Real estate
BY KAREN CHANEY
As the summer temperatures heat up, Master Gardener SuEllen Mooney o ers expert tips on how to maintain your landscape and garden as well as best practices for water conservation. Mooney is a Collin County Master Gardener, a title she earned in 2016 following the required completion of 12 weeks of horticulture-centric classes and 65 volunteer hours, eight of which must be done at the county-owned Myers Park Research and Demonstration Gardens in McKinney. Collin County Master Gardener Association classes include soil science, plant science, landscaping, water conservation, container gardening, vegetable gardening and more. Expert shares garden, lawn tips What you need to know Mulch: Apply adequate mulch. CCMGA recommends nely shredded hardwood mulch layered about three inches deep which will result in the soil being about 30 degrees cooler than uncovered soil. Don’t plant in the summer: Understand Texas summers and know that planting new plants in the middle of the summer is not a good idea because they will require a lot of water. Wait to plant when the temperatures are cooler. Water e ectively: The most e ective watering is a drip system. If you don’t have drip installed, water early in the morning and water around the base of the plant so there’s not a lot of wastage. If you water the leaves, it can result in mold.
Diving in deeper
One more thing
Kathy Fonville, who serves as the public education manager for the North Texas Municipal Water District, provided additional tips on conserving water in existing lawns and landscapes. She also pointed out that these actions can help manage water bills. Water no more than twice a week: A critical factor to a healthy, drought- tolerant landscape is applying the right amount of water, at the right times. Watering deeply, but infrequently, develops a strong and healthy root system. Any more than that is not needed, even during the summer. Check your sprinkler system: At least once a month, check the system to make sure it’s functioning properly and not wasting water. Water before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.: This will help minimize water loss due to evaporation during the active growing season. Also, it is better to water in the early morning. Cycle & Soak: Use the Cycle & Soak irrigation method, which involves short period of watering with half-hour breaks, to minimize water runo .
Mooney polled a group of CCMGA members requesting their list of must-have gardening tools. The top responses included:
Shovel and narrow trowel for clay soil
Pruning shears
Mini garden claw or cultivator
Moisture meter
Garden gloves/garden sleeves
Also of note
A Hori Hori garden knife, which is a versatile Japanese gardening tool designed for digging, cutting and weeding—featuring a concave steel blade with both a straight and serrated edge—was also included in the must- have gardening tools list.
Mooney said members of CCMGA work in the Myers Park Research and Demonstration Gardens in north McKinney starting at 7 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Guests are invited to visit with them as they work and ask gardening questions. Other upcoming events include a summer speaker series, viewable via Zoom, and A Walk in the Park 2025 to be held Sept. 27. This annual event features Q&A opportunities with master gardeners and watching local artists with the McKinney Plein Air Society at work. Artists in the group paint their art outdoors.
CCMGA members incorporate a drip irrigation system in their landscaping.
KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: COLLIN COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS COMMUNITY IMPACT
Ceremony Location: The Gazebo Reception: The Landing Details: 12 | 7 hour rental Up to 250 Guests Twilight Package
Myers Park & Event Center | 7117 County Road 166 | 972-548-4792
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