Farm & Ranch
The Garden Guy – ColorMax Violas Are Showstoppers
By Norman Winter
When October rolls around, so does one of our best times to plant flowers for the long, cool season ahead. The first that comes to mind is pansies or violas. Make no mistake about it – if you have ever felt like a viola couldn’t dazzle like a pansy, then you haven’t tried ColorMax.
ColorMax is a relatively new series of viola coming to us from Sakata Seed that has completely shocked me with its flower power. It really is color to the max with these violas. Those in the North Texas Farm and Ranch area will love the terrific performance.
I am the ultimate pansy and viola lover, almost to the point of saying, “I have never seen one I didn’t like.” I love clear ones, those with blotches, those with whiskers as well as their fragrance. To me there is nothing not to love about pansies and violas.
ColorMax comes in 10 colors and a mix, and it’s hard to pick out a favorite. The clear yellow is so prolific I would hardly be exaggerating when I say it can be seen from a mile away. Just think, I am saying that about violas and not giant or mammoth-sized pansies. Speaking of giant, Sakata is the same company that brings us the Majestic Giant.
Icy Blue, Popcorn and Lemon Splash are also must-have plants in your cool-season landscape. While these flowers are larger than many other viola selections, the quantity of blossoms is amazing. As you might expect, the plants reach six to eight inches tall with a spread of about 10 inches.
ColorMax violas are very cold tolerant and transplant to the garden with ease.
Select a site in full sun or partial shade with organically rich soil. If organic rich and fertile doesn’t sound like your soil, don’t fret. Over the past 20 years, most gardeners I have talked to are plagued with a tight clay or heavy soil. Clay particles are the smallest of all soils. Because of their small size, they are easier to compact, keeping out not only water but also air.
To read more pick up a copy of the October 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.
Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.
We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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