Designing Perfect Pots with CoCo2

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Jay White

I recently had the pleasure of visiting with Sharon Smith of Thompson + Hanson nursery in Houston. Thompson + Hanson is one of the leading nurseries in Houston. They have a wonderful retail space and an outstanding landscape design business. Sharon works at the retail location and, until very recently, was the sole designer of all of the lovely potted arrangements that you see when you walk around the nursery.

Sharon Smith in front of a lovely succulent arranged made with her CoCo2 product

Creating perfect pots requires more than skill; it also requires the proper tools. Sharon learned long ago that there were very few tools out there that were designed for her trade. So she took it upon herself to invent some. One of her potting ideas has now led her down the path of entrepreneurism.

Sharon’s product is an easy to use and practical solution to draining pots

Just like most of us, the first thing Sharon does before filling her pots is cover the drain hole. For a long time, she would spend way too much time looking for the perfect pot shard or rock to cover the hole. Then, once she found it, she still had had to worry about water and soil coming out of the bottom of her pot if she overwatered. Now for us homeowners, this is a minor inconvenience. But for Sharon, this was a major problem. Sharon’s arrangements are displayed and sold off of zinc topped tables. All of that leaking water/soil mixture created a very unattractive mess that took away from the display and required constant cleaning. She decided to find a solution.

Coco2 allows pots to drain while trapping the sol and fertilize that can stain decks and patios

Sharon’s solution is a product called CoCo². CoCo²is a bag full of square cocoa fiber (coir) mats that are designed to cover the drain holes in most pots. CoCo² is a simple as it is practical, plus it is ecologically friendly and 100% renewable. It is also made by people with special needs that prevent them from working in more traditional environments.

Sharon shows me some of the tricks she uses to create stunning arrangements

Sharon’s coir mats allow pots to drain while trapping most of the dirt that wants to escape with the water. All of that escaping dirt can create air pockets that dry sensitive roots or water channels that drain water away from the rest of the pot. Plus, it helps maintain an even surface on the top of the pot which is very important when creating truly stunning potted “sculptures” like Sharon.

Since it is Christmas, Sharon is doing a lot of work with Paperwhites (Narcissus ziva). Her CoCo² product has improved her work life in two ways. Since paperwhites are often planted in shallow containers that don’t use a lot of soil, it is important for the bulbs to have a uniform depth across the pot. Rocks and pot shards make this impossible because of their size. By simply placing a piece of her product over the hole, Sharon is able to provide the uniform planting depth that will allow each and every bulb to thrive.

Some of the 4000 bulbs that Sharon forced this year with the help of CoCo2

Part of the beauty of any paperwhite arrangement is the bulb itself. Sharon has learned that bulbs that are forced in soil tend to become discolored. Because of this, she now uses her product to keep the bulbs used in her arrangements as attractive as the flowers they produce. By placing the 2” size her product in the bottom of a 2” cell, she can add just enough potting mix in the cell to supply the moisture the bulb needs without discoloring it. The bulbs root in the coir (which gives them support) and keeps the small amount of soil that she uses in place during watering. This method provides her with the 4,000 plus beautiful paperwhite bulbs that she uses in her holiday arrangements.

Sharon is a master of horticulture in every sense of the word. She can grow anything. However, it is her design skills that set her apart from other horticulturists. Her skills have earned her a dedicated following of customers that use her creations in some of the finest and most expensive homes in Houston. If you would like to create beautiful potted arrangements like Sharon, visit her website and purchase some CoCo^2.(http://gardendivaproducts.com/).

Red & Green – The Colors of Fall

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Jay White

This weekend was undoubtedly one of my top weekends of the year. The weather was unbelievable. My wife and I took advantage of this weather to go and help my buddy Greg Grant harvest sugar cane. Then, on the way home we stopped at the Sale Barn in Crockett and shared steaks with old friends and watched the end of the best game of the year. Yes, I am talking about the Aggies and their totally awesome victory over the Number 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Whoop!!!!

Sally and Greg cutting sugar cane

After church on Sunday, Sally made us a fabulous pot of peas that we had frozen back in the summer. She also made a pot of pinto beans straight off the vine. To me, there is nothing better than fresh beans and peas from the garden.

Fresh picked pinto beans

After lunch we headed out to the garden to harvest. Since it is supposed to be in the thirties this week I wanted to get as much in as I could just in case. I picked pinto beans, acorn squash, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, cayenne peppers, pimento peppers and tons of tomatoes. I am so glad that I nursed those tomato plants through the summer. They have been so productive in the past couple of weeks. As I put all of these peppers, tomatoes and squash in an old bread bowl, I was taken by how beautiful all of the reds and greens were. I know that to tree watchers, the colors of fall are reds, yellows and oranges. However, to us that garden, I am convinced that red and green are the real colors of fall.

The colors of the fall garden

After our harvest we planted three short rows of Louisiana Blue Ribbon sugar cane that I got from Greg. While planting the sugar cane my wife discovered the biggest horn worm I have ever seen. This thing was as wide as my hand and as thick as my thumb. He was happily stripping what was left of the foliage on one of my vitex. After a few pictures, he became part of my garden forever. We also planted a ton of spider lily bulbs that he gave us as well. I put them all in a single small bed by my backdoor. I now cannot wait for next fall. This bed is going to be spectacular. Thanks Greg!

The biggest horn worm I have ever seen. Since it is deer season and the taxidermists are working overtime, I thought about getting this guy mounted!

Yes this weekend had everything that makes life worth living and celebrating; great friends, great food and great weather that allowed for great gardening.

The corn crib at Greg’s parents house

Remembering our Veterans with Poppies

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Jay White

Happy Election Day! As you watch the results of tonight’s election unfold, take a minute or two to remember all of those amongst us who have worn our nation’s uniforms. These men and women serve (or served) honorably regardless of who was in the whitehouse. Take time to say “Thanks” to those whose sacrifice gave you the opportunity and ability to live and vote in the land of the free. May God bless these men and women and may he continue to bless the the United States of America!

Air Intelligence Agency Logo

***This is a slighly modified re-post of an article I did in May.

I am very proud to be a veteran of the United States Air Force (Air Intelligence Agency). The Air Force paid for my education and taught me the skills that I still use to make a living today. It also taught me that duty, honor and country are a whole lot more than just three words. In short, the military is largely responsible for turning me into the man I am today.

In addition to shaping my character, the Air Force let me see the world. I literally went around the world in my ten years of service. I saw wonderful and amazing things and I met incredible people. But of all the things I saw, the thing I most remember and treasure is the November I spent in London.

What we call Veteran’s Day, the British call Remembrance Day. When it comes to appreciating and celebrating their veterans, the British beat us hands down. Veteran’s Day is huge to them because war is so personal for them. Not only did they sacrifice their loved ones to the cause, the world wars literally destroyed their country. Because of this, each November, the British host a series of events that elegantly and appropriately recognize the service of those that were willing to give the last full measure to the defense of freedom.

Crosses with poppies on “graves” in front of Westminster Abbey. Their is a grave on the lawn for every unit that served in the defense of Britian in the two world wars. Photo from http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/elyssa_and_dave/europe2006/1163362140/img_3306.jpg/tpod.html

One thing that stuck with me while attending the various Remembrance Day celebrations were the poppies. They were everywhere. On lapels, in wreaths and on tiny crosses that were placed on “graves” outside Westminster Abbey that represented the dead from every military unit (including foreign) that served in the defense of Britain. The poppy was adopted as a symbol of Remembrance Day for several reasons. However, most agree that the poppy was selected primarily because of a poem written by Lt Col John McCrae. Colonel McCrae was a Canadian doctor that wrote “In Flanders Fields” after losing his close friend and student during the Battle of the Ypres Salient in Belgian Flanders. His poem is a poignant reminder of the pain and sacrifice that man brings on himself each and every time he takes up arms against his brother. In case you have never seen it before, here is his beautiful work:

Growing Poppies

This poppy is very similar to those that grow in Flander’s Fields. I took this picture in front of Texas Specialty Cut Flowers big blu barn

Even though I love growing all of my plants, none of them fill me with so much emotion as do my poppies. Each Spring they remind me of the millions of soldiers, seaman and airmen that have died in defense of their countries. They also take me back to a magical few weeks spent in London with my British cousins. The poppies I grow are deep red singles with black throats and bright yellow centers. However, if red or single is not your style, I promise there is a color and style out there for you. Poppies are like roses; they come in every color but blue.

Here is a shot of the bright red variety I grow. Thanks to Carol Ann Sayles of Boggy Creek Farms for sharing them with me

Poppies are so easy to grow. If you don’t have any, simply order or buy seeds from your favorite source. They are so adaptable that even if you order from a reseller on the East coast, there is very good chance they will do well for you in Texas. However, in my opinion, the best way to get your poppies is from a local gardener. I got the poppies featured here from Carol Ann Sayles at Boggy Creek Farms in Austin. I also have some red doubles from my buddy Greg Grant. Since poppies are such great reseeders, everyone that grows them always has plenty of seeds to share.

A lovely double pink variety grown by my friend and MOH contributor Patty Leander

Since poppies reseed so freely, once you get them established you will always have them. For best results, plant your poppy seeds in Septmeber, October or early November. Since poppy seeds are tiny, I put them out in a broadcast manner. Instead of trying to plant in rows I simply scatter them in the area that I want them in. Before I scatter them, I run a rake over the area I am going to place them. Then, once the seeds are down, I run the rake the other way. Then I water in and wait. If you want poppies next spring, you need to get them in the ground soon.

My poppies start to bloom in early March and they continue blooming well into April. By mid-April the flowers have gone and the “heads” that are filled with all of those tiny little seeds are beginning to dry. The heads that are left after the flower fades are actually what’s left of the plant’s pistil. As the pistil dries, little holes open up around the top where the stamen were once attached. These little holes turn each head into a little “salt shaker” that dispenses the seeds whenever the wind blows or the plant falls over.

A great shot of dry poppy head. Notice the little holes in the top that allow the plant to “shake” its seeds all over your garden

If you want to gather and save seeds, simply cut these heads as soon as the holes open. Shake the seeds into a bag and store for later use. I have been doing this for several years and I have now been able to spread poppies all over my property.

While many flowers are used as symbols for something, poppies represent the things I value most; sacrifice and service. Poppies are easy, reliable, carefree and oh so beautiful. Plant some now and you will be rewarded with a spring time show of beautiful flowers for years to come!

All of these seeds came from this head

Edible Landscape Tour

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Jay White

Currently, one of the hottest trends in landscape design is called “Edible Landscapes”. Edible landscapes seek to incorporate vegetable, herbs, berries and fruit trees into urban and suburban landscapes.

The backyard of one of the homes on the tour. Photo by Bruce Leander

I can attest that it is pretty easy to create an attractive outdoor space using a mix of fruiting plants and ornamentals. Each season my little potager contains lots of vegetables mixed in with daylilies, salvias, justicias and dianthus. The structure and color that these ornamentals add make the less showy vegetables much more attractive to look at.

I strive to make my spring and fall potager as attractive as possible. While the aesthetics are important, there are a couple of side benefits to this combination of plants that make the garden much more efficient and productive.

Pansy, viola, carrots and shallots in my 2011 fall garden

First, since this is a vegetable garden, I mulch everything fairly well. This mulch moderates soil temperatures and reduces water lost to evaporation. Because of this, I am able to keep a fairly large amount of plants alive on MUCH less water than would be required to keep up a lush lawn of the same size.

Increased pollination is another side benefit of mixing vegetables and ornamentals. Since I have a wide range of flowers that bloom throughout the year, my potager is always full of bees and other pollinators. In addition to giving me something else to watch while I am in the garden, these pollinators make sure that I get lots tomatoes, squash and cucumbers every season.

Another yard on the edible landscape tour. Photo by Bruce Leander

If you would like to learn more about edible landscapes, you can join my wife and I at the Travis County “Edible Gardens Tour” In Austin. My friend (and fellow MOH blogger and Texas Gardener writer) Patty Leander will be giving a presentation on the healthy aspects of vegetable gardening at the Agrilife Extension Center. If you don’t want to start your tour at the Extension office, feel free to start at any of seven houses that are on the tour. You can get your tickets, schedule and map to the houses online. The tour kicks off at 9:00 and there will be short presentations at each one. This is a great opportunity to see and learn from some very good gardeners that are doing great things by combining edibles and ornamentals in their yards and gardens. As an added bonus, some of houses on the tour also use water wise gardening practices. With the constant threat of water restricitions, this will be a great opportunity to pick up some of the tips and tricks you need to continue growing food when the rains don’t come.

The tour costs $15 per person in advance and you can reserve your tickets on the event website (Click Here). The tour will start at the Travis County Agrilife Extension Center located at 1600-B Smith Road in Austin. Hope to see you there!

P.S. If you can’t make the tour in person be sure to watch KLRU’s “Central Texas Gardener”. Their October 13 show will feature many of the gardens and the gardeners that are featured on the tour. Their schedule is below.

Channel	Day	Date	Time
KLRU	SaturdaySunday Monday	Oct. 13Oct. 14 Oct. 15	Noon & 49 a.m. 5:30 a.m.
KLRU Q (18/3)	TuesdayWednesday Friday	Oct. 16Oct. 17 Oct. 19	6:30 p.m.7:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m.
KLRN (San Antonio)	Saturday	Oct. 13	11 a.m.
KNCT (Killeen & Waco)	Saturday	Oct. 13	1:30 p.m.
KBDI (Denver, CO)	SundayTuesday	Oct. 14Oct. 16	2 p.m.2:30 p.m.
KPBT Midland (Permian Basin)	Monday	Oct. 15	12:30 p.m.
KAMU (College Station)	Saturday	Oct. 13	5:00 p.m.
KRSC (Claremore, OK)	SaturdayTuesday	Oct. 13Oct. 16	10:30 a.m.1:30 p.m.
KTWU (Topeka, KS)	multiple days & times

also on UNCMX Raleigh-Durham and K32EO Colorado Springs

Make Room for Cool-Season Peas by Patty Leander

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Jay White

Plump full pods of Mr. Big Peas. Photo by Bruce Leander

A few months ago I wrote about heat-loving Southern peas (Vigna unguiculata), but now that September is here and temperatures have begun to cool off ever so slightly, it’s time to switch gears to cool-season peas (Pisum sativum): sugar snaps, snow peas and garden peas.

Peas have been in cultivation around the world for thousands of years, but the sugar snap pea that we enjoy today is American-made, thanks to a plant breeder named Calvin Lamborn of Idaho. In the 1970’s he crossed a garden pea with a snow pea, resulting in a tender pea with a crisp, sweet, edible pod. This new pea was introduced to the public in 1979, and has been a sensation ever since. ‘Sugar Snap’ was the original introduction of edible-podded peas. It is a vining variety that can reach 5-7 feet. ‘Super Sugar Snap’ is an improved version with resistance to powdery mildew. Both varieties mature in 62-65 days.

Cascadia Peas ready for harvest. Photo by Bruce Leander

Most peas are compact bush types that grow 24-30” tall and begin producing slightly earlier than the vining types. A few reliable sugar snap varieties include ‘Cascadia’ (58-60 days to maturity),

‘Sugar Ann’ (52-56 days), ‘Sugar Bon’ (56 days) and ‘Sugar Sprint’ (55-58 days). If garden or shelling peas are more to your liking try the heirloom varieties ‘Wando’ (68 days) or ‘Little Marvel’ (62 days). A more recent introduction is the 2000 All-American Selection winner called ‘Mr. Big’ (58-62 days), a vining variety which grows 5-6 feet and produces large pods filled with 8 to 10 plump green peas.

Wando shelling peas ready for harvest. Photo by Bruce Leander

Sugar snap peas can be eaten at any stage of development; the entire pod is edible when the peas inside are small and immature. Fresh, crunchy pods can be served with dip or sliced and added to salads. Whole pods are delicious sautéed or roasted (see accompanying recipes). Peas that are allowed to fully mature can be shelled and prepared like any garden pea, by simmering in a small pot of water just until tender.

Peas can be a challenge to grow because they are particular about the weather and must be planted during a short window of opportunity. Too hot and they will wither away, too wet and they succumb to powdery mildew, too cold and they will drop their blooms and potential pods. Plant peas at least 8 weeks before your first average freeze in fall so plants have time to grow and mature before the cold weather sets in. In my Central Texas garden I usually plant peas in early September, and again a week or two later. Then I keep my fingers crossed and hope that the peas grow fast and our first frost comes late.

Cascadia Pea blooms. Photo by Bruce Leander

The soil will still be hot at these recommended planting times, so try shading it with row cover, shade cloth, burlap or several layers of newspaper for a week or so before planting to help moderate the temperature. Planting after a rain is ideal, but if you are not so lucky be sure to irrigate a day or two before planting so the soil will be moist and ready to receive seed.

Because peas are legumes they have a special relationship with a beneficial soil bacteria called Rhizobia. The peas allow the bacteria to live on their roots and the bacteria extract nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form the plants can use. If you are planting peas in a new garden, a container or an area of your garden that has not hosted legumes before you can encourage this relationship by inoculating the pea seed before planting to ensure that the bacteria is present in the soil. The inoculant is often available at garden centers or it can be ordered through most seed catalogs. The process is simple and involves nothing more than coating the dampened seeds with the inoculant powder before planting.

To harvest pods: hold the vine in one hand and pull pod with the other. Photo by Bruce Leander

Plant the seed 1-1½” deep and 3-4” apart. Bush-type varieties that grow 24-30” are considered self-supporting, but I find that they are easier to tend and easier to harvest if given some kind of support. They will also get better air circulation (therefore less prone to disease) if grown upright and off the ground. Try using string or chicken wire tied between stakes or insert pruned branches next to the plants for support. The tall, vining varieties, like ‘Super Sugar Snap’, must have sturdy support and should be planted at the base of a tall tomato cage, a fence or a trellis. Once your peas start producing, harvest them frequently for peak quality and to encourage more production. And be sure to use two hands when harvesting or you could easily pull up an entire vine (been there, done that).

Your home-grown peas that travel from garden to kitchen in mere minutes will look better, taste better and cost less than any fresh sugar snap pea that you can buy at a grocery store – yet another reason to grow-your-own!

Sugar Snap Peas with Mushrooms. Photo by Bruce Leander

Sugar Snap Peas with Mushrooms

Some peas, especially heirloom varieties, have strings, so be sure to snap off the end and peel the strings off before cooking.

½ lb sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 T olive oil

½ lb mushrooms, sliced

Sauté peas in olive oil 3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

1 lb sugar snap pea pods, trimmed

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Toss pods with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 475° oven for 12-15 minutes.

Celebrate the Bulbs of Fall!

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Jay White

All across Central Texas, Oxblood lilies (Rhodophialia bifida) are at the peak of their season. For those of us that live in areas that were once part of Mr. Austin’s original colony, these red trumpet shaped flowers have announced the arrival of fall for generations.

Oxbloods in my front bed

Here in Central Texas, no other bulb is as loved or celebrated in the fall as these Argentinian imports. Sometime in the 1870’s the German immigrant/botanist/horticulturist Peter Oberwetter introduced these bulbs to the German speaking areas of the Texas Hill Country. These bulbs were so pretty and so reliable that they quickly spread throughout Texas. Now, thanks to the work of people like Chris Wiesinger and Dr. Bill Welch, oxbloods (and other heirloom bulbs) are becoming hugely popular throughout the entire Southern part of the U.S.

A mass of oxbloods on an abandoned homesite. Photo from The Southern Bulb Company

Even though oxbloods are the most common fall blooming bulb in Central Texas, they are not the only ones. Two members of the of the Lycoris genus (Lycoris radiata and Lycoris aurea) also produce prolific blooms during the early days of the fall season. Spider lilies (Lycoris radiata) are my personal favorite of the fall blooming bulbs. All Lycoris bloom on top of a single, unadorned stalk after the first fall rains. Because of this they are often called “Naked Ladies” or the “Surprise Lily”. How can you not love their big, red, exotic looking heads? Their curly petals burst open and arch backward to release long, curved stamens that look like the most gorgeous eye lashes imaginable. I truly love these flowers!

These exotic looking Japanese beauties have also been popular here for a very long time. While they do not reproduce as rapidly as the oxbloods, Lycoris are tough and reliable. These flowers are beautiful in their own right, but a mass of them is truly stunning. If you want to see some of the best pictures of spider lilies that I have ever seen, be sure and catch this month’s issue of Southern Living. My friend Dr. Bill Welch has an excellent article about them and the supporting photography is exceptional.

A stunning mass of Spiderlilies. Photo from The Southern Bulb Company

The blooms of the fall blooming bulbs of Central Texas last for only a couple of very short weeks. Since they make terrible cut flowers and are almost impossible to dry, get outside in this amazing weather and enjoy them now. These flowers make these fleeting early days of the Texas autumn truly special.

Since these flowers last for such a short time, be sure to give them ample water while they bloom. This will extend their life by a few more precious hours. If you don’t currently have your own (or enough) fall blooming bulbs, contact my buddy Chris Wiesinger at The Southern Bulb Company. Chris knows more about these charming antiques than anyone I know. His bulbs are truly the best available anywhere.

This post has been shared on the Homestead Barn Hop and the HomeAcre Hop. Be sure to check in on other homesteaders and organic gardeners!

P.S. Bulb blooms aren’t the only way I know fall has finally come to my garden. Each year around this time I begin to see Green Tree Frogs all around the beds and borders of my property. I don’t know where these guys hide the rest of the year, but the cool fall weather seems to erase their shyness.

This cute little fellow thought the cushion of one of our rocking chairs was a great place to hide.

See MOH on TV This Weekend!

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Jay White

Nine months ago, the folks at KLRU’s Central Texas Gardener (CTG) came and filmed my potager for an upcoming fall gardening segment on CTG. Well, that “upcoming time” is finally here! I am so excited to have this opportunity and I want to say a great big thank you to Linda Lehmusvirta and crew for all of the hard work they did on this. Click on the link below to watch it now.

Central Texas Gardener now airs on five Texas public television stations and is coming soon to New Mexico. Check the station link listed below for the most recent local schedule.

KLRU / 18-1, Austin

noon & 4:00 p.m. Saturdays
9:00 a.m. Sundays (repeat)

KLRU-HD, Austin

noon & 4:00 p.m. Saturdays
9:00 a.m. Sundays (repeat)

KLRU-Q / 18-3, Austin

6:30 p.m. Tuesdays
7:00 a.m. Wednesdays
9:30 a.m. Fridays

KAMU, College Station

5:00 p.m. Saturdays

KNCT, Killeen

1:30 p.m. Saturdays
5:30 p.m. Sundays

KLRN, San Antonio

11 a.m. Saturdays

KWBU, Waco

3:30 p.m. Saturdays
12:30 p.m Thursdays

KPBT, Midland (Permian Basin)

12:30 p.m. Mondays

KBDI, Denver

2:00 p.m. Sundays
2:30 p.m. Tuesdays

Stephen F. Austin Plant Sale in Nacogdoches

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Jay White

A lovely hydrangea in the Mize Arboretum

If you are going to be anywhere close to East Texas on October 6, you really need to take time to swing by the gardens at Stephen F. Austin University. The SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University will host its annual Fabulous Fall Festival Plant Sale from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, October 6, 2012 at the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St.

A wide variety of hard-to-find, “Texas tough” plants will be available, including Texas natives, heirlooms, tropicals, perennials, shrubs, trees, and exclusive SFA introductions. Most of the plants are extensively trialed in the gardens before being offered to the public and most are produced by the SFA Gardens staff and volunteers.

A lovely double pink althea at SFA

This popular event benefis the SFA Mast Arboretum, Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden, Gayla Mize Garden, and educational programs hosted at the gardens. Combine your plant buying with a tour. The arboretum and gardens are absolutely beautiful and the weather should be wonderful.

Since I have several plants in my yard that came from this sale I can attest to the fact that you will be buying incredibly healthy and hearty plants that are sure to thrive for you. Your support will ensure that the team at SFA will be able to continue providing educational programs that reach over 15,000 students (ages 1 to 100) on a yearly basis.

Come early and bring three things; a wagon, a camera and your questions. There will be staff on hand to provide you all of the tips and tricks you need to make your plants thrive and answer any other gardening questions you may have. For more information, call (936) 468-4404, or visit www.sfagardens.sfasu.edu for a list of available plants.

My wife with Greg Grant in front of one of the many camellia’s at SFA

Sustaining My Health, My Soul and My Sanity by Patty G. Leander

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Jay White

Save seeds from this year’s crop or order from seed catalogs for planting next spring

There is a lot of talk these days about sustainable gardening – gardening in a way that builds soil, is gentler on the environment and makes the most efficient use of resources. But after a crazy, busy and hot summer that involved relocation moves for my daughter, my niece, my mother and my in-laws, followed by my husband’s back surgery and topped off with an emergency room visit for my father-in-law, I barely had the time or energy to work on sustaining my vegetable garden. But I was amazed – yet again – at how my garden sustains me.

‘Calico’ crowder (also known as Polecat)

Because of some unanticipated – but completely appreciated – rain in July (almost 8” in my south Austin backyard!) my garden was producing a decent supply of okra, eggplant, crowder peas, butter beans, Malabar spinach and winter squash. By August the rain tapered off and when we left for South Carolina to help with my in-laws’ move to Texas, I figured that was the end of my summer garden. I didn’t have the heart to ask a neighbor or even my daughter to go out and tend my vegetables amid the mosquitoes and the heat, and I was prepared to let it all go in anticipation of a re-start in fall.

Southern peas (left) and butter beans (right) are allowed to dry on the vine, after shelling they are ready for cooking or storage

Not surprisingly, upon my return, the okra and eggplant had withered (they were in pots and never really had a chance) and the winter squash was overcome by squash vine borer damage, but miraculously the crowder peas and the butter beans continued to yield. The pods were not as plump and numerous as production in early summer, but still they kept coming, and I kept picking. Every few days I’d have enough for a small meal, and even after I had picked the last of the green pods, there were plenty of dried pods on the vines.

A mix of ‘Jackson Wonder’ butter beans and ‘Dixie White’ butter peas

Shelling peas takes a little time but the results are well worth the effort. And cooking field peas is a cinch – they require very little preparation and as they simmer they create a rich potlikker that is nourishing and delicious. Dried peas can be stored in glass jars, plastic bags or any other airtight container and should be consumed within a year for best quality. Believe me, a meal of crowder or black-eyed peas, home-grown and dried from your own garden, dished up with a slice of hot, buttered cornbread in the middle of winter, is really a treat and will garner all kinds of compliments. Serve with a side of simmered collard greens (from your fall garden, of course) for a down home-taste of Texas terroir.

Plain and Simple Southern Peas

My dad used to say that “everything tastes better with a little pig meat” and it certainly applies to these Southern peas. He grew up in a time when families subsisted on what they produced from the land and nothing from the farm was wasted. As a result, all kinds of vegetables prepared in southern kitchens were flavored with bacon or ham hocks, which add a hearty goodness. But if you are not a fan of bacon you can sauté the onion in olive or vegetable oil or just throw all the ingredients into a pot and let them cook together until tender. They are so good they practically cook themselves.

2 slices bacon, chopped

½ cup chopped onion

2 cups dried Southern peas (crowder, black-eyed, cream, purple hull)

4 cups water

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2-3 teaspoons sugar

1-2 teaspoons salt

1-2 teaspoons pepper

Cook bacon until crisp; remove from pan and set aside. Sauté onion in drippings. Add remaining ingredients, adding enough liquid to cover peas by one inch. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer about 2 hours, until peas are tender and liquid has deepened in color and flavor. Add more liquid and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with crumbled bacon, chopped onion or chow-chow, if desired.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Why I Grow Lettuce and Spinach

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Jay White

Last night, just as it was getting dark, my wife was hand watering our trees . Suddenly something small and furry shot out of the grass and gave her a bit of start. She shrieked and I jumped into action. I bravely chased down this furry little flash and quickly discovered it was a very frightened baby cotton tail.

The poor little thing was scared to death. It’s tiny little rabbit heart was pounding out about a million beats per minute. I picked it up and held it close. I gently rubbed its little head and rabbit ears and it slowly calmed down long enough for us to get some pictures. After we took the attached pics, we took it back out to its burrow.

This rabbit burrow was very interesting to me. Somehow the mom had hollowed out a den by burrowing under bermuda runners. She had lined this with her fur. All of this was neatly camoflagued under a pile off dried grass that was left over from our last mowing and weed eating.

Since we just mowed a couple of weks ago, and this little guy looked half grown, I was curious about how quickly rabbits mature. According to the National Geographic, cotton tails are born completely helpless. In fact they are so helpless that only about 15% of all babies born survive. The ones that do are weaned at three weeks and leave the nest at seven weeks. So, I guess we won’t be mowing around that tree for a while.

All the time that I was holding the little bunny, my country mind kept telling me that I should make this little guy one of the 85% of bunnies that don’t make it to adulthood. But I knew I couldn’t do it. Eventhough I know that in about four weeks this little guy and his siblings will be in my garden eating my lettuce and spinach shoots I am just going to let it happen. Watching the few rabbits I have on my property gives me almost as much pleasure as growing the vegetables that they feast upon. And, since I don’t really rely on the garden to feed me, I don’t mind sharing my harvest with a couple of bunnies.