trees such as grafted ornamental trees of Korean lilac, blue spruce and weeping caragana.

In an effort to keep her yard aesthetically pleasing, she tries to use only several ypes of trees and shrubs in varying shades of green. She arranges them in varying sizes to give her yard dimension.

“I went from having a lot of work to do to just a minimal amount. I like the grafted trees with trunks and sticks because they don’t allow leaves to build up around them. I tried a number of different plants and shrubs in my yard but these are great because they allow the leaves to blow right through the yard rather than settling,” Salveveold said.

One of the keys to her success is that she fertilizes her yard three times a year, in early spring, July and fall. In the weeks following the mulching, weeding and feeding, she soaks the ground with water.

Oftentimes people decide to transplant trees and shrubs in the fall. In Northeast Montana, Zone 3 for plant heartiness, it is important to only transplant trees that do well in zones of 1, 2 and 3. “The concern is that our zones average first frost comes between Sept. 1 – 20 and those lowered temperatures will hurt those trees and shrubs,” Ronning said. For successful transplants, the key is to get the roots to grow a little before the frost to enable them to take hold before winter.

This time of year it’s okay to slow down on watering plants too. However, when you do water, it’s a good idea to really soak the area. A good determinate of when enough water has been applied is to use a cat food or tuna can and place it on the lawn where you are watering. Once the can is full, enough water has been applied.

It may not be beneficial to water after the garden is pulled out, because you run the risk of potentially germinating weed seeds.

From left to right are Will Salvevold, 4, Camri Salvevold, 3, Aubrey Elle Salvevold, 1, and Sharon Salvevold in her yard she meticulously cares for each gardening season.

There are several benefits to watering less often too. If plants are waiting each day for water that always is provided they don’t have to work for it and the roots don’t grow. If watered less frequently, the roots will stretch and grow while searching out their own water sources. This increases the soil and grass health.

When sticking to a fertilizing regime, it is recommended to do it four times a year using the holidays of Labor Day, Columbus Day, Memorial Day and the first freeze as dates of reference. The key is to apply a pound of nitrogen per 1,000 feet of lawn.

For the last grass cutting of the season, it’s a good idea to leave between two and two-and-a-half inches of height.

“One of the most brilliant and simple things I have seen was a farming neighbor who pushed all of his snow over the garden when he plowed,” Ronning said.

For those who have an especially difficult time resigning their green thumb, garlic is a plant that can be planted now, much like winter wheat. Garlic requires a long growing season. “The seeds will lie dormant and then wake up once the weather suits their needs,” Ronning said.

Tibouchina ‘Little Beauty’

TIBOUCHINA. No, I’m not speaking another language, though sometimes botanical names of plants do make me feel like that.

Tibouchina, pronounced tib-oo-chee-na, is the beautiful mass purple flowering small tree that you see around the place from about autumn and all through winter.

For many years there were only a few types available and unless you wanted a tree or a very small shrub you could only admire these plants in everyone else’s yard.

Over the past few years though, plant breeders have developed a wonderful range of Tibouchinas that vary in size, from about 30cm to about 2m and vary in shades of purple, from vivid purple all the way through to lilac and white.

These amazing new Tibouchinas also flower throughout the year instead of seasonally.

So you should have shades of purple in your garden for most of the year.

Tibouchinas like very acidic soils, so if you struggle to grow things such as azaleas or camellias in your garden you may also struggle with Tibouchinas.

The good thing about Tibouchinas is that they let you know they need more acidic soil – the leaf burns at the edges, turns brown and eventually the leaf dies.

You could add sulphur to your ground to prevent this. Another, and what I think is a much easier way, is to just grow your Tibouchinas in pots.

Tibouchinas like the full sun and look much better if they get a good haircut at least once a year after flowering.

I use my complete organic slow release granular fertiliser – Organic Link on mine at the turn of every season.

I find this not only keeps them looking healthy and fresh it promotes more flowering.

Some Tibouchinas don’t like the cold so if you get heavy frost they will need protection.

But which Tibouchina to choose? With nearly 10 new types being released, which one is right for you?

Here’s the quick lowdown. All the new Tibouchinas form dense shrubs. Just a small trim and fertilise in between flowering will keep them neat and compact.

 

Tibouchina

Tibouchina Groovy Baby – About 30cm high, large vibrant purple flowers most of the year, doesn’t mind the cold.

Tibouchina Little Beauty – About 1m high, large vibrant purple flowers most of the year.

Tibouchina Peace Baby – About 1m high, large white flowers with pink stamens, red tinged new growth, doesn’t mind the cold.

Tibouchina Allure – About 1m high, lilac flowers in autumn and spring.

Tibouchina Carol Lyn or Jazzie – About 1.5 – 2m high, large vibrant purple flowers with a white centre, flowers most of the year.

Tibouchina Imagine – About 1.5m high, masses of light purple flowers with a white centre cover this shrub for most of the year.

Tibouchina Chameleon – About 2m high, a unique multi-coloured flowering display with the flowers starting almost a pure white, then changing to mauve, followed by a deep pink.

Tibouchina ‘Illusion’ – About 2.5m high, perfect for hedging, the flowers open white with a blush-pink margin, then mature to deep pink tones, creating an amazing display in spring and autumn.

 

To read more lifestyle stories

The annual Fall Landscape Extravaganza sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension-York/Poquoson Office will be held on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Yorkminster Presbyterian Church, 6218 George Washington Memorial Highway, in Grafton. 

Sign-in begins at 8:30 a.m., with orientation at 9 a.m. Two blocks of concurrent educational programs will be offered from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. and from 10:45 a.m. to noon. 

        Classes include:

• Change in the Landscape – Mike Andruczyk, Chesterfield Extension Agent
• Attracting Pollinators in the Home Landscape – Kathy Duncan, Custom Gardens
• Fairy Gardens – Eileen Livingstone, Ken Matthews Garden Center
• Easy Seed Starting in the Garden Indoors – Lisa Ziegler, The Gardener’s Workshop
• Prepare for a Springtime Love Affair – Marie Butler, Norfolk Zoological Park
• New Underutilized Plants Part 2 – Eric Bailey, Landscapes by Eric Bailey

This is a popular event and seating is limited, so early registration is required. The event is offered free of charge and is open to the public. Registration materials can be found at www.yorkcounty.gov/vce. Contact the York-Poquoson Extension office at 890-4940 with any questions.

Posted by Kathy Van Mullekom;  kvanmullekom@aol.com

FOLLOW KATHY:

http://pinterest.com/digginin/

 

A single blueberry bush can produce 4-7kg of fruit in a season.

WE often think of blueberries as a cool climate fruit but in fact, it’s easy to grow in various climates.

Just make sure you choose low chill varieties, and get the position just right.

Blueberries are self-pollinating, long-lived shrubs reaching a height of 1-2.5m, depending on the variety and growing conditions.

The bright green leaves darken as they age and are small, oval-shaped, about 1-2cm long.

Flowers occur at the tips of the branches and are followed by bunches of small blue fruit that may have a bit of a waxy bloom.

A single blueberry bush can produce 4-7kg of fruit in a season, depending on variety and growing conditions.

The fruiting season is July-April, with peak production from November to January.

Blueberries can be a bit fussy.

They are related to rhododendrons, and share a love of moist, well-drained acidic soil with plenty of organic matter.

The ideal soil pH is 4.5-5.0. Outside of this range, they will struggle; growth will be weak and spindly and fruit production will be poor.

So test your soil first, and add sulphur powder to lower pH if necessary. Never use lime or dolomite around blueberry bushes.

The low chill varieties suitable for our climate prefer a warm, frost-free situation.

Good air circulation will help to prevent fungal problems.

Their fine, shallow roots make the plants especially sensitive to soil compaction, poor drainage, and root disturbance.

Protect the root zone with a thick layer of organic mulch.

Blueberries grow well in pots. Use a potting mix formulated for azaleas and camellias as this will be more acidic than a normal potting mix.

Mulch the surface of the pot, just as you would if you were planting in the ground.

You will also need to be a bit careful about fertilising as you don’t want to raise the soil pH.

Fortnightly applications of liquid fish or seaweed fertilisers will be beneficial.

Because the flowers form at the ends of the shoots, you need to encourage growth of plenty of vigorous shoots.

Pruning is also beneficial, and is best done in early spring.

Remove damaged branches and spindly growth. Young bushes don’t require much pruning.

Some experts suggest the removal of flowers for the first two years to allow the plant to concentrate on growing strong rather than spending all its energy producing a few fruit.

Good varieties for our climate include Britewell, Biloxi, Sharpes Blue and Misty.

The reason blueberries are so expensive is because they are labour intensive to pick.

Harvesting is done by hand, and not all fruit ripen at the same time, so each bush needs to be revisited several times during harvesting.

The soft fruit are fairly delicate and need careful handling. They have a relatively short shelf life.

I recommend the ‘pick and eat’ method for blueberries and raspberries – pick them and eat them, right there, in the garden. Don’t even bother taking them into the kitchen.

Freshly picked blueberries are absolutely delicious, and more research is emerging which confirms their status as a superfood.

They have plenty of fibre, virtually no fat, loads of vitamins A, C and K , are high in antioxidants, and contain calcium, potassium and zinc.

And you can grow all of that in your own backyard.

 

To read more lifestyle stories

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (September 14, 2012) – Native plants, versatile heirloom bulbs and water-wise gardening tips are some of the discoveries available at Woodlands Landscaping Solutions on Saturday, September 29, 2012. The event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at The Woodlands Township Parks, Recreation and Environmental Services Building, 8203 Millennium Forest Drive, will include gardening personalities and authors.

Brenda Buest Smith, Mark Bowen and Cherie Colburn will share ideas on how to revive stressed landscapes. Bring a photo or a sketch of your landscape for these gardening pros to give on-the-spot designs. The Lazy Gardener on CD and regional gardening books will also be on sale.

The Pineywoods Landscaping and Diane Cabiness’s Native Plant Nursery will offer hard-to-find understory trees, shrubs, vines and perennials. Chris Wiesinger, the “Bulb Hunter,” returns with heirloom bulbs for hot landscapes. Attendees may purchase herbs, fall vegetable seedlings, thornless blackberries, blueberries and olive trees from The Herb Cottage.

At the Master Gardener Plant Clinic, “The doctor is in,” you may bring in your sickly or pest-damaged plant in a plastic bag to get a free diagnosis and a prescription for treatment. Garden tool care, a plant propagation booth, rainwater harvesting, composting classes, giveaway plants, a garden store, compost, compost bins, and organic fertilizer will also be available.

The event is free and reservations are not required. Woodlands Landscaping Solutions is organized by The Woodlands Township, with sponsorship by The Montgomery County Master Gardeners Association, The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N., Hilton Garden Inn and Waste Management. For more information, visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/gardeningevents or call 281-210-3800.

For more information on The Woodlands Township government, please call 281-210-3800 or visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.

Photo: A flowering maple (Abutilon pictum) makes a beautiful addition to local gardens.

Sunflowers are one of the beautiful blooms that flower during spring.

SOME purists will say spring does not start until September 22, but I always look forward to the first weeks of September as it always provides a month of nice weather.

As to what this spring will be, it is like picking winning Lotto numbers; but rain in July and lack of westerly winds in August have provided a boost to all gardens in the region.

Springtime in Central Queensland is the time when a gardener’s fancy turns to thoughts of the annual garden competitions.

For many, this means adding a finishing touch to gardens that have been worked in, all year round.

However, for many others who are not quite so dedicated, now is the time to begin sprucing up your potentially prize-winning garden.

This means spring heralds the busiest times for gardeners, and deciding what to put on the “To Do” list becomes important.

 

Vegetable gardens

The weather is perfect for the preparation of vegie garden.

Remember if you are not using fresh garden soil you may need to open and aerate the soil, as soil tends to harden up and compact after the winter rain.

All of the following can be planted in the next weeks:

• Beans (dwarf and climbing)
• Beetroot
• Capsicum
• Carrot
• Celery
• Chinese cabbage
• Choko
• Cress
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Herbs (any)
• Lettuce
• Marrow
• Pumpkin
• Radish
• Rockmelon
• Rosella
• Spring onion
• Squash
• Sweet corn
• Silver beet
• Sweet potato
• Tomato
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

 

Flower gardens

It is easy to be inspired by the colour and perfume of annuals that are in flower during spring.

With this year being the first in more than a decade that we start spring with the ground moist, a flower garden could inspire.

Perfect Spring Blooms:

• Alyssum
• Amaranthus
• Aster
• Balsam
• Begonia
• Celosia
• Chrysanthemum
• Celosia
• Cockscombs
• Cosmos
• Gazania
• Geranium
• Gomphrena
• Marigold
• Nasturtium
• Petunia
• Phlox
• Portulaca
• Rudbeckias
• Salvia
• Sunflower
• Torenia
• Verbena
• Zinnias

 

To read more lifestyle stories

Each year, Keep Peoria Beautiful salutes the exceptional effort of homeowners and neighborhood associations with a prestigious Iris Award.

The awards are presented for outstanding landscaping and beautification of homes, gardens and neighborhoods. Applicants are judged for their overall appearance including lawns and gardens, landscaping, and site enhancements.

The 2012 Iris Award winners were announced and recognized Tuesday at the Peoria City Council meeting. Certificates were presented and each winning homeowner and neighborhood was awarded a special Keep Peoria Beautiful yard sign to display on their property. The 2012 Iris Award winners are:

1. Bill and Barbara Bedford, 828 W. South Forest Trail. This home has a large shady yard full of beautiful colors and textures. Hostas and plume poppy fill sweeping beds under mature oak trees. A white picket fence provides a backdrop to colorful perennials, while a pergola-covered gate leads to the backyard.

2. Lorraine B. Carter, 1804 W. Martin St. Her home has cheerful yellow siding and is framed by neatly trimmed shrubs. Colorful pots of annuals frame the door and line the sidewalk.

3. Cathie Crawford, 512 E. High Point Road. Crawford has made the most of her relatively small front planting area. Every inch overflows with beautiful shrubs, grasses and perennials. A lovely Oakleaf hydrangea frames the front door and inviting benches and pottery accent the plantings. Bold foliage plays off blue evergreens and airy grasses. Unique varieties make this garden a plant-lover’s paradise.

4. Jerry and Marie Hoerr, 306 E. Glen Ave. The large sweeping lawn contains unique vignettes of plants and decorations. Bird feeders, soothing fountains, and a plant palette full of texture and color make this an oasis in the city.

5. Richard Kangas, 1625 N. Bigelow St. His home is a bright spot in one of Peoria’s older neighborhoods. Dense plantings fill the yard and surround a large assortment of bird feeders and porch plants add a welcoming touch.

6. Doug Kirk, 3814 N. University St. His home provides a visual treat to motorists stopped at the busy intersection of University Street and War Memorial Drive. Pottery and planters filled with tropicals help capitalize on the small space. Cannas and coleus add color and bold foliage, while sweet potato vines drape over the porch railings.

7. Catherine Lewis, 827 W. Russell St. Her home is full of color and whimsy. The small front yard is edged with white fencing. Potted annuals frame the front porch, while unique sculptures catch the eye. Flowers in bright yellows, reds and oranges complement the house.

8. Jo Anne Richardson, 247 E. High Point Road. Layers of annuals and perennials combine to create a season-long display of color. While strategically placed garden art adds a touch of humor.

9. Ernesto and Catherina Salgado, 2407 N. Maryland St. This house has a shady side yard full of hostas, colorful annuals, and is accented with a fountain and statuary. Along the driveway and front porch, pots of many shapes and sizes contain delicate Japanese maples, artfully trimmed topiary, or colorful combinations of annuals and tropicals. They all add up to create a beautiful scene.

10. Williamsburg Neighborhood Association, Mike Bima, President. The Williamsburg Neighborhood Association has created a beautiful community with a cohesive look. Red brick sidewalks curve along the shady streets, lined with colonial-inspired brick homes and streetlights. Each front yard is lined with a split-rail fence, while the homes are surrounded by mature trees, rolling ravines and dense woods.

COASTAL BEND —
GARDEN TALKS AT GILL: Gill Landscape Nursery, 2810 Airline Road, will host the fall 2012 garden talks beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday with “Prunning Trimming in Fall” with James Gill. “Fall Vegetable Gardening” with Chuck Sodek, 10:15 a.m.; “Making Good Soil,” 1:30 to 2 p.m. with Steven Akers and “Lawn Care for Fall” with James Gill, 3 to 3:30 p.m. Free. Other classes include: Sept. 22: 10 a.m., landscaping with edibles with Phillip Elbert; Sept. 29: 10 a.m., 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.

HERBS FOR FALL AND WINTER: Carol Krank will discuss herbs for fall and winter at 2 p.m. Sunday at Turner’s Gardenland, 6503 S. Padre Island Drive. Free. Information: 991-9002.

GENERAL MEETING: Master Gardener general meeting is at noon Tuesday at the Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Drive. Stephanie Martin and Betty Rogers will discuss “Herbs: Preserving Using.” Free. Information: 814-7776.

BROMELIAD SOCIETY: The Bromeliad Society will have a round-table discussion on “Identifying Bromeliads” at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Drive. Free. Information: 549-8110.

BIRDS OF PREY: Local naturalist and Hawk Watch education coordinator Beth Hoekje lectures on identifying common birds of prey at the “Introduction to Hawks Raptors” seminar, from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 22 at South Texas Botanical Gardens Nature Center, 8545 S. Staples St. Cost: $8; free/members. Information/reservations: 852-2100.

FLOWER GARDENING: Carol Krank will discuss fall flower gardening at 2 p.m. Sept. 23 at Turner’s Gardenland, 6503 S. Padre Island Drive. Free. Information: 991-9002.

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. Sept: 25: Marion Muenzenberger, Carl’s Fine Flowers, “Create New Arrangements from Old;” 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. Information: 884-4057.

HERBS IN SOUTH TEXAS: The seminar “Growing Herbs in South Texas” is from 10 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.

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

ASK THE GARDEN PRO

QUESTION: I noticed that my mesquite tree has turned gray. Can you please help me save this beautiful tree?

ANSWER: Your mesquite tree has powdery mildew. It is a common occurrence in late summer and early fall on this tree, with little damage to the tree other than the unusual appearance. The good news is that you don’t have to do anything for your mesquite tree. The leaves will drop in the winter and new leaves next spring will be free of the fungus. However, you need to be on the lookout in other plants in your landscape and garden to prevent powdery mildew from harming other susceptible plants. This fungus may affect roses, zinnias, and some vegetables including squash, cucumbers, beans and tomatoes. Treatment with an approved fungicide is warranted.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Nutrients and water are taken up better by shrubs and trees if applied to the extended root area, not right up against the trunk.

– Karen Easton