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Greetings!
Last Sunday was our Citrus & Subtropical Fruit seminar, and in case you missed it, I'll answer the most common question about citrus right here. What can you do about that citrus leafminer? The short answer: refrain from overfeeding, prune once and only once a year, don't overuse broad-spectrum insecticides and treat if necessary with alternating doses of spinosad and neem. For all the gory details, see this article on our website.
 | | Leafminer Damage |
Spring's been a long time coming, but we do have hibiscus, caladium & bougainvillea in stock! Finally! We had such a warm winter but it's been a very cool spring, hasn't it? I hope that is a good sign for the summer to come.
 | | So pretty! |
Make plans to join us Saturday afternoon from 3:00pm to 7:00pm for the Papershell Art Fair! Most of our regular artists will be there and some new ones too. The Biermeister promises to get us a keg of interesting beer and we'll have hot dogs too. The weather forecast is great so we're staying open a little later to enjoy the cool spring breezes.
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"Where are your impatiens?"
Now that spring fever is hitting us gardeners hard, one question keeps popping up. "Where are your impatiens?" Turns out that one's a little harder to answer than you might expect.
 | | Missing in action |
The impatiens we grow in shady gardens, Impatiens walleriana, has recently become susceptible to a serious fungal disease called Impatiens Downy Mildew. This disease is not new, but has recently become far more virulent and has devasted impatiens production in Europe and the US. As far as we know, the disease only affects garden impatiens, including the double or rosebud types. It does NOT affect New Guinea impatiens or Sunpatiens. The disease has been found in Texas and last year there was an outbreak in the Houston area.
 | | Devastation |
Here in our warm, humid climate, we're used to dealing with fungal problems, but this one is different. Although growers have products that can control (not cure) the disease, there is no product available for home gardeners. Even if I could get the fungicide for you, it is extremely expensive, and you would have to undertake a program of preventative spraying. Moreover, the disease is spread by airborne spores. So you could buy completely clean plants, put them in your own garden, and find them wiped out by Impatiens Downy Mildew that blew in from miles away. The disease is uniformly fatal to impatiens.
There is always the chance that you won't get Impatiens Downy Mildew if you plant them in your garden, but the disease has spread rapidly and does not appear to be abating.
 | | Photo: Phillip Nicklay of Viola Nursery |
Because we cannot guarantee your satisfaction with impatiens, we've taken the unusual step of not carrying it at Papershell this year. I am happy to special order it for you, in quantities of a flat or more.
I know you may have more questions, so send them to me. To help you make your decisions about your shady garden, here is an Impatiens Downy Mildew fact sheet and here are more excellent photographs of the signs and symptoms of the disease. Looking for shady alternatives to our old standby? Here's an article I wrote about what you might consider planting instead of impatiens. |
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Meet the Tatume!
Do you love squash? Do you hate and fear the squash vine borer? That little pest lays eggs on squash stems, usually close to the ground. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into the stem. Everything looks fine for a while, but the plant eventually collapses and dies. There are several ways to combat the vine borer: cover your entire squash garden in floating row cover (which means you have to hand-pollinate) or treat almost nonstop with Bt or Sevin. Unless you plant a resistant variety! | | Young tatume have thin skins |
And that's where Tatume comes in. This Mexican member of the curcurbit family is sometimes called Calabacita and is unusual in that it can be picked as a summer or a winter squash. The narrow wiry vine is resistant to the vine borer and wonderfully prolific. You'll harvest many, many pounds of squash and if you choose, you can harvest the flowers for stuffing. Cook the young squash as you would a zucchini or yellow squash. Once they get larger with a harder rind, cook as you would a butternut or acorn squash.  | | Mature tatume have tough rinds |
Best of all, they are in stock now!
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Common Veggie Mistakes
There are so many things to remember when you're growing vegetables. Anything and everything could happen, but if you avoid making the most common mistakes, you can be successful most of the time. The most common reason ALL plants fail to perform is usually related to water (too much or not enough) but let's put that aside for now. What are the most common mistakes veggie gardeners make? Here's my own personal list.
 | | Start 'em early! |
Tomatoes - Waiting too late to plant them in the spring and fall. Tomatoes really have to be started before you're ready to garden so they can produce fruit while temperatures are optimal. If you wait until May, you'll never get tomatoes.
Peppers - Rushing to put them in too early. Peppers can be stunted by cold nights. There's no rush because most peppers will produce all summer long.
Beans - Not planting enough! It's so aggravating to go pick beans for dinner and only get 3-4. Plant 4-8 snap beans per person, in one or several varieties.
Summer Squash - Waiting too late to plant or planting susceptible varieties. It helps to get the squash producing before the vine borer begins laying eggs, assuming you're using traditional zucchini or yellow squash.
Cucumbers - Failing to provide some sort of support, trellis or cage. Sprawling cucumber vines can break or result in misshapen fruit. Plus the snails can get them on the ground.
Basil - Not pinching back enough. Try to keep your basil pinched back to 5 sets of true leaves. Usually it will not go to flower if it has fewer than 5 sets of leaves. This is not necessary for Thai basil.
Okra - Waiting too long to pick the pods. Ideally you should pick okra when it's between 2-3 inches long. That means you pick every day. I have found that the Red Burgundy Okra is still tender even when it is 6-7 inches long.
 | | Pick 'em small! |
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Please stop by and visit! Have a glass of world-famous lemonade (or a beer!) -- we'd love to meet you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barrow
Papershell: A Garden Gallery
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Papershell Art Fair!
Saturday, April 13
3:00-7:00pm
We're staying open a little later this evening for our at event! All our regular Papershell artists will be here, along with several new ones, featuring painting, photography, collage, glass, paper, clay and wood crafts. The Biermeister's cooking free hot dogs and promises to have a keg of something interesting. Stop by - it's always free to look!
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The Cook's Herb GardenSunday, April 14 2:00-3:30pm Master Gardener and herbalist Jeanie Dunnihoo leads this workshop focused on growing and using herbs in the kitchen. This class is $10 and includes a 15% coupon valid on garden center purchases. Space is limited - email us or call (281) 232-4485 to reserve your spot.
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Papermaking for AdultsSaturday, April 20 1:00-4:00pm Join paper artist Kathy Gurwell for this 3-hour hands-on class working with white cotton pulp. Participants will learn background of paper and paper making, become familiar with equipment and then pull sheets and envelopes themselves. We will be in water up to elbows, and stand around a vat, so wear comfortable shoes. We can add flowers from the garden, or other inclusions if desired. Participants take home paper and envelopes wet and let them dry for use. The paper is neutral (non acidic) and wonderful paper for art work, scrapbooks, stationery notes, or photo backing. This class is $40 and requires a minimum of four registrants to make. The class is also limited to 12, so please call (281) 232-4485 or email us to register.
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Hibiscus Show & Sale Sunday, April 29 1:00-4:00pm The Lone Star Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society is having a show and sale at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Sugar Land. The address is 702 Burney Road. There will be many hibiscus on sale, both exotic and traditional. I know you will enjoy this wonderful show! For more information about the Lone Star Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society, see their website.
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