05-27-2010-Thursday - Wise County Messenger

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ALL AROUND WISE, Decatur, Texas, Thursday, May 27, 2010 Outdoors Rainy spring leads to weeds in bluebonnet patch By NEIL SPERRY Dear Neil: I have a patch of bluebonnets that my late husband and I started years ago. They continue to thrive and spread a little more each year. But, the past couple of years, the weeds and grass seem to be overtaking them (especially this year). Is there anything I can use on them that won’t harm the bluebonnets No weedkiller is that selective. However, if your main goal is to remove all of the competing vegetation entirely, you could apply a glyphosate weedkiller once the bluebonnet seeds have dried and been dispersed for next year. But, that’s only if you want no grass and no other plant growth in that space. Bluebonnets don’t fare well with competition, especially from bermudagrass. That’s why you normally see them in shallow, rocky soils in nature. One thing of significance: the past few months have been comparatively wet across Texas, and that has encouraged strong growth of weeds and grasses this spring – more so than normal. I wouldn’t be too concerned yet. Gardener’s Mailbag Dear Neil: I’ve attached a photo of a mutation that has occurred in my asparagus bed. The asparagus is in its third year, and it looks like some odd type of cactus. What can you tell me about asparagus mutations This is a process called “fasciation.” It results when a plant’s tissues develop in only two planes, generally in a very distorted way. That’s what happens with the common annual flower cockscomb, and you’ll also see it fairly commonly on Texas mountain laurel, euonymus and other plants. While an interesting curiosity, it’s usually not a good thing. It’s not contagious, but you do need to keep it pruned out, so that the normal asparagus growth can proceed. Dear Neil: In March, I fed my St. Augustine with a weed-and-feed fertilizer. The grass is slowly coming back, but it’s been a struggle. Other St. Augustine lawns nearby are looking much better. I’m blaming the weedkiller. Do you have any suggestions It’s always tough when someone compares his or her lawn to others nearby. There are so many lawn maintenance procedures that people do differently. It’s possible that you chose the wrong product – that its weedkiller active ingredient was not intended for use on St. Augustine. However, it’s also possible that Take All Root Rot caused some of your damage. I have detailed information about TARR on my website, www. neilsperry.com. Click on the MAQ button, and go to “Lawns.” Finally, for the record, I am not an advocate of weed-and-feed products. I endorse both types of products individually, but there is too much chance of damage when you try to use them together. Dear Neil: Is there a safe and effective way of discouraging grackles from taking dips in our pool Someone suggested hanging a CD in the tree – that the bright reflection would scare them. Any other ideas If you’re trying to scare them away, the CDs are as good an idea as any. You can also hang fake rubber snakes in the trees. (Your guests will enjoy having those drop out of the trees and into the pool with them.) Tree netting is good in preventing them from getting into the trees in the first place. Talk to wildlife management specialists with Texas A&M and the Cooperative Extension Service for more specialized ideas. Dear Neil: I’ve sent you three photos of our summer phlox bed. It’s 9 years old, and it has always multiplied well. This spring, the grass was yellowed and slow to green up, and now the phlox looks the same way. I’ve applied a fungicide. It seems to have helped the grass, but the phlox continues to struggle. What can I do I don’t want to lose it. There are no insects or diseases that are common to both St. Augustine turf and to summer phlox plants. Each of the photos you sent shows the problem to be in one specific spot – St. Augustine on the outside of the edging, and summer phlox on the inside. It really looks like weedkiller damage that is site specific to that one location. It is not fungal. Keep the soil moist at all times (not wet, but certainly not dry, to the point of the phlox wilting). That would allow higher concentrations of the herbicide to accumulate, much to the detriment of the phlox. Check, too, that the soil is amply deep on both sides of this edging. It looks like it could be rather rocky. That could cause both plants to have problems. Dear Neil: What is the best time of year to replace shrubs that were killed last winter Someone has told me that spring is ideal. Nurserymen sell, and landscape contractors install, new plants 12 months a year. However, the very best times are fall and early winter, followed closely by mid-winter through the spring. Fall plantings give the new plants months to establish new roots before the rigors of summer’s heat. However, if you pledge to keep the plants watered carefully all the way through the summer, spring is the time when nurseries have their best selections of types. You may not find the unusual varieties come fall. Dear Neil: I cleared an overgrown slope behind my house recently, and I discovered a number of volunteer Japanese ligustrums. They’re mixed in with tons of other wild plants. Should I care for the ligustrums and encourage them, or will I regret it later Japanese ligustrums are invasive to natural settings. Their fruit is tasty to birds, Continued on page 12 Mark Goss, MD Board Certified in General Surgery General Surgery Colorectal Surgery Laparoscopic Surgery Upper/Lower Endoscopy Now Accepting New Patients 2014 Ben Merritt Drive, Suite A • Decatur Ph 940-627-0013 Fax 940-627-1900 “We Need Your Trade-in Worse than You Do” 0.0 % 72MONTHS PLUS A HUGE WOOD DISCOUNT! APR for on ALL NEW Sierras, Silverados & Avalanches* May The Best Car Win A Thousand Vehicles Priced to Save You More Money 2010 LaCrosse WE HAVE 25 940-627-2177 jameswood.com *Zero APR: 72 payments of $13.89 per $1000 financed. GMAC financing with approved credit. Down payment may be required.
ALL AROUND WISE, Decatur, Texas, Thursday, May 27, 2010 9 Outdoors Education ATTEND CONFERENCE — Wise County Extension Education members who attended the District 3 Spring TEEA Conference are, from left, Tanya Davis, Dixie Range, Josie Reppeto, Bobbie Ashley, Betty Kennon, Annette Stephens, Marilynn Collins and Gerry Galloway. TEEA Conference results CLAY-COLORED SPARROW Go north, birds By CLAIRE CURRY I love this time of year. It’s not too hot yet but not freezing cold. The trees are leafy and still fresh green. Spreads of brilliant wildflowers such as Indian Paintbrushes and bluebonnets are covering open fields and roadsides; their more delicate relatives such as toadflax and wild onion are hiding among the bunchgrasses. In addition to all the botanical delights, we have many migrant birds coming through right now. I was out recently in southwestern Oklahoma and saw many species that are also likely to occur in Wise County. I’ll start with the sparrows beause I love their subtle plumages. hipping Sparrow is a common inter resident here, but it also ocurs during spring migration. We then get a hance to see the bright rufous crown and old black eye stripe that make this such distinctive species. A close relative is the lay-colored Sparrow which has pale clayrown and gray patterning on the face. It lso has a crazy buzzing song that is very nique once you’ve seen the bird making the oise. Another winter resident that is transitioning to migrant in glorious spring plumage is the Yellow-rumped Warbler. After not seeing any breeding plumage male warblers since last year, I was amazed at how they Birds and Beyond go from drab gray-brown streaky to crisp gray, black, white and yellow. The males retain their namesake yellow rumps, but also have a yellow patch near the shoulders, bold black streaking down the flanks, a crisp white throat, white wing bars on clean gray wings, and a yellow streak on top the head. The rest of the migrant warblers are hit-and-miss for which you might see. Yellow Warblers (all yellow with rufous streaking on the breast for males) are generally quite common. I saw a few other species this weekend that I don’t see as regularly; this might be because I just don’t usually lurk in the wooded areas where warblers are to be found. The most unusual one was a Palm Warbler, a more eastern species. It has a rufous cap, somewhat like a Chipping Sparrow, but a yellow throat and yellow undertail coverts and rump. The rest of the bird is a yellowish tan. A more common warbler, in the right habitat, was the Prothonotary Warbler. I am usually more of a sparrow person, but I don’t think I will ever tire of the Prothonotary Warbler’s glowing brilliant yellow accented with slaty blue wings. They live in swampy wooded areas; I haven’t seen them in Wise County, but they might be found if you have a good swamp. I do know they occur in Denton and Collin counties. Continued on page 11 By TANYA DAVIS Wise Co. Extension Agent Seven Wise County Extension Education members represented Wise County at the District 3 TEEA Conference April 28 in Seymour. Those attending were voting delegates Bobbie Ashley and Dixie Range, and members Annette Stephens, Gerry Galloway, Betty Kennon, Josie Reppeto and Marilynn Collins. Activities focused on the theme “Spring Fling” and included: motivational speakers, silent auctions, and a cultural arts contest. The purpose of the cultural arts contest is to establish a broader understanding and awareness of arts and to envision individual growth, inspiration, and enrichment through participation in varied forms of art. Wise County winners included: Gerry Galloway placed first with her denim apron in the Recycled Items category. As a result of her win, Gerry will be representing Wise County Tired of not knowing what the WEATHER’S going to be like at the State Cultural Arts competition in September. Also, Marilynn Collins placed second in Quilts larger than 50 X 70, machine quilted. Other members participating in the Cultural Arts competition were Josie Reppeto, Annette Stephens, Frances Cason, Bobbie Ashley, Betty Kennon and Lila Reed. The mission of the Texas Extension Education Association is to work with Texas AgriLife Extension Service to strengthen and enrich families through educational programs, leadership development and community service. Membership is open to adult Wise County residents regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or nationality. Extension Education clubs are established in the Greenwood and Oak Grove communities. You are encouraged to visit any one of the groups. For more information on the Texas Extension Education Association, call the Extension office at (940) 627-3341. Check out the weather online at www.wcmessenger.com THERE’S A NEW PLAYER IN TOWN! MEMORIAL DAY SALE THIS THURSDAY - MONDAY ONLY - MAY 27 - 31 OPEN MEMORIAL DAY MONDAY 8:30-5:30 20% off Roses (3 gal.) Tree Rose (5 gal.) All Concrete Products Clay & Glazed Pottery Wall Art Outdoor Clocks Shrubs Shade Trees (20 gal. & up) Crape Myrtles COLOR HANGING BASKETS Color Baskets $12 Wrought Iron $15 ea. (mix and match) (excluding iron benches) Annual Quarts 6” $2.98 ea. (mix and match) $1 off any Garden Gloves Vegetables 4” $15 (18 ct. fl at) St. Augustine $165 per pallet or $1.50 per piece Tif 419 Bermuda $145 per pallet or $1.25 per piece Pallets cover 450 sq.ft. 40 HP STARTING AT $9,995 WE SERVICE What We SELL ELL! US Hwy. 287 South, Decatur • 940-627-2198 www.mcmasternewholland.com Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m, Sat., 8 a.m. - Noon MCMASTER NEW HOLLAND US Hwy. 287 S. Decatur 940-627-2198 • www.mcmasternewholland.com 1551 Preskitt Rd. • Decatur • 940-627-3453 HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. • Sat. 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Sun. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Take Hwy. 51 S., turn right on Preskitt Rd. Go past 4 way stop. Garden Center on Left.
Page 1 and 2: VOLUME 131 - NO. 42 THURSDAY, MAY 2
Page 3 and 4: WISE COUNTY MESSENGER, Decatur, Tex
Page 9 and 10: EQUAL HOUSING ® MULTIPLE LISTING S
Page 17 and 18: WISE COUNTY MESSENGER THURSDAY, MAY
Page 19 and 20: Celebrations ALL AROUND WISE, Decat
Page 21 and 22: NEW ARRIVALS ALL AROUND WISE, Decat
Page 23: ALL AROUND WISE, Decatur, Texas, Th
Page 27 and 28: SUDOKU Complete the Sudoku grid so
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Page 35 and 36: DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY OF GRADUATION 20
Page 37 and 38: more Grilling favorites LOW PRICES
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05-27-2010-Thursday - Wise County Messenger

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