Newsletter High on the Desert Cochise County Master Gardener

Vol. 25, No. 7 July 2014

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

The Virtual Gardener—Watching Weather on the Web The monsoon in southern extends from as far west as the Arizona is one of the most Colorado River to as far east as exciting times for weather the . Phoenix and watchers. This month I want to Tucson are labelled and current tell you about a website that not temperatures are shown for only provides a wealth of useful reporting stations throughout and interesting information to the area. Superimposed on the keep you abreast of what’s map will be an animation of happening with the weather, Doppler radar returns. but can also provide you with the ability The radar returns are shown in shades to make short term naïve predictions of green, yellow, and red in order of Inside this issue: about what’s likely to happen at your increasing storm intensity. They usually July Reminders 2 location within the hour—sort of a represent reflections of a radar beam Cuttings “N’ Clippings 2 “heads-up” when violent weather from falling rain or snow but may also Book Review 3 approaches. be reflections off other things in the air, This website, the KOLD Channel 13 including virga (rain that evaporates In a Desert Garden 4 4 Interactive Radar, provides a lot more before it hits the ground), dust, or even Ask a Master Gardener information than its name implies. It not clouds of flying insects. The green At a Glance Box 5 only provides current Doppler radar shades—especially the lightest shades of Desert Spoon 5 coverage for the entire United States as green—do not necessarily indicate rain Sonoran Desert Conference 6 well as Canada and , but can also that is hitting the ground. provide you with a snapshot of current A single click with the left mouse weather conditions for cities around the button on any of the temperature world. Let’s take a quick tour of the site readings pops up a callout box with the and see what it has to offer. name of the reporting station and the When you first bring up the site, you latest reported weather data for that are presented with a map of southern location. Depending upon the station, Arizona and northern Mexico that (Continued on Page 2)

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) particular display is turned on, you data reported may include sky can see how to interpret the color conditions, wind, humidity, codes by clicking the “Legend” visibility, and barometric pressure button in the upper left corner of the in addition to the temperature. display.  Keep the pests under control Buttons in the box allow you to Real time data on lightning strikes  You can still something look at a five-day general weather is furnished from the World Wide  Keep watering! forecast for the location as well as Lightning Location Network and graphs of hourly predicted provides another measure of storm temperatures and other weather intensity. I have not yet found parameters for the next 48 hours. another general weather reporting A standard navigation control website that shows lightning strikes, on the left side of the map allows so this may be a unique feature of Cuttings ‘N’ you to move the view east, west, this site. north, and south and a slider The storm attributes overlay places Clippings control allows you to zoom the icons on the map. By placing your CCMGA elected officers for map in or out. You can actually mouse cursor on the icon you can zoom in to street level to see see what kind of activity is occurring the new year at their June Annual Business Meeting. They are: what’s happening in your specific in a particular storm cell, the location. I have used this feature direction of movement of the cell, Pres. Jody Sharp-Webb V. Pres. Jan Groth to predict exactly when an and a scale indicating the speed of Sec. Olivia Sinks approaching storm will reach my movement. A related option is to location and how intense it will display “Storm Reports.” These Treas. Donna Blackburn CCMGA will not be meeting be. reports by people on the ground— As I have already mentioned, probably National Weather Service in July. The next meeting will be August 7—watch for details on there are many more features Storm Spotters—in the storm area the web site. available for display than Doppler give more detail on what’s happen- radar and general weather infor- ing. Saturday, July 12, Rainwa- mation. If you head over to the Other overlays can give you more ter Harvesting Open Houses. right edge of the map, you will see information about the general Has Sierra Vista been busy har- vesting water? You bet! Come a vertical menu with two items— weather situation. The “Clouds” “Layers” and “Map Type.” overlay shows infrared and visible “ooh and aah” over commercial Clicking on the item labelled satellite imagery. Other displays and residential rainwater systems during open house hours. Guaran- “Layers” will show fifteen show various warnings about displays that you can overlay on impending weather conditions, teed you will be impressed so much that you may just start col- your map, either individually or in hurricanes, and snow conditions combination. Combining several (including conditions at your favorite lecting too! Call for maps and de- of the overlays provides a great ski resort). Clicking on “Current” tails. Location: Sierra Vista (See flier on Page 6 of this newsletter.) view of the current weather will not only toggle the displays of situation. Combining “Rainfall”, temperatures on the map but even For information call (520) 458- 8278, Ext 2141, or contact Joyce “Lightning”, and “Storm Attrib- show weather reports from ships at utes” with the default Doppler sea! at: radar display gives you a very If weather-watching is your thing, [email protected] You can visit Water Wise at: comprehensive picture of a I recommend you bring up the current storm situation. KOLD Interactive Radar site and waterwise.arizona.edu The rainfall overlay can be spend some time exploring all the switched to show 1-hour or 24- things it has to offer. hour accumulations. The 1-hour Until next time, happy surfing! mode shows a color-coded display Cochise County Master Gary Gruenhagen, Master Gardener of total accumulations ranging Gardener Newsletter Editor [email protected] Carolyn Gruenhagen from a trace to 3 inches. When a P AGE 3 Book Review: The Dose Makes the Poison

Ever since becoming a gardener it specifically exempted salt from toxic to rats, rabbits, or frog embry- about six years ago, I have been requiring a hazard label. os, will it be toxic to humans? Con- interested (perhaps even obsessed) Mercury, of all things, is not acute- versely, it is possible for a sub- with the “organic” versus “chemi- ly poisonous. A person can swallow stance to be toxic to humans, but cal” controversy. Is “organic” food straight mercury and it will just be not to some other . For in- more nutritious? Are there “chemi- passed right through the digestive stance, wood alcohol (methanol) is cal” poisons on our food? If there tract with little or no adverse effect. very dangerous for humans to con- are enough residues left on our (I do not recommend this!) On the sume, yet not significantly toxic to produce to render them in some other hand, chronic exposure to mer- most other mammals. Humans can sense toxic, why do government cury is a serious health risk. Mercury take acetaminophen, but it is toxic regulatory agencies permit them? salts are both acutely and chronically to cats. Simply designing a proper Are “organic” pesticides safer than dangerous. test is far more difficult than one “chemical” ones? I’ve read enough Two common household items, might expect. In one example given now to understand that there are no aspirin and Vitamin D, are both in the book (involving the effects of simple or obvious answers to these deadly if consumed in excess. radiation) it was noted that, in order questions. Furthermore, most of Roughly 100 aspirin pills is a fatal to pinpoint the effect of a specified the content in popular magazines dose for humans, yet two or three dose of radiation exposure with a and on the Internet is questionable aspirin tablets pose no significant high degree of confidence (95%), at best and downright often incor- health risks and are quite useful in the necessary testing would have rect. controlling pain and “thinning” required eight billion (yes, with a So, the latest book I’ve read in blood. Vitamin D is essential for “b” again) mice. Factors like this my quest for truth, justice, and the health (400 IU (International Units, often result in setting dose and ex- American Way is The Dose Makes roughly 10 picograms, is the Recom- posure limits far below what would the Poison by Patricia Frank and mended Daily Allowance for adults), be a more realistic, but difficult to M. Alice Ottoboni. It is not a book yet a dose of 400,000 IU, or 10 evaluate, limit just to ensure safety. about agriculture; it is a book about nanograms, is potentially fatal. Fluo- Perhaps the book expresses its poisons, both natural and synthetic. ride is another substance that is ben- premise best with the following sen- It’s a book about the science of eficial for dental health in small dos- tence: “Every chemical, synthesized toxicology, written by two trained es, yet not so safe in higher doses. or naturally occurring, has some set toxicologists. The book is not a Metals like selenium and copper are of exposure conditions in which it is textbook; it’s written for the lay necessary for proper nutrition, but toxic.” Even water can be fatal, person. It covers all aspects of toxi- toxic in larger quantities. drinking two gallons quickly is suf- cology, from a discussion of just One of the things the book makes ficient to kill a person. Read this what a poison is, routes of expo- clear is the difficulty of establishing book. Your reaction to a discussion sure, carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, precise doses to define toxic limits. of “poisons” should be better in- toxicology study design, and the In addition to obtaining adequate formed than a simple gut level re- evaluation of risk. It is neither funding to do the research, how can sponse like “OMG, Kemiculz!”

“pro” nor “anti” chemical; it is testing be performed without harm- Bill Schulze, Master Gardener simply a book about toxicology. ing human subjects? If a chemical is [email protected] Some fascinating facts from the book: One tablespoon of botulin, the toxin produced by Clostridium Did You Know . . . botulinum, is sufficient to kill roughly three billion (yes, billion According to Mr. Know-it-all, Gary Clothier, the smell of the ground after a with a “b”) people. Ordinary table summer rain has a name: petrichor. The word comes from the Greek salt can be toxic; two tablespoons “petros,” which means “stone,” and “ichor,” the fluid that flows in the veins will kill a typical one-year old. At of the gods in Greek mythology. The word was created by two researchers in the same time, some salt is an ab- the mid-1960s when they discovered that certain excrete an oil during solute requirement for life. When dry periods that is absorbed by soil and rocks. During a storm, the oil is re- Congress passed the Hazardous leased into the air. Substances Labeling Act in 1960, - Sierra Vista Herald P AGE 4

In a Desert Garden Answer: This disease, call blos- Summer Snapdragons - som-end rot, is caused by a local-

Angelonia angustifolia ized deficiency of calcium in the . Calcium is required in I like container gardening—a nice large quantities by growing cells way to add some color to an existing like those in the blossom-end. landscape. In winter I have containers When this rapidly growing tissue filled with pansies, snapdragons, petu- is deprived of the calcium needed nias, and geraniums that I place togeth- for growth, especially cell-wall er with the containers of cacti and suc- Angelonia angustifolia construction, tissues break down culents. In summer I exchange those resulting in blackened, dry sunk- with plants that do better during our en spots on the blossom-end of hot months, and I am always on the Ask a the . Water stress usually lookout for something new. Last year, creates this disorder because in- a good friend gave me a little pot with consistent watering will not al- Angelonia. I liked it so much that I got low the plant to translocate suffi- several more plants when they were cient calcium. Also, high levels available. of nitrogen can cause vigorous This plant is very showy, reminding growth early in the season which me somewhat of snapdragons. It comes with water stress can compound in a variety of colors—mauve, violet the problem. Blossom-end rot is (my favorite), white, pink, and bicolor. Cochise County Master Garden- also seen in chili and bell peppers Angelonia has a clumping upright hab- ers are available to answer your and members of the squash and it with small double-lipped gardening questions either by a melon family. that grow around tall spikes, very telephone call to the Cooperative Control: It is important to regu- much like snapdragons, but smaller. Extension Office or on-line on our late soil moisture and maintain The plant is found in Mexico and the web site at: that moisture at a relatively con- West Indies. It is considered tropical http://ag.arizona.edu/cochise/mg/ stant level where possible. Plenty and only cold hardy in zones 9 - 10. question.htm of organic matter in the soil and My plants didn't make it through this mulching plants will help main- The following comes from our web last winter, and we had a very mild tain consistent soil moisture. Al- one. Only the plant that I put in the site’s Frequently Asked Questions: Question: My tomatoes have so, avoid high applications of greenhouse survived. Angelonia gave nitrogen to the plants. Some vari- me color through most of the summer, small water-soaked areas that at first appear to be bruises, then turn eties of tomatoes are less suscep- blooming from July through Septem- tible to blossom-end rot. These into brown sunken leathery areas ber. It also did very well in full sun, include Early Girl, Floradel, Flo- thriving next to my pond without hav- always on the blossom end of the fruit. Some of the sunken areas radade, Tropic, and Jet Star. It ing to water it constantly. It was really has been demonstrated that foliar low-maintenance, with no dead- turn black. These diseased fruits usually ripen before the non- sprays of calcium chloride (1 heading necessary. lb./25 gallons of water) or calci- I found my plants in a hardware infected fruit. What disease do my tomatoes have? um nitrate (2 lbs./25 gallons of store. I bought the biggest plants they water) can help reduce this prob- had and planted them in an oversized lem. Applications must be made clay pot together with different colors before calcium levels fall below of sweet potato vine, Ipomoea batatas. critical levels and must be ap- This is another plant I like to add to plied weekly for 3 to 4 weeks. containers in summer because it comes Source: Vegetable Diseases and in a variety of very nice colors and Their Control. A. F. Sherf and A. some even beautifully. A. MacNab. 1986. pp. 689-691.

Angel Rutherford, Master Gardener John Wiley and Sons, New York. Photographer P AGE 5 At a Glance Box

It’s a Bloomin’ Cochise County Native Plant of the Month

Plant: Desert Spoon, wheeleri Description: Succulent Blooms: May-July Use: Excellent “natural zone” or accent plant Culture: Native to southwestern U.S., and , Mexico grasslands Learn more: Cochise County Herbarium, www.cochisecountyherbarium.org For an in-depth article, see below.

Cado Daily Water Resources Coordinator, Water Wise Program University of Arizona Cochise County Cooperative Extension

Desert Spoon spoon, is a great example of that. monocots and dicots—monocots When the dead fall off the have one cotyledon (“ Oh my gosh. Right now is the round base of the plant, the bottom leaves”) instead of two (mono- BEST time to pay attention to our of the is cupped like a one, di-two), but more visually, native desert spoons (Dasylirion spoon. At some earlier time, I bet it the vascular bundles are random wheeleri). The 15-foot tall yellow was used as a spoon for something! and not in a ring like dicots. flower stalks are buzzing with in- The dead rosette of the plant base is When you cut into the stem of a sects. There are so many insects vis- lovely—as it disintegrates, you can monocot, you won’t see a dis- iting the flowers that you can hear see the layers of the cupped leaves tinctive ring pattern like you them before you know you are walk- in a perfect circle. Some crafty peo- would with a dicot. ing past the large rosette of blue- ple use the dried plant parts for OK. Enough of vascular bun- green leaves sporting the tall stalk flower arrangements. dles, back to the flowers. The (hum, that stalk wasn’t there last Unlike most agaves that die after desert spoon is dioecious mean- week, was it?). flowering, mature desert spoons ing the male and female flowers Craning your neck skyward, you can put up flower stalks each year. are on separate plants. With the will see some stalks are covered with However, like agaves, they shoot flower stalk, you can really see hundreds of fuzzy yellow flowers, up the flower stalk over a period of the difference after the female many with little bee butts sticking out a couple of weeks and are impres- stalk makes later on in the of them. The sive. Looking at the Dasylirion summer. Take a close look at the flowers are very wheeleri’s blooming around the stalks and see if you can tell attractive to in- UA South campus is quite an expe- which is which. sects that burrow rience. Not only are the plants Another common name in deep into the themselves great landscape speci- Mexico and adopted in the U.S flowers getting mens, but with their flowering for Dasylirion is “.” something to eat, stalks they are majestic (see photo , like agaves, are meanwhile polli- above). plants of many uses. If you like nating the ovary. Dasylirions are in the Aspara- made from agaves, you I love it when the common name gaceae (just changed from Liliace- may be familiar with a type of of a plant actually describes some- ae) family and are monocots. Think sotol tequila made from Dasyliri- thing about it. The common name of of them like big grass plants, like ons. Both agaves and Dasylirions the , desert palm trees. The difference between (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

Recycle your rainwater!

(Continued from page 5) have fibrous leaves and were used 2014 Sonoran Desert for making baskets, shoe soles, and mats. Master Gardener Conference There are other species of Dasyliri- on used in landscapes. There is the Presented by: The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life green desert spoon, D.acrotriche, Sciences Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program that looks much like the D. wheeleri

Thursday, September 11, 2014 for a day of tours but the leaves are greener. Both of Friday, September 12, 2014 for a day of lectures these species have teeth on their leaves. The D. quandragulatum Where: Casino del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road, Tucson, AZ 85757 (longissimum) or Mexican tree grass has smooth green leaves with a trunk Who should attend? that can grow to ten feet. nd The 2 annual Sonoran Desert Master Gardener Conference is open to Dasylirions are terrific landscape everyone. In addition to being a wonderful opportunity for continuing ed- plants. They are spectacular accents, ucation for Master Gardeners of Arizona, the conference is available to fun to watch their changes and best everyone interested in learning about trees, gardening techniques, eco- of all need little care from the gar- design and the good and bad insects that live in your yard and gardens. dener. These are a group of plants to Click for information and registration form. Early registration for Master let grow naturally and enjoy the Gardeners ends July 15. show.

Cado Daily, M.A. Water Resources Coordinator