Get some native plants from the Springs Preserve

Here are some questions that came my way this week:

Q: Can we get some of the native plants found in the Gardens at the Springs Preserve?

A: Yes, said Laura Eisenberg of the Springs Preserve.

"We gave away plants during Halloween week and plan to give more Thanksgiving week, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Nov. 19 to 23," she said. "The purpose of the give away is to introduce people to native and desert-adapted plants into home landscapes." Drop by Dr. Greenthumb's booth and peruse over plants available, answer the question attached to the plant and you will be able to take it home.

Q: Do you have a list of plants rabbits won't eat? A rabbit is eating my marigolds.

A: Master gardener Richard Cutbirth said the extension office has a list of plants rabbits seem to leave alone. Call the master gardener help line at 257-5555 for the list.

According to Cutbirth, Sun City MacDonald Ranch, where he lives, found a solution to their rabbit problems this summer. A bobcat showed up and like magic the rabbit population subsided.

Q: Why aren't my Texas Rangers blooming? Some bushes have flowers and others don't.

A: According to Cutbirth, Texas Rangers bloom in spring and fall and when humidity is up. Pruning bushes too much removes the flowering wood. Prune them when dormant and plants bloom like crazy.

Q: We were out in Mesquite and came across a most unusual tree the homeowner called a Chinese date tree. Can you tell us about it?

A: The tree is a Chinese jujube tree. It is often is spoken of as the Chinese date because it is similar in shape and coloring to the common date. The shiny, reddish-brown skin is quite parchmentlike, and covers a mild, rather sweetish, somewhat pithy flesh that is crisp when eaten fresh. However, the Chinese glaze the fruit, and also dry and can it. As a fruit tree, it doesn't have showy flowers but come fall, fruit competes with shiny leaves to show off the glossy, reddish-brown fruits.

As an added bonus, the shiny green leaves glisten through the summer and put on a colorful show before dropping. The twigs assume a very characteristic zigzag pattern that adds much to the tree's character, especially through the winter.

Q: We found an overgrown bush in a vacant lot that had very unusual fruit the size of softballs that looks like brains. What it is?

A: It is a Maclura pomifera, or Osage orange. Its fruit looks like bumpy yellow-green oranges. It is a tough plant that adapts to heat, cold and poor soil conditions. You must have a male and female tree present to get the fruit. A family in town that comes from Mesquite places these "oranges" in each room of their home and finds the fruit keep bugs away.

Q: How do you get rid of black widow spiders organically?

A: If Bob Stauffer finds spiders in his home, he knows he has insects, as they become the main diet for spiders. Black widow spiders work from a web in secluded places. Clean up these areas using a long-handled broom and your problem will disappear. Stauffer sprays the areas with garlic oil, Tabasco sauce or tobacco spray.

Q: My cabbage leaves are riddled with holes. I am now finding green worms on the leaves. What is the pest and how do I control it without using pesticides?

A: Those bugs eventually turn into the white butterflies you see hovering over the cabbage vegetables laying eggs that in time produce worms. Use an organic compound called Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt; it is a bacterium that causes worms to die, but does not harm beneficial insects.

Q: What can I do to prevent all my plants from dying with this once-a-week water schedule?

A: This question seems to be on people's minds since the once-a-week watering schedule went into effect. Trees and shrubs like deep irrigations to soak up the root zones so plants can call on that reservoir to keep roots thriving and spreading into surrounding soils. It may take longer to water. Come summer, plants will be able to withstand the heat.

Q: We are having good luck with our tomatoes, but what if a frost comes before they ripen?

A: Switch to Plan B. Go to your recipes cookbook to make relishes, pickles, jams, pies and my favorite, tomato bread. To make tomato bread, substitute tomatoes for zucchinis in the recipe.

Or, harvest tomatoes and put in your house and cover with a blanket and remove them as they ripen and place an apple in with the tomatoes to speed up the ripening process.

Q: We found what looks like a praying mantis in the garden but it was tan? What is it?

A: It is a praying mantis taking on the colors of autumn. It is still laying egg cases throughout your garden to continue the species into next year. Be good to them.

Q: When and how do you harvest pecans?

A: Earlier this fall, the pecan husks split open to allow them to mature. Hit branches with a stick that has something soft on its end and nuts will fall. Dry nuts in sun for a week for tastier nuts.

Q: How do you know when to harvest pistachios?

A: Harvest them when hull coverings become loose. Shake limbs to bring down the nuts. To avoid picking them up, place a tarp under the tree. Remove hulls to prevent staining of shells. To enhance splitting, dip them in water to moisten shells and spread out in the sun to dry to cause them to split. To salt them, boil in a salt solution for a few minutes, then redry.

FALL FLOWER SHOW RESULTS

We want to acknowledge the big winners at this fall's flower show: The Doolittle Senior Center Community Garden won the top educational exhibit ribbons for their display on "Planting a Row for the Hungry." The seniors also earned 17 blue ribbons and one red ribbon for vegetables and fruits that came from their garden. They walked away with the coveted Sweepstakes Award for receiving the most blue ribbons.

"After the show, they took all the produce to feed the hungry," said Don Fabbi, show coordinator. What a virtue!

Top awards also went to Barbara Roe, for Horticulture Excellence; Peg Cummings, Arboreal Award, as well as the Artistic Craft Award; Linnea Miller Domz, for Design Excellence and Award of Distinction; Anna Williams, Tricolor Award; Karen Burth, Designer's Choice and Ola Henry for the Petite Award.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

Are bugs bugging you? Don't go toxic, go organic! Join Dan Secinaro of the Springs Preserve at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Springs Preserve, 333 Valley View Blvd., to learn how to implement these techniques in an economical and ecological way to keep your garden free of uninvited pests.

Linn Mills writes a gardening column each Thursday. You can reach him at lmills@reviewjournal.com or at the Gardens at the Springs Preserve at 822-7754.