Category: Agriculture

By Rick Hirsch/County Extension Agent

Over the last several weeks I have had numerous questions regarding the Ag/Timber Tax exemption from several landowners and ag producers. After doing a little research, I contacted the State Comptrollers Office for the following information. Persons claiming the agricultural exemption on their purchases already give their supplier an exemption certificate that includes the Ag/Timber Number. Effective Jan. 1, 2016, the exemption certificate must also include a current expiration date.

Ag/Timber Number holders need to renew their Ag/Timber number before Jan. 1, 2016 in order to get a current expiration date. Glenn Hegar, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts will send “how to renew” letters directly to persons already registered with us, and we are in the process of updating our website with this information. Renewal starts in October, and phone, online and mail renewal options will be available. Continue reading “Agriview: Ag/Timber exemption and lawn maintenance”

Winter annual weeds stand out like a sore thumb, especially when your warm season lawn grass is dormant. They can invade many areas within your landscape, especially those sites where the turf density has been reduced and bare soil exists. Therefore, making sure you go into the winter months with a healthy, dense turfgrass is your best defense against these winter pests. Another approach is to use a pre-emergent herbicide to control them.

Winter annual weeds germinate in the late summer/early fall season. They will live during the winter and mature in the springs, then die. These are plants that come back each year from seed. Examples of winter annual weeds include: annual ryegrass, annual bluegrass, rescue grass, bur-clover, chickweed, henbit and mustard weeds. Control of these weeds can be accomplished, but applications of the correct pre-emergent herbicide have to be made at the proper time. The proper time for Henderson County is early September. When you’re mowing your lawn for the last time of the year, with a craftsman t240 or cordless mower, now’s the time to start putting down treatments to stop the weeds from taking over. Remember, you are controlling germinating seeds – so this pre-emergent herbicide needs to be applied prior to germination. If you are working with a lawn care company, visit with them about their approach to these pests – sometimes they use products that will control the weeds prior to or just after germination. It is always good to have communications between you and the company you are working with. If you don’t currently have a lawn care or garden maintenance company looking after the outdoor space of your property, but you would like one, why not look for services in your area like this – https://www.thecarparkman.co.uk/service/grass-cutting/? Finally, please make sure you read the labels on all pesticides and calibrate your spreader/sprayer. Continue reading “Agriview: Winter weeds and fall fertilizer”

By Rick Hirsch/County Extension Agent

August is perhaps the most trying month for plants and people in East Texas. Lets go through a quick checklist of gardening chores that you don’t want to neglect in late summer.

Water the lawn and garden thoroughly when needed, then wait until almost dry before watering again. Be on the lookout for chinch bugs in lawns. These tiny insects can wreak havoc with turfgrass if not stopped in a good amount of time. If grub worms were a problem last hear then treat with an approved insecticide if you suspect problems this year.

Deep, thorough watering encourages root penetration and conserves water in the long run. Don’t forget to use generous amounts of mulch in and around the flower, vegetable and shrub beds. Shallow rooted plants such as dogwoods, camellias and azaleas need plenty of moisture as they begin to set flower buds for spring blooms. Continue reading “Agriview: Work to do in August”