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As the Garden Grows

A Publication of the Gonzales Master Gardeners Gonzales, Texas

September 2014 Volume 4, Issue 8

Cereal Rye for Nematode Control

Reprinted from Aggie-Horticulture.tamu.edu

Nematodes are small, microscopic, worm-like animals that live in the soil and feed on the roots of developing plants. Although several different types of nematodes occur in vegetable gardens, the root knot nematode, which causes galls or swellings on plant roots, is the most damaging. Infested plants usually are stunted, yellow in color and often die prematurely. When removing garden plants, examine root systems for the presence of nematode "knots" or galls. In extreme infestation, knots may slough off and not be present when plants are removed. Good healthy roots should be white and firm if not damaged by nematodes. Roots which are decayed or rotted may indicate the presence of nematodes. If nematodes are found in your garden soil, plant cereal rye (Elbon) in the fall to lessen nematode damage to your spring garden. After several years of testing, cereal rye has proven to be the fastest growing, most cold-tolerant annual grass available to home gardeners in Texas. Plant cereal rye in the fall for a thick mat of grass 10 to 15 inches high by late winter. This grass should be shredded with a lawn mower or flexible string trimmer and tilled into the soil so that decomposition can occur before you plant in the spring. Usually, shredding and tilling one month before planting will allow for adequate decomposition. There are many advantages to this practice of planting cereal rye in your garden. It beautifies the area with greenery. It will add high levels of organic matter to the garden soil. This type of "green manure" crop decomposes rapidly. If these benefits were not enough, the roots of cereal rye serve as a trap crop for nematodes. Once nematodes enter the cereal rye roots, they cannot escape and are doomed. When cereal rye decomposes, it releases organic acids and stimulates soil microorganisms which further reduce the nematode population. Be careful to purchase cereal rye (Elbon) rather than annual rye. Annual rye is used to overseed lawns and should not be used in your vegetable garden. Cereal rye can be planted by merely seeding directly on top of the garden soil and raking in. Apply seed at the rate of 3/4 to 1 pound per hundred square feet of garden area to insure good coverage and adequate growth. Be sure to water

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the rye regularly and lightly fertilize every three weeks to encourage maximum growth. Remember that the majority of the organic material produced is in the root system rather than the top foliage. This is a case of "what you don't see is what you actually get!" Always mow or shred the cereal rye before it forms seed heads since sprouting rye seed in early spring may become a nuisance. There is no danger of cereal rye seeded in the fall becoming a weed problem during the spring since the plants cannot withstand the hot Texas temperatures. Shred the plants and till the soil one month before planting your spring garden so the massive root system will have adequate time to decompose.

MG Class #5 Begins Their Training (submitted by Fran Saliger)

GMG Class #5 is officially underway. There are 10 students in this first ever “all women” class!! In the next few months, be sure and stop in for a class session to visit with our newest students. If you have any questions about the new class, contact Class Assistants, Jo and Ron Swiger and Sandy Llewellyn. Check out the class schedule and come in for a refresher course or join them on a field trip. After the orientation class, presented by David DeMent, Gail Johnson and Fran Saliger, the ladies traveled to the Children’s Garden and the WIC Grow Your Own Food garden.

Planned Gonzales Master Gardeners 2014-2015 Class Schedule 8:30am-12:30 pm. Fair Street Building, 623 Fair Street, in Gonzales.

9-9 Introduction and Tour-David DeMent, Gail Johnson, Fran Saliger, Gonzales Master Gardeners 9-23 Botany-David DeMent, Botanist Chapter 1-Plant Growth & Development

10-7 Plant Propagation- Fran Saliger, Gonzales Master Gardener Specialist

Chapter 1-Continued 10-21 Field Trip to the San Antonio Botanical Garden and Children’s Garden-David Rodriguez, Texas A&M AgriLife

Extension Bexar County Agent

11-4 Rainwater Harvesting- Brian Davis, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Specialist and Jim Mikulik, Gonzales Master Gardener

11-18 Plants and the Underground Economy-Gail Johnson, Gonzales Master Gardener Specialist

Chapter 2 – Soils, Water & Plant Nutrients

12-2 Drip Irrigation – Jim Johnson, Gonzales Master Gardener Specialist Greenhouses-David DeMent, Gonzales Master Gardener

12-16 Plant Pathology – TBA

Chapter 4 – Plant Health Problems

Christmas Break 1-6 Southern Gardens- Bill Welch, Texas AgriLife Extension Horticulturalist 1-13 Fruit Production- Jim Kamas, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Horticulturalist

Chapter 5 – Home Fruit & Nut Production

1-27 Vegetable Gardening – David Rodriguez, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Bexar County Agent

Chapter 6 – Vegetable & Herb Gardening

3 2-10 Landscape Concepts and Design – Wendy Lovejoy, Landscape Designer at Lovejoy Gardens

Chapter 7 – Landscape Horticulture

2-24 How to Plant a Tree and Tree Diseases- TBA 3-3 Home Food Production - TBA 3-17 Turf Grass-Dennis Hale, TAMU AgriLife Extension Wilson Co. CEA-Ag, Retired

Chapter 8 – Lawn Care

4-7 Entomology and Integrated Pest Management- Molly Keck, TAMU AgriLife Ext. Bexar County IPM Agent

Chapter 4 - Continued

4-21 Field Trip to Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center-Austin- Tour and Native Plants in Landscape Design-Deedy Wright,

Guadalupe Master Gardener

5-12 Ecosystem Management- Baron Rector, TAMU AgriLife Extension Range Specialist

Chapter 3 – Earth Kind

5-19 Field Trips to Nursery and Class Graduation

A Thought from Gail

Can you feel it? About this time of year, there is a new energy in the air as everyone comes back from their summer trips and gets back to work. I was in town this afternoon and the place was bustling. The kids go back to school and the cars are lined up around the block at the end of the day. The traffic on 90 through town is heavy. Well, for here it’s heavy! People are so busy. And it’s time for the Master Gardeners to get busy too. We have a new class starting and programs to do and new material to learn. We will be going new places this year with the FUN Committee and having more speakers and programs at the Members’ Meetings. I look forward to seeing you all again this fall when it will get cool again and we can all get outside and do the things we love. Hope you had a great summer!

Check Out Our Webpage!

www.gonzalesmastergardeners.org

Thank-you Jo Swiger for getting our webpage up and running again. If you have information that pertains to GMG or gardening information you would like to share on the website, contact Jo. If friends or neighbors are asking you gardening questions, let’s find the answers and share them with everyone on the website! Check out past newsletters and the monthly calendar to keep up to date on GMG events. The following chart shows how many people have viewed www.gonzalesmastergardeners.org from August 7-September 6. That’s a lot of hits!!

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Children’s Garden Happenings

(Submitted by Arline Schacherl)

The 2014 spring Children’s garden was quite productive—lots of lettuce, spinach, carrots, and radishes that the first graders harvested before school dismissed for summer. The tomatoes continued to grow because of the milder weather and rains during June and July. GCAM and Mr. Gumper were the recipients of many tasty tomatoes. And the marigolds were gorgeous!

As the rains tapered off, the temperatures increased, and the drip irrigation system experienced problems, it was time to clean the garden. MG volunteers Fran, Pam, Nancy, Cheryl H., Carl, and Arline cleaned the raised beds of the tomato vines, marigold plants, and weeds on Tuesday, August 5. Pam collected a lot of marigold seeds to be used in the future. Carl brought his shredder to cut up the plants but too much moisture in the stems clogged up the machine. Everything was piled up at the east end of the garden to dry out and then perhaps another day would be scheduled to shred the old plants.

The first grade teachers met with MG volunteers Fran, Cheryl H., Nancy, and Arline on Wednesday, August 20 to review the revised Children’s Garden plans for the 2014 – 2015 school year. Following the recent MG project evaluation, it was decided that all first grade classes will participate only in the spring semester. Each raised bed will be divided in half in order to provide planting space for all the students. Because there are thirteen classes, it will be necessary to add two more raised beds. Approval for that was given at the August noon member meeting. A date to build those raised beds will be scheduled when the weather is cooler—perhaps November.

So what will happen at the Children’s Garden this fall? Plans are to make it a demonstration garden. Suggested plants include Elbon rye (cereal rye) and mums. At the end of 2014 the rye would be turned under to enrich the soil.

In January 2015 there will be two 20-minute classroom sessions. Both classroom sessions are scheduled in the morning at East Avenue Primary beginning at 9 a.m. During session #1 on Thursday, January 8, the MG volunteer will read The Tiny Seed and students will sign their names on the egg-shaped signs that will mark their planting space at the garden. Following the session teachers will be encouraged to help students create plant markers for the seeds they will plant. During session #2 on Thursday, January 22, the MG volunteer will show students the inside of a seed using the overhead projector and leave a lima bean jar with each class to observe the germination process. Teachers will receive a master copy of “Inside a Seed” booklet to use with students as they explore the seeds’ development. Student-designed plant markers will be collected by MG volunteer.

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Session #3 on Thursday, January 29 will be planting day. Beginning at noon two first grade classes will arrive at the garden every twenty minutes to plant seeds for 2 root crops (radishes, carrots) and 2 leaf crops (lettuce, spinach). Each of the four teams in a class will work with one MG volunteer to plant on one-half of a raised bed which will be designated with the student names on the egg marker. We plan to use the square-foot gardening method again.

Session #4 on Thursday, February 26 is for visiting the garden. Designed to be either MG volunteer-led or teacher-led, this opportunity allows the students to check the progress/growth of the different crops, notice the difference in the leaves, and observe any variations between the beds. Two classes will arrive every twenty minutes beginning at noon. At this point this session will most likely be teacher-led.

Session #5 on Thursday, April 30, will be harvesting day. Beginning at noon, two classes will arrive every twenty minutes to harvest the produce. Each team of students will work with one MG volunteer. Produce will be divided among students at the garden to take home.

In addition to what is mentioned above, teachers are encouraged to schedule other visits to the garden to check the growth of the plants. Student science journals are required so these opportunities will become excellent writing experiences for the first graders.

If you are interested in helping with the Children’s Garden sessions, please contact Arline.

November Fall Rummage Sale!

GMG will holding a huge Rummage Sale at 623 N. Fair St. in Gonzales. Save the Date-November 1, 2014 from

8am-1 pm. We will set up for the event on Wednesday, October 29 thru Friday, October 31 from 9 am till noon. Drop off your donations at that time. There will be volunteer sign-up sheets at the FSB bulletin board. Please let us know where you can help. Time working on the event (excluding collecting sale items) counts toward your volunteer hours needed for the year. If

you need a place to store the stuff contact Fran at 830-672-2953 (she has a storage shed for all the stuff-just pack it in boxes or plastic bags). There will be a meeting, on Tuesday, October 14 at 1pm (note change of date) to go over the details of the event. Everyone is welcome.

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2015 Spring Plant Sale

There will be a Spring Plant Sale (SPS) planning committee on Tuesday, September 23 at 1:30 pm. ALL are welcome. Grow teams are now forming. Grow teams are a great way to work in small groups and learn about all the different plants. If anyone wants to head up the Vegetable Team or Tree Team please let Fran know. Gail Johnson will head up the Herb team, Sue McCorcle-Succulents/Cacti, Shirley Fraizer-Houseplants, Fran Saliger-Perennials/Natives. Contact them if you wish to be on these teams (you can be a part of more than one team). Time spent propagating plants counts toward your volunteer hours (one hour for one hour worked). Plants can be brought to the Greenhouse providing you help your team care for the plants.

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Volunteer Hours should be turned in by the end of the Month (no later than the 5th day of the new month. If you are not using the timesheet, include your hours in an email. Send them in even if you are late! Send hours to Fran Saliger, Volunteer Coordinator.

Monthly Report (Submitted to Dwight Sexton, on a monthly basis)

August 2014 Monthly Report

Fourteen Gonzales Master Gardeners turned in 148.5 hours for the month of August.

At the members meeting in August, the membership approved the following projects for the upcoming year:

Children’s Garden for first graders-teaching children where their food comes from

Second Grade program teaching the children the parts of the plant

Children’s Tree Project on Black Walnut Restoration for third/fourth graders

Corn Patch–teaching about agricultural production and where food comes from for third graders

The Gourd Project-learning about the many uses of gourds and making bird houses for third/fourth graders

WIC garden-educating clients about gardending

Twenty people attended a free public program before the members meeting on August 7 about

Daylilies. Pat Schultze, past president of the San Antonio Daylily Society and an accomplished

daylily grower, presented the program. On August 16, seven people attended a public program to

recruit students for the next MG class in Gonzales.

Preparations were finalized for the upcoming MG Training program for the 2014-2015 year. Seven

new students and one returning student are signed up for the class.

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Cooking What We Grow (submitted by Sandy Llewellyn)

Mango Couscous 1 cup cooked unflavored couscous (boil 1 cup water, add 1 cup couscous to boiling water, turn off stove, cover with lid, take off burner. After cool fluff with up with a fork) 2 Tbs. olive oil divided 2 cloves minced 1 large ripe mango peeled and cubed 1 jalapeno ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped 1/2 cup raisins 1 ripe tomato chopped Juice of 1 large lime, may need more if lime is not real juicy 1/4 cup each cilantro and parsley Salt to taste Prepare cooked couscous. Have all items pre-chopped. Heat 1 Tbs. of oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic, mango, and jalapeno and sauté until the mango begins to color slightly. Stir remaining oil, the fluffed up couscous, raisins, tomato, lime juice, cilantro and parsley, and toss to heat thoroughly . Add more lime as needed. Season with salt. Let cool slightly and serve.

Source: Marcus Samuelson’s “The Soul of a New Cuisine”

Plant of the Month (submitted by Brenda Thompson)

Sweet Peas

STARTING SWEET PEAS FROM SEED Timing by Region Sweet peas are one of the easiest flowering annuals to start from seed. Sweet peas are commonly direct seeded in the garden. Give them a site with full to partial sun and deep, rich, loamy, moist but well-drained soil. Add plenty of organic matter (compost, well-rotted manure, leaf mold, or humus) to enrich the soil and make it more friable.

Sweet peas are most successful when they are started at times with cooler temperatures. Each region has its own unique "season" for growing sweet peas. In western North America, sweet pea seeds should be sown from August forward to maximize winter and spring flowering. Although sweet peas can be killed back by hard

Photo by Dr. William C. Welch, Professor & Landscape Horticulturist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service

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freezes, they are reasonably cold hardy and can take frost without much damage to plants. Cooler night temperatures extend the enjoyment of sweet pea flowers in the west into the summer months. In the drier plains states, sweet peas can be started early indoors for transplanting or sown directly after the harshest weather has passed. Cut flower growers in Colorado have successfully grown sweet peas through high summer temperatures by mulching heavily as plants mature and weather heats up. In the south, sow seed in November or December for early spring fresh cut flowers. In the mid-west and northeast non-coastal areas, sow seed indoors in February and transplant into the garden when the ground thaws. Alternatively, seed can be sown directly into prepared garden soil in April. Finally, the coastal areas of the northeast are excellent areas to grow sweet peas for spring use. Sowing Seed Sweet peas will need about 50 days of cool temperatures (under 60º F) to bloom gloriously in your garden. Sweet pea seed has a hard, water insoluble seed coat. There is no evidence that soaking sweet peas will increase germination. Nicking the outside coating of a sweet pea seed will allow rapid hydration of seeds and does both speed and increase germination. Nicking can be easily accomplished by using a nail clipper to score the sweet pea seed coat. Sweet pea seed will germinate in soil at temperatures of 55º to 65º F or 13º to 18º C. Plant seeds in holes that are about two inches (two knuckles) deep. Drop two to four seeds per hole, with holes spaced four to six inches apart. Water thoroughly and keep soil moist until seeds have sprouted. Expect germination in about 10 to 21 days. Once the seedlings are growing, water regularly to promote strong, and healthy growth. When the seedlings are three to four inches high, thin them out, leaving the most vigorous-looking plants four to six inches apart. Sowing seeds each week over several weeks will further extend the time you get to enjoy your sweet peas. Grow them in peat pots or four-inch plastic pots filled with a soil free seed-starting mix. Sow two or three seeds per pot - pushing each an inch down into the potting mix. Cover with mix, water, and put the pots in a cool, dark place. After about 10 days, keep an eye out for new shoots emerging above the soil. At that point, bring the plants out into the light. Keep them in a cool place (below 55°F.); if they are coddled in a warm room, they won’t be tough enough to transplant outdoors without a lengthy hardening off period. When the seedlings have two sets of real leaves, thin to one plant per pot. Transplant into the garden about a month before the last frost date, as soon as the soil is workable - the shoots are tough and won’t be bothered by light frost. Allow 6 inches between climbing varieties, 12 inches between dwarf bushy types. When planting tall, long vine sweet peas, it’s best to place the stake or support in the ground at the same time as the seed or transplants to avoid damaging the roots. Trellises are the most common supports, yet there are other climbing options. Bird netting strung between two stakes, string, twine, or fishing line hung from the top of a split rail fence, a bamboo teepee, brush stakes - all are good verticals for sweet peas to climb. Unless the support is up against a wall, sow seeds on all sides, producing an eye-catching array of blooms that can be seen from all directions. Once the plants have been thinned, mulch them well; a four- to six-inch layer of organic mulch will keep the roots cool and extend the growing season. Garden Care Do not over fertilize or you’ll wind up with very deep green leaves but few flowers. A balanced 20-20-20 slow release fertilizer blended into the soil at planting time works fine for the initial plant development. Alternatively, organic fertilizers are also excellent for sweet peas. Additional mulching

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with composted manure will help retain soil moisture and provide nutrients for strong plant growth and flowering. If blooms are not cut regularly, deadhead the plant as soon as flowers fade. Allowing the plant to produce seedpods will reduce overall flower production. Removing spent blooms will ensure more blooms. Possible Problems The first challenge for sweet peas, like other direct-sown seeds, is to avoid being plucked out of the ground by voracious birds, mice, squirrels, and other critters. As seedlings, sweet peas are vulnerable to birds, slugs, and snails, especially if fall-planted in a warm climate. Preventative measures often deter a problem before it has a chance to get started. Follow these guidelines for healthier plants. Plant sweet peas in an area that gets good air circulation. Water early in the day so the leaves are dry by nightfall; wet leaves are a magnet for fungus. Think of sweet peas like food crops. Rotate planting areas so that the sweet peas are grown in the same space once every four years. Don’t grow sweet peas where other legumes are growing or grew last year. Legumes include garden peas, beans of all types, peanuts, and clover. How to Grow From Purchased Plants You may find sweet peas sold as plants particularly at some specialty nurseries or garden centers. There may be ready-made container plantings of sweet peas - an instant garden. Sweet peas need tender care when transplanted, so look for plants in individual earth friendly pots or peat pots. The larger the pot, the better. Right before planting, snip off any flowers or flower buds. This is the time to get the roots well established so they can support the growing plant’s needs. Even though you sacrifice early blooms, you’ll be rewarded with bigger plants with an abundance of larger flowers. Plant into prepared garden soil or a container. With transplants, it’s even more important to plant the support before digging the plant in to keep the precious roots out of harm’s way. Try to keep the root ball together. Plant it at the same depth as it was originally growing. Lightly firm the soil around it and water. Wait a week to ten days before mulching. Be sure to keep the mulch at least an inch away from the stem of the plant until plants are well established. Otherwise you could smother the stem or be likely to encourage insects, pests, and diseases. Container Culture The introduction of 'Cupid' - the first dwarf sweet pea - at the turn of the 19th century brought sweet peas into the realm of containers. Their diminutive size suits hanging baskets, window boxes, pots, urns, and all other sorts of containers. There are many dwarf sweet pea types available from mail order catalogs or in seed packets purchased at stores. Climbing sweet peas also make great container plants. Instead of sowing one or two seeds at the center of the container, make a circle of seeds - spaced a couple of inches apart - an inch in from the rim of the pot. In the limited space of a container, it’s easiest to plant the support and then sow the seeds around it. For larger containers, tomato cages are perfect supports; the legs can be pushed into the potting mix. Since sweet pea shoots aren’t bothered by frost, you can set a container of sweet peas out in the garden in early spring (at the same time you’d plant seeds outside.) Bring the Outdoors In - Container Plants When the first flowers appear, start cutting flowering stems for indoor bouquets. In addition to adding the sweet perfume in the house, you’re encouraging the plant to produce more flowers. Cut stems every other day, early in the morning when they are the freshest. For climbing varieties, thinning lateral shoots that start at the base of leaves will reduce vegetative growth, increase flower production, and encourage better air circulation around the plant.

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The stems will look full when you first arrange them and the remaining buds will open as the first blooms fade. Be sure to remove any leaves that are below water level in the vase. A bouquet of sweet peas can easily last a week indoors if you cut off 1/4 to 1/2 inch at the base of each stem and change the water daily.

This material is reprinted courtesy of The National Garden Bureau. Cathy Wilkinson Barash is the author of this fact sheet.

Area Events (Submitted by Brenda Thompson)

Rockport-Master Gardener Fall Plant Sale-September 13 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Rain or Shine!! Fill your gardens with the beauty of plants that are well suited to our region. Shop for many hard-to-find native and adapted plants at the Plant Sale at Coastal Oaks Gardens hosted by Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners, Texas AgriLife Extension, 892 Airport Road, Rockport. Overflow parking is next door at the Transfer Station For information, call 361-790-0103 Rockport: September 18-21- Hummingbird Celebration. Seminars, Hummer-Home Tours, Butterfly Tent, for more information go to http://www.rockporthummingbird.com/ Rockport: Saturday, September 20, 7 am – 6 pm. Mid-Coast Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist Plant Sale. Information and sale of native and adapted plants with the goal of providing food for wildlife and informing people of the value of native plants. Fulton High School. Omohundro St., Rockport, TX. For more information: http://midcoast-tmn.org Rockport-Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners 2014 Schedule—Brown Bags, Seminars, Classes & Events. Public Horticulture Education Series. Learn More on Our Website: aspmastergardeners.org.All events held at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension-Aransas County, 892 Airport Road, Rockport, Need more information, Call 361-790-0103 or Website: http://Aransas-tx.tamu.edu Tue. September 16- BROWN BAG—“Beneficial Insects in the Garden: an overview of the

common insects and pests found in Gulf Coast landscapes and gardens” Jessica Weizer, Nueces County Horticulture Agent, Noon–1:00 P.M.

Tue. October 21 -BROWN BAG—“Native Grasses”, Ellen Reisinger, Master Gardener, Ray Kirkwood, Master Naturalist, Noon–1:00 P.M.

Tue. November 18 -BROWN BAG—“Container Gardening - Plants and plant combinations for great container gardens for south Texas”, Carol Krank & Deanna Baumgartener, Noon - 1:00 pm Native Plant Sales: Austin: October 10-12, 2014.Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Fall Plant Sale For more information: www.wildflower.org

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San Antonio: October 18, 2014Mitchell Lake Audubon Center’ Hoot ‘n’ Harvest Fall Festival and Native Plant Sale – 9am to 4pm.For more information: mlac@audubon.org or call 210-628-1639 National Plant Society of Texas: The Native Landscaping Certification Program has announced its fall class schedule, with offerings in Georgetown and San Antonio. This is the first time the popular classes will be offered in the Central Texas area. Classes have been offered in San Antonio and the North Texas area for several years. For a complete list of class dates and or to register visit npsot.org/wp/nlcp. The program will announce classes later for the North Texas area, including a first-ever class in Tyler. There are no prerequisites for the first level course. The one-day classes are intended to be useful to the public as well as professionals in the field, according to Carol Feldman, a Dallas area landscaper who chairs the steering committee which designs curriculum and coordinates the classes. CEU hours are available for landscape professionals and advanced training hours are available to Master Gardener and Master Naturalists. The classes teach best practices for native plant landscaping and habitat preservation and introduction. The format is a combination of classroom instruction and outside fieldwork. Each day-long class is taught adjacent to a natural area so we can provide instruction in native plant identification, including trees, shrubs, forbs and grasses, their use in the landscape, as well as common exotics found in the landscape. At each level students are introduced to fifty plants For more information or to complete a mail-in registration send a request to nlcp@npsot.org or call Meg Inglis at 512.589.1316. 101 Landscape Basics Dallas- September 16, 2014. 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Is your landscape brown and crispy? Learn to create and install a water efficient landscape or garden. You will learn proper soil preparation, native and adaptive plant selection, and how to design and plan a small or large project. Plant list provided. Cost: FREE Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Building C, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, Texas 75252 La Marque: "Growing Onions and Garlic "by GC Master Gardener Ken Steblein, 9-11 a.m., September 13, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Phone 281-534-3413; email reservation to galv@wt.net. For additional information, visit www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free. La Marque: "Kitchen Gardening"by GC Master Gardener Mary Demeny, 1-3:30 p.m., September 13, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. For more information, phone 281-534-3413; email reservation to galv@wt.net, further details www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free. San Angelo: The Concho Valley Master Gardeners in San Angelo, Texas will present their 3rd Annual Fall Landscape Symposium, Saturday, September 13. The Symposium will be held at the Stephens Central Library Community Room, 3rd floor, 33 W. Beauregard, San Angelo. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the programs begin at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until 3 p.m. Four presenters will be speaking throughout the day. Mike Mosman, owner of Cactus Unlimited for the past 15 years, will present "How to Affect All of Your Senses in a Low Water-use Landscape." Pam Smith, a horticulturist by passion and profession, will present "Roses for the Landscape." Debbie Frost, a

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horticulturist working as a landscape designer and garden coach, will present "Best Plants...Best Garden" and "Enhance the Garden Experience." Pam Penick, author of Lawn Gone! Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternative for Your Yard, and a landscape designer in Austin, will present "Lose the Lawn: Design Tips for Drought-Proof Gardens." The cost for the Fall Landscape Symposium is $20 per person or $30 per couple. The cost includes refreshments and lunch. Call 325-659-6522 to register. Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 10 to assure seating and handout materials. No childcare will be provided. Schertz: The Guadalupe County Master Gardeners will present a seminar on Propagation of Plants on September 13 from 9 a.m. to noon. The seminar will be held at the Guadalupe County Community Garden, 1101 Elbel Street (behind the Guadalupe County Office Building), Schertz, Texas. Kathy Carroll, a Master Gardener for six years as well as a Propagation Specialist for the Master Gardener Program will lead the program. The cost of the program will be $10.00 at the door. Smithville: The Smithville Community Gardens will hold its annual fundraising dinner at the Smithville Recreation Center on September 13. Funds are used to provide seeds, plants and equipment needed to maintain the network of gardens. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased by calling 512-988-9886. Seabrook: "Fall Vegetable Gardening", presented by Chris Hammen, Master Gardener. 10 a.m., September 17, Clear Lake Park Meeting Room, 5001 Nasa Parkway, Seabrook. A Harris County Master Gardeners Precinct 2 event. Free. Details: https://hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/pubP2.aspx. Conroe: "Native Plants for Your Landscape" will be presented 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. September 20 at Texas AgriLife Extension Office, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. Speakers include John Ferguson, Jim Bundscho, Michael Potter, Mark Bowen, Robert Dailey, and Diana Foss. $15 per person includes lunch. Visit www.mcmga.com for a downloadable registration form. For additional information, call 936-539-7824. La Marque: "Texas Tuff Landscape Plants" by GC Master Gardener Sandra DeVall, 9-11 a.m., September 20, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Phone 281-534-3413, email reservation to galv@wt.net, For additional information, visit www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free. La Marque: "Grafting Workshop - T- Budding" by GC Master and Propagation Specialist Gardener Herman Auer, 1-3 p.m., September 20, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Phone 281-534-3413; email reservation to galv@wt.net. Further details at www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Pre-registration required. Limit Class of 24. Free. Rosenberg: Saturday, September 20: Backyard Basics: Freezing & Dehydration - Learn how to extend your backyard food production through freezing and dehydration from Anne Ondrusek, Owner, Honeys Homemade Jams & Jellies. Demonstrations included. Presented by Fort Bend Master Gardeners, 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 visit http://fortbendagrilife.org or www.fbmg.com. San Antonio: Workshop: From Garden to Pantry to Lunchbox, September 20, 9 a.m.-noon. Diabetes Education Garden at Texas Diabetes Institute, 701 S. Zarzamora, San Antonio. School is back in session and more than ever we need to avoid the high levels of sodium, saturated fat, sugar,

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and preservatives in pre-packaged snacks such as "Lunchables." This workshop includes practices for harvesting, storing, drying, and otherwise keeping garden produce with longevity of use and best flavor in mind. We'll provide ideas for making garden goodies enticing for every palate. Get fresh tips and ideas for lunches and snacks on the go. $20 non-members/$10 members. Space is limited. Pre-register online at http://www.greensatx.org/upcoming-events/register-for-a-workshop. Bryan: Master Gardener Suzanne Milstead will present "Pollinator Friendly Approach to Landscape Design" at 7 p.m. September 23, in Room 102, The Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Dr., Bryan. No Fee and Public is invited. Learn how you can employ various strategies to attract, maintain, and grow our pollinator population and have an entertaining, engaging landscape that overflows with flowers, bees, and butterflies. For additional information, visit brazosmg.com or call 979-823-0129. La Marque: "Irises for the Gulf Coast" by GC Master Gardener Monica Martens, 6:30-8 p.m., September 23, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Phone 281-534-3413, email reservation to galv@wt.net, For additional information, visit www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston. Free. Houston: The Garden Club of Houston's 77nd-annual Bulb and Plant Mart takes place October 2-4 at St. John the Divine Church, 2450 River Oaks Road, Houston. In addition to being a shopping mecca for local gardeners, the Mart will feature exhibts such as a live butterfly tent and a "conservation" booth featuring native and drought-tolerant plants. For additional information, visit http://www.gchouston.org/BulbPlantMart.aspx. 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. Conroe, TX. Saturday, October 4, 2014, 8:00am-1:00pm. Fall Plant Sale Montgomery County Master Gardeners. A Pre-Sale Program highlighting the plants in this Sale will be held at 8 am Saturday, at the Extension Office. Our Montgomery County Horticultural Agent will present an informative program highlighting plants in the sale, plant selection, and planting information. Sale begins at 9:00am. Visit their website for more information. Tyler, TX, Saturday, October 11, 2014, 8:30am-1:00pm. Bulbs and More Conference & Sale. Smith County Master Gardeners. In addition to a long list of bulbs, many of which are hard- to-find, plants, trees, shrubs and grasses will be for sale. The Tyler Chapter of the Native Plant Society will be selling native plants. Denyse Cummins a retired LSU Ag Center Horticulture Agent will present a talk entitled, “How about building a sustainable gar- den?” Visit their website for more information. Cameron, TX, Saturday, October 11, 2014, 9:00am-1:00pm. Rose Symposium Milam County Master Gardeners. Fall is a great time to plant roses and our rose sale will have a wonderful selection of roses available. We will have well-known speakers present programs throughout the event.

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Blanco, TX. Saturday, October 11, 2014, 9:00am-4:00pm. Gardenscapes “FUN”damentals”. Blanco County Master Gardeners. See the experts for the answers to your questions about a wide variety of topics pertaining to Hill Country home gardening, landscaping, and living with nature. There will be seminars, demonstrations, vendors, food, children’s activities, and door prizes. Huntsville, TX, Saturday, October 18, 8:00am-2:00pm. Fifth Annual Butterfly Festival and Fall Plant Sale. Walker County Master Gardeners. Have you ever wondered how butterflies are tagged and re- leased? To find out, join us 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 and insect identification; the opportunity to earn about bees and how they make honey. At our plant sale you will find an extensive selection including natives, fruit and nut trees, roses, perennials, shade-loving varieties, herbs, daylilies and a wide variety of seeds. If you are looking for that perfect gift for that hard to please gardener, check out the wide assortment in our Country Store. Be sure to stop by the bake sale tent where you'll find decadent desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth, and savory breads which add that gourmet touch to any meal. For more information, please contact Brenda Lichtman at (936) 435-2426 or hpe_bxl@shsu.edu. Bryan, TX, Saturday, October 25, 2014, 9:00am-3:00pm. Town and County Garden Tour. Brazos County Master Gardeners. Tickets are $15 per person and allow visitors into six gardens. Tickets will go on sale on September 25 at the Brazos County Extension Office or on the day of the tour at any of the garden sites (cash or checks only). To find out more about these six fabulous gardens, please visit their website. The Texas Plant Conservation Conference will be held November 5-8, 2014 at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. This year’s conference is co-hosted by the Wildflower Center, the US Fish and WIldlife Service, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. See the TPCC page at wildflower.org for more information or to register.

2014 State MG Conference in Odessa/Midland, Texas

Registration Now Open! The Permian Basin Master Gardeners, a Texas Master Gardener Association chapter, is the host of the annual 2014 TMGA Conference, this year being held in Odessa and Midland, Texas. PBMG members welcome all Master Gardeners to our two cities in 2014. http://2014tmgaconference.org/

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DATES TO REMEMBER: (Check elsewhere in newsletter for details)

Place in a handy place to keep up to date on GMG events

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings/classes are at 623 N. Fair Street (Fair Street Building)

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

SEPTEMBER 14

15 16

17

18 19

WIC garden 9 am

20

21 22 23 MG Class 5 8:30-12:30 Botany – David DeMent SPS Mtg. 1:30 pm

24 25 Board Mtg. 1 pm State MG Conf.

26 WIC garden 9 am State MG Conf.

27 State MG Conf.

28 29 30 Volunteer Hours Due

October 1 2 Noon MG Mtg.

3 WIC garden

9 am

4

5

6

7 MG Class

8:30-12:30 Propagation - Fran Saliger

8 9 10 WIC garden

9 am Newsletter Articles Due

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12 13 14 Rummage Sale Mtg. 1 PM

15

16 2nd Grade Class Session #1

17 WIC garden

9 am

18

19 20 21 MG Class 8:30-12:30 Rain Water Harvesting-Brian Davis & Jim Mikulik

22 23 24 25

Fair Street Building: 623 N. Fair Street-next to Gonzales Elementary School Children’s Garden: Corner of Moore and St. Lawrence St-next to Eggleston House WIC Garden: 628 St. George St.- downtown

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Editors: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office

Fran Saliger 1709 E. Sarah DeWitt Drive fsaliger@gvec.net Gonzales, TX 78629 Gail Johnson Phone: 830-672-8531

gailpjohnson@earthlink.net Fax: 830-672-8532 E-mail: gonzales@ag.tamu.edu

Web pages: http://gonzalesmastergardeners.org

http://gonzales.agrilife.org

Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas cooperating.

Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service or accommodations in order to participate in this meeting are

encouraged to contact the County Extension Office at 830-672-8531 to determine how reasonable accommodations can be made. The

information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the

understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas A & M AgriLife Extension