Learn about Gardening while helping preserve Freedmen’s Town
by BRENDA BEUST SMITH
FIRST, THO, A LITTLE HOUSEKEEPING. Realized last week I left off one set of my “now” flowers. See above: lantana, cosmos (great in mailbox planter) snapdragons and — HERE THEY COME! — giant white milkweed starting to bloom!
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WANTED: GARDENING VOLUNTEERS!
Although things have changed (somewhat) in recent decades, and despite enthusiasm and
hard work by folks who treasure remaining reminders of our past, Houston has lagged behind other major cities in supporting historical preservation and restoration.
Avid gardeners and nature lovers in particular will be delighted to know another historic horticulture preservation project is in the works.
At least, planners hope so, since volunteers will be sorely needed for hands-on work that — with experts in charge — will be wonderful educational experiences as well!
The main focus at first will be in the 40-block, endangered Freedmen’s Town National Register Historic District, designated in 1985. Freedmen’s Town was founded and built by previously enslaved families in 1865. (More on Freedman’s Town: tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/rutherford-b-h-yates- museum-inc
If you would like to be informed about upcoming projects focusing on these horticultural and other planned nature-related restorations and renovations, contact: rbhyates@gmail.com
This column, with permission, will recognize volunteering groups and companies and individuals in future columns.
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Brenda Beust Smith’s column is based on her 40+ years
as Houston Chronicle’s Lazy Gardener Email: lazygardenerbrenda@gmail.com
— Note: This column’s gardening advice focuses ONLY on
the Greater Houston area. Personal reports MUST include your area.
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NEWS FROM THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SOIL AND PLANTS # 242
A new study by the University of Bristol has found that artificial fertilizers limit pollination by changing how bumble bees sense flowers. They found that both toxic chemical sprays and artificial fertilizers altered the electric field around the flowers.
Flowers use a wide range of clues to attract pollinators from color to fragrance, and pollinators use these clues along with sensing the electrical and magnetic fields the flowers produce.
“It’s much like how a motorboat noise hinders the ability of fish to detect predators or artificial light at night that confuses moths, the artificial fertilizers are a source of noise to bees trying to detect floral electrical fields.” Journal PNAS Nexus, 2023
We have often talked about the benefits of re-mineralizing our soils from a plant health benefit. Studies have found that re-mineralizing soils with one ton of basalt sand captures 0.3 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Re-mineralizer has basalt sand as one of its major components, hence it is a good way to remove carbon dioxide and convert it into humus (carbon chains) in one’s soil. This is in addition to its huge mineral nutrient content.
Some tidbits of information from a paper last year on greenhouse gas emissions. High rates of artificial fertilizers increase greenhouse gas emissions. Excess irrigation also causes excess emissions.
They also found that organic matter accumulation was greater in soils when organic fertilizers were used as compared to artificial fertilizers. Journal of Environmental Quality (2022)
On many occasions I have talked about the dangers of sewage sludge (biosolids) and the compost made from it. The polio virus has been found in sewage sludge in both the USA and Europe. The researchers found that the weakened virus used in vaccines can be reactivated and infect people as it is passed from the human manure that composes the sludge.
The researchers speculate that is another way the virus spreads. Another reason not to use these dangerous products (fertilizers made from dried and pelletized sludge or biosolids compost made from them) in our yards and gardens.
Another reason to grow our own food organically and avoid typical processed food has been found. A study published in the journal JAMA Neurology (2022) found that people whom consumed only 20% of their diet from processed foods experienced a 28% faster rate of cognitive decline globally.
A paper published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2023) found that two common fungicides used on strawberries reduced the flavor and sweetness of the berries. The fungicides also reduced the vitamin-C content along with several amino acids. Another reason to grow one’s own strawberries organically.
Strawberries grow well in our area. I remember reading an article many years ago that stated the Pasadena area was once the strawberry capital of the world.
I used to grow strawberries in a full-size used whiskey barrel. I drilled twenty plus 2-inch holes all around it. As I filled the barrel with soil, I would lay in my transplants then cover with soil until the barrel was full. It worked very well and grew lots of wonderful strawberries every day. Since there was no perch for birds to land on, they left the berries alone. Snails did not like the old whiskey barrel hence they were not an issue. The only problem I had was my two children whom would eat all the ripe strawberries before I got home from work.
The journal Cell (2023) had a paper where the researchers discovered that dry (water stressed) tomato and pepper plants emit distinct ultrasonic clicks. If the sounds were scaled down into the range for human hearing it sounds like someone popping bubble wrap. Additionally, sounds were produced when the fruit was cut off or stems were trimmed. When the plant was in good condition, they did not emit any sound. They have discovered that corn, grapevines, and cactus also emit sounds.
Maybe there is some truth that the plants talk to us. The bible teaches that if we do not praise God then even the plants and trees will cry out.
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ABOUT US
BRENDA BEUST SMITH WE KNOW HER BEST AS THE LAZY GARDENER . . . but Brenda Beust Smith is also:
- a national award-winning writer & editor
- a nationally-published writer & photographer
- a national horticultural speaker
- a former Houston Chronicle reporter
When the Chronicle discontinued Brenda’s 45-year-old Lazy Gardener” print column — started in the early ’70s as a fun side-project to reporting, it then ranked as the longestrunning, continuously-published local newspaper column in the Greater Houston area. The name, she says, is not just fun, it’s true. Brenda’s gradual sideways step from reporter into gardening writing led first to an 18-year series of when-to-do-what Lazy Gardener Calendars, then to her Lazy Gardener’s Guide book which morphed into her Lazy Gardener’s Guide on CD, which she now emails free upon request. Brenda became a Harris County Master Gardener and, over the years, served on theboards of many Greater Houston area horticulture organizations. She hosted local radio and TV shows, most notably a 10+-year Lazy Gardener specialty shows on HoustonPBS (Ch. 8) and her call-in “EcoGardening” show on KPFT-FM. For over three decades, Brenda served as Assistant Production Manager of the GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA’S “BULLETIN” magazine. Although still an active broad-based freelance writer, Brenda’s main focus now is THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER with John Ferguson and Pablo Hernandez of Nature’s Way Resources. A native of New Orleans and graduate of St. Agnes Academy and the University of Houston, Brenda lives in Humble, TX, and is married to the retired Aldine High School Coach Bill Smith. They have one son, Blake. Regarding this newsletter, Brenda is the lead writer, originator of it and the daily inspiration for it. We so appreciate the way she has made gardening such a fun way to celebrate life together for such a long time.
JOHN FERGUSON John is a native Houstonian and has over 27 years of business experience. He owns Nature’s Way Resources, a composting company that specializes in high quality compost, mulch, and soil mixes. He holds a MS degree in Physics and Geology and is a licensed Soil Scientist in Texas. John has won many awards in horticulture and environmental issues. He represents the composting industry on the Houston-Galveston Area Council for solid waste. His personal garden has been featured in several horticultural books and “Better Homes and Gardens” magazine. His business has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal for the quality and value of their products. He is a member of the Physics Honor Society and many other professional societies. John is is the co-author of the book Organic Management for the Professional. For this newsletter, John contributes articles regularly and is responsible for publishing it.
PABLO HERNANDEZ Pablo Hernandez is the special projects coordinator for Nature’s Way Resources. His realm of responsibilities include: serving as a webmaster, IT support, technical problem solving/troubleshooting, metrics management and quality control. Pablo helps this newsletter happen from a technical support standpoint.
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