By Kathleen Phillips

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

With the first major cold snap hitting the northern half of the state this past week, people can take action to protect surviving plants from total loss, horticulturists with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service said.

The first step is to understand how cold temperatures impact different plants and then take steps to alter those conditions, according to Monte Nesbitt of College Station and Robert "Skip" Richter of Houston, both AgriLife Extension horticulturists.

Nesbitt and Richter are co-authors of "Protecting Landscapes and Horticultural Crops from Frosts and Freezes," which has detailed instructions and is downloadable for free at www.agrilifebookstore.org/.

In addition to seeking local weather reports, one needs to understand the difference between frosts and freezes, they said, as well as how topography, urban microclimates and bodies of water can impact a plant's ability to withstand temperature variations.

"Plants can get used to freezing weather if they are exposed to it consistently and gradually," Nesbitt explained. "But in Texas, intermittent warm periods can make it hard for plants to adjust and therefore be more vulnerable to frost or freeze damage."

A sudden, steep plunge in temperatures such as the forecasters are calling for this week could bring about a freeze that includes winds, cold air masses, clouds and precipitation over a period of days as it moves across the state, the horticulturists said.

"For plants, that means damage from the low temperatures as well as from the wind from the stalk to the top," Richter said. "When the water inside plant cells freezes, ice crystals form that can pierce and damage the cell walls, killing the cells. As temperatures rise, fluids leak out of those cells, and they begin to decay."

A frost, by contrast, happens when the sky is clear and there isn't much wind, he said. The amount of radiation given to the plant by the sun is lost gradually during the night to the freezing point just before sunrise. Frosts can be severely damaging as well, but normally only at the top or most exposed part of the plant, he said.

Understanding what is likely for a particular area where plants are growing can help determine the type of protection offered, the horticulturists said.

Frosts are easier to protect plants from, Nesbitt said. Plants growing under tree canopies will be impacted less than those more exposed. Likewise, plants in pots can be placed under the overhang of a house for some protection. Where possible, the best protection would be from opaque covers such as sheets, blankets, cardboard boxes or trash cans, but wait until early evening so the plant can absorb as much sun radiation as possible.

"The idea is to slow the cooling of the plant," Nesbitt said.

Freezes are not easily deflected by the methods used for a frost, Richter said.

While a cover by itself would not be adequate during a freeze, adding a heat source such as a string of outdoor lights can help, because it adds heat, he said. Plants in containers are more likely to be harmed than those in the ground because they lack the insulation that the Earth provides.

"Move container plants inside the home or garage," Richter said. "If they can't be moved indoors, put them on a more protected side of the house. Then water them well and pile on mulch, leaves or hay and cover with a frost blanket."

Plants that are permanently set in the landscape can receive some protection from semi-permanent structures such as polyethylene film-covered structures (hoop houses, for example), windbreaks, and mounds of soil or mulch heaped around the lower trunk, the horticulturists said.

Nesbitt said the process of protecting plants usually needs to be repeated throughout the winter months since Texas weather cycles between warm and cold for months.

He said to wait to prune frost- or freeze-damaged plants until the spring, because the dead foliage can provide a protective layer during the next cold spell and because pruning could prompt new, tender growth.

By Bobbi A. Chukran

Freelance Writer

I was out in the garden, minding my own business, harvesting the last of the summer tomatoes, when ZAP! Something bit me on my middle finger. I screamed like a girl, and immediately thought of scorpions or spiders - or horrors, a rattlesnake! I looked down at the tomato bush, and there was the most ferocious, most puffed up, most BAD looking dude I had ever seen.

It was a praying mantis, quite a large one, and he was mad. I was stunned, because I had read over and over that mantises don't bite. I remembered back to when I was a kid, my mother would warn us not to touch any praying mantises that we saw. According to her, they were poisonous, and would basically eat us up in one bite. For years, I was afraid of the little buggers, until I started reading about beneficial insects. I decided that I'd leave them be to do what mantids do. Over the last month or so, I've seen dozens of the creatures in my garden, but I never dreamed that I would ever be attacked by one!

Being the researcher type I am (and just plain nosy), I came in, got a little sympathy from the Husband, washed my hands, and did a search on the 'net for praying mantis bites. I have to look up everything, being a curious sort. Turns out, some bug expert at Ohio State University says that they do not bite humans. But, get this, they do frequently "pinch hard."

Pinch hard? Good grief. My finger was throbbing, and all because a bug pinched me? I got out the magnifying glass and looked at my finger. There were no puncture wounds, and no blood. I did further reading, and sure enough, they do often draw blood, but their bite isn't harmful to humans. Well, that was good to know.

Their bites, however, are harmful to other insects, and this is what fascinates me about the little critters. They don't eat any vegetation, and they don't just pinch other insects. I can see this now... "Take that, you mosquito! I'll pinch you until you scream!" Oh no, with insects, they are much more ferocious, and this is what makes them beneficial in the garden. They are the fastest insect, apparently, and can zap a cricket from the air faster than that little guy can say his last prayers. Speaking of prayers, praying mantids are called that because of the way they fold their front legs into a prayer-like pose. So they grab the poor cricket with those sharp spiny legs, then immediately the mantis goes munching, eating the insect alive, and sometimes going for the head first. I didn't say that they were friendly insects - I said they were beneficial!

Mantids, apparently, are the only insects that can swivel their head all whicha-ways and look at you upside down. I suppose this is handy for catching flies and such, which they eat with relish (no, not pickle relish). They also eat mosquitoes, which I was very glad to hear, and almost all other insects, including themselves (ack) except ants. DRAT! Oh well, no beneficial is perfect, I guess.

Apparently, the mantids are so hungry that they will also attack almost anything that moves. They will even stalk small birds, such as hummingbirds, lizards and mice. Amazingly enough, they also groom themselves regularly, somewhat like a cat does. I've actually seen this for myself. They seem to lick those spiny front legs, then wipe them across their faces, twisting their heads this way and that. I suppose they have to keep those peepers clean in order to see their prey.

Mantids in the garden only live for a single season, and usually hatch out in the spring from egg cases that were formed in the fall. Like many other aspects of the mantids, their life cycle is also fascinating.

When a female mantid reaches the adult stage, she releases an odor that attracts a male mantis. The female is larger than the male because she is full of eggs. The male approaches the female (cautiously, I'd imagine), and climbs on her back. If he's lucky, he does his business and then escapes without having his head bitten off (literally).

The sperm deposited by the male is stored inside the female. She now proceeds to build the egg cases, the small rectangular brown crusty things that you'll sometimes see in the garden. She hangs upside down from a branch, and secretes sticky goo from her abdomen, which she whips into a froth with a pair of special appendages. This froth forms a cocoon with several chambers in it. She lays the eggs (sometimes as many as 300) in this cocoon, and fertilizes them with the stored sperm, a process that takes from three to five hours. The cocoon eventually hardens, and the female goes on to build more cocoons - between three to six. The mantises continue to mate and build cocoons until the winter frost kills them.

The eggs, protected in their cases, survive the winter to hatch the next spring, once it becomes warm.

And then they will station themselves in the garden, guarding the tomatoes, and will pinch you hard until you scream if you get your hand too close to one.

I saw a very large one today stationed behind the hummingbird feeder, acting quite nonchalant. In the past, I would have left him there, but now I know what he's up to! I found a stick - a VERY long stick - and poked at him until he moved far away from the feeder. Last thing I want to do is see one of my hummers being pinched to death by a praying mantis!

Although I've seen mantises since I was a young child, it took getting pinched by one to really notice them, and to discover what amazing creatures they are. But my finger still hurts!

The Compost Heap 

Gardening tips 

"Wish you had used your Nov. gardening tips to talk a bit about sustainable gardening - for example, no fertilizer on lawns and why," writes Dallas Baxter. "Why not advise people to mulch in the leaves on their lawns periodically during their fall. Then there's no reason to admonish about heavy accumulations of leaves. I notice that all the great plants for winter interest are non-native. All. Why not take the opportunity to champion some of the excellent native grasses that are beautiful all year and especially in winter, or yaupon and other natives with winter interest.

"For best use of water, sustenance for wildlife and a sense of place, natives are the way to go. And sustainability has to be taught. If not on Texas Gardener's Seeds, where?"

Good suggestion, Dallas, and you can see from this week's gardening tips, we listen to our readers. 

San Antonio: At the November 20 Bexar County Master Gardeners (BCMG) Meeting, learn all about Heritage, Heirloom and Pass-along Plants with Jamie Daily. 1.5 CEUs for Master Gardeners. There will be a plant exchange, so bring plants and seeds to share. Meeting is free and open to the public at Colonies House Meeting Room, 3511 Colony Dr., San Antonio. Social at 6 p.m., followed by presentation and meeting. For additional information, call 210-467-6575.

Seguin: The Guadalupe Master Gardeners will meet on Thursday, November 20, at the Justice Center on 211 Court Street in Seguin. Dr. Kelly Lyons, assistant professor of biology at Trinity University, will be the guest speaker. Her research was on and she will be talking about native species plants, invasive plants and their impact on ecosystems. As new additions to ecosystems, many of these species become invasive, dramatically altering natural and managed ecosystems and homogenizing communities. Recently she was awarded a USDA grant to study links between invasive weeds and diverse native grasslands. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. after a social function starting at 6:30. For further information, visit www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org or call 830-303-3889.  

Round Rock: The Round Rock Public Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock, presents "Seed Starting for Those with a Brown Thumb," from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 4. Many people are intimidated by the thought of having to start their own seeds for the garden or the landscape. Learn why starting your own seeds is easier, less costly and provides you with a wider choice of plants. The program will be conducted by Jeff Ferris, a gardener in Austin for more than 25 years, staff horticulturist and diagnostician at The Natural Gardener, certified Permaculturist, and instructor in the ACC Landscape and Horticulture program since 2008. Through Neighborhood Harvest Project, he co-founded the first public community garden in Round Rock - Unity Park Community Garden. Jeff is a frequent guest and occasional host of "John Dromgoole's Gardening Naturally" program on KLBJ radio, the longest running organic gardening show in the country. For more information, please contact Julie Chapa, 512-218-7014.  

Bryan: Future use of water and its impact on agriculture will be the focus of the 2014 Texas Plant Protection Association conference scheduled Dec. 10-11 at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. Dr. Travis Miller, interim director for state operations with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, will be one of the featured speakers during the opening general session Dec. 10. Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas state climatologist, and Carlos Rubinstein, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, will also be general session featured speakers. Nielsen-Gammon will discuss climate variability and Rubinstein will give a Texas water outlook. Other presentations during the general session will focus on water conservation, comparative irrigation methods, agricultural innovations from industry in dealing with climate change, and a Texas farmer's perspective on dealing with water management. Afternoon sessions on Dec. 10 will include a look at the Texas drought's impact on wildlife, unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture, and decision and precision applications of nitrogen. The second day of the conference will feature sessions on grain, cotton, horticulture/turf, and pasture and rangeland. A student poster contest will be held as well as an awards luncheon. For registration information, visit http://bit.ly/ZwpjOD.

Houston: Monday, December 15, is Open Garden Day, with Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2. 8:30-11 am, Genoa Friendship Garden,1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd., Houston.  Master Gardeners will be available to answer gardening questions. Free. Children welcome. Details: https://hcmga.tamu.edu. 

Humble: Succulentarriums will be presented Wednesday, December 10, noon-2 p.m.

at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble.

Learn how to combine remarkable succulents, moss, and cacti with recycled glassware to create fun and fanciful display items for your home or office. These unique items also make great holiday gifts! For additional information or to make reservations, call Mercer Botanic Gardens at 281-443-8731.

Pearland: Ed Barrios will present "Gardening & Insects" at 7 p.m., Thursday, December 11 at Busy Bee Café, 4009 W. Broadway, Pearland. Free. Brazoria County Master Gardeners. For more details, call John at 713-818-8806.

• Many, many practical and timely garden tips that are for Texas - not Maine or California!
• Organic, earth friendly tips to make your garden grow and prosper
• Lots of space to record your own activities for future reference
• Planting dates and tips for vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit and lawns

The Vegetable Book

By Dr. Sam Cotner

Finally, back by popular demand and in its fourth printing, the most informative and comprehensive "how-to" book on vegetable gardening in Texas (also, suitable for most other areas of the South) written by the late, great Dr. Sam Cotner, former head of horticulture at Texas A&M University and lifelong gardener. This interesting read has over 370 pages of detailed information on every crop, from Asparagus to Watermelon including problem/solving sections for each vegetable. If you want to maximize your enjoyment and success growing vegetables in Texas, this book is a "must have," whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gardener. Price $34.02

By William D. Adams

The best thing for tomato enthusiasts since the tomato itself! Adams draws on more than thirty years of experience to provide a complete, step-by-step guide to success in the tomato patch. Learn everything from soil preparation, planting, feeding, caging and watering. Liberally sprinkled with the author's easy humor and illustrated with his own excellent photographs, this must-have book has everything you'll need to assure a bumper crop! 189 pages. Lots of color photographs! Price: $31.94

($15.82 if ordered separately)

Remit payment to:

TG Books * PO Box 9005 * Waco, TX 76714

or call Toll-Free 1-800-727-9020

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