Gardening

The Galveston County Extension Office extends an invitation to all area residents to participate in our Extension Open House program of activities on Friday, October 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Dr. Travis D. Miller from Texas A&M University is the keynote speaker. Master Gardeners will also provide tours of the Horticulture Demonstration Garden (shown above).

Photo by Herman Auer.

Gardening: Extension Office To Sponsor Open House On October 29

by Dr. William M. Johnson, Galveston County Extension Agent - Horticulture
October 27, 2004

The Galveston County Extension Office extends an invitation to all area residents to participate in our upcoming Open House program of activities on Friday, October 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Come meet the County Extension Office staff and members of our volunteer support group, including Master Gardeners.

At 10:30 a.m., Dr. Travis D. Miller, Professor and Associate Department Head in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University, will be our keynote speaker. He will provide a presentation on "Genetically Modified Crops–Impacts on Growers & Consumers." Transgenic or genetically modified (GM) plant varieties have been around for several years now. While many people are aware of the use of genetically modified varieties of soybean, corn and cotton, there also GM varieties of canola, potato, squash and papaya.

Numerous GM varieties of several vegetables and fruits are on the horizon. A Round-Up resistance St. Augustine turfgrass will soon be on the market. Dr. Miller’s presentation will address consumer and grower concerns regarding genetically modified plants and discuss the various impacts of this emerging technology.

There will also be tours of the Horticulture Demonstration Garden. The Master Gardener volunteers will also be available at the County Extension Office to discuss gardening problems and questions. Are you interested in starting a garden but need some guidelines on getting started? Are you concerned about an insect pest or disease problem with one or more of your landscape or garden plants? Then visit the Galveston County Extension Office during our Open House to talk with one of the Master Gardeners about your home gardening and landscape problems.

You are also invited to bring samples of insect, disease and other plant pest problems for a free diagnosis. Be sure to include your name and address with each sample. All samples should be enclosed in a plastic or paper bag to avoid drying out.

We're part of Texas Cooperative Extension which forms a Texas-sized partnership between a great educational institution–The Texas A&M University System–and each Texas County Commissioners Court. Texas Cooperative Extension is the educational outreach arm of The Texas A&M University System. The staff of the Galveston County Extension Office and our Extension volunteers welcome you to come look us over. You’re welcome to visit for a few minutes or to take your time.

So be sure to pencil in a notation on your "Things-To-Do List" to get acquainted with our staff and volunteers at the Galveston County Extension Office and to attend our seminars and tour our Horticulture Demonstration Gardens during our Open House activities on October 29.

Plan To Enter The 2004 County Pecan Show

All interested home pecan producers in the area are eligible to submit one or more pecan entries in the Show. Even if the variety of pecan is not known, it can be submitted anyway. Most unknown pecan varieties can be identified by the Show Judges, based on the characteristics of the nuts. Thus, you can have an unknown variety determined for you.

Do you have to be a commercial grower to enter pecan samples? The answer is no. You can certainly submit entries from pecans that you harvest from your pecan trees growing in your home landscape or on other property that you own or lease. In fact, most individuals who enter pecans in the Show have one or just a few trees in the home landscape.

Each sample must contain 41 nuts. The number of nuts per pound, percent kernel and other measurements will be determined as part of the show judging. You will have a better idea of the quality of your pecans.

Each person may enter more than one sample, but each sample must consist of a different variety. However, in the case of natives, more than one 41-nut-sample can be entered, but each sample must consist of nuts from a single tree. Each entry of 41 nuts should be as reasonably uniform in size as possible. Be aware, however, that it is more important to have a sample that is uniform in size rather than having a few large nuts in a sample consisting mostly of smaller-sized nuts.

Do not do any grinding, filing or polishing on the pecans that will remove part of the hull as this will disqualify the entry. However, be very sure to remove all traces of husks and foreign matter from the shells.

Place each 41-nut-sample in its own paper bag and enclose a card containing the owner’s name, address, telephone number and variety name (indicate unknown, where necessary). The pecans must have been grown by the person entering them.

Exhibitors can submit their entries at any of several drop-drop sites. To find a site near you, contact the Galveston County Extension Office or visit my website provided below. The deadline for submitting entries to all drop-off sites is Saturday, October 30, at the close of the business day at each respective drop-off site.

Entries may also be submitted directly to the County Extension Office (5115 Highway 3, Dickinson) until 12:00 Noon on Monday, November 1. Awards (ribbons, rosettes, and plaques) will be presented to winning pecan entries. Photographs of class winners will be taken for publication in this newspaper.

Marilyn Simmons, my co-worker, will also conduct a Pecan Bake Show with youth and adult divisions. For additional information on entry rules, contact the Galveston County Extension Office. After the awards program, there will be a tasting session, which will be open to the general public.

The Pecan & Bake Shows are open to the public. For more information, contact the County Extension Office (281-534-3413, ext 6). Even if you don't enter pecans, plan to attend this year's show on Thursday, November 4.

Dr. Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston County
Extension Office of Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University. Visit his web site at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.htm

Gardening: Scale insects and pampas grass - July 17, 2004 article

Gardening: Bananas - August 1, 2004 article

Gardening: August Gardening Calendar - August 16, 2004 article

Gardening: Trio Of Extension Programs Includes Pear Tasting, Master Naturalist Class & Rose Seminar - August 20, 2004 article

Gardening: Prepare Now For Fall Gardens - August 26, 2004 article

Gardening: September’s Garden Calendar Includes Fall Pecan Field Day - September 2, 2004 article

Gardening: Ornamental Grasses - September 8, 2004 article

Gardening: Don't Let Landscape Become A High-Maintenance Nightmare - September 22, 2004 article

Gardening: Oct. 10 Plant Sale & Seminar To Feature Butterfly Gardening - Butterflies Bring Color, Motion to Garden - October 2, 2004 article

Gardening: Plant It And They Will Come: Getting the Butterflies of Galveston County to Grace Your Yard - October 2, 2004 article

Gardening: Rose Propagation & Seasonal Decorating Workshops To Be Held - October 13, 2004 article

Gardening: Extension Office To Sponsor Open House On October 29, Seasonal Decorations and Onion and Garlic Workshop - October 20, 2004 article