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Monday, March 11, 2019
Daffodils, Jonquils, Paperwhites – all in the family One of the earliest bloomers to open our Spring season are daffodils, jonquils and paperwhites. They all belong to the Narcissus family, their scientific name, and cover more than 13,000 hybrids, giving us plenty of color choices, heights, and bloom times. Our area nurseries offer potted Narcissus for springtime color and are enjoyed from January into April. Their bright color and fragrance are welcome after a gray and cold winter, but after the flower is spent, what to do with the plant? They can be planted in the ground and, with a little care during the summer, they should reemerge next spring and beyond. Narcissus require up to 14 weeks of cold weather to trigger the bulb to flower so they are best planted in the fall. Most types will naturalize in our region in north Texas if their foliage is left to die back after their springtime show. By allowing the leaves to yellow and die, nutrients are returned to the bulb to feed the next season’s blooms. Cut the spent bloom off of its stem but do not remove the foliage until it is completely dead. There will be no resistance when you pick them up and can be added to your compost pile. For your potted Narcissus, leave them in the pot until after our last freeze of the season. No watering is necessary except to keep them from drying out completely. You can store them in a dry, dark area (like your garage or a closet) during the winter. After our last freeze, plant the bulb directly into the ground. Rule of thumb is to plant the bulb three times deeper than the diameter of the bulb. If your bulb measures two inches in diameter, plant it six inches deep, and about three to six inches apart. They will multiply as they mature so you don’t want to crowd them too much in their new home. Use a rich, well-draining soil, in a spot that will receive 4 to 6 hours of sunlight. Water the soil around the bulb as you do your other garden plants. The bulb will stay in a dormant state until next spring. Planting Daylillies near the Narcissus is an excellent way to camouflage the wilting leaves of your Narcissus. The Daylillies are making their appearance about the time the Narcissus are dying, and will provide excellent blooms from spring into the summer. Daylillies are widely available in thousands of color variations and sizes. Once the roots are established, they are drought tolerant.
Daffodil blooms planted in the ground, they can tolerate temperatures to 30 degrees F. Paperwhites are commonly white, yellow or orange. Jonquil flowers come in variations of white and yellows, are generally a smaller bloom than the daffodil, carry a sweet fragrance and the foliage is more rounded. The Trevithian and the Golden Perfection are two cultivars adapted to our area. Jonquils are rated for climate zones 4 – 9 but tend to grow best in climate zone 8. Grayson County is in zone 7b. Daffodils are the largest class of Narcissus, coming in a wider variety of colors and shapes than Paperwhites and Jonquils. They generally have only a mild scent at best and their leaf structure is more pointed than the Jonquil. They are rated for climate zones 4 through 9. Texas Agri-Life recommends trying Carlton, a medium-sized yellow with a darker cup; Golden Harvest, a large-sized yellow, or Carbineer, a medium-sized yellow with an orange cup. There is a comprehensive list of suggested cultivars at https://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu. In the Custom Search box, search for “narcissus.” Planting and cultivating any Narcissus family member – Daffodil, Jonquil or Paperwhite – into your yard will add early color to your flower beds, so go ahead and enjoy a potted plant this Spring! The Master Gardener’s Plant Sale will be May 6 from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 322 West Pecan, Sherman. Although it will be too late to offer Narcissus, we’ll have a great selection of seasonal plants and Master Gardeners on hand to answer your gardening questions.
Written by Marigay Black, Master Gardener Grayson County Master Gardeners Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization sponsored Paperwhites are a popular potted by the Texas A&M AgriLife plant often given as gifts for Extension Service. Reach us by Christmas. They are rated for email at climate zones 8 – 11, so they mastergardeners@co.grayson.tx.us, tolerate warmer temperatures by phone 903-813-4204, our web better than the Daffodils and page Jonquils. They also do not have the graysoncountymastergardeners.net, same chilling requirement to or our Facebook group. generate new blooms. Once © 2019 The Howe Enterprise
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Who is the real Michael Cohen? I’m not sure what cautionary tale for all of us as we to make of travel through life. The actions we Michael Cohen. take affect those we love, sometimes in unanticipated ways. The country watched last Cohen’s appearance on Capitol week as he Hill caused many pundits to point testified before out that Cohen’s rather apparent Congress, character flaws – his illegal making his case activity, coupled with his penchant to elected for lying - may immediately call officials (as well his testimony into question. as the American “Michael Cohen is a bad man,” Samuel Moore- people) that the wrote Adam Davidson in The New Sobel President is Yorker. “He was a bad man before guilty of far more he met Donald Trump, he than the current remained a bad man afterward, and he became…even worse after occupant of the Oval Office is admitting. Yet Cohen is far from the Trump starting running for most reliable witness, in light of his President.” Perhaps it’s right to possess a healthy skepticism three-year prison sentence on regarding Cohen based upon his charges of “financial crimes and lying to Congress,” as reported by track record; however, if someone told lies in the past, does that mean The Washington Post. that every subsequent word they offer should be automatically In the aftermath of his testimony, both sides of the aisle espoused their deemed to be untrue? preferred viewpoint. Republicans “I don’t know where you go from painted him as a liar, while Democrats praised his candor. Yet here,” Rep. Cummings said in his closing remarks in reference to what inevitably was lost in the chatter following Cohen’s testimony Cohen. It appears Mr. Cohen may have some ideas. He refused to was the humanity inherent in this odd episode in our country’s history. rule out a possible book or movie deal, even after being repeatedly A husband, father and former pressed by lawmakers regarding lawyer has been brought to his his future money-making ventures knees, paying for his misdeeds in at multiple points throughout the the most public of ways. Those watching his testimony saw a man public hearing. Paradoxically, laid bare, completely devoid of any Cohen could still have much to gain from this undoubtedly painful of the external qualities many episode. Despite his jail sentence, humans attempt to utilize in disguising the essence of who they Mr. Cohen may still benefit from this national kerfuffle, at least are from public view. monetarily. A set of circumstances seemingly ensuring Michael Cohen “You know I’ve sat here, and listened to all of this, and it’s very may get the last laugh. painful,” Rep. Elijah Cummings, Except for the fact that Mr. Cohen Chairman of the House Oversight will likely always be viewed as a Committee, said in his closing remarks. An undeniable statement, person lacking scruples. As a child, my mother used to periodically no matter what political ideology repeat a phrase she once heard one espouses. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia say, which was apparently Cohen himself was equal parts passed down to him by his father. strong and defeated. He offered clever retorts at times, while in other “Brains are like muscles, you can moments appeared to be genuinely rent them by the hour. But at the apologetic. He was humbled, even end of the day, all you have left is your character.” Mr. Cohen can becoming emotional during Rep. hire a lawyer to advocate on his Cummings closing statement. In behalf, an accountant to manage such moments, it was hard not to think about his family, and the hurt his finances, even work with a they were enduring as a result of the publisher or movie director on a future project. He cannot, however, illegal acts this man committed. hire someone to have good “…One of the saddest parts of this character for him. The name Michael Cohen will likely always whole thing is that some very be synonymous with scandal and innocent people are hurting too moral failure. An excellent - that’s your family,” Cummings said. Few of us likely understand the reminder of the insignificance of money in comparison to a sterling experience of watching a family reputation. For, character is truly member testify before Congress “more than worth its weight in while the country looks on. What does it feel like for a child to watch gold.” their father admit to breaking the law? Not to mention Cohen’s father Samuel Moore-Sobel is a freelance Maurice - a Polish-born Holocaust writer. To read more of his work, survivor – who likely felt pained at visit the sight of his son’s testimony. A www.holdingontohopetoday.com
