Enjoy an after-dark glow on your patio or deck with retro Edison-bulb solar lights. (Photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company/gardeners.com) |
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Enjoy your garden after dark with landscape lighting |
By Melinda Myers
Enjoy your garden and landscape once the sun sets with strategically placed and attractive landscape lighting. Select the best type of light that complements your garden design and best accomplishes the intended purpose.
Solar powered lighting eliminates the need for outdoor outlets, extension cords or buried low voltage lines. The solar panels charge during sunny days and can be mounted on the light or on a long cord, allowing you to place the solar panel where it gets the most sunlight. Some lights turn on automatically at dusk, others have a manual on-off switch, and a few have a remote on-off control.
Votive and pillar candles are longtime favorites. Set them in a container on the table or line a pathway. Unfortunately, the wax does drip, there is a danger of fire, and the flame can blow out in a strong breeze.
Consider using battery-operated candles instead. These look and flicker like the real thing and eliminate some of the problems and dangers of candles. Look for those with remote controls or timers to make lighting your space hassle-free.
Use these battery-operated candles in decorative holders like the Dahlia Blossom Punched Metal Lanterns (gardeners.com). You’ll enjoy the copper cut lanterns as garden art by day and the intricate light pattern they cast at night.
Pot up your favorite flowers and tropical and edible plants in solar illuminated planters. Luminous solar-powered planters are frosted white by day and can be programmed to display one color or set for color-changing mode. These pots have a ten-foot cord, allowing you to place the pots where the plants will thrive and connecting it to its solar panel in a sunny spot nearby.
Solar torch lights have flickering lights that create a realistic look while lighting a pathway or sitting area. Use one to highlight a special spot in your garden or several to light a pathway, patio or larger space when entertaining.
Prevent trips and falls while also boosting safe access to your favorite outdoor spaces by lighting steps as well as pathways. Look for solar powered lights like Maxsa Solar Ninja Stars that can be mounted on steps, the ground, deck, wall or other flat surfaces. The integrated solar panels come with a rechargeable battery.
Add overhead glow to patios, decks or balconies with string lights. They come in a variety of styles to light up larger spaces or highlight your favorite tree. Multicolored waterdrop string lights will add a festive look to any space. Luminites Solar String Lights feature Edison bulbs that provide six to eight hours of steady or gently flashing modes.
Add some fun, personality or added interest with specialty lights. Outdoor lights like the Twinklelite Solar Stake Lights have flexible branches covered with 120 LED bulbs. Twist and bend the branches to accomplish the look you desire. Then wait for the lights to turn on automatically at dusk.
Add some landscape lighting to help you enjoy quiet moments or festive gatherings in your gardens after dark. Select the best lighting options that are easy to use, complement your design and provide the needed lighting in your landscape.
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A graduate student from the Auburn team (foreground) collects soil cores for the study in 2018 while demonstrating to a farmer (background) about the collection process. Farmers can use soil tests to tell how much fertilizer to add or if nutrients might run off their fields. (Photo: Rishi Prasad) |
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One (soil) test to rule them all |
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Soil Science Society of America
The soil is a vital foundation for most plant life. Our crops rely on this rich trove of nutrients and microbes to help turn sunlight into food. But we’ve learned over the last few decades that there can be too much of a good thing.
While synthetic fertilizers have greatly increased the yield of crops, they have downsides too. When plants can’t absorb all of the nutrients from fertilizers, rain can wash them away. Spilling into streams, lakes and oceans, too much nitrogen or phosphorus leads to dead zones. Dead zones are areas of low oxygen that come as a result of rotting algae. That algae growth was boosted by a big gulp of fresh nutrients once meant for our crops.
If farmers know how many nutrients are in their soil, they can plan to add only what they need. The information can also tell them if their fields are at risk of losing nutrients to the water. That’s what soil tests are for. But just like how there is no unified power cord for all our tech devices, there are many different soil tests out there.
“The planet we live on has diverse groups of soils with different chemical and mineralogical properties,” says Rishi Prasad, a scientist at Auburn University’s Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department. “Region-specific soil tests were developed in the past to meet the regional needs for agronomic fertilizer recommendation.”.
This research was recently published in Agrosystems, Geosciences and Environment Journal, a publication of the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America.
Prasad’s team recently tested if one “universal” soil test could perform better than these region-specific ones. One effective test would make it much easier to compare results between different areas. “It is easier to compare ‘apples to apples’ than ‘apples to oranges,’” says Prasad.
Those three tests are known as Mehlich 1, Mehlich 3 and Lancaster, named for the scientists who developed them. In Alabama, where Auburn is, scientists use Mehlich 1 for some soil types and Lancaster for others. Mehlich 3 was designed to work in most soil types but had not been tested in Alabama to see if it was an effective testing method.
So, the lab collected soil samples from Alabama’s five different soil regions. Then they tested the soil samples using all three tests with regard to phosphorus levels in the samples.
They found that the Mehlich 3 test extracted about 1.5 times as much phosphorus as the Mehlich 1 test, and about the same as Lancaster. The results indicated Mehlich 3 could perform at least as well as the other tests.
The scientists also looked at how the tests measured water-soluble phosphorus. This form of phosphorus is readily available to plants. But it also is easily washed away or leached down by rainwater. They discovered that Mehlich 3 was better than the other two tests at accurately measuring this form of phosphorus.
Understanding water-soluble phosphorus is especially important in Alabama. That’s because the state’s large poultry industry produces a lot of manure. That manure, known as litter, is spread on farm fields as fertilizer. While it’s a good way to recycle nutrients, this spreading has tradeoffs. “Long-term application of poultry litter in excess of crop requirement leads to buildup of phosphorus in the soil,” says Prasad. “We needed to find a soil test extractant that can provide a better representation of the phosphorus loss risk from farmlands.”
While the Mehlich 3 test seemed like the clear winner, it will take more research to fully implement it across Alabama. “For agronomic fertilizer recommendations within a state or soil region, extensive field calibration and verification studies are required,” says Prasad. “The calibration study is expensive as well as time consuming.”
Creating standardized testing across the state could have big payoffs by helping farmers efficiently grow more food while protecting their local environment. Prasad’s research shows that the Mehlich 3 test can work effectively for all Alabama farmers in measuring phosphorus levels.
This project was supported by the Alabama commodity organization, Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee (Grant ID G00011611), USDA ARS cooperative agreement (Grant ID G00012671), and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and the Hatch Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.
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Remnants of struvite granules found in the soil in spring 2019, about one year after application in the wheat experiment. Leftover remnants indicate the struvite granules were only partially dissolved in soil and absorbed by the plants and were left in the soil. (Photo: Joanne Thiessen Martens) |
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Study shows struvite good phosphorus source for crops |
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Soil Science Society of America
Studying new fertilizer options is the first step to getting farmers to eventually use them on their crops. A mineral called struvite has the potential to be an effective phosphorus fertilizer that may be considered organic.
Joanne Thiessen Martens, researcher from the University of Manitoba - Canada, along with collaborators, studied how struvite impacted three crops. These were spring wheat, flax, and an alfalfa-grass forage mixture.
“Struvite is a naturally occurring mineral that can be extracted from nutrient-rich wastes, such as municipal wastewater or manure,” Thiessen Martens says. “It is rich in phosphorus and seems to be a relatively good phosphorus fertilizer.”
She adds that recovering the fertilizer from wastewater also reduces the amount of phosphorus entering the environment. Excess phosphorus can be harmful to the environment.
The research was recently published in the Agronomy Journal, a publication of the American Society of Agronomy.
In their study, they applied struvite to fields of the three crops at different rates. They then looked at yields from the crops and measured how much phosphorus the crops contained after harvest. Their goal was to find the best application rate of struvite that provided a good amount of phosphorus to the crops.
“The main thing we were looking for was an increase in the grain yield or the forage biomass yield when crops were fertilized with struvite,” Thiessen Martens says. “A key part of our study was to see how the struvite application rate affected these different indicators of a good phosphorus supply.”
Their results showed that struvite increased the grain yield of spring wheat, but not flax. The alfalfa-grass forage responded very well to the fertilizer. The researchers also noted that the benefit to the alfalfa-grass increased in the second and third years of the study. Thus, the struvite applied in 2017 provided an even greater benefit in 2018 and 2019 than it did in 2017, the year it was applied.
Although they don’t know for certain why the crops responded differently, they have some ideas. It may be because they get nutrients from the soil in different ways. Flax, for example, gets help from fungi in the soil to get phosphorus. This may be why is doesn’t respond well to struvite.
Crops like alfalfa produce acids that help dissolve phosphorus in the soil and that may have been why it responded well to the fertilizer. The scientists want to perform more research to learn more about the differences between crops and the reasons for these differences.
They found that high rates of application created the best results. They also saw that a lot of the struvite was not recovered by the crop. This means it was not taken up by the plants and was left in the soil. The scientists want to further study what happens to the unused struvite in the soil.
In examining the different rates of fertilizer applied, the researchers found that they did not reach an amount of fertilizer that maxed out the crops’ response. To establish that maximum crop response to a certain fertilizer, they would need to have application rates where crop yield or phosphorus accumulation levels off.
“Based on our results, we can say that the recommended phosphorus application rates, which correspond to our lowest application rates, were not adequate at this site,” Thiessen Martens explains. “But we don’t know enough from this study to say whether fertilizer recommendations in general need to be revisited.”
She adds that much of the research on the circular economy for nutrients has been focused on how to recover fertilizers like struvite from waste. However, it’s also important to do more research on how to use these recycled fertilizers.
“These recycled fertilizers do not behave the same in the soil as soluble fertilizers do,” she says. “It’s one of the practical aspects that needs to be worked out so we can apply the idealistic notion of the circular economy more broadly.”
This research was funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies.
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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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The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has caused the cancellation or rescheduling of many events these past two years. If you wish to attend any of the events listed below, please contact the presenters in advance to determine if the event has been cancelled or postponed, or if it will take place as scheduled. |
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MARCH
Online: The Texas Master Gardeners of Bexar County will host their semi-annual educational seminar, CULTIVATE!, March 18-19. The earth-friendly gardening and landscaping webinar will be from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on March 18 and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on March 19. The event is free, but registration is required at https://tx.ag/BXMGCultivate. Workshop speakers will be AgriLife Extension specialists and agents, and Master Gardeners. Each session is an hour in length with 45-50 minutes of presentation and 10-15 minutes of questions and answers. San Antonio Water System customers can earn one WaterSaver reward point for each session they attend. A total of seven reward points and $150 in coupons to local nurseries can be earned by attending the event. March 18 workshops: Finding Plants That Thrive — Bill Swantner, Bexar County Master Gardener; Earth-Kind Roses — Lynn Cox, Bexar County Master Gardener; Growing Vegetables in Bexar County — David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension horticulturist for Bexar County; Planting for Pollinators — Natalie Cervantes, AgriLife Extension 4-H and youth development agent for Bexar County. March 19 workshops: Wild for Wildflowers: Growing Texas Wildflowers — Linda Cace and Kathy Breniman, Bexar County Master Gardeners; The Basics of Landscape Ground Covers – Cox; Texas Superstars: Not Just Another Pretty Plant – Cox. Detailed workshop descriptions are available online. San Antonio Water System customers not enrolled in the WaterSaver program who want to earn rewards need to sign up prior to the event.
La Marque: “Cucurbits – The Squash & Cucumber Family,” with Kevin Lancon, Master Gardener, presenting 9-11:30 a.m., March 19, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main (Hwy 519), La Marque. Free. To pre-register and for more information, go to: https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
La Marque: “Successful Container Gardening,” with Karolyn Gephart, Master Gardener, presenting, 1-3 p.m., March 19, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main (Hwy 519), La Marque. Free. To pre-register and for more information, go to: https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
Round Top: Herb Society of America — Pioneer Unit Plant Sale will be held 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19, on the grounds of the Round Top Festival Institute, 248 Jasper Road, Round Top. The sale features a huge selection of herbs, bedding plants and more, plus gift items. For more information visit http://www.herbsocietypioneer.org/events.
Bryan: The Brazos County Master Gardeners Spring 2022 Plant Sale will be held Saturday, March 26, at the Brazos County Extension Office, 4153 County Park Ct., Bryan (next to the County Tax Office), 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. There will be natives, perennials, shrubs, herbs, vegetables, and bulbs especially suited to Brazos County growing conditions. Bring your wagon and load up!
Conroe: Montgomery County Master Gardener Spring Sale, Saturday, March 26, presentation at 8, sale 9 a.m. until noon. Live and in person! Get your spring veggies, florals and lots of other good plants. The plant catalog is ready and open for viewing: mcmga.square.site/shop. AgriLife Extension Office, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe, 936-539-7824, mcmga.com.
Huntsville: Saturday, March 26, Herb Festival at the Wynne Home, 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., on the beautiful grounds of the Wynne Home Arts Center, 1428 Eleventh St., Huntsville. A huge selection of locally grown herbs, perennials, pollinator and native plants, bulbs, and vegetable plants will be for sale. Speakers, herbal and garden vendors, music, artists, and more round out the day. Visit the historic Wynne Home and its current art exhibition. Sponsored by the Texas Thyme Unit of The Herb Society of America. For more information, call 936-891-5024 or visit texasthymeunit.org.
La Marque: “Irises for the Gulf Coast Garden,” with Monica Martens, Ed.D., Master Gardener, presenting, 9-11:30 a.m., March 26, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main (Hwy 519), La Marque. Free. To pre-register and for more information, go to: https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
La Marque: “Rainwater Harvesting,” with Nat Greusen, Master Gardener & Certified Rainwater Harvesting Specialist, presenting, 1-3 p.m., March 26, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main (Hwy 519), La Marque. Free. To pre-register and for more information, go to: https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
San Antonio: The Beekeeping 101 course will be held March 25 in-person in San Antonio. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service course will also be held online in four two-hour programs over March 28-29 and April 6-7. Participants must preregister at tx.ag/Bees. The in-person March 25 course is $65. The online series costs $45. The March 25 course will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the AgriLife Extension office in Bexar County classroom, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208. Lunch is included, and the in-person course is limited to 29 participants. The online course runs from 6-8 p.m. each date, with sessions also being recorded for participants who can’t attend live. The Beekeeping 101 course will cover honeybee biology, beekeeping equipment, suit options, managing a hive, pests and disease management of honeybees. Both the in-person and online courses will cover the same material. Those registered for March 25 may also do the online course at no additional cost. Attendees must sign a medical release waiver to participate in the field day. A bee suit will be provided. Online session topics, overviews: Session 1: Honeybee Biology: Learn the lifecycle of the honeybees, lifecycle of the hive, caste system, and subspecies of honeybees. By understanding the biology of the insect, you are trying to manage, you can better understand what is happening inside the hive. Session 2: Beekeeping Basics: The basics for beekeeping, including what to purchase, what suit options are best, how to construct a hive, where to place your hive, and considerations for food and nectar. Session 3: Purchasing and Installing Bees — What to Expect the First Year: Options for purchasing bees and how to install them. What you should be seeing with your bees through the seasons, when to know if they are hungry or stressed and how to remedy that, how to feed bees, and how and when to remove honey. Session 4: Risks for Honeybees, Honey Extraction and Resources: Honeybees may be plagued by many stresses and pests. This lesson will cover how to manage and identify those pests, including varroa mite management options and monitoring, fire ant control, hive beetles, wax moths and more.
Lufkin: The Angelina County Master Gardeners plant sale will be held Saturday, March 26 at the Lufkin Farmer’s Market, 2201 South Medford Drive (next door to Cafe Del Rio). Gates open at 8:00 a.m. and close upon sell out. Funds raised are used to give scholarships to area Seniors and to provide programs and projects for the entire community. All of the plants sold are especially suited to the local soil and climate. There will be a large selection to satisfy Hummingbirds and Butterflies. There will be containers of azaleas, thornless blackberries, Chinese Fringetree, Little Bluestem grasses, Gayfeather, variety of Turk’s Caps, a white potato vine and much more. So, take your wagons and load up on these super plants! Payment is by cash or check only. (Follow on Facebook @angelinacountymastergardeners).
Online: Tarrant County Master Gardener Association is offering an online advanced training course on Trees and Tree Care open to Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists across the state. The date is March 31-April 2, and the course is limited to 100 participants. Upon completion of the virtual classes via Zoom, participants will be expected to do 20 hours of education-related activities, make presentations, conduct youth and community education programs, be a resource for interns and Master Gardener and Master Naturalists classes, etc. Upon completion, you will receive advanced training certification in trees and tree care. The classes will be taught by professional arborists and extension service specialists, and direction will be given on ways that your training can be used for the community and youth. Registration deadline is March 1, and registration form and fee must be received together. The application packet is available on the Tarrant MG web site www.tarrantmg.org.
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APRIL
La Marque: “Garden with the Masters Open Garden Day: Louisiana Irises.” Galveston County Master Gardeners’ Discovery Garden open to public for tours, 10-noon, April 2. Master Gardener Monica Martens, EdD, will be on-site to chat and answer questions about irises. At Discovery Garden in Carbide Park, 4102 Main St. (Hwy 519), La Marque. Free. For additional information: https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
Hempstead: Waller County Master Gardeners present radio host and author Randy Lemmon speaking on "Being a Tough Texas Gardener." Thursday, April 7, 9 a.m. at the Waller County Community Center, 21274 FM1098 Loop, Prairie View. Call 979-826-7651x3068 to reserve your seat. Free! For more information, visit txmg.org/wallermg.
Flower Mound: Native Plant Sale, Flower Mound High School, 3411 Peters Colony Road, Flower Mound, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. or sellout, April 9. The Trinity Forks Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will host its annual Native Plant Sale in conjunction with the Keep Flower Mound Beautiful Trash-off. More than 1,000 plants from over 100 species, many not available in the nursery trade, will be available. Bring a flat or two and give your landscape a nature-friendly pick-me-up.
La Marque: “Grafting Pecans,” with Galveston County AgriLife Extension Horticulturist Stephen Brueggerhoff presenting, 9-noon, April 9, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Office in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Free. To pre-register and for additional information, go to https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
Denton: DCMGA Annual Plant Sale. April 23, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. or until sold out. Select from a wide variety of Texas native plants, tough as nails perennials, no-fuss roses, and hard-to-find ground cover plants. Plants grown by Master Gardeners are also available. Master Gardeners on-hand to help you select plants and answer your gardening questions. Trinity United Methodist Church, 633 Hobson Ln, Denton.
La Marque: “Looking Down at Insects,” with Master Gardener and Entomologist Specialist Hedy Wolpa, presenting, 9-11 a.m., April 23, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Office in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Free. To pre-register and for additional information: https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
La Marque: “Gardening with the Masters Open Garden Day: Incredible Edible Herbs,” with Master Gardeners Briana Etie and Karen Nelson demonstrating, 1-3 p.m., April 23, at Master Gardener Discovery Garden in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. NOTE: Cost is $10.00 per person, fee collected at event covers cost of materials. Class limited to 20 attendees; must pre-register. To pre-register and for additional information: https://galveston.agrilife.org/horticulture/mgseminars/.
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Weekly Meetings
Galveston: The Young Gardeners Program is a school garden and healthy eating program operating on Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula. Every Saturday, 9-11 a.m., they host a garden Community Day at one of the schools. It's an opportunity for community members to work and play in the garden and it's kid-friendly. First Saturday - Crenshaw, 416 State Hwy 87, Crystal Beach; Second Saturday - Rosenberg Elementary, 721 10th St., Galveston; Third Saturday - Morgan Elementary, 1410 37th St., Galveston; Fourth Saturday - Oppe Elementary, 2915 81st St., Galveston.
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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
Jasper: The Jasper County Master Gardeners meet on the first Monday of each month at St. Michael's Catholic Church from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The evening begins with pot luck social and then guest presentations and/or educational class to conclude. Visit https://jasper.agrilife.org/jasper-master-gardeners/ 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; Visit https://mastergardener.tamu.edu/become/ to become a member.
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.
Schulenberg: Schulenburg Garden Club meets the first Tuesday of each month, at 11:30 a.m., September-May, at the Schulenburg First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 110 Upton Ave., Schulenburg.
Dallas: Garden Masters, Inc., meet the first Wednesday of each month, Sept.- May, at North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd., Dallas, 75230. The club hosts different speakers each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Come early and order lunch from the The Cafe, which features a healthy menu, fresh local produce and sustainably produced meats and fish (or call in advance to order 972-338-2233). For more information about Garden Masters Inc, email Marcia Borders at borderlineart1@gmail.com.
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: The Permian Basin Master Gardeners (Ector/Midland counties) have monthly meetings at noon on the first Wednesday of each month at the West Texas Food Bank, 1601 Westcliff Drive in Midland. For more information 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 Presbyterian Church Family Life Center, 302 Nolan Street, Navasota. If not meeting at the church, a change of meeting notice will be placed on the door of the Family Life Building. 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.
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. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; club business begins at 7:00 p.m., followed by a presentation. 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 The First Methodist Church, 1031 TX-456 Loop, Jacksonville. For additional information, contact Kim Benton at kim.benton@ag.tamu.edu.
Cedar Park/Leander/Liberty Hill: The Hill Country Bloomers meet the second Tuesday of each month (except December) at 7 p.m. at the Cedar Park Recreation Center, 1435 Main Street, Cedar Park. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. to socialize and swap plants and seeds. Meetings feature guest speakers on a variety of topics for the home gardener or landscaper. They host a plant sale in the spring and a garden tour in the late summer/early fall. Throughout the year they contribute time and expertise to local projects. Those with any level of experience are welcome. Non-members are invited to their first meeting at no cost. Membership and speaker info is available at www.hillcountrybloomers.com.
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 contactguadalupecounty@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.org 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.
San Marcos: The Spring Lake Garden Club meets the second Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m., September-May, at McCoy's Building Supply Headquarters, 1350 IH-35, San Marcos. Contact Terri Boyd (512) 395-66644 x6134.
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.
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 Johnson. County Agricultural Office, 109 W. Chambers, 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 comalmg.org.
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 Big Country Master Gardeners Association at mgardeners@yahoo.com.
Alvarado: The Alvarado Garden Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month during the months of September through May (excluding December). The meeting time is 1 p.m. and the locations vary for each meeting. The club hosts a different and exciting speaker each month that focuses on enriching the lives of all gardeners. Meetings are free and include a light lunch. The public is invited to attend. For additional information, please contact 817-680-4291.
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.
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, 107 Fink Street, 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 afterwards. Visitors are welcome! Please email Sharon Harrigan at sharonspetals@gmail.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 American Red Cross Building, 2700 Southwest Fwy. For more information about meeting presentations and native plants, visit http://npsot.org/houston.
Mineola: The Fannie Marchman Garden Club meets at the Mineola Civic Center, 9:30-11:30 a.m. the third Wednesday of each month from September through May. For additional information, find them on Facebook or email FannieMarchmanGardenClub@gmail.com.
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 with presentation is held 6:00-8:00 p.m. During the intervening months (Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct.), afternoon educational seminars/general meetings are held from 1:00-3:00 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.
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
New Braunfels: The New Braunfels Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the fourth Monday of each month except July and December. Meetings are held at the Westside Community Center, 2932 S. I-35 Frontage Road, New Braunfels. Meetings start at 6:15 p.m. with a meet and greet time, followed by a short business meeting. Programs begin around 7:00. Native plant and seed exchanges are held monthly. Expert speakers present educational programs on topics of interest. Meetings are free and open to the public. For more information or to join, visit www.npsot.org.
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 (except November and December) at the Houston Red Cross Building, 2700 Southwest Freeway, Houston. Refreshments served at 6:30 p.m. 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 http://www.dallascountymastergardeners.org/ or contact The Helpdesk, M-F, 8 to 4:30 214-904-3053.
Denton: The Trinity Forks Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets the fourth Thursday of each month to share information about native plants. Excellent programs are heard each month. Social time begins at 6:30, program at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit https://npsot.org/wp/trinityforks/.
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, hosts a garden Open Days from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. Drop-in tours are permitted but pre-registration is encouraged. Docent led tours are $10 for guests, free for members. For more information, http://peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
Dallas: The Greater Dallas Organic Garden Club meets at 2:30 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month (except November and December) at North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Road, Dallas. For more information, visit www.gdogc.org.
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Planning Guide & Books of Interest
2022 Planning Guide & Calendar
Only $14.95 per copy (includes tax and shipping)
Make gardening easier and more enjoyable in 2022. No more keeping it in your head or, worse yet, juggling all those wrinkled, sweat-stained pieces of paper that seem to accumulate and end up lost. It's time to get organized and the perfect way to start that off is with your very own copy of the 2022 Texas Gardener Planning Guide and Calendar. No more guessing when to plant or do different activities. You will find everything you need in one simple but informative guide and calendar. Plus plenty of room to record your own planting dates, rainfall events and other data for future reference.
Here's a sample of what you will find in this information-packed guide:
- Many, many practical and timely garden tips that are for Texas - not Maine or California!
- Organic, earth-friendly tips to make your garden grow and prosper
- Lots of space to record your own activities for future reference
- Planting dates and tips for vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit and lawns
Order today, while it's fresh on your mind. Don't forget to order copies for your gardening friends and relatives!
Easy Edibles
By Judy Barrett
Only $29.75 (includes tax and shipping)
Eating fresh and eating local has really caught on! Easy Edibles: How to Grow and Enjoy Fresh Food focuses on ways to grow some of your own food without devoting a lot of space, time and work to the project. Barrett also covers how and where to find the bounty offered at local farmers markets, farm stands and pick-your-own operations. This book is the perfect gift or guide for folks new to gardening or those who have limited time and resources but still want to eat fresh! Click on this link to order https://texasgardener.com/product/easy-edibles/.
The Texas Tomato Lover's Handbook
By William D. Adams
Only $31.94 (includes tax and shipping)
The best thing for tomato enthusiast since the tomato itself! Adams draws on more than thirty years' experience to provide a complete, step-by-step guide to success in the tomato patch. Learn everything from soil preparation, planting, feeding, caging and watering. Liberally sprinkled with the author's easy humor and illustrated with his own excellent photographs, the must have book has everything you'll need to assure a bumper crop! 189 pages. Lots of color photographs! Click on this link to order https://texasgardener.com/product/texas-tomato-lovers-handbook/.
And check out these other great books available from Texas Gardener:
Worms Eat My Garbage
Grow Great Vegetables Texas
Wicked Bugs
Wicked Plants
Wicked Plants Coloring Book
A Kid's Guide to Keeping Chickens
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Texas Gardener's Seeds is published weekly. © Suntex Communications, Inc. 2022. All rights reserved. You may forward this publication to your friends and colleagues if it is sent in its entirety. No individual part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher.
Texas Gardener's Seeds has been published each Wednesday since April 26, 2006.
Texas Gardener's Seeds, P.O. Box 1676, Brenham, Texas 77834-1676
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