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UrbanDirtH A R R I S C O U N T Y M A S T E R G A R D E N E R N E W S L E T T E R • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Gardening Events and Informat ion for Texans
Everything’s Coming
Up Roses!
cont’d on pg. 3
This summer has been brutal and it has brought out numerous pests that work tirelessly to destroy our plants. I want to thank our fellow master gardener Christa Kaiser for sending some info in an email to me. Christa is our rose expert at the Genoa Friendship Gardens. The arrival of her email is timely.
There are 2 classifications of insects that attack roses: sucking insects that drain plant tissue juices and can also transfer diseases while doing so and chewing insects that chew tissue and can damage some or all of the plant.
The damage caused by spider mites, which are not insects, can imitate the damage caused by sucking insects. Examples of suck-ing pests are scale insects, whiteflies, aphids and leafhoppers.
Plants damaged by sucking pests can be discolored, have sticky “honeydew” or sooty black mold or have distorted leaves. They can also have a crumbled, wilted look.
With chewing pests like leaf-cutter bees, grasshoppers,
caterpillars and beetles the damage seen can be discoloration, chopped off buds, stems or leaves, wilting (caused by grubs or other root feeders), holes or semicircular holes along the leaf edges.
Agrilife.org has more details on identifying and controlling the pests listed above. The link for that information is http://counties.agrilife.org/hood/files/2011/07/man.pdf.
The July issue of the American Rose Society was forwarded to me by Christa. It listed several links for rose pests that can cause severe damage to your gar-den. I cannot stress enough the importance of checking on your plants daily. The damage wreaked by garden pests can quickly wipe out your roses. The sooner you address problems and infesta-tions, the better the chance of your beloved plants surviving and recovering.
Identifying and Treating Common Rose Pestsby Terri Simon, Master Gardener
White rose tinged with pink Photo by Terri Simon
Chilli ThripsPhoto courtesy Bradenton-Sarasota
Rose Society
Upcoming Events ......................................................... 2 Seven Sisters Rose ....................................................... 3Herb of the Month ........................................................ 4Greater Houston Plant Conference .............................. 5 Plant of the Month ........................................................ 6Urban Garden Certificate Program .............................. 7Master Gardeners in the City ....................................... 8The Rose Corner ........................................................... 9The Rose .................................................................... 10Scenes from the GFG Trial Gardens .......................... 12Open Garden Days - The Weekley Center ................. 13Genoa Friendship Gardens ......................................... 14Gardening Tools ......................................................... 15
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September 2018
Master Gardener Lecture SeriesSept. 13, GFG Second Thursday 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Speaker: Christine Hammon, Harris County Master Gardener - Fall Vegetable Gardening. Genoa Friendship Garden Education Center building, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Plants for sale in the Greenhouse.Green Thumb Gardening Series - Roses: Planting, Growing & UpkeepSept. 13, Barbara Bush Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Sept. 15, Maude Marks Library, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Sept. 18, Spring Branch Memorial Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.Sept. 20, Freeman Branch Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Greater Houston Plant ConferenceSept. 7, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Richard & Meg Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Road, Cypress, TX 77433 Tickets available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/greater-houston-plant-conference-tickets-48613162277?aff=efbeventtixUrban Gardening Certificate ProgramSept. 28, Vegetable Gardening 101, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Alice Young Library, 5107 Griggs Rd, Houston, TX 77021Contact Ute Schaefer, 713-274-0950, email: [email protected] Open Garden Day Sept. 17, 8:30 - 11:00 a.m., Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Plants for sale in the Greenhouse.Sept. 25, 10:00 - 11:15 a.m., Open Garden Day Children’s Activities. Registration required by Sunday, Sept. 23 to: [email protected]. Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Rd., Cypress, TX
October 2018 Master Gardener Lecture Series Oct. 11, GFG Second Thursday 10:00 - 11:30 a.m., Speaker: Sherrie Harrah - Plants for All Seasons. Genoa Friendship Garden Education Center building, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Plants for sale in the Greenhouse.Green Thumb Gardening Series - Trees: Planting and Care (includes fruit trees)Oct. 11, Barbara Bush Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Oct. 16, Spring Branch Memorial Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Oct. 18, Freeman Branch Library, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Oct. 20, Maude Smith Marks Library, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Urban Gardening Certificate Program1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Alice Young Library, 5107 Griggs Rd, Houston, TX 77021, Contact Ute Schaefer, 713-274-0950, email: [email protected]. 5, Economic Benefits of GardeningOct. 12, Importance of CompostingOct. 19, Good Bugs vs. Bad Bugs Oct. 26, Vegetable Gardening in the FallNov. 2, Creating Healthy Soil
Open Garden Day Oct. 15, 8:30 - 11:00 a.m., Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Plants for sale in the GreenhouseOct. 16, 10:00 - 11:15 a.m., Open Garden Day Children’s Activities. Registration required by Sunday, October 14 to: [email protected]. Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Rd., Cypress, TX
Upcoming Events
Visit txmg.org or contact the Harris County Extension Office, 713-274-0950, [email protected] for information.
Have Garden Questions?Email your questions and photos to: phone [email protected] or
Call us Monday – Friday 9:00 am to Noon at 713-274-0950
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Chilli thrips are also a threat to roses. Gay Hammond of the Houston Rose Society has an excellent pictorial guide about them online. That link is https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/b152c0_82b8ff9b7c7c424b9d04666ccfc67f21.pdf. If you suspect chilli thrips, Gaye has the answer.
Carolyn Parker has a wonderful rose pest identification online with pictures as well. Check out her article at http://www.rosenotes.com/2010/06/rose-pests-bad-bugs.html/. The photos shown are vivid and close up but they sent shivers down my spine. Poor roses.
Soon it will be time to put our roses to bed as winter approaches. Remember that the varieties that bloom once a year only require one fertilizer treatment in early spring. From September through October is the time to do your light fall pruning for the roses that need it. Don’t feed your roses after October. Texas A&M has an excellent reference for care and fertilization of your roses at
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/publications/roses/care.html. Remember, spring will be here before you know it. Then the fun starts all over again.
Identifying and Treating Common Rose Pests, cont’d from pg. 1
Aphids on roses Photo courtesy homeguides.sfgate.com
Seven Sisters Rose
Seven Sisters Rose Photo by Terri Simon
According to the Antique Rose Emporium, the Seven Sisters rose is named because of its changing color palette. This heirloom rose can range from carmine, purple, mauve, pink (light and dark) and finally to a creamy white as the flowers age. It is supposed to have been painted by Redoute in France. Brought to Britain from China or Japan by Charles Greville in 1817, it quickly made its way to America. Settlers carried the rose out west as they traveled. It can grow up to 15-20 feet and is hardy up to zone 6. The flow-ers usually bloom once a year in late spring but can have other flushes throughout the year. Blooms are small but the plant flowers in clusters so it is possible to see the range of colors throughout the bush. Once it has finished a bloom cycle it is okay to prune green growth. Do not prune green growth in the spring since Seven Sisters blooms on old wood. Perhaps one of the reasons I love this rose is because I have seven sisters. I don’t have a bush of my own, but my neighbor Jeanette has one so I get to share hers.
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Citations: https://www.britannica.com/plant/catniphttp://www.essencejournal.com/pdf/2016/vol4issue4/PartA/5-1-1-981.pdfhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-how-does-catnip-work-on-cats/http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e433
historical usage includes documented Native American use in the treat-ment of colic in infants, American folk remedies, and Eurasian applications dating back centu-ries in the treatment of diarrhea, cough, and asthma, among several issues. Catnip additionally features reported benefits as a diuretic as well as a sedative. With human consumption, it is important to note that sources indicate that care should be taken when utilizing dried catnip leaves, obtaining these from either an established, reliable source or (perhaps ide-
ally!) from one’s own garden.
Planting catnip in near prox-imity to roses is an excellent practice to naturally deter pesky insects, such as aphids, that can be detrimental to your beautiful rose garden. There are many varieties from which to choose, some featuring white blooms, while others offer a brilliant purple bloom a bit reminiscent of some ornamental salvias
boasting color in the blues-purples range. At the late-summer com-pilation of this article, Arbor Gate nursery in Tomball has available a beautiful variety of catnip called Six Hills Giant, which produces
Herb of the Month - Catnip (Nepeta cataria)by Karen McGowan, Master Gardener
With September’s Green Thumb topic being “Roses: Planting, Growing, and Upkeep”, this month’s selected featured herb is catnip (Nepeta cataria), a terrific rose companion herb known for repelling aphids and other rose pests.
Available in several varieties, catnip, also known as “catmint,” is a short-cycle perennial herb that is indigenous to Eurasia, with indi-vidual varieties hailing from France, Turkey, Iran, Greece, Yemen, Tajikistan, and the United Kingdom.
As its alternate name suggests, catnip is a member of the mint family and reseeds itself readily, in keeping with the familial trait. All catnip varieties generally reach a mature height and likewise spread of two to three feet. Catnip prefers a dry to medium soil, and full sun to partial shade, requiring very little maintenance. As its name suggests, felines are wildly attracted to catnip, and so, too, are butterflies.
Known for its aromatic leaves that attract -- and provoke a variety of reactions from -- cats, catnip is significant as an established repellant to unwanted garden insect pests. Nepetalactone, one of catnip’s volatile oils, is responsible for the provocation of cats’ often spirited reaction to the herb and also the source of the plant’s ability to repel insects. In several scientific studies, catnip oil has been found to be superior to DEET in both short and long-term repelling of a number of insects, includ-ing several varieties of mosquitos, stable and house flies, the brown ear tick, and cockroaches.
The dried leaves of catnip are considered useful in terms of aiding various human ailments. Catnip is popular in many cultures as both an effective relaxant and antispasmodic agent, and its
cont’d on pg. 5
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Catnip, cont’d from pg. 4
a mature plant height of about 30 inches and attractive, deep blue-purple blooms. This particu-lar variety can create a beautiful cottage garden sunny path lining, as well as, a highly useful and at-tractive companion plant to roses, presenting both interesting contrast and a natural pest deterrent, not to mention an entertainment source for furry friends. Happy fall gardening to all!
Richard & Meg Weekley Community Center • 8440 Greenhouse Road, Cypress, TX 77433
Tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/greater-houston-plant-conference-tickets-48613162277?aff=efbeventtix
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If you’re looking for that one spectacular, tough and fragrant rose with a long history, make room for the Mutabilis, or Butterfly rose. It caught my eye somewhere years ago, and earned my love and respect after surviving a number of traumas in my garden, includ-ing cycles of neglect and severe pruning to keep it in bounds.
It was first planted in an island bed in the front yard for neigh-bors to admire. As it got larger—as it will in our climate—it got whipped around in a wind vortex coming off the roof. It seemed unfazed, but eventually the yard man transplanted it to a protected place in the back yard. It took him all of five minute to wrangle the big rose into its new spot (I had envisioned a day’s work), and judging by the hole in the front bed, plenty of roots were left behind. Regardless, the Mutabilis rose thrived, and continues to grow and bloom even after three successive years of flooding.
None of this toughness is evident from the silky blossoms that open yellow, slowly change to soft apricot, shades of pink, and then crimson. All of these colors are on stunning display during its flushes of blooming in spring, summer and fall. I’m especially fond of its large (3”) single flowers with five petals.
The Mutabilis rose is one of the prestigious Earth-Kind roses identified by Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Quoting from the Texas A&M website, “Earth-Kind is a special designation given to select rose cultivars by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service through the Earth-Kind landscaping program. It is based on the
results of extensive research and field trials and is awarded only to those roses demonstrating superior pest tolerance, combined with outstanding landscape performance.”
Field trials are conducted all over the state using detailed guide-lines. Only those roses that excel in a variety of regions and soil types, have excellent heat and drought tolerance, and thrive with limited use of fertilizers and pesticides are included in the list of Earth-Kind roses. On average, it takes eight years of research and field trial data for a determination to be made about a rose’s qualifications to be designated an Earth-Kind rose. Complete information about the program, list of Earth-Kind roses, growing tips and more are available at https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkindroses/
Back to our robust Mutabilis rose. The above website describes it as “one of the most famous and beloved of the old garden roses”. The name Mutabilis refers to the mutation in color from the
time it opens. Its nickname, Butterfly Rose, comes from the impression it creates of a bush covered in butter-flies. The Missouri Botanical Garden reports that it at-tracts butterflies, though I noticed more bees than butterflies on my specimen. Other attractive features are the bronze coloration of new growth, and small orange hips.
My online research on the Mutabilis rose years ago led me to a post about it showing up in old Chinese artwork such as
Photo courtesy of @TomCarruthRoses
Plant of the Month - Butterfly Rose (Rosa chinensis ‘Mutabilis’)by Beth Braun, Master Gardener
Photo courtesy of The Antique Rose Emporium, Brenham TX
cont’d on pg. 8
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extensionin partnership with
Hermann Park Conservancy & Harris County Master Gardenersare please to present
Master Gardeners in the Cityat McGovern Centennial Gardens
These educational programs are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disavility or national orgin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas cooperating.
Saturday, September 8th & 22ndMcGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park
1500 Hermann DriveHouston, Texas 77004
Events include garden tours and children activities.
Visit the Harris County Master Gardeners Facebook page for event details!www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardeners
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Butterfly Rose, cont’d from pg. 7
silk screens. Its heritage is a mystery but is presumed to have originated in China, and introduced to Europe in the 19th century. Swiss botanist Henri Correan introduced it to American horticul-turists in 1934.
While it’s described as a medium shrub rose reaching 6 feet by 6 feet in our climate, it can be pruned into an eye-catching rose tree
of up to 10 feet in height. I know of a Mutabilis in a small town-house garden that’s pruned up to drape gracefully over the corner of a high fence, as if it were a climbing rose. The Mutabilis grows best in sun and with plenty of space for air circulation and room to grow. It tops out at 3 feet in colder climates, making it a good candidate for a hedge.
The Rose Corner What to do in Late Summer and Fall.by Christa Kaiser, Master Gardener
Summer and early fall makes us think about heat tolerance of roses. Texas A&M University published some results of heat stress effects on fruit and flower crops. Blooms are smaller and paler, several roses showed an increased amount of flower abortion. But don’t give up on your rose bed plans. There is quite a list of Earth-Kind and Antique roses that are heat resistant with the right care.
Getting ready for the fall blooming season:
• Water is the most essential element for healthy roses in the summer months. Pull the mulch to the side to make sure the soil is moist. Water late afternoon more than once a week during drought periods.
• Container roses require more watering, without a drip irrigation you need to water twice a day.
• Clean your rose beds, pull all weeds.
• Fertilize with a mild, organic fertilizer: Alfalfa pellets, manures, rose meal, rose tea. One suggestion is Ironite Plus, it is a liquid hose-on application. Avoid staining of your concrete though!
• Deadhead and cut stems shorter as you remove spent blooms. The bush needs leaves and cutting them shorter will leave more foliage!
• Mulch, mulch, mulch.
• Spray insecticidal soap from beneath the foliage for spider mite control.
• Fall planting season is just around the corner. Plan for companion perennials and herbs for your rose beds. Plants can provide contrast to the rose bush, hide woody canes and add color.
*sources: Rosette, The Rose Rustlers, Heirloom Gardening in the South.
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Here is a short description of a rose on Wikipedia: A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosacea. There are over three hundred species and thousands of cultivars.
I was fascinated by the long history of this plant when one of my friends pointed out the world’s longest living rose, it is be-lieved to be 1000 years old. It grows on the wall of the Cathe-dral of Hildesheim in Germany and its presence is documented since A.D. 815, (Charlemagne/Karl der Grosse was crowned A.D. 800). According to the legend, the rosebush symbolizes the prosperity of the city, as long as it flourishes, the city will not decline. The cathedral was destroyed during the 2nd world war. The rose survived, its roots remained intact beneath the debris and soon it was growing. Cuttings were planted at the Cathedral of Aachen which was built by the order of Charlemagne who was buried there. The world’s oldest identified (named) rose in the western world today is the “Rosa GALLICA – Apothecary Rose or French Rose”, a pink shrub rose.
It is believed, that the rose originated in central Asia. Fossil records show rose leaves. Early civilizations grew roses for decorations, perfumes, oils, medicines, cooking and funerals. They are well recorded by the Egyptians, Chinese, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans.
In Antiquity, known rose records were kept by Confucius (China-500 B.C.) Theophrastus (Greece 300 B.C.), cataloging roses, Poetry by Sappho (Lesbos) “Song of the Rose”, ca. 625-570 B.C., Cleopatra (Egypt around 69-30 B.C.) The Romans loved roses and imported them from Egypt to use on important occasions. Drawings of roses and rose gardens were made on walls of rooms and catacombs.
The Middle Ages (5th to 15th Century) brought heightened interest to rose gardens, literature und poems. Childebert with his wife Utrogothe, king of Paris (495-558) built a rose garden next to their palace grounds. Medieval Monasteries preserved the legacy of roses, you can find them on many paintings of that time. In the 15th-16th Century in England, the “War of Roses” was dramatized by William Shakespeare. The white rose was the symbol of York, the red for Lancaster.
British traders imported the China rose by merchants of the British East India Company (1789-1793). It is believed, that the Chinese were the first hybridizers.
Early settlers of the American colonies brought plants over to America. George Washington (1732-1799) is the first known American rose breeder. He established them in his Mount Vernon Gardens.
Separate strains developed in the wilds of North America. Of some 200 rose species which are known worldwide, 35 are indigenous to the United States. The most famous one is the white Cherokee Rose, known through the story of “The trail of Tears”. In 1838 the mothers of the Cherokee Indians were griev-ing and crying, because they were unable to help their children to survive the long journey. The elders prayed for a sign. The next day a beautiful rose began to grow where each of
The Rose by Christa Kaiser, Master Gardener
Apothecary Rose or French Rose Photo by Christa Kaiser
cont’d on pg. 10
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the mother’s tears fell. (This rose is originally from China and is the state rose of Georgia).
In France, the Empress Josephine, married to Napoleon Bonaparte (1763-1814), established the first known collection of roses at the Chateau Malmaison. She is deserving of the title “Patroness of the Roses”. One of her roses, still on the market is: “Souvenir de la Malmaison”. The French tradition of rose gardens was continued with “The Roseraie du Val-de-Marne” in L’Hay, now a suburb of Paris. It was started by Jules Gravereaux 1894. The collection has 3100 different species and varieties with 15,000 roses. I was lucky to be able to visit this garden in May 2013.
The rose is the most popular garden flower today, highly valued all over the world for its form, its scent and its color. Roses
acquired their present popularity after about 1820. Pinks and auriculas were more highly esteemed flow-ers in the 18th century. The last two centu-ries have seen a great progress in the raising of new roses by crossbreeding and selection. New types are on the market and the season has been pro-longed to such an extent that many modern roses flower continuously.
I also need to mention, that almost all important artists through all centuries used the image of roses via different media in their work including writers and poets.
.A Roserie plan
The Rose, cont’d from pg. 9
References:Francois Joyaux, Les Roses de l”Imperatrice. The American Rose Society Encyclopedia of Roses. The Houston Rose Society, The Rosette. William C. Welch, Antique Roses.
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Scenes from the GFG Trial Gardensby Carolyn Boyd, Master Gardener
Working in the Research Trial Garden at Genoa Friendship Gardens has been very rewarding. Seeing 650 transplants of 19 Annual varietals grow and blossom to their full potential has
been exciting. Within the garden, the team has seen quite a few insects, amphibians and friendly reptiles that are essential for healthy plant life.
The celosia attracts a bee. Photo by Patricia MetzingerA lizard lurks among the cannas. Photo by Carolyn Boyd
A frog finds a sunny resting place on a canna leaf. Photo by Patricia Metzinger A butterfly visiting the blooming dianthus. Photo by Patricia Metzinger
A dragonfly snares a morning snack in the zinnias. Photo by Patricia Metzinger
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Open Garden Day is back! OGD has been relocated to the Weekley Community Center at 8440 Greenhouse Road, Cypress, Texas 77433.
We won’t have outdoor gardens, so the activities will focus on nature crafts, small plants in pots and games. Activities will include decorating seed pods and making pine cone bird feeders and acorn jewelry. There will be
coloring pages, legos, playdough and toddler puzzles. We hope you can make it!
Pre-Registration required by Sunday May 20th, to [email protected] with number of child participants and their ages, so we are sure to have enough supplies for everyone. Also, please contact us with questions or comments.
Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Rd., Cypress, TX 77433
2018 TuesdayOpen Garden Day schedule
Pre-Register to: [email protected]
Sep. 25th - Pre-Registration required by Sun. Sept. 23rdOct. 16th - Pre-Registration required by Sun. Oct. 14thNov. – TBDDec. – Winter break
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Gardening ToolsThis chart is a handy guide for knowing the best times to plant in Harris County.
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Texas a&M agriLife exTension service 713-274-0950
harris.agrilife.org/program-areas/hort/
hcmga.tamu.edu
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Roses: Planting, Growing & Upkeep
September 20Freeman Branch Library
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
September Green Thumb Gardening Series
September 18Spring Branch Memorial Library
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
September 13Barbara Bush Library
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
September 15Maude Smith Marks Library
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The Harris County Master Gardeners as well as Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Harris County Horticulture are actively participating on Facebook offering tips, lists, news and plant advice almost daily. You can add the HCMG site to your account and easily share information with others. This is a definite timesaving device for these busy gardeners and helps promote our organization.
www.facebook.com/HarrisCountyMasterGardenerswww.facebook.com/HarrisCountyHorticulture
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