September 28, 2016
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Four easy care gardening trends for the holiday season
By Melinda Myers
Dress up the holidays or give gifts that continue giving throughout the year with these low maintenance gardening trends. Just add a little fun, classic beauty or style to make it even more memorable now and throughout the year.
Terrariums.
These mini greenhouses continue to grow in popularity and are perfect for new or timid gardeners. Just plant a few small tropical plants, moisten the soil, close the lid and you have a self-contained growing chamber. Show off your green thumb with a modern, classic or vintage style vessel.
Use the Gazebo Tabletop terrarium, classic bell jar or other mini garden as a centerpiece for the dining table or buffet. Or create a miniature garden in glass to give as a hostess gift. When the party is over, it's a great memento of a fun holiday gathering.
Succulents.
Growing succulents is another low-maintenance garden trend that is perfect for busy gardeners during the hectic holiday season. Just place them in a sunny window and water whenever the soil is dry. It's truly as easy as that.
The small-scale cacti and succulents provide a multitude of opportunities for incorporating them into your holiday celebrations. You won't need much space to enjoy the subtle colors and dramatic form of these drought tolerant plants. Just select containers that complement, but don't overpower their charm.
Consider buying a few extras for guests to take home and enjoy for years to come.
But first, use them to dress up the table by making them into place cards for your guests. Simply add a name to the decorative pot. Or display them all together in a copper plant tray, terra cotta saucer or other shallow container to use as a centerpiece throughout the evening. When the party is over, each guest can pick their own plant to take home.
Air Plants.
Unique and amazing air plants are all the rage and could certainly be described as the definitive easy care plant. Many are native to rain forests where they grow in the canopy of trees, gathering water and nutrients that pass by. No soil is needed for these versatile plants. Just hang them in a bright location and soak in tepid non-softened water once every week or two.
Display them in an open terrarium, shell, or another decorative container. They make great centerpieces or stunning displays.
Pothos, Philodendron and Ivy.
These plants have long been low maintenance favorites of the indoor garden. This year, consider dressing them up for the holidays with sparkling garland, artificial flowers, berries and greens.
Or display them in unique containers, baskets or hangers. Go retro and macramé a colorful hanger for your favorite hanging basket. Or place the pot in an earthy woven basket, sleek plastic pot or classic Round Copper Wire Globe hanging basket. Add some fairy lights for a bit more sparkle on long winter nights.
Make this holiday season warm and memorable with the help of these low maintenance garden trends and plants. You, your family and friends will enjoy their beauty, charm and easy care nature throughout the new year ahead.
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Get kids growing!
Bonnie Plants
Vegetable gardening teaches kids where food comes from, healthy eating and gets them outdoors, engaging with nature.
A great way to get kids started in the garden is the National Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Program, it's free to any third grade classroom in the country and 3rd grade teachers can register now at http://bonniecabbageprogram.com/ for the 2017 program. Bonnie Plants trucks 2" cabbage plants to every 3rd grade classroom in the country, in spring, whose teachers have registered online, for the program. Registration is quick and easy!
In 1996, Bonnie Plants initiated the 3rd Grade Cabbage Program, in and around headquarters in Union Springs, Alabama. By 2002 the program included participation in the 48 contiguous states with more than 1.5 million children growing huge cabbages in their own backyards! Bonnie's mission is to inspire a love of vegetable gardening in young people and teach children, with firsthand experience, where their food comes from. Each year, Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetables and herbs in North America, with 77 greenhouse growing facilities, serving 48 states, trucks more than 1.5 million free O.S. Cross cabbage plants to 3rd Grade classrooms across the country. O.S. stands for oversized. These cabbages can grow upwards of 40 pounds, making the initiative quite engaging and fun for kids!
Teaches distribute the 2" cabbage plants Bonnie delivers, with instructions provided by Bonnie, to students to carry home and grow. At the end of the growing season, teachers select a class winner, based on size, appearance and maturity, and that submission is entered in a state-wide scholarship drawing. The 48 state winners are randomly selected by each state's Director of Agriculture, and Bonnie Plants awards a $1,000 scholarship for education to one student in each state.
As one of the first companies to sponsor a national vegetable gardening initiative for kids, Bonnie Plants has delivered more than 14 million cabbage plants, nationwide, in the past 14 years, fostering a growing interest in gardening, healthy eating, and the environment.
"The Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is a wonderful way to engage children's interest in agriculture, while teaching them not only the basics of gardening, but the importance of our food systems and growing our own," said Stan Cope, President of Bonnie Plants. This unique, innovative program exposes children to agriculture and demonstrates, through hands-on experience, where food comes from. The program also affords our youth with some valuable life lessons in nurture, nature, responsibility, self-confidence and accomplishment."
Why a cabbage?
Cabbages were the first successful crop sold by Bonnie in 1918. The cabbages used for the 3rd grade program are OS Cross (Over-sized), which is known for producing giant, oversized heads, making the process even more exciting for kids. To date, the biggest cabbage grown in the contest weighed in at 75 pounds!
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Communication is key to Johnson's success
Texas A&M Forest Service
The National Association of State Foresters presented a communications achievement award to Texas A&M Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program Coordinator Paul Johnson on September 21.
Johnson's efforts to inform, educate and even entertain others about the vital role of trees in our lives have garnered attention nationwide. It is for advancing the work and the worth of our nation's trees and forests by innovative communications methods that Johnson was presented the 2016 Leah MacSwords Current Achievement Award for Communications at the NASF annual meeting in Savannah, Georgia.
"Paul's enthusiasm in communicating how trees improve the quality of life for Texans is infectious," Burl Carraway, Department Head for Texas A&M Forest Service Sustainable Forestry said. "He spurs others toward better arboriculture practices and stewardship."
Johnson hosts the weekly Texas A&M Forest Service podcast Trees Are Key, www.treesarekey.com, providing information and education about trees, tree care, the benefits of trees and all the ways trees are important to people, communities and landscapes. The podcast series has been running approximately 18 months and has reached nearly 18,000 listeners from 23 countries.
Johnson also hosts Tree Chats on Twitter each week and has presented more than 500 programs in person covering 75 subjects.
Amanda Cooke, NASF communications director has witnessed the prolific reach of Johnson's messages. "The sheer amount of original content that Paul creates and effectively shares is astounding," she said. "His work has helped promote the benefits of trees and strengthen the forestry community across the nation and beyond."
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Gardening tips
Winter weeds will start sprouting soon, so spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch on bare surfaces including flower beds. The mulch will not only deter weeds but will shade roots next spring.
Have a favorite gardening tip you'd like to share?
Texas Gardener's Seeds is seeking brief gardening tips from Texas gardeners to use in future issues. If we publish your tip in
Seeds, we will send you a free copy of the latest issue of
Texas Gardener magazine. Please send your tips of 50 words or less to the editor at:
Garde
ning Tips.
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Upcoming garden events
If you would like your organization's events included in "Upcoming Garden Events" or would like to make a change to a listed event, please contact us at Garden Events. To ensure inclusion in this column, please provide complete details at least three weeks prior to the event.
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OCTOBER
Flower Mound:
Whether you prefer gardening, shopping, cooking demos or silent auctions, there will be plenty of activities at the 2016 Fall Garden Fest, held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Trietsch Memorial UMC Family Life Center, 6101 Morriss Rd., Flower Mound. Admission is free, and includes a variety of activities for youngsters. Educational presentations begin at 9:30 a.m., starting with Chef Charles Youts of the Classic Café in Roanoke, who will prepare dishes made from fresh, seasonal vegetables and herbs. Two additional one-hour programs will be presented twice that day at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. They feature Janet Gershenfeld, Master Gardener, discussing "Edibles in your Landscape" and Steven Chamblee, chief horticulturist at Chandor Gardens in Weatherford, presenting "Garden Harmony 101." Informational booths will address the following topics: bees, monarch butterflies, gourds, veggie gardening, herb growing, container gardening, Earthkind, landscape design, worm composting, water conservation, tree care and more. Dozens of craftspeople will be on hand to sell plants, yard arts, gifts and more. A silent auction will offer a variety of treasures.
Refreshments will be available from the 4H club concession.
For complete details, visit dcmga.com or look for the Denton County Master Gardener Association on Facebook.
La Marque: "Cruciferous and Other Favorite Vegetables for Fall Gardening" with GC Master Gardener Gene Speller presenting, 9:00-11:00 a.m.,
October 1, at the Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St., La Marque. Fee/Free. Participants must pre-register: Ph 281-534-3413. Galveston County Master Gardener event. Further details
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/.
La Marque: "Herbs in the Garden" with GC Master Gardener Cindy Croft presenting, 1:00-3:00 p.m.,
October 1, at the Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St., La Marque. Fee/Free. Participants must pre-register: Ph 281-534-3413. Galveston County Master Gardener event. Further details
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/.
Longview: The Gregg County Master Gardeners will hold their annual plant sale on Saturday,
October 1, at the Gregg County AgriLife Extension auditorium, 405 E. Marshall. The sale will be from 9 a.m. to noon. All plants will be $5, except Earth-kind Roses which will be $10. Parking in back. Entry to the sale will be through the back door. There will be a variety of shrubs and perennials. For additional information call, 903-236-8429 or see on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/greggcountymastergardeners.
Nacogdoches:
Stephen F. Austin State University's SFA Gardens will host its annual Fabulous Fall Festival Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 1, at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. in historic Nacogdoches. The sale will feature a variety of hard-to-find, "Texas-tough" plants, including Texas natives, heirlooms, tropicals, perennials, shrubs, trees and exclusive SFA introductions. Most of the featured plants are extensively trialed before being offered to the public and are produced by staff members and volunteers of the SFA Gardens. This popular event benefits the SFA Mast Arboretum, Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden and Gayla Mize Garden, along with educational programs that are hosted monthly at the gardens. Educational programs provided at the SFA Gardens reach more than 15,000 participants on a yearly basis. Parking will be available at SFA's Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center, 2428 Raguet St., and visitors are encouraged to arrive early and bring a wagon for their plants. For more information and a list of available plants, call 936-468-4404 or visit
www.sfagardens.sfasu.edu two weeks before the sale.
Odessa: Permian Basin Master Gardeners (Ector/Midland Counties) and Texas A&M AgriLife will hold an Aquaponics Workshop on Saturday,
October 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Texas Food Bank, 411 South Pagewood, Odessa. Aquaponics is combining aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (soil-less growing of plants) together into one integrated system. The workshop will include informative lectures in addition to hands-on construction of a system that will be raffled as a door prize to one lucky paid registrant. There is a participation fee for this class which includes lunch. Registration is required by either contacting the extension office at 432-498-4071 or by submiting an e-mail request to
Jeff.Floyd@ag.tamu.edu
.
La Marque: "Easy Butterfly Gardening" with GC Master Gardener Phyllis Koenig presenting, 6:30-8:00 p.m.,
October 4, at the Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St., La Marque. Fee/Free. Participants must pre-register: Ph 281-534-3413. Galveston County Master Gardener event. Further details
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/.
Tyler: "Bulbs and More" will be presented by Anne Pattullo at noon, October 4, in the IDEA garden in the Tyler Rose Garden, 420 Rose Park Dr., Tyler. The free lecture is approximately 30 minutes with a Q&A session following. Seating is limited; please bring a chair for your comfort. In case of inclement weather, program will be held inside of the Tyler Rose Garden Center. For more information http://txmg.org/smith/coming-events/ or 903-590-2980.
Nacogdoches: Stephen F. Austin State University's SFA Gardens will host a special presentation titled "Bulbs for the Deep South" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. Brent Heath, a third-generation bulb grower, will share his love of gardening and enthusiasm for teaching, providing new ideas to help gardeners have more colorful and successful gardens. Brent is a co-owner with his wife, Becky, of Brent and Becky's Bulbs, a Virginia-based wholesale and retail mail-order bulb catalog and website business that offers numerous types of bulbs for sale to botanical gardens, cities, universities, landscape designers and gardeners across the country. The Heaths are daffodil hybridizers and have a number of small, multi-flowered, fragrant hybrids. The couple has co-authored two books, "Daffodils for North American Gardens" and "Tulips for North American Gardens." The Heaths also have both been featured guests on national television programs, including "The Victory Garden," "Karen's Garden" and "Martha Stewart." The Heaths have received numerous recognitions, including a Gold Medal of Honor from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in January 2001 and an individual Commercial Gold Medal from the American Horticultural Society in June 2001. In August 2002, the Garden Writer's Association presented the Heaths with a lifetime achievement award by inducting them into the Garden Writer's Hall of Fame. The Wall Street Journal voted Brent and Becky's Bulbs the "Best Bulb Company in America," and in April 2003, the American Daffodil Society awarded Brent with a Gold Medal of Honor for popularizing and promoting the use of daffodils. The cost of the seminar is $10, and tickets can be purchased online at sfagardens.sfasu.edu. Parking is available at the nearby Raguet Elementary School, 2428 Raguet St., with continual shuttle service to the Brundrett Conservation Education Building. For more information, call (936) 468-4129 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
Blanco: Blanco County Master Gardeners will conduct their 3rd annual Gardenscape "FUN"damentals, on Saturday,
October 8. Doors open at 9 a.m. The event will take place at the Blanco High School Ag building, 1215 4th St., Blanco. This year's theme is "Garden to Table," and there will be vendors, exhibitors and guest speakers. There are seminars, demonstrations, food, children's activities and door prizes. Blanco High School students will also be presenting some wonderful information.
Houston: Family Day
, with Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2 will be held 9:00 a.m.-noon, Saturday, October 8, at the Genoa Friendship Garden,1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd., Houston. Crafts and Propagation for children and Propagation and Container Planting demonstrations for adults. Tag Sale, Garden Tours and much more! Master Gardeners will also be available to answer your gardening questions. FREE. Plants for sale in the Greenhouse. For more information, visit
https://hcmga.tamu.edu
.
La Marque: "Bulbmania!" with award winning Houston Garden Club member Dodie Jackson presenting, 9:00-10:00 am,
October 8, at the Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St., La Marque. Fee/Free. Galveston County Master Gardener event. Further details
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/.
La Marque: "Gardening for Jewels...Hummingbirds" with GC Master Gardener Deborah Repasz presenting, 1:00-2:30 p.m.,
October 8, at the Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St., La Marque. Fee/Free. Participants must pre-register: Ph 281-534-3413. Galveston County Master Gardener event. Further details
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/.
San Antonio: How to Attract Pollinators into the Garden Work(ing)shop, Oct. 8, at the Terrell Heights Community Garden, 670 Greenwich, San Antonio. Pollinators are a hot topic in San Antonio. Resident environmental groups, community organizers, teachers, policy makers and political leaders are passionate about creating local solutions. Come learn about how you can attract pollinators to your community garden or yard. Terrell Heights Community Gardeners have great experience to share about their plant selection process using native milkweed and nectar plants, site design and resource gathering for their Monarch Waystation. Participants will also learn about plants to attract hummingbirds, bats and lesser known helpful pollinators.
Tyler: Brent Heath,
of
Brent & Becky's Bulbs
will present two programs, "Bulbs for the Deep South" and "Bulbs as Companion Plants" at the
Smith County Master Gardener Fall Conference and Bulb Sale, October 8, at
Harvey Hall Convention Center, 2000 W Front St., Tyler. Bulbs, perennials, trees and shrubs suitable for the local area will be offered. Registration: 8:00 a.m. Program: 8:30 a.m. Conference Fee $15. Bulb Sale opens at 11:00 a.m. and is free. For more information: http://txmg.org/smith/coming-events/ or 903-590-2980.
La Grange: Texas Gardener Contributing Editor Patty Leander will discuss "Cover-cropping & Crop Rotation" at the Fayette County Master Gardeners monthly Lunch-N-Learn, 12:05-12:50 p.m., October 11, at the Fayette County ArgiLife Extension Service, 255 Svoboda Lane, La Grage. Meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, call 979-968-5831.
La Marque: "My Favorite Perennials" with GC Master Gardener Jan Brick presenting, 6:30-8:00 p.m.,
October 11, at the Galveston County AgriLife Extension Building in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main St., La Marque. Fee/Free. Galveston County Master Gardener event. Further details
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/.
Denton: Denton County residents are interested in becoming a Master Gardener are invited to the organization's Round Up meeting from 10 a.m. until noon on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Joseph A. Carroll Building, 401 W. Hickory St., Denton. County residents wishing to apply for the 2017 Master Gardener training program must do so no later than
Oct. 14. Attending the Roundup is not a requirement for applicants, but everyone must complete an application form, which is available online. For complete details, including all requirements for new members, visit
www.dcmga.com.
Houston: The 74th annual Bulb & Plant Mart, sponsored by The Garden Club of Houston (GCH), will be held
October 13-15, 2016
at St. John the Divine Church, 2450 River Oaks Blvd., Houston, Texas. The Mart will open Thursday, October 13, 4:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. for Early Bird Shopping with a Party on the Patio featuring Live Music and Lite Bites (Admission $20). Nearby stores will be offering discounts to Bulb Mart shoppers. Sales continue Friday, October 14 from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 15 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. All sales are tax-exempt. Admission and parking are free. More than 500,000 top-quality bulbs from domestic and international suppliers from Amaryllis to Zephyranthes (Rain Lily) will be available at the Mart including over 200 varieties of Tulips, Iris, Daffodils and Hyacinths as well as small bulb favorites: Anemone, Crocus, Freesia, Ranunculus, and Watsonia. Experienced as well as beginning gardeners will find an expanded collection of hard-to-find and unusual Crinums, Daylilies, Gingers, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and citrus plants, including exclusive offerings from the gardens of GCH members grown specifically for the Mart. The Plants that Merit Attention Booth, hosted by Nancy Thomas, our horticultural award-winning Garden Club of Houston member and Garden Club of America Past President, will be featured on Saturday morning and will offer noteworthy selections collected specifically for the Mart. Additional special exhibits will include the live butterfly tent from The Museum of Natural Science Cockrell Butterfly Center and the Conservation Booth, which will feature a variety of native and drought tolerant plants curated by experts in ecological conservation and education. Shop NOW for your dazzling spring blooms. More than 100 different bulb varieties can be pre-ordered before the Mart. All pre-orders will receive a 10 percent discount and are sales tax free.
Orders must be received by September 15
. Photos and planting information are also included. For additional information about the Bulb & Plant Mart and GCH, visit
www.gchouston.org
.
Seabrook:
Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2, will present Nell Shimek, speaking on "Daylillies," 10:00 a.m.-11:30 am, Thursday, October 13, at Clear Lake Meeting Room, 5001 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook. Free. For more information, visit https://hcmga.tamu.edu.
Hitchcock: "Galveston County Master Gardener Annual Fall Plant Sale." Presale presentation of sale plants by GCMG John Jons, 8:00 a.m.-8:50 a.m.; Sale 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., October 15, at Galveston County Fair Grounds in Jack Brooks Park - Rodeo Arena, located at Hwy 6 and Jack Brooks Road, Hitchcock. For details and updates, visit http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/.
Smithson Valley: The Lindheimer Chapter (Comal County) of the Native Plant Society of Texas will hold their monthly meeting
on
October 18 at the GVTC Auditorium located at 36101 FM 3159, Smithson Valley. The doors open
at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts
at 7:00 p.m.. The speaker will be Jay Daniel, Houston Memorial Park Manager. Jay will speak on "Memorial Park Invasives Eratification Program." The meeting is free and the public is welcome. For more information call Martha Guethle at
830-438-5996.
Woodway:
Master Gardener Louie McDaniel will share his knowledge of growing plants hydroponically October 19. McDaniel covers the latest innovations in growing plants and vegetables. Even apartment dwellers can enjoy growing vegetables on their balconies or patios. The program runs from noon to 2:00 p.m. at The Pavilion at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, Woodway. Free. For more information, call 399-9204 or email jschaffer@woodwaymail.org.
San Antonio: Harvest Blitz National Food Day,
Oct. 22, at the St. Therese Community Garden, 906 W. Kentucky Ave., San Antonio. Green Spaces Alliance Community Gardens Program is hosting its annual event to celebrate National Food Day from 5:30-9:00 p.m. Gardeners, foodies, and healthy-eating advocates are invited to attend and enjoy the time-honored tradition of sharing food as a community. The event will feature the Chef led demonstrations, nutrition experts encouraging tastings, garden gurus sharing cultivation tips, and fun, informative films to cap off each evening. Activities will be offered for the entire family.
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NOVEMBER
Woodway:
Anecdotes from the Garden will be presented by Patricia Goaley, Master Gardener November 16. An amusing romp through the garden, discussing gardening influences on life from the dark ages thru the 1700s from England, some of Europe, and finally, to our survival in America. The program runs from noon to 2:00 p.m. at The Pavilion at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, Woodway. Free. For more information, call 399-9204 or email: jschaffer@woodwaymail.org.
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Monthly meetings
If you would like your organization's events included in "Monthly Meetings" or would like to make a change to a listed meeting, please contact us at Monthly Meetings. To ensure inclusion in this column, please provide complete details.
FIRST WEEK
Kaufman:
The Kaufman County Master Gardeners meet the first Monday of each month at the First Community Church at 1401 Trinity Drive in Crandall. January through April and August and September meetings are at 9 a.m., with the remaining meetings beginning at 7 p.m. For additional information visit http://www.kcmga.org, call 972-932-9069 or email to sbburden@ag.tamu.edu.
Houston: The Harris County Master Gardeners meet at noon the
first Tuesday of each month at the Texas AgriLife Extension, 3033 Bear Creek Drive (near the intersection of Highway 6 and Patterson Road), Houston. For additional information visit
http://hcmga.tamu.edu
or call 281-855-5600.
Dallas: Garden Masters, Inc., meet the
first Wednesday of each month at North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd., Dallas. The club hosts different speaker each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your lunch! For more information, email Bunny Williams at
bunny-williams@sbcglobal.net.
Kerrville: Hill Country Master Gardeners meet the
first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm at Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Hwy 27. For more information visit
www.hillcountrymastergardeners.org.
Midland/Odessa: The Permian Basin Master Gardeners meet at noon, the
first Wednesday of each month, lternating between the Midland and Ector County's Extensions Offices. For more information about location, call 432-498-4071 or 432-686-4700.
Allen: The Allen Garden Club meets at 7 p.m. on the
first Thursday of each month, February through December, at the Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main St., Allen. For more information, visit
www.allengardenclub.org.
Atlanta: The Cass County Master Gardeners meet the
first Thursday of each month at the Atlanta Memorial Hospital Conference Room, State Highway 77 @ S. Williams St., Atlanta. A business meeting is followed by an educational program. The public is welcome to attend. For additional information, call 903-756-5391 or visit
http://cass.agrilife.org.
Brownwood: The Brown County Master Gardeners Association meets the
first Thursday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the AgriLife Extension Office, 605 Fisk Ave., Brownwood. For further information, call Mary Green Engle at 325-784-8453.
Hempstead: The Waller County Master Gardeners usually mee tat 9 a.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Waller County AgriLife Extension Office, 846 6th St., Hempstead. For more information on the meeting schedule, visit http://txmg.org/wallermg or call 979-826-7651.
Fort Worth: The North Central Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. except (January and July) in the Fort Worth Botanical Garden Building at
3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard, Fort Worth. For additional information, contact President Theresa Thomas at kayleetl@sbcglobal.net.
Gonzalas: Gonzales Master Gardeners hold their monthly meeting at noon on the
first Thursday of each month at 623 Fair Street, Gonzales. Bring a bag lunch, drinks provided. Contact AgriLife Extension Office at 830-672-8531 or visit
http://gonzalesmastergardeners.org
for more information.
New Braunfels: The Comal Garden Club meets the
first Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Southbank Clubhouse, 222 Southbank Blvd., New Braunfels.
SECOND WEEK
Austin: Austin Organic Gardeners Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the
second Monday of each month (except December) at the Austin Area Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin. For more information, visit
www.austinorganicgardeners.org.
Jacksonville: The Cherokee County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Woodmen of the World, 1800 College Ave., Jacksonville. For more information, e-mail Tom Abbott at
tom@deerfield-abbey.org.
Glen Rose: The Glen Rose Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. on the
second Tuesday of each month (September through May) at the Somervell County Community Center in Glen Rose. For additional information, email
stringer030@yahoo.com.
Glen Rose: The Prairie Rose Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets at 6 p.m. on the
second Monday of each month at the Somerville County Citizen Center, 209 SW Barnard St., Glen Rose. For additional information, email
prairierose.npsot@gmail.com.
Harrison County: The Harrison County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Tuesday of each month in the Harrison County Annex building, 102 W Houston St. (south side of the square), Marshall. Meetings are held in the 2nd floor AgriLife Extension meeting room. For more information, call 903-935-8413, or email
wannagrow2@gmail.com.
Marion: The Guadalupe County (Schertz/Seguin) Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the
second Tuesday of each month except July, August and December at St. John's Lutheran Church in Marion. Directions to St. John's Lutheran Church: From FM 78 turn south onto FM 465 and the church is just past the Marion School on the right. From IH-10 go north on FM 465 towards Marion. The Church will be on the left, just before you get to town. A plant exchange and meet-and-greet begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the program at 7 p.m. Visitors are welcome. For more information or an application to join NPSOT visit
www.npsot.org/GuadalupeCounty/
or contact
guadalupecounty@npsot.org.
Quitman: The Quitman Garden Club meets at 2 p.m. the
second Tuesday of each month at the Quitman Library on E Goode Street, Quitman. It is a diverse group that welcomes all visitors. For more information, e-mail
quitmangardenclub@gmail.com.
Denton:
The Denton County Master Gardener Association meets from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. the
second Wednesday of each month
. Meetings are open to the public. For complete details, visit
http://dcmga.com/.
Humble: The Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble, hosts a Lunch Bunch the
second Wednesday of each month from noon until 2 p.m. Take a sack lunch or order a box lunch from Starbucks when you call 281-443-8731 to reserve your spot. Master Gardeners and Masters Naturalists may earn CEU credits by attending.
Jacksboro: The Jacksboro Garden Club meets at 9:30 a.m. the
second Wednesday of each month (except June, July and August) at the Concerned Citizens Center, 400 East Pine Street, Jacksboro. For more information, call Melinda at 940-567-6218.
Longview:
The Gregg County Master Gardeners Association's Learn at Lunch program meet the second Wednesday of each month. The business meeting begins at 11:30 a.m., with the program at noon, at the AgriLife Extension Office, 405 E. Marshall Ave., Longview. The program is presented for horticultural education and is free to the public. For further information call 903-236-8429, visit www.txmg.org/gregg, or like us on Facebook at Gregg County Master Gardeners.
Rockport: The Rockport Herb & Rose Study Group, founded in March 2003, meets the
second
Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at 619 N. Live Oak Street, Room 14, Rockport, to discuss all aspects of using and growing herbs, including historical uses and tips for successful propagation and cultivation. Sometimes they take field trips and have cooking demonstrations in different locations. For more information, contact Linda 361-729-6037, Ruth 361-729-8923 or Cindy 979-562-2153 or visit
www.rockportherbs.or
g and
http://rockportherbies.blogspot.com.
Woodway: The McLennan County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Wednesday each month at noon at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, 9001 Bosque Blvd., Woodway. Educational programs follow the business session. For more information, call 254-757-5180.
Beaumont: The Jefferson County Master Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. (social) 7:00 (meeting) the
second Thursday of each month except in July in the AgriLife Extension auditorium, 1225 Pearl 2nd floor (downtown Beaumont next to the Court House). For more information contact: 409-835-8461 or
txmg.org/jcmg.
Georgetown: The Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. the
second Thursday of each month at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. 8th Street. Georgetown. For additional information, contract Billye Adams at 512-863-9636 or visit
http://www.npsot.org/WilliamsonCounty/default.htm.
Orange: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association holds their monthly meeting on the
second Thursday of each month. A short program is presented. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the new Orange County Expo Center on Hwy 1442 in Orangefield. Enter the building in the front entrance, first door on the right, Texas AgriLife offices. Pot luck supper at 6 p.m. Visit
http://txmg.org/orange
for more information.
San Antonio: The San Antonio Herb Society meets at 7 p.m. on the
second Thursday of each month at the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels (corner of Funston & N. New Braunfels). For more information on programs, visit
www.sanantonioherbs.org.
Smithville: The Smithville Community Gardens meets at 5:30 p.m. the
second Thursday of each month at the Smithville Recreation Center.
Angleton: The Brazoria County Master Gardeners meet at 11 a.m. on the
second Friday of each month at the Brazoria County Extension Office, 21017 County Road 171, Angleton. There is a general business meeting followed by a brief educational program each month. For further information call 979-864-1558, ext.110.
College Station: The A&M Garden Club meets on the
second Friday of each month during the school year at 9:30 a.m. in the training room of the College Station Waste Water Facility building at the end of North Forest Parkway, College Station. Expert speakers, plant sharing, and federated club projects help members learn about gardening in the Brazos Valley, floral design, conservation, and more. For more information, visit
http://www.amgardenclub.com/.
Houston: The Spring Branch African Violet Club meets the
second Saturday of each month, January through November, at 10:30am at the Copperfield Baptist Church, 8350 Highway 6 North, Houston. Call Karla at 281-748-8417 prior to attending to confirm meeting date and time.
Kilgore: Northeast Texas Organic Gardeners meets at 1:30 p.m. on the
second Saturday of each month. For more information, call Carole Ramke at 903-986-9475.
Dallas: The Rainbow Garden Club of North Texas meets the
second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Meetings are held at member's homes and garden centers around the area. For more information, visit
www.RainbowGardenClub.com.
THIRD WEEK
Arlington: The Arlington Men's Garden Club meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the
third Monday of each month (except December) at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington. For more information, contact Lance Jepson at
LJepson@aol.com.
Cleburne:
The Johnson County Master Gardener's meet on the third Monday of each month at McGregor House, 1628 W Henderson, Cleburne. Meeting times are at 2 p.m. October through April, except December and at 6 p.m. May through September. An educational program precedes the business meeting. For additional information, contact Sue Matern at 817-517-9076.
New Braunfels: The Comal Master Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. the
third Monday of each month (except April and December,) at the
GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels. An educational program precedes the business meeting. The public is invited to attend. For additional information, call 830-620-3440 or visit
http://txmg.org/comal/
.
Texarkana: The Four Corners Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas meets at 7 p.m. on the
third Monday of each month at the Southwest Center, 3222 W. 7th St. (U.S. 67), Texarkana. Visitors are welcome. For additional information, contact Belinda McCoy at 903-424-7724 or
blackmtngardens@yahoo.com.
Bastrop/Lockhart
: Texas Sage Master Gardeners meet the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Bastrop or Lockhart. Visit their Facebook page for location and educational topic of the month:
https://www.facebook.com/TexasSageMG
. For additional information, or to become a Texas Sage Master Gardener, email
TexasSageMG@gmail.com
.
Corpus Christi: The Nueces Master Gardeners meet at noon the
third Tuesday of each month, except December, at Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Dr., Corpus Christi. An educational program precedes the business meeting. For further information call 361 767-5217.
Evant: The Evant Garden Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m., usually at the bank in downtown Evant. To confirm the date, time and place of each month's meeting, call 254-471-5860.
New Braunfels:
The Lindheimer Chapter (Comal County) of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the third Tuesday of each month at
6:30 pm
at the GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels. Meetings include an informative speaker
and a Plant of the Month presentation. Meetings are free and
visitors are welcome. For more information,visit www.npsot.org/w/lindheimer.
Note
: there will be no meeting in June or December.
Rockport: Monthly meetings of the Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners are held at 10 a.m. on the
third Tuesday of each month at Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Aransas County Office, 892 Airport Rd., Rockport. For additional information, e-mail
aransas-tx@tamu.edu or call 361-790-0103.
Sugar Land: The Sugar Land Garden Club meets on the
third Tuesday of each month, September through November and January through April at 10 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 702 Burney Road, Sugar Land. The club hosts a different speaker each month. For more information, visit
www.sugarlandgardenclub.org.
Denton: The Denton Organic Society, a group devoted to sharing information and educating the public regarding organic principles, meets the
third Wednesday of each month (except July, August and December) at the Denton Senior Center, 509 N. Bell Avenue. Meetings are free and open to the public. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are preceded by a social at 6:30. For more information, call 940-382-8551.
Glen Rose: The Somervell County Master Gardeners meet at 10 a.m., the
third Wednesday of each month at the Somervell County AgriLife Extension office, 1405 Texas Drive, Glen Rose. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call 254-897-2809 or visit
www.somervellmastergardeners.org.
Granbury: The Lake Granbury Master Gardeners meet at 1 p.m. on the
third Wednesday of each month at the Hood County Annex 1, 1410 West Pearl Street, Granbury. The public is invited to attend. There is an educational program each month preceding the business meeting. For information on topics call 817-579-3280 or visit
http://www.hoodcountymastergardeners.org/.
Seabrook: The Harris County Precinct 2 Master Gardeners hold an educational program at 10 a.m. on the
third Wednesday of each month at The Meeting Room at Clear Lake Park (on the Lakeside), 5001 NASA Road 1, Seabrook. The programs are free and open to the public. For more information, visit
http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu.
Brownwood: Brownwood Garden Club meets the
third Thursday of each month, 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. The club meetings are at Southside Baptist Church, 1219 Indian Creek Road, with refreshments and a speaker presentation. Visitors are welcome. For more information, email
boeblingen@centex.net or call 817-454-8175.
Houston: The Native Plant Society of Texas - Houston (NPSOT-H) meets at 7:30 p.m. on the
third Thursday of each month except for October (4th Thursday) at the Houston SArboretum and Nature Center in Memorial Park (4501 Woodway Dr.). For more information on programs, and for information about native plants for Houston, visit
http:/npsot.org/wp/Houston.
San Antonio: The Bexar County Master Gardeners (BCMG) meet on the
third Thursday of each month at the Texas AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge Dr., Suite 208, San Antonio. During the months of Jan., March, May, July, Sep. and Nov., an evening meeting begins with a social time at 6 p.m. followed by a free presentation from 6:30-8:30 p.m. During the intervening months (Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct., Dec.), afternoon educational seminars/general meetings are held from 1-3:30 p.m. Check
http://www.bexarmg.org/ to verify meeting date for any given month, as circumstances could require a change, and to find information on the speaker and topic scheduled for each meeting.
Seguin: The Guadalupe County Master Gardeners meets at 6:30 p.m. the
third Thursday of each month, at the AgriLife Building, 210 East Live Oak, Seguin. After a brief social hour, the meeting and guest speaker begins at 7 p.m. The meeting is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 830-303-3889 or visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org.
FOURTH WEEK
Brackenridge Park: The Native Plant Society San Antonio Chapter meets every
fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Lions Field Adult and Senior Center, 2809 Broadway at E. Mulberry, Brackenridge Park, except August and December. Social and seed/plant exchange at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Bea at 210-999-7292 or visit
www.npsot.org/sanantonio.
Bryan: The Brazos County Master Gardeners, a program of Texas AgriLife Extension, meet the
fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. There is a public gardening program at each meeting and pertinent information may be found at
brazosmg.com or 979-823-0129.
Edna: The Jackson County Master Gardeners present their "Come Grown With Us" seminars on the
fourth Tuesday of each month, January through October, beginning at 7 p.m. at 411 N. Wells, Edna. The seminars are free, open to the public and offer 2 CEU hours to Master Gardeners or others requiring them. For additional information, contact the Jackson County Extension Office at 361-782-3312.
Linden: The Caddo Wildflower Chapter of Native Plants Society meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month at the senior citizens building at 507 S Kaufman St. in Linden at 6:30. Visitors are welcome. For additional information, contact Karen Tromza at
khtromza@yahoo.com.
Fort Worth: The Organic Garden Club of Forth Worth meets at 7 p.m. on the
fourth Tuesday of each month except July and December at the Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center, 3220 Botanic Blvd., Ft. Worth. Refreshments are served. For more information, call 817-263-9322 or visit
www.ogcfw.webs.com.
San Antonio: The Native Plant Society of Texas San Antonio Chapter meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month, except August and December, at the Lions Field Adult & Senior Center, 2809 Broadway, San Antonio. Social and plant/seed exchange at 6:30 p.m., program at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit
www.npsot.org/sanantonio or email
npsot.sanantonio@gmail.com.
Houston: The Houston Native Prairie Association meets at 7 p.m. on the
fourth Wednesday of each month at the Cherie Flores Pavilion in McGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston. For more information, contact
hnpat@prairies.org.
Leander: The Leander Garden Club meets on the
fourth Thursday of each month (except July and August) at 10:30 a.m. at the community room behind the Greater Texas Federal Credit Union,1300 N. Bell, Cedar Park, unless there is special event planned. Following a program and short business meeting, we share a pot-luck luncheon. To confirm the meeting place and time, please call president Cathy Clark-Ramsey at 512-963-4698 or email
info@leandergc.org.
Dallas: The Dallas County Master Gardeners meet the
fourth Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. For location and program information, visit
h
ttp://www.dallascountymastergardeners.org/ or contact The Helpdesk, M-F, 8 to 4:30 214-904-3053.
Dallas: The Greater Dallas Organic Garden Club meets at 7:00 p.m. on the
fourth Thursday of each month at the REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Dallas. For more information, call 214-824-2448 or visit
www.gdogc.org.
Arlington: The Arlington Organic Garden Club meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the
last Thursday of each month (except November and December) at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington. For more information, contact David at 817-483-7746.
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