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Volume23,number2,February2006 The Sabal www.nativeplantproject.org Greetings, Fellow Native Plant More and more private individuals are Enthusiast! finding out about the great importance of planting native species of plants in yards, byMartin Hagne businesses, parks, and schools. The NPP can be proud to have been a big part of this It was with great humility that I accepted the new and much needed trend. Many local position of President of the Native Plant and national organizations strive for the Project. Following in the great footsteps of protection, understanding, and use of those such plant experts as Joe Ideker and, more very special plants that belong to our area. recently, Gene Lester will be no easy task! The NPP has always been in the forefront of The organization is left in great shape from such efforts, and every member, volunteer, the leadership of Gene, and a very and board member who ever belonged or dedicated board. The NPP has always served should be commended for their been a group that has drawn wonderful efforts!! volunteers having much expertise in the Let’s continue to work hard for these plants native plant communities of the Lower Rio that we all love so much! Join me in another Grande Valley. The organization’s purpose great year of the NPP!! There is much to is as true and needed today as ever before! celebrate with the release of new NPP plant Threats to the area’s native habitat and their booklets, native plant sales, the Sabal plants are a real danger, and we are losing newsletter, and informative presentations at acreafteracreofplants. themonthlymeetings. On the other side, I have seen great strides Remember, Plants are People, too!! Well, in the right direction in the past two years. OK,notquite,butthey are important! -2- History of an Urban Oasis Dr. Pauline James. The first President of the guiding board of the VNC was Richard byMartin Hagne Lehman, and the first Director was Cyndy Chapman. Since then the land has been The History of the Valley Nature Center leased to the VNC by the City of Weslaco. In begins, to some extent, in the early 1930’s November of 1984, the Valley Nature when in the wake of the Great Depression Center received its certificate of families sought work and refuge in the Rio incorporation. It became the first privately Grande Valley, and shortly thereafter winter owned 501(c)3 non-profit environmental travel became a popular trend. After the education nature center in the Valley and land was donated by J.J. Gibson and remains so today. Within two years the William Henry Hoge, the Lions Club center was an independent organization. adopted the project in 1934 and Gibson Board members were elected, and by-laws, Park was developed from land that once policies, and programs were adopted. On served as a pasture. The City of Weslaco July 1, 1987, the Valley Nature Center opened the park in 1936 as a “recreational openedtothepublic. park and RV camp site,” with the current VNC building housing the meeting and “A secret garden in the heart of the Rio recreation hall. The main building is today’s Grande Valley,” the Center’s mission is to VNC headquarters. It contains its increase knowledge of South Texas flora administrative offices, as well as a gift shop, and fauna. It is hidden from view, a meeting room (utilized by the Native Plant surrounded by businesses and residential Project for meetings and presentations), a neighborhoods, and is truly a refuge in the hands-on nature exhibit hall, and nature centeroftown. referencelibrary. The nature park is located adjacent to the In 1945 “Weslaco Trailer Park” was building and consists of six acres of relocated and Gibson Park (named for the recreated Mid-delta Thorn Forest, a biotic previous landowner who served as a City community of the Tamaulipan Mezquital Commissioner from 1928 to 1942, and Ecoregion. Features of the park include Wartime Mayor from 1943 to 1944) was ponds, three quarters of a mile of walking designated as a public recreational park and trails, wildlife feeding stations, and butterfly children’s play area. In the early to mid and cactus gardens. These features, 1970’s, the wooded land to the east was combined with the park’s extensive native converted into a petting zoo known as the plant cover, make it a haven for area wildlife. Weslaco Nature Park. The area had been Hundreds of volunteers and staff members kept free from development by the radio have put in thousands of hours to create and tower located there by the Valley’s first radio maintain the wonderful diversity of native station, KRGV. The park was completed plants now making up the nature park. The largely due to Cecil Massey, the City VNC is a prime example of what a small Manager from 1963 to 1975, and other area of land can do for preserving native dedicated individuals. Funding for the plants and the animals that depend on them. petting zoo was supplied by Texas Parks & I hope to expand on the native plants, exotic Wildlife. In the later 1970’s the petting zoo removal, and maintenance of the park in an was having some problems and was soon articleintheSabalinthenearfuture. closed. In 1984 a committee was formed by Martin Hagne, President of the NPP, is Managing members of the Frontera Audubon Society Director of the Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, Texas to organize an educational nature facility to serve the Rio Grande Valley. The committeewas“Chaired”by -3- Most of us (myself included) tend to hover Common Landscaping Mistakes over our plants, expecting instant gratification for something we’ve done, like byG.Owen Yost fertilizing or pruning. Constant attention and continuous alteration of growing conditions A garden that neighbors envy is an ongoing prevents the plant from resting and getting process, not something achieved instantly. accustomed to its environment. Benign Along the way, we’re bound to make a few neglect is often advisable. mistakes, but we can learn from each other’s errors. I’ve certainly made these Planting too deeply: A tree needs to have mistakes in my early years as a Landscape a “basal flare”-a widening of the trunk near Architect. But I try not to make them again. the ground. If your tree looks more like a Maybe you can learn from my past errors. telephone pole, it’s planted too deeply. Plant all trees and shrubs at the same level as Planting plants that get out of control: If they grew in nature or at the nursery. Never you’re planting trees and shrubs near the dig a planting hole deeper than the root entry to your house or driveway, be sure to ball-the roots should sit on undisturbed dirt allow for their mature size. By all means, so they won’t settle below their normal depth avoid putting plants in front of windows that over time. will grow more than 6 to 8 feet, or that will need constant trimming. Neglecting mature trees: A large, mature tree “makes” a landscape, especially in Planting flowers at the base of trees: It’s Texas, where shade is at a premium. Such a always shady under trees, and most flowers tree needs a little human care in a world of need a lot of sun. Lots of water will just pollution, soil compaction, house slowly kill everything. I’d advise planting a remodeling, etc. At the very least, the tree’s shade-loving ground cover that needs very soil needs aeration every few years. little care. Trying to grow plants in poor subsoil: Planting too many species: Enthusiastic Builders and developers sometimes scrape gardeners want one of everything. But if you away the topsoil, leaving only inorganic have too many species, a garden becomes subsoil, which has no plant nutrients. Mix in a mish-mash. A dozen of one kind of plant in composted organic matter (shredded tree a large mass has more visual impact than a trimmings, old shredded leaves, etc.) if your dozen different plants scattered throughout soil is poor. Natural material is better than your cultivated area. Repeat some of the chemical fertilizers. same colors and species in another part of your yard to tie it together visually. Lifting or topping trees: Many homeowners get sold on the erroneous Watering too much: Some people are notion that whacking off the tops of trees surprised to learn that many more plants die spurs growth. The truth is, removing all or from drowning than from thirst. We usually part of a treetop encourages rapid decay don’t need to water outdoor plants regularly. and decline. It also weakens the branches, Water a plant only when it shows signs that making them susceptible to disease and it needs it. You’ll learn to read a plant’s breakage. signals. For example, the leaves of many Clearing all the “weedy growth” from around plantsdroopwhentheyneedwater. trees also harms trees. That stuff lowers the ground temperature several degrees, Shallow watering: Rather than giving encouraging the tree’s growth. It also keeps plants daily sips of water, soak the soil water use down. thoroughlyanddeeplywhenappropriate. "Cleaning up" plant debris: A moderate Paying too much attention to your plant: amount of plant debris (dead grass, leaves, -4- twigs, etc.) should be left on the ground, would eliminate his drainage problem. Just instead of raking it all away. Organic matter sop it up. Not so. If you have a drainage cools the ground, discourages weed growth problem, fix the drainage by addressing it and conserves water.

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