Dear Master Gardeners,

Happy Spring to you! By now you have some onions in the ground and you are ripe with horticulture excitement.

In your gardening enthusiasm, don’t forget to mark your calendar for an important event that is coming in the near future. The Texas Master Gardener State Con-ference will be held on May 4, 5 & 6 in College Station and it is a wonderful opportu-nity for learning and fellowship. The title of this year’s conference is “Sharing Our Garden Heritage.” Registration forms and detailed conference information can be found at the Website: www.texasmastergardeners.com It is always fun to mingle with Master Gardeners from all over Texas. Great ideas are shared and friendships are sparked. It’s also a good opportunity to go deeper in your relationships with fel-low Collin County Master Gardeners. The conference speakers are some of the best in the horticulture arena. This year’s keynote speaker is Ms. Peggy Cornett, Director of the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants in Monticello, Virginia. On the Website, you will see information detailing various options for tours and break-out sessions. Be aware that the tours fill-up fast, so register as soon as possible. Nancy Furth has volunteered to contact one of the area hotels in an effort to block-off rooms so that our group can stay in the same area. If you are interested in sharing a room with a fellow Master Gardener or if you would like for Nancy to include you in the room count, please contact her.

I hope that you are able to attend this unique and fun event. We will have a great time and learn a lot too. I look forward to seeing you there!

ECHO

March—April 2006

Extension’s Community Horticultural Outreach

Educational programs of Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all individuals without regard to

race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin. The Texas

A&M University System, U.S. De-partment of Agriculture, and the

County Commissioners Courts of Texas cooperating.

Landry Lockett, CEA-Horticulture, Texas Cooperative Extension

In this issue: Message from Landry Lockett, CEA-Horticulture Page 1

Stewardship Page 2 Plant in the Spotlight: Sideoats Grama Page 3

New Members Page 3 A Winter Rose Page 4

Update from the State Delegate Meeting Page 5 Samaritan Inn Project Page 6

Texas A&M Extension Cleanup Page 7 Speakers Bureau Update Page 8

Volunteer Coordinator, Huh? Page 8 Spring Cleanup Page 8

CEMAP Page 9 Horticulture Therapy Update Page 9

Garden Checklist for March/April Page 10 Top 10 Resolutions for 2006 11 Continuing Education Page 12

CCMG and the Arts of Collin County Page 12 Volunteer Opportunities Page 13

Out and About Page 13 This and That Page 14

Important information regarding conference registration: A revised registration form has been made available on the conference web site. The original registration form did not have a place to register for the Saturday breakout sessions. You must register to attend a specific session. Go to www.texasmastergardeners.com Click on Calendar of Events on the right. Scroll down and click on Registration Mail in Form (PDF). Print it and fill it in or register on-line.

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“The landscape is dynamic. It changes by the hour as the sun and shade move across the yard. It changes by the day as flowers bloom and fade. It changes by the season as leaves change color and flowers develop into fruit. It changes through the years as plants grow, expand and reproduce. . .” Alabama Cooperative Extension System

STEWARDSHIP By Nancy Furth

Webster’s definition of stewardship: “the individual’s responsibility to manage his life and property with proper regard to the rights of others.” Consider both the eloquent opening quote and the meaning of stewardship given above. Balance these factors with the reality of the severe drought conditions here in Collin County. This year more than ever before, let’s pledge to put our training and knowledge to work in our own landscapes and be good stewards. As Master Gardeners, we have many ways of contributing, and not all of us are interested in public speaking. One of the most important contributions we can make as Master Gardeners is to translate responsibly what we have learned to our own surroundings. This gardening year Collin County needs us to set many good examples! At our February meeting, I was pleased to hear Landry announce the new on-line EarthKind™ Specialist train-ing offered to Texas Master Gardeners. “This program is designed to provide information on a variety of envi-ronmentally-friendly (Earth Kind) practices for use in the home landscape and garden.” I had an opportunity to take advantage of the training over the weekend and was very impressed at the in-depth information it con-tained. It is information that is vital to every Texan who wants to be an environmental steward. The course took only a short time and I have returned to it a couple of times to review the material (the older we get, the more we need to review!) http://earthkind.tamu.edu/EKOnLineModules.html Also, March is Texas Smartscape™ month. The purpose of the Smartscape program is to educate and “The ultimate goal is to conserve local water supplies and improve storm water runoff quality by re-ducing the amount of water needed to maintain landscapes while decreasing the amounts of pes-ticide, fertilizer and herbicides used in landscaping practices.” http://txsmartscape.com/ Other programs under the title of Sustainable Gardening have gained a good deal of exposure through various State Extension Services such those in Oregon and Colorado. Interestingly, the title of the Oregon-Washington Master Gardener Handbook is Sustainable Gardening. The tenets are very similar to those in the programs al-ready mentioned and can be found in brief form at http://www.scwf.org/articles/index.php?view=457. I am pleased to be part of a very able team of Master Gardeners who will be presenting ‘The Complete Guide to Landscaping in Collin County’ in late February and again in March. Our presentation combines the proven principles of both the Texas Smartscape™ and the Earth Kind Environmental Stewardship Programs. It is our goal to inspire community members to become environmental stewards of their own landscapes and properties. By stepping out and encouraging others to garden responsibly, we are strengthening our own re-solve to do the same. Knowing that there is strength in numbers, we invite and encourage you to join us. I have more than a hunch, as conscientious gardeners this year; we will need ‘the force’ to be with us! The March event will be located at Shades of Green Nursery in Frisco on March 9, from 6 to 8 p.m., and conclude on March 15, from 6 to 8 p.m.

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Plant in the Spotlight: Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) By Candace Fountoulakis I’m waiting, waiting for the Ides of March. I am wary of planting too early since late freezes would threaten the half pound of grass seed in my house, waiting to hit the dirt. Nighttime temperatures have to be above 50 degrees for a week before I can consider it safe to sow. My infamous Bradford pear tree, now a stump of its former self, forced me to re-work my small, once-again full-sun back yard. Gone are the English ivy, wood ferns and Mis-souri violets. A few stragglers remain but only the inland seaoats adjusted well after the tree’s dense canopy was dispatched for good in mid-June last year. I decided to revamp the space with a mix of transplanted big bluestem from my alleyway combined with a carpet of sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), the state grass of Texas. I just couldn’t miss the chance to re-bel against the Bermuda-St. Augustine conspiracy which demands weekly irrigation. In the re-cent drought, I have observed my native plants thrive in the hot dry alley while we soaked around our foundation to keep our drywall intact! The new year has meant a few deeply appre-ciated rainstorms so far, and I am waiting for more while I wait for mid-March when I can plant all that seed! Sideoats grama is a short-grass prairie fixture that looks great as a mass planting or as an orna-mental feature. The small tawny seeds fall all on one side of the stem throughout the summer and the blades are thin, elegant and form a nice neat clump. All winter it holds its rusty autumn color and shape while spring brings the light green back to the 12” tall clump. Butterfly larvae feed on it so I derive satisfaction from encouraging all the winged creatures to visit my yard. Well-drained soil is a must so you can’t expect it to enjoy a wet area in heavy clay, but it will grow in most soils in sun. A perfect choice for a xeric landscape and a wonderful native plant, sideoats grama is in my long-term plans for a future “yard” which be a lot less like an English lawn and whole lot more Texan.

Welcome our new member to the Collin County Master Gardener Association: Sandra Michael 1445 Waterton Drive Plano, TX 75023 972-423-4334 kittymombo3@yahoo.com Sandra is transferring her membership from the Dallas County Master Gardener Association.

Photo courtesy of BlueStem Nursery

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A Winter Rose By Mary Nell Jackson

Snow was pelting the windows of the truck as we entered the interstate. It was a holiday weekend and most drivers were returning home in the unexpected storm. My thoughts were on the weather and the road until I noticed a truck passing with what appeared to be household goods and furniture piled high in the bed. Some things were protected while others flapped in the blowing snow and wind. Our speed varied in the storm; we passed the truck and slowed, they passed us, this went on for several miles. At first glance I noticed a young couple in the cab seemingly oblivious to the load they had or the weather, laughing and talking as if they were not in a dangerous snow storm in the middle of New Mex-ico. As I watched the collections of things in the truck on passing, I noticed a black plastic bag almost taking flight from its perch. I strained to see what it contained and much to my surprise there was a rose bush inside, the canes exposed to the elements bouncing about as if the weather was not a threat. From that moment on I felt a kindred spirit with the young couple, wanting to flag them down to say I am a gardener too. As we rode along my imagination ran wild. Was the rose one that was freshly dug from a previous home at this cold season? Was the rose a gift from a loved one? Maybe it was a heirloom from a grandparent’s home and they insisted they take it as the couple was moving far away. All thoughts were on the rose and its destination. I could see the canes were long, as if it might have been a climber. If that was the case it might survive, but then again...I wondered if it was an antique variety, possibly dug from a graveyard of their ancestors. Surely they would have taken a cutting. My thoughts were running wild and I began to think less of the danger of the roadway and more of the lone, freezing rose. The wind picked up, and it was getting difficult to keep the wipers going fast enough to melt the ice that was collecting on the glass. I was glad to see the rose was somewhat protected by the cab of the truck and slightly protected by furniture and boxes wedged in place. Once or twice as we passed, the black plastic was flapping so rapidly I feared the rose would take flight. I felt my discovery brought perfect strangers together that day in the storm much like when you spot an-other driver with a bumper sticker you agree with and want to honk with a thumbs up signal. There was nothing to attract them to me, no notice was made, even with my craning stares upon passing. I could not flag them down and say I am a rose lover too, what is the variety, where are you going to plant it? We were just strangers in a storm. Soon the winds settled and the snow drifted to the fence post and clumps of grass lining the highway. After a few hundred miles the truck took an unexpected turn and disappeared down a country road car-rying the mystery rose with it. I will never know anymore about the winter rose than I did that day, but I feel the young couple cared enough to include it with their possessions and it found a home not far from the interstate.

(Continued on page 5)

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Update from the State Delegate Meeting By Rene Mahoney On Saturday, February 25th, Mary Means and I had the opportunity to travel to College Station and attend the State Delegate meeting. It was a loooong drive but we did find out some very useful things. • Specialist Training Reimbursement: Beginning in 2006 the state association will

reimburse master gardeners $25.00 when they complete specialist training and complete the volunteer requirements. You will submit a form to the state (forms on the state website) and you will receive the $25.00.

• There were 119 submissions for state awards, the awards are going to be judged by several out of state judges, the awards committee thought this would eliminate the innuendo of certain counties winning all the awards.

• Background checks will be mandatory on anyone volunteering with youths and anyone else will be at the discretion of the county agent.

• The 2007 State Conference will be in Kerrville. • The 2008 State Conference will be in Abilene. • There are some changes to the information sent out concerning the conference in

May, the corrected changes were posted on the web site by Monday, February 27, please visit the site and see if they pertain to you.

If you have not considered it, think about attending this year, College Station looked like a neat place to visit, we could not see much through the pouring rain, but I am willing to go back and check it out in May. The tours and workshops look informa-tional and fun, they promised the best caterer in College Station was going to provide the deserts for the Thursday evening reception at the George Bush Presidential Library (my first choice of things to attend). I hope to see many of you there.

I want to believe it lived and flourished and produced lovely, fragrant blooms for years to come. I think less about the name, color or type of rose now as I am satisfied that there are gardeners who care enough to at least try to pass-along plants like the mystery rose. Gardeners are the most generous people I know. I am sure our ancestors did as the young couple did. Many years ago, they moved about, taking plants they loved with them across the prairie and moun-tains, searching for just the perfect piece of land. Not even a snow storm can take the life from a mystery rose. Spring is in our dreams, if not but a few months away. If the rose can just hold out until nature prepares the perfect growing conditions, it will flourish. I am sure the rose did survive and the young couple will smell its fragrant blossoms each spring.

(A Winter Rose, continued from page 4)

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Samaritan Inn Project Good things happen when two non-profit organizations get together.

The Samaritan Inn is located in McKinney and is a Collin County facility helping individuals and families regain independence through homeless prevention, emergency shelter, case manage-ment and supported transitional living. This project was started in September of 2005 by project leaders Debbie Finley and Carol Dean with the help of a few fellow CCMGs, Jodie Yowell, Katherine Ponder and Carrie Dubberley. With this experienced group they accessed the beds of existing plants, determining which could be saved or moved for ideal location and usage. Then drawing up a new landscape layout with selections of plants that

would be low on maintenance and high on impact, the project was off and running. Working with Shades of Green for plant se-lection, availability and variety which allowed the Samaritan Inn to get a wonderful array of plants within their budget. The next step was getting the plants in the ground. On November 19th 19 Collin County Master Gardeners descended on the Sa-maritan Inn at 9am with all the tools and even a 4 wheel utility vehicle.

After discussing the game plan, work com-menced and literally dirt was flying. This was all completed by 2pm. The continuing plan is to educate the maintenance staff on the require-ments of the plants’ watering and care. Then a follow-up date will be scheduled to cleanup the beds, fertilize and mulch this spring. Look in fu-ture e-minders for the date. If you would like to volunteer at the Samaritan Inn contact Cheryl at cherylspofford@thesamaritaninn.org By Tony Dennis

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Texas A&M Extension Cleanup By Tony Dennis

Wind chill, what wind chill? On Saturday, February 11th, 10 extremely hardy (or a little crazy) Master Gardeners attacked the native plant beds in front of the Texas A&M Ex-tension administration building. Project leader Carl Thiele insinuated that this had to be done now even if there was an inch of snow. The good thing was that the sun was out; the bad things were the 34o temperature and 20 to 30 mile an hour winds. This did keep bagging the leaves to minimum; most were blown away before we could get them into the bags. Even with this advantage we ended up with over 20 bags of debris. After the pruning and cleanup it is now up to Mother Nature and a little more assistance from CCMGs to make this a show place for our local native plants.

Photo courtesy of Rene Mahoney Photo courtesy of Kathleen Brooks

From left to right: Tony Dennis, Carl Thiele – leader, Mi-chelle Shook, Mike Gillock, Kathleen Brooks, Nancy Furth, Nancy Harmon, Tamara Galbraith. Not pictured: Deborah Jolly - Wearing straw hat in other pictures and Rene Mahoney – photographer.

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Volunteer Coordinator, Huh? By Renee Ferguson

So, what exactly is your job? I wonder how many times I have heard that question in the last few months. The title of volunteer coordinator is descriptive, but vague. This is a new position within the group and, therefore, there is no track record of past activity. At least no one can com-pare my performance against someone who did a really, really good job. An important function of this position is to ensure everyone in the organization is finding their niche and being utilized in the best possible way. Of course that does not mean I want to microman-age choices individuals make as to how they want to contribute. If your particular forte is in Speaker’s Bureau, feel free to volunteer. However, there are many people who have personal issues such as children at home or family obligations that make it more difficult to participate in some activi-ties. There are many others who hold down full time jobs but still want to be part of Master Gar-deners. These members are the ones we want to help. A form to let us know that there are spe-cial circumstances that might make it a little more difficult to plug into the group has been included in the last few e-minders. The same form can be used to indicate interest in certain areas such as expertise in desktop publishing. These forms will also be available at the meetings. The forms can be emailed to me or brought to the meetings. Project leaders will continue to staff their own projects. I certainly have no intention of tak-ing over that function. On the other hand, if any project leader is having difficulty with staffing, they should contact me. There may be one of those special interest forms that have been turned in that match with their needs. There are many opportunities to volunteer with the organization. New projects are being added every year. We have a great group of gar-deners with whom we get to work and learn from. Everyone is encouraged to find their place. But if you need a little extra help let me know. That is part of my job. Contact me at rennybird@comcast.net

Spring Clean Up? By Mary Means

Still have dried brush in your flower beds? Don’t be in such a hurry to clean everything up and make the beds per-fect. Those sticks and twigs are prized by birds as nesting materials. They’ll hop down on those dead annuals and dried perennials and dismantle them, carrying off the pieces of just the right length for their nests. So keep the birds in mind this spring. Be on the look-out for nest building activities, and enjoy the show.

Speakers Bureau Update By Dorothy Ingram As of the first of March the Speaker's Bureau presented 13 PowerPoint programs and 8 hours of the new "Collin County Talks". Through June, an additional 23 programs are scheduled to be given and six of those are in need of speakers whereas seven need assistants. The true test, outside of the basic numbers, is the fact that we are reaching out to new faces with what to them is new information, informa-tion that is not only needed but wanted in the face of drought and terribly serious environ-mental concerns. Monday afternoon training sessions on equip-ment set-up are now over. Its success, if counted only by the few served has served the purpose. Many thanks to new names and faces: Linda Bolton, Janet Bura, Carrie Dubberly, Sara Gar-retson, Cynthia Grahm, Lonna Jochetz, Kath-leen Roberson, and Margie Webb to name a few. Opportunities are everywhere. Contact Dorothy

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CEMAP By Doreen McDonnell

The Coordinated Education and Marketing Assistance Program (CEMAP) is a program where industry leaders and Texas A&M University leaders work together to identify superior land-scape plants for Texas and work to find the best way to promote these plants in the marketplace. Collin County Master Gardeners are responsible for the general maintenance of the Texas Su-perstar™ Test Gardens that are part of the Texas A&M and horticulture industry's Coordinated Educational Market Assistance Program (CEMAP). The gardens are located at Texas A&M's Coit Road Research and Extension Center in Dallas. Upcoming Volunteer opportunities – In March, there will be 2 opportunities for volunteers as we will be transplanting plant plugs into cell packs one week and getting the beds ready to plant on the following week. In April, we will be looking for volunteers for 3 weeks transplanting the plants from the cell packs into the beds, pruning roses, and planting various plants into the beds.

Horticulture Therapy Update By Kathleen Brooks

The Master Gardeners have added another Horticulture Therapy session to the monthly sched-ule. Volunteers will be working with patients on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the Medical Center of McKinney. At the rehabilitation facility, between eight to ten patients will participate in a program that adds some color to their hospital stay. Patients pot up seasonal flowers which they keep in their rooms. Most enjoy the handling of the plants and the potting soil. Some are worried about the soil that falls on the table and their laps, but we assure them we are allowed to make a mess. One of the patients named us the "Dirty Bloomers." On February 8, 2006 four Master Gardeners volunteered with eight patients to plant eleven pots of petunias. The extra three plants went to patients who could not participate that day, but will enjoy the flowers in their rooms. Each was given a paragraph-size information sheet about the care of the petunias to glue to a red heart shaped doily. The glue stick was a big hit! This infor-mation was added to the bulletin board in the patients’ rooms. Red heart stickers atop a chop-stick were stuck into the flower pots for decoration! Om March 8, 2006 we are bringing shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day!

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Garden Checklist for March/April Dr. William C. Welch Professor & Landscape Horticulturist Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (The following information was compiled from the 2005 information available at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/) March • Prepare beds for planting warm-season flowers and vegetables. • For every 100 square feet of bed area, work in a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic material such as compost, pine bark, or sphagnum peat moss. • Select and order caladium tubers as well as geranium and coleus plants for late April and early May planting. Do not plant caladiums until soil temperature reaches 70 degrees F. • As camellia and azalea plants finish blooming, fertilize them with 3 pounds of azalea-camellia fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed area. • Check mulch on azalea and camellia plantings and add where needed. Consider using pine needles, pine bark, or similar organic materials. • Beware of closeout sales on bare-root trees and shrubs. The chance of survival is rather low on bare-rot plants this late in the season. Best bets for now are container-grown or balled-and-burlapped plants. • Remember that many trees and shrubs are damaged or killed each year by the careless application of weed killers, including those found in mixes of fertilizers and weed killers. Always read and follow label directions very carefully. Weeds in a lawn usually indicate a poor lawn-management program and can usually be crowded out in a healthy turf. • Start hanging baskets of petunias and other annuals for another dimension in landscape color. • Freeze-damaged beds of Asiatic jasmine ground cover should be sheared back just as new growth starts to encourage new growth from the base. • For early color in the landscape, try some of the following annuals as transplants: ageratums, cockscombs, fibrous rooted begonias, coreopsis, cosmos, cleomes, marigolds, nasturtiums, petunias, phlox, portulacas, salvias, sweet alyssums, sunflowers, and zinnias. • Divide existing clumps of fall-blooming perennials, such as chrysanthemums, autumn asters, Mexican marigold mint, and physostegia (obedient plant). Separate the clumps into individual plants and set them 8-10" apart in groupings of 5 or more. Be sure to prepare the bed area well by spading in 3-5" of organic material into the top 8-10" of soil. For long-lasting fertility add 3-5 pounds of cottonseed meal or slow release fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed area. April • Prune spring-flowering shrubs soon after flowering. Keep the natural shape of the plant in mind as you prune, and avoid excessive cutting except where necessary to control size. • Roses have high fertilizer requirements. For most soils, use a complete fertilizer for the first application just as new growth starts; then, use ammonium sulfate or other high-nitrogen source every 4 to 6 weeks, usually just as the new growth cycle starts following a flowering cycle. • Continue to spray rose varieties susceptible to black spot, using a spray containing triforine or, as it is more commonly known, Funginex. Use every 7 to 10 days. • Climbing roses may be pruned as soon as they complete flowering. • Removing spent flowers, trimming back excessive growth, and applying fertilizer to an established annual bed can do wonders towards rejuvenating and extending the life of the planting. • As soon as azaleas have finished flowering, apply an acid type fertilizer at the rate recommended. Don't over fertilize, as azalea roots are near the surface and damage can occur. Water thoroughly after fertilizing. • Seeds of amaranthus, celosia, cosmos, marigold, portulaca, zinnia, and other warm-season annuals can be sown directly in the beds where they are to grow. Keep seeded areas moist until seeds germinate. Thin out as soon as they are large enough to transplant. Surplus plants can be transplanted to other areas. • It will soon be time for bagworms to attack junipers and other narrow-leafed evergreens. Control measures, such as Sevin dust or spray, should be applied while the insects and the bags are about one-half inch in length. • For instant color, purchase started annual plants. Select short, compact plants. Any flowers or flower buds

(Continued on page 12)

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TOP TEN NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR COLLIN COUNTY GARDENERS 2006

By Nancy Furth (adapted from an article originally written by Doug Welsh)

NUMBER 10: I will put up a bird feeder now, and/or plant some butterfly-friendly plants this spring. 9. I will not top or over-prune my crape myrtles. 8. I will add one new “feature” to my garden this year such as a new bed, a bench, a statue or an arbor. 7. I will continue to wage war on fireants, and I will check out the Texas Two- Step method of fireant management. 6. I will use a pesticide only when absolutely necessary, and will use the l east toxic one. I will also learn to identify and appreciate the beneficial role in sects serve in keeping our landscapes healthy and beautiful. 5. I will prepare the soil by amending it with organic matter except when I backfill newly planted trees. 4. I will mulch all flower and shrub beds to conserve water and discourage weeds. 3. I will refrain from impulse buying at the nursery and allow enough space for new plants in my landscape so that they will be healthy and reach their mature size without the need for excessive pruning. 2. I will only purchase native and well-adapted plants so that I avoid unnecessary plant loss, insect infestation, disease, and the resulting waste of time and expense. (Drum Role Please. . . .) NUMBER 1: I will learn to observe my landscape and be proactive, and I will not water my landscape in the middle of the day. I will follow the guidelines for watering established by my municipality.

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Continuing Education: Oak Wilt Specialist Training: Quality training combined with outdoor hands-on experience and demonstrations by Texas Forest Service Instructors. Applicants shall apply for the two day course on June 20 & 21, 2006. Tenroc Ranch, Salado, Texas. If you are interested in this train-ing, contact Landry Lockett at lllockett@ag.tamu.edu

CCMG and Arts of Collin County By Pat Marquardt

The CCMG Advisory Team to the landscape archi-tects of the Arts of Collin County has been named! Master Gardeners showed tremendous interest in this project, and thanks to all who volun-teered. The team of six includes Pat Marquardt, chair; Carrie Dubberly, Candace Fountoulakis, Nancy Furth, Jan Madden, and Eilene Schroe-der. Landry Lockett will provide professional over-sight. The purpose of the team is to provide the landscape architects, who are based in San Fran-cisco, with accurate local horticulture information for optimum plant material choices, soil manage-ment and irrigation issues. The 124 acre site on Rt. 121 at Custer Road will house a 2,100 seat Main Theater, Sculpture Garden, Terrace, and Art Gallery, as well as a 600 seat performance room. These are a part of Phase I, with ground-breaking planned for 2007, and a thirty-month con-struction schedule. More information about the ACC can be found a www.artsofcollincounty.org. The first team meeting is Thursday February 23 at 5 PM in Classroom #2 of the Ronald Gentry Train-ing Center, 310 Century Parkway, across the street from Allen City Hall.

should be pinched, to give plants an opportunity to become established.

• Check new tender growth for aphids. A few can be tolerated, but large numbers should be con-trolled. If spraying with a strong stream of water does not control them, use approved pesticides for control. Check the label carefully before use.

• Many flower or vegetable seeds left over after planting the garden can be saved for the next season by closing the packets with tape or paper clips, and storing in a sealed glass jar in your refrigerator.

• Start weeding early in the flower garden. Early competition with small plants can delay flowering. A mulch will discourage weed growth, and make weeds that do come through easier to pull.

• Soil purchased for use in beds, low areas, and containers should be examined closely. Often, nut grass and other weeds, nematodes, and soil-borne disease are brought into the yard through contaminated soil sources.

• Watch newspapers and other publicity for infor-mation regarding wildflower trails, and plan to take a trip to enjoy this beautiful natural resource.

This article appeared in the March 2005 and April 2005 on-line issue of Horticulture Update, edited by Dr. Douglas F.

Welsh, and produced by Extension Horticulture, Texas Agri-cultural Extension Service, The Texas A&M University Sys-

tem, College Station, Texas.

(Garden Checklist, Continued from page 10)

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Out and About ... Activities and Events of Interest (The activities and events listed below are not eligible for continuing education or CCMGA Volunteer hours.) Texas Tree Foundation: March 4, Saturday, 8am to noon. Be part of the planting team at the Nation’s Largest Urban Tree Farm. You will be planting seedlings at the Hamilton Park Urban Tree Farm lo-cated at the Southwest corner of LBJ FWY and TI Blvd. Contact Amy James at 214 953-1184 or amy@texastreesfoundation.org for more information. 3rd Annual Lawn and Garden Show, Johnson County Master Gardeners: March 11, 9am to 5:30pm, Cleburne Civic Center. More information is available at: http://www.jcmga.org/gardenshow.html Garden, Lawn & Home Expo: The Fannin County Master Gardeners have scheduled the second an-nual 2006 Garden, Lawn & Home Expo, Saturday, April 1, 2006. There will be horticulture related vendors, display and exhibit booths, (inside and outside), food booths, demonstrations, and speak-ers. The Expo will be held at the Bonham Civic Center, corner of Hwys 56 and 121 in Bonham. This is the location of trades day. If you are interested in setting up a booth, contact the Fannin County Master Gardeners at Fannin-TX@tamu.edu Dallas Arboretum: There are many new classes scheduled for fall, so check out their education oppor-tunities page: www.dallasarboretum.org Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park: Visit the web site: www.texasdiscoverygardens.org for a list-ing of all of the special events and activities.

Volunteer Opportunities: Help Line: The shifts are from 9 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm, Monday through Friday. Contact Sheila Nelson at (972)548-4232, Monday through Friday. Speakers Bureau: To volunteer as a speaker or an assistant for talks, contact Dorothy Ingram at (972) 335-1525 or dtingram@webtv.net. The speakers bureau schedule is noted on the calendar on the CCMG Web site: http://www.ccmgatx.org/ Information Booths: There are many chances to volunteer with information booths over the next couple of months. Put these dates on your calendar. For more information on any of these events contact Renee Ferguson at rennybird@comcast.net. • Heritage Ranch Home & Garden in Fairview will be on March 4 from 9am to 3pm. Volunteers are still needed

for morning and afternoon shifts. • Wells Bros Farm Store will host information booths on March 11 and April 8. Volunteers are needed from

2:30pm to 4:30pm. • It’s A Natural will be held April 22 from 9am to 2pm at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. The address is 6701 W.

Parker Rd in Plano. We need several volunteers for this event. We also need someone to take the lead posi-tion on this. This entails being in charge of the box of materials, setting up and tearing down.

• Smartscape will also be held on April 22 from 10am to 2pm at the Environmental Discovery Center. The address is 4120 W. Plano Parkway in Plano. We need 2 to 3 volunteers for this event.

Wanted: Habitat for Humanity Coordinator: Form a committee to coordinate speakers for quarterly Habitat Homeowners Association Meetings in McKinney. This group will educate homeowners on the identity of plants in individual gardens and how to care for them. Please contact Carol Dean at carcdean@comcast.net.

ECHO Newsletter March—April 2006

14

CCMGA Texas Cooperative Extension Office 825 N. MacDonald Street Suite 150 McKinney, TX

Thanks to ECHO Newsletter contributors: Kathleen Brooks Tony Dennis Renee Ferguson Candace Fountoulakis Nancy Furth Dorothy Ingram Mary Nell Jackson Landry Lockett Rene Mahoney Pat Marquardt Doreen McDonnell

Mary Means Katherine Ponder Dr. William C. Welch Marilyn Wooley Janice Miller janicemiller@sbcglobal.net The submission deadline for the May/June issue of the Echo Newsletter is April 15, 2006. Send submissions to janicemiller@sbcglobal.net

This and That Calendar: The monthly calendars are now available on the CCMGA web site at http://www.ccmgatx.org/Association/Calendar.htm Other events of interest can be found on the Texas Master Gardeners web site at www.texasmastergardeners.com/events/events.html Cool link: This site has a great number of links to web sites. http://www.co.collin.tx.us/living/home/garden.jsp