The 2010 Northeast Texas Gardening Guide and Calendar, written by the Smith Count Master Gardeners, is now in print and ready for purchase. This publication is anxiously awaited each year by prudent gardeners in our area. Novice gardeners or those just moving into this locale find it an invaluable tool as they become more familiar with our soils, unique climate, pests and diseases.
Each month has a full page dedicated to a calendar with blocks for each day big enough to write daily reminders and also a full page of helpful tips and educational information.
The education page highlights a plant of the month with 2010 bringing edible and medicinal herbs to the forefront. It details sunlight and water requirements, how the plants might be used for culinary purposes and its health benefits. Herbs are also a way to attract butterflies and hummingbirds to our gardens. Also featured is a favorite “pass along plant.” These are plants that are easily grown, propagated and passed along to neighbors and friends. Many of these you probably remember from your childhood and will create new memories as they beautify your garden and those of others whom you “pass to.”
Each month has a “Things To Do” section identifying plant care and bed preparation, when and what to fertilize, pests and diseases to be on the watch for, and what you could be planting that particular month. It is essential to get certain plants in the ground at the right time (ie: soil temperature) to ensure proper growth and flower production.
Other articles of interest provided through the guide are plants have been given the distinction of being in the North East Winners’ Circle. This program is a performance trial program that began several years ago at the Overton Research and Extension Center, the Center in Dallas and at the Dallas Arboretum with the goal of generating and providing information on greenhouse and field performance of bedding plant varieties to the local bedding plant industry and consumers of these products. Be one of the five million consumers in the North East region to have the opportunity to see how promising new plants from all over the world perform here in our climate. The winners are truly outstanding plants and will make excellent additions to your home landscape.
Other topics of interest in the calendar are vegetable gardening information including appropriate planting dates and ideas for color schemes that are sure to please.
The 2010 Northeast Texas Gardening Guide and Calendars make great gifts and are available for $7.00 at the following retailers: Blue Moon Gardens, Breedlove Nursery, Center Chemical, Horaney’s, Ingram Nursery, Harris Nursery, Noonday Ace Hardware, Noonday Feed, AG Power Inc. (Noonday), Kirkpatrick Hardware (Gresham), Southland Feed, In the Wind, Petty’s Nursery & Landscape Design (Whitehouse), Rubicon (Flint), Riley Dirt Services & Nursery (Van), Chamblee’s Rose Nursery, Fleming Farm Ranch (Lindale), Cycle of Season’s (Lindale), HideAWay Lake Area contact 903.882.9947, and the Smith County AgriLife Extension Service office located on the backside of the Cottonbelt Building on Front Street in Tyler. Calendars can also be ordered by mail (address: SCMG Hudgins, 5423 Spring Creek Dr. Tyler, TX, 75703) for $10.00 with checks being made out to SCMG.
