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Fall is a great time to plant, move, or, perhaps in my case, replant landscape plants.
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While most of us are just excited to get some rain and see cooler weather, there is a tried-and-true group of folks that also think about planting vegetables in a fall garden.
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Some of the most frequent questions I get are in regard to farm ponds. Folks in west Texas call them “tanks” or “stock tanks”. And I have it on good order from my co-workers in northeast Texas that their chosen name for ponds is “pools”. Regardless of their name, ponds are used for watering livestock, aesthetics, or just plain fishing.
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At this writing, the weather forecasts that I reference show no real chance of rain in our part of the world. Hay buying to fill the shortfall has begun in earnest.
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Hay buying to fill the shortfall from dry weather has begun in earnest.
Local producers to the county I serve tell me they have only had one good hay harvest. As we eagerly await rain, the hope for a second hay harvest is concerning.
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In the span of a week, I had the opportunity to visit two properties, two completely different pastures, with two very different owners who wanted the same outcome. Both wanted to increase their stocking rate for cattle.
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It is sometimes easy to tell which pest is breaking out around the county by the sheer number of phone calls that I get. This week it is the walnut caterpillar that is being found all over our beloved pecan trees.
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To see a couple family operations that have grown over the years to be a very large and successful operation was quite a pleasure.
Since our temperatures continue to look unruly, let’s talk about water stress and how it affects plants.
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By using well adapted plants and our own design choices, our landscapes can not only survive but also flourish amidst the blistering sun.
Soil solarization is a simple, safe, and effective control of plant parasitic nematodes, soil borne plant pathogens, and some weed pests.
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A couple of recent questions that I haven’t heard in some time is “how do I grow sweet potatoes in my garden?” and “where do I buy sweet potato slips?”
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Good pond management includes controlling excess vegetation, harvesting fish in appropriate numbers and sizes, and keeping ponds stocked at recommended rates.
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Muddy water is often a problem in Texas farm ponds because it inhibits the growth of natural fish food and is simply not aesthetically pleasing.
Herbicides approved for aquatic weeds, when applied according to the label, are an effective, safe, and environmentally responsible method of eliminating excess vegetation.
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The best deterrent for weeds is a healthy, well managed lawns which are watered and fertilized correctly.
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The Angelina County Extension office in Lufkin will feature Jay White, owner and publisher of the Texas Gardener magazine, Tuesday evening, May 16 to tackle the subject of organic pest control.
Gardens have progressed slowly with cool nighttime temperatures.
We all know the June bug as the brown beetle that fly around in any outdoor light the evening and cling to the window screens outside a lighted room. While they don’t bite or sting, they can cause damage to your landscape.
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Summer grasses in our pastures and hay meadows suffered a good bit from last year’s drought.
Nitrogen is a major nutrient of all plant life and of all the elements required for plants to grow, nitrogen is given the most credit for making plants green and vegetative. Without nitrogen, plants will appear yellow and will produce less.
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Fire ants are native to South America. They entered the U.S. through Mobile, Alabama, probably in soil used for ships’ ballasts, but all most folks really want to know about fire ants is how to get rid of them.
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This year will be Zane’s second year competing with rabbits at the fair.
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Makenzie Thigpen wants to follow in her mother's footsteps by showing a pig at the county fair.
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Riley will be exhibiting his last steer in the Angelina County Fair as he gets ready to graduate at the end of this school year. He says his interest in participating in the fair developed as he grew up watching his older brothers in 4-H and in the county fair
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Participants will be paired up with a 4-H or FFA buddy to exhibit livestock and learn that they can succeed in the show arena as well.
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Kolby along with younger brother Lane excitedly picked up their broilers Feb. 10 at the Angelina County Extension office. Kolby’s mother, Maegan says she hopes their project for the county fair will help her children to learn good work ethic.
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While those attending from the public may see a county fair as a throwback to more agrarian days, there is a keen driving force for every county fair I’ve known about: the development of the youth involved. There are three key areas that participation in livestock shows has shown to be important: life skills, development of character, and family relationships.
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So many gardeners that I visit with are not only tired of the wet weather and wet soil but are getting anxious that the wet ground is keeping them from getting their spring gardens into shape.
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Old gardeners know all about saving seeds. As newer gardeners develop their gardens and learn more about which vegetable varieties they prefer while reducing input costs, “seed saving” often becomes a part of their gardening plan.
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Angelina County Extension Agent Cary Sims has some tips for East Texans who want to plant potatoes this season.
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Gardeners have truly appreciated the recent rain and are watching the weather and the calendar for opportunities to get to work outside. Be it your yard, landscape or vegetable garden, many of us can’t wait for the sun to shine so we can start digging, prepping the garden, and planting!
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The Angelina County Extension Office will host a free evening seminar, Building Your Soil’s Health, on Jan. 17. Attendees will learn how soil health affects the productivity of garden, pastures, hay meadows and landscape.
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When I think of a potted plant for the Christmas holidays, I first think of the poinsettia. We’ll buy one, then let it die and buy another one next year. But, another potted plant that folks don’t let perish is the Christmas cactus, known scientifically as Schlumbergera.
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I always take note of the livestock present at manger scenes. In my role as a county agent, I get the chance to assist all manner of agricultural producers, both farmers and ranchers. And, perhaps working with livestock as a part of my job is why I take such a keen interest in what animals are there.
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Ready or not, Christmas is just days away. Among the many trappings we associate with Christmas such as gifts, traveling, ugly sweaters and more, we also bring into the house a variety of plants.
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The recent warm spell has resulted in questions about lawn management much later than normal. When should a homeowner last fertilize, what about disease control, and when do you quit watering your lawn?
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Lady beetles are insects that are absolutely beneficial. They are not invading your home to cause problems, only to stay warm.
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There is always a favorite variety of fruit or other food I love that proves difficult to grow. Snow peas are one such vegetable for me: difficult yet highly desired.
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Frost effectively ends the growing season for several warm season annuals and puts many perennials into their winter slumber.
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The honeydew that I’m getting calls about is the excrement of aphids and other plant sucking insects in your landscape.
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Local ranchers should work closely with a veterinarian to help prevent this disease.
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While lawn disease issues can happen anytime during the growing season, I hear about them mostly in the fall.
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Cary Sims has advice to offer in the wake of the abundance of rain lately.
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With recent rainfall seeming to bring fire ants back to the surface of the soil, questions have come up about how to deal with them.
With the worst of this summer hopefully behind us, and sputtering’s of rain starting back into our local area, could the last of this drought be behind us? And what does that mean for cattlemen and hay producers?
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As we continue in this dry season that has only seen brief respite from a few showers, lets take a good look into watering basics.
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There are a few ways that pond owners could experience a major fish die-off during these hot, dry summer months.
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Looking forward with anticipation, or perhaps dread, at winter feeding and stocking rates, it is important that we that one strongly evaluates the anticipated hay needs and purchases.
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