The training session begins at 8 a.m. and will conclude before noon, said Brandon Boughen, AgriLife Extension agent for Potter County. The training will give participants the needed information to take the private applicator license test, which will be administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Cost is $60 and all materials will be provided, Boughen said.

Anyone in the Panhandle is encouraged to participate if they need a private pesticide applicator license, he said. The private pesticide applicator license is for agricultural producers and landowners who apply restricted-use pesticides to their own property.

Boughen is requesting attendees RSVP by Feb. 7 to reserve a seat. For further information, contact Boughen at 806-373-0713.
-30-

McALLEN —  Now that the dreaded citrus greening disease has been confirmed in South Texas, what should citrus tree owners do?

In a nutshell, it depends. But the overall message, according to industry leaders and citrus experts, is to get informed.

“The first distinction is whether your trees are in the 5-mile radius quarantine area,” said Dr. Juan Anciso, a Texas AgriLife Extension Service citrus specialist in Weslaco. “The second distinction is whether you are a commercial grower or a homeowner with citrus trees on your property.”

Earlier this month, U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratories confirmed that a single Valencia orange tree south of San Juan had tested positive for greening, a bacterial disease that is fatal to trees and has no cure, but does not harm humans, Anciso said.

Since then, eight other trees in the same grove also have tested positive, he said.

“We have reason to be cautiously optimistic that the disease will be confined to that one small area,” said Ray Prewett, president of Texas Citrus Mutual, a commodity group headquartered in Mission.

“The concern now is how widespread this disease is, but the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has been looking extensively in dooryards (homeowner trees) for the last three years and all tests have come back negative,” he said. “And for the last four years, thousands of tests have come back negative from commercial orchards.”

Another reason for optimism is that an area-wide insecticide program among commercial growers has succeeded in maintaining very low populations of the Asian citrus psyllid, the insect that transmits the disease from tree to tree, Prewett said.

Growers apply insecticides timed with tree dormancy two times a year when trees tend to have fairly uniform flush, or new growth, on most groves, Prewett said. These dormant sprays are timed to keep psyllids from reproducing on the new flushes.

In between dormant sprays, growers are encouraged to spray for psyllids based on scouting reports that determine psyllid populations. Growers are urged to continue with the program and spray their orchards before the end of the current spray window of Feb. 6, he said.

“I know it’s tough for growers to spray right now with all the harvesting and irrigating they’re doing, but this area-wide psyllid control program is more important now than ever,” Prewett said. “We’re also developing a protocol that should be out soon regarding the harvesting of citrus within the quarantine area. Until then, fruit in that area is not being harvested.”

Prewett said commercial growers with questions should immediately call Martha Trejo at Texas Citrus Mutual at 956-584-1772.

“We’re in the process of sending emails to all commercial growers in the quarantine zone, but their efforts to control psyllid populations are especially critical right now,” he said.

Homeowners with citrus trees in the quarantine zone should get informed about greening by going to www.texascitrusgreening.org, or by calling their AgriLife Extension county office.

In Hidalgo County, call 956-383-1026. In Cameron County, call 956-361-8236.

“We realize that it’s difficult for homeowners to spray their trees, so we’re asking that they educate themselves about this disease and its vector,” Prewett said. “Visit the website for the latest information about a spray program for homeowners in the quarantine area that we are considering implementing. And please, don’t move citrus plant material of any kind out of the quarantine area.”

Homeowners with citrus trees outside the quarantine area also are being asked to educate themselves at the website, call their AgriLife Extension county offices or visit with Master Gardeners who will be providing greening information at various retail outlets this weekend, said Barbara Storz, an AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Edinburg.

“We are currently training more Master Gardeners to help us inform the public, and we’re working on visiting Winter Texan mobile home parks,” she said. “But this weekend, you can visit with us Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Valley Garden Center, 801 E. Business Highway 83 at McColl Road in McAllen. Saturday they are at the farmers market, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Wellness Center at Doctors Hospital, 5525 Doctor’s Drive, just off Dove, in Edinburg.

“Then on Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. we’ll be at three locations: Valley Garden Center, Waugh’s Nursery Center, 4616 N. Jackson Road in McAllen, and at Lowe’s at 707 S. Jackson Road in Pharr.”

“It’s all about education and knowing what to do and what not to do,” Anciso said. “This is a critical time in the history of the Rio Grande Valley’s citrus industry, but we’re cautiously optimistic that we can contain this disease and protect our citrus.”

The Valley’s citrus industry is grown on 28,000 acres, has an annual economic impact of $140 million and employs 4,000 people, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.

The use of the right plants can help reduce overall water requirements of home landscapes, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service horticulturist. Many Texas communities may face water-use restrictions in 2012. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo by Keith Hansen)

TYLER – Dealing with drought, dead trees, water-use restrictions, wildfire concerns: Yes, there will be some “downer” topics at the East Texas Spring Landscape and Garden Conference, set Feb. 11 in Tyler, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service gardening expert.

But there will be a lot of fun topics too, said Keith Hansen, AgriLife Extension horticulture agent for Smith County and program planner.

“We’re having a variety of subjects that will help homeowners and gardeners cope with drought conditions and water restrictions, plus some fun and interesting topics,” Hansen said.

Held at the Tyler Rose Garden Center, 420 Rose Park Dr., registration for the program will be $35, payable at the door by cash or check only and will include a hot lunch. Registration will start at 7:30 a.m, with the program concluding at about 3:30 p.m.

The first presentation of the morning will be “Learn to Think Like a Plant, Then You can Talk to Them,” by Dr. David Reed, professor and associate dean at the Texas A&M University department of horticultural sciences, College Station.

“Reed talks about plants being ‘schizophrenic hermits,’” Hansen said. “They ‘live alone’ and ‘talk to themselves.’ But gardeners can learn the ‘language’ plants use to grow and function, and how that knowledge helps us grow and take care of them.”

Another fun topic will be  “Tillandsias: Easy-to-Grow Air Plants,” given by Carmen Wagner, bromeliad expert, Canton.

“Carmen will tell us about her favorite tillandsias,” Hansen said. “These are unique and easy-to-grow plants that can be used in a wide variety of ways as decorations because they don’t need soil to grow. She will discuss several types, and how they can be used around the home.”

Also in the morning will be “Composting – Good for Your Soil,” by Malcolm Beck, author of the “Secret Life of Compost.”

“Malcolm Beck has been called the ‘Father of Compost’ in Texas,” Hansen said. “He has been making and selling compost for decades in the San Antonio area and is highly regarded by gardeners and horticulturists.”

Afternoon topics will focus on dealing with drought, Hansen said.

“Firewise Landscaping – Give Your Home a Break,” will be jointly presented by Anne Brown and Dee Bishop, both Smith County Master Gardeners and Firewise Landscape Specialists.

In “Making Every Drop Count,” Hansen will discuss various water conservation techniques in light of projected water-use restrictions predicted for Tyler and other area communities this summer. He noted that despite recent rains, there are still projections for a drought or at least dryer than normal weather this summer.

Daniel Duncum, with the Texas Forest Service, will answer the question “Are My Trees Dead?”

This is an important question to ask before hiring a service to remove dead-looking trees, Hansen said.

The program will wind up with a question and answer panel.

For more information, contact Hansen at 903-590-2980, khansen@ag.tamu.edu, or visit the event’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ETGardenConference .

SAN ANTONIO — A rose is not just a rose and a tomato is not just a tomato, considering the time and effort put into selecting the ‘rodeo’ tomato for the annual San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service horticulturist.

Proceeds from the sale of BHN 602 rodeo tomato plants and the Texas Superstar red-bluebonnet during the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo will go toward supporting the Junior Master Gardener program and youth-related horticultural activities in Bexar County. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo)

“Traditionally, we offer a new tomato plant for sale every year during the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo,” said David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture, Bexar County. “Sales of those plants by our Master Gardeners help fund our Junior Master Gardener program and other countywide youth gardening activities, along with horticulture scholarships.”

Rodeo tomato plants will be for sale throughout the run of the show, Feb. 9-26, at the Master Gardener booth in the Buckaroos on the Ranch: A Truly Texas Experience pavilion. The facility, formerly called the Texas Experience pavilion, is near Freeman Coliseum on the west side of the show grounds.

Rodriguez said last year experts from AgriLife Extension and volunteers from the agency’s Bexar County Master Gardener association and the Garden Volunteers of South Texas, planted more than 4,500 tomato plants at Verstuyft Farms in south Bexar County.

“The BHN 602 variety was selected as this year’s rodeo tomato due to its superior production and quality characteristics,” he said. “It is a well-adapted plant that produces a large, rich, red, firm, succulent fruit.”

This year, the group planted mainly varieties which were expected to produce the large, round fruit indicative of fresh-market tomatoes, said Dr. Larry Stein, AgriLife Extension horticulturist at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde who oversaw the trials.
“Some of these varieties included SunStart, Sunshine, Bella Rosa, Applause and BHN 602 varieties,” Stein said. “They also planted some ‘grape-determinant’ varieties which produce a significantly smaller tomato.”

These annual tomato plantings are part of a research field trial to determine new adaptive tomato varieties that will grow well in this region, Rodriguez said. The rodeo tomato was selected from the various tomatoes tested and assessed during these trials.

“We’ve been working with AgriLife Extension on tomato trials for about 30 years,” said Tom Verstuyft, an owner-grower at Verstuyft Farms, which is located near Von Ormy. “We’ve been seeking the best tomatoes in terms of color, firmness, meatiness, sweetness and overall taste.”

The tomato plant is far and away the most popular for home vegetable gardeners, Rodriguez said.

“In these trials we put them to the test to find the one with the color, size, texture and flavor characteristics we know to be most appealing to home-gardeners and consumers in this region,” he said “This year, BHN 602, which was originally developed at a research center in Florida, was the clear winner as this year’s rodeo tomato in that it adapted exceedingly well to the Texas climate and produced some exceptional quality fruit.”

The 2012 '"rodeo" tomato is the BHN 602 variety chosen from Bexar County field trials conducted at Verstuyft Farms near Von Ormy. Vegetable trials have been conducted there for about three decades. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo)

Trials at Verstuyft Farms are conducted under Stein’s supervision.

“These trials primarily help us identify new commercial fresh-market tomato varieties to replace those we’ve lost due to seed manufacturers no longer producing the seed for those particular varieties,” Stein said. “We test a number of new plants each year to determine which are best suited for this area and selected the rodeo tomato as the ‘best of the best’ tomato plants for use in home gardening. But our main objective is to help ensure a seed supply of well-suited tomato plants so area producers may continue to grow this popular crop.”

The multi-county Winter Garden area of South Texas is a known tomato-growing region and remains one the nation’s leading producers of winter vegetables grown using irrigation.

Rodriguez noted that local green industry notable Peterson Brothers Wholesale Nursery, as well as Spring Creek Growers, a 100-year-old active farmstead in Magnolia, are both involved in the commercial production, distribution and sale of the rodeo tomato.

“In addition to the rodeo tomato, Master Gardeners will be selling the new Texas Superstar red-bluebonnet during the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo,” he said. “This is a unique and beautiful version of our state flower, and it meets the stringent aesthetic and practical growing and care criteria required to earn the prestigious Superstar designation.”

More information on the Texas Superstar program can be found at http://texassuperstar.com/.

-30-

SAN ANTONIO — A number of free or low-cost horticultural education opportunities will be available countywide early 2012 and beyond, said David Rodriguez, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent for horticulture, Bexar County.

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County, along with the agency's Bexar County Master Gardeners volunteer associaton, will offer many free or low-cost educational opportunities related to horticulture and gardening throughout the county in 2012. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo)

“AgriLife Extension and the Bexar County Master Gardeners association will present programs, seminars and other educational presentations and demonstrations in 2012 on various topics from vegetable gardening to landscaping and selecting, planting and pruning fruit trees,” Rodriguez said. “The vast majority of our community educational programs are free or at a nominal cost.”

He said to learn more about 2012 horticultural and gardening opportunities available through AgriLife Extension and the agency’s Bexar County Master Gardener volunteer program, go to http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.

Programs or activities offered through AgriLife Extension for the first three months of 2012 will include:

– Jan.14 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Earth-Kind Gardening Series: The Home Fruit Orchard. Rodriguez will present this free program on the basics of growing fruit trees to be held at Schulz Nursery, 100 West Huebinger in Marion. For more information, call Rodriguez or Angel Torres at 210-467-6575.

– Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. – noon, Earth-Kind Gardening Series: Fruit Tree Planting and Pruning Seminar, Fanick’s Garden Center, 1025 Holmgreen Rd., San Antonio. Dr. Larry Stein, AgriLife Extension horticulturist from Uvalde, will present this free program on the basics of selecting, planting, growing, training and pruning fruit trees. For more information, call Torres at 210-467-6575.

– Jan. 28 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Earth-Kind Gardening Series: The Home Fruit Orchard. Rodriguez will present this free program on fruit-tree growing basics at Schulz Nursery, 3700 Broadway, San Antonio. For more information, call Torres at 210-467-6575.

– Jan. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon, Fruit tree giveaway with accompanying jams and preserves demonstration on the Pearl Brewery grounds by Stein and Dr. Connie Sheppard, AgriLife Extension family and consumer sciences agent for Bexar County. One free fruit tree per family; the educational program is free.

– Early February — Children’s Vegetable Garden Program. For program application deadline, as well as registration and orientation information, go to http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.

– Feb. 9-26: Free “Buckaroo Farms” youth activities at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo, including ‘Pot-A-Plant’ on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; ‘Pollinator Pins’ on Sundays from 1-4 p.m; and ‘School Tours’ from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 13-17, 21 and 22.

– Feb. 29 – Application deadline for Spring Master Gardener Class #55 – Classes to be conducted 12-4 p.m. Wednesdays from March 7-May 30. For more information, go to http://www.bexarcountymastergardeners.org.

– March 3 from 10:30 a.m-noon, Free Spring Vegetable Seminar on selecting, planting and maintaining vegetables in a backyard garden, Fanick’s Garden Center, 1025 Holmgreen Rd., San Antonio. For more information, call 210-648-1303.

– March 24 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.., Free Spring Vegetable Seminar on selecting, planting and maintaining vegetables for a backyard garden, Cooper’s Garden Place, 87 Coopers Ln., Floresville. For more information, call 210-467-6575.

– March 31 – Free Spring Youth Gardens Educators’ Training from 8a.m.-noon at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo grounds. For more information, call 210-467-6575.

“We will have the rodeo tomato and the Texas Superstar red-bluebonnet available for sale at the Master Gardener booth during the run of the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo during February,” Rodriguez added.

Rodriguez will do a “Live Garden Chat” for mysa.com from 11 a.m.-noon on Jan. 31, Feb. 21 and March 27. He also can be heard from 7-10 a.m. each Saturday morning on the WOAI 1200 Garden Show with Bill Rohde.

-30-

The first speaker will be Jason McKenzie, owner of the Piney Woods Nursery, Shenandoah. McKenzie will speak about plants native to the area that are suitable for landscapes.

“We tend to bring in plants from southern China — crepe myrtle, azaleas, for examples — and things from Vietnam that tend to get a lot more moisture than we do,” McKenzie said. “What we do is to try to steer people into using our more native plants, which we have a lot of.”

There are thousands of native plants well-adapted to East Texas and Central Texas conditions, McKenzie said. He’ll give examples of many of the plants at the seminar.

If you live in Leon County and lost trees to drought, don’t replant with pines, said Novalene Thurston, Leon County Master Gardener and the second speaker at the seminar.

“For example, our soils are not acid enough for pine trees,” Thurston said. “And pine trees require a lot more water than we have had in many years. A pine is an iffy proposition for Leon County.”

But many landscape trees historically grown in Leon County are well adapted to the area. In her presentation, Thurston will discuss which ones are and which aren’t, and tell how to properly plant and care for those that are.

Registration for the program is $20, and includes lunch and break refreshments. To register or for more information, call the AgriLife Extension office in Leon County at 903-536-2531.

-30-

SAN ANTONIO — Now is the time to think about planting fruit trees, ornamental annuals and other plants in South Central Texas for home landscaping and to show in spring competition, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert in San Antonio.

AgriLife Extension horticulturist David Rodriguez said January is a good month for South Central Texas gardeners to plant fruit trees, annual ornamentals and container plants in preparation for spring landscaping and competition, such as the Alamo Area Horticulture Show and Contest. (Photo courtesy Bexar County Master Gardeners and Delton Childs)

“While there’s still an outside chance of a hard freeze, indications are good that the rest of winter will be mild enough to allow plant establishment and survival to the spring,” said David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture, Bexar County. “And if you have a greenhouse or other climate-controlled growing area, the weather is even less of a factor.”

He said the South Central Texas climate permits the planting of trees, shrubs and ornamental plants just about all year long.

“When planting a tree, shrub or ornamental plant, you can back fill the hole with the dirt you dug out, and this allows for more uniform water penetration to the root area,” he said. “Make sure the plantings have fresh, plump roots and briefly soaking the root system in water. Then when you dig the hole, make the sides rough, not smooth. After the initial watering, you can water the roots sparingly as dormant plants need less water.”

Rodriguez said an early start on planting will be particularly helpful to people interested in participating in spring competitions, including the Alamo Area Horticulture Show and Contest which will take place May 26 during Festival of Flowers activities in San Antonio.

The Alamo Area Horticulture Show and Contest is presented by AgriLife Extension and the Bexar County Master Gardener association with sponsorship support provided by the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association. For the past two years, the contest has been part of Festival of Flowers activities held at the Alzafar Shrine facility, 901 N. Loop 410 West, between Blanco Road and Stone Oak Parkway.

“This will be the third year of the competition and we are seeing a steady increase in the number and variety of entries,” said Rodriguez, one of the show coordinators. “There is a limit of three entries per division per exhibitor and all entries must have been grown by the exhibitor for at least three months prior to the competition.”

Rodriguez said the show and contest is open to amateur home gardeners from Bexar and surrounding counties. Winning entries will be presented in nine different categories, including foliage and blooming potted or container plants; cactus and succulents; cut foliage, flowers and blooms; special displays, such as hanging baskets, dish gardens and container gardens; and vegetables and fruits.

“The show is open to amateur gardeners of all ages, and contestants 17 years old and younger are judged separately from adult contestants,” he said.

Bexar County Master Gardener Ed Bradley and wife Jo Ann show the 2011 Alamo Area Horticulture Show and Contest adult competition winner "Cajun Moon" rose spray.(Photo courtesy Bexar County Master Gardeners and Delton Childs)

Rodriguez said the competition’s 2011 adult Best of Show winner was Jo Ann Bradley’s “Cajun Moon” rose spray, while the junior Best of Show winner was Cody Reiser’s “Succulent Garden” cactus arrangement.

“The vegetables and fruits division of the show is usually a ‘growers’ choice’ and may include tomatoes, peppers, greens, onions and other in-season crops,” he said. “Growers should show three to five samples of the same variety — unblemished and uniform in size, color and overall growth. They also should have stems attached to help confirm they are home-grown.”

He said each exhibitor must complete an official entry form either prior to the show or at the time of entering an exhibit. Guidelines and an entry form may be found at the Festival of Flowers website at http://safestivalofflowers.com or the AgriLife Extension office website for Bexar County, http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.

For more information, contact Rodriguez at 210-467-6575 or dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu, Mary Ann Johnson, majmgbc39@mac.com, or Sandy Justice, sandy@sandyjustice.com.

-30-

Homeowners found it was hard to keep up with water demands of turfgrasses during the 2011 drought even without water-use restrictions. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. James McAfee)

OVERTON – Set Feb. 2 in Overton, the annual East Texas Turfgrass Conference will cover topics such  as turfgrass drought recovery, weed, insect and disease management and more.

“The main part of my presentation will be to inform individuals how to best prepare their turfgrass for a drought in 2012 – if it occurs,” said Dr. Jim McAfee, Texas AgriLife Extension Service turfgrass specialist, Dallas.

The program is designed for professionals who maintain school district grounds, city parks and recreation facilities, as well as workers at commercial lawn and landscape companies, according to Randy Reeves, AgriLife Extension agent for Harrison County and one of the program coordinators.

McAfee noted that though professional managers of turfgrass have the option to irrigate, it was hard to keep up with water needs in 2011.

“And it’ll be harder in 2012 if we have another drought because of all the new water restrictions going in place,” he said. “And that’s another thing I’m going to talk about, all the different water restrictions, because everyone has a little different version of them.”

Held at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton, private pesticide license holders will earn five Texas Department of Agriculture approved continuing education units, four hours in the general category, and a half hour each in integrated pest management and laws and regulations, according to Reeves.

Registration for the event is $30 and will include a fried catfish lunch.  In addition to McAfee’s presentation, programming will include “IPM and its Role In Local School Districts,”  “2012 Weed Control Management On Turf,” “Disease Management on Bermuda and St. Augustine,” “Turfgrass Insect Update,” “Irrigation Efficiency In Times Of Drought,” and “Laws and Regulation Update For Applicators.” The conference will adjourn at 3 p.m.

Instructors will be AgriLife Extension specialists in turfgrass, horticulture, plant pathology,  and integrated pest control, Reeves said.

Registration for the program will begin at 8 a.m. and will be payable at the door on the day of the event.  Credit cards will not be accepted; only cash or checks, Reeves noted.

The Overton center is located approximately two miles north of Overton in Rusk County on Hwy. 3053. For maps and detailed driving directions, go to http://overton.tamu.edu and click on “Info, Maps and History,” or call Randy Reeves at 903-935-8413 for more information.

-30-

This five-day course provides a unique and concentrated program in turfgrass management, according to Dr. David Chalmers, Texas AgriLife Extension Service state turfgrass specialist.

The course fee is $695 if paid by Jan. 9 or $745 afterwards, Chalmers said. The fee covers the textbook “Turfgrasses: Their Management and Use in the Southern Zone,” as well as a reference materials notebook, certificate of completion and lunches.

On-site check-in begins at 8:15 a.m. Jan. 23 at the College Station Conference Center, 1300 George Bush Drive. Classes will begin at 9 a.m. Jan. 23 and will end at noon on Jan. 27.

Pre-registration is required through the AgriLife Extension conference services office, https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu, and use the keyword “turfgrass.” Chalmers said early registration is encouraged, as enrollment is limited.

“New professional turfgrass managers can learn basic and practical information while experienced managers are provided the opportunity to review and update their knowledge,” Chalmers said. “We have 12 Texas A&M University faculty members who will draw upon their expertise to address turfgrass industry issues, problems and opportunity.”

Chalmers said in surveys taken following the 2011 event, 91 percent of the participants said they expected to benefit economically as a result of what they learned in the course, and 88 percent said the information presented increased their ability to make decisions about turfgrass.

The Texas Department of Agriculture has approved this course for re-certification for pesticide applicators who need continuing education units, he said. Categories and hours available will be: structural pest control service – two general, two laws and regulations and two weed control; and agricultural pesticides – 9.5 general, one integrated pest management and two laws and regulations.

For more information, contact Chalmers at dchalmers@tamu.edu or 979-845-0884.

-30-