Farm & Ranch
The Garden Guy — Hummingbird Mints Perennial Plants of Participation
By Norman Winter
Here in the North Texas area, pollination plays a role in a wide variety of crops including the home garden. There is nothing quite as joyous as growing perennials that bring in bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Among the best are the agastaches, also known as hummingbird mints and anise hyssops. Honey producers know anise hyssop honey is one most often considered a delicacy.
Besides bringing in pollinators to the garden, they also create excitement by virtue of their blue spiky flowers. Blue Fortune and Black Adder are two of the most sensational selections for the garden and are well worth searching out. Both are hybrids of the U.S. native Agastache foeniculum and Korean Agastache rugosa.
This cross has given us what I call perennials of participation. You will want to visit them often, even get a chair and stake out a position to watch and enjoy. The pollinator activity will amaze you, and for those of you who consider yourself to be a culinary artist, these are plants that will thrill with flavor.
Agastaches have become addicting for many horticulturists and I admit to the affliction. So, if you become like me, you may also want to try Blue Boa and Violet Vision. Blue Boa won the “Too Good to Be True Award” at Colorado State University perennial trials. It was also a winner at North Carolina State University.
To read more pick up a copy of the June 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Blue Fortune. (Photos by Norman Winter)
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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