Groasis Waterbox used by Master Gardeners of Hill Country, Texas, to Save Water

1. Of Leaf & Limb
“ Promoting education in horticulture and the environment”
November 2010
Volume 8, Issue 11
November 3, 2010
HCMG monthly
meeting is at
1 p.m. at Kerr
County AgriLife
Extension Office.
We will
Vote for officers
and review our
year.
Contents
Reminder Message
Calendar of Events
September Minutes
Groasis Waterbox
Bed Bugs
Medicinal Plants
Build a Patio
Nov. Veg. Garden
Flower Gardening,
Citrus Greening
Fall Plant Exchange,
Website of Month
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
(Editor’s note: no president’s letter this
month since Chris is out of the country)
Welcome new members;
reminders to all...
Our 2010 class of Hill Country Master
Gardeners is setting a good pace with
seven former interns meeting their
volunteer requirements to become
certified master gardeners. In
October, we welcomed Jim Latham,
Anne Graves and Arlene Tilley to
the ranks of new members.
Previously certified from the class of
2010 are Steve Comer, Jan Grimes,
Jackie Connelly and Joyce Studer.
A reminder note to all certified master
gardeners: Unless you are on leave of
absence for 2010, your 25 volunteer
and six educational hours for 2010
must be turned in by the end of 2010
if you are to remain certified.
To make a big job as easy as possible
for the timekeepers, please turn in
your hours monthly.
If you are turning in
hours for more than
one month, we ask
that you report each
month's hours on a
separate sheet, and
use the official
reporting sheets
available in our
office or online.
To access the online report sheets, log
onto the website and scroll down to
the "members only" page. Ask any
officer if you don't know the pass-
word.
Dues of $18 for 2011 are due. Please
make your checks to HCMG and note
that it is a dues check. Mail your
check to HCMG, P.O. Box 290464,
Kerrville, TX 78029-0464, or bring a
check to the November meeting. You
may also leave a check in the treas-
urer's box in the HCMG office at Kerr
County Extension.
Members on leave of absence must
pay dues to remain on the membership
roster, and must notify HCMG in
writing if they wish to continue a
leave of absence for 2011. Please mail
your request to the attention of the
executive committee at the above
mailing address.
Interns who are not certified by the
end of 2010 will not owe dues until
the following year.
New MGs Anne Graves
and Jim Latham received
their certificates at the
October meeting.

2. Calendar of Events by Betty West
(Attendance at events other than Master Gardener meetings is optional; events
are listed for those wishing to attend other educational offerings.)
Be sure to call and confirm event.
October 19 - Kerr
Cactus and Succulent
Society meets at 7:00 p.m.
at Butt-Holdsworth Library. Dave Gutman will
address “Surprise Succulent Gardens.” Visitors
welcome.
October 23 – The Garden Conservancy hosts
“Open Day” in San Antonio, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. $25
for all six gardens. For a list of the gardens and
locations, http://gardenconservancy.org/opendays/
events.pl?ID=394&SortBy=&State=
October 26 – Fredericksburg Chapter of
NPSOT meets at 7:00 p.m. at Gillespie County
Historical Society Bldg. in Fredericksburg. Travis
Gallo of Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center,
will discuss “The Impact Non-native Exotic Plants
Have on Our Texas Eco-systems.” Visitors
welcome.
November 2 – Kerrville NPSOT meets at 2:00
p.m. at Riverside Nature Center. Florence Oxley
will address “Attracting Birds to Your Garden with
Native Plants.” Visitors welcome
November 6 – Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne is
hosting an “Ethnobotany Workshop.” From 9 a.m.
– noon. Fees/information http://www.cibolo.org/
calendar/event/ethobotany-workshop
November 10 – Fredericksburg Garden Club
meets at 2:00 p.m. at the Memorial Presbyterian
Church Fellowship Hall, 607 N. Milam. Carol
Seminara (HCMG) will present program on “Glass
Flowers of the Harvard Museum of Natural
History.” Visitors welcome.
November 13 – Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne
is hosting a “Rainwater Harvest Workshop.” From
9 a.m. – noon. Fees/information http://
www.cibolo.org/calendar/event/rainwater-harvest-
workshop-8
November 16 - Kerr Cactus and Succulent
Society meets at 7:00 p.m. at Butt-Holdsworth
Library in Kerrville. David Lipscomb will discuss
“H20 Conservation.” Visitors welcome
November 3 - HCMG monthly meeting at 1:00
p.m. We’ll be voting on our 2011 slate of officers
and reviewing our activities for the past year.
Of Leaf & Limb Page 2
Debbie Russell’s 2010 Canning Class:
L-R Seated: Bernadell Larson and Carol Seminara. Standing:
Betty West, Pat McCormick, Doris Tyler. Back row: Lizzie
Bispo (Al Bispo's wife), David Buchen, Jackie Connelly and
Dorothy Buchen. They canned green beans and pears.
Pink-edged sulphur butterfly (Colias interior) on
a Gregg's mistflower (Conoclinium greggii).
Photo by Carol Brinkman

3. HCMG Monthly Meeting Minutes
October 6, 2010
The general meeting was called to order at 2:10 pm by
Secretary Eileen Haden in the absence of the president and
vice-president. September meeting minutes as posted in the
newsletter were approved with no additions or corrections.
Financial Report was presented by Treasurer Roy Eliff,
listing $14,227 in MG working account and $57,711 in sav-
ings/scholarship account. Income breakdown for the last 10
months showed $2,981 from plant sales and $2,130 from
rain barrels.
Announcements:
Eileen Haden: 1. Dues of $18 are due the end of Novem-
ber. Checks may be made out to “HCMG”. Mail to Roy Eliff
at home or the office or leave them in his box in the office.
2. Get your time sheets in and make sure your hours are up
to date for membership. 3. Two new projects have been
approved for volunteer hours – one at Tivy High School
through the Harvest Partners grant and Steve Comer has
agreed to coordinate this project. Contact him if you are
interested in this service to the community. The second
approval is for the butterfly garden and rainwater collection
area next to the Harper Library in Harper and Terri Debusk
is coordinating this effort. Contact her if you live nearby and
want to assist in this community effort. Rumor has it that
some places in Harper have soil. 4. Bids are being sought
for our name badges to be made locally with our new logo.
Additional info forthcoming.
New Business:
Newly certified Master Gardeners – Anne Graves, Arlene
Tilley, and Jim Latham (2010 Class) and Jan Spencer
(2009 class) were announced. Congratulations!! Inquiry:
does anyone knows the status of William Joseph. His
certificate is available.
Carol Hagemeier reported that the Medina Garden Patch
has been able to serve salads to the school children from
their garden. 70 salads were prepared and sold out.
Anne Brown presented the slate of officers for consideration
for next year and also opened the meeting for nominations
from the floor. President Chris Seifert, Vice President
Barb Elmore and Treasurer Roy Eliff have agreed to a
second term. Jackie Connelly has agreed to serve as
secretary. If you are interested in serving in an office, or if
you know someone who is capable and interested, please
contact MG Anne Brown before the November meeting
voting.
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Russell now has Kathy
Zeliff to assist her as co-chair when she is trying to coordi-
nate volunteers with needs. Signup sheets are being passed
around for the Kerr County Fair booth on October 22-24, and
the Pecan Show in December. Volunteers are needed to
assist or co-chair the program coordinator and another to
write a monthly article for the newsletter on vegetable
gardening. Anne Moss is circulating a signup sheet for MGs
to man the phone desk now that the Interns are finished with
their phone qualifications. Dorothy Buchen is circulating a
signup sheet to volunteer to help in the demo garden on
Tuesday, October 12th.
The call went out for volunteers to ramrod this year’s
Christmas luncheon, on Wednesday, December 1st. Julie
Bartosh agreed to be in charge with Cindy Anderson,
Dorothy Buchen and Jane Clint helping out.
More Announcements:
Anne Brown announced that there were 100 contacts made
at the last Market Days with 60 plants and one rain barrel
sold. Thanks to Vickie Killeen and Marilyn Pease for their
invaluable assistance with the greenhouse plants. Expect a
general email about purchasing left over plants so the green-
house can be shut down, cleaned and repaired. Anne
thanked all who gave citrus clippings for the A&M research
project. Anne also announced that she has received an alert
from the Forest Service about increased fire risk anticipated
this winter and reminded all to practice fire safety.
June Sher, Mentoring Chair, circulated a signup sheet to
volunteer to be a supportive mentor to a 2011 student. Only
half the number needed volunteered last month. It is such a
vital job for the fitness of our organization.
Fall Plant Exchange will be held next month after the meet-
ing. Contact Pam Bresler if you are interested in participat-
ing. It is time to divide all those spring bloomers and share
with friends.
Julie Bartosh and her committee have met with San Saba
designers and have some examples of caps and shirts with
HCMG’s new logo on them. As soon as the Executive
Committee approves the items, information will be made
available to everyone for purchasing. All will be under
$20.00. Start hinting for Christmas!
The meeting was adjourned at 2:24 pm. Next meeting will be
held on November 3, 2010 at 1:00 pm and voting will be con-
ducted for next year’s officers.
Respectfully submitted, Cheri Bolden
Of Leaf & Limb Page 3

4. Groasis Waterbox
by Bernadell Larson
Are you tired of watering your newly
planted trees and shrubs for the first
two years? Pieter Hoff of The
Netherlands invented a box that
waters plants without irrigation. His invention, the
“Groasis Waterbox” was named one of Popular
Science Magazine’s top 10 inventions of 2010.
He used to grow and export lilies, and his idea
came to him while tending the lily fields at night.
He noticed that the first droplets of condensation
on the leaves occurred well before midnight. The
plants lost heat in the night air and the cool surface
of the leaves sucked water droplets from the warm,
humid air. Again we see how efficient nature is
and, if we can mimic nature, we have the best
solution of our problems.
Today many of the world’s population live in areas
where water is scarce or of poor quality, or on land
that has been overgrazed, overproduced, defor-
ested and cannot support crops. Pieter designed
his Waterbox with this in mind – simple and no
energy required (other than to produce the box).
The Waterbox is designed to cool faster that the
night air to get that water condensation. The box
not only captures condensation; it also captures
rainfall and feeds it into a tank within the box. A
wick in the tank slowly releases water into the soil.
This is supplemental water and just enough to help
the sapling; thereby encouraging the plant’s root
system to grow downward to reach water in the
soil. After a year the plant is strong enough with a
good root system that the box can be removed and
used to plant another tree. They project that the
Waterbox can be used for ten years, before it
breaks down.
Hoff “quit his day job” and has spent millions of
dollars and seven years on designing, producing
and testing the Waterbox. First he took twenty five
waterboxes to the Moroccan Sahara desert, and
after a year, eighty-eight percent of the trees had
green leaves, while ninety percent of the trees
planted and watered the traditional way (once a
week) died. A California winery has committed to
dry farming three acres with more than six hundred
waterboxes. Another test was started in April,
2010 in Matallana near Valladolid in Spain. He
has ongoing testing projects in different parts of
the world: Kenya, Ecuador, France, Egypt,
Pakistan, and Uganda. A variety of trees will be
tested, including fruit trees to help with the hunger
problem.
This invention seems to be aptly appropriate for
the Texas Hill Country where we have only 2 to 6
inches of top soil before the plants reach the lime-
stone cliffs and only average 28 inches of rainfall a
year.
The following link will take you to an infographic on
how the Groasis Waterbox works
http://www.groasis.com/page/uk/principle.php
Pieter Hoff with one of the waterboxes in a California winery.
The box is circular with a 20 inch diameter and a 10 inch
height. Water condenses on the box's cool top, collects in
a tank, and drips into the soil to hydrate the plant.
Of Leaf & Limb Page 4

5. When tough tree and shrub "volunteer seedlings" (AKA weeds) just won’t give,
grab onto the stem with a pair of old pliers and tug. This works well on woody
plants.
Revive dirty window screens with automotive plastic and vinyl protector (Armor
All, as an example.) A light wiping on both sides of the screen will have your screens looking
like new again.
Pour boiling water on sidewalk cracks to get rid of weeds without using chemicals.
Betty West
MUCH ADO ABOUT
BED BUGS
by Marilyn Pease
In recent months, the media has
been flooded with dire reports of
increases in bed bug infestations.
While it is true that bed bug oc-
currences have increased since
1995, the most important thing to remember about
them is that they do NOT vector any known diseases
and, therefore, are not a physical threat to our health
only to our psyches because of stigma and embar-
rassment. It is amazing that mosquitoes, which are
vectors for a number of dangerous diseases, are not
looked upon with nearly the same loathing as the
tiny (4-5 mm) bed bug.
A member of the family “Cimicidae”, the common
bed bug which infests humans and other warm-
blooded animals (like our dogs and cats) is Cimex
lectularius. The species has been around a very
long time and has even been mentioned in ancient
Greek literature. They have been known colloqui-
ally by such fanciful names as mahogany flat, crim-
son rambler, heavy dragoon, chinche, and redcoat.
Researchers feel that the recent resurgence may have
been caused mainly by the decrease in DDT use and
the increase in international travel as bed bugs are
still prevalent in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.
Bed bugs were quite common in the US before
WWII and were pretty much eradicated through the
use of DDT after the war. Other factors may be in-
creased resistance to pesticides, increased immigra-
tion and people moving back to urban areas.
The common bed bug is not totally nocturnal but
does feed mainly at night coming out of its tiny hid-
ing places in your bed. It must have a blood meal
between molts or instars. The feeding mechanism is
rather ingenious as it is a two-tube system, one tube
puts an anticoagulant into its victim and the other
tube removes the blood. The bite will produce itch-
ing and, rarely, an allergic reaction in sensitive indi-
viduals. Over-the-counter cortisone creams will re-
lieve the itch.
Old folklore would have you sleep with the lights on
or put cups of kerosene under the legs of the bed.
Unfortunately, conventional insecticides are not ef-
fective against bed bugs. If you suspect you have
picked up bed bugs in your travels, call a pest con-
trol company. On a happy note, cockroaches are
their natural predators as well as some ants. And
remember the old children’s rhyme, “Night, night.
Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite”.
Electron microscope
photo of bed bug
from Wikipedia.
Of Leaf & Limb Page 5

6. Medicinal Plants
by Judy Fleming
St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort (SJW, Hypericum
perforatum L) has long been
used and enjoyed as an herbal
tea. Its flowers and stems have
also been used to produce red and yellow dyes.
The first recorded use of SJW for medicinal pur-
poses dates back to ancient Greece, and it has
been used ever since. SJW was also used by
Native Americans externally as an antiseptic,
anti-inflammatory, and astringent. SJW is one of
the most studied herbs with many positive results
as an antidepressant.
St John's Wort is widely known as a herbal treat-
ment for depression. In some countries, such as
Germany, it is commonly prescribed for mild de-
pression, especially in children, adolescents, and
where cost is a concern. A study by the German
medical insurance system conducted a clinical trial
investigating the antidepressant effects of SJW by
comparing it to fluoxetine. The study concluded,
"…the two treatments are essentially equipotent in
their antidepressant effects." Furthermore, the
researchers asserted that there was "…no
evidence to suggest an advantage in treating these
patients with fluoxetine." However, other studies
by pharmaceutical companies disagree.
Currently studies are underway for the use of SJW
for alcoholism, ADHD and fibromialgia. Recent
evidence suggests that daily treatment with SJW
may improve the most common physical and be-
havioural symptoms associated with premenstrual
syndrome. A research team from the Universidad
Complutense de Madrid (UCM) published a study
entitled, “Hypericum perforatum. Possible option
against Parkinson’s disease”, which suggests that
this plant with antidepressant properties has anti-
oxidant active ingredients that could help reduce
the neuronal degeneration caused by the disease.
St. John's Wort, indigenous to Europe, is a yellow-
flowering, perennial herb with extensive, creeping
rhizomes. It has been introduced to many temper-
ate areas of the world and grows wild in many
meadows. The common name comes from its
traditional flowering and harvesting on St. John’s
day, June 24th. The traditional use of the plant
was to ward off evil by hanging plants over a reli-
gious icon in the house during St John's day.
SJW is generally well tolerated, with an adverse
effect profile similar to placebo. Women who use
the contraceptive implant Implanon are advised not
to take SJW as it reduces the implant's effective-
ness. It can cause photosensitivity and can be
toxic to grazing animals when eaten.
Sources:
Wikipedia: Schrader E. Equivalence of a St. John's wort
extract (Ze 117) and fluoxetine: a randomized, con-
trolled study in mild-moderate depression. International
Clinical Psychopharmacology 2000; 15(2): 61-68.]
Universidad Complutense de Madrid: Hypericum
perforatum. Possible option against Parkinson’s dis-
ease.”
HCMG has provided this material for your information.
It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise
and advice of your primary health care provider.
Of Leaf & Limb Page 6
St. John’s Wort

7. Building a rockin' patio
By Barbara Elmore
November is a good time to make plans
for next year's projects -- a DIY patio, for
example. Not that we spent great
chunks of time planning ours. We did a
seat-of-the-pants plan, having a general
idea of how to proceed and stopping at intervals to figure out
next steps. But perhaps our experiences can help others.
Although I use the word "we" a lot, this patio came about with
the help of a sister who enjoys working on this type of project
as much as I do. My spouse has enjoyed the ambience of the
finished product and offered ideas, but we both knew who the
builder would be.
First lesson: When you are going to build your own patio, it
pays to know People. My sister knew whom to get the rocks
from ("I think the owner is a cousin," she reported). And we
have several
cousins who are
experts in the dirt
business.
When my birth-
day rolled around
in April and I
noticed spring
had already been
here several
weeks without a
patio to celebrate on, I gave myself a birthday present guaran-
teed to jump-start construction: a pile of rocks in an inconven-
ient place. First, I took a tour of the rock yard while I asked the
possible cousin about how hard the rocks were.
I chose her "rattlesnake" pattern, a tan rock in a mid-price
range. "Why are they called that?" I asked. The rock yard
owner didn't
know, but she
advised buying
three pallets for
my roughly 10-
foot by 20-foot
patio, and she
was close.
Also helping were the cousins who know dirt. One told me
how much sand I needed for a base 2 inches deep. The sec-
ond told me how much crushed granite to hold the rocks in
place. Both estimates were on target.
Second lesson: Read how-to articles and ask advice from
someone who has done it. The best instruction I received
came from a fellow gardener who built a patio years ago with
her husband. "Weed cloth, edging, sand and crushed granite,
in that order,"
she told me.
Third lesson:
Enlist the help of
a joyful worker.
At 9 a.m. May
18, a month
after the rocks
arrived, my
sister and I commenced building. For three days, we hauled
wheelbarrow loads of sand from the driveway to the back
yard.
Then we began the real fun -- placing rocks. Row by row, we
placed them and checked each row horizontally and vertically
with a level. Some days she could not come and I laid rocks
by myself, only to have us take them up the next day because
they were too small.
On June 8, I laid the last rock, ordered a yard of crushed gran-
ite, and put it down with the help of my sister. We swept it into
the cracks
between the
rocks, and
watered it down.
It settled and we
applied another
layer the next
day. By June
28, the patio
was finished.
My husband
and I repainted the black edging with a color that blends better
with the rocks. The patio is sturdy enough for furniture, includ-
ing our rocking patio chairs. The rocks do not move. I've
enjoyed many morning newspapers there while the dogs and
squirrels play chase.
See the resources section of the HCMG website for detailed directions
on building your own patio.
Of Leaf & Limb Page 7
Before
Base is
down
Laying
the stone
After

8. The November Vegetable
Garden
By Christine Millar
Plant transplants
Transplants of greens and cole
crops can still be planted out.
Protect the young seedlings and
mature broccoli heads from frosts
by covering with old sheets or row cover at night.
Harvesting
Root crops may need thinning now to give the
remaining roots room to develop. Harvest broccoli
while the heads are still tight after they have
reached their full size. Side shoots will continue to
develop and can be harvested over a 6-8 week
period so keep them growing after the main har-
vest. Cauliflower only has one head so remove
the plant after harvesting. Cauliflower and broccoli
last for a good while in the fridge or you can blanch
and freeze them if you have too much.
Harvest peas when the pods reach almost full size.
Quality deteriorates if the peas are left too long
and they become starchy. A delicious pea soup
can be made with the starchy peas. Blanch the
peas and freeze on trays till you get enough to
make a pot.
Kohlrabi can be harvested when the swollen base
of the plant is 2” in diameter.
Feeding and watering
Continue to feed leafy vegetables
and cole crops regularly with a
complete fertilizer to keep them
growing through the cool winter.
Maintain adequate watering to
keep the plants growing. Our fall can be dry so dig
down and check that the soil is moist about 1 inch
under the surface. Continue to rake lightly around
the vegetables. This will break up the crust of dry
earth that forms on the surface and allow the mois-
ture to penetrate.
Improve the soil after harvesting
Remove the plant when it has finished and dig in
partially finished compost and sprinkle of green-
sand. I like to cover it with a bit of shade cloth to
protect those microorganisms and worms so they
can keep on working over winter to break the soil
down ready for spring planting.
Cover crop fallow areas
Rape, cereal rye and Austrian winter peas make
good winter cover crops and should be sown early
in the month on resting areas of the vegetable
garden. Keep these cover crops trimmed back to
5-6 inches with hedge clippers. Leave the trim-
mings on the bed to compost down, feed and pro-
tect the soil over winter. You will appreciate the
shorter length when it comes time to either dig in
the cover crop prior to planting next year’s crop or
smother it with thick cardboard.
Clean up spent crops
Freezing temperatures may come this month and
finally kill off beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers,
eggplants and other warm season crops. Plants
that are no longer productive or have been finished
off by a frost or freeze should be removed from the
beds. Dispose of the dead vegetable plants by
either bagging them for garbage collection or
putting them through a hot composting method to
cut down on overwintering pests.
Free mulch for next year
You can still pick up bags of leaves left at the curb-
sides for garbage collection in the urban areas
where there are plenty of mature deciduous trees.
Store the full bags in an out of the way place at
home for summer mulching next year. The plastic
bags tend to get very fragile and
split open over the course of the
summer in full sun so store them
someplace you won’t mind the
mess if that happens. I often
place them temporarily around
the perimeter of the winter vege-
tables to give some wind protection. Next spring
these full bags can be placed around young
tomato transplants to protect them from late frosts.
Beneficial rat snakes and lizards love the even
temperature underneath the bags so be aware of
these inhabitants when you move them around.
Invest in a good reptile field identification guide to
help you sort out which species of snakes you can
peaceably timeshare your vegetable garden with.
You can also store the leaves by emptying the
bags into large wire bins with a wire top over it to
prevent the wind from blowing them out.
Of Leaf & Limb Page 8
“Our fall can be dry so dig
down and check that the
soil is moist about one inch
under the surface.”

9. November Landscape
Gardening Tips
by Kathie Marlow
• November begins with clean
up time in the lawn and
garden. It is also time to set
out some new plantings. All
classes of rose bushes can be
planted during these next few weeks. Carefully
protect the roots from drying before planting and
then water well after planting. You should nour-
ish the old rose bushes with some bone meal.
Be sure to secure your climbing roses and other
vining plants to their supports as winter winds
can severely damage unprotected plants. Be
careful to clean away all infested foliage from
around the bush to prevent further spread next
year.
• It is also time to move and set out deciduous
trees and shrubs, but it is too late for ever-
greens. It is important to hydrate those ever-
green plants, as they will lose moisture during
the winter months.
• When your fall chrysanthemums have lost
their blooms and died back, cut them back to
within two or three inches of the ground. After
the leaves fall from deciduous plants, it is time
for those plants to be treated with a dormant
spray. This spraying will help control over-
wintering insects and diseases. Be sure to
continue to watch for bug or disease damage
throughout the garden and take the necessary
steps to control the problem now or put it on
your to do list when spring rolls around, which-
ever time is appropriate.
• Keep the leaves raked from the lawn. They
should be composted or you can just mow over
them and turn them into mulch, which adds
important nutrients back in to the lawn. After you
have finished your last mowing of the year be
sure to run the mower until you run out of fuel
before cleaning it off and storing it. It is also a
good time to clean, sharpen and oil your garden
tools to keep them from rusting and ready for
storage.
Don’t forget to continue to feed the birds and
squirrels that you enjoy watching in your yard!
Of Leaf & Limb Page 9
CITRUS GREENING
EDUCATIONAL CLINIC AT
AGRILIFE EXTENSION OFFICE
by Pam Bresler
The Texas Hill Country may not have
a large citrus industry like South
Texas, but many residents are
experimenting with cold-hardy citrus, like the "Changsha"
tangerines from China, and overwintering pot-grown Key
limes and Meyer lemons in greenhouses. However, the
experts at Texas A&M are warning of a new citrus disease
which is now being tracked in Texas. This disease, Citrus
Greening, is caused by a bacterium, Candidatus Liberi-
bacter asiaticus, which is spread by an insect, the Asian
Citrus Psyllid. The insect is only 3 mm long and holds its
body at a distinctive 45 degree angle. Citrus Greening
can adversely affect the production, quality and appear-
ance of citrus trees. The disease slashes citrus
production by up to 20 percent, destroys the fruit's
economic value, and can kill citrus trees.
This disease has not been found in Texas, but has been
detected in Florida (2005), Louisiana (2008) and Mexico.
The insect which vectors the bacterium causing Citrus
Greening has been observed in Hondo and Uvalde.
Some of the symptoms are blotchy mottling and yellowing
of leaves, twig and branch die-back, and bunched, narrow
leaves. These small yellowed or mottled leaves growing
in a tight arrangement are known as "rabbit ears." Fruit is
stunted and may appear lopsided or asymmetrical. Citrus
Greening can also cause higher than normal fruit drop.
The internal flesh may have an orange-brown discolora-
tion. The fruit may have a sour or bitter flavor.
On October 27, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., the Kerr
County AgriLife Extension will sponsor an educa-
tional clinic on Citrus Greening at the Extension
Office. Residents are encouraged to bring in leaf speci-
mens (5 leaves), deformed fruit or insects in a plastic bag.
Specialists will examine specimens for Citrus Greening,
as well as identify insect, disease and nutritional problems
of citrus plants. Participants will receive educational
material on Citrus Greening. For more information on the
clinic, call the Agrilife Extension Office at 830-257-6568.
To read more about the Citrus Greening Project at Texas
A&M, check these websites:
http://www.texascitrusgreening.org/
http://saveourcitrus.org/what-are-the-diseases/citrus-
greening/

10. HI LL CO U N TR Y MA S TE R GA RD EN E RS
FALL PERENNIAL PLANT EXCHANGE
Several members have asked to have a Fall
Perennial Plant Exchange, since they enjoyed the
spring exchange. We've scheduled one for
Nov. 3, after the HCMG meeting.
As you divide your overgrown perennials, start
potting up your excess plants. Water them and
give them appropriate light until our November
meeting. Also, be sure to label your plants. You
can use short lengths of old mini-blinds, or even
plastic cutlery with a file folder label attached. If
you want to be really fancy, you can print the info
on the labels with your computer. We are primar-
ily interested in perennials, but if you have extra
fall vegetable seedlings, they would be appreci-
ated as well. Spring-blooming perennials such as
bearded iris, phlox, daylilies and dianthus should
be divided in the fall. Iris and daylilies can be
brought bare-rooted if the leaves are trimmed to
about 4".
A friendly reminder: make sure your plants are
free of insects and diseases. Isolating new plants
is always prudent, whether from a friend or a
nursery, until you are sure you aren't adding prob-
lems to your garden. Please do not bring invasive
plants like ligustrum or chinaberry trees. To make
it more fun, we will draw numbers and you will
choose your plants based on the number you
draw. We will keep going through the numbers
until all the plants are "adopted." For more infor-
mation, contact Pam Bresler at bregal@ktc.com.
Website
of the
Month
by
Carol Brinkman
A while back
Barbara Elmore
asked members
for their favorite
plants. She
received so many
answers that her
one
newsletter article
became three. If
you are avid
about your
favorite, you might
be interested to
know if there is a
"society" dedicated
to that plant. Iowa
State University
has compiled a list
of all plant-related
societies with links
to each website.
You'll probably
want to skip right
past the American
Golf Course
Designers Society,
but there are
societies ranging
from begonias to
water lilies and
everything in
between. You will
find the list at
http://
www.extension.ias
tate.edu/
Publications/
Hill Country Master
Gardeners 2010 Executive
Committee
Chris Seifert - President
Barbara Elmore - Vice President
Eileen Haden - Secretary
Roy Eliff - Treasurer
Randy Simmons - Ex-officio Advisor
Roy Walston - C.E.A. Advisor
Committees
Archivist: Ida Luckey
Demonstration Garden:
Dorothy & David Buchen, Chairs
Education:
Debbie Russell, Chair
Greenhouse: Vicki Killeen &
Marilyn Pease, Chairs
HCMG Office Manager:
Judy Simmons
Horticultural Inquiry:
Anne Moss
Information: Betty West
Jr. Master Gardener Program:
Sandy Martin, Chair
Market Days:
Ron Smith II, Chair
Mentors: June Sher
Nominations: Anne Brown
Programs: Penny Scroggins
Public Relations: Carol Biggs
Record Keeping & Volunteer
Hours: Sharon Johnson &
John LaRoche
Intern Records: Ida Luckey
Scholarship:
Judy Fleming, Chair
Speakers Bureau: Kathy Lewis
Technology: Cindy Anderson
Volunteer Coordination:
Kathleen Russell & Kathy Zeliff
Website & Newsletter
Webmaster - Carol Brinkman
Web Assistants - Anne Moss
& Julie Bartosh
Newsletter Editor – Eleanor Baldwin
Assistant Editors - Betty West &
Kathie Marlow
Columnists - Christine Millar,
Marilyn Pease, Barbara Elmore &
Judy Fleming
Environmental Reporter -
Bernadell Larson
Submissions to baldwin@ktc.com
Of Leaf & Limb Page 10
Lee Fry and Anne Brown pulled the dead
smoke tree from the front garden at the
extension office by using a chain hooked
to Anne's truck. It came out lickety-split.
Photo by Marilyn Pease