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Dear Friends,
Here is the 119th issue of our weekly gardening newsletter for Houston, the Gulf Coast and beyond. We really appreciate all of our readers hanging in there with us, sharing stories and inspiring us in so many ways.
Thanks so much!
This newsletter is a project of The Lazy Gardener, Brenda Beust Smith, John Ferguson and Mark Bowen.(John and Mark are with Nature's Way Resources). We also have a great supporting cast of contributing writers and technical specialists who will chime in and tweak away regularly. We would love to keep receiving your input on this newsletter . . . . comments . . . . suggestions . . . . questions. . . .Email your thoughts to: lazygardenerandfriends@gmail.com. Thanks so much for your interest.
Please or sign yourself up to receive this newsletter by clicking the "Join Our Mailing List" link just below. We will never sell or share our mailing list to protect the privacy of our subscribers.
Enjoy!
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LAZY GARDENER'S BEST FRIENDS - BULBS (& DARE WE
HOPE? DEER-DETERRENTS?) . . . AND AMPHIBIANS
BY BRENDA BEUST SMITH
Squirrel, squirrel, burning bright, / Do not eat my bulbs tonight!
Do you wish to tease and joke us/ When you carry off a crocus?
Tell me, has it ever been thus,/ Squirrels must eat the hyacinthus?
O little rodent, / I wish you wo'dn't!
TV newscasts are SO into animal reporting these days, have you noticed? Thought I'd just jump in on the trend with deer, rodents and frogs.
How's your frog/toad quotient? Higher than mine, I hope. More on that later.
Let's start with deer and a coincidence of three reader notes about . . .
1. great bulbs for this area,
2. deer destroying gardens and
3. bulbs deer find so nasty they'll hopefully stay away from gardens where these are planted.
Not all of us have deer problems. Some of us would love to have deer problems. No one wants rodents in the garden.
Narcissus are on the list. Paperwhite narcissus love us and naturalize quickly. They bloom in winter when almost nothing else is blooming and have a fabulous fragrance.
Narcissus include daffodils, some of which might naturalize here for a few years. Most don't last too long. If yours do, please share the variety if you know it? Also on the list that should naturalize here: Snowdrops (Galanthus) and scilla (blue squill).
Some other bulbs listed - star flowers, allium and glory-of-the snow (Chionodoxa) - are certainly worth a try, especially if even just a one-shot spring bloom display discourages foraging the rest of the year.
Another tip: don't feed bulbs with bonemeal if you have a squirrel problem. That's caviar to squirrels! Use soft rock phosphate instead.
Don't waste your time on Fritillarias (winter wolf's bane, snake's head). They need far more extended cold than we get.
Below are some bulbs (tubers & corms) that WILL come back year-after-year, making them great investments for our gardens. What I DON'T know, and need you to share, is which of these bulbs survive and multiply in your yard in spite of the deer?
L to r: paperwhite narcissus, amaryllis and cannas
Crinums come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors.
L to r: Louisiana iris, dietes iris and walking iris.
L to r: my friend Sharon Axton's Easter lilies. Also great: Philippine lilies, Dazzle lilies and Triumphator lilies
Two more of my favorites are schoolhouse lilies (small amaryllis) and freesias. Daylilies usually come under the heading of bulbs altho they really aren't. Let me know your other favorite bulbs.
Writing about bulbs always makes me think about Houston's Bulb Lady, Sally McQueen Squire, with whom I worked for almost three decades. The local event closest to Sally's heart - the Garden Club of Houston's big annual Bulb & Plant Mart - is still the best place in town to find the widest variety of bulbs - and learn from those who have actually plant them.
Mark your calendar for this year's Bulb & Plant Mart: Oct. 1-3 at St John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd. You can pre-order bulbs and get more details at www.gchouston.org. They might even have a few copies left of Sally's book: The Complete Guide to Growing Bulbs in Houston. TIP O' THE TROWEL TO . . .
* MARY JOHNSON who pointed out that my soaker hose segment last week implied I was moving the soaker hose from bed to bed. Sorry! Actually we put 50-ft. flat soaker hoses, holes-down, in each garden beds. To these we alternately hook up a separate hose attached to the faucet, leaving it dripping about 3 hours. Given our totally unpredictable schedules, we'll probably end up doing each bed twice every three weeks. That should be good enough. One other note: we're on a well.
* THE GALVESTON BAY FOUNDATION for bringing home the national second place award in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's annual Gulf Guardian Awards, given to those who best keep the Gulf of Mexico "healthy, beautiful and productive." GBF's focus on focus includes protecting the Gulf of Mexico from lawn and garden treatments we homeowners allow to wash off our yards through our bayous to Galveston Bay and the Gulf beyond causing major problems all along the way. If you'd like to keep up with environmental news in our area, sign up for the free Citizens Environmental Coalition email newsletter at www.cechouston.org. NOW, BACK TO THOSE FROGS & TOADS . . .
When I heard a Texas Frog Fest was scheduled on Bolivar Peninsula, I immediately thought of doing a gardening-related something in this newsletter. Husband pointed out there are no frogs on Bolivar, only toads. Frogs, he said, can't live in salt water. Ignoring him, I called the planners & explained what I wanted.
Long silence. Then the guy said:
"Frogs. As in Navy SEALS. We're honoring Navy SEALS."
Oh, well. The Texas Frog Fest IS a great annual event well worth attending and promoting. ( www.texasfrogfest.org/). Probably wouldn't have made such a frog faux pas all this had happened AFTER Dr. Cassidy Johnson's "Planting for the Houston Toad and Other Local Amphibians," Thurs., Aug. 20, 7-9pm at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, 4505 Woodway. This free Texas Native Plant Society/Houston Chapter program is aimed at area gardeners interested in helping frogs and other landscape-beneficial amphibians, many of which are threatened with extinction. Dr. Johnson, a nationally-recognized Houston toad specialist, was formerly with the Houston Zoo and now lectures at Rice University and Houston Community College. She founded T.O.A.D. (Texas Organization for Amphibian Diversity), www.thehoustontoad.org. Our namesake, the Houston toad, has the unfortunate honor of being the first amphibian included, in 1973, on the U.S. Endangered Species List. Why should that be especially important to Greater Houston area gardeners? Dr. Cassidy gives you a preview of her Aug. 20 presentation our Spotlight below.
* Brenda's "LAZY GARDENER'S GUIDE" - a when-to-do-what in Greater Houston area gardens - is now available on CD only (pdf file). $20. Checks payable to Brenda B. Smith and mailed to: Lazy Gardener's Guide on CD, 14011 Greenranch Dr., Houston, TX 77039-2103. For a free page of this month's TO-DO list, email Brenda at lazy gardener@sbcglobal.net
Left, a Rio Grande chirping frog. Right, a Gulf Coast frog named Squinty4
GARDENING FOR AMPHIBIANS
BY CASSIDY JOHNSON, PH.D.
T.O.A.D. (Texas Organization for Amphibian Diversity)
The greater Houston area is home to several species frogs and toads, many of which make their homes in our outdoor spaces. These nighttime residents make great neighbors, consuming up to 5,000 insects a year! Amphibians are important as food for other animals and researchers are also currently studying amphibian skin secretions for the production of new antibiotics.
Unfortunately, more than 35% of the world's amphibians are threatened with extinction, and our local amphibians are no exception. The Houston toad disappeared from Harris County in the 1970's, and sadly, many other species are following suit.
When presented with this grim outlook for our webbed-footed friends, many folks think that there is not much they can do to help - but this is not the case! Homeowners can make a huge difference by making just a few changes to how they take care of their yards:
* Limit or stop using pesticides and herbicides. Amphibians are sensitive to the toxins found in pesticides and herbicides because they readily absorb water through their skin. The pesticide atrazine is particularly problematic because it causes the feminization of male amphibians, affecting their ability to breed.
* Reduce fertilizer use The nitrates in fertilizers can kill many amphibian species. This is particularly problematic in our area because yard runoff goes directly into our bayous.
Using compost in gardens and leaving grass clippings on the ground is a much safer (and cheaper) method to fertilize your yard. The added bonus of using compost is that several amphibian species, including the Gulf Coast toad, the Rio Grande Chirping frog, and the Narrow-mouth toad, may take up residence in the compost pile!
* Use native plants Using native plants not only reduces water usage, they attract insect species that our local amphibian pals like to eat! Native plants are also vital for many pollinator species, including butterflies, bees, and moths. Landscaping with native plants is one of the best (and easiest) changes that everyone can make that has a big impact on the health of the environment.
Thanks to everyone who is already implementing one or two of these practices! The small changes mentioned above have an additive effect on the environment and will ensure a future for amphibians in our county. And like I tell all of my friends, I would rather have toads on my back porch than cockroaches any night of the week!
* THURS., AUG. 20: PLANTING FOR THE HOUSTON TOAD AND OTHER LOCAL AMPHIBIANS
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JOHN'S CORNER
WEEDS and HERBICIDES (Part 4 of 4)
"Round-Up"
Ever since the WHO (World Health Organization) declared Round-Up a probable carcinogen more reports and research studies on the dangers are showing up almost daily.
A couple readers have asked where they could learn more and for more references. I have included a few for reference, but the hundreds I have would clutter the articles and make reading difficult.
Research articles are scattered over hundreds of journals and they often charge for printing each article and often hundreds of dollars a year for each subscription. Hence there are several newsletters that scour the scientific literature for these papers. They will report the findings in everyday English (a Readers Digest version if you will) and provide citations and links back to the original paper.
A great e-news letter on health, "Natural News" has an article on how this toxic chemical (glyphosate) is used on wheat as a drying agent and is in almost every bread product that is not organic. The article also has links to scientific reports by other researchers on the dangers of Round-Up. One of the reports also talks about the "inert" ingredients found in Round-Up products and the health effects they cause.
This e-news service collects news stories from hundreds of Free Media sites that are not advertiser supported. One can click on a subject and see all the different articles on any subject. http://fetch.news/
(Note: It has been reported that search engines like Google filter what they show you to comply with their sponsors wishes).
A paper published in the April 2014, Ecologist journal, "Glyphosate is a Disaster for Human Health" by Dr. Mae Wan Hoe states that even minute concentrations of glyphosate promotes the growth of breast cancer cells. In human bodies this chemical acts like a estrogen which in combination genistein a common phytoestrogen found in soy beans had synergistic effects enhancing breast cancer growth. This is very disturbing since 90 % of all soybeans sold have been genetically engineered (Round-Up Ready) to tolerate much higher levels of this toxic chemical.
Another recent paper in the Journal of Food Chemical Toxicology "Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors", June 2013.
Similarly for men, many studies starting as far back as 1979 found an increase in testicular cancer in male rats and a increase in thyroid cancer in females.
A article summarizing findings from several studies "GMO Technology, Glyphosate Toxicity Leaving Men Sterile" by Wendy Banks, October 2012 can be found at http: www.thesleuthjournal.com. Several of the studies referenced found that glyphosate residue is toxic to testicle cells and it lowers testosterone synthesis. Other effect found were that some men developed breasts, a variety of birth defects, and some becoming sterile over time.
A Russian study found that hamsters fed GMO soybeans matures slower sexually and in three generations they were no longer able to reproduce.
Another from Denmark found a marked decrease in men's sperm counts. In 1940 there were an average of 100 million sperm cells per milliliter of semen. Today the average is only 60 million and some men's are less than 20 million.
This following slide courtesy of Arden Anderson, MD
A study in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology, September 2013 found that 100% of all dairy cows tested had some level and of glyphosate in their system and had varying degrees of organ damage (livers, kidneys, muscle cells). Blood serum levels also indicated a deficiency several critical nutrients. So how does this affect humans? We eat the meat and drink the milk that cows produce so let's take a look at how the GMO corn fed to cows is affecting them (or grass treated with Round-Up). The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
First we notice there is a lot less nutrition in the GMO corn than regular corn. Next notice that the carcinogenic chemical Formaldehyde is being produced in the GMO corn!
The chart below illustrates current medical guidelines for Formaldehyde in other products we encounter, many times less than the 200 ppm found in GMO corn. On any other product with this level of toxicity it could not be sold.
The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
When insects like bees gather pollen and nectar from these weeds that are treated with Round-Up they become weakened and eventually die. The combined effects of several agents is known as Colony Collapse Disorder. Bees are crucial to much of our food supply as shown in the slide below. The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
When bees forage on Round-Up treated fields there is a large increase in bee deaths. The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
We have seen how Round-Up applied to fields is affecting our bees. Below is a slide that shows what happens to animals whom are fed GMO grains treated with Round-Up (glyphosate). The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
What is happening to our children? They eat GMO products daily in their cereal, bread, tortilla chips, etc. Without labeling we have no way to protect our families without purchasing organic certified foods.
The slide below from Argentina shows what happens to mothers of children exposed to glyphosate from wind drift. The following slide courtesy of Dr. Don Huber , Purdue University
All of our government agencies have ignored their own scientists to the safety of glyphosate that is used in products like Round-Up and the extreme dangers of GMO's (genetically modified food).
More and more research illustrating the dangers of these products is appearing steadily. The administrators of the USDA, EPA, FDA appointed by various White House administrations over the last couple decades have all said that GMO's are safe. They will say a person can eat a meal of GMO foods and nothing happens therefore they are safe. They said the same thing about cigarettes, one could smoke a cigarette and nothing happened. The result was that worldwide, hundreds of millions of people died needlessly. The effects of toxic agricultural chemicals are cumulative and steadily build up in our bodies over time.
To paraphrase a few verses from the Book of Proverbs; "If we do not obtain knowledge about a subject, then we will make bad decisions and will suffer the consequences".
Another good documentary is; "Genetic Roulette" that is available on DVD and a good way for garden clubs to become more familiar with these issues.
Another documentary on DVD is, "The World According to Monsanto" - How a corporate giant is behind many of our health problems.
Another documentary on DVD is, "GMO - OMG - Is this the end of real food?"
An easy to read book, "The MYTH of Safe Pesticides", by Andre Leu, Acres USA, 2014, ISBN: 978-1-60173-084-8 has a lot of information on the dangers of Round-Up and other gardening chemicals. One can clearly see why more and more gardeners are switching to the modern methods of gardening, based on sustainability and biology, that we call "Organic Gardening". A lot of the information and many of the slides came from the Advanced Soil Science Conference I attended last year. A special thanks to:
Don Huber, Ph.D. - Professor emeritus Purdue University: world renowned plant pathologist
Robert Kremer, Ph.D. - now retired professor/researcher in soil microbiology at the USDA/ARS
Michael McNeil, Ph.D. - former USDA researcher, professional agronomist and mycologist
Arden Anderson, D.O., Ph.D. - physician and agricultural nutritionist, expert in the connection between human health and soil/crop nutrition
Jerry Hatfield, Ph.D. - former head of the USDA Soil Tilth Lab research center
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WEEKLY GARDENING EVENTS &
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALENDAR
TO SUBMIT EVENTS - PLEASE - USE OUR FORMAT!
Find a similar event in our calendar below and copy the format EXACTLY.
Then you can add additional information. Email to lazy gardener@sbcglobal.net
Not using our format will result in a delay in publication.
Events will not be picked up from newsletters.
TUES., AUG. 11: SOIL FOOD WEB - LATEST ADVANCES IN SOIL BIOLOGY BY ELAINE INGHAM, Ph.D., 8am-4pm, Museum of Natural Science, 1 Hermann Circle. Organic Horticultural Benefit Alliance (OHBA) event. Fee, Register at: www.ohbaonline.org
THURS., AUG. 13: WATERING SYSTEMS BY BAXTER WILLIAMS, 7:30pm, St. Andrews Episcopal Church parish hall, 1819 Heights Blvd. Free. Houston Rose Society event. Details: www.houstonrose.org
SAT., AUG.15: STARTING A COMMUNITY OR SCHOOL GARDEN WORKSHOP, 8:30am-2pm, University of St. Thomas, Robertson Hall, Room 116, 3918 Yoakum Blvd., $20. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT., AUG. 15: EDIBLE CONTAINER GARDEN WORKSHOP BY URBAN HARVEST, 10 am, Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 East 11th Street, Pay for the supplies you use., Details: www.buchanansplants.com/calendar/events
SAT., AUG. 15: POLLINATORS - WINGS OF LIFE MOVIE,10:30-11:40am, University Branch Library, 14010 University Blvd., Sugar Land. Free. The Great Grow, Children's Organic School Garden event. Details: www.TheGreatGrow.com or 713-724-3113
SAT., AUG. 15: GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY WITH KATHY ADAMS CLARK, 9 - 11:30am, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, 4501 Woodway. Members $75, nonmembers $100. Details: Houston Arboretum & Nature Center
MON., AUG. 17: OPEN GARDEN DAY & PLANT SALE WITH HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS AT PRECINCT 2, 8:30-11am, Genoa Friendship Garden,1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Free. Details:https://hcmga.tamu.edu TUES., AUG. 18: FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING BY BOB DAILEY, 5:30-7:30pm, South Regional Branch Library, 2101 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands. Free. Montgomery County Master Gardeners event. Details: 936-442-7727.
SUN., OCT 18: BEE FORUM, 11:00 am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free.
WED., AUG. 19: BEGONIAS BY TONY COLLINS, 10am, Clear Lake Park Meeting Room, 5001 NASA Parkway, Seabrook. Free. Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2. Details: https://hcmga.tamu.edu
SAT., AUG. 22: THE PATIO GARDEN BY TOM LEROY, , 9-11am, Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Free. Master Gardener event. Reservations to galv3@wt.net. Details: www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston; 281-534-3413
THURS., AUG. 20: PLANTING FOR THE HOUSTON TOAD AND OTHER LOCAL AMPHIBIANS BY Dr. CASSIDY
SAT., AUG. 22: RAINWATER HARVESTING FOR HOMEOWNERS, 9-11:30am, University of St. Thomas, Strake Hall, Room 207, 3918 Yoakum Blvd., $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
THURS, AUG. 27: FALL GARDENING SEMINAR with PAUL EYRE, 6-8pm, Waller County Road & Bridge Bldg., 775 Business 290 East, Hempstead. $10 pre-register, $15 door. Waller County Master Gardener event. Details: http://txmg.org/wallermg/, 979-826-7651 or www.wallermgardener2013@gmail.com
SAT., AUG. 29: SUCCESSFUL FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING BY LUKE STRIPLING, 9-11:30am, Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Free. Master Gardener event. Reservations to galv3@wt.net. Details: www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston; 281-534-3413
SAT., AUG. 29: ALL ABOUT HERBS, 9-11am, University of St. Thomas, Strake Hall, Room 207, 3918 Yoakum Blvd., $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT, AUG. 29: GROWING TOMATOES & PEPPERS BY ANGELA CHANDLER, 10 am, Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 East 11th Street, free, Details: www.buchanansplants.com/calendar/events
SAT., AUG. 29: JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER LEARN, GROW, EAT, GO TEACHER/LEADER COMMUNITY PARTNER TRAINING, AgriLife Extension Service, 3033 Bear Creek Dr. $32.64. Registration deadline: Aug. 24. Details: 713-274-0978 or snolen@ag.tamu.edu.
TUES., SEPT. 1: PRE-ORDER BULB DEADLINE FOR THE OCT. 1-3 2015 BULB & PLANT MART. Details: www.gchouston.org, 713-683-9450 or cgerikson99@gmail.com
WED., SEPT. 2: INSECTS IN THE GARDEN - FRIEND OR FOE, 9:30am, University Baptist Church, 16106, Middlebrook. Free. Gardeners by the Bay event. Details: 281-474-5051.
THURS., SEPT. 3: ENJOYING A NIGHT BLOOMING GARDEN BY JUDY ULKE, 9:30 am at the Municipal Utility Building, 805 Hidden Canyon Drive, Katy. Free. Nottingham Country Garden Club Program. Details: nottinghamgardenclub.org or 832-390-7321
WED., SEPT. 9: ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDENING. 10am-noon. Houston Museum of Natural Science, Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr . $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT., SEPT. 12: BASIC ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDENING, 9-11am. Houston Museum of Natural Science, Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr . $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT., SEPT. 19: SQUARE FOOT GARDENING. 9-11am. University of St. Thomas, Malloy Hall, Room 14, 3918 Yoakum Blvd. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT., SEPT 19: BULBS & BUDDIES, 10am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free.Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
SUN., SEPT 20: "SQUARE FOOT GARDENING - NOT BY THE BOOK", 11:00 am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. FREE. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
WED., SEPT 23: TREES FOR ANY LANDSCAPE, noon-1pm, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
THUR., SEPT 24: BASIC ORGANIC GARDEN - IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SOIL, 10am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
SAT., SEPT. 26: GARDEN TO TABLE. 9-11am. University of St. Thomas, Malloy Hall, Room 14, 3918 Yoakum Blvd. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
SAT., SEPT 26: FALL INTO SPRING - CONNECT THE SEASONS WITH COLOR, 10:00 am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
SUN., SEPT. 27: SUSTAINABLE LIVING THROUGH PERMACULTURE - CLASS 1. 2-6pm, I-610/Stella Link area residence. $40. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SUN., SEPT 27: GRAFTING 101, 11:00 am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
THUR., OCT 1: ATTRACTING BLUEBIRDS TO THE GARDEN, 10:00 am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
SAT., OCT. 3: ART OF FALL LANDSCAPE DECORATING, 10:15am, AND FAMILY DAY! FALL FESTIVAL, 9am-6pm, Cornelius Nursery, 2233 S. Voss Road; free. Details: www.corneliusnurseries.com/events
SAT., OCT. 3: CONTAINER VEGETABLE GARDENING. 9-11am. University of St. Thomas, Malloy Hall, Room 14, 3918 Yoakum Blvd. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
SAT., OCT 3: CITRUS FOR THE GULF COAST, 10:00 am, and ORNAMEDIBLES - THE EDIBLE LANDSCAPE, 1:00 pm, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
SUN., OCT. 4: SUSTAINABLE LIVING THROUGH PERMACULTURE - CLASS 2. 12:30-5:30pm. University of Houston Central Campus. $50. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
THUR., OCT 8: HERBS - THE BASICS & MORE, 10:00 am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
SAT., OCT. 10: CONSTRUCTING THE HOME VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GARDEN. 9-11am. Westbury Community Garden, 12581 Dunlap. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
SAT., OCT 10: HERBS - THE BASICS & MORE, 10:00 am, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
SUN., OCT. 11: DESIGNING BOUNTIFUL GARDENS THROUGH PERMACULTURE. 6-classes. University of Houston Central Campus. $404. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
WED., OCT 14: HERBAL BEVERAGES, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
THURS., OCT. 15: PECKERWOOD GARDEN TAKING ROOT LUNCHEON WITH MICHAEL VAN VALKENBURGH, 11:30am-1pm, Bayou Club, Houston. $150. Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation event. Details/reservations:
THUR.-SUN., OCT. 15-18: MASTER COMPOSTER PROGRAM, Green Building Resource Center, 1002 Washington Ave. Details: Steve Stelzer, 832-394-9050, steve.stelzer@houstontx.gov
SAT., OCT. 17: THE EDIBLE LANDSCAPE. 9-11am. University of St. Thomas, Malloy Hall, Room 14, 3918 Yoakum Blvd. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
SAT., OCT 17: GARDENING IN THE HELL STRIP, 10am, and TOUGH AS NAILS, PRETTY AS A PICTURE, 2pm,The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. Free. Details: www.arborgate.com or 281-351-8851
WED., OCT. 21: BACKYARD COMPOSTING AND VERMICULTURE. 10am-noon. Houston Museum of Natural Science, Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT., OCT. 24: HOUSTON ROSE SOCIETY'S ROSE-A-PALOOZA, Harris County AgriLife Extension Center, 3033 Bear Creek Drive. 10am educational programs; noon - Rose Show. $30. Details: www.houstonrose.org ; suzzieq1971@gmail.com; gayeh@LPM-triallaw.com
SAT., OCT. 24: BACKYARD COMPOSTING AND VERMICULTURE. 10am-noon. Houston Museum of Natural Science, Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
SAT., OCT. 31: HIGH DENSITY ORCHARD. 9-11am. University of St. Thomas, Malloy Hall, Room 14, 3918 Yoakum Blvd. $45. Urban Harvest event. Details: 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT., NOV. 7: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY. 10am-3pm. Peckerwood Garden, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. Details: www.peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; info@peckerwoodgarden.org
If we inspire you to attend any of these events,
please let them know you heard about it in
THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS NEWSLETTER!
TO SUBMIT EVENTS:
Find a similar event in our calendar below and copy the format EXACTLY.
Then you can add additional information. Email to lazy gardener@sbcglobal.net
Not using our format will result in a delay in publication.
Events will not be picked up from newsletters.
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THIS NEWSLETTER IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS |
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ABOUT US
BRENDA BEUST SMITH
WE KNOW HER BEST AS THE LAZY GARDENER . . .
. . . but Brenda Beust Smith is also:
* a national award-winning writer & editor
* a nationally-published writer & photographer
* a national horticultural speaker
* a former Houston Chronicle reporter
When the Chronicle discontinued Brenda's 45-year-old Lazy Gardener" print column a couple of years ago, it ranked as the longest-running, continuously-published local newspaper column in the Greater Houston area.
Brenda's gradual sideways step from Chronicle reporter into gardening writing led first to an 18-year series of when-to-do-what Lazy Gardener Calendars, then to her Lazy Gardener's Guide book and now to her Lazy Gardener's Guide on CD (which retails for $20. However, $5 of every sale is returned to the sponsoring group at her speaking engagements).
A Harris County Master Gardener, Brenda has served on the boards of many Greater Houston area horticulture organizations and has hosted local radio and TV shows, most notably a 10+-year Lazy Gardener run on HoustonPBS (Ch. 8) and her call-in "EcoGardening" show on KPFT-FM.
Brenda recently ended her decades-long stint as Production Manager of the Garden Club of America's BULLETIN magazine. Although still an active horticulture lecturer and broad-based freelance writer, Brenda's main focus now is THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER with John Ferguson and Mark Bowen of Nature's Way Resources.
A native of New Orleans and graduate of St. Agnes Academy and the University of Houston, Brenda lives in Aldine and is married to the now retired Aldine High School Coach Bill Smith. They have one son, Blake.
Regarding this newsletter, Brenda is the lead writer, originator of it and the daily inspiration for it. We so appreciate the way she has made gardening such a fun way to celebrate life together for such a long time.
JOHN FERGUSON
John is a native Houstonian and has over 27 years of business experience. He owns Nature's Way Resources, a composting company that specializes in high quality compost, mulch, and soil mixes. He holds a MS degree in Physics and Geology and is a licensed Soil Scientist in Texas.
John has won many awards in horticulture and environmental issues. He represents the composting industry on the Houston-Galveston Area Council for solid waste. His personal garden has been featured in several horticultural books and "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine. His business has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal for the quality and value of their products. He is a member of the Physics Honor Society and many other professional societies. John is is the co-author of the book Organic Management for the Professional.
For this newsletter, John contributes articles regularly and is responsible for publishing it.
PABLO HERNANDEZ
Pablo Hernandez is the special projects coordinator for Nature's Way Resources. His realm of responsibilities include: serving as a webmaster, IT support, technical problem solving/troubleshooting, metrics management, quality control, and he is a certified compost facility operator.
Pablo helps this newsletter happen from a technical support standpoint.
MARK BOWEN
Mark is a native Houstonian, a horticulturist, certified permaculturist and organic specialist with a background in garden design, land restoration and organic project management. He is currently the general manager of Nature's Way Resources. Mark is also the co-author of the book Habitat Gardening for Houston and Southeast Texas, the author of the book Naturalistic Landscaping for the Gulf Coast, co-author of theBayou Planting Guide and contributing landscape designer for the book Landscaping Homes: Texas.
With respect to this newsletter, Mark serves as a co-editor and periodic article contributor.
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| COUPON: Nature's Way Resources. 20% off our: Garden Mix Light Plus. http://natureswayresources.com/products.html
. (Offer good for retail purchases of this product by the cubic yard at Nature's Way Resources (101 Sherbrook Circle, Conroe TX). Expires 08/17/15.
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| COUPON: Nature's Way Resources. 25% off our: POMEGRANATES
. (Offer good for retail purchases of this product by the cubic yard at Nature's Way Resources (101 Sherbrook Circle, Conroe TX). Expires 08/17/15.
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