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

Paperwhites are a popular potted plant often given as gifts for Christmas They are rated for climate zones 8 – 11, so they tolerate warmer temperatures better than the Daffodils and Jonquils They also do not have the same chilling requirement to generate new blooms Once 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 by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Reach us by email at mastergardeners@co grayson tx us, by phone 903-813-4204, our web page graysoncountymastergardeners net, or our Facebook group

I’m not sure what to make of Michael Cohen

The country watched last week as he testified before Congress, making his case to elected officials (as well as the American people) that the President is guilty of far more than the current occupant of the Oval Office is admitting Yet Cohen is far from the most reliable witness, in light of his three-year prison sentence on charges of “financial crimes and lying to Congress,” as reported by The Washington Post

In the aftermath of his testimony, both sides of the aisle espoused their preferred viewpoint Republicans painted him as a liar, while Democrats praised his candor. Yet what inevitably was lost in the chatter following Cohen’s testimony was the humanity inherent in this odd episode in our country’s history

A husband, father and former lawyer has been brought to his knees, paying for his misdeeds in the most public of ways Those watching his testimony saw a man laid bare, completely devoid of any of the external qualities many humans attempt to utilize in disguising the essence of who they are from public view

“You know I’ve sat here, and listened to all of this, and it’s very painful,” Rep Elijah Cummings, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said in his closing remarks An undeniable statement, no matter what political ideology one espouses

Cohen himself was equal parts strong and defeated He offered clever retorts at times, while in other moments appeared to be genuinely apologetic He was humbled, even becoming emotional during Rep Cummings closing statement In such moments, it was hard not to think about his family, and the hurt they were enduring as a result of the illegal acts this man committed

“ One of the saddest parts of this whole thing is that some very innocent people are hurting too - that’s your family,” Cummings said. Few of us likely understand the experience of watching a family member testify before Congress while the country looks on What does it feel like for a child to watch their father admit to breaking the law? Not to mention Cohen’s father Maurice - a Polish-born Holocaust survivor – who likely felt pained at the sight of his son’s testimony A cautionary tale for all of us as we travel through life The actions we take affect those we love, sometimes in unanticipated ways

Cohen’s appearance on Capitol Hill caused many pundits to point out that Cohen’s rather apparent character flaws – his illegal activity, coupled with his penchant for lying - may immediately call his testimony into question

“Michael Cohen is a bad man,” wrote Adam Davidson in The New Yorker “He was a bad man before he met Donald Trump, he remained a bad man afterward, and he became even worse after Trump starting running for President ” Perhaps it’s right to possess a healthy skepticism regarding Cohen based upon his track record; however, if someone told lies in the past, does that mean that every subsequent word they offer should be automatically deemed to be untrue?

“I don’t know where you go from here,” Rep Cummings said in his closing remarks in reference to Cohen It appears Mr Cohen may have some ideas He refused to rule out a possible book or movie deal, even after being repeatedly pressed by lawmakers regarding his future money-making ventures at multiple points throughout the public hearing. Paradoxically, Cohen could still have much to gain from this undoubtedly painful episode Despite his jail sentence, Mr Cohen may still benefit from this national kerfuffle, at least monetarily A set of circumstances seemingly ensuring Michael Cohen may get the last laugh

Except for the fact that Mr. Cohen will likely always be viewed as a person lacking scruples As a child, my mother used to periodically repeat a phrase she once heard Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia say, which was apparently passed down to him by his father “Brains are like muscles, you can rent them by the hour But at the end of the day, all you have left is your character” Mr Cohen can hire a lawyer to advocate on his behalf, an accountant to manage his finances, even work with a publisher or movie director on a future project He cannot, however, hire someone to have good character for him The name Michael Cohen will likely always be synonymous with scandal and moral failure An excellent reminder of the insignificance of money in comparison to a sterling reputation For, character is truly “more than worth its weight in gold ”

Samuel Moore-Sobel is a freelance writer To read more of his work, visit wwwholdingontohopetodaycom