November 7, 2018
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The garden reader:
A world without flowers - no thanks!
By William Scheick
Michael Fogden and Patricia Fogden. The Natural History of Flowers. Texas A&M University Press, 2018. 232 pp. $37.00.
 In "Nightfall," a novelette first published in 1941, Isaac Asimov imagines an alien world that only knows daylight, except during an eclipse occurring once every 2,000 years. As that eclipse-event unfolds in the story, the astounding sight of an immense starry universe shocks the viewers senseless.
An inhabited world that never had flowers might likewise be technically conceivable in some science-fiction tale, but what a drab place it would be. I'd rather not visit it, even in my imagination.
Of course, once upon a time our own world lacked flowers. Algae prevailed along with ferns, mosses and horsetails, later followed by flowerless yet seed-producing conifers and other gymnosperms.
Flowers - fairly unimpressive ones, at that - began to appear about 125 million years ago. Eventually these angiosperms would populate our planet with the most astonishing array of floral designs - so amazing that entire books about them simply cannot detail all of their diverse features or their interactions with animals.
Even so, The Natural History of Flowers - gorgeously designed and you-and-me accessible - provides an excellent guide into that stunning floral realm. Expect to learn about the secrets of flower advertisements, color, nectar guides, scents and rewards.
"Mimicry and Deceit in Flowers" reminded me that somehow my early-60s training in botany overlooked the possibility of imposter, totally unrelated floral look-alikes. Besides taxonomy-challenging mimicry, I also found myself drawn to "weird-tales" of insects being tricked by pseudo-flowers, pseudo-pollen, pseudo-nectaries, pseudo-breeding sites and drowning pits.
Plants have long demonstrated an ability to propagate themselves by gravity, water, wind, rhizome and layering. As flowering plants changed over time, they developed countless other strategies involving co-evolving animals, particularly insects.
Of course, seed-dispersal remains the prize at the end of the process. The Natural History of Flowers explores this complex and wide-ranging mechanism in rewarding detail.
Julie Thompson-Adolf. Starting and Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for Your Garden. Cool Springs Press, 2018. 160 pp. $25.00.
 Since we are one of the many creatures who engage in seed-dispersal, we might as well get smart about it. In Starting and Saving Seeds Julie Thompson-Adolf offers "step-by-step instructions for everything from selecting great seeds to creating your own seed-starting mix to harvesting seeds for next year's garden."
Her well-illustrated guidebook is chock-full of highly useful prompts and troubleshooting insights. She explains, for instance, "it seems counterintuitive, but 'roughing up' your seedlings will turn them into stronger plants."
More specifically, "brushing your hands over them several times a day will strengthen the stems, preparing them to withstand wind when they are planted in the garden." An oscillating fan, on the other hand, tends to dry seedling trays too quickly.
The author also describes vernalization - how to trick certain plants (such as carrots and cabbage) by artificially inducing a "chilling period that softens the vegetative phase, speeds flowering and, ultimately, seed production."
The author devotes most of Starting and Saving Seeds to profiling individual edibles. Each profile provides tabular data to enable gardening success, including seed depth, timing, light requirement, pollination, viability and special needs.
For many of us, winter is a respite from the veggie patch but also an opportunity to learn more about the "bigger picture" there. For gardeners, winter reading could hardly get better than The Natural History of Flowers and Starting and Saving Seeds.
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Do this fall yard work and reap springtime benefits
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Don't believe your family yards needs attention in the fall? Autumn is no time to ignore your lawn and landscape.
"What you do now will determine the quality of your family yard next spring and summer," said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), the international trade association representing more than 100 power equipment, engine and utility vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.
 "People know to plant flower bulbs in the fall, but this time of year is perfect for mowing, mulching, aerating, trimming and patching your yard," said Kiser. "After all, your living landscape does a lot for you. It produces oxygen, reduces the urban heat island effect, filters and captures runoff, improves air quality, controls erosion, absorbs carbon dioxide, and supports biodiversity. You benefit when your yard is in top shape."
OPEI offers the following tips to make sure your yard is ready for relaxing and fun outdoor activities next year.
Keep mowing. Grass still needs regular care to stay healthy. Grass that is too high may attract lawn-damaging field mice. Shorter grass is more resistant to diseases and traps fewer falling leaves. Cutting the grass low allows more sun to reach the crown of the grass, so less leaf will turn brown in the winter. However, cutting off too much at one time can be damaging, so never trim more than a third of the grass blades off in a single cutting. Put mower blades on the lowest settings for the last two cuts of the season.
Aerate your lawn. Compressed soil hurts grass health. Aerating punches holes into the soil and lets oxygen, water and nutrients into a lawn. Use a walk-behind aerator or get an attachment to pull behind a riding mower.
Mulch your leaves. Many mowers can mulch leaves with an attachment. Since mulching with a mower can mix grass clippings with leaf particles, these nitrogen-rich grass particles and carbon-rich leaf particles will compost more quickly. Together, they return nutrients to the soil.
Trim and shore up trees and bushes. Use trimmers, chainsaws or pole pruners to cut back trees, shrubs and plants. Make sure branches are safely trimmed back from overhead lines, and not in danger of falling on a structure in winter weather. You may need to tie or brace limbs of upright evergreens or plants to prevent them from breaking in high winds or snow. Call a professional arborist for big trees or hard to reach spots.
Repair bald spots. Fall is a great time to patch bald or thin spots in a lawn. The easiest way to do this is with an all-in-one lawn repair mixture (found at most garden shops and home centers). Use a garden rake or de-thatcher to scratch loose the soil on the spot.
Kiser also said it is important to follow safety procedures whenever using outdoor power equipment.
"Read your owner's manual," he added. "It will describe the individual requirements for your particular machine, and will provide directions on which fuels may be appropriate for your product. You may begin to see fuels higher than 10 percent ethanol being offered soon, so, remember 'look before you pump.'" Fuels containing more than 10 percent ethanol - such as E15 (15 percent ethanol) - should not be used in outdoor power equipment unless directed in the owner's manual. Most gas-fueled outdoor power equipment is warranted and designed to run on E10 (10 percent ethanol) fuel or less.
"And, drain fuel tanks before storing equipment for the winter," he said. "Fuel more than 30 days old isn't good for machines. Also service and winterize your lawn mower, string trimmer, leaf blower, and other outdoor power equipment before storing so it's ready to get jobs done."
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Funds available for forest thinning through Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Program
Texas A&M Forest Service
Texas A&M Forest Service is now accepting applications for the 2018 Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) Prevention Program Thinning Cost-Share. Through this program, eligible forest landowners can receive financial and technical assistance with forest thinning in order to reduce the threat of future SPB infestations and outbreaks.
Funds provided by USDA Forest Service-Region 8 and Forest Health Protection can assist landowners with conducting first thin operations in overly dense, pulpwood-sized pine stands in 21 East Texas counties. "Our goal is to reduce the potential for SPB attacks on our forests while simultaneously increasing tree growth and vigor," said Program Leader Shane Harrington.
Since the inception of the SPB Prevention Program, more than 100,000 acres have been treated throughout East Texas. "This program has a successful history of helping forest landowners reduce their potential for hosting future SPB attacks, as well as increasing overall forest health and resiliency, which is what sound forest management is about," said Harrington.
Eligible landowners may receive up to $50.00 per acre (100 acre maximum) to assist in conducting first thin operations. The forested property must meet several criteria and be located within one of the 21 priority counties which include: Angelina, Cass, Cherokee, Hardin, Harrison, Houston, Jasper, Liberty, Marion, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler and Walker.
All approved thinning projects must be completed within 12 months of the approval date.
Interested landowners can view additional program criteria and download an application by visiting http://tfsweb.tamu.edu/SPB or contact their local Texas A&M Forest Service Office for more information.
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The compost heap:
Soil test first?
"With the Gardening Tips for October 17, 2018," writes
Brian D. Townsend, MG,CR, "the comment was made concerning a fall feeding of roses, 'Feed them now with a high-phosphorus organic fertilizer and give them regular water until the first freeze.'
"Shouldn't a soil test be taken before more phosphorus is added? Many soil test results are showing an excessive (even toxic!) level of the nutrient already present, as it is not easily leached out of the soil as nitrogen would be."
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Gardening tips
"When cooking vegetables (without meat or salt)," writes Kathleen Pedigo, "let the water cool and use it to water plants. This will send nutrients to plants and not waste water."
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 copy of
Texas Gardene
r's 2019 Planning Guide & Calendar. 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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NOVEMBER
Houston: The November 8 meeting of the Houston Rose Society will be "Root-A-Rose Clinic." This will be a hands-on meeting presented by Gaye Hammond, master rosarian and past president of the Houston Rose Society. Learn how to successfully root rose cuttings in a ziplock bag! The technique Gaye will demonstrate works with most plants that will root from cuttings. She will share how to tell if things are going wrong with the cutting and what to do about it. During the program there will be a rose cutting exchange. Take a bag of rose cuttings from your garden to share. The instructions will be posted on the HRS website www.houstonrose.org. To participate in the cutting exchange, take a box of gallon-size Zip Lock bags and a black sharpie for your own use. Social time begins at 7:00 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston. Free admission.
Nacogdoches: David Creech will discuss "SFA Gardens, Where Good Ideas Meet Insurmountable Obstacles," 7:00 p.m.- 8:30 p.m., November 8, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. 2900 Raguet St., Nacogdoches. For additional information, call (936) 468-4129 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
La Marque: "What Is A Galveston County Master Gardener?" Saturday,
November 10, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Galveston County Master Gardener Diane Schenke will explain who Master Gardeners (MG) are and how to become one. MGs are members of the local community who take an active interest in lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers, and gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and help others, and able to communicate with diverse groups of people. What sets MGs apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In addition to the presentation, Schenke and other MGs will answer questions and facilitate discussion. At the end of the class attendees will have the opportunity to complete an application to become a Galveston County Master Gardener. "Evaluating Your Soil's Health," Saturday,
November 10, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. In Galveston County Master Gardener Jim Gilliam's presentation he will describe how to evaluate the "health" of your garden soil. With only a spade and a wire flag, he will show how to conduct 18 tests that will allow you to determine your soil's quality. He will offer strategies for resolving deficiencies. Remember: Building great soil is the most important step to take for successful gardening. Galveston County AgriLife Extension Office in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (FM 519), La Marque. Email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
to pre-register for either or both sessions.
Austin: Austin Organic Gardeners November 12 meeting will feature
local, organic chicken feed producer Coyote Creek Farms, discussing raising chickens and chicken feed. The
Austin
Organic
Gardeners'
Club
meets
at
the
Austin
Area
Garden
Center,
2220
Barton
Springs
Rd,
in
Zilker
Botanical
Gardens
the
2nd
Monday
of
each
month
except
December.
Doors
open
at
6:30
p
.
m
.
for
the
opportunity
to
meet
,
mingle,
and
ask
questions
with
experienced
local
gardeners.
Club
business
begins
at
7
p
.
m
.
,
followed
by
the
presentation.
For
more
information,
visit
www.austinorganicgardeners.org
.
Humble: Think Outside the Box with Succulents, Wednesday,
November 14, from noon to 2 p.m. at Mercer Botanic Gardens. Low-maintenance succulents come in a variety of colors and textures perfect for terrariums and living walls. Lee Rowell, owner of Exotics, Plants & Treasures, will demonstrate succulent design. Bring your own succulents, rocks, and pots or pre-order a do-it-yourself kit for a hands-on experience. Succulents of all sizes will be for sale. Bring lunch and enjoy a different gardening topic each month during these free presentations. Lunch Bunch is recommended for ages 12+. Call Mercer Botanic Gardens at (713) 274-4160 to make a reservation or receive more information. Please note: As this is an open-air venue, please dress accordingly. With leadership from Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, Mercer Botanic Gardens is a Harris County Precinct 4 Parks facility located one mile north of FM 1960 at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. For more information, contact Mercer at (713) 274-4160 or visit
www.hcp4.net/community/parks/mercer.
Bryan: The
Brazos County Master Gardeners will present "Trees for Brazos County," at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 17, at Clara Mounce Public Library, 201 E 26th St., Bryan. A tree can add beauty, value, and a host of sustainable benefits to your home and yard. Tree enthusiast and Master Gardener Colleen Batchelor will share practical tools to help you select, plant and establish the right tree for your yard. Texas Arbor Day is in November because the fall is without question, the best time to plant trees in the Lone Star State. The program will cover site assessment, the best trees for Brazos County and caring for newly planted trees.
This program is open to the public at no charge. For additional information, call (979) 823-0129.
College Station: The
Brazos County Master Gardeners will present "Home Composting: It's Easier Than You Think," at 6:00 p.m.,Tuesday, November 20, at Lick Creek Nature Center, 13600 Rock Prairie Rd., College Station. Starting a home composting program is easier than you think. Did you know Americans throw away over 30 million tons of food per year? In this session, learn how to recycle food waste into gardener's gold. This program is open to the public at no charge.
Presented by Master Gardener Hege Kalaouze. For additional information, call (979) 823-0129.
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DECEMBER
Humble: Celebrate the holiday season with music, food, crafts, shopping, and more during Holiday in the Gardens Saturday,
December 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mercer Botanic Gardens. This family-oriented event offers a holiday market, winter plant sale, and a Children's Corner. Attracts include face painting, a visit from Santa, and holiday-themed crafts. Entrance is free, and children's activities are available while supplies last. Food, drinks, and holiday gifts are available for purchase. With leadership from Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, Mercer Botanic Gardens is a Harris County Precinct 4 Parks facility located one mile north of FM 1960 at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. For more information, contact Mercer at (713) 274-4160 or visit
www.hcp4.net/community/parks/mercer.
Humble: A Winter Wonder Garden, Wednesday,
December 12, from noon to 2 p.m. at Mercer Botanic Gardens. Winter gardens are colorful and structurally intriguing. Learn which plants add life to a winter garden and understand the proper care for these plants. Then, enjoy a garden tour focusing on winter flowering and fruiting plants at Mercer. Presented by Mercer Botanic Gardens education staff Jennifer Garrison and Melodie Hill. Bring lunch and enjoy a different gardening topic each month during these free presentations. Lunch Bunch is recommended for ages 12+. Call Mercer Botanic Gardens at (713) 274-4160 to make a reservation or receive more information. Please note: As this is an open-air venue, please dress accordingly. With leadership from Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, Mercer Botanic Gardens is a Harris County Precinct 4 Parks facility located one mile north of FM 1960 at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road in Humble, 77338. For more information, contact Mercer at (713) 274-4160 or visit
www.hcp4.net/community/parks/mercer.
Nacogdoches: Mark Weathington, J. C. Raulston Arboretum of Raleigh, NC, will discuss "Beyond Tire Planters: Gardening in the South," 7:00 p.m.- 8:30 p.m., December 13, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. 2900 Raguet St., Nacogdoches. For additional information, call (936) 468-4129 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
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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 a location in Houston to be determined. For additional information, visit
http://hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/ or call 713-274-0950.
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, Alternating between the Midland and Ector County's Extensions Offices. For more information about location, call 432-498-4071 or 432-686-4700.
Navasota: The Navasota Garden Club meets on the
first Wednesday of each month (September through May) at 10:00 a.m., usually at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, 300 Church Street, Navasota. If not meeting at the church, a change of meeting notice will be placed on the door at the North entrance. Guests are welcome. Members are from Grimes County and surrounding counties.
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.
Fort Worth:
The Native Plant Society of Texas - North Central Chapter meets the first Thursday of each month, excluding January and July, at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth. Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., program begins at 7:00 p.m. Guest speakers present educational programs on topics of interest. Members, friends, family, guests and the public are welcome. For a list of speakers and topics or more information, visit http://www.txnativeplants.org.
Hempstead: The Waller County Master Gardeners usually meet at 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.
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.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, hosts a special Peckerwood Insider's Tour at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month. Spaces are limited so pre-registration is required. $15, free for members. For more information, visit http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
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 Kathy Henderson at kshend@verizon.net or visit
http://www.npsot.org/wp/wilco.
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.
Pasadena
: The Harris County Precinct 2 Master Gardeners hold an educational program at 10 a.m. on the
second Thursday of each month
at The Genoa Friendship Garden Educational Building at 1202 Genoa Red Bluff, Pasadena. The programs are free and open to the public. For more information,
visit http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu
.
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 10:00 a.m. 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 Elaine Bell at 817-309-8052.
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.
Abilene: The Master Gardeners meet the
third Tuesday of each month at the Taylor County Extension Office, 1982 Lytle Way, Abilene. For more information, contact Lind Spivey, Corresponding Secretary at
spivey209@hotmail.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/.
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.
Hallettsville: The Hallettsville Garden Club meets at 2 p.m. on the
third Thursday of each month from September through May, at the Hallettsville Garden and Cultural Center, 605 E 2nd St, Hallettsville. Each month, the club hosts speakers that provide informative programs on a wide range of gardening subjects, and refreshments are provided by member hostesses after the business meeting. Visitors are welcome. Please email Sharon Harrigan at
sharonspetals@yahoo.com for more information.
Houston:
The Native Plant Society of Texas - Houston Chapter meets at 6:45 pm on the third Thursday of each month at the Houston Arboretum Nature Center (entrances at 4501 Woodway Dr. and 120 West Loop N). For more information about meeting presentations and native plants, visit http://npsot.org/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.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, hosts the Evening at Peckerwood Lecture series at 7 p.m. on the
third Friday of each month. Tickets are available online. Tickets are $10, $5 for members.For more information, visit
http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
Fort Worth: The Greater Fort Worth Herb Society meetings are held the
third Saturday of each month at Texas Garden Club Inc, 3111 Old Garden Club Rd., Fort Worth (located next to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden), 10:00 a.m. to noon, September through June. For more information, email
herbalhen@yahoo.com.
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.
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 June, July and August) at 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Room of the Leander Presbyterian Church, 101 N. West St., Leander, unless there is a special event planned. Following a program and short business meeting, there is a pot-luck luncheon. To confirm the meeting place and time, please call President Kathleen Tully at 512-422-8580 or email LeanderGardenClub@gmail.com .
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.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, holds an Open Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. Tours start at 10 a.m. and the last tour leaves at 2 p.m. Tickets available online or at the gate. $10, free for members. For more information, visit http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
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