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The Garden Guy

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By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker

The Garden Guy would like to officially declare 2022, ‘Encore Year of the Hardy Hibiscus.’ I do not know how the National Garden Bureau judges the success of any particular year’s celebration, but I am feeling Summerific French Vanilla helped Old Norm hit it out of the park in 2021.

One of my best friends from Louisiana had been visiting southern trial locations and excitedly sent me a photo of Summerific French Vanilla from Mississippi State University’s trials at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs. Though French Vanilla made its debut in 2021, I was lucky enough to get one. Those first blooms showed me why he was so excited.

To read more pick up a copy of the February 2022 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

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Parting Shot: Dogs, Pigs, Goats, Oh My!

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By Jelly Cocanougher

What an extraordinary end to the Wise County Youth Fair – a fantastic opportunity for the Heart of a Champion participants to show. From rabbits to lambs, to pigs to dogs – we’ve seen it all. Through this unique event, the Heart of a Champion Livestock show aimed to promote confidence, friendship, and a sense of accomplishment within our amazing community. Everyone worked tirelessly to create an environment that fosters growth, camaraderie, and a shared passion for agriculture. Until next year!

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Grazing North Texas: Rescuegrass

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By Tony Dean, [email protected]

If moisture is adequate, there are several winter annual grasses that dominate the landscape during early spring in Texas. One of the most common is Rescuegrass.

This winter annual is native to South America but grows over much of the United States and can be found in all ecoregions of Texas. Rescuegrass is easily recognized by its flat seed head.
Numerous seed heads produce seed that is transported by animals and can quickly spread to other areas.

To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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The Garden Guy

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By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author, Speaker

The National Garden Bureau has designated 2024 as the ‘Year of the Angelonia’ and I am in full celebration mode. As I was preparing for my contribution to the celebration, I was, however, sent into taxonomic trauma.

For the last 26 years of deep love for the Angelonia, or summer snapdragon, I have told everyone via newspaper, radio and television that they were in the Scrophulariaceae family. Since most gardeners don’t like those words, I modified or simplified the snapdragon family, but somebody has tinkered with green industry happiness and moved Angelonia to the Plantaginaceae or plantain family. I immediately reached out to my friend Dr. Allen Ownings, Horticulture Professor Emeritus with the Louisiana State University AgCenter. I said, “Did you know this, or better yet, did you do it?” He said, as I expected, that the Taxonomist group had done it. This reminded me that someone once said taxonomists have to eat, too.

To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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