New Year's Traditions

In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on the evening of December 31—New Year’s Eve—and continue into the early hours of January 1. Revelers often enjoy meals and snacks thought to bestow good luck for the coming year. In Spain and several other Spanish-speaking countries, people bolt down a dozen grapes-symbolizing their hopes for the months ahead-right before midnight. In many parts of the world, traditional New Year’s dishes feature legumes, which are thought to resemble coins and herald future financial success; examples include lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern United States. Because pigs represent progress and prosperity in some cultures, pork appears on the New Year’s Eve table in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and other countries. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries, a sign that the year has come full circle, round out the feast in the Netherlands, Mexico, Greece and elsewhere. In Sweden and Norway, meanwhile, rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is served on New Year’s Eve; it is said that whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune.

Other customs that are common worldwide include watching fireworks and singing songs to welcome the New Year, including the ever-popular "Auld Lang Syne" in many English-speaking countries. The practice of making resolutions for the New Year is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot. (They would reportedly vow to pay off debts and return borrowed farm equipment.)

In the United States, the most iconic New Year’s tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City's Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 700-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds. Various towns and cities across America have developed their own versions of the Times Square ritual, organizing public drops of items ranging from pickles (Dillsburg, Pennsylvania) to possums (Tallapoosa, Georgia) at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

 

Mistletoe

I'll never forget my first encounter with mistletoe. One crisp December morning in grade school I distinctly remember walking through a hallway that our teachers had painstakingly decorated for the holidays. There were poinsettias, wreaths and a profusion of color and twinkling lights hugging the corridor. But one thoughtful instructor had collected a plant from a tree in her front lawn and hung it where it would cause us boys a great deal of grief that day.  Hanging mistletoe over the threshold of a doorway is a holiday tradition that has its origins in Europe.

On that cool morning I saw a suspicious looking girl standing in the doorway of Mrs. Saxon's sixth grade math class. She was obviously waiting for something. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her body language and I tried to shuffle past her without being noticed. That was a big mistake. Once my foot crossed the threshold, her arms shot up and blocked my way. Then she planted a kiss on my right cheek. I was in shock.

 Mistletoe is an ectophyte, meaning it's obligated to grow as a parasite drawing some part of its nutrition from a host organism. You're already familiar with other ectophytes such as ticks and lice and you've probably seen mistletoe growing in trees. The most commonly observed mistletoe species in Texas is the American mistletoe. Every part of this plant is known to be poisonous; therefore it should be kept away from children.

The tacky jelly-like mistletoe seeds are spread by birds that seem to be immune to the toxins. The seeds adhere to bark and sprout a root known as a haustorium. Haustoria penetrate tiny openings and grow in the vascular system of the tree. Although mistletoe leaves have chlorophyll and can manufacture their own food, they need to draw water and minerals from the tree to use as building blocks in their photosynthesis.

This pest is usually more of a nuisance than a serious health risk for trees. However, heavy infestations of mistletoe will kill branches and the loss of several branches can weaken a drought-stressed tree. Mistletoe is one more stressor in the urban decline of West Texas trees. Some long-term control can be achieved by pruning infected branches at least 18 inches below the parasite. Research hasn't yet provided an effective tool for conclusively removing mistletoe. Maintaining healthy trees seems to be the best option.

Holiday Safety Tips for Children

      Trouble-Free Toys

• Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully. If the toy is appropriate for your child, show him how to use it properly.
• Follow recommended age ranges on toy packages. Toys that are too advanced could pose a safety hazard for younger children.
• To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don’t give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated.
• Children under age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.
• Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on un-inflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.
• Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.

Outdoor Play
• Make sure your child’s gloves and shoes stay dry. If either becomes wet, change your child into a dry pair.
• Sledding on or into the roadway should be prohibited. Look for shallow slopes that are free of obstacles, such as trees and fences.
• Most skiing and skating injuries involve twists, sprains and strains. Prevent injuries by providing your child with competent instruction, proper equipment and appropriate supervision. 

 
      Happy Visiting

• Clean up immediately after a holiday party. A toddler could rise early and choke on leftover food or come in contact with alcohol or tobacco.
• Remember that the homes you visit may not be childproofed. Keep an eye out for danger spots.
• Keep a laminated list with all of the important phone numbers you or a baby-sitter are likely to need in case of an emergency. Include the police and fire department, your pediatrician and the national Poison Help Line, 1-800-222-1222.
• Traveling, visiting family members, getting presents, shopping, etc., can all increase your child’s stress levels. Trying to stick to your child’s usual routines, including sleep schedules and timing of naps, can help you and your child enjoy the holidays and reduce stress. 

 
       Food Safety

• Bacteria are often present in raw foods. Fully cook meats and poultry, and thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits.
• Be sure to keep hot liquids and foods away from the edges of counters and tables, where they can be easily knocked over by a young child’s exploring hands.
• Wash your hands frequently, and make sure your children do the same.
• Never put a spoon used to taste food back into food without washing it.
• Always keep raw foods and cooked foods separate, and use separate utensils when preparing them.
• Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, never on the countertop.
• Foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours.

Poinsettia, the Christmas Flower

You know it's the Christmas season when you see poinsettias everywhere.  To many the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is the Christmas flower. More than 70 million poinsettia plants are sold each year, making it the number one plant sold in the USA.

 Native to Mexico the poinsettia is a tropical plant and comes in red, pink, peach, creamy white, yellow, marbled or speckled. The "Winter Rose Series" has blooms with several layers of curly petals (resembling a wild rose) and it is said to be about a large apple size.  The colors are a deep rose, rich crimson, white and marbled with a yellow center.  

   Since poinsettias are tropical plants they require warmth and protection from drafts and heat vents.  They require at least six hours of bright light but not direct sunlight. Poinsettias prefer a moist soil and can dry out quite quickly in a warm house.   Putting the pot in a sink of warm water and then allowing it to drain is the best way to water.  When the plant absorbs the water thru the roots you can easily determine from the top that it has received ample water.  After flowering the plants should be cut back part way and kept dry and in a temperature of 50-55 degrees for several weeks.  When the outside temperatures warm up the plant can be pruned to 6-8 inches of the soil line and started into growth again by watering.  New shoots (4 inches long) can be propagated with 65-70 degrees temperature.  Weekly fertilizing with a diluted fertilizer should be started when the plant is well rooted.

 Poinsettias seem to prefer an average temperature of 60 degrees, resent drafts and are easily damaged by spraying with insecticides.  They need short days and long nights to bloom.  Light at night prevents flowering and the formation of bracts.  Since the flower, with proper care, has been known to hold for many months you might be lucky enough to enjoy your plant for most of the winter.  If you have the smaller Mexican poinsettia that readily reseeds in your yard, you'll have an added bonus for the long, hot summer.

Use Newspaper as Mulch

We’ve all experienced it. One day the garden is looking just fine and all the weeds are under control, and the next day, you turn around and your neat rows of vegetables or flowers are suddenly crowded with big, hulking weeds. You get the garden off to a good start, but in the heat of summer, after a long day at work, you just don’t want to break your back trying to pull or hoe all those weeds.

Fear not. Here’s a way you can knock those weeds down and keep them down. This method doesn’t involve chemicals that might harm your produce, damage your plants, or cause health problems for your family. It’s also cheap and easy. In fact, you don’t even have to dig out the weeds.

What you need are a lot of large newspapers (national papers like The New York Times or The Washington Post work great), as well as some organic mulching materials like grass clippings, pine bark, chopped-up leaves, straw, etc. If you don’t have any newspapers, go to your local library and ask for any large newspapers they have in their recycle bin. They’ll load you up.

If the weeds are really tall, walk over them to lay them down against the ground. Then open up a section of the newspaper and place it right on top of the weeds. Each large rectangle of newspaper should be about 10 pages thick. Place newspapers over all the weeds, overlapping the edges so that light (and weeds) can’t get through. As you do this, throw some mulch down to keep the newspapers from blowing around, especially on windy days.

If your garden is crowded with crops, leave the papers folded. You also can tear the newspapers to slide them around the stems of your plants (and this is actually helpful in keeping cutworms at bay). Don’t use glossy pages in the garden, though — they are slow to break down and the ink may contain some mild toxins.

When the ground is covered with newspapers, add a nice, thick layer of mulch — about three
inches — over the papers so the next windstorm won’t pull the pages up.
That’s it! You’re done.

This job will take approximately one to several hours, depending on the size of your garden. The really nice thing about newspaper mulching is that when all the newspapers are down with the mulch on top, the garden looks incredibly tidy and clean — and it will stay that way for months.

Occasionally a tough perennial weed might poke through the mulch, but if and when that happens, move some papers out of the way just a little bit, dig out the weed, cover up the space with an extra square of newspaper, and cover with mulch again.

The newspaper mulch will not only keep the weeds down, it will also fertilize the soil, cool the roots of the plants in the summer heat, add organic material to the soil, and save water. Earthworms will be active underneath the mulch, tilling the ground for you and adding worm castings, which is pure gold for plants.

Newspaper mulch is great for the garden — and for the gardener.

Fun Turkey Facts

The average weight of a turkey purchased at Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.

The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.

A 15 pound turkey usually has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.

The five most popular ways to serve leftover turkey is as a sandwich, in stew,
chili or soup, casseroles and as a burger.

Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef.

Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity.

Male turkeys gobble. Hens do not. They make a clucking noise.

Commercially raised turkeys cannot fly.

Turkeys have heart attacks. The United States Air Force was doing test runs and breaking the sound barrier. Nearby turkeys dropped dead with heart attacks.

A large group of turkeys is called a flock.

Turkeys have poor night vision.

It takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 30 pound tom turkey.

A 16-week-old turkey is called a fryer. A five to seven month old turkey is called a young roaster.

Preparing for Winter

When do my doors need weatherstripping?

Let’s look at an example. If you have a pair of 6' 8" exterior doors in your home that don’t have weatherstripping, you can easily have an opening of ¼" all along the edge where the doors meet. This ¼" gap adds up to a 20-square-inch opening to the outside. If you saw a hole this big in your wall, wouldn’t you want it fixed?

Weatherstripping around exterior doors can be checked with a flashlight. Outside the closed door, move the flashlight slowly around the door edge. If a helper inside the house can see light shining in, weatherstripping is needed.

Use quality weatherstripping that will last multiple years and that can be securely attached. Weatherstripping comes in various thicknesses, widths, and materials. Examples of materials and forms include spring or V metal, tubular gasket, foam-edge wood strips. Sponge and foam tape or felt are generally not as durable as silicone, metal, or vinyl weatherstripping.

Can I seal a gap under my door without replacing the door?

Yes. Door sweeps, thresholds, and door shoes are good ways to seal gaps under exterior doors. A door sweep (a strip of metal often with a flexible rubber or plastic edge), can be used on a door with no threshold. The sweep is connected to the door bottom, either inside or outside, depending on how the door moves. A gasket threshold replaces an existing threshold and can be attached to the floor directly under the door. This type of gasket wears quickly in high traffic areas. Door shoes have rubber or plastic gaskets set into a metal bracket. This shoe is affixed to the door bottom, and can be used with any threshold not worn in the middle. In addition, a draft stopper can be made out of fabric and sand into long tube to place in front of the door to stop drafts

Acorns in Abundance

Oak trees across Texas are producing huge crops of acorns. Oak trees tend to produce one bumper crop every two to seven years. The more common explanation for this year’s heavy crop is the stress brought on by last year’s drought conditions and other environmental conditions.

Most authorities indicate the reason is more complicated than drought conditions alone. Whatever factors influence a heavy acorn production year, they were at play this year as oaks in other regions of the U.S. (Including the New England area), are producing exceptional loads of acorns.

Yes, walking barefoot in a lawn populated with an overabundance of acorns would be challenging. My neighbor knows the shade provided by his oak trees during the heat of a warm summer more than offset an occasional nuisance such as acorns on the driveway. Most of us have appreciated the cooler temperature and gentle, refreshing breeze under a large shade tree on an otherwise hot, still day.

Trees in the landscape provide numerous aesthetic, environmental, and economic benefits, including increasing the value of a home and reducing air conditioning costs.

The value of trees in the home landscape reminds me of a story about two neighbors. A young father was raking leaves in his yard when he noticed his retired neighbor digging a hole. When asked what he was doing, the elderly gentleman told him he was planting a tree.

The young neighbor just smiled and chuckled to himself as he asked, “Why are you doing that? That tree won’t be fully grown for 20 or 30 years, and you’ll probably never benefit from it.”

To that the elderly gentleman told his neighbor, “I know that, but aren’t you glad that someone planted that tree in your front yard years ago so that you could enjoy its shade and so your kids can climb its stately limbs?” A sobering perspective indeed.

Whether you are putting in new trees or caring for existing trees, it’s worth the time and effort to provide the proper management needed to produce healthy, vigorous growing trees.

Watch Out For Critters

Hungry hoards of mosquitoes, crickets, grasshoppers and other assorted pests-Texans have pretty much seen them all this summer, but will the onslaught stop once cooler weather hits?

The bugs of summer will subside, but a new slate is ready and willing to move right in with you. Usually during drought conditions or when the weather begins to get cooler insects and other arthropods like spiders and scorpions will move indoors. In the case of drought, they are often searching for water, and with cooler temperatures, like us, they want a cozy place to stay.

Simply keeping pests out of the house in the first place is the best and easiest way to keep your family safe. The following tips help to accomplish that:

– Prune trees and shrubs so they do not touch or overhang the house.
– Don’t stack firewood or anything else against the house.
– Weather strip doors and windows, especially if you see daylight around them.
– Block weep holes in homes with brick or stone facades using steel wool or copper mesh
   where rusting steel wool stains could be unsightly.

– Use caulk or expanding foam to fill cracks and crevices on the outside of the home and around pipe and wire penetrations.

– Keep window screens in good repair.
– Use stainless steel mesh to block attic access points.

As with any unwanted intruder, the trouble starts once they enter your home.

Food herds the harvest crew like cattle

Food provides the landmarks on the 14-hour harvest day journey. It’s something to look forward to. It also provides energy to stay the course. Love in a Styrofoam take-out container!

A hot meal will stop a working tractor or combine almost as quickly as a breakdown. Proof lies in the power of opening the van’s hatchback at supper-time. The harvest crew, a.k.a. relatives and farm help, start to gather like Grandpa’s cattle when he drives into the pasture with his pickup truck. They simply want a taste of what you brought to eat. Cattle expect a bucket of grain. The harvest crew desires a hot, home-cooked meal or the occasional take-out from town.

Sometimes traditions change and new lifestyles intervene. Yet food delivery to the working crew in the field remains one that some farm families like mine still preserve. Even this tradition has evolved with the introduction of warehouse club memberships and Styrofoam take-out containers.

A field-side picnic seems warm and fuzzy, and it really is in the moment.  But the daily process to plan, prepare and deliver proves a downright hassle sometimes, even for a farm woman who works from home. Often, her roles have heightened with farm records and marketing in addition to traditional farm and home duties.

The nightly preparation and delivery of a half dozen meals taxes the pantry and the mental menu for the farm wife.. She looks for variety within the parameters of what the crew members will eat. Even then, you have a few short orders, such as warming green beans for the broccoli haters. She knows whether they like mustard or mayo, whether they’ll even put a spoon in yogurt or cottage cheese or need a side of ketchup with their peas.

At the start of harvest, I watched a farm woman at work. Without asking, I quickly identified that the visibly stressed lady in front of me was taking food to the field. The giveaways: The down-to-earth appearance. Open insulated containers on the table near the checkout. And a multiple sandwich order complicated by her mental recollection of several people’s topping preferences. Usually only wives know a man’s relationship with certain foods. Unless you’re a farm woman!  Then you know it for all the farm employees and sometimes their kids.

I confirmed her motive at the beverage station and sympathized. She mentioned her preference to drive a tractor or grain truck. The task seemed simpler and focused. And she hoped no unannounced kids were tagging along in the field that day. Or she would be without a sandwich.

Multiply Your Plants

Propagation is a means of multiplying a plant into many more of the same type. The most common method is by collecting and planting seeds. This is referred to as sexual propagation since the pollen from one plant pollinates the female flower structures of the same plant or another plant of the same species thus creating a living seed.

Another means of propagation called asexual because no pollination is involved, but instead a section of one plant is removed and rooted to start a new plant. Examples of asexual propagation are stem cuttings, leaf bud cuttings, air layering, and tissue culture.

Grafting and budding involve removing a section from one plant and attaching it to another. This removed plant section is called a bud or scion and the plant onto which it is placed is referred to as the rootstock. The scion or bud grows to form the main structure of the new plant. It is chosen because it possesses certain desirable characteristics such as fruit size or quality, bloom size or color, or foliage qualities. The rootstock is often chosen for its ability to tolerate specific soil characteristics, resist disease or insect problems, or give a dwarfing effect to the growth of the scion.

Seed propagation usually results in a new plant that is similar but not identical to the parent plant(s). With asexual propagation the offspring is identical to the parent plant. The juvenile stage which seedlings go through before they are mature enough to bloom or bear fruit is bypassed with cuttings and grafting which is another desirable effect.

While propagation sounds complicated or difficult it is in fact quite simple. There are a number of different techniques which gardeners can use to propagate various plants. This section of the website provides how to information on how to multiply your plants. I must warn you though that propagation is addictive. You will soon find yourself driving through the neighborhood eyeing certain plants that you would like to propagate for your own landscape. Gardening friends will learn to "frisk" your pockets for seeds and cuttings before you leave after a visit to their landscape!

I should point out before turning you loose on the gardening world with this newfound knowledge and skill that some plant materials are patented and may not be propagated and sold without permission and payment of royalty fees to the owner

Neighborin'

By Joe Kreger The very best tradition of folks out on the land is when they get together to lend a helping hand.   Country people join their forcesfor the common good. They'll put a crew together right from the neighborhood.   Oh, it might not be as common as it was in former years, but most cattlefolks still "neighbor up" when it's time to gather steers.   Or, when it's time to work the calves, they'll come from miles around to help a neighbor heel those calves and work 'em on the ground.   And the Pennsylvania Amish will make up a local crew. They'll raise a barn in no time. Won't quit until they're through.   My brother wrecked his spray plane. He was very badly hurt, but neighbors came from miles around, and they sure stirred up the dirt.   Seemed like half the county put their shoulders to the load, and they just kept on comin' back 'til his land was tilled and sowed.   And all the neighbor ladies would prepare a big ol' lunch. No volunteer went hungry. They fed the whole dang bunch.   In this age of competitionand high tech operation, there's still a time to "neighbor up" in true cooperation.   Survival, kindness, friendship, that's what it's all about. Neighborin' is when you gather up to help each other out

Wordless Wednesday

National Farm Safety & Health Week

Safety: “A Family Affair”

As an operator, it is important to follow safety guidelines closely. It is also imperative to share safety tips with the entire family. The following tips are offered to help equipment owners and operators start the safety conversation with the whole family:

1. Remind your kids to stop, look and listen when playing outside, especially on the farm. It is very important that children are always aware of their surroundings and understand they should never stand around or behind a tractor, even if it is not moving.

2. Express to your children that tractors are not toys and they should only be operated by adults who are thoroughly familiar with the equipment. Children are generally attracted to tractors and the work they do. However, a tractor's work is not child's play.

3. Be honest, and clear with your kids, letting them know farm equipment is not safe to ride on, even when an adult is present. The tractor only has one seat and it is intended for the operator. Remind them to just say “no” if someone offers them a ride.

4. Encourage your kids to become a “Safety First Sheriff.” Empower your children and educate them on safety precautions like the use of ROPS, seatbelts and why it is so important to take extra precaution with PTOs. This knowledge will allow your kids to remind the whole family to make safety a top priority.

National Preparedness Month

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is supporting National Preparedness Month efforts by asking Texans to ready their families, businesses and communities for a disaster or emergency.

AgriLife Extension is focusing even greater attention on disaster preparedness during September, as this month has been designated National Preparedness Month.  Our goal is to increase public awareness on how to protect against, prepare for and recover from an emergency or disaster.

AgriLife Extension provides objective, research-based information, typically at no cost, to help people with emergency and disaster preparation and recovery. Materials are available through two agency-related websites, as well as through agency personnel in county offices throughout the state.

 

A variety of publications and downloads related to disaster and emergency preparedness and recovery, many of which are available at no-cost, may be found on Texas EDEN and AgriLife Bookstore websites. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

The Texas Extension Disaster Education Network, or Texas EDEN, http://texashelp.tamu.edu, has information and materials on specific disasters, including drought, hurricanes and wildfire, as well as information on disaster preparation and recovery.

The AgriLife Bookstore website at http://agrilifebookstore.org has a variety of emergency and disaster-related materials, including publications on general preparedness, first aid and home, property and financial recovery.

Most materials from these sites may be downloaded and printed free of charge, and several are available in Spanish.  And many of our preparedness and recovery publications are also available in e-book format for downloading from Texas EDEN to mobile devices like smart phones, tablets and electronic readers.

The comprehensive AgriLife Extension and Texas Department of State Health Services co-authored publication “Preparing for the Unexpected” is among those available on both websites and  a PDF version may be downloaded free of charge.

Families should also have an emergency kit for their home, office and each vehicle, and definitely should know where to go in case of an emergency.  The evacuation plan should cover escape routes, utility shutoff and safety information, family communication and protecting important documents.

An emergency kit should contain enough supplies to take care of the immediate family for at least three days. Some essential kit contents  include water, non-perishable foods, a hand-operated can opener, mouth/nose protection masks, extra clothing, a first-aid kit, gloves, blankets, toiletries, a battery- or hand-powered flashlight, a weather radio, spare batteries, garbage bags, medications and anti-bacterial cleaners or wipes.

A number of safety issues also arise when returning to a home or business after a disaster, including possible structural damage, damage to electrical wires or gas lines, and the risk of contaminated water. After surviving a disaster, people should also be aware of the new dangers that crop up and take the necessary safety measures to ensure they survive the recovery phase too.

For more information on available publications, go to the AgriLife Bookstore or Texas EDEN website. Additional information on preparedness may be found at FEMA’s http://ready.gov website or its Spanish-language counterpart, http://listo.gov.

 

Wordless Wednesday

Can plants actually sun scald?

Yes, they can!

The sun can damage plants in several ways; the most obvious is when you see actual brown, burned spots on the leaves. The intense heat of the sun simply bakes the leaf tissue, killing it.  You may also see sun scald on the fruit of peppers and tomatoes, if the fruit is exposed to the intense light of the late afternoon sun.
 
Another common sun injury is on the southwest side of the trunk of young trees. When trees are young, their bark is not very thick and can be easily damaged by the intense rays of the sun.  The bad news is there’s nothing to be done for sun scald once it’s occurred. Dead plant tissue cannot be repaired.
 
But the good news: sun scald can easily be avoided. First, you should know whether or not your plant can take full sun. The label that accompanied the plant when you bought it may or may not be correct on this issue, so do a little extra research.
 
Also, even plants that can take the full sun need to be acclimated to it if they haven’t ever experienced it. A plant that has been on your porch for several weeks, out of the direct sun, will no longer be able to handle those bright rays, so start by moving the plant into the full sun for a few hours in the morning, slowly lengthening the time to all day before you actually put it in the ground.

Facts on Canning

Interesting facts
In 1809 and after 14 years of experimentation, a Frenchman, Nicolas Appert, produced the first shelf-stable canned food products. His development included air exclusion (hermetically sealed) and a prolonged thermal treatment that rendered the food shelf stable for years. The endeavor was rewarded with a prize from Napoleon who recognized that an “army travels on its stomach” and that there was a great need for transportation of stable foods to troops that were nutritious, safe and flavorful.

Appert went on to use the winnings to start a commercial canning operation. He subsequently wrote the first canning guide, called “The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances For Several Years.” In those days, water bath processing was the only type available and foods were processed for hours in hot water. Glass jars and metal cans (developed in 1810) have become the standard, with little changing except for the types of closures.
During Appert’s time, jars were sealed with a cork, sealing wax, and wire; we now use specialized polymers that act as glues to hold the lid onto the glass jar.

Canning has changed
Our understanding of bacteriology has improved. Pressure vessels shorten the time required to kill the most durable bacteria found in foods such as vegetables and meats. The shortened processing time also improved the quality of the product.

In evaluating recipes for preserving foods by canning, it is important to understand that acidic foods such as fruits require milder processing than acid neutral foods such as vegetables or meats. Thus, a pressure vessel (reaching temperatures of 241°F or higher) is required for vegetables and meats, while fruits (jams, jellies, juices) and many pickles require only a boiling water bath (212° F at sea level). Some recipes that are a combination of acid foods and low acid foods require either additional acid in the form of lemon or lime juice or vinegar and/or are pressure processed.

Recipes that require a pressure vessel are relying upon the higher temperature to kill the common soil bacterium Clostridium botulinum. While water bath processing will not kill botulinum, it does kill many other spoilage bacteria and relies upon the higher acidity of the food to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

Botulinum produces a very potent and deadly toxin in improperly canned foods. It is extremely important to rely upon scientifically sound recipes when canning foods that are low acid or a combination of acidic and low acid foods. Guides such as the Ball Blue Book “So Easy to Preserve” and the recipes at the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp) are of assistance when choosing recipes

Integrated Pest Management for August 13, 2012

Cotton

Cotton is maturing rapidly with nodes  above white flower ranging from 0 to  7, with many fields now at 5 nodes or less. This means that most fields are  now in “cut out’. Dryland, limited irrigation

and early planted cotton now range from 0 to 3 nodes above white flower. Many fields have adjusted

fruit loads due to heat and are shedding many squares and small bolls.  Dryland has been hit hard by  recent heat wave and no rain. These fields  are completely wilted in the heat of the day and have only retained a few bolls per plant. Well irrigated cotton has bolls set from top to bottom and most first positions have been retained to form a boll.  Insect pressure remains light. Lygus have been reported at 5 per 100 plants and boll damage has been light. Cotton bollworm, beet armyworm and loopers remain light.  Beneficials are excellent with spiders  being the most common. Lacewing larvae and big eyed bugs have been on the increase.

Sorghum
Corn earworm infestations have ranged from very light to very heavy in headed sorghum. Overall infestations have been much lighter than anticipated. Fall armyworms have been found in heads sampled, but have only constituted a small portion of the head worm complex.  Greenbugs have been on the increase in several fields and not found in others.  Where populations are on the increase

parasite activity has been found. The most common parasite has been Lysiphlebus testaceipes which produces the tan or golden brown mummy. Aphelinus parasites have also been observed attacking greenbug colonies, which produce a smaller black mummy. Once parasitized greenbugs reaches 20% of the population an insecticide treatment is usually necessary.  Stinkbugs and Lygus bugs have also been found in head samples, but would generally be classified as light at this time.

Banks grass mites generally remain light, but some have reported cases of treatment needed.  Beneficials have been excellent in head samples with pirate bug adults, crab spiders, assassin bugs and big eyed bugs commonly found.

Corn

Banks grass mites are still active in area corn. The heaviest populations have been found in corn at the dent stage.  Continue to scout corn for this pest until  corn reaches full dent with the moisture

line 50% down.  Fall armyworm remain light with an occasional  larvae found feeding on ears.

Pollinators Need Our Help

While the best-known pollinators may be honeybees and bumblebees, there are other insects that contribute to pollination. Some of the most beautiful and graceful are butterflies, and instead of noisily buzzing from flower to flower, butterflies artfully flit. Though butterflies may not be as efficient as bees in pollinating plants and crops, butterflies certainly do their fair share in bringing about seed and fruit production—and definitely are pleasing to watch.

Butterflies pollinate a wide variety of flowers that open during the day. They frequent big, beautiful, brightly colored blooms. Butterflies have good color vision sensing more "wavelengths" than either humans or bees and, unlike bees; butterflies can see the color red.

Scent is another characteristic. One study speculated that it might be "some kind of scent or marking" that attracts a butterfly. Another study found that many butterflies produce pheromones to entice the opposite sex, and this scent is similar to flowers that they are drawn to. As butterflies are perching feeders, they favor flowers with a landing platform (labellum) They gather pollen as they walk around flower clusters on their long and thin legs.
Finding the right flower is only the beginning of a pollinator's challenge. Though butterflies may not be premiere pollinators, their continual flitting from flower to flower more than makes up for the quantity of pollen they carry. Butterflies are found on every continent but Antarctica; the U. S. is home to about 700 different species.

The butterfly has a 4-stage life cycle—egg, caterpillar (larvae), pupa and adult. After mating, females typically deposit their eggs on the undersides of leaves, especially those that act as a food source for newly emerging caterpillars. Adult butterflies feed on the nectar of flowers, they lay their eggs on a limited number of native plants. This is because butterfly caterpillars are host specific. Plant-wise, the caterpillars of some butterfly species like asters, black-eyed Susan, clover, lupines, milkweed, sedum or violets. Hackberry, oak or willow trees make caterpillars of other butterfly species equally happy. Oddly enough, butterflies taste with their feet, which is where their taste sensors are located and by standing on their food, they can taste it to see if their caterpillars are able to eat it.

Butterflies have smooth, slender bodies, knobbed antennae, rest with their wings held upright, and fly during warm weather. Their bright coloring is the result of loose, powdery scales on the wings. Probably the best known of the species in the U. S. is the orange and black patterned monarch butterfly; however, butterflies come in a wide range of colors and patterns to delight the eye of the beholder. Butterflies probe blossoms with their long tongues. Each flower has nectar usually hidden in narrow tubes or spurs that is suitable in length. This tongue or proboscis works like a straw, drawing up nectar and when not in use, the proboscis stays coiled. Butterfly populations are on the decline due to humans reducing numbers of pollinators by destroying habitats and migratory nectar corridors, emitting pollution and the misuse of pesticides.

How can you help? Attract butterflies to your garden, by planting a "butterfly friendly" garden which provides the types of plants required by butterfly larvae. Butterfly friendly plants usually produce clusters of brightly colored sweet-smelling flowers and include asters, daisies, butterfly bush, butterfly weed, lantana, marigolds, purple coneflowers and zinnias. Understand that releasing non-native butterflies for special events, such as weddings, can be harmful to native butterfly populations. It’s worthwhile to become better educated in the effort to keep these extraordinary creatures among us.

Looking Ahead to Fall

Integrated Pest Management in Hale County

Cotton

Cotton ranges from early bloom to full grown bolls.  Nodes above white flower have ranged from 5.5 to 9.0 in irrigated cotton. Some dryland is now blooming in the top and could use some rain to fill in bolls. Overall, cotton insects have generally been light this past week. Loopers, beet Armyworms and cotton bollworms have been reported, but fruit damage has been minimal.

A few fields with Lygus have been reported, but infestations are not widespread at this time. Cotton fleahopper infestation has reached 40 per 100 plants, but these populations have been found in fields in the third week of bloom, so are no longer a concern. Cotton aphids were not found this past week, but could return after insecticide applications for other pests.

Sorghum

Sorghum generally ranges from boot to early grain fill. Many fields are in the bloom stage. During bloom, scout sorghum daily for infestations of sorghum midge. Populations can vary on a daily basis depending on wind direction and source of earlier infestations. Most fields scouted this past week had no sorghum midge observed. Later blooming sorghum will have a higher potential for economic infestations. No infestations of fall armyworm or corn earworm were found infesting heads last week, although an occasional fall armyworm egg mass was found. Beneficials are good in heads, but not abundant yet. Banks grass mites remained very light to none found this past week, but could increase as we experience more hot, dry weather. 

Yellow sugarcane aphids were found in several sorghum fields this past week, but colonies are small and scattered. No economic infestations were observed.

Corn

Southwestern corn borer trap collections remain very low at Halfway and northern Hale County.  Corn earworm infestations in ear tips are common, but are not a target for control due to the requirement of multiple applications for control. Banks grass mites remain light overall, with beneficials helping to hold populations in check. Continue to monitor this pest over the next few weeks as they can increase rapidly and do well with hot, dry weather conditions.

Sunflowers

Most fields have completed bloom and early planted fields not far from harvest. Late planted fields which have not bloomed yet should be monitored for the sunflower head moth as they enter bloom.

Compost Tea

Compost Tea

                    

It is common knowledge that drinking green tea bestows many health benefits on people. But, it is not generally appreciated that plants derive multiple benefits from compost tea. Compost tea is a time-honored remedy for improving plant health and vigor, speeding seed propagation, and promoting the growth of seedlings.

Compost tea offers immediately available food to the plant and provides a quick pick-me-up for plants in the house and in the garden. Greenhouse operators have long used this method to insure that their crops grow rapidly and produce the greatest profit at market.

Compost tea is simple to make, especially if you already have a compost pile at your garden. If not, you can purchase a variety of commercial composts at your local garden store that can used to make compost tea. Here are two easy ways of producing compost tea.

Fill a pail or other container about ¼ full of compost, then fill the container with water, Stir it several times over the next 24 to 48 hours. Before using, dilute it with water until the color is a light amber color. Pour 1 pint around each plant to speed its growth. Applications can be repeated at 10-14 day intervals as needed.

Smaller volumes can be produced for feeding houseplants or small outdoor areas. Fill a small cotton or burlap bag with finished compost and place it in your watering can. Fill it with water. Agitate the solution or let it sit until the water assumes a light amber color before using it. The compost that remains in the bag can be reused until it no longer produces the amber color. When that happens, it can be mixed into the soil around your plants as mulch.

Start saving old gallon milk jugs and remember to use the tea within 48 hours. Give it a try – you’ll like it as well as your plants will!

Can potting soil be reused?

With warm temperatures on the horizon, many gardening enthusiasts are making plans for their spring and summer gardens.

With consumers facing rising costs in just about every area of their lives, some gardeners may wonder if it is OK to reuse potting soil. Generally there is nothing wrong with reusing potting soil.

It can be expensive to replace the soil every year. However, there are certain considerations to be made when reusing soil. Used soil will require fertilizer applications to replace nutrients that have leached from the soil or have been utilized by plants previously growing in the medium. Incorporating a slow release fertilizer at the proper rate will take care of nutrition needs for several months. If you’re using a slow release fertilizer, liquid fertilizer isn’t necessary.

You need to be cautioned about the buildup of salts in the soil. Excessive levels of salts can be detrimental to plant development. Keep in mind that all water sources are not the same and salts may be a problem in some city water systems but not others. The same holds true for well water and some wells may have a higher concentration than others.

Typically, rainwater, such as water collected in a rain barrel, will have lower levels of salts and is excellent for watering container plants. Gardeners may often see salt accumulation (crystal formation) when you examine your soils and the salts also tend to form a white ring on clay containers. These are good indicators that salt accumulation may be problematic if reusing soil.

Commercial potting soils have agents added to the mix that help the potting soil take up and hold water. These agents break down over time. Likewise, peat and other organic agents mixed into soils for the same purpose of holding water, decompose over time. As such, older soils tend not to hold water as well and often appear compacted. This could be addressed by mixing new and used potting soils together, adding organic matter to the potting soil or adding a water-holding agent.

Another option is to add your used potting soil to your compost pile. A good compost pile has mixture of green material, brown material and soil. Finished compost can then be used to fill your gardening containers. The compost will have the water-holding properties for which you are looking. Composting used potting soil will also help with salt accumulation problems.

If insects, disease or weed seeds are a concern, pasteurize your soil and compost in your oven. It’s particularly important to pasteurize potting soil that will be used to start seeds. Simply bake moistened soil at 180°F for at least 30 minutes.

YUCCA
Yucca Agavaceae

Common Names:

Yucca, Adam’s needle, bear’s grass. The yucca is fascinating because of the manner in which it is pollinated and the way that it received its name. The Pronuba yuccasella may be one of the most important moths in our part of the world. The female has the responsibility of pollinating our yuccas. In the evening she gathers pollen from the anthers of the flower and forms a sticky ball a bit larger than her head. She then wedges it under her chin and climbs the pistil of a different flower. She injects her eggs into the pistil and puts the pollen ball on top of the stigma wedging it firmly in place. This is the only way that the flower is pollinated. Soon the flower withers and the moth larvae hatch, eat some of the seeds in the pod and drop to the ground. They then spin a cocoon and will later become moths. The remaining seeds make new plants.

Historically, the yucca was brought to England from the West Indies "by a servant of master
Thomas Edwards, an Apothecary of Exeter" and given to John Gerard. Gerard thought the plant a true "yuca," something Indians use for bread making, called Cassava. Englishman John
Parkinson noted that the yucca dropped its flowers without making seed in England. He also
knew it wasn’t a cassava but didn’t know what else to call it and so the name yucca remained. It was noted in 1728 by William Byrd of Virginia that Indians used the fibers to make cloth "which they wear about their middles, for decency’s sake." The Yucca was not renamed and received a couple of new ones. "Silk grass because the fibers were woven, used for making ropes and baskets by the Indians. The fruits, called "datile," are edible and the roots have saponin that can be made into a soap-like lather. "Adam’s needle" is another name given the yucca because of its spiny leaves. The yucca can be propagated from root cuttings and by seed.

Be sure to take time to enjoy the yucca in our area and perhaps thank a little moth for the plant.

Plains Pest Management News

July 6, 2012

Cotton  Cotton ranges from fields in the five leaf stage to fields in early bloom. Fields in early bloom have had 8 to 9 nodes above white bloom and, if provided sufficient irrigation, should have a very high yield potential. Fields that experienced early hail and wind damage have been slow to recover. Overall, the cotton crop looks much better than two weeks ago, especially in the thin stand locations.

So far, insect activity in cotton has been very light. Cotton fleahoppers are extremely light as are Lygus bugs. Another plant bug has been commonly found in beat sheet and sweep net samples

that looks very similar to Lygus bug adults. The easiest way to separate this bug from a Lygus adult is to look at the last antennae segment. If it comes to a needle like point, it is probably a Lygus,

and if it is slightly expanded at the tip, it is another type plant bug that is not an economic pest.

Isolated infestations of cotton aphid continue to be reported with little damage observed. Beet armyworm leaf feeding can be seen on older leaves in some cotton fields, but no larvae are

being found this week. A few scattered yellow stripped armyworms have been observed in cotton, but pose no threat at this time.

  Corn  Corn is in excellent condition and it appears that growers have matched irrigation output, with acres planted. Corn growth ranges from early whorl (replant) to tassel and silk stage. Early plant fields already have ears with brown silk.  Banks grass mite infestations generally remain very light and are still confined to field margins.  Dr. Pat Porter, Extension Entomologist from Lubbock has reported finding true armyworm larvae in non-Bt corn, but is generally not an ear or stalk pest.

Sorghum Corn leaf aphids are now common in sorghum but usually not considered a pest

during the whorl stage. A few fall armyworms and corn earworms have been found feeding in the whorl. Banks grass mites have been found on the lower leaves of sorghum next to pasture or wheat, but infestations remain scattered and light.

Sunflowers  Continue to scout blooming sunflowers for the presence of sunflower moth. Scout early in the morning or late in the evening for adults present on the head. Once bloom is complete and florets are drying, the field will no longer be attractive for oviposition.

Gardening Tips for July

When the mercury rises, plants struggle to stay hydrated. Providing plants with adequate
moisture ensures more than seasonal good looks — it's a key to long-term health. Try these tips to make the most of your irrigation efforts.
We all should be aware that the best times to water are early morning or early evening. If you water during the heat of the day, you lose more moisture to evaporation, instead of soaking soil. This also allows the lawn or flower bed to retain more water.
Apply organic mulch to your landscape beds to help cool the soil and conserve water. Fine mulches — like ground fir bark — are great for annual beds, vegetable gardens, and perennial borders. Use coarser mulches, like cypress mulch, for landscape beds and around the base of trees. Always leave space between the mulch and the stems and trunks of plants.

Remove spent flower heads on perennials, annuals, and shrubs so the plants can concentrate their energy on growth rather than seed production. July is a good time to prune back June-blooming perennials and shrubs, such as Salvias and Spireas. Mid-season pruning prevents the plants from getting stretched, overgrown, and ‘floppy.’ It also encourages the plants to bloom again for some late summer color.

Annuals planted in container gardens are heavy feeders because they are watered frequently. Keep these plants robust by alternating feedings with granular and liquid fertilizers. Granular fertilizer slowly releases its nutrients while the liquid gives the plants a quick boost. Plants that produce large quantities of flowers—like hibiscus, Mandevilla, and petunias—need to be fed more often than other plants. Fertilize them every 10 days as opposed to every two weeks.
Watch for signs of pests and diseases. Watch for signs of plant and lawn insect damage and fungus diseases. Spray fungicides (as needed) that are diluted by 1/3 to prevent burning the foliage.

Pinch back straggly plants and deadhead spent blooms to maintain a neat appearance.