September - Harris County Master Gardener

HARRIS COUNT Y MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER  SEPTEMBER 2 0 1 2
Urban Dirt
Fall Plant Sale Preparations Underway
CMGA Past President Linda Brewer was attending a
landscaping show at the George R. Brown Convention
Center. As the show ended, she learned that some
exhibitors were selling off their displays at a deep discount. With
Plant Sale Coordinator Judy Franco and Cathy Preator,
they scooped up a booth full of deeply discounted material for
the Fall Plant Sale at Bear Creek on Sept. 22.
H
Photos by Henan Franco
Now they need help to sell it all. The sign-up to help with
the sale will be on Volunteer Spot or paper sign-up in the Master
Gardener room at the Bear Creek Extension office. The sale is
open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. with a preview at 8 a.m.
There will be garden cleanup days Sept. 4 and 11 to tidy up
the demonstration and research gardens so they look their best
for all visitors coming to the sale.
"We hope to have a big turnout as many hands make the
work go faster, and the camaraderie can’t be beat," says Garden
Manager Chris Liles. "So if you have a few hours, come out and
help. You will be warmly welcomed."
Two weeks after Bear Creek's sale, Precinct 2 will hold its
Fall Sale. The event was cancelled last year due to the drought
This year the sale will be Oct. 6 in Campbell Hall at the
Pasadena Fairgrounds and Convention Center. Heidi Sheesley
from TreeSearch Farms will give a pre-sale talk at 8 a.m.
followed by the sale from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. featuring perennials,
herbs and some fall vegetables.
Plant Sale Preparations..................... 1
From Your Board.............................. 2
Precinct 2 Happenings ..................... 3
News Briefs...................................... 4
Master Gardeners of the Month........ 5
Volunteer Opportunities ................... 6
Garden scarecrows will return to the Fall Plant Sale.
Four Seasons Garden........................ 7
Mercer Garden Faire......................... 8
Zebra Swallowtail Sighting.............. 9
Continuing Education Events......... 10
Calendar.......................................... 11
Speaker Training............................. 12
U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
From Your Board
Fund Raising Time
by Peggy Moore
HCMGA President
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Horticulture Program in Harris County
3033 Bear Creek Dr
Houston, TX 77084
281.855.5600
fax 281.855.5638
Photo by Henan Franco
CEA—Horticulture........................................Robert "Skip" Richter
281.855.5600
Volunteer Coordinator................................................... David Parish
281.855.5611
Even bagging compost can be a fun plant sale job.
I
t’s Plant Sale time within HCMGA! As you may know, the
plant sales are our major fundraising events. It is through
these events that we raise funds to continue our mission of
supporting AgriLife Extension education and research efforts.
Within the next few weeks we will hold two sales:
• On Sept. 22 at the Extension Office, 3033 Bear Creek Rd.
• On Oct. 6 at Campbell Hall, Pasadena Fairgrounds, 7600
Red Bluff Rd., Pasadena.
Many volunteers are needed to ensure these sales are
successful. Volunteers are needed for set-up work and plant
delivery the day before the sale, to help with the actual sale on
that day, and for clean-up after the customers leave.
Harris County Master Gardener Association
2012-2013 Board of Directors
President .......................................................................... Peggy Moore
281.304.6271
First Vice President .................................................Susan Delcambre
832.647.1985
Second Vice President........................................................Rob Lucey
281.627.6818
Past President ..................................................................Linda Brewer
832.276.6818
Secretary .............................................................................Judy Franco
281.463.7504
You can sign up to work the Sept. 22 sale at the Extension
Office and through Volunteer Spot (http://tinyurl.com/fallsale12)
and to work the October 6 sale at the Pasadena Fairgrounds by
contacting Georgia Lau at [email protected].
Treasurer ................................................................................Jo Huskey
281.829.2956
Please sign-up to volunteer to help with the plants sales and
educational events. We need everyone’s support!
Precinct 2 Steering Committee Coordinator............... Sid Kapner
281.487.2065
Directors: Karen Breneman, Dianna Bernsen, Loesther Foley,
Cathy Preator, Teresa See and George Williams.
•
•
Urban Dirt Editor .............................................................. Rob Lucey
[email protected]
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U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Precinct 2 Happenings
by Eileen Donovan
Harris County Master Gardener
B
etween the heat advisories, the rain, the mosquitoes and
the irrigation system, gardening at Genoa Friendship
gardens has been challenging. Keith Homan is in the
lead on the irrigation system, but others lend their support.
Photo by Rob Lucey
Precinct 2 Master Gardeners have met the challenge, as usual.
Each individual deals with the other challenges in his or her own
way, but remembering and reminding others to drink plenty of
water is essential.
Produce harvested and contributed to the several local
food banks for which we provide fresh food included basil,
chives, mint, rosemary, bay leaves, cress, cucumbers, corn,
peppers, okra, eggplant, Malabar spinach, beans, tomatoes, figs,
blackberries, pomegranate and watermelon. Remember that
the gardeners keep records on the varieties planted, growing
conditions, yields and other information to support Texas
AgriLife Extension’s mission of providing “high quality relevant
education” to the community.
Gerry Gafka has identified our grapes as primarily
muscadines, with a few purple ones mixed in. Muscadines are
used to make wonderful wines and jellies, but they are also
delicious right off the vine. You just bite through the tough skin
and eat the sweet flesh from around the seeds. Then spit out the
seeds and the skin. You might want to avoid eating them in polite
company, but don’t deny yourself the tasty pleasure.
Young visitors during the P2 Open Garden Day learn about
Every work day has included lots of weeding and discussions
of ways to reduce the weeds. Mulching and landscape cloth have
helped but the weeds are still winning. The only thing that really
seems to make a difference is elbow grease, and the gardens need
some more elbows to help. Sid Kapner’s latest wish is for an
additional 15-20 gardeners to spend just an hour weeding.
The Fall Sale is on Oct. 6 in Campbell Hall at the Pasadena
Fairgrounds. Volunteers are needed for sales committees and for
setting up, selling and cleaning up.
Susan Delcambre is P2’s representative on the HCMGA
Board of Directors. Susan has requested that all of us contact
her with our thoughts and ideas so that she can more effectively
represent us.
Along that same line, all P2 MGs are encouraged to attend
the monthly P2 Steering Committee meetings. Even though only
members of the committee can cast votes, your input is welcome,
and attending is a way to learn more about what is going on and
get to know those who may be more active in the organization
water gardens.
than you are. Meetings are held on the third Monday of the
month following Open Garden Day and the Pot Luck Lunch.
Come for Open Garden Day and stay for lunch and the meeting.
It might inspire you!
There are three more sale meetings scheduled: Sept. 12
and 26 with the follow-up meeting set for Oct. 10. Watch your
e-mails and plan to attend and provide input. This sale will
include perennials, herbs and fall vegetables.
We are borrowing an idea from Bear Creek that has been
profitable for them and are planning a garden related garage sale.
Gently used garden implements, pots and yard art will be offered.
Start collecting your donations, but hold on to them for now. No
chemicals or plastic nursery pots, please. If you have a favorite
place to volunteer for the sale, talk to Georgia Lau.
We need a garden manager and a store manager. Contact Sid
Kapner about either job.
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U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
News Briefs
would have space appropriate for our purposes, please call or
e-mail David Parish (281.855.5600 or [email protected].
edu) so we can look into the possibilities.
Photo by Rob Lucey
Zoo Hosts Wildscapes Workshop
The 2012 Wildscapes Workshop and Native Plant Sale will
be held Sept. 8, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at the Houston Zoo's Brown
Education Center. The event includes educational programs,
breakfast, lunch, refreshments, a book sale and door prizes.
Open Garden Day Visit
Sid Kapner gives (from left) HCMGA board member Dianna
Bernsen, President Peggy Moore and Past President Linda
Brewer a tour of the Genoa Friendship Gardens. The board
visited the gardens during the Aug. 20 Open Garden Day to
improve awareness of Precinct 2 activities.
Green Thumb Seeks 2013 Venues
Getting horticultural information to the greatest number
of members of the Harris County community requires that we
make it easier for them to receive it. Green Thumb lectures and
workshops have been held for the last seven years in a number of
different locations.
The lectures have been and will continue to be free to the
public. We would like to expand the series as we have this
year with hands-on workshops in areas like plant propagation,
vegetable gardening and nutrition. To do so will require that we
charge a small fee.
We are appealing to Master Gardeners to help us find
locations in the community that we have not used before. We are
especially interested in some of the needier neighborhoods where
knowledge of how best to grow your use own food, for example,
would be of the most help to the residents.
If you know of a location such as a school, church,
community association meeting room, or some organization that
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Zoo entry is included with the $35 workshop registration.
After Sept. 4, cost is $40. Registration form can be found
at www.npsot.org/houston. Call 281.558.3710 or e-mail
[email protected] for info. Three talks at the event have been
approved for Master Gardener continuing education credit:
• "Texas Wildscapes, Gardening for Wildlife" by Kelly
Bender, author & Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Urban
Wildlife Biologist.
• "Great Plants for Wildscapes Landscapes" by Dee Howell,
senior horticulturalist for Houston Parks and Recreation
Department.
• "Invasive Plants" by Jed Aplaca, green space manager,
HPARD.
The Native Plant Sale is open to paid workshop attendees at
11:30 a.m. and the general public can enter the sale free of charge
from 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Save These Dates for 2013 Sales
When you buy your 2013 calendar, the first thing you can put
in it are the dates for next year's Master Gardener plant sales.
Events at the Bear Creek Extension Office will be: the Fruit
Tree Sale, Jan. 26; Tomato/Pepper Sale, March 2; Spring Sale,
April 20; and Fall Sale, Sept. 21.
For Precinct 2, the sales at Campbell Hall on the Pasadena
Fairgrounds will be the Spring Sale on Feb. 16 and the Fall Sale
on Oct. 12.
Don't forget to share the dates with all of your friends, family
and neighbors. Save-the-date cards will be printed soon for
distribution at the fall sales and other upcoming events.
U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Master Gardeners of the Month
Jan Kapner - Precinct 2
Jan Kapner
Jan Kapner, Precinct
2’s Master Gardener of the
Month for July, has been very
active since graduating with the
June 2004 class. In the Genoa
Friendship Garden, she created
the Butterfly Garden in 2005 and
has served as manager for that
garden as well as the Tropical
Garden, Sensory Garden and
Desert Garden, which she
helped to create in 2008.
A member of the P2 Steering
Committee, she served as secretary from 2009 to 2010 and as
coordinator from 2010 to 2012. For five years, Jan has worked
Gaynor Beesley - Bear Creek
Gaynor Beesley MG of the month for August is the
Manager of the Ask a Master Gardener program.
She has been a Master Gardener for 5 years and
volunteered more than 100 hours in 2011.
Her nomination read in part "She is kind, helpful, very
informative, great at the monthly meetings and works
tirelessly all over the Houston area."
closely with TreeSearch Farms to select and order plants for both
the Spring Fruit Tree Sales and the Fall Perennial Sales.
Born and raised in Brenham, Jan credits her mother for
instilling her love of gardening. She claims her mother could
grow anything by throwing seeds on the ground, but Jan was
surprised when her mother could not grow a cow from a bone!
A water-lover, Jan spends time boating or cruising. She and
husband Sid raised two sons and now have four grandchildren
in Pasadena. She worked in human resources for 25 years, and
(with Sid) operated a nursery in South Houston.
Jan enjoys interaction with people who have similar
interests. She also counts continuing education through classes
and lectures as one of her favorite aspects of being a Master
Gardener. Jan feels that we have all done so much to destroy the
Garden of Eden that she wants to do as much as she can to bring
beauty to her corner of the world.
Nominate a MG of the Month
Volunteers are doing a wide variety of great work, some quietly,
some behind the scenes. You can help shine a light on their
efforts.
Submit MG of the Month nominations to the Membership
Committee by placing a note with their name and why they
should be selected in the suggestion box in the Master Gardener
room or e-mail them to [email protected] (Bear Creek) or
[email protected] (Precinct 2).
Congratulations for your well-deserved recognition.
Master Gardener Birthdays Celebrated in September
Master Gardeners and Interns who celebrate a
birthday during September include the following. Wish them a Happy Birthday when
you see them! Karen Breneman, Patsy
Butcher, Marjorie Chambers, Gayle
Debusk, Virginia Duffy, Joyce Flott,
Loesther Foley, Dana Goeggel, Brenda
Hesse, Ann Hightower, Suzanne Hill, Christa
Kaiser, Melvin Kempfer, Gilda McFail,
LaVaughn Mosley, Kathryn Papillon,
Linda Persse, Elizabeth Pozzi, Joseph
Pratt, Joetta Robeson, Marilou
Schopper, Linda Sorgini, Patricia St.
James, Shirley Swansey and
George Williams.
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U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Volunteer Opportunities
Sprecial Project Volunteers Needed
group provides a great way to get to know your fellow Master
Gardeners.
by Skip Richter
County Extension Agent - Horticulture
If you're interested in becoming a mentor, contact Anna
Perry via the Cylinder Gardening e-mail, cg.harrishort@gmail.
com, or call 281.627.2565.
W
e are in need of a few volunteers to help with some
special projects. Check out the following list of
projects and let David know if you are interested.
We’ll set up a time to meet and go over the details of the project.
We can also provide “how-to” training. Helpers are needed for:
Phone Room Coordinators Needed
Wanted: person or persons to chair Phone Room Committee
and committee people to help direct and plan the direction that
the phone room will take in the future. Since one of the major
reasons the Master Gardener program in Harris County was
established was to answer questions from the public in the form
of phone calls, we need to ensure that it is fully staffed and
operational to get information out to the public.
• Digitizing a collection of slides using a scanner (scanner
and computer located at Extension office).
• Converting PowerPoint talks to video (use of Camtasia
software and computer at Extension Office).
• Photo editing using Irfanview or similar software to crop,
edit and resize photos for use online.
Co-coordinator Jim Vincelette has agreed, in order to
maintain consistency, to stay beyond August but in a much
diminished capacity. Due to other pressing responsibilities Jim
will have significantly less time to devote to the phone room until
at least the middle of November.
• Building a simple database and user interface for phone
room questions (use Microsoft Access software at Extension
Office).
• Coordinating a container gardening demonstration project
(flowers and vegetables) in the Bear Creek research and
demonstration gardens.
Treasurer Position Available
HCMGA is seeking a new treasurer. If you have a few extra
hours to contribute and enjoy number crunching, this important
job is for you.
Also, if anyone has experience with video recording and/or
video editing, there is an opportunity for some special projects to
create brief educational content. Get in touch with Skip or David
if you have knowledge and experience in this area.
Bookkeeping skills are a must. Knowledge of QuickBooks, or
any other accounting program, would be helpful.
Cylinder Gardening Needs Mentors
Photo by Rob Lucey
The Cylinder Gardening
Committee expects a larger
number of school registrations
for the Fall program. That
means the committee needs
more mentors to advise
students and teachers in the
schools.
Don't Forget Your Phone Hours
We need volunteers to fill slots in the phone room. Remember
that the six hours of phone service this year is not optional but
required.
Volunteers who have internet access should sign up
at Volunteer Spot: http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/
entry/57-63933663867.
The committee provides
training and support for
mentors, and the friendly
Cylinder Garden Demo.
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For more information, contact Jo Huskey at johuskey@
hotmail.com or 281-829-2956.
U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
A Garden for All Seasons
T
All home gardeners can benefit and learn from the methods
employed by the Newtons. The couple enjoys relaxing in their
garden throughout the day, but early mornings are their favorite
time. This is also the ideal time for photos.
The Newtons have some garden advice for Houston
gardeners: gardens can evolve. Decide what your needs are. Your
energy level, time, and finances will play a part in the outcome.
Know your soil type and climate to determine which plants will
succeed. Consider plants you like and determine which groups
look good together. If needed, replace plants that came with the
house and consider extra focal points such as key plants, a water
feature and garden seating or shelter.
Tony and Marie Newton
In 1992, the
couple overhauled their garden in England, performing all
the work themselves. In their back yard, they built a chalet, a
summer house, a large and small pagoda, and added three water
features. While both still worked full time, they began planning
and implementing their dream garden. The sloping garden has
three levels of interest: an upper, formal garden, a middle garden
with a tropical look, and a lower shade garden, which is more
natural. Herbs are grown in pots near the kitchen door, and
vegetables are grown in a neighbor’s garden.
To fully appreciate the year round beauty of their garden,
Tony and Marie invite you to visit their website, www.
fourseasonsgarden.co.uk.
Much discussion went into the garden design. A consensus
was reached on each plant added or culled. They experimented
with conifers and evergreens. Since foliage has a longer life
than flowers, flowers are used as contrast. The Newtons love
to contrast the colors red, blue and yellow. Texture, proportion
and scale as well as contrasting bold shapes and forms are also
considered.
Spring colors and textures fill the Newtons' garden.
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Photo by Terri Simon
Both Newtons
came from families
that gardened. Tony
grew up weeding
and pruning. His
pruning skills have
come in handy.
When they met,
gardening became a
common passion.
Each plant is checked from several angles and, on occasion,
through a photo lens, before planting and placing other plants
around it. Bulbs and flowers which bloom in early spring,
spring, and summer are essential. In autumn, contrasting foliage
provides a pleasing view. Evergreens and deciduous trees provide
interest all year. Pruning and dead heading are necessary to
maintain the plants’ shapes and size. According to Tony and
Marie, gardens are never finished.
Photo by Griffin Snow
he picture was hard to overlook. Its vivid colors, textures,
and layout nearly popped out of the page. Marleine Oren,
a fellow Master Gardener, had posted it on Facebook. In
a home garden sized 180 by 555 feet, self-taught gardeners Tony
and Marie Newton have designed and maintained an exotic oasis
that has won them acclaim and numerous awards. They call their
haven The Four
Seasons since it was
designed to have
garden highlights
throughout the year.
by Terri C. Simon
Harris County Master Gardener
Photo by Rob Lucey
U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Turtles pile onto a log beneath a nesting box in the fountain pond at Mercer Arboretum.
Mercer Arboretum Presents Garden Faire
by Rob Lucey
Harris County Master Gardener
W
hen you’re done helping out with the Fall Plant Sale
at Bear Creek on Sept. 22, it’s a great weekend to
head over to Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
to check out the sixth annual Garden Faire. The event runs
8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and continues with the same hours
Sunday, Sept. 23. Sponsored by The Mercer Society, this family
festival takes place in the natural picnic area on the west side of
Aldine Westfield Road.
A variety of entertainment and free activities for children will
include “Stan the Train Man” train rides around the picnic loop
and a Kids’ Korner activity area with nature-related crafts such
as making and decorating hats with recycled materials, planting
seeds to take home, creating a three-dimensional frog from paper,
making a hummingbird feeder, and assembling a book on snakes.
For those looking for that one of a kind gift for your favorite
gardener, TMS will have a booth offering items from The Gift
Shoppe. Other nature-related vendor booths onsite will offer
herbal soaps, local honey, quirky yard art, locally-made garden
furniture and planting boxes, original artwork, hand-made garden
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bags and aprons, photography, pottery, hair bows, sun catchers,
jewelry, hand-made insects and garden totems.
Regional plant societies will be selling carnivorous plants,
gingers, herbs, orchids, trees, shrubs and more. Pet rescue
groups will have animals available for adoption. And a variety
of concessions will be available for purchasing food, or festival
goers can pack a picnic.
While you're there, Mercer Gardens also provides a great
place to hike, canoe or kayak. During your explorations, take a
birding and/or butterfly field checklist to see how many species
you can spot. Or take your kids on a scavanger hunt with the
Scavenger Hunt Guide. All can be downloaded from the Quick
Links section of the Mercer website: www.hcp4.net/mercer/.
You can also click on the "Mercer in Bloom" link to see
photos of which plants are blooming each month of the year.
In September, look for the agave, azalea, bananas, bauhinia,
bulbine, camelia, crinum, heliconia, hibiscus, lycoris, magnolia,
and many, many more.
U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Exclusive, Elusive Butterfly Visit
by Terri C. Simon
Harris County Master Gardener
W
hat’s black and white and striped almost all
over? The zebra swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides
marcellus)! Also called the paw paw butterfly or the
kite swallowtail, zebra swallowtails generally are not seen in
the Houston area, but have been spotted in the Big Thicket area
which is approximately 100 miles north of Houston.
Photo by Theresa Holloman
That’s why you can imagine Theresa Holloman’s surprise
when she spotted the rare butterfly among pawpaw saplings
while working at Treesearch Farms. She was delighted when she
recognized it and snapped photos of it laying eggs.
The director and other staff members of the Cockrell Butterfly
Center were quick to visit Treesearch Farms and confirm the
sighting. A butterfly obliged them by laying eggs during their
visit. In the hopes of encouraging more zebra swallowtails,
several of the butterfly center visitors purchased pawpaws.
Houston Museum of Natural featured the Treesearch Farm
sighting in their July/August 2012 newsletter.
A beautiful butterfly, the zebra swallowtail has white wings
with black stripes and hindwings with long tails. They exhibit
what is referred to as seasonal dimorphism. This means early
spring butterflies have shorter tails and are smaller and lighter in
color than summer forms. The butterfly is exceptional and is the
official state butterfly of Tennessee.
Host plants for emerging larvae are those in the Annonaceae
family. This includes custard apples, cherimoyas and pawpaws.
Just as young human males cruise bars looking for females, male
Cameraman Eddie Perez from the Pasadena municipal public
swallowtails patrol around pawpaw plants looking for suitable
access station shoots an Open Garden Day session.
females to mate with. After mating, the female chooses plants
with young leaves to lay her pale green eggs. Since young leaves are the preferred food for emerging larvae, defoliation by a pyralid
moth (Omphalocera munroes Martin), stimulates leaf growth and may be a prerequisite for the swallowtail larvae. Adult swallowtails
eat blackberry, blueberry, verbena and milkweed nectar.
Sightings of this elusive, exclusive butterfly may increase as global warming continues. For those who wish to attract them, start
by planting pawpaws. Unfortunately, Treesearch Farms is a wholesale nursery that does not sell to the public. Lucky for homegrowers
though – Treesearch Farm supplies plants for several local plant sales including the upcoming Precinct 2 Fall Plant Sale on Oct. 6.
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U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Continuing Education Events
September 2012
Master Gardener Lecture Series
Sept. 4. Gingers and Tropicals by Linda Gay. Extension
Office. Noon.
Sept. 18. Fall Sale Review. Extension Office. 7 p.m.
Sept. 19. Herbs by Ginia Keen-Mattern. Clear Lake Park
(lakeside meeting room). 10 a.m.
Sept. 26. P2 Fall Sale Overview by Heidi Sheesley. Clear
Lake Park (lakeside meeting room). 6:30 p.m.
Green Thumb Workshops
Sept. 11. Starting New Plants from Seeds and
Cuttings by Extension Agent Skip Richter. Clear Lake Meeting
Room (lakeside). 6 p.m. ($25 fee)
Oct, 18. Selecting and Planting the Best Trees for
Houston by Extension Agent Skip Richter at Sosa Community
Center. 6:30 p.m.
Master Gardener Specialist Training*
Oct. 11-12. Texas Fruit and Nut Orchard
Conference. While this conference is intended to assist
commercial fruit and nut producers, the materials presented will
also be helpful to individuals who simply want to grow fruits and
nuts for health and recreation. Bryan. Cost $75.
Oct. 24-26. Irrigation Efficiency, Learn the best way to
keep gardens and landscapes well-watered. College Station. Cost
$200.
November 2012
Master Gardener Lecture Series
Sept. 20. Starting New Plants from Seeds and
Cuttings by Skip Richter. Bear Creek. 6 p.m. ($25 fee)
Nov. 6. Junior Master Gardener Program by Sheryl
Nolan. Extension Office. Noon.
Master Gardener Specialist Training*
Nov. 20. Off for Thanksgiving.
Sept. 10-11. Landscape Design Study, Series XXIII,
Course 1. College Station. Cost is $125 plus $40 for text. Contact
Cynthia Mueller at 979.845.7344 or [email protected].
Other Approved Events
Sept. 8. Wildscapes Workshop by the Native Plant
Society at the Brown Education Center at the Houston Zoo. Talks
by Dee Howell, Kelly Bender and Jed Alpaca are approved for
CE credit. Visit www.npsot.org/houston.
October 2012
Other Approved Events
Nov. 10. Advanced Rose Horticulture by Houston Rose
Society. Rosarians, researchers and other experts will present a
full day conference with 10 talks and panel discussions at the
South Texas College of Law in Houston. Cost is $60.
Visit www.houstonrose.org for details.
* Visit txmg.org or contact the Harris County Extension Office,
281.855.5600, [email protected] for registration details.
Master Gardener Lecture Series
Oct. 2. Fall Vegetable Gardening by Bill Adams and
Tom LeRoy. Extension Office. Noon.
Oct. 16. Daylilies by Loris Garrett. Extension Office. 7 p.m.
Oct. 17. Bats by Suzanne Jurek. Clear Lake Park (lakeside
meeting room). 10 a.m.
Green Thumb Lecture Series
Oct. 9. Selecting and Planting Best Trees for
Houston by Extension Agent Skip Richter. Clear Lake Park
(lakeside meeting room) 6:30 p.m.
10
Fall Sales
Sept. 22. Bear Creek Fall Sale Extension Office
Oct. 6. P2 Fall Sale at Campbell Hall Pasadena
Convention Center
U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Sun
Mon
September 2012
Tue
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
Work day
4
Work day: Ext Off.
5
6
7
Wildscapes
Workshop,
Brown
Education
Cntr. 8:30 am
Work day: P2
MG Lecture:
Gingers and
Tropicals. Linda
Gay. Ext. Off. Noon
9
16
10
Work day P2
Work day: Ext. Off.
Newsletter
deadline
Green Thumb:
Starting Plants
From Seeds and
Cuttings. Clear
Lake Mtg Rm 6 pm
17
Work day / Open
Garden Day: P2
P2 Steering
Committee Mtg.
23
24
Garden Faire &
Fall Fest Contd.
Work day: P2
/30
11
18
Work day: Ext. Off.
MG Lecture: Fall
Sale Review. Ext.
Off. 7 p.m.
25
Work day: Ext. Off.
12
8
13
14
15
20
21
22
Work day: P2
19
Work day: P2
MG Lecture:
Herbs by Ginia
Keen-Mattern.
Clear Creek Mtg
Rm. 10 am
26
Green Thumb
Workshop:
Starting Plants
From Seeds and
Cuttings. Bear
Creek 6 pm
27
FALL SALE
Bear Creek
Garden
Faire & Fall
Festival.
Mercer.
8am-4pm
28
29
Work day P2
P2 Sale Overview.
Clear Creek Mtg
Rm. 6:30 pm
11
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
3033 Bear Creek Dr.
Houston, Tx 77084
281.855.5600 fax 281.855.5638
http://harris-tx.tamu.edu/hort
http://hcmga.tamu.edu
U R BA N D I RT  S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
Share Your Knowledge via
the Speakers Bureau
L
ooking for a great way to share all of your
hard-earned gardening knowledge but a bit
nervous about standing in front of a group? The
Speakers Bureau Committee will lead a training session
for prospective presenters at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 4 after the
Hamburger Tuesday talk in the Conference Room at
Bear Creek. The session will include tips on speaking,
making Powerpoint presentations, researching material
and setting up equipment. There will also be a role
playing session. Contact Betty Courtin if you have
questions: [email protected].