October 12, 2016
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Texas Pollinator BioBlitz shines light on bugs and butterflies during annual migration
Texas Parks & Wildlife
Bees, butterflies and bugs are some of the important pollinators that help generate spectacular wildflower displays, produce delicious crops and sustain native plants. They can't do their part without the plants, and the Texas Pollinator BioBlitz is helping bring attention to the critical habitat needs of pollinators across the state during the height of the annual fall Monarch migration.
The Texas Pollinator BioBlitz is a statewide effort to observe and identify as many pollinators as possible from Oct. 7-16. Participants in this virtual treasure hunt will search for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds and other animals and post about them on Instagram or iNaturalist.
"This Pollinator BioBlitz is going to be a tremendous help to us because monarchs and other pollinators are in trouble," said Nancy Herron, director of outreach and education for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). "The monarch is losing habitat and important larval and adult food resources. As a result, its population across the eastern United States, Canada and Mexico has declined by nearly 80 percent over the past 20 years."
People of all ages and experience levels can participate, and the only tools needed are a camera or smartphone and access to the Internet. Anyone wishing to participate in the challenge can register for free on the Texas Pollinator BioBlitz page on the TPWD website.
Helpful guides are online, and registrants will be emailed fun, daily challenges that require no experience. The daily challenges, which include options such as photographing a brightly colored pollinator, food that has benefited from pollinators, video of people planting pollinator gardens, the creepiest pollinator and even your pollinator spirit animal.
To submit the challenges, participants can post their images or short videos on Instagram using #SaveThePollinators, or on iNaturalist, which contributes to the citizen science data collection. Also, many of our parks and partners are hosting special events at their sites. An event calendar is on the TPWD website.
"It is our hope that his project helps create buzz about these important animals and encourages people to plant native gardens for pollinators," said Herron. "In addition to monarchs, 30 native pollinator/flower-visiting species are designated as species of greatest conservation need. Along with bats, hummingbirds, wasps, flies and beetles, these creatures are crucial to sustain native plant species, human food crops and crops for livestock."
Fall is the prime time to plant pollinator gardens, which are a great way to lure monarchs and other important creatures to urban and suburban neighborhoods. Plants such as the native Texas milkweeds, frostweed and the autumn sage are great for pollinators. A regional Texas plant list can be found online on the Monarch Watch website.
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Gardening Essay
Planting the right seeds
By Rebecca Harmon
Last summer I tended my parents' garden while they were on an extended vacation. The tomatoes had come on strong and beautiful. Each day as I carefully pulled back the staked plants, searching for tomatoes that were just right and ready for picking I was struck with the bounty of the season's crop. Each plant was heavy with tomatoes and displayed every shade from green to red (and on the 'Yellow Boy' plants, from green to deep golden yellow).
At that time I was feeling less than abundant, wondering why it looked so easy for some people, while the secret to financial stability seemed so distant to me. Spending time with the pungent tomato (and other) plants I noticed that abundance seemed to be nature's preferred state, which I accepted as a very good omen.
If abundance is natural, my financial challenges were surely temporary. It was as if Mother Nature herself was reassuring me that "this too shall pass" and I felt hopeful for the first time in a long while.
When I shared this with my mother - a serious and skilled gardener - she cautioned me that there are good years and not-so-good years and that sometimes you can do all the right things and still come up short. But she conceded that if you want a plentiful harvest, there are some basics that cannot be left to chance.
One of the first things necessary for an abundant garden is healthy soil. The best harvests begin long before the first seed is planted by paying careful attention to the soil. What was planted last year? What nourishment has been added (compost, fertilizers)? Are there rocks, roots or other debris that need to be removed before planting season?
The next consideration is the quality of the seeds. Buy good/healthy seeds or plants from a reputable source, and take care to plan your planting for the right time of the season.
It's also important to think about keeping critters from nibbling away all the plants as soon as they sprout, and to select the right fertilizer - preferably one with non-toxic and earth-friendly ingredients.
First-time gardeners may not realize the work required once the garden is finally planted. Weeds must be pulled regularly so that the vegetables have room to thrive and grow to their highest potential.
Depending on the geography, ensuring an ample supply of water may take some planning ahead. A lush and bountiful garden will not grow in desert conditions, so if nature isn't cooperating, a back-up plan and regular attention will be necessary.
Lastly, support for climbing or heavy plants will ensure that when the vegetables begin to grow they won't fall over on themselves and rot in the dirt.
All of this garden advice started to sound a lot like guidelines for life: preparation, making good choices, support, and a healthy lifestyle. I had stumbled across a universal truth peeking out from under the heavy tomato vines last summer: when we work with Mother Nature, she provides for us bountifully.
If we're feeling that the odds in life are stacked against us (as I was at the time), or that we just can't catch a break, we need to remember the lesson of the garden. Nature's default setting is abundance, but we have to do the prep work, the weeding and the watering to see the full bounty of our crop emerge.
Life gives back to us in abundance that which we plant in the garden of our lives. When our "harvests" aren't to our liking, we must look at the planning, preparation and planting we've done so we can make the changes needed to grow the things we desire in future seasons.
As the calendar moves through the winter months and edges closer to spring, I'll be taking time to plan my life garden for the year ahead. I'll be saving the seeds I want to plant again, and discarding the ones that bore bitter or tasteless fruit.
Mother Nature's abundant tendencies can produce a garden choked with weeds as easily as one filled with luscious tomatoes. In a similar manner we choose the quality of the harvests in our lives through the choices we make every day.
Our minds are the soil. What are the thoughts that dominate our days? Are we positive and upbeat or miserable and complaining? Ideas are the seeds we plant in our minds. Do we take care to select quality ideas or do we spend our days mired in petty, low-quality activities and interactions?
Fences can keep rabbits from nibbling the beets in a backyard garden while the fences in our lives are the healthy boundaries we set up to guard our privacy, peace of mind and integrity.
Fertilizer and water are important plant foods. When we eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water we are providing optimal conditions for our bodies and we will reap the harvests of feeling good, being healthy and looking great!
Keeping weeds out of the garden of life means removing toxic people and situations from our experience so that we can bloom and grow. Tomato plants can't thrive in a thicket of weeds, and we can't rise to our highest potential if we're surrounded by conflict and negativity.
Support stakes keep plants up off the ground. In our lives, support systems are also important to keep us psychologically and emotionally healthy. Support systems may be family members, friends, community clubs and organizations or any positive interactions that help keep us out of the mud.
Last summer I got more than fresh, organic tomatoes from my parents' garden. I gained a new perspective and some great advice for making positive changes in my life that are already producing a welcome harvest!
Rebecca Harmon is a writer, educator and consultant who enjoys popularity as a speaker on leadership, management and spirituality. She maintains a blog at
http://practitionerspath.wordpress.com and, when she is not writing or traveling to do a presentation or speaking series, spends time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her grandchildren, and two Black cats: Ganymede ("Ganny") and Callisto ("Calli").
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Getting outdoor power equipment ready for winter
Fall has arrived and winter temperatures will be here soon. That means it's time to put away your spring and summer outdoor power equipment - such as lawn mowers, and string trimmers - and take out the equipment you will need winter - such as snow throwers and generators.
Review the owner's manual. Re-familiarize yourself with how to handle your equipment safely and any maintenance needs. If you lost your manual, you can usually find it online.
Service all equipment. Before storing equipment, clean and service it yourself or take it to a small-engine repair shop. Drain and change engine oil and dispose of old/used oil safely. Service the air filter and perform other maintenance activities directed by the service manual. Check and do the same with all winter equipment too.
Recharge the battery. If any equipment has a battery, remove and fully charge it before storing or to have it ready for an unexpected weather event.
Handle fuel properly. Unused gas left in gas tanks over the winter can go stale and can even damage equipment. For any equipment stored over the winter, add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and then run the equipment to distribute it. Turn the engine off, allow the machine to cool, then restart and run until the gas tank is empty. For winter equipment, be sure to use the appropriate fuel. Most outdoor power equipment was designed, built and warranted to run on 10 percent or less ethanol fuel.
Do a yard cleanup. Clear paths regularly. Make sure there is space in the garage or basement to place larger yard items such as patio furniture, umbrellas and summer toys and games.
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Gardening tips
 Consider saving seed from non-hybrid vegetables and flowers like okra, shown here. Harvest the seed heads and dry them in a warm location out of direct sun for a couple of weeks. Then remove the seed from the rest of the pod and store them in an air tight container in the freezer.
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
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: "Rose Propagation" will be the topic of the Houston Rose Society meeting on Thursday, October 13, at the
Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion,
1500 Hermann Drive, Houston. The parking lot is Lot C, located at Hermann Drive and Crawford Street. The program will be presented by Patsy Williams, master rosarian. It will include instruction and demonstration on rooting cuttings and grafting roses.
Free admission. For more information, visit www.houstonrose.org.
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/.
Woodway:
The Children's Garden Fair will be held at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, 9001 Bosque Blvd., Woodway, on Sunday, October 16, from 2-5 p.m. This will be a fun, interactive afternoon of activities. Enjoy taking photos in the Pumpkin Patch. Vote on a favorite of the many scarecrows seen along the Nature Trail. Listen to live music provided by The Hale Highland Dancers and a Barbershop Quartet. Experience many kid-friendly activities: Make paper sombreros. Paint rocks. Pot plants. Learn about birds in the new bird blind. Pop corn right off the cob. Go on a scavenger hunt. Learn about composting with worms. Make paper fish. Learn about harvesting rainwater and how bees, butterflies, and other insects can be good for our gardens. Make paper seed cards. And learn more about the "Learn, Grow, Eat, and Go" Junior Master Gardener's Program. The Central Texas Audubon Society, HOT Master Naturalists, Cameron Park Zoo, and Woodway Youth Commission are among a few of the contributing organizations. Admission is free, and children should be accompanied by adults. Contact the Arboretum office for more information: 254-399-9204.
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.
South Pasadena: The American Rose Society's South Central District Conventionwill be held October 21-23. Friday Oct. 21 is registration and a SCD business meeting at the convention hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites, 4741 East Sam Houston Parkway, South Pasadena (281-998-3301). Saturday starts off early with a fall rose show at the Pasadena Convention Center, 7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena (281-487-4331). Convention registrants can enter rose blooms from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Registration is also open from 7 a.m. to noon at the convention center. Four internationally known speakers are featured Saturday at the convention center. At 11:00 a.m. hybridizer Ping Lim will speak on "Roses for Home Owners." At 1:00 p.m. Bob Martin, ARS VP, speaks on "Roses Anyone Can Show." At 2:30 p.m. Dr. Larry Unruh discusses "Chemicals that Do the Trick." The speaker program concludes at 3:30 p.m. with Dr. Alan Henn talking about "Research that Has Solved Key Issues." There will be an awards Banquet at the Hampton Inn starting at 7 p.m. On Sunday, two of the largest rose gardens (over 800 rose bushes) in Houston will be open for convention registrants only to tour. From 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. the convention attendees tour the garden of Earl and Deanna Krause. The tour continues at 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. to the garden of Baxter and Patsy Williams. Registration and other information is available on the HRS website, www.houstonrose.org.
New Braunfels: The Lindheimer NPSOT chapter is sponsoring an Invaders of Texas workshop on Sat.,
Oct. 22 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Solms Schoolhouse on the grounds of the Handmade Furniture Museum, 1370 Church Hill Dr., New Braunfels. The workshop and handouts are free. This workshop will identify various non-native, invasive plants, especially those in the Comal County area, and discuss the problems caused by those plants. In addition, students will learn various eradication methods. Students may join the Invaders network and download an app that enables "citizen scientists" to notify the Invaders of Texas Program of the location and identification of invasive plants they have found. Dana Wilson will present the workshop and as part of the instruction, students will take a mini-field trip to identify invasive plants on the grounds of the Handmade Furniture Museum.
To register, contact Deedy Wright at dwright24@satx.rr.com or go to the registration website http://texasinvasives.org/invaders/workshop_results.php.
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.
Sugar Land: The Sugar Land Garden Club presents its 17th Annual Garden Tour 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
October 22. Tickets: $15. Children younger than 12 free. For more information, visit
www.sugarlandgardenclub.org.
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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.
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.
Austin: The Garden Club of Austin meets at Zilker Botanical Gardens auditorium, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, at 7:00 p.m. on the
fourth Thursday of each month. 7:00-7:30 p.m. Refreshments and Social, followed by a presentation at 7:30 p.m. Free. For additional information, visit
http://thegardenclubofaustin.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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