May 7, 2014
  

The garden reader:
How-to for beauty and food

 

By William Scheick

Book Reviewer

 

Natalie Bernhisel Robinson. Living Wreaths: 20 Beautiful Projects for Gifts and D�cor. Gibbs Smith, 2014. 128 pp. $19.99.

 

Josie Jeffery. The Mix and Match Guide to Companion Planting. Ten Speed Press, 2014. 131 pp. $17.99.

 

Keith Reid. Improving Your Soil: A Practical Guide to Soil Management for the Serious Home Gardener. Firefly Books, 2014. 272 pp. $29.95.

 

Living Wreaths is so beautifully produced it will visually delight its readers whether or not they have time to create such floral art. And I am sure that after perusing this book, some gardeners who might have initially doubted they would make a living wreath will in fact be inspired to give it a try.

 

The range of possibilities is amazing. It includes gorgeous succulent-based designs as well as lavender, herb, ivy, strawberry and even cherry tomato projects.

  

The easiest of all, in my opinion, is a spider plant wreath. It gives a surprisingly rich effect with no hint of just how easy this wreath is to create and maintai  n.

 

You have to see this book to believe what is possible with living wreaths. Living Wreaths is so dazzling that once you glance at it, you will find it hard not to want it.

 

The format of The Mix and Match Guide to Companion Gardening is fascinating in a different way. Most of its pages are cut into three segments, with a different plant depicted on each of these thick strips.

 

Each middle strip features a photo with data on a main crop. Each top strip identifies a plant that potentially supports a crop's above-ground needs (such as attracting beneficial insects), while each bottom strip identifies a plant that contributes to a crop's below-ground needs (such as providing soil nutrients).

 

By turning these strips and matching color-coded dots, the reader can easily learn which plants companion well and which do not.

 

There is more to this book than might seem at first. A considerable amount of thought has gone into its presentation of organic ways to "deter pests, prevent disease, improve flavor and increase yields in your vegetable garden."

 

Soil-matters are addressed in this book, too, but Improving Your Soil provides a full-length consideration of the subject. "My goal in writing this book," Keith Reid explains, "is to demystify soil and offer practical methods that will allow you to grow a better garden."

 

"But I also hope," the author adds, "this book will open your eyes to the many wonders of what goes on under your feet." For instance, did you know that soil goes through seasonal changes no less dramatic than our plants?

 

That's just one insight from Reid's eye-opening discussion of how soil "is an integral part of all terrestrial cycles." The trick to successful gardening is "to harness these cycles for our benefit."

 

Improving Your Soil features a reader-friendly discussion, organization and format - feats indeed, considering the wealth of scientific information included in this book. I don't think the topic of soil can be covered better than Keith Reid has managed here.


May gardening

 

By Tom Harris, Ph.D.

The Hill Country Gardener


The purple martins are already finishing up nesting and breeding for the year. They will hang around for a month or two more but do not breed in mid-summer. Once they move on, lower the martin house to prevent several more generations of English sparrows and starlings.

 

Change your hummingbird feeder sugar water every week once the warm weather arrives.

 

Color
 

Wait to mid-month to plant periwinkles.

 

Mandevilla, bougainvillea and Chinese hibiscus are great patio plants.

 

Deadhead (pinch/cut off) spent flowers from perennial blooming plants to encourage more blooms.

 

As the weather gets warmer, regular fertilizing of your pot plants with a water soluble product will bring rich color to your environment.

 

Roses should be blooming with color. Continue to fertilize them for continued blooming.

 

Let your wildflowers go to seed (probably turning brown) before mowing.

 

Fertilize container plants and hanging basket plants on a regular basis with a water-soluble fertilizer.

 

Fruits and Nuts

Peaches are ready to harvest when the base color changes from green to yellow.

 

Pick peaches, apples and plums as soon as they ripen.

 

Keep suckers pruned off your fruit trees - they come from the root stock and will take over if unattended.

 

Keep fruit trees well watered as long as there is fruit on the tree.

 

Ornamentals

If you collected bluebonnet seeds, hold them in paper bags in the fridge until September/October.

 

Caladium are to be planted now. Wait until the soil warms and night temperatures are above 70 F. Caladiums prefer a loose, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter.

 

Shade Trees and Shrubs

This is not a good month to prune oak trees. If you must prune, be sure to paint with a latex-based paint immediately after cutting.

 

Be careful with string trimmers around young trees. One trip around the bark at the base could kill it.

 

Leaf miners make translucent trails in the leaves of Texas red oak and other plants. They can be controlled early with Bt or Spinosad, but usually are not a major problem.

 

Turf Grass

Don't bag those lawn clippings.

 

If you're starting a new Bermuda grass lawn, use 2-3 lbs. of seed per 1,000 sq. ft. on well prepared soil and water twice a day.

 

Your St. Augustine grass will fill in drought-killed areas quickly if you can water regularly.

 

Place several tuna or cat food cans around the lawn and measure how long it takes the sprinklers to put 3/4-inch in the cans. That's how long you set the timer on the sprinkler system.

 

If you didn't get the lawn fertilized in April, there's still time if you do it early.

 

Vegetables

Tomatoes are ready to pick when they change from green to green-white color. For maximum production, pick them at this stage and let them ripen to a red color on the kitchen counter.

 

Side dress vegetables with 1 cup slow release lawn fertilizer (2 cups of organic fertilizer) per 10 feet of row every 6 weeks.

 

Harvest, harvest, harvest. If you don't, production will slow or stop.

 

Onions are ready to harvest when the green tops fall over. Pull them up and let them dry on the garden surface for two days before collecting them.

Gardening tips

 

Can you distinguish the weed seedlings from the young squash? Removing them now is a simple task.  


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 2014 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.
MAY

 

Nacogdoches: SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St., Nacogdoches. Alabama Extension Horticulturist Hayes Jackson will present "I've Come All the Way from Alabama to Tell You That Everything's Not Bigger in Texas So Get Over It."Jackson graduated from Auburn University with a degree in landscape design and ornamental horticulture. After working in southern California with Armstrong Nurseries, he returned to Alabama to work on his master's degree in environmental biology with an emphasis in botany at Jacksonville State University. He is the urban regional extension agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System in Anniston where he works with urban horticulture and community-based programs concerning urban horticulture. An avid horticulturist and true plant collector, Jackson has ventured to places like China, the Himalayas of northern India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Guatemala to look for new plants for Southern landscapes. His gardens have been featured in many publications, including Southern Living and Alabama Gardens Great and Small. The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month at the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture's SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center. A rare plant raffle will be held after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves lecture series fund always are appreciated. Parking is available at the nearby Raguet Elementary School, 2428 Raguet St., with continual shuttle service to the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building. For more information, call 936-468-1832 or email [email protected].

 

Denton: The Denton County Master Gardener Association's 2014 Spring Garden Tour will be open to the public from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10. Five beautiful gardens are included on this year's fund-raising tour, and Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions and point out interesting aspects of each one. Garden Tour tickets are $10, available from Master Gardeners, local nurseries and online at www.dcmga.com. Children under admitted 14 are free. Admission to a single garden is $5 at the gate. The "Urban Garden" in Argyle features three acres of native trees and hardy perennials that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. A "Tranquility Garden" in Double Oak offers several colorful "rooms" that create a calm, relaxing atmosphere. In Flower Mound, pots of tropical plants and patches of perennial color will delight and dazzle in the two-tier "Perennial Pizazz Garden." The cottage-like "Patchwork Garden" in Highland Village is a showcase for colorful roses, hardy perennials and charming garden art. The fifth garden is the 13-acre Flower Mound at the corner of FM3040 and FM 2499 in the city of Flower Mound. Standing 50 feet above the surrounding countryside, the Flower Mound is currently protected by the Mound Foundation, a non-profit organization representing local citizens. This area was part of the great American Black Land Prairie that ran from Canada to the Rio Grande and from the Rockies to the Mississippi. The foundation has identified more than 175 species of wildflowers there. Admission to The Flower Mound is free.

 

Humble: Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble, will host Cypress Creek Daylily Show, Saturday, May 10, noon-4:30 p.m. Come out to see favorite large and small blooms as they put on a stunning show! Cultivars like spiders with long, draping petals and others with frilled and picotee edges or dark eye zones will be on display. Daylilies bloom in the hot months in full sun and are show stoppers in any garden. 

 

La Marque: "Rainwater Harvesting" presented by GC Master Gardener Tim Jahnke, 9-11:00 a.m., May 10, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. For more information: 281-534-3413; email reservations to [email protected], further details www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

 

Rosenberg: "Backyard Basics - Culinary Herbs," sponsored by Fort Bend Master Gardeners will be presented Saturday, May 10. Learn which herbs to grow, how to grow them, and their culinary uses. Dual format: indoor program and outdoor instruction in the Master Gardeners' herb garden. Master Gardeners' Demonstration gardens open for tour. 8:30-11 a.m., Fort Bend County Extension Office, 1402 Band Rd, Rosenberg. $15 ($25 couple). For more information, call 281-342-3034, email [email protected], or visit http://fortbendagrilife.org or www.fbmg.com.

  

Houston: Dianne Norman of Wabash Antiques and Feed Store will discuss "What to Plant and Do Now in Our Vegetable Gardens" at the Houston Urban Gardeners' May 12 meeting. The meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m., will be held at Houston's Multi-Service Center, 1475 W. Gray, Houston  For more information, visit http://www.houstonurbangardeners.org

 

Seabrook: Harris County Master Gardeners will present "Insects in your Garden" at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 13, at Clear Lake Park Meeting Rook, 5001 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook. For more information, visit https://hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/pubP2.aspx.

  

Austin: "The Display and Showing of Bonsai and Accent Items including scrolls, kusamono, and suiseki " by the Austin Bonsai Society on May 14 at 7 p.m. at the Zilker Botanical Garden, 2200 Barton Springs Road. Free lecture and demonstrations using all accent display items with Bonsai.   Hands-on is encouraged and members and guests should feel free to bring accent and bonsai items for lecture/demo. Free. Guests welcome. For information call Deborah Van Cleaf 512-694-6590 or visit www.austinbonsaisociety.com.

 

Humble: "Butterfly Gardening - If You Plant It, They Will Come," will be presented Wednesday, May 14, noon - 2 p.m.at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Join horticulturist Zac Stayton of the Cockrell Butterfly Center as he discusses butterflies native to the Houston area, their favorite host and nectar plants, and how to create a backyard butterfly oasis. For additional information, call 281-443-8731 or visit www.hcp4.net/mercer.

 

Seguin: The Guadalupe Master Gardeners will meet on Thursday, May 15, at the Justice Center on 211 Court Street, Seguin. The meeting will start at 7 p.m., after a social function starting at 6:30. The topic is Guadalupe County's Heritage Pecans: Tips for a Successful Harvest, presented by John Pape and Kevin McCormick, of Pape Pecan Company, Seguin. For further information visit www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org or call 830-303-3889.

 

Humble: Bromeliad Sale & Show. Fri., Sat., and Sun., May 16, 17, and 18. Members of the Houston Bromeliad Society present "Bromeliads: Jewels of the Garden" during this local show, which is judged by international bromeliad experts. The show will be on display in the Visitor Center at at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The plant sale, which features every genus that performs well in the Houston area, is open on Friday noon to 4 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information, call 281-443-8731 or visit www.hcp4.net/mercer..

 

Austin: "The Annual Bonsai Show and Sale by Members" at the Zilker Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin,  Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Several variety of bonsai, accents plants (kusamono), accent stones (suiseki), and scrolls will be on display. Raffles, Demo each day at 2 p.m. Free Admission. Members available for questions.  For more information, visit www.austinbonsaisociety.com.    

 

La Marque: Tour three orchards during the "Galveston County Fruit Growers Tour," 9 a.m-noon, May 17. For further details, contact the Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque; Ph 281-534-3413; or email [email protected], or see full details and maps at www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

 

New Braunfels: Enjoy the 2nd Annual Demonstrations Garden Open House. Free information and demonstrations on drip irrigation; composting and mulching; rain water catchment; and building a compost bin. Learn how to attract birds, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. Free kids activities include building a hummingbird feeder. Tour the various demonstration gardens to see how you can transform your own back yard! Opportunity to purchase award winning Comal County Master Gardeners Guide that provides monthly "to dos" to keep your yard and garden in top shape. May 17, 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service - Comal Count, 325 Resource Dr., New Braunfels. For more information, visit http://txmg.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/comal/files/openhouseflyer.pdf.

  

San Antonio: Gardening Volunteers of South Texas presents "Watersaver Landscape Design School" Saturday, May 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels, San Antonio. Four presentations on Basic Principles of Low Water Landscapes, Design Ideas, Plants That Thrive in the San Antonio area, and Understanding and Scheduling Your Drip Irrigation System. $25 or $40 for household of two people. Includes three full color plant and landscape guides, and a CD version of the book "Drip-Line Gardening." After enrolling, you will receive graph paper to draw your yard and/or ideas to bring with you for one-on-one idea consultations after the presentations. Find more information and an enrollment form on the GVST website at www.GardeningVolunteers.org or [email protected].

JUNE

 

Austin: The Garden Club of Austin's annual show & plant sale will be held June 7 and 8 at Zilker Park Botanical Gardens, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin. The juried plant, vegetable & flower show is open to all amateur gardeners. Show contest plants will be accepted Friday, June 5, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, June 7, from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Plant sale hours will be Saturday from 9 until 5 and Sunday from 10 until 5. Enter your favorite plant or vegetable or buy some beautiful, very well priced items at the plant sale. More information is available at www.thegardenclubofaustin.org. Click on events and scroll down to the garden show. 

 

Austin: The Austin Pond Society will host its 20th Annual Pond Tour in June and will feature ponds and gardens at more than 20 locations in North, Central and South Austin. Ponds of every size and description are included in the tour, along with waterfalls, streams, and fountains. Some gardens are Certified Wildlife Habitats, and most have native plants.Tour Dates and Times: Saturday, June 7 - South and Central Austin (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Saturday Night - Night pond locations (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.) Sunday, June 8 - North Austin (9 .am. to 5 p.m.) Wristbands for the three events are $15 in advance and can be purchased using PayPal at austinpondsociety.org; at Emerald Garden, Hill Country Water Gardens, McIntire's Garden Center, Shoal Creek Nursery, and The Great Outdoors. Wristbands can be purchased at each site during the event for $20. Wristbands for children 12 and under are free with a paid adult. Volunteers who work a four-hour shift on either day of the tour will receive entry to all of the tour sites, a tour T-shirt, and an invitation to the SPLASH! Party on May 31. Sign up at [email protected]. For more information visit austinpondsociety.org.

Monthly meetings

 

If you would like your organization's events included in "Monthly Meetings" or would like to make a change to a listed meeting, please contact us at Monthly Meetings. To ensure inclusion in this column, please provide complete details. 

 

FIRST WEEK

 

Kaufman:The Kaufman County Master Gardeners meet the first Monday of each month at the First Community Church at 1401 Trinity Drive in Crandall. January through April and August and September meetings are at 9 a.m., with the remaining meetings beginning at 7 p.m. For additional information visit http://www.kcmga.org, call 972-932-9069 or email to [email protected].


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.

 

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.

  

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.

 

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.

Smithville: The Smithville Community Gardens meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Smithville Recreation Center. 

 

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

 

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

 

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

  

Kilgore: Northeast Texas Organic Gardeners meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. For more information, call Carole Ramke at 903-986-9475.

 

Dallas: The Rainbow Garden Club of North Texas meets the second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Meetings are held at member's homes and garden centers around the area. For more information, visit www.RainbowGardenClub.com.

 

THIRD WEEK

 

Arlington: The Arlington Men's Garden Club meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the third Monday of each month (except December) at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington. For more information, contact Lance Jepson at [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.

  

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

 

Corpus Christi: The Nueces Master Gardeners meet at noon the third Tuesday of each month, except December, at Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Dr., Corpus Christi. An educational program precedes the business meeting. For further information call 361 767-5217.

 

Evant: The Evant Garden Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m., usually at the bank in downtown Evant. To confirm the date, time and place of each month's meeting, call 254-471-5860.  

 

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 November and 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.

 

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 email [email protected].

 

Houston: The Houston Chapter of the Native Prairie Association of Texas (HNPAT) meets from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. the fourth Thursday of each month at 3015 Richmond Ave., 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. 2014. 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 

 

Texas Gardener's Seeds, P.O. Box 9005, Waco, Texas 76714

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