Birds & Blooms

Herbs are some of our favorite ingredients for adding that extra kick to our cooking, so it's always sad to see them go out of season. Fortunately, drying has been an herb preservation process for thousands of years, and for good reason: It's simple, inexpensive and - when done correctly at home - free of the chemical additives you'll find in some store-bought brands.

Following is an easy-to-follow guide for the best drying and preservation techniques to have you enjoying delicious herbs all year long:

Effective Drying: A good drying process relies more on abundant dry, fresh air than on heat alone. Look for well-ventilated places out of direct sunlight; if you live in a humid area, the process will be slower, but can be greatly assisted by a small commercial dehydrator.

Hang Drying: Tie sprigs or branches in small, loose bunches; hang the bunches up to dry, leaves downward, wrapped loosely in muslin or thin paper bags (avoid plastic at all costs); after about seven to 10 days, your herbs should be dry and crunchy as cornflakes.

Rack Drying: You can speed up drying by spacing out individual sprigs or leaves of herbs on racks. To make a drying rack, stretch muslin, cheesecloth or netting over a wooden frame and fix it in place. Place the tray in an airing cupboard, in the warming drawer of an oven, or in a warm, airy spot out of direct sunlight.

Oven Drying: The leaves of herbs such as sage, mint, rosemary and parsley, stripped from their stalks, are well suited to oven drying. Space out leaves on a muslin-covered tray in an oven set to the lowest possible temperature.

Microwave Drying: Microwaving works well for small quantities of herbs.Place a single layer of leaves on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Lay another paper towel on top, and microwave on high for 1 minute. Make sure to stop if you smell the herbs burning.

Storage and Use: If you're going to store your herbs in a glass container, be sure to put them in a dark place - otherwise they'll lose that vibrant color. Also keep in mind that drying herbs concentrates the flavor; you won't need to use as much when cooking. (Good rule of thumb: Substitute 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for 1 tablespoon of fresh)!

Oncor's Energy-Saving Trees program gives away free trees

Texas A&M Forest Service

Keep Texas Beautiful and Oncor, a Texas-based electricity delivery company, invite homeowners to participate in the Arbor Day Foundation's Energy-Saving Trees program. The program is designed to promote energy conservation by giving away free trees and educating homeowners on the best places to plant the trees to lower heating costs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer, while avoiding power lines.

While many Texas residents pay their electric bill through a retail electric company, those living in the Dallas/Ft Worth, Tyler, Waco, Midland/Odessa, and surrounding communities likely receive electricity distributed through Oncor's lines.

Homeowners can reserve up to two free trees per residence, which offer a potential savings of up to 20 percent on energy bills, according to the Arbor Day Foundation. Trees around homes not only help reduce the amount of energy consumed, but also add property value, reduce carbon created, improve air quality and more effectively filter stormwater runoff.

A simple online tool, utilizing innovative tree mapping technology, is available to guide homeowners to correct placement and selection of trees. The tool also estimates potential energy savings for homeowners.

Two- to four-foot trees will be shipped to qualifying homes beginning in October. Six tree species are available through the Energy-Saving Trees program, all of which are native to Texas, including Burr oak, cedar elm, chinkapin oak, Mexican white oak, pecan, Shumard oak and Texas redbud.

Find out more about the Energy-Saving Trees program by visiting www.arborday.com/oncor. Be sure to have your electric bill handy as the program requires the first 10 digits of your ESI (electric service identifier) ID number. If you need assistance locating your ESI ID number, please contact your retail electric company.

Energy-Saving Trees is a program available to Tree Line USA utilities that provides free trees to electric customers to plant in strategic energy-saving locations. Tree Line USA is a program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation and is administered by Texas A&M Forest Service. It recognizes utilities that support good arboriculture practices and promote tree-based energy conservation.

Texas forest sector contributes $30.3 billion to Texas economy, supports more than 130,600 jobs

Texas A&M Forest Service

Texas A&M Forest Service has completed a new study of the economic contribution provided by forestry-driven, wood-based industries in Texas. The report shows that the total economic contributions of the Texas forest sector include $30.3 billion in industry output, supporting more than 130,600 jobs; and continues to be one of the top ten manufacturing sectors in the state.

The report analyzes data collected from 2012, the most current available. Texas A&M Forest Service periodically produces the report, Economic Impact of the Texas Forest Sector, to give citizens an idea of where the forest sector fits overall into the Texas economy.

The current report is especially important because it shows where forestry in Texas stands as the economy rebounds from the 2007-09 recession. The recession had a profound adverse impact on the Texas forest sector, and although forest and forest product industries have not fully recovered, there are signs of improvement.

Dr. Omkar Joshi, Forest Economist with the Texas A&M Forest Service, says that the forest sector is making steady progress, climbing from the lows seen during the recession. "With the economy improving and the housing market getting better and better, we should continue to see the forest industry's economic contribution to Texas increase."

In 2012, the 43-county region of East Texas produced $5.7 billion worth of goods and services, directly supporting more than 18,900 jobs. This region is home to over 80 percent of Texas' timberland, and is the main producer of primary forest products such as lumber, structural panels, paper and pulp.

Manufacturing of secondary forest products like windows, doors and engineered wood products that use wood along with other materials, contributed over two-thirds of the Texas forest sector's total industry output and employed 72 percent of the forest sector workforce.

Texas forest products firms exported more than $1.8 billion worth of forest products to foreign countries in 2012. East Texas was the largest contributor to exports accounting for about 42 percent of the total value of Texas forest products foreign exports.

Austin: "Austin Bonsai Society Annual Auction" will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 8, at Zilker Garden Center. An opportunity to purchase a diverse collection of seedlings, pre-bonsai, and mature bonsai along with bonsai pots, tools and other items. Guests are welcome. For further information, visit www.austinbonsaisociety.com.

Humble: Winter Vegetable Gardening will be presented Wednesday, October 8, noon-2 p.m. at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Southeast Texas enjoys two full vegetable growing seasons every year! Learn how to ready winter vegetable gardens from Darnell Schreiber, who shares her tips for a great variety of delicious fruits and veggies that will grow unaffected in our area's winter weather. For additional information or to make reservations, call Mercer Botanic Gardens at 281-443-8731.

Nacogdoches: SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, in the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St. in Nacogdoches. Garden writer Patty Leander will present "Butterbeans to Asian Greens - Old Favorites and New Flavors for the Vegetable Garden." Leander was raised in Midland, Texas, by a dietitian mom who never met a vegetable she didn't like and a geologist dad who loved his Bermuda onions as much as his Bermuda shorts. She is a contributing writer to Texas Gardener magazine, a master gardener vegetable specialist, and she holds a Bachelor of Science in food and nutrition from Texas Tech University. In addition to growing, eating and writing about vegetables, she enjoys traveling the great state of Texas, sharing her enthusiasm for vegetable gardening. Patty and her husband, Bruce, work as a team - she cultivates, harvests and prepares the vegetables; he photographs and eats them. Leander's passion for vegetable gardening was inspired by the late George and Mary Stewart of Houston, who shared with her their lifetime of gardening wisdom and encouraged her to pass it on so that others may share in the satisfaction and success of growing their own vegetables. 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 Elyce Rodewald at 936-468-1832 or email grantdamon@sfasu.edu .

Pearland: Thurs., Oct. 9: "Fall Vegetable Gardening" by Herman Auer, 7 p.m., Busy Bee Café, 4009 W. Broadway, Pearland. Free. Brazoria County Master Gardeners. Details: John 713-818-8806.     

St. Francisville, Louisiana: With featured speakers like the LSU Ag Center's Dan Gill, award-winning New Orleans landscape architect Rene Fransen, and noted authors Bill Welch and Greg Grant, no other gardening program brings together top quality speakers and historic plantation settings as well as the Southern Garden Symposium in St. Francisville, Louisiana, October 10-11. Known as much for its engaging social events and historic venues as for its outstanding gardening lectures and workshops, the Southern Garden Symposium - now in its 26th year - has become an annual tradition for garden enthusiasts from across the south. While the symposium's workshops and lectures provide ideas and inspiration for the gardener, the social activities surrounding the event are classic southern elegance at its best. From the home-baked breakfast breads served in the morning, to the sumptuous fare of the evening gala and the delightfully relaxed Saturday afternoon tea, not a single detail of southern hospitality is overlooked. Symposium events are held at several historic and picturesque locations, both public and private, including Afton Villa Gardens, Rosedown Plantation, Grace Episcopal Church, Woodland, Beechwood Plantation, and more. For complete program information and registration forms, visit www.SouthernGardenSymposium.org; call 225-635-3738 or email luciecassity@bellsouth.net . For information regarding overnight accommodations in St. Francisville, visit www.stfrancisville.us  or call 225-635-4224, toll free at 800-789-4221. Seating is limited and hotel rooms can be scarce in St. Francisville in October, so register now!

Austin: Wildflower Center Native Plant Sale will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12, at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin. Enjoy the Native Plant Sale during prime planting time. With good fall rains expected, choose from the best selection of hardy Central Texas plants, shrubs and trees, including hard-to-find options. Nearly 300 native species will be available. Enjoy guided hikes mid-day, expert advice, book signings and more. Admission: $9 adults, $7 seniors and students, $3 children, free for Center members and children under 5. For more information, call 512-232-0100 or see a plant list and more at http://www.wildflower.org/plantsale.

Humble: "A Day of Bonsai" Fall Show will be held Saturday, October 11, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Experience the magnificent and ancient art form of bonsai during this presentation under the treehouse portico. For more information, call 281-443-8731.  

La Marque: "Galveston County Master Gardeners Annual Fall Sale" will be presented by GC Master Gardeners, 9:00a.m.- 1:00 p.m. October 11 at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413; further details www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.  

Marble Falls: Native Plant Society Garden Tour, hosted by Highland Lakes Chapter, NPSOT (Native Plant Society of Texas). 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11. Admission: $5 adults and children over 12, pay that morning at Tour Headquarters, Falls on the Colorado Museum, 2001 Broadway, Marble Falls. Showing five private and three public gardens in Marble Falls and Horseshoe Bay. Also: Native plant sale / tree give-away (limited number). For more information, contact: Fred Zagst, 512-755-2557, fzagst@gmail.com  or visit www.yantislakesidegardens.com/npsot and www.npsot.org.

Rosenberg: "Backyard Basics: Canning" will be presented Saturday, October 11. Learn how to extend the enjoyment of your backyard food production through canning. The presentation by Anne Ondrusek, Owner of Honeys Homemade Jams & Jellies, is presented by Fort Bend Master Gardeners. Demonstrations included. 9 a.m. Fort Bend County Extension Office, 1402 Band Rd, Rosenberg. $15 ($25 couple). Details: Call 281-342-3034, email brandy.rader@ag.tamu.edu, or go to http://fortbendagrilife.org or www.fbmg.com.

Seabrook: "Trees, Choice & Maintenance" will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 14, at Clear Lake Park Meeting Room, 5001 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook. A Harris County Master Gardeners Precinct 2 event. Free. For more information, visit https://hcmga.tamu.edu.

Humble: The Mercer Society Annual Meeting will be held Wednesday, October 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Attend this open meeting to learn more about The Mercer Society, the support they offer the botanic gardens, and the various memberships available. Contact Tami at msociety@hcp4.net or 281-443-8731 for more information.  

Seabrook: "Fall Fertilization for the Landscape ,Ornamentals and Grasses" will be presented by Skip Richter, Texas AgriLife Agent and contributing editor of Texas Gardener magazine, at 10 a.m., Wednesday, October 15, at Clear Lake Park Meeting Room, 5001 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook. A Harris County Master Gardeners Precinct 2 event. Free. For more information, visit  https://hcmga.tamu.edu.

San Antonio: Mary Dunford, owner of Nature's Herb Farm and co-founder of the SA Herb Society, will speak about drying and arranging herbs for holiday use at the San Antonio Herb Society October meeting, Thursday, October 16, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels. Free and open to the public. For additional information, call 210-826-6860 or email mbelisle@satx.rr.com.

San Antonio: At the Bexar County Master Gardeners October Educational Seminiar, 1 p.m.-3 p.m., October 16, learn about succulents with Mary Irish from the San Antonio Botanical Garden. This free seminar will be held at Texas A&M AgriLife Extention Servicc, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, San Antonio. For more information, call 210-467-6575. 

Seguin: The Guadalupe Master Gardeners will meet on Thursday, October 16, at the Justice Center, 211 Court Street, Seguin. Kirby Fry will speak about "Food Forests: Perennial Forest Gardening Systems." Fry has been a permaculture teacher and design consultant for more than 15 years. He studied permaculture under Bill Mollison. He is also familiar with conventional agriculture and forestry, having studied these disciplines at Texas A&M. He offers permaculture design services via his firm, Southern Exposure Permaculture. In addition, he has extensive experience as a building contractor, including natural building. Mr. Kirby studied Natural Resource Conservation at Texas A & M University, and served in U.S. Peace Corps in Guatemala, working in the area of agro-forestry. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. after a social function starting at 6:30. For further information visit www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org or call 830-303-3889.  

Huntsville: Walker County Master Gardeners 5th Annual Butterfly Festival and Fall Plant Sale will be held from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., October 18, at 102 Tam Road, Huntsville (2 miles north of the Pilot Truck Stop on Hwy. 75N). Find out how butterflies are tagged and released at this annual event featuring a variety of activities for children and adults including: face painting, guest speakers, videos and displays on the migration of Monarchs, a treasure hunt, insect identification, learn about bees and how they make honey, etc. At the plant sale, find an extensive selection including natives, fruit and nut trees, roses, perennials, shade loving varieties, herbs, daylilies and a wide variety of seeds. For additional information, contact Brenda Lichtman at 936-435-2426 or hpe_bxl@shsu.edu, or Reggie Lepley at 936-435-2426 or r-lepley@tamu.edu.

La Marque: "The Fabulous Fragrant Frangipani" will be presented GC Master Gardener Loretta Osteen, 9:00-11:00 p.m. October 18 at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413, email reservation to galv@wt.net, further details www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.

Lufkin: The Second Annual Native Plant Sale will be held Saturday, October 18, 8 a.m., at the Angelina Farmer's Market, 2107 S. Medford, Lufkin. The sale is a joint effort of Angelina Master Gardeners and Angelina Beautiful Clean, brought to you by contributions from the Master Gardeners, Whataburger, and generous individuals. This year we will three times as many plants as last year, offering you native perennials, grasses, shrubs, trees and vines. To view a plant list with descriptions, visit lufkin/mastergardeners/ and click on the link.  

McKinney: Join the Collin County Master Gardeners Association on October 18 in the Stall Barn at beautiful Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to learn more about, and purchase, the best selections of bulbs and perennials for North Texas at the 2014 Bulb and Perennial Mart. The 2014 Annual Bulb and Perennial Mart is a one-day, one-stop shopping opportunity and an introduction to some of the best, hard-to-find heritage bulbs and drought-tolerant perennials for North Texas. CCMGA will be selling some of the beautiful, yet hardy perennials that are doing so well in the nationally award winning trial gardens at Myers Park; as well spring, summer, and fall blooming bulbs that are researched and proven to be suitable for our climate and soil extremes. This year they will also have a wonderful assortment of crinums. The Texas tough plants being offered at The Mart will add a splash of color to the garden throughout the year. Purchase these proven winners by cash, check, or credit card (Visa or Mastercard only). The Bulb and Perennial Mart is an indoor event, so come rain or shine! Master Gardeners will be on hand to conduct tours of the trial gardens and answer questions.The event is free and no sales tax. Schedule of Events: 8:30 a.m., Early Bird Seminar; 9 a.m., Pick up August Pre-Sale Bulb Orders; 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Bulb and Perennial Sale; 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Tours of Myers Park Research & Demonstration Gardens; 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Information Booth. Myers Park is located at 7117 County Road 166, McKinney. To learn more about the 2013 Bulb and Perennial Mart, visit www.ccmgatx.org, or call 972-548-4219 or 972-548-4232.

San Antonio: Texas Water Star Program Earth-Kind Landscape School will be held 8:30 a.m.-noon, October 18, at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, San Antonio. Wildscaping, Rain Gardens and Yard Waste Reduction will be the topic, followed by a question-and-answer session. Registration: $20 per session. Cor additional information or to register, contact Angel Torres at 210-467-6575 or matorres@ag.tamu.edu. 

Lufkin: Chris Wiesinger, founder of the Southern Bulb Company will speak on "Southern Bulbs" on Monday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Angelina County Extension, 2201 S. Medford Drive, Lufkin. Learn about the flowering bulbs that will naturalize and thrive in our area. Chris will bring bulbs and books to sell. Admission is $10 at the door. This program is brought to you by the Angelina Master Gardeners. For more information call 936-634-6414.

Seabrook: Open Garden Day, with Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2 will be held 8:30-11 a.m., Monday, October 20, at Genoa Friendship Garden,1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. 9:30 a.m.: Educational Programs and Master Gardeners Q&A. Note: Gardens open and plants available for purchase every Monday, May-October. Free, children welcome. For more information, visit https://hcmga.tamu.edu.

La Marque: "Wellness Gardening" will be presentedby GC Master Gardener Tim Jahnke, 6:30-8:00 p.m. October 21 at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413, email reservation to galv@wt.net, further details  www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free.  

San Antonio: October 21 is the evening to learn all about Home Aquaponics. Join David Rodriguez at 6:30 p.m. when he introduces Steven Sumrow from Aquaponic Systems USA at Texas A&M AgriLife Ext Svc, 3355 Cherry Ridge, San Antonio. During this two-hour presentation, learn how to create your own Home Aquaponics to grow plants and vegetables in a water environment along with aquatic fish. Aquaponics is a system of aquaculture in which the waste produced by farmed fish or other aquatic animals supplies nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in turn purify the water. No chemicals or soil needed, thanks to its automatic recirculating system, Aquaponics does not require much monitoring or measuring. 2 CEUs for Master Gardeners and Interns. Fee: $10. RSVP to Angel Torres at 210 467-6575 or matorres@ag.tamu.edu.

Creedmoor: The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-Travis Co. will hold an Irrigation/Turf Maintenance Workshop on October 22 at Creedmoor Community Center, 12511 FM 1625, Creedmoor. This conference is in response to ongoing critical water issues. The general public can attend but the materials presented will be for turf and irrigation professionals such as those working with municipalities, including parks departments; golf courses; and large and commercial landscape maintenance firms as well as contractors; retail nurseries and other users of urban water resources. The goal of the workshop is to share new technologies and best practices for water conservation and drought survival. Four Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) licensed irrigator credits are available to attendees. Presentations and speakers will be: 9 a.m., Irrigation Scheduling, Brad Smith, Instructor, Irrigator Training, LLC; 10 a.m., Efficient Irrigation Practices, Brett Briant, Water Conservation Coordinator, LCRA; 11:15 a.m., Turfgrass Selection and Cultural Practices for Water Conservation; 1 p.m., Water Management for Sports Field Turf, Dr. Casey Reynolds, Assistant Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist; 2 p.m., Evaluation, Wrap-up and CEU certificates. Cost: $50 (through 10/17), $60 (10/18 and on-site). CEUs: 4 Irrigation. Register: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/TravisCounty or by phone: 979-845-2604. For more information, contact: Daphne Richards, CEA-Horticulture, drichards@ag.tamu.edu, 512-854-9615.

Bryan: Brazos County Master Gardeners 2014 Town and Country Garden Tour, Saturday, October 25, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person and allow visitors into all six garden gardens. Tickets go on sale September 25 at the Brazos County Extension Office, 2619 Highway 21 West, Bryan. Checks only will be accepted at this location. 979/823-0129. Tickets On Site: On the day of the tour at any of the garden sites and checks or cash only are accepted. For more information, visit www.brazosmg.com or email brazosmg@brazosmg.com.

Fort Worth: Hortipalooza, a festival of fun, friends and horticultural enlightenment, and family day devoted to all things gardening, will be held Saturday, October 25, at the Resource Connection, Building 2300, 2300 Circle Drive, Fort Worth. The Resource Connection is located off Campus Drive, across from the Tarrant County College - South Campus. Sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, doors open at 8:30 a.m. and feature storytellers, vendors and talks on 20 Must Have Plants, Gardens in a Drought, Creating Herbal Combo Containers, Propagation Magic, Maple Madness and Success with Seeds, as well as hands-on classes on Papercrete Pots (beginner and advanced), Copper Rain Chains and Concrete Leaves. The event will end around 4:30 p.m. Speakers include area Master Gardeners, the Herb 'n' Cowgirl Ann McCormick, Steve Rosenbaum of Steve's Leaves, Tucker Reed, horticulture manager at Dallas Arboretum and Botanic Garden and Steve Chamblee, chief horticulturalist at Chandor Gardens in Weatherford. Lee Coats, the Papercrete Potter from Missouri, will be teaching the papercrete container classes. Papercrete is made with portland cement, perlite and paper. Registration fee if purchased before the event is adults, $25; couples, $45; and children under 16, $15 which includes lunch, snacks and the talks. Fee the day of the event is adults, $35 and kids under 16, $15. There is an extra fee for the hands-on classes. Complete information on the schedule and registration is at www.tarrantmg.org.

Humble: The 3rd Annual Sustainable Landscape Conference will be held Friday, October 31, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Learn from industry leaders about sustainable parking design and development during this year's conference at Big Stone Lodge at Dennis Johnston Park. For additional information or to make reservations, call Mercer Botanic Gardens at 281-443-8731.

Humble: Herb Gardening for Home Use will be presented Wednesday, November 12, noon-2 p.m. at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble. Join Marilyn O'Conner, "The Herb Lady," to learn about the wide variety of herbs and their uses in homes and gardens. For additional information or to make reservations, call Mercer Botanic Gardens at 281-443-8731.

Humble: Succulentarriums will be presented Wednesday, December 10, noon-2 p.m.

at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble.

Learn how to combine remarkable succulents, moss, and cacti with recycled glassware to create fun and fanciful display items for your home or office. These unique items also make great holiday gifts! For additional information or to make reservations, call Mercer Botanic Gardens at 281-443-8731.

• 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

The Vegetable Book

By Dr. Sam Cotner

Finally, back by popular demand and in its fourth printing, the most informative and comprehensive "how-to" book on vegetable gardening in Texas (also, suitable for most other areas of the South) written by the late, great Dr. Sam Cotner, former head of horticulture at Texas A&M University and lifelong gardener. This interesting read has over 370 pages of detailed information on every crop, from Asparagus to Watermelon including problem/solving sections for each vegetable. If you want to maximize your enjoyment and success growing vegetables in Texas, this book is a "must have," whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gardener. Price $34.02

By William D. Adams

The best thing for tomato enthusiasts since the tomato itself! Adams draws on more than thirty years of 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, this must-have book has everything you'll need to assure a bumper crop! 189 pages. Lots of color photographs! Price: $31.94

($15.82 if ordered separately)

Remit payment to:

TG Books * PO Box 9005 * Waco, TX 76714

or call Toll-Free 1-800-727-9020

American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover Accepted