Information Central

Soil Revival For Survival Conference in McKinney, TX

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:26:33 +0000

On March 3rd, there is a conference on surviving the drought called Soil Revival for Survival in McKinney, TX.

Compost for Beginners

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:00:13 +0000

Ever wonder what the difference between compost and manure is? Or how, exactly, to make compost? This video discusses these and other things in Compost 101. I hope you find it useful.

What questions do you have about composting?

For more help gardening, buy my book, Preparing A Vegetable Garden From The Ground Up
Available in print or ebook from Amazon.com or other retailers, this book walks you from choosing the site of your garden all the way through what to do after the harvest. Buy a copy for yourself or a friend today!

Foliage Follow-up

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:49:08 +0000

Foliage Follow-up is a celebration of plants with showy foliage that Pam at Digging has started. Here are my entries:

Purple ornamental kale from the Dallas Arboretum

Help Texas Discovery Gardens Win $10,000 Grant

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:15:35 +0000

Texas Discovery Gardens is trying to win the Rain Bird’s 2012 “The Intelligent Use of Water Awards“. This is a $10,000 grant to allow them to capture water left over after they water all of their plants each day so it can be reused instead of going down the drain. Watch this video which explains a little more about their grant application and what you can do to help them win — vote for them, for free, up to once a day.

Once a day between now and March 15th, go online and vote for Texas Discovery Gardens. There is no registration or sign in required. With our drought, we need to help everyone conserve water as much as possible. Vote as often as you can to help the Texas Discovery Gardens do their part with this water reclamation project.

Valentine’s Day Means Potatoes

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:07:39 +0000

What does Valentine’s Day have to do with potatoes? February 14th is the day old timers in the North Central Texas region plant their potatoes. You can get detailed instructions for doing just that from my article on Growing Irish Potatoes. Basically, you take seed potatoes, purchased from feed stores or on the internet, cut them into pieces that each contain an eye, or bud, and plant them. Each seed potato makes about four or five chunks of potato with an eye. Since you get several potatoes from each plant, a half pound of seed potatoes produces a lot of potatoes. Be sure you buy certified disease free seed potatoes and don’t try to plant the potatoes sold as baking potatoes in grocery stores. They are usually treated to keep them from sprouting and won’t grow well. Happy Potato Planting, er, Valentine’s Day.

Integrated Pest Management Video

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:59:41 +0000

I have posted a new video on integrated pest management (IPM). I hope you enjoy it.

What questions do you have on IPM?

Watch a Joust, Feed the Hungary in DFW

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:24:13 +0000

Have you always wanted to watch a joust? Be treated to the pageantry of a medieval feast? Well, now is your chance. Medieval Times Dallas is trying to raise a ton of food for Dallas Life. So far, they have 1306 pounds. They only need 694 pounds of food to meet their goal.

That is where you come in. Bring a nonperishable food item to Medieval Times Dallas on Thursday, February 9th and get in for 50% off regular admission. You get a meal fit for a king and someone in the community gets a meal instead of going hungry. Everyone wins. More details are available at https://www.facebook.com/DallasMedievalTimes.

New Video on Preparing a Garden From the Ground Up

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:38:43 +0000

Please check out my new video on how to prepare a vegetable garden from the ground up. Now is the time to be planting your cold hardy crops, so this is just in time to help with that.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones Change

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:44:47 +0000

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zones have changed. The new map takes into consideration climate change, elevation, large lake effects, and a few other things. Details and an interactive map are available on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map page. Hunt county is now shown as firmly 8a, with temperatures to 10 to 15 degrees F as lows in the winter. This data reflects temperatures from 1976 to 2005. Although heat and a lack of water are more a limiting factor in our area, keeping the new zone in mind while ordering plants to replace those lost from the drought would be a good idea. For more information, see my article on understanding the USDA zone map.

Pythian Castles Guest Post

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:20:28 +0000

I bet you didn’t know there are castles in Weatherford, Texas and in Ft. Worth, Tx. There are, and the story is fascinating. My photos of the Pythian Knights’ Castle in Weatherford, Texas are featured on my Mother’s blog, A Writer’s Life, today telling that story. Stop in and say hello.

Confused about Compost?

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:27:59 +0000

One of the things I recommend over and over is adding compost to your vegetable garden each season. Compost adds nutrients to the soil, breaks up clay, and helps the soil hold water longer. All compost is not created equal, however. Some compost is made in hot piles that sterilizes the result so you do not get weed seeds or pathogens in your garden, and some is barely compost at all. What is a consumer to do to find the good stuff?

Fortunately, the US Composting Council, a trade and professional organization, has come up with some standards that are research based and objective and can be used to pick good compost from bad compost. As part of the Seal of Testing Assurance (STA) program, compost will carry one or more of three tags: trees & shrubs, flower and vegetable gardens, and lawn. Each icon is linked to test results performed on the compost batch by the producer. These tests look at the chemical, physical, and biological components of the compost. They also test for compliance with the EPA standards for heavy metals and pathogens.

The specific things tested for are as follows:

pH
soluble salts
nutrient content
organic matter
moisture percent
maturity
stability
inerts
trace metals
weed seed and pathogens

Using ten years of data from the STA program, standards were drawn up for minimum and maximum values for each of the three categories of compost. The categories are represented by easy to understand icons that will begin to appear on the compost bags, literature, and signage. For more information, see the Consumer Compost Use Program.

Starting Seeds Inside

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:47:17 +0000

Starting seeds indoors is a good way to save money and to grow seeds that require a longer growing season than you have in your area. It also allows you to grow vegetables that are uncommon cultivars for your area. Instead of buying whatever tomatoes the garden shop in your area has available in the spring, you can grow those heirloom varieties you have read so much about.

Starting seed indoors isn’t rocket science, but it does require some care. The most common problem people have when starting seed indoors is a fungal disease called damping off. The seed grows, becomes a plant, then one day just keels over dead. This is due to poor saniatition and excessive moisture, both of which can be prevented.

To start with, sterilize all your containers with a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water. Let the containers stand in this solution for at least ten minutes. Then rinse the containers completely to get all the bleach off. Now you are starting without any diseases or pests left over from last year.

Next, buy a ssterilized oil mix intended for seed starting. A typical potting soil isn’t rich enough for the beginning seeds. If the soil is not sterilized, it may bring in diseases, pests, and weeds.

If you reuse any soil or other component, sterilize it first by cooking it in an oven set on 250 degrees for at approximately 30 minutes. This keeps diseases and pests from creeping into your garden on the soil.

Now you are ready to plant. Put the soil in the containers to the recommended depths and water it well. Then put the seeds in at the planting depth indicated on the packet and cover the pot with plastic wrap. Put in a warm place. As soon as you see the first shoots come up, remove the plastic wrap.

Baby plants need light. The best like is a full spectrum grow light. Even a florescent bulb will work in a pinch. The light should be a couple of inches above the plants, As the plants grow, raise the light an inch at a time, always maintaining a couple of inches between the plant and the light. This will encourage the plant to grow in a compact, healthy manner. Plants with inadequate light grow long and spindly as they seek any light available.

Once the seedlings are ready to plant, be sure to harden them off or they will die. This is a process of gradually introducing them to the outside by putting them out on the porch or other protected area for a few hours each day. Lengthen the amount of time they spend outside until by the end of the week they are out all day. Plant them early in the morning and be sure and water them in.

Eagle Fest Saturday

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:16:30 +0000

Rains County, the next county over from my home in Hunt County, proclaims itself the Eagle Capital of Texas. Bald Eagles winter on Lake Tawakoni. The last weekend in January, there is an Eagle Fest with boat rides to see the eagles, see other birds of prey, and a small festival. Despite the current rainy weather, it is supposed to be a beautiful weekend. Come out Saturday and see the eagles. Admission is only $2.00 for the Eagle Fest. Boat rides are $25. Last Chance Forever and Blackland Prairie Raptor Center will have birds of prey that are undergoing rehabilitation or are too injured to be released in the wild but are able to act as ambassadors for their species. At 10:00, Dr. James Conrad will speak on the ecology of the Bald Eagle. This looks like a fun event to attend for a family looking for some inexpensive educational fun.

Growing Radishes in Hunt County, Texas

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:46:42 +0000

It is almost time to plant your radishes for the spring garden. They are one of the first things that are ready to harvest in the spring. Plant groups of them one week apart so you do not get more radishes at one time then you can eat.

For detailed instructions on how to plant radishes, see Growing Radishes. Here is a snapshot of the information you need to choose what cultivar to plant.

when to plant: February 5 to April 15th, September 1 to November 1
depth of planting: 1/2 inch
spacing of plants inside row: 1 inch
spacing of rows: 1 foot
time to harvest: 20-30 days
fertilizing: one cup of 10-20-10 per 10 feet of row at planting

cultivars for Hunt County:

Cultivar	Days to Harvest
Champion	20
Cherriette	24
Cherry Belle	22
White Icicle	30

Time to Plant Spring Onions

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:40:18 +0000

It is time to plant spring onions in North Central Texas. Onions are one of the things that grow really well in our black gumbo soil and they are easy to plant. Almost every feed store, home improvement store, and garden supply has bundles of sprigs ready to go in the ground. Pick ones that are not too dry and have some green on them. Wilted or dried out springs won’t live long.

The easiest way to plant onion springs is to go ahead and prepare your row for planting, then dig a shallow furrow one or two inches deep down the middle. Place the springs with the root side down in the furrow. Space them a couple of inches apart. Fill in the furrow, being careful to leave the sprig standing up when you do. Water in good so they get a good start.

As the onions take hold and start to grow, thin every other one as they start to crowd each other a little. Use the thinned ones in any dish calling for green onions. Repeat the thinning process each time the onions seem to crowd each other. Your onions are ready for harvest when the tops die.

Pull the onions carefully out of the ground, then clean the dirt off of them. let them air dry for a week or so, then store in a cool, dark place. They will keep for quite a while like this. Periodically check them and remove any with soft spots in them so they do not rot their neighbors.

Plant Survival Tactics in Drought

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:57:18 +0000

Everywhere in North America is still undergoing a historic drought. Plants are dropping like flies from heat, stress, and lack of water. Texas is estimated to have lost ten percent of its’ trees from the drought, and other states are just as hard hit. Most of us will be planting new trees, shrubs, and flowers to replace those lost this last year.

Before you rip out the dead plants, however, you should be aware that some plants exhibit signs during a drought that would mean they were dead any other time, but will come back if given love and water. Perennials drop not just leaves, but may die back all the way to the roots. So do some shrubs and trees. Before pulling these, look for spring growth around the base of the plant. If you see any green, the plant can probably be nursed back to health with water and TLC.

Annuals, on the other hand, are probably done. They put all their energy into producing seeds to make sure then next generation, then died. The seeds will lie dormant until conditions are more favorable, then burst into bloom.

On the other hand, some seeds need extreme temperatures to break down the hard outer shell that protects the seed. While fire usually does this, as when the prairie burned, the extremely long hot and dry spell is working the same magic. You may see beautiful displays of wild flowers in heat stressed pastures and lawns from these seeds.

The drought has killed a number of our plants. Many of us cannot offer supplemental water because of water restrictions due to the same drought. Before replanting, think about how much water you have available for the new plants. Pick native plants that are from your part of the country, not just your state. They have the best chance of surviving another dry year. Unfortunately, it looks like that will be what we have this year — another dry year. Plan accordingly.

Using a Community Garden

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:20:33 +0000

Want to garden but don’t have any space? Try community gardening, a growing phenomenon in the United States. This guest post by Ewan Michaels discusses what you can expect and what is expected of you. He lives in Great Britain, where community gardens are a regular feature in most towns.

Using a Community Garden or Allotment

Community gardens or allotments are an excellent solution to those who lack garden space or would rather use their gardens for reasons other than growing food. Allotments are normally around 250 square meters but they can vary in size depending on the provider. If one is too large, you may be able to share with a friend but you should consult your provider. Allotments are normally offered to people on a renewable 12-month lease, where you can choose to grow whatever you like.

There are various benefits of renting a plot of land in a community garden. Firstly, in effect you are able to have an extension to your home; a rented garden away from home where you are able to relax, decorate it with your own outdoor water features and grow vegetables, fruit or flowers. This is perfect for those who don’t have much space at home but still wish to get involved in growing their own produce. In some places, you may be allowed to keep small animals such as rabbits or hens but you should speak to your provider first.

Another advantage is that you will be surrounded by fellow gardeners who you can regularly ask for tips and advice. You will find that they will be more than happy to share their knowledge whilst showing you their produce in their allotment. Some will have a wealth of information and could help to make your plot of land more successful.

Having an allotment gives you somewhere to escape to, your own piece of land to get away from everything, so you can do some gardening. You can also choose to decorate it as you like using ornaments or even solar powered water features. Gardening is a great form of exercise that leaves you with a final product in the form of fresh food or beautiful flowers.

It is also reasonable to expect certain things to be provided for you including security measures to prevent possible vandalism or trespassing. There should also be a water supply provided, as this is vital for anyone looking to grow plants and flowers, and main paths in between plots should be well maintained for easy access. In addition, some sites may provide meeting places, toilets or sheds but this will vary from site to site and should not be expected at every site.

With an allotment, you should remember that you are renting the land and therefore have certain responsibilities. These include keeping minor paths and your plot relatively neat and tidy, and maintaining the level of cultivation. In addition, you should respect fellow gardeners around you. When taking children or pets, you should ensure that they do not disturb others or cause any damage to other plots.

If you want to get involved in gardening but don’t really have the space, you should look into local allotments or community gardens that might be available in your local area. They act as a great solution to your gardening needs whilst immersing yourself within your local community. Growing your own vegetables and fruit can be incredibly satisfying, so work hard and enjoy the fruit of your labour!

Thank you, Ewan, for this helpful information on using a community garden.

Pruning Trees Especially Important This Year

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:41:00 +0000

With the extensive drought we are having, pruning your trees is going to be especially important this year. The Forest Service estimates we have lost ten percent of our trees in Texas. Many more trees have had die-backs and extensive damage. Removing the dead trees and pruning the living trees should be a priority for the health of the trees and your safety. No one wants a tree to fall through their roof!

Pruning needs to accomplish three things: remove dead, diseased, and damaged limbs, open up the canopy to air and light to prevent disease, and improve the appearance of the tree. Sometimes limbs must be removed for safety reasons, as well, such as when a limb threatens a structure or pedestrian walk way.

Generally the first cuts are too remove the three ds: dead, damaged, and diseased limbs. These should be cut back to the first joint of living, healthy, tissue. Be aware that cutting large limbs is dangerous and should only be done by a professional. The only thing worse than having a limb drop off and fall through you roof is cutting one off and having it do so.

This year, the bulk of the pruning you do will be of these limbs. In places such as Austin where there were severe watering restirctions, even the native trees died back or died entirely. Young trees were especially vulnerable as they did not have extensive root systems in place to reach what little water their was. This has lead to a need for a lot of tree removal in Round Rock, TX, and surrounding communities that are growing rapidly and have lots of new trees planted.

Often, by the time all the dead and diseased limbs are removed, no further pruning is necessary. However, if the canopy is still crowded, prune all branches pointing down and encourage those growing up. Pick two or three main branches and remove competitors. You want a shapely tree with space inside for air to flow. Otherwise, you run the risk of fungal and bacterial diseases hitting your weakened trees and killing them.

Finally, if there are limbs that just look bad, or destroy the symmetry of the tree, remove them. By the time you have finished pruning, the tree should be pleasing to look at, have all dead and damaged branches removed, and have air flow and light into the canopy. Proper pruning can really help our trees survive this drought. Don’t neglect your trees this winter.

Growing Corn in Hunt County, Texas

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:18:27 +0000

Growing corn is a bit more difficult than most people think. For one thing, it needs to be grown in blocks, not rows. Corn is pollinated by the wind, and a block of short rows will do that more efficiently than a long row of corn. Because of wind pollination, different types of corn can cross pollinate from as far away as 1/2 mile. To further complicate matters, there are two kinds of corn: sweet corn and flint corn. Sweet corn is what you eat off the cob, while flint corn is ground into corn meal, popped for popcorn, or fed to livestock. Make sure you get the right type for your garden or you could have an unpleasant surprise. Here is what you need to know to plant corn. You can find more information in my article on growing sweet corn, as well.

when to plant: March 20 to May 1, August 1 to August 15
depth of planting: 1 inch
spacing of plants inside row: 3-4 inches
spacing of rows: 2.5 to 3 feet
time to harvest: 65 to 100 days
fertilizing: For every 100 square feet, work in 2-3 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Mix it with the top 3-4 inches of soil.

cultivars for Hunt County:

Cultivar	Days to Harvest
Indian Corn
Indian	100
Rainbow	110
Popcorn
Japanese Hullless	83
Robust White	100
Robust Yellow	100
Strawberry	110
Sugar Enhanced
Argent	80
Bodacious	75
Golden Queen	92
Seneca Arrowhead	65
Senceca Dancer	90
Spring Snow	65
Suppersweet Corn
Frontier	90
Honey n Pearl	78
Miral	70
Normal Sugary Corn
Early Sunglow	63
Merit	75
Silver Queen	91
Sweet G-90	90

Time for Soil Tests

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:44:51 +0000

Do yourself and your plants a favor before you plant your garden this spring and do a soil test. Soil tests are simple. You gather some soil from your garden and send it to the soil lab in a special bag you obtain from your Extension agent. Two to four weeks later, you get a sheet of paper with the results.
The basic soil test tells you your soil pH, the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, and some of the most important micro-nutrients in your soil. In addition, if you tell the lab what you intend to grow in that spot, you will receive fertilizer recommendations.
Many people in Hunt County are surprised to learn that while they need to add nitrogen to the soil, they do not need to add phosphorus or potassium. Our black gumbo soil contains abundant phosphorus and potassium. In fact, adding more can actually cause your plants to get sick and die.
A soil test tells you exactly what is in your soil and what you need to add to get a good crop. It saves you money by allowing you to target your fertilizer applications to the soil conditions. You will save far more than the $10 or $20 fee for the test. Get one today.

Growing Collard Greens in Hunt County, Texas

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:51:30 +0000

Many Southerners eat collard greens on New Year’s Day for luck and to draw money toward them in the new year. Who doesn’t want good luck and riches? Here is how to grow your own collard greens, a Southern delicacy.

For detailed instructions on how to plant collard greens, see Collard Greens: A Southern Delicacy. Here is a snapshot of the information you need to choose what cultivar to plant.

when to plant: February 10 to March 10, August 1 to September 1
depth of planting: 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep
spacing of plants inside row: carpet row and trim leaves, or plant 12-18 inches apart for larger leaves
spacing of rows: 12-18 inches
time to harvest: 68-85 days
fertilizing: 8 pints 10-10-10 per row before harvest, one pint of nitrogen at 4 weeks and 7 weeks per row

cultivars for Hunt County:

Blue Max 68

Georgia Southern 75

Vates 75

Getting Your Garden Ready For Spring

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:41:38 +0000

Even though it is officially winter, the weather in North Central Texas is supposed to be fantastic this week. Since onion planting is about two weeks away, now is a good time to get your garden ready for spring. While those of you further north are not quite ready for this yet, the steps are the same so you can follow along, then put them into action when the time comes.

First, if you have not cleared away any dead plants from the fall, get them out and on the compost heap. You want to start with new plants except for the things that overwinter, such as garlic, strawberries, and asparagus. If it is dead, get rid of it!

Second, you want to till under any compost and cover crops so they can be enriching your soil. Ideally, you would till the soil to a depth of six inches. This loosens the soil so root crops can grow well and distribtes the compost well throughout the soil. When the summer heat and the dry weather comes, this compost will help retain moisture in the soil as well as keep it from compacting into concrete. If you have not spread compost over your garden, you want to add three inches now and till it in good.

Lay out your rows and plow them. Make sure there are no big clods and that the area is free of grass and weeds. You cannot put per-emergents down in the garden because they would keep your vegetable seeds from growing, so you have to be vigilant and keep the weeds from taking advantage of your nice, fertile garden area. Pull weeds rather than chopping them to ensure they do not grow back.

At this point, you have strawberries, garlic, and asparagus still covered with straw against the winter chill. The rest of the garden is tilled and plowed in anticipation of planting. Let the soil rest for a couple of weeks now. The middle of January is the best time to plant onions in this area, and spring gardens go in the first part of February. All you will have to do then is make a small furrow on the top of each row to plant in and you will be ready to grow your garden.

Make the Most of Winter for A Sustainable Garden

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:15:20 +0000

Make the Most of Winter for a Sustainable Garden

It’s a topic of debate amongst gardeners; some adore winter as it means they can have a well-earned rest after the rush of summer sprouting and the fall harvest; however others miss the daily trek into the garden, and count down the days until spring.

However whether it’s loved or hated, winter produces so much for a sustainable garden that even the green fingered who are enjoying time off will enjoy.

Leaf Mulch

An unseasonably mild winter means that leaves are STILL falling from the trees, no sooner is the yard swept than another fall of leaves cover the ground. This is the ideal time to stack up the leaf mulch compost making sure the bin is full to the top and ready to rot as the warm weather returns.

Water

With storms and rain, and wet windy days, water barrels are filling fast. With adequate storage enough water can be gathered to make sure there’s enough in the spring.

To keep it fresh it is a good idea to half empty a full water barrel and then leave it outside for the natural rain to fill it up. There really is no better way to water plants.

Logs

Although for some of us so far the snow has been avoided, winds and hurricanes are in the news everyday causing havoc as they sweep their way across the country blowing over cars and buses alike. There has never been a more crucial time to trim trees, and precarious branches. Twigs can be dried out in a barn and used for kindling, whereas logs can be stacked, either to make natural wildlife homes, or to insert mushroom plugs when the time is right. Mushrooms grow well on damp logs with shade, adding extra fungi to the home crops.

Drying logs out and stacking neatly in a wood store will make sure that a wood burning stove or open fire keeps alight as the chills from the early spring gardening are melted away.

Seeds

It’s amazing this winter as some annuals that have been left out in the cold are still flowering despite the New Year beckoning. As normally gardeners would collect seeds in the fall, now is the time for those that had not completely dried out. Bird of paradise seeds and bedding plants seeds will ensure some good activity as May arrives. Whereas herb seeds will ensure the border of the veggie patch is as luscious as it’s always been without costing a cent.

This was a guest post from Martina Mercer on behalf of Lavenderworld.co.uk. Lavenderworld provide a range of products for the garden including herb plants and perennials.

Texas Trees Devastated in Drought

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:21:56 +0000

Texas trees have been devastated during the drought this year. The Forest Service estimates as many as five hundred million trees have died during the drought. That is close to ten percent of the trees in Texas.

Worse, right now it is difficult to tell whether a tree is dormant or dead. It won’t be until February, when trees start to leaf out, when you can determine with any certainty whether a tree is a casualty of the drought. Trees that do survive may still succumb to stress or the continuing drought in the spring.

One thing you can do to help fruit trees and nut trees survive this spring, in addition to supplemental watering, is heavy thinning of the fruits or nuts. The less energy the tree has to use to produce fruit, the more it has to pour toward surviving the drought.

If the worst happens and a tree dies, evaluate the potential for damage if it falls. If a house or other structure would be damaged, or a walkway impacted, the tree will have to be removed. If, however, the tree will do little damage if it falls, consider leaving it. Woodpeckers and a number of other bird species make use of dead trees, or snags, to nest in. A snag density of one per acre is considered ideal.

When considering replacement trees, pick trees that will do well in drought conditions. Plant trees zoned for one zone warmer than you would usually consider to accommodate the warming of the climate. For example, if you live in zone 7b, consider trees ideal for zone 8a, as they would be more able to take the drought. Be sure to provide supplemental water for the first year after planting, and during severe drought no matter how old the tree is.

The loss of ten percent of our trees is a disaster. Work to mitigate this in your yard by planting replacement trees, choosing tree species carefully, and providing supplemental water to surviving trees until the drought is over.

Last Minute Gardening Gifts

Stephanie Suesan Smith — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:55:04 +0000

Wondering what to get that gardener on your gift list? Here are some last minute suggestions:

1)My book, Preparing A Vegetable Garden From The Ground Up, is now only $0.99 in ebook form. It should be the first thing on your list for your gardening friends. Available in print or ebook from Amazon.com or other retailers, this book walks you from choosing the site of your garden all the way through what to do after the harvest. Buy a copy for yourself or a friend today!

2)Give the gift of biodiversity and give your friend a membership to the Seed Saver’s Exchange. This excellent seed bank grows and preserves heirloom seeds for the next generation. At only $40, members save 10% on catalog prices, have access to varieties not sold elsewhere, and know they are helping preserve pure seed for future generations.

3)Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds has made planting heirloom seed vegetable gardens easy. They have buckets filled with varieties of heirloom seeds for small, medium, and large gardens all ready packed. All you have to do is order a North bucket or a South bucket to get the varieties best suited for your vegetable garden. These seeds are open pollinated and packed to last so make a good emergency seed store in case of disaster, too.

Any of these gifts will be sure to please your gardening friends. Of course, I hope you chose to give the gift of my book, but I am slightly biased there. Good luck and good holidays.