Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 23, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 19, 1989 Page: 26 of 46
forty six pages : ill. ; page 25 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
PACE RC-THE POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE, SUNDAY MARCH is*, U
Friendship Gardening
By VERNE SPROTT
Transplants help start healthy garden
Hibiscus: summer's glory
If you’ve never had a hibiscus,
what a heat-of-the-summer treat
you’ve been missing!
When everybody else, including
us, is pooped out and heat stressed,
looking out our (air-conditioned)
windows at this carnival of i dor will
raise anyone's spirits.
Hibiscus performs best in full sun
and moist soil They come in many
sizes with many leaf forms (in-
cluding marigated and lacy) and
with blooms from three to eight in-
ches across.
Talk about color! They are like
rainbows caught up in earth-bound
blooms, especially for us to enjoy
everyday when perhaps we need
relief the most, during our energy-
sapping summers. Most blooms last
only a day but when one drops, there
are more to take its place The
flowers can be ruffly, double pen-
dulous, lacy or bi-color.
The major drawback of hibiscus is
cold sensitivity. In our area, the
tropical variety will freeze.
Therefore, planting them in our
gardens is not a good idea. They
grow wonderfully in containers,
which in some ways is nicer because
they can be moved to wherever in
your garden landscape.
You need a little "perk" even to
shade (for outdoor entertaining as
an example) as long as it’s a tem-
porary move (to shade, that is).
The perennial hibiscus has an
enormous bloom, from white to pink
or wine red. These hibiscus don’t
have the color range in their leaves
or blooms that tropicals do, but the
flowers <»re so outstandingly showy
;»ju won’t notice care.
Althea/Rose of Sharon and Con-
federate Rose belong to this group
and are especially east to grow.
A solution to wintering over
hibiscus if you don’t have a sunny
window and space indoors was given
to me by one of my hibiscus growing
friends. He brings his hibiscus into
his garage, cuts them back to 18 in-
ches or so and reduces watering to
once every month or six weeks. They
will drop their leaves and be a "pot
of sticks,” but come spring and
warmer weather, take them outside
and begin watering more regularly
when leaves appear. Your lovely
blooming shrub will return for you to
enjoy again.
Feed hibiscus with a specially for-
mulated hibiscus food. Those with a
"high middle number" don’t always
apply to these flowering plant. Give
it plenty of sun and keep the soil
moist for non-stop color from April
until cool weather.
For more information, contact
your local nurserymen.
Till next time, happy gardening.
Vegetable transplants can quickly
transform that bare plot of soil into a
real, live garden.
"Using transplants can get a
vegetable garden off to a good
start,” said Dr. Sam Cotner, hor-
ticulturist with the Texas
Agricultural Extension Service.
"Half the success in transplanting
depends on the transplants
themselves; the other half relates to
techniques and methods used while
setti”.E them out," he said.
"Select healthy-looking
transplants at your local nursery or
garden center when you are ready to
set them out,” said Cotner.
Timing is critical for planting.
Transplants of cold-hardy
vegetables should be planted two to
six weeks prior to the average date
of the last frost, said the hor-
ticulturist.
Cold-susceptible vegetable
transplants should not be set out
before the frost-free date and should
be protected by coverings when they
are planted, Cotner said
"Before transplanting, get the soil
in good shape by working in fer-
tilizer and organic matter," he said.
“ At planting, dig a hole wide enough
and deep enough to hold the
transplant. Add water to the hole if
the soil is dry.”
Transplants in plantsble peat con-
tainers should be soaked In water
before planting to help the plant’s
roots penetrate the container.
Transplants grown In plastic con-
tainers should be removed before
planting.
Place the transplant in the center
of the hole and backfill with garden
soil, said Cotner. Make sure that the
original growing material around
the plant Is covered. Firm soil
around transplants to form a mound.
‘‘After transplanting, It is impor-
tant to apply a water-soluble fer-
tilizer, high in phosphate, to keep
plants healthy until their root
systems can develop and spread
out,” Cotner said.
Never let newly set-out
transplants suffer from too little or
too much moisture, said the hor-
ticulturist. Water plants individually
for two weeks before starting a .
regular watering program such as
furrow flooding, sprinkling or drip
irrigation.
"Even with adequate moisture, ,j
transplants will probably wilt same
in the early going due to their
undeveloped root systems,” Cotner
said.
Protect young plants from strong
wind and be aware of late season
cold snaps that might damage
plants, he said.
"Most of all, enjoy gardening,"
said Cotner.
Harvesting vegetables
jtea le
icrfici
they become 8 to Iff niches long.
New leaves will continue to grow
from the center of eaih plant for
a continuous harvest..
KOHLRABI—When '"bulbs”
(thickened stems) reach 2 to 3 in-
ches in diameter. j
LEEK-When 1 to 1M> inches in
diameter but before fall frosts.
LETTUCE -Leaf varieties: when
outer, older leaves a$e 4 to 6 in-
ches long. Heading varieties:
when heads are moderately firm.
Older, outer leaves may be taken
from plants of either leaf or head
lettuce as soon as the leaves are 4
to 6 inches long. New leaves will
provide a continuous harvest of
'unw-hot
Wfcvor
arlft seed stalks start.
MUSK l|EL 0 N
(Cantaloupe)—When base of fruit
stem starts to separate from
fruit. Fruit will be near-ripe when
separation starts and full ripe
when the crack appears com-
pletely around the base of the
fruit stem.
MUSTARD—Harvest outer leaves
when 6 to 8 inches long. New
leaves will provide continuous
harvest until flavor become
strong and leaves become tough
in texture from hot weather. Seed
again in late summer for milder
flavor and tender texture.
OKRA—Before pods reach the
hollow and puffy stage and while
easy to break or cut from stalk.
Continue harvesting or they will
quit producing.
ONION—For green onions, harvest 6
to 8 inches tall. Harvest any with
round, hollow seed stalks as soon
as these stalks appear. For bulbs,
harvest when tops fall over and
begin to dry. Pull with tops on
and dry them in a protected
place, cutting tops 1 inch above
the bulb for further drying.
PARSLEY—When older leaves are 3
to 5 inches long. Continue to take
outer leaves for fresh, tender
parsley until heavy frosts of
winter. t
CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY.
TIMBERLAWN
Sales and Service
*Whsra Sarvfca Is not ■ word, It's ACTION”
Huskey - Chainsaws
LAWN MOWER
REPAIR
We Service All Makes
NeylMW.aspMi.4MBs
967-4423
START WITH SEEDS-You
can start your vegetable
garden indoors from seeds in
the winter for a bountiful
harvest such as this one next
summer.
own and Country
Fertilizer
.rStoi
OP
Ross Lewis, Owner (right); Richard Fanchar (left)
Uma and Fertlllzar
Spreading tor Paaturaa
Bag Fartllizar
For Yard* 0 Gardan*
OLD BAXTER MU ROAD
LIVINGSTON, TX. 773S1
Day (409) 327-4697
Night (409) 327-8592
LIVINGSTON
LAWN
&
GARDEN
• SNAPPER
• BRIGGS
& STRATTON
• TECUMSEH
• AT V REPAIR
• ARIENS
• KOHLER
327-8525
107 E. Calhoun Livingston
(Located Next Door To Automotive
Parts & Service)
Ra M ti MMflted te Uw <Jo, ea yea caa I
Kabela LMBHC (High Qaaraaoa) diced tractor
TW Mafcaa I Ideal tor row cropa aacfc aa \
Maadani faataraa tarladc a !
forward aad I reran
aad a Catogniy I, I pa tor Hkk, raar PTO |
ilTa*t
^rrtahtrrl raltlvalort aad a foitUUar
rh* K a beta L245HC la jroar
le ria* above t all, wfcUa Maytag
@KUB0TR
Nothing like it on earth!
All Seasons Motor Co.
Jack A Lm Sprott, Owners
59 S. 327433*
5
QUALITY IS L
THE BEST VALUE
Bluebonnet* ffceds
ou»tnr • ,ib nit anut
•Bluebonnet Feeds
•Lone Star Feeds
•Insecticides
•Seed Potatoes
•Bulk Seed
•Health Aids
•Garden Supples
•Bedding Plants
Start Building Your
baap°®l
I
Nest Egg
FERTILIZER 50 POUND BADS
12-24-12........*5.75 13-13-13........*5.45
S4!i
16-6-12
$5.20 10-20-10........$5.55
MURPHY’S
FEED & FARM SUPPLY
YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED LONE STAR A BLUEBONNET DEALER
“Everything For The Farmer or Rancher‘
. lio Pan American Drive
Jt 327-3333
c
fihitboftncf* Feed!
•ufofw R K Mr «.i4
At First Stata Bank
You can count on the safety of your FDIC insured bank
accounts. Up to $100,000 is guaranteed by the U.S.
government and that means that your money is
covered up to that amount when you bank with us.
When there are few guarantees in this world, it’s nice
to know that your have a sure things with us...variety
of services, financial flexibility AND the protection of
the government. Why bank anywhere else?
IThe First
State Bank
lof Livingston
337-5211 FDIC! MEMBER FDIC 112 W. PUk
'% -TK- -TV. Ml
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 23, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 19, 1989, newspaper, March 19, 1989; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth775164/m1/26/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.