November 6, 2013
  

Austin-based coffee recycling program keeps community well grounded

 

By Paul Schattenberg

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

 

More than eight tons a month. That's how much organic material in the form of spent coffee grounds the Austin-based Ground to Ground program diverts from area landfills and makes available to people in the community as compost.

 

Since its inception last year, the not-for-profit, volunteer-based program established by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Travis County and Compost Coalition, has been recruiting businesses to provide free used coffee grounds to Austin residents.

 

"Composting is an important but underutilized part of gardening, and coffee grounds make particularly good compost for plants in the South Central Texas area due to their slight acidity and high nutritional value," said Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture, Travis County.

 

Richards said coffee grounds help facilitate the composting of other organic materials and provide a variety of key nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous.

 

"They also provide plants with micronutrients, such as calcium and copper, which are needed in smaller quantities," she noted.

 

Currently, more than 20 locations - coffee houses, restaurants, convenience stores and other businesses - participate in the program, providing their customers with 4-gallon repurposed food containers filled with spent coffee grounds for them to use as compost for their plants, gardens and landscapes.

 

"We got the idea for Ground to Ground after visiting with the Compost Coalition, which we saw as an excellent resource for information on composting for area gardeners, especially the more than 200 volunteers in our agency's Travis County Master Gardeners program," Richards said.

 

Lindsay Razzaz, AgriLife Extension horticultural assistant in Travis County, who also attended the meeting, said when she and Richards returned to the office they agreed on the idea of developing a composting program centered around coffee grounds.

 

"I began researching existing community-driven composting models, and found one in Melbourne, Australia, called Ground to Ground," Razzaz said. "It seemed like a great fit - coffee grounds are an incredible, easy to use soil amendment and the program would require minimal inputs to sustain. It was simply a matter of re-aligning existing resources, and doing educational outreach, which is what AgriLife Extension is all about. We asked that program's founder if we could extend the Ground to Ground banner, and he said yes."

 

While most of the coffee shops and other businesses in the Ground to Ground program are small independents, several locations of the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf chain as well as locations of large convenience store chains also participate.

 

AgriLife Extension personnel, Compost Coalition members and Travis County Master Gardener volunteers bring participating locations the 4-gallon plastic containers stamped with the program logo for them to fill with used coffee grounds.

 

Will Stewart, a co-owner of the East Village Caf�, said he decided to participate in the program as a way to provide an added service to people in his neighborhood.

 

"We have a lot of what I would call 'urban farmers' around here, as well as people who come in on a regular basis and get free coffee grounds for their patio plants and home landscapes," Stewart said. "It's a great feeling to know that we're providing our customers with something that literally goes back into the community."

 

Stewart noted that he also uses coffee grounds to feed the plants in front of his own shop.

 

"I regularly put coffee grounds into the large concrete planter out front filled with zinnias and kale," he said. "The coffee grounds really help them grow."

 

There's also a strictly practical economic reason for participating in the program, said Mallory Alison, owner of Vintage Heart Coffee, another Ground to Ground participant.

 

"I had contacted some waste management services around town and they all wanted to charge me for picking up and disposing of my used coffee grounds," Alison said. "I'd already paid for the coffee once, so I didn't see the reason for paying for it again. When I found out about the Ground to Ground program, I saw it as a win-win situation."

 

Razzaz said a recent poll she took of participating coffee shop managers revealed that the program is currently responsible for keeping more than 4,002 gallons - or more than 16,000 pounds of grounds - out of area landfills each month.

 

"Several community gardens in Austin also regularly pick up the free coffee grounds provided through our program. It's neat to see Ground to Ground sparking partnership between private businesses and local gardening groups," Razzaz said.

 

Heather-Nicole Hoffman, a founding member of the Compost Coalition, said the Ground to Ground program helps meet the goals of the Zero Waste Plan adopted by the city of Austin.

 

"The city of Austin is trying to eliminate waste citywide by the year 2040, and we see our program having a positive impact toward reaching that goal," Hoffman said. "We're already diverting more than eight tons of waste in the form of coffee grounds from area landfills each month. Imagine how much more that will be as others become Ground to Ground participants."

 

As a grassroots volunteer organization, she said, the coalition helps connect those with resources with those who can use them to divert organic materials from landfills into nutrient-rich earth.

 

"We don't have to fill up our landfills with kitchen scraps, leaves, paper, coffee grounds, grass clippings, spoiled food or other organic materials," she said. "We can all work together to turn trash into treasure by putting organic materials to use in practical and beneficial ways, like compost, to increase plant productivity and soil's water retention."

 

The City of Austin applauds diversion of organic materials from the waste stream via composting, said Woody Raine, a mechanical engineer specializing in waste reduction and conservation with the City of Austin.

 

"Composting is a large component of reaching the City's Zero Waste goal and will soon be required for all Austin food services under Phase II of the Universal Recycling Ordinance," he said. "Austin Resource Recovery encourages composting of coffee grounds due to their rich nitrogen content."

 

Denise Harrelson, a member of the Travis County Master Gardeners association and community "captain" for the Ground to Ground program, said one of the best aspects of the program is that almost any location where coffee is brewed can potentially become a grounds donor.

 

"Coffee shops and restaurants are the logical starting point for the program, but other establishments - such as colleges, churches, community centers, office buildings, or convenience stores - can repurpose their used coffee grounds whether they brew daily or just once a week," Harrelson said. "Besides the compost pile, the grounds can be put to use in house plants, vegetable gardens, flower beds, and tree beds. Coffee grounds don't discriminate... they love to feed any soil - and a healthier soil helps our plants and trees better survive the harsh environmental conditions we sometimes face in Central Texas."

 

Program coordinators hope to expand the program beyond Austin, making it a statewide and possibly a national initiative.

 

"We're proud of this program and hope others throughout Austin, the state of Texas and beyond will join us in this or similar efforts," Richards said. "This kind of program is easy to maintain and can have broad appeal because coffee is served almost everywhere - and coffee grounds are a highly useful and practical composting material."
 

The garden reader
Historical novel featuring a female botanist

 

By William Scheick

Book Reviewer

 

Elizabeth Gilbert. The Signature of All Things. Viking, 2013. 501 pp. $28.95.

 

Set in the nineteenth century, The Signature of All Things traces the fictional life of Alma Whittaker. Alma is a precocious female botanist whose scientific expertise on mosses also informs her search for purpose in her own life.

 

On the basis of her moss studies Alma comes to the same conclusion as her contemporary Charles Darwin: that all life is defined by survival of the fittest. But Alma is bothered by another fact: that this "driving force behind all existence" does not account for "human altruism and self-sacrifice," as exemplified by her sister's life.

 

Alma remains just as puzzled by this disjunction as she is emotionally vexed by the social definitions imposed on her as a woman who is somehow destined to deep personal solitariness interrupted only occasionally by temporary friendships. She finds (to borrow a line from an Alice Lake lyric) that "change won't wait to be figured out."

 

Readers of Elizabeth Gilbert's bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love will be familiar with many of Alma's gendered discontents of both passionate body and mind. And these readers will recognize how worldwide travel provides mitigating distractions that also afford opportunities for self-exploration as well as material benefit.

 

Alma's wanderlust is reflected in the meandering narrative manner of this long novel: leisurely (moss-time) pacing, abundant travelogue, historical synopses and indistinct plotline. The novel's unidentified narrator, possibly modeled on George Eliot's nineteenth-century example, serves as a stoical, gimlet-eyed authority on the unavoidable hard-to-account-for disappointments awaiting hard-to-define human yearnings.

 

Alma achieves some comfort by identifying with the "dignity ... silence ... intelligence ... modesty ... [and] elegant reserve" that she attributes to mosses. Mosses, which "grow where nothing else can grow," hint at some unfathomable yet potent subtlety: "By comparison to mosses, everything else in the botanical world can seem so blunt and obvious."

 

Immersion in her botanic research - being part of a scientific community - gives Alma some sense of purpose in a world that otherwise conceals its underlying meaning. "Alma had work stretched ahead of her for the rest of her life. She need not be idle. She need not be unhappy. Perhaps she need not even be lonely."

 

Gardening readers of The Signature of All Things will identify with Alma's informed acquaintance with a number of plants, but particularly with mosses, which are more fascinating than they might at first seem. Gardening readers of this novel will also be rewarded with a wealth of information about early botanical exploration, medicine, illustration and publication.
Gardening tips

 

Fertilize cool-season vegetables (with the exception of legumes like English peas) every couple of weeks. Apply a half-cup of lawn type fertilizer every couple of weeks and rake or scratch it into the soil about 1 inch deep and water it in good.      

 

Have a favorite gardening tip you'd like to share? Texas Gardener's Seeds is seeking brief gardening tips from Texas gardeners to use in future issues. If we publish your tip in Seeds, we will send you a free Texas Gardener 2013 Planning Guide & Calendar. Please send your tips of 50 words or less to the editor at: Gardening Tips. 
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.

NOVEMBER

 

New Braunfels: The Comal Garden Club will meet at 9:30 a.m., November 7, in the Southbank Clubhouse, 222 Southbank Blvd, New Braunfels. Sherry Jentsch of Blumen-Meisters Florist will be demonstrating ideas for holiday centerpieces, with her creation as the door prize. 

 

San Antonio: Seeds contributor Tom Harris, Ph.D., will lead "Fall Gardening...Get Ready!," November 7, at the Community Learning Center, 9750 Tesoro Drive, San Antonio. For registration information, contact Carrie Smith at www.communityed.neisd.net.

 

Ft. Worth: Make a glass orb terrarium as a family project at a class sponsored by the Tarrant County Master Gardener Association at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden-Backyard Vegetable Garden pavilion, 10 a.m., Saturday, November 9. Cost is $8 per family (up to four family members). Class limit is 20. Children, parents and grandparents are invited. Children must be five years or older and must be accompanied by a parent or grandparent. Pre-registration is required for all classes. To register and for more information, contact Billie Hammack at [email protected] or call 817-884-1296.

 

Hempstead: Peckerwood Garden in Hempstead will host Fall Open Days November 9 & 10. Plant sales are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guided garden tours are at 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. Tours are $10.00. The garden is not wheelchair accessible and please, no young children. The Garden is not a "wander at will" type location and is only available through the guided tours. Peckerwood Garden is located at 20571 Hwy. 359, Hempstead. For additional information, call 979-826-3232 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Houston: Houston Urban Gardeners will meet at 6:30 p.m., Monday, November 11, at Houston's Multi-Service Center, 1475 W. Gray, Houston. Marcella Murff will speak on: What to Plant and Do Now in your home garden. If you want to learn more about Veriditas, they are having an Open House November 2. For more information, email [email protected]. 

   

Ft. Worth: Members of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden-Perennial Garden Master Gardener Project and the Trial Garden Master Gardener Project conduct informal tours of their gardens. Next tour of the Perennial Garden is November 13 and the Trial Garden is November 14.  Each tour begins at 10 a.m. and lasts approximately 45 minutes, with lots of time for questions. The tours are free. No advanced reservations are needed. Look for the sign-in the Botanic Garden and show up. For more information, contact Billie Hammack at [email protected] or call 817-884-1296. 


Humble: Brenda Beust will present "The 10 Commandments of Lazy Gardening" noon-2 p.m., Wednesday, November 13, at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic, located one mile north of FM 1960 at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Learn how to enjoy the garden with less effort. For more information, call 281-443-8731 or visit www.hcp4.net/mercer.

  

Kerrville: Seeds contributor Tom Harris, Ph.D., will lead "Haircuts for Your Plants (Pruning)," 1:30-3:30 p.m., November 13, at the Dietert Center, Kerrville. For registration information, contact Waverly Jones at www.clubed.net.

  

New Braunfels: Melissa Guerra, an 8th generation Texan: self taught culinary expert with expertise in native medicinal plants both Mexican and Southwest, will visit the San Antonio Herb Society, Thursday, November 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels. As a food historian, she specializes in the food ways of the American continent, especially Texas regional, Mexican, and Latin American cuisine. She also hosts a cooking show on KLRN. Learn from people who know the most about herb gardening, cooking, sniffing, crafting and infusing...anything and everything is herbal for this meeting! For more information, visit www.sanantonioherbs.org.

  

San Antonio: Backyard Basics: Gifts from the Kitchen. Interested in giving homemade treats as presents this year, or looking for ideas? Here's a solution. Connie Sheppard, County Extension Agent, presents this workshop for $30 per person and each participant will leave with goodies! Thursday, November 14, 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, San Antonio. For easy registration online: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/backyardbasics or you may call the extension office at (210) 467-6575 for more information.

 

Houston: Harris County Master Gardeners will host Open Garden Day from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m., Monday, November 18, at their Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Road, Houston. "Overwintering Tropicals" will be presented at 9:30 a.m. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardening questions. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, visit http://hcmga.tamu.edu or call 281-855-5600. 

  

Bandera: Seeds contributor Tom Harris, Ph.D., will lead "Build Your Own Drip Irrigation System," November 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Northside Learning Center, Bandera. For registration information, contact Susan Underwood at www.nisd.net/ace.


San Antonio: Backyard Basics: Growing Plants Happily and Successfully Indoors will be presented on Tuesday, November 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., $10 per person. Learn how to create indoor environments using house plants. Presented by Romell Henze, Master Gardener, at 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, San Antonio. Call (210) 467-6575 for information, or register online at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/backyardbasics.

   

La Marque: At the "Texas Upper Gulf Coast Citrus Show" Thursday, November 21, 6:30-7 p.m., at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Office in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (FM 519), La Marque citrus grown by local gardeners will be on display for the general public. Rosettes and ribbons will be awarded to the best quality entries. Home citrus growers are encouraged to enter any type of citrus fruit for judging. Details, including dates and times for entry submission will be available at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/ Call 281-534-3413, ext. 12, or email [email protected] for additional information.

 

La Marque: As a continuation of the Citrus show, Monte L. Nesbitt, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Program Specialist, will present "Citrus for Texas Upper Gulf Coast" Thursday, November 21, 7-8 p.m. at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Office in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (FM 519), La Marque The course will cover the topics of citrus variety selection and establishment, production, pest problems, and an update on Citrus Greening and other serious threats. (Pre-registration for this program is not necessary.) For course reservations, call 281-534-3413, ext. 12 or email [email protected].

 

San Antonio: BCMG General Meeting, Thursday, November 21, from 6 - 8 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, San Antonio. The meeting is free and open to the public. Stephanie Jones will present "Learn Creative Ways to Make Decorations for the Home from the Garden." For more information contact Lisa Nixon at (210) 364-7844 or email [email protected].

 

Seguin: Backyard Basics: Gifts from the Kitchen. Interested in giving homemade treats as presents this year, or looking for ideas? Here's a solution. Charla Bading, County Extension Agent, presents this workshop for $30 per person and each participant will leave with goodies! Thursday, November 21, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Texas Agricultural Education & Heritage Center (Red Barn), 390 Cordova Rd. For easy registration online: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/backyardbasics.

 

Seguin: The Guadalupe Master Gardeners will meet on Thursday, November 21, at the Justice Center, 211 Court Street, Seguin. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. Paul Johnson, of the Texas Parks & Wildlife, will talk about "Proper Tree Pruning." The meeting is free and open to the public. The regular business meeting will be at the end of the program. For further information visit www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org or call 830-303-3889.

 

DECEMBER

 

Humble: Casey Scribner and Brooke Judice of Trees for Houston will present "Trees in Urban Areas" noon-2 p.m., Wednesday, December 11, at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic, located one mile north of FM 1960 at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Scribner and Judice will offer information about the importance of trees in an urban environment, recommended trees for our area, plus tips for how to plant and take care of them. For more information, call 281-443-8731 or visit www.hcp4.net/mercer.

 

MARCH

 

Jacksonville: The Cherokee County Master Gardener Association will hold their annual Spring Conference March 8. The conference will be held at the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall, 1920 Beaumont Street, Jacksonville. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the first speaker will be at 9 a.m. There will be a $10.00 fee which includes drinks, refreshments and a chance to win one of four door prizes. The program will feature three well known respected speakers. Greg Grant is Lecturer in the School of Horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University. He was formerly the Cherokee County Horticulturist with the Texas Cooperative Extension in Rusk. He is also co-author, with William C. Welch, of the book Southern Heirloom Garden, and he is a columnist for Texas Gardener magazine. He has traveled extensively to botanical and public gardens throughout the United States and Europe and is a popular public speaker in the southern United States. Dave Whitinger is the creator of several large and popular websites, most notably Dave's Garden and All Things Plants. He moved to Cherokee County in late 2007 and lives just outside Jacksonville with his wife and 6 children. They have a homestead with extensive gardens, cows, chickens, and various other domestic animals. In addition to being a member of the Cherokee County Master Gardeners, Dave is also a software programmer whose passion is to bring gardeners together and provide them with custom made software tools that both serve gardeners as well as take online gardening to the next level. Keith Hansen has been the Texas AgriLife Horticulturist for Smith County since 1992. Prior to that, he was the extension agent for Nueches County. Keith has a weekly column, "Keeping it Green," in the Tyler Morning Telegraph and has written numerous articles for other publications. For more information, contact Ginny Scurlock at 903-530-8610 or at [email protected].

 

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

 

Houston: The Harris County Master Gardeners meet at noon the first Tuesday of each month at the Texas AgriLife Extension, 3033 Bear Creek Drive (near the intersection of Highway 6 and Patterson Road), Houston. For additional information visit http://hcmga.tamu.edu or call 281-855-5600.

 

Wichita Falls: The Wichita County Master Gardener Association meets at 5:30 p.m. at the AgriLife Extension Office, 600 Scott Street, Wichita Falls, on the first Tuesday of each month. For more information, visit www.txmg.org/wichita or call 940-716-8610.

 

Kilgore: Northeast Texas Organic Gardeners meets at 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. For more information, call Carole Ramke at 903-986-9475.

 

Midland: The Permian Basin Master Gardeners meet at noon, the first Wednesday of each month at the Permian Basin Readiness Center at the Midland International Airport. For more information, call 432-498-4071.

 

New Braunfels: The Comal Master Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month (except December) at the GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels. An educational program preceeds the business meeting. The public is invited to attend. For additional information, call 830-620-3440 or visit http://txmg.org/comal/.

 

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.

 

Brownwood: The Brown County Master Gardeners Association meets the first Thursday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the AgriLife Extension Office, 605 Fisk Ave., Brownwood. For further information, call Mary Green Engle at 325-784-8453.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Evant: The Evant Garden Club meets on the second 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 254-471-5585.

 

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 [email protected].

 

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 [email protected].

 

Denton: The Denton County Master Gardener Association meets from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. the second Wednesday of each month at 401 W. Hickory St., Denton. Meetings are open to the public. More information is available at: 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 meets the second Wednesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the AgriLife Extension Office, 405 E. Marshall Ave., Longview. The public is invited to attend. There is an educational program preceding the business meeting. For further information call Cindy Gill at 903-236-8429 or visit www.gregg-tx.tamu.edu.

 

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 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the AgriLife Extension Office, 1225 Pearl Street, Suite 200, Beaumont. For more information, call 409-835-8461.

 

Georgetown: The Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. 8th Street. Georgetown. For additional information, contract Billye Adams at 512-863-9636 or visit http://www.npsot.org/WilliamsonCounty/default.htm.

 

Orange: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association holds their monthly meeting on the second Thursday of each month. A short program is presented. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the new Orange County Expo Center on Hwy 1442 in Orangefield. Enter the building in the front entrance, first door on the right, Texas AgriLife offices. Pot luck supper at 6 p.m. Visit http://txmg.org/orange for more information.

 

San Antonio: The San Antonio Herb Society meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels (corner of Funston & N. New Braunfels). For more information on programs, visit www.sanantonioherbs.org.

 

Angleton: The Brazoria County Master Gardeners meet at 11 a.m. on the second Friday of each month at the Brazoria County Extension Office, 21017 County Road 171, Angleton. There is a general business meeting followed by a brief educational program each month. For further information call 979-864-1558, ext.110.

 

College Station: The A&M Garden Club meets on the second Friday of each month during the school year at 9:30 a.m. in the training room of the College Station Waste Water Facility building at the end of North Forest Parkway, College Station. Expert speakers, plant sharing, and federated club projects help members learn about gardening in the Brazos Valley, floral design, conservation, and more. For more information, visit http://www.amgardenclub.com/.

 

Houston: The Spring Branch African Violet Club meets the second Saturday of each month, January through November, at 10:30am at the Copperfield Baptist Church, 8350 Highway 6 North, Houston. Call Karla at 281-748-8417 prior to attending to confirm meeting date and time.

 

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 [email protected].

 

Cleburne: The Johnson County Master Gardeners meet at 2 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at McGregor House, 1628 W. Henderson, Cleburne, which includes a program and a meet & greet. For more information, call Sharon Smith at 817-894-7700.

 

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.

 

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 [email protected] or call 361-790-0103.

 

Sugar Land: The Sugar Land Garden Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month, September through Novemberand January through April at 10 a.m. at the Sugar Land Community Center, 226 Matlage Way, Sugar Land. The club hosts a different speaker each month. For more information, visit www.sugarlandgardenclub.org.

 

Denton: The Denton Organic Society, a group devoted to sharing information and educating the public regarding organic principles, meets the third Wednesday of each month (except July, August and December) at the Denton Senior Center, 509 N. Bell Avenue. Meetings are free and open to the public. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are preceded by a social at 6:30. For more information, call 940-382-8551.

 

Glen Rose: The Somervell County Master Gardeners meet at 10 a.m., the third Wednesday of each month at the Somervell County AgriLife Extension office, 1405 Texas Drive, Glen Rose. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call 254-897-2809 or visit www.somervellmastergardeners.org.

 

Granbury: The Lake Granbury Master Gardeners meet at 1 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Hood County Annex 1, 1410 West Pearl Street, Granbury. The public is invited to attend. There is an educational program each month preceding the business meeting. For information on topics call 817-579-3280 or visit http://www.hoodcountymastergardeners.org/.

 

Seabrook: The Harris County Precinct 2 Master Gardeners hold an educational program at 10 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at The Meeting Room at Clear Lake Park (on the Lakeside), 5001 NASA Road 1, Seabrook. The programs are free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu.

 

Brownwood: Brownwood Garden Club meets the third Thursday of each month, 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.  The club meetings are at Southside Baptist Church, 1219 Indian Creek Road, with refreshments and a speaker presentation. Visitors are welcome. For more information, email [email protected] or call 817-454-8175).

 

Houston: The Native Plant Society of Texas - Houston (NPSOT-H) meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month except for October (4th Thursday) and December (2nd Thursday). Location varies. For locations, for more information on programs, and for information about native plants for Houston, visit http://www.npsot.org/Houston.

 

Rosenberg: The Fort Bend Master Gardeners meet at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month except December at the Bud O'Shieles Community Center located at 1330 Band Road, Rosenberg. For more information, call 281-341-7068 or visit www.fbmg.com.

 

Seguin: The Guadalupe County Master Gardeners meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Thursday of each month, at the Justice Center, 211 Court Street, Seguin. After a brief social hour, the meeting and guest speaker begins at 7 p.m. The meeting is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 830-303-3889 or visit www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org.

 

FOURTH WEEK

 

Brackenridge Park: The Native Plant Society San Antonio Chapter meets every fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Lions Field Adult and Senior Center, 2809 Broadway at E. Mulberry, Brackenridge Park, except August and December. Social and seed/plant exchange at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Bea at 210-999-7292 or visit www.npsot.org/sanantonio.

 

Bryan: The Brazos County Master Gardeners, a program of Texas AgriLife Extension, meet the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. There is a public gardening program at each meeting and pertinent information may be found at brazosmg.com or 979-823-0129.

 

Edna: The Jackson County Master Gardeners present their "Come Grown With Us" seminars on the fourth Tuesday of each month, January through October, beginning at 7 p.m. at 411 N. Wells, Edna. The seminars are free, open to the public and offer 2 CEU hours to Master Gardeners or others requiring them. For additional information, contact the Jackson County Extension Office at 361-782-3312.

 

Linden: The Caddo Wildflower Chapter of Native Plants Society meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at the senior citizens building at 507 S Kaufman St. in Linden at 6:30. Visitors are welcome. For additional information, contact Karen Tromza at [email protected].

 

Fort Worth: The Organic Garden Club of Forth Worth meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month except July and December at the Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center, 3220 Botanic Blvd., Ft. Worth. Refreshments are served. For more information, call 817-263-9322 or visit www.ogcfw.webs.com.

 

San Antonio: The Native Plant Society of Texas San Antonio Chapter meets the fourth Tuesday of each month, except August and December, at the Lions Field Adult & Senior Center, 2809 Broadway, San Antonio. Social and plant/seed exchange at 6:30 p.m., program at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.npsot.org/sanantonio or call Bea at 210-999-7292.

 

Houston: The Houston Chapter of the Native Prairie Association of Texas (HNPAT) meets from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month at Bayland Park Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet, Houston. For more information, contact [email protected].

 

Leander: The Leander Garden Club meets on the fourth Thursday of each month (except July and August) at 10:30 a.m. at the community room behind the Greater Texas Federal Credit Union,1300 N. Bell, Cedar Park, unless there is special event planned. Following a program and short business meeting, we share a pot-luck luncheon. To confirm the meeting place and time, please call president Cathy Clark-Ramsey at 512-963-4698 or email [email protected].

 

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.

 

Dallas: The Greater Dallas Organic Garden Club meets at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month at the REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Dallas. For more information, call 214-824-2448 or visit www.gdogc.org.

  

Arlington: The Arlington Organic Garden Club meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month (except November and December) at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington. For more information, contact David at 817-483-7746.

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Texas Gardener's Seeds is published weekly. � Suntex Communications, Inc. 2013. 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.

 

Missed an issue? Back issues of Texas Gardener's Seeds April 2006-September 2013 are available at www.texasgardener.com/newsletters. Back issues beginning October 2013 are available here. 

 

Publisher: Chris S. Corby ● Editor: Michael Bracken 

 

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