Newsletter High on the Desert Cochise County Master Gardener

Vol. 24, No. 10 October 2013

The University of and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating

The Virtual Gardener—You Tube U for Gardeners A little over eight years ago three made by many different types of people. guys in San Francisco, frustrated with Some are enthusiastic amateur gardeners the difficulty of finding and sharing who simply want to share their garden- video files on the internet, came up with ing experiences. Others are made by a concept for a video-sharing service. academic or green industry profession- Within a few months they managed to als. And, of course, some are made by borrow enough seed money to bring hams who simply enjoy performing to a their concept to life as a business they world-wide audience. Choosing garden- called YouTube. It was an instant ing videos that contain trustworthy success, and a year later Google ac- content is like choosing any other web quired the company for $1.65 billion! content. Look first to the source. Videos YouTube allows users to upload short produced by universities, government Inside this issue: videos to the internet and make them agencies, and well-known businesses available for the world to view for free. generally provide authoritative infor- Cuttings ‘N’ Clippings 2 Since most digital cameras and many mation. Those produced by individuals Did You Know . . . 2 computers have the capability to may or may not contain reliable infor- Chigger Repellent? 3 produce video files, this has become a mation so must be evaluated on a case In a Desert Garden 4 very popular pastime. According to a by case basis. Also, be aware that some October Reminders 4 Wikipedia article about YouTube, information may be regionally specific Ask a Master Gardener 4 roughly 60 hours of video are uploaded so make sure it is relevant to your At a Glance Box 5 to the service every minute of the day, location. CCMGA Project 6 and the site has over 800 million unique YouTube videos have become a first Turpentine Bush 5 users each month. stop for me when I want to learn about So . . . what does all this have to do something new or simply troll for new with gardening? gardening ideas. For me it’s easier to As it turns out, many of the videos on learn something by watching someone YouTube are instructional in nature and demonstrate it than by reading about it. gardening is a popular subject for (Continued on Page 2) thousands of videos. The videos are

Cochise County Cooperative Extension www.ag.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/ 1140 N. Colombo, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 450 S. Haskell, Willcox, AZ 85643 (520) 458-8278, Ext. 2141 (520) 384-3594 P AGE 2

(Continued from page 1) The ability to start and stop a The best way to see what’s Cuttings ‘N’ video, back it up and view it available is to go to the YouTube Clippings again, and even move through it website and search for a garden- frame by frame if necessary, ing topic of interest. To get you  The next CCMGA meeting will makes it easy to learn a new skill started, here are some links to be held Thursday, October 3 at 5:00 or technique. I often watch a playlists you might enjoy: p.m. in the Public Meeting Room lo- video this way and take notes in Playlist for the Mittleider cated in Groth Hall at UASV. The a word processor as I watch. I Gardening Method. This playlist public is invited to a presentation by save the link to the video in my contains 60 videos (8 hours total Henry Haros on Bonsai Gardening. notes, so I will always be able to viewing time) of videos empha- go back and watch it again. sizing the Mittleider method of  Water Wise will hold a talk on The simple way to find vegetable gardening which is a Graywater and Rainwater Harvesting gardening videos to watch on semi-organic method of garden- at Ecoasis, 54 Brewery Ave., in old YouTube is simply to go to ing that permits the use of Bisbee on Wednesday, October 2 at http://www.youtube.com, type chemical fertilizers but not 5:30 p.m. Cyndi Wilkins, UA water “gardening” into the search box chemical pesticides. Regardless of Wise Program, will discuss how to use at the top of the page, and click your preferences for fertilizers, recycled water and rainwater to water on the button with the magnify- these videos offer many useful landscape . ing glass icon. But you can do tips and techniques you can apply.  The Water Wise Well Owners more if you are a registered user. Playlists for Growing Your Workshop will be held Saturday, Oc- If you have a gmail account or Greens. This series of videos by tober 19 from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the are a registered user for another John Kohler—touted as the most Palominas Fire District Training popular gardening show on Google service, you already Room, 9222 S. Kings Ranch Rd. For have a YouTube account. If you YouTube—focuses on organic information call (520) 458-8278, Ext gardening, but also contains many do not have an existing account, 2141, or contact Joyce at: all you need to do to create one useful tips for gardeners of all [email protected]/ is to furnish an e-mail address, stripes. Topics discussed cover You can visit Water Wise at: the full gamut of gardening your date of birth (some material waterwise.arizona.edu on YouTube is not appropriate subjects, including composting, for viewers under the age of 13), container gardening, raised beds,  The 14th Annual Highlands Gar- and supply a password. vertical gardening, soil amend- den Conference will be held Satur- Unregistered users can search ments and much, much more. day, October 12 in Miami, AZ. To for and watch videos for free, Mel Bartholomew on Square access the registration brochure visit save videos to the favorites list Foot Gardening. If you’re the website at: in their browser, and share links interested in square foot garden- http://extension.arizona.edu/events/ to their favorite videos with ing techniques, here’s Mel arizona-highlands-garden- friends. However, if you set up a himself giving a half-hour class conference free account, you can create on the subject. You will learn subscriptions to video series you where to locate your garden, the would like to follow, create basic concepts of the Square Foot playlists of videos you would Gardening, how to create a like to view in sequence auto- Square Foot Garden, and how to Did You Know . . . matically, make comments on care for your garden once it’s There is a column written by Co- videos, and much more, includ- planted. chise County Master Gardener Bill ing uploading your own video The videos I have listed above Schulze in the Sierra Vista Herald the creations to YouTube. Playlists are only a tiny taste of what you first Sunday of every month? Past you create can be private (only can find on YouTube so be sure articles can be found in our web site you can view them), unlisted and check it out for yourself. at: (only people having their link Until next time, happy surfing! http://ag.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/ can view them), or public Gary Gruenhagen, Master Gardener HeraldArticles.htm (anyone can view them). [email protected]

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Are Chiggers Repelled By Polish Sausage? One of the great banes of my he know this? Well, because he was (confidence) into the reliability of a existence is the chigger, that nas- unsuccessful at growing them the statement based on one or two tests, ty, little, nearly invisible pest that previous year. Another fellow told especially with a field like garden- causes so much misery. Every me not to tomatillos because ing that involves so many variables year come the monsoon, these little bugs infested the closed husks and so many unknowns. This is one foul creatures make every trip to and ate the fruit before it was picked. reason why real scientific studies the garden into a game of Russian Again, he “knew” this because that often involve hundreds or thousands roulette. I wonder about the next was his experience several years pri- of samples or tests. In fact, a single morning; will I or will I not or. I’ve even managed to pass on a test that gives a particular result ac- awake to the relentless itching of few “truths” of my own over the tually demonstrates just a 50% relia- chigger bites? Fortunately, it has years. I’m learning to be more care- bility with only 50% confidence. If been to my unbounded happiness ful. you’d like to see the table from that, so far this year, I have yet to A quick side trip into the world of which the numbers above were tak- receive a single chigger bite statistics will be helpful at this point. en, check out the following link: (knock on wood)! Unfortunately, Statisticians speak of “reliability” http://thequalityportal.com/ I have no idea why that is. and “confidence level” and they nev- glossary/rc.pdf. I was telling my sister about my er speak of one without the other. If a So what about Polish sausages and good luck and she asked me if I device or a result is described as hav- chiggers? Basically, that’s just my had ever tried to use a DEET- ing 99% reliability, the statement will lousy sense of humor, but I did im- based repellent to deter chiggers. also be accompanied by a phrase agine a situation where I was in- In retrospect, it seems silly that I such as “with a 95% confidence lev- formed by a fellow gardener that haven’t ever tried DEET, but I el.” In order to demonstrate reliabil- consumption of Polish sausages haven’t. Anyway, thinking about ity and an associated high confidence would deter chiggers (perhaps due this conversation later in the day, level, a number of tests must be con- to their high garlic content?). Had I I was struck with the thought that, ducted. For high reliabilities and con- started eating a Polish sausage each if I had elected to use DEET this fidence levels, the number of tests day this summer (heck, I love Polish summer, I would surely now be- required can get quite large. For in- sausages anyway), I just might have lieve that DEET was an effective stance, in order to “prove” something been able to convince myself that chigger repellent. DEET may well has a 99% reliability at a 95% confi- Polish sausages do indeed deter be effective, I really don’t know, dence level, one must conduct 230 chiggers. but if I had used it this summer, tests WITHOUT A SINGLE FAIL- Bill Schulze, Master Gardener it’s clear that I would not have URE! On the other hand, to demon- [email protected] proven its efficacy since my yard strate 99% reliability with only a evidently had no chiggers this 50% confidence level requires just 69 summer. consecutive successes. To show 90% CCMGA project at UASV A lot of garden lore is like the reliability with 80% confidence re- above chigger situation. We do quires only 16 successful tests. The some thing once—plant a new confidence level can be thought of variety of vegetable, use a new like this: for a device with a 99% re- “super fertilizer,” plant according liability at 90% confidence, if the test to the phase of the moon, do series was repeated 100 times, the whatever—it either works or it reliability demonstrated would be at doesn’t, and we all too often draw least 99% in 90 of the 100 test series. a firm conclusion that becomes a It could still be less than 99% in 10 On Tuesday, September 17, follow- “fact” for us. In talking with peo- of the test series. ing a planning session, a group of ple at the Master Gardener booth Now, there are some further com- Cochise County Master Gardeners at the Farmers Market, I often plications and restrictions that apply spent several hours preparing a hear “facts” like this. One gentle- to the use of the method just de- demonstration/teaching garden on man told me that watermelons scribed, but the basic point should be the UASV campus west of the front door of Groth Hall. Check it out! See won’t grow in our area. How did clear. We can’t put much faith Page 6 for more pictures. P AGE 4

In a Desert Garden with lavender-blue flower spikes in summer. There are also white flowering plants available, but they The Nepeta family are not as hardy. I lost one in the

deep freeze. Be ready for the first frost Catnip, Nepeta cataria and Cat- Several years ago I grew N. Thin seedlings mint N. x faassenii are members of clarkei, a plant native to the Hima- Over seed lawns the Nepeta family which are relat- layans. This plant has the truest Plant spring bulbs ed to the mints and considered blue flowers of the Nepeta, I love Divide perennials herbs. Most gardeners are familiar blue flowers, but I have to admit, Don’t let weeds go to seeds with catnip and have grown it. Cat- although they are lovely, they are nip comes to us from the Mediter- very tiny, so they are not very ranean and is found in cat toys. showy. I lost this plant years ago in Cats love the smell of this plant. It one very hot and dry June. Ask a Master Gardener is a plant that grows to 2—3 feet The monsoon season we had this Cochise County Master Garden- high and wide. Truthfully, I think it year, with its abundant rain, has ers are available to answer your is not a very attractive plant, but it brought up plants I didn't know I gardening questions either by tele- definitely has a place in the herb had. Every seed that has ever fallen phone call to the Cooperative Ex- garden. Small pink to white flow- in my yard must have come up. I tension Office or on-line on our ers appear on spikes in late spring noticed a plant that was coming up web site at: and early summer. The foliage is next to my garden bench, but be- www.ag.arizona.edu/cochise/mg heart-shaped, gray-green and tooth cause I do not pull anything that -edged. It is an easy plant to grow doesn't look like a known weed to The following comes from our web if you can give it a light soil, good me, I left it growing there. It al- site’s Frequently Asked Questions: drainage, and it also self-seeds. most looked like a start of the Sal- Because cats love the scent, they via ‘Lady in Red’ that self-seeds Question: Are there any garden like to roll in it, and finally do it in. itself all through my garden, but vegetables that can be planted for a This happened to my plants. I tried the color of the leaves was just a fall harvest in Cochise County? to grow it several times, but it at- little off. A few days ago, when I Answer: Yes! Many of the cool tracted all the cats in my neighbor- walked through the yard I noticed season crops, those that can with- hood, and they tore the poor plant the small blue flower stalks on the stand freezing temperatures, do up. I finally removed it. plant. It is N. clarkei. It was like very well in Cochise County in the That is not the case with catmint, meeting an old friend. I got a glass fall. In fact, the fall in Cochise N. x faasenii, a much more attrac- of water and sat down on the County is better generally than the tive plant. I grow catmint in two bench. These are the moments I spring to raise cool season crops. completely different locations in really appreciate nature and how These vegetables include the my yard. One of the plants is ex- amazing it really is. [brassica] family—broccoli, cauli- posed to the elements and in full flower, kale, and cabbage among sun. In winter this is the coldest others. Also, spinach, beets, peas, part of my yard. The other one is radishes, lettuces, mustard greens, growing under a tree, has light and other greens may be planted. shade, and is very sheltered. Both The onion family, which includes plants have been there for many garlic, does well when planted in years and came through the deep the fall and then over-wintered and freeze we had. Catmint is a sterile harvested in early spring. hybrid of N. racemona, a plant na- tive to the Caucasus, Asia, and the European plant N. mussinii. Cats also like catmint, but they do not go as wild over it as they do with Angel Rutherford. Master Gardener Cochise County Master Gardener Newsletter Editor catnip. Catmint is a short plant Photographer Carolyn Gruenhagen At a Glance Box P AGE 5

It’s a Bloomin’ Cochise County Native Plant of the Month Looking with a hand-lens, you can see resin glands covering the Plant: Turpentine Bush, laricifolia plump leaves like polka-dots. Description: A woody, evergreen shrub These resin glands add another Blooms: Fall dimension to Ericameria laricifo- Use: Brilliant yellow blooms and small, evergreen stature make this plant a lia. When rubbed between your great Xeriscape choice fingers, the plant smells like Culture: Little to no water. Hardy. (three guesses and the first two Learn more: Cochise County Herbarium, don’t count)—you guessed it— http//:www.cochisecountyherbarium.org; Native Plants for Southwestern turpentine! It is always fun to Landscapes, Judy Mielke. excite more senses when placing For an in-depth article on Turpentine Bush, see below landscape plants. Visual is usual- Cado Daily ly the first sense to satisfy, but Water Resources Coordinator, Water Wise Program when you add smell and touch, University of Arizona Cochise County Cooperative Extension the landscape takes on many lay- ers. Squeeze the leaves and the smell lingers on your fingers as to) the Mohave Desert, Death Val- Turpentine Bush the resin is very slightly sticky. ley, the mountains and valleys just The resin is flammable, so plant Ericameria laricifolia north of the Mexican border in Ari- the turpentine bush away from zona, the Trans-Pecos region in Tex- “Well, I’ve called it Haplopap- wooden structures (decks, under as, western , Chihuahuan pus all my dang life and I ain’t overhangs, etc.) regions of Mexico, and in the Sonor- agonna change to Aplopappus In form, the evergreen leaves an desert. now” said the crusty old rancher cover the smaller woody stems Mesas, slopes, and canyons with in a discussion on rangeland turning the plant into a fuzzy well-drained soil seem to be this plants. Good thing for him that he bush. It is fun to see what kind of plant’s location of choice. Full sun didn’t learn Aplopappus, because a shape the older woody stems will keep it full while partial shade now it is called “Ericameria.” Not create. If growing in a more will elongate the woody stems giving only did the genus name change shady location, the stems reach the turpentine bush a Japanese gar- AGAIN, but the species name for the sun and the plant takes on den form. went from laricifolius to laricifo- an elongated form. If nestled Besides being native to the south- lia. Geez, can’t the great namers amongst tall grasses, the turpen- west region, a big plus is that it is in the sky settle on ONE name tine bush can pop up with a green evergreen. Not only does it keep its and stick with it? fuzzy head. If overwatered leaves year-round, the green is a Whether it is called Haplopap- (heaven forbid), it can turn into a deep, rich evergreen. The second big pus, Aplopappus, Aguirre (the monster and overwhelm a small plus is that it is a shrub or subshrub Spanish common name) or Eri- space. (however you want to categorize it) cameria, the Turpentine bush, Eri- If the plant gets too woody for reaching a moderate height and cameria laricifolia is a wonderful its application in a landscape, width of 2-3 feet, making it another Cochise County native plant for Ericameria laricifolia can be se- great plant to add when you need a any landscape. verely pruned and then grows out medium sized shrub to make a strong Found from grasslands to moun- beautifully. However, in any well statement. tain slopes, the turpentine bush -designed landscape, plants The leaves are almost needle-like, isn’t picky about its habitat. Har- shouldn’t need to be pruned as but soft. Linear in form, they are dy to 0°F, Ericameria laricifolia they should be placed to fit at small, from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in grows at elevations from 3,000 to maturity. length, and less than 1/16 inch wide. 6,000 ft. in (but not exclusively (Continued on page 6)

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jeffrey C. Silvertooth, Associate Dean & Director, Economic Development & Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona. The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. The information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Cooperative Extension is implied. Any products, services, or organizations that are mentioned, shown, or indirectly implied in this publication do not imply endorsement by the University of Arizona. P AGE 6 Cochise County Master Gardener Association demonstration/teaching garden project at UASV Watch it grow! Before

After

(Continued from page 5) slopes in Bisbee Arizona, where something about its water needs. the turpentine bush is a dominant Low. However, like a good desert subshrub, are covered in brilliant plant, it will gobble up as much wa- electric yellow balls heralding in ter as it gets. When placed on a reg- the fall. Between the sun’s low- ular (weekly or biweekly) watering ered angle in the sky taking the schedule, it looks like it ate too edge off of the summer sun, the many donuts. Bottom line, give it cooling of the breezes, and the water (if you must) only when it turpentine bush blooming, the fall needs it. Try the lean and mean season is a favorite time to invite method. Don’t forget to create friends unfamiliar with dry cli- berms on the down or upslope of mates. They always seem to re- the drip line to catch precious rain- mark on the lushness of this semi- water when it rolls across the land- arid land. scape. After flowering, Ericameria This plant shouldn’t be hard to laricifolia‘s flowers fade with na- find in the nursery trade, but it has- ture’s inevitable progression and n’t caught on with commercial the plant puts on a lovely straw hat growers. Ask for it locally and if of seeding flowers for winter. But you aren’t successful, try a nursery the seeds can spread and if not in Tucson that specializes in native Now for the flowers. Ok, they are eaten by hungry finches, can con- plants (Desert Survivors and Ci- yellow composites, but are they tribute to a cluster of nicely spaced vano Nurseries are some choices.) YELLOW! This incredible bush evergreen plants. just explodes in color from Septem- Knowing where the turpentine Ms. Cado Daily, M.A. ber to November. The canyon bush naturally occurs, tells you Water Resources Coordinator