From the monthly archives:

October 2008

The Holistic Teaching Garden’s Fall CLEARANCE

by Cody Marx Bailey on October 20, 2008

The Holistic Teaching Garden’s Fall CLEARANCE Bedding Plant Sale is to be held this week.

When: Oct. 24-25
Times: Oct. 24 - 9:00 a.m -3:00 p.m.
Oct. 25 - 8:00 a.m -3:00 p.m.
Where: The sale is in the back of the Horticulture and Forest Science Building (HFSB) on the west side of campus.  The location can be found on this campus map:  http://campusmaps.tamu.edu/

PARKING:
Parking is always an issue.  See note at end of this e-mail.
Please forward this message on to anyone whom you think may be interested and to any e-mail lists of persons who may be interested.  Thanks for your help.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Please bring boxes, trays or other containers to carry plants.  We will provide as many containers as we can, but if you have something that you can bring, it would help us out.  If you need to clean out your garage or shed and are looking for a place to donate stacks of old pots or trays that have accumulated, we can always use them at the Holistic Teaching Garden!

HERBS:
Basil (different types), cilantro/coriander, chamomile, dill, fennel, marjoram, Mexican mint marigold, mints (several types), oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, and more.

FALL / WINTER / SPRING BEDDING PLANTS:
(all are to be planted in the fall; we have more than one cultivar or most, including unusual forms hard to find in nurseries; planting guides will be available)
Alyssum, bells of Ireland, bluebonnets (blue and maroon), calendula, cardoon, carnation, candytuft, chamomile, calliopsis, coreopsis, dianthus, Echinacea (purple cone flower), daisies (shasta daisy, gloriosa daisy or Rudbeckia, swan river daisy, painted daisy or single chrysanthemum), foxy foxglove, Gaillardia, Gazania, globe thistle or Echinops, holly hocks, Linaria or toad flax, Nicotiana or flowering tobacco,  ornamental cabbage and ornamental kale, pansy, petunia, dwarf phlox, poppies (California poppy, Ice Land poppy, Shirley poppy), Salvia (blue bedder and tricolor), snapdragons, statice, stocks, strawflowers, sweet williams, violas and more.

LANDSCAPE PLANTS:
(Some new types of landscape shrubs, vines and perennials will be offered, but we will also have a reduced price clearance of landscape plants that have been held over from our last sale.)

NOVELTY ITEMS:
Dish gardens, seedy characters, fern bottle gardens or terraria.

PARKING:
Parking on Friday and Saturday is subject to ticketing by the University, but there is visitor parking in the West Campus Parking Garage. (see map)  There is some parking for persons who have disabilities in Parking Area 74 and other lots in the vicinity.  There are two loading areas behind HFSB, one on the east end and a second on the west end.  There is no charge for parking in Parking Area 74 on Saturday.  We have plenty of plant material and so if you are coming from off campus and do not have a University parking sticker, you can park without charge and without the risk of ticketing in PA 74 on Saturday.

This interactive campus map shows locations of the Horticulture and Forest Science Building, Parking Area 74, West Campus Garage, driving directions, etc.  http://campusmaps.tamu.edu/
These sales are the primary source of funding for the Holistic Teaching Garden.  All profit from these sales go to support student workers and buy supplies for the garden.  Please check out our web site for new developments and for information about the garden.  Also, the Holistic Teaching Garden’s newsletter, The Whole Scoop, is available through this site.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/holisticgarden/
Other events at the Holistic Teaching Garden:

Fall Open House and Children’s Programs - We will have our Fall Open House on Saturday,  November 15.  At this time we will be doing tours and demonstrations in the garden, offer special hands-on, interactive programs for children, story-telling, refreshments and more.

The Holistic Teaching Garden is holding its Holiday Sale which will feature gift plants, amaryllis and other bulbs, herbs and fall - winter - spring garden plants on Nov. 20, 21, 22 (early this year because Thanksgiving is the last week in November and immediately before final exams.

Thank you for supporting the Holistic Teaching Garden.

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How To Make Compost

by Cody Marx Bailey on October 9, 2008

Courtesy of Ohio State University and Reposted from Organic Consumers

Composting is a great way to discard yard waste and kitchen scraps. In many cases, it’s more economical than paying to have these wastes hauled away. And you can improve the health of your soil by adding the compost to your garden or yard.

To construct a composting area, determine the size. “A large compost pile will insulate itself and hold the heat of microbial activity,” said Joe Heimlich, environmental science leader for Ohio State University Extension. “Its center will be warmer than its edges. Piles smaller than 3 feet cubed (27 cu. ft.)will have trouble holding this heat, while piles larger than 5 feet cubed (125 cu. ft.) don’t allow enough air to reach the microbes at the center. These proportions are of importance only if your goal is a fast, hot compost. Slower composting requires no exact proportions.”

First, remove the grass and sod from the designated area. This allows decaying materials direct contact with soil microorganisms. Heimlich suggests the following “recipe” for constructing compost heaps that work the fastest:

  • First layer: about 3-4 inches of chopped brush or other coarse material on top of the soil surface allow air circulation around the base of the heap.
  • Second layer: About 6-8 inches of mixed scraps, leaves, grass clippings or sawdust. Materials should be “sponge damp.”
  • Third layer: One inch of soil serves as an innoculant by adding microorganisms to the heap.
  • Fourth layer (optional): About 2-3 inches of manure will provide the nitrogen needed by microorganisms. Sprinkle lime, wood ashes and/or rock phosphate over the layer of manure to reduce the heap’s acidity. Add water if the manure is dry.
  • Fifth layer: Repeat steps 1-4 until the bin is almost full. Top off the heap with a 4-6 inch layer of straw and scoop out a basin at the top to catch rainwater.

Your compost heap should reach temperatures between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit in four to five days. The pile should then begin to settle-a sign the heap is working properly.

After five or six weeks, move materials into a new pile and turn the contents so that the outside of the old heap is now the center of the new heap. Add water if necessary.

Your compost should be ready to use in three to four months. For spring compost, start a heap in late autumn. For fall compost, start a pile in early spring. The more often you turn the pile, the faster you will have compost. Check the internal temperature regularly and if it changes substantially (usually after about a week), turn the pile.

You’ll know when your compost is done “baking” because it will be dark brown, crumbly and earthy-smelling. Be sure to let it stabilize for a few extra days and screen it through a half-inch screen if you want a finely textured material.

For more detailed information, read Composting at home http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/83/83-5/composting_at_home.html

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Keep Brazos Beautiful Tree Sale

by Cody Marx Bailey on October 8, 2008

Keep Brazos Beautiful Logo

Don’t miss out on this year’s Crepe Myrtle and Shade Tree sale with Keep Brazos Beautiful! Buy 5 Trees @ $18 each and get 1 FREE! Download an order form from this site, fill out and mail order form along with payment to the Keep Brazos Beautiful office by October 31, 2008.  Orders and payment MUST be received by October 31st for guaranteed tree selection and delivery.

Form: KBB Tree Sale

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