Gardening

County pecan growers display their successes

By Dr. William M. Johnson
Galveston County Extension Agent - Horticulture

November 16, 2006

2006 COUNTY PECAN SHOW CHAMPIONS -- Shown left to right are Jim Jackson of Texas City (Champion winner in Commercial Division for "Kiowa"; Champion winner in Classic Division for "Creek"; Reserve Champion winner in Classic Division for "Navaho"and Reserve Champion winner in Classic Division for "Navaho") and Lexi Bland of Santa Fe (Champion & Reserve Champion winner in Natives Division).

Photo by William M. Johnson.

Producing a high-quality pecan crop was a challenge this year. Leaf-footed bugs, hickory shuckworms, extended periods of dry weather and other adversaries had to be contended with over the growing season.

However, many area growers were up to the task based the quality of the entries in this year's Galveston County Pecan Show. Twenty-six pecan entries were submitted for competition and display in the County Pecan Show which was held on November 9, 2006 at the Walter Hall Park Pavilion in League City. The entries represented 20 different pecan varieties.

Bill Ree, Extension Pecan Entomologist at College Station, served as Show Judge. Plaques, rosettes and ribbons were awarded to winning entries for each variety. Eighteen entries qualified to advance to the East Texas Regional Pecan Show.

Winning entries that qualify at the Regional Pecan Show will then be advanced to the Texas State Pecan Show to be held next July during the Texas Pecan Growers state meeting. To qualify for submission to regional and state shows, entries must meet certain minimum criteria regarding number of nuts per pound, kernel color, percent edible kernel, and uniformity in nut size.

Winners in the 2006 County Pecan Show are as follows:

- Jim Jackson, Texas City: Champion, Commercial Division, "Kiowa"; Reserve Champion, Commercial Division, "Kanza"; Champion, Classic Division, "Creek"; Reserve Champion, Classic Division, "Navaho"; First Place "Big Boy", "Caddo", "Cherokee", "Choctaw", Desirable, "Forkert", "Jackson", "Pawnee" and "Souix"; and Second Place "Cheyenne".

- Lexi Bland, Santa Fe: Champion, Natives Division; Reserve Champion, Natives Division; and Second Place "Jackson".

- Drake Jackson, Texas City: First Place "Shoshoni".

- Shelby Jackson, Texas City: First Place "Shawnee".

- James Martin, Texas City: First Place "Cheyenne".

- George Reynolds, Texas City: First Place "Mohawk".

- James Bailey, Texas City, Second Place "Choctaw".

Congratulations to all show exhibitors for their successes.

COMPOST HAPPENS & NOVEMBER 18 WORKSHOP HELPS SPEED IT UP

Compost happens. And it's a good thing it does or we would all need more than hip boots to get around. Organic matter decomposition takes place whether we are around or not.

However, as gardeners we can speed the composting process and have the finished compost retain the most nutrients for plant use. Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic materials (stuff that use to be alive) using not only aerobic bacteria (ones that need oxygen, not the smelly anaerobic kind) and fungi, but also protozoans and worms.

Now you may be wondering if you have to go out and buy a bag of "starter bacteria" for your compost pile. Compost piles are kind of a "field of dreams" proposition . . . Build it and they will come. Commercial additives are not necessary and there are no magic enzymes or elixirs.

Garden soil or finished compost has all the necessary microbes and creatures in it. How convenient! Managing a compost pile is just helping these guys to do their job by providing the food, moisture and oxygen they need.

Magazine articles sometimes make it sound like you need a degree in biochemistry before you can compost anything. Once you understand the basic principles, the methods and containers for composting can be quite diverse. Composting is really no more complicated than baking a cake.

Most of the ingredients for the compost pile will be clippings and plants from the garden and landscape. Leaves and grass clippings may be the largest components. Bags of leaves can be saved to add to the pile.

Some things should not be put in the compost pile such as meat and bones, which can attract rodents, raccoons, cats and dogs. Dog and cat manure should also be left out since it can carry disease organisms. Although a well-managed pile should kill most disease organisms and weed seeds, you should leave out obviously diseased plants or weeds that have gone to seed.

Finished compost is "black gold" to gardeners. Forget buying peat moss to add to soils. Use compost instead. It acts as a great soil conditioner by loosening heavy clay soils, improving water-holding capacity of sandy soils, and adding all the wonderful microbes, fungi and important plant nutrients back into the soil.

If you want to learn the basics of home composting, be sure to reserve a seat for the upcoming workshop on "The ABCs of Home Composting" to be held on Saturday, November 18, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Galveston County Extension Office at 5115 Highway 3 in Dickinson.

The seminar will be presented by Ken Steblein, a Certified Texas Master Gardener as well as a Texas Master Composter. After the seminar, composting techniques will be demonstrated in the Horticulture Demonstration Garden which is adjacent to the County Extension Office. Pre-registration is required due to limited seating. Visit or contact the County Extension Office (281-534-3413, or GALV3@wt.net) to make your reservation.

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

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