Where, Oh Where is Dear Little Susie? (Answer: She’s Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch)
Where, Oh Where is Dear Little Susie? (Answer: She’s Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch)
Four years ago (Spring 2020) two small Paw Paw trees were planted in the Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills Edible Landscape. As advised by the grower in Florida, we ordered two different varieties to ensure cross-pollination and fruit set; Collins Select and Eastern Seedling. At planting time, they were about 18” tall. Now, four years later our little trees are continuing to grow and have reached over 5 feet in height.
Paw Paw Tree ‘Collins Select’ Spring 2024‘Eastern Seedling’ September 2024
However, what we have yet to experience are those vibrant, maroon-colored spring blossoms.
Patience, according to the growth characteristics of paw paws, will need to be exercised for a few more years. In other words, if we consider the projected time frame for fruit production, a range of five to eight years is to be expected. Waiting will be a challenge but, hopefully, we’ve done all the right things to get our trees started on their journey to a delicious tropical harvest.
Hoping for a pleasant surprise in Spring 2025!
Paw paw Asimina triloba, is a species in the plant family Annonaceae, which is the largest family of the magnolia order and includes many tropical plants. They are the largest edible fruit trees native to the eastern United States.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
For a fascinating article about paw paw trees, their characteristics and history, follow this link.
If the key to life is simply living it.. The key to understanding may be simply realizing that wisdom is all around even in unlikely places. Our job is to realize wisdom when we find it—and then apply it .
For an example let’s think about these simple lines:
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD EM
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO RUN
Few words but the ideas are wise and useful. No where more so than in the garden at this time of the year. We start with the first of course. And actually this idea was most important a little earlier in the year.
How was it so useful? well the yellow cosmos are a great example. All summer they grew and grew. No flowers at all. Some falling over due to the weight of stems and leaves. A passerby was heard to say ” I don’t know about those green leafy things they sure are big” Were they a terrible mistake? Are they ever going to bloom? Are they going to all fall over? Temptation grew to pull them all out. And then all at once they bust into huge numbers of lovely cheerful flowers. Butterflies and bees are just loving them. They even look great as cut flowers.
Yes!!! holding was the best choice for sure.
The big green leafy things that were bare all summer are blooming at last and they are amazing. Cosmos!
Aji dulce peppers –no peppers for months. All they were doing was taking up space and causing thoughts of “what on earth went wrong?” They were biding their time. Summer just didn’t suit. Just a small improvement in the weather–and blooms followed by lots and lots of little peppers. It was a temptation to give up–but it would have been a shame.
The Peppers finally realizing they have a job to do.
Marigolds–they also seemed to find the past few months not to their liking–the remaining tomatoes are happy maybe because the marigolds are happy.
The Marigolds were to keep the tomatoes company all summer. They are doing it now.
Turk’s cap–honestly it seemed to be asking to be cut to the ground–very few blooms and yet requiring constant pruning to keep it withing reasonable bounds–but–again a reward for avoiding extreme measures–countless flowers–and happy creatures.
Turk’s cap-all summer, some flowers but now covered in flowers.
Of course the facts are–that all doesn’t go as hoped.
The most obvious are annuals that have tried really hard but have now reached the end of the line. It is hard to do this when they aren’t quite done but face it–sad straggliy plants just distract from everything around them. Let them go its ok.
It’s time for an old friend to go. Sad but true.
Same with vegetable plants. These plants work hard some can make it on into fall. But some just can’t. It is really best to get rid of them they can attract pests and diseases that are just doing what they do to eliminate the weak–but best to beat them to it.
This tomato in my garden just isn’t going to recover.
The really hard part of the fold ’em is facing that some of your efforts really were in vain. For some reason plants die. Sure try to figure out why. Was it lack of water–a common issue. Maybe over crowding? But sometimes its unknown. Pull them out anyway no use spending resources–including your time and energy on plants that just are not making it.
Perennial doesn’t mean live forever!
Those first two are pretty clear–but what about KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY?
Actually its an important one. This is the time of the year when plants have pretty well done what they are going to do. It can be so valuable to step back and away and look at the big picture. Could you do anything different ? Is it just that much too much? Or not quite enough? Walk away and take a good look and make some mental notes for next year.
Is it maybe just a little too much? Take a step back and look.
Can’t forget YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO RUN. No it won’t be a big problem don’t worry. But do keep in mind that wasps and yellow jackets are very active at this time of the year. Of course they are part of nature and normally not an issue–but do look around they like to build nests in protected places–who doesn’t of course–but sadly when its right above the back door for example you may have to do what you would rather not. But be careful at times their temper can be kindly said to be “Uncertain” And i hope you don’t have to run–but—-.
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD EM
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAAY
YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO RUN.
Susan Thronbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Fall is a good time to plant Hardy Hibiscus and Hydrangeas for spring and summer blooms.
Blissfully soaking rains in April ushered in the arrival of extraordinary May flowers. How refreshing to see these three stalwarts of the garden bursting with blossoms as they made their dramatic appearance in the landscape. New growth started to emerge on these three beauties sometime around early April. Continuing into May, they filled out with tender green leaves, buds and blossoms.
June’s gift to us was an explosion of color. The temptation to selectively snip and arrange them for indoor enjoyment was overwhelming. Restraint was needed but rather difficult to achieve.
Hibiscuses (Malvaceae)are in the Mallow family and, interestingly, also include such plants as okra, cotton and the old-fashioned hollyhock. My preference for dependable seasonal color is the tropical variety, which is considered an annual in our Zone 8 climate. Late winter is when I start planning the layout and design of my seasonal garden beds. Hibiscus is ALWAYS included. Who wouldn’t appreciate a flowering, seasonal plant that can go into the ground during the month of April and continue blooming until the first freeze? Another benefit: it’s the type of plant that manages itself well. During the growing season when glossy green leaves begin to turn yellow and die, they politely fall to ground. Blossoms that open for a few days, do likewise. They really are gardener friendly plants!
This year I’ve included tropical hibiscus in different shades of pink mixed in with existing limelight hydrangeas. They receive about 6 hours of morning to mid-day sun. And for a bit of whimsy, two hibiscus topiaries were added in areas that benefited from slightly more height. One is my favorite; it was placed behind my sunflower girl statue and features dreamy double yellow blossoms. The other is a sassy 4 foot tall, braided hibiscus topiary tree nestled in a corner bed. The multi-colored blossoms are a standout against our bronze colored fence.
Starting in late June our three hardy hibiscus plants began their seasonal show with those bodacious salad plate size flowers. These herbaceous perennials die to the ground in winter then around mid-April new growth signals their return to the garden.
King Henry VIII Pink Hollyhocks with Honeybees Foraging for NectarPlanted 2023 in a location with morning sun and mid-afternoon shade‘Fiesta Time’ was added to my garden in May. Its fringed flowers are stunning
At Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills, Master Gardener Susan Thornbury started seeds of a variety respectfully referred to as ‘Outhouse’. In days past, this treasured garden beauty was supposedly used as the perfect blocking for an unsightly outhouse while helping to mask the smell. Take a closer look at the multi-colored single blooms of white, pink, red and burgundy and you’ll see why it provided a pretty visual barrier.
Hydrangeas: When we moved into our home in May of 2006, oak leaf hydrangeas were already growing in a mostly shaded area of the garden. A few years later, they had overgrown the space and needed to be moved. A successful relocation to an area with filtered sun in the morning gave them more room to stretch their branches.
Since then, we’ve introduced a variety of hydrangeas to our garden beds:
*Big Leaf Hydrangea – Hydrangea macrophylla (Also, known as ‘mopheads’, these are the most common type of hydrangeas grown in home gardens and landscapes. Bloom time is usually late April through July. They are deciduous shrubs with large pom-pom heads of pink, purple or blue flowers. The flowers are greenish-white when young, picking up subtle shades of pink and brown as they age.
*Oakleaf Hydrangea – (Hydrangea quercifolia) Commonly referred to by its translation oak-leaved or oakleaf hydrangea, this variety offers year-round beauty with seasons of blooms, foliage and peeling bark. Blooms in spring and early summer. These beautiful plants were already growing when we moved to our home in 2006. Since then, I have searched for the compact, well-rounded deciduous hydrangea shrub known as ‘Ruby Slippers’. Finally, in mid-June, our local garden center received a shipment. I was first in line to purchase 3 plants. It was a special Father’s Day gift for my husband whose late mother was Rubye. He was thrilled! Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on last year’s growth, so prune minimally after they bloom – not in early spring when new flower buds appear.
(This incredibly spectacular display of oakleaf hydrangeas is in the yard directly behind our house. It is the first thing that catches my eye when turning to leave our driveway. The photo on the left was taken in April when the plants were filled with those enormous white blossoms. Early to mid-summer they transitioned to lovely shades of deep pinkish/red. While the specific variety is unknown, something suggests to me that they could possibly be “Ruby Slippers’.)
*Panicle Hydrangea – (Hydrangea paniculata) This is one of the most cold hardy and heat tolerant of all species of hydrangea, thriving in Zones 3 through 9. Reaching 8’ + at maturity, there are now several dwarf varieties that stay under 5’ tall. For the strongest stems and the most abundant flowers, locate them in an area that receives 6+ hours of bright, direct morning sun then shaded during the hottest part of the day. We added ‘Limelight’ to our garden in 2022 and it has been a joy to watch them grow. Their huge, luxuriant conical flowers are mesmerizing. Bountiful blooms appearing in late May gradually turn from lime-green to creamy white in late summer followed by a rich deep pink which fades to beige as fall arrives.
*Of note, these hydrangeas are a recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society and the Gold Medal Award of The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Note: All photos were taken in the April – July time frame. The 100+ degree temperatures of the summer have left some plants struggling to endure the extreme heat. However, just as happened last year, the hardy hibiscuses, hollyhocks and hydrangeas will return next spring. The tropical hibiscus plants are going to be replaced with a new color palette in April of 2025.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Raincatcher’s Pansy and Plant Sale 2024 Raincatcher’s Garden of Midway Hills is offering fall annuals for your fall and winter landscape color. Pansies and violas are $21/flat of 18 4″ pots, which includes tax. The sale begins at 6 AM on Wednesday, 10/16, and ends on Sunday, 10/27, at midnight. Flats will be delivered to the garden on Thursday, 11/7, and will be available to be picked up from 10 AM until 2 PM or by appointment.
Summer’s official calendar date began on Sunday, June 21, 2024. The high that day was 95 degrees F. It was only the beginning of a miserably hot, humid summer. But now, exactly three months later, we have been rescued from the blast of heat that seemed to overstay its welcome. Once again, according to the calendar date of September 22, 2024, we have almost made it to the end of summer and will finally have some relief.
For all the bloomers and plant warriors that never gave up the fight, we celebrate you for gifting us with those bold and long lasting splashes of summer color. Our gardens were decorated with your presence. Throughout the months of June, July, August and September, early morning trips to the garden gave us a plentiful supply of dainty blossoms and gorgeous flowers, amazing vegetables and tasty culinary herbs.
Freshly harvested and carefully snipped, you filled our vases with stunning natural beauty. Charcuterie boards and chilled summer soups garnished with tiny treasures from the garden created an irresistible “feast for the eyes”. Your perseverance was remarkable. Thank you for giving us a summer filled with stunning landscapes, spectacular flowers, and fresh, flavorful edibles. Most of all we our honored that you leave us with the everlasting promise of returning next year!
*All photos in the attached video were taken from June 21, 2024, through September 18, 2024.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
The Dallas County Master Gardener Association Japanese Maple Sale opens October 9 Once again, we are offering a large selection of Japanese Maples from Metro Maples for purchase with all proceeds going to DCMGA. These are very small young trees that will do well in a container until you find a place for them in your garden; in fact, many of them would be perfectly happy in containers for several years, although you can certainly plant them directly in the ground. If your interests lean toward the unusual and rare, we have several varieties that qualify including the dwarf Kotohime, Beni hagoromo, Chiri hime, Nuresagi and Ogon Sarasa. Get online early to make your selections. The SignUpGenius website for ordering and purchasing maples will go live October 9 at 8 a.m. At that time, you can order and pay for your selection(s).
One-gallon trees are $35.00 (including tax) Two-gallon trees are $46.00 (including tax)
The SignUpGenius will close at 5 p.m. on October 16, or earlier if all trees are sold. This fall we have 20% more trees for sale, but don’t procrastinate because our inventory of trees has sold out within hours in the past. Please bring your confirmation to the pickup on Saturday, October 26 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 3015 Randy Ln., Farmers Branch (note: this is a new pick-up location.)
Panoramtic View of the Courtyard, Raincatcher’s Garden
Our garden has survived and even thrived this summer. The Raincatcher’s Garden was built using the 7 principles of Water Wise Landscaping:
Planning and design
Appropriate plant selection
Practical turf areas
Soil improvement
Efficient irrigation
Use of mulches
Appropriate maintenance
With fall temperatures giving us a respite, maybe you are looking for plants and practices that will endure our hot Texas summers. Take a look below at what worked for us and as always we would love to have you come for a vsit.
Rainctcher’s Prolific Vegetable GardenDesert Willow with attached polinatorFlame Acanthus for the HummingbirdsOkraTexas Sage, Leucophyllum frutescens, also known as the barometer bush-it blooms in periods of high humidity or rainGarden made Compost for Sale!A Crinum in bloom!Gardeners behind EsperanzaMexican Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrimaPentasA View of the Edible LandscapeZipper Spider-we think!Raincathcher’s Rain Garden with Rain Cisterns in BackgroundEvergreen Wisteria-we have a blog about this plant
Ann Lamb, pictures by Starla Willis- class of 2005 and 2008
Master Gardeners are really gracious about sharing plants! Have you ever, at some point in your garden journey, heard about a particular plant but couldn’t seem to find it? Or have you visited a friend’s garden and then dreamed about creating a similar look? Consider this, your greatest resource might be a master gardener!
At the Raincatcher’s Garden plant sale this past May, I just happened to mention something about a certain plant that would be a nice addition to my garden. Finding it had been problematic. Fortunately, another master gardener overheard my comments and spoke up. Master Gardener Linda Seidel smiled and told me that she had an abundance of it in her garden. And, at that very moment, she offered to make a quick trip to her house, dig some up and bring it back to me.
These are the three plants Linda Seidel shared with me that day
You may be wondering, why all the fuss about a plant? Well, it was the plant’s name that first piqued my interest a few years ago. If your last name was Alexander, wouldn’t you want the wildflower Golden Alexander growing in your garden, as well? Even the description sounds enticing – “a tough native that lights up the spring garden with its bright yellow flowers that attract pollinators.”
They were planted in an area of my garden that receives morning to mid-day sun and afternoon dappled shade. And then, a few months later, something unfortunate happened. Our weekly yard crew had a new person working with them. His job was to help with pulling weeds. And, as you’ve probably guessed by now, he unknowingly pulled up all three of my carefully managed Golden Alexander plants. The crew was already on their way to the next job before I even noticed.
Disappointed and somewhat embarrassed by the mistake, I sent a text to Linda explaining the situation. She assured me that it would be no problem to replace them. I was so relieved at her response and can happily say that I am now the proud owner of three new plants. As you can see from the photo, they have been planted, labeled and identified. Yard guys, beware, these plants are not to be removed!
Here is one of the three plants in the ground, labeled and temporarily protected!
Golden Alexander is an herbaceous, short-lived perennial in the carrot family. It has a yellow flat top cluster flower, similar to the lacy, umbrella-shaped flowers on dill, wild parsnip and Queen Anne’s Lace. The flowers are attractive to a variety of butterflies, native bees, bumble bees and honeybees. It serves as the primary larval host for the Black Swallowtail Butterfly.
General Information
Botanical Name – Zizia aurea
Common Name – Golden Alexanders
Family – Apiaceae
USDA Zone – 3 thru 8
Light Requirement – Full Sun to Part Shade
Height and Spread – 1.5-3ft x 1.5-2ft
Flower Color – Yellow
Soil Type – Loamy, clay
Bloom Time – April – June
Linda Seidel shares growing information below:
“Everyone needs a Golden Alexander,” a volunteer told me at a Native Plant Society of Texas plant sale. I’d never heard of the plant, but if everyone needs one, I’ll take one. I planted it near the top of my hillside pollinator garden where it would get morning sun and dappled shade of a crabapple tree in the afternoon. It does fine in my mostly clay soil which drains well on the hillside. It doesn’t seem to need fertilizer. It gets watered twice a week along with the rest of the garden. I would not say it is a drought tolerant plant, but even with our super-hot summer days the foliage has not burned since it is shaded in the afternoon. It provides a lovely dark green, soft textured background in the garden. Pollinators love the yellow flower clusters. Birds love the seeds. And speaking of seeds, Golden Alexander spreads its seeds prolifically. If you don’t want lots of little Golden Alexanders next spring, spend some time deadheading, before the seed heads have a chance to pop open. I now know why the plant sale volunteer told me I only needed one Golden Alexander!
Next May at the 2025 Raincatcher’s Garden Plant Sale, we plan to have Golden Alexander plants potted and ready for purchase. Come take a look!
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Honestly, I’ve had a change of heart. But it didn’t happen suddenly. I must admit that, until a few months ago, an unknown plant with the characteristics of a weed was taking over strategic areas of my garden and had to go. I began yanking and pulling it up with ‘wild abandon’. And then I paused for a moment, allowing my curiosity time to reconsider. Thankfully, the plant finder app on my iPhone came to the rescue. The answer appeared quickly and offered helpful information. What I assumed to be just another noxious weed, was instead an herbaceous plant in the dayflower family. You may know it as Widow’s Tears, White-mouth Dayflower or Asiatic Dayflower. It gets its name because the tiny one-inch blooms last for only one day.
After reading more about the dayflowers growing in my garden, I was then redirected to an exceptionally moving YouTube video made by a lady in Israel. It was so beautifully done that my heart began to melt while watching the history of dayflower unfold on my computer screen. Common dayflower sprawls along the ground like a vine, often rooting at the nodes. Flowers emerge from a boat like sheath, one at a time. They are composed of 3 petals: 2 larger mouse- eared shaped blue petals above and a small curling white petal tucked beneath. Bloom time is generally May-October. If you have an adventurous spirit and feel inclined to experience something new, the stems, flowers, leaves and seeds of dayflower are all edible. Remember to harvest the tiny blue flowers early in the morning when they are fully open. Use them as a garnish for cheese and for an added splash of color in salads. My choice for the first ‘taste’ was to place the flowers atop a bowl of yogurt and fresh peaches. A light dusting of cinnamon sugar was the perfect finale.
Interesting facts about Dayflower:
*As one of the few flowers with a true blue bloom, the dayflower symbolizes reliability, steadfastness and trustworthiness. *Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist, named the genus for three Dutch botanists, the Commelijn brothers. Linnaeus believed the unequal petals of the dayflower nicely represented the talents of the three brothers. *An exquisite Japanese woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai, from the Edo Period, about 1800-05, gives credit to a distinctive blue dye created from the petals of the dayflower. The blue-gray color at the top of the tallest wave was identified as dayflower blue. For a fascinating in-depth look into the world of blue flowers, go to Science Friday and read the article entitled “How The Humble Asiatic Dayflower Revealed Clues To Blue Hues”. (Written by Lauren J. Young,on September 9, 2021).
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
It may sound like the title of a new song, but this dazzler of an eggplant has started coming on strong in my summer garden. Over a half dozen online sources describe Summer Emerald as “living up to its reputation as one of the best-tasting eggplants–firm texture, few seeds, sweet and tasty flesh–perfect for broiling or grilling.” My one little transplant was purchased a few months ago at a local garden center. At the time, I really wasn’t familiar with this variety but was intrigued by the name. Isn’t that a good reason to try something new?
Eggplant ‘Summer Emerald’ growing in my raised bed
Once those petite little fruits (1” x 8”), with lime-green skin that is never bitter, started making their debut in my garden, I was impressed and ready to crank up the grill. A simple lengthwise cut down the center followed by a light brushing of olive oil was all the preparation needed. As suggested, It only took a few minutes for these dainty little eggplants to cook. We enjoyed our perfectly grilled eggplants alongside a light summer salad. Finally, I must confess that I had never tasted a lime green, grilled eggplant before, but it was so incredibly delicious that the grill will be fired up again for this one!
‘Summer Emerald’ Eggplant harvested from my garden
Left, ‘Summer Emerald’ eggplant cut down the center and ready to be prepped, Right, brushed with Texas Hill Country Blood Orange Olive Oil, Bottom Grilled in Stove Top Skillet
Perfectly grilled eggplant garnished with freshly clipped lemon thyme, a light dusting of cracked black pepper and a sprinkling of fine gray sea salt
Lemon Thyme in my raised bed
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
DALLAS GARDEN BUZZ 