the compost bin april - aggie horticulture · 2017. 6. 5. · the compost bin april 2010 page 5...

The Compost BinA Publication of the Travis County Master Gardeners - a volunteer program of Texas AgriLife Extension.

In this issue...

In the Vegetable Garden

Roadtrip DFW

Butterfly Gardening

10 Spring Garden Tips

USDA Hardiness Map

President’s Message

April 2010

Guest Presenter. . .

Native Bees of Texas

by Jack Neff

The Compost Bin April 2010

Inside this Issue....

• AprilMeetingSpeaker-JackNeff• ThePresident’sMessage• IntheVegetableGarden• ButterflyGardening• 10SpringTips• RoadTrip• ZilkerGardenFestival• USDAHardinessMap• ComingEvents• 2010TCMGABoard

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The Native Bees of Texas: Who They Are, What They Do, and

Why We Should Care

ComehearbeeexpertDr.JackNeffgiveusthelow-downontheimportanceofournativebees.AnAssociateattheUniversityofTexasatAustinBrackenridgeFieldLab,JackiscurrentlytheDirectorandCuratoroftheCentralTexasMelittologicalInstitute.

Dr.Neffhasbeenstudyingbeesfor30years.HehasdoneextensivefieldworkinLatinAmericaandistheauthorofmorethan50bookchaptersandscientificpapersonbeesandpollination.HeholdsaBAinBiologyfromStanfordUniversityandaPh.D.inBiologyfromtheUniversityofCaliforniaatSantaCruz.

Meetinginformation:Wednesday,April7th,2010startingat7pm.ZilkerBotanicalGarden

HeadsUp!AfterAprilMeeting....GardentoGardenPlantExchange

Hatetothrowawayallofthoseextraplantsthathavesproutedinyourgardenordoyoujustwanttoexchangethemfornewplants?Potupyourextrasandbringthemtotheplantandgarden-relatedexchange,whichwillbeheldimmediatelyaftertheAprilmeeting(nextmonth.)Makesureyourplants,seedsandcuttingsarewelllabeled.Ifyouhaveextragardenmagazines,therewillbeplentyoftakersatthemeetingalso.

Don’t forget to bring plastic bags, boxes or flats to take your new plants home.Baggiesandlabelsarealsoneeded.Weneedsomevolunteerstostayandhelpwithclean-up,too.Also,pleaseplantotakeanyofyourextraitemsbackhome.

LizCaskey&FrankieHart

April Meeting Speaker — Jack Neff


Hello Master Gardeners:

A Message From Your President

EnchantedApril!

Bluebonnetsaresprouting,redbudsandMountainLaurelsareblooming,earlyroses

arebuddingandmypeppersandafewtomatoesareinmyveggiegarden……allisgood

inmyworld!CanyoutellItrulyenjoyspring?What’snottoloveabouttheland’s

rebirth,renewalandwithourwelcomespringshowers(sodifferentfromlastspring),

weseeagainthepromiseofawonderfulfreshstartwithourgardening!

IhaveQueenAnne’sLace,PoppiesandLarkspurseedsallgrowingfast,iristhatare

sendingupflowerstalksandWinecupsthathavespreadandshouldbebloomingsoon.

Everywhere I look little sprouts are showing their new leaves and I so enjoy

beingoutsidenowthatthespringwarmthhasarrived.Ifindmyselfevenenjoying

pullingupweedsthatcomeeasilyoutafteralittlerainshower.Folks,thattrueloveof

gardening!

Myhusband,MichaelandIcanneverseemtoplantenoughtomatoes,soagainthis

yearwewillbetryingoutnewheirloomvarieties,alongwithournormalbasilandyou

knowwhatmanyofourupcomingmealswithconsistof…..oh,thosewonderfulfresh

fromthegardentomatoes!!

NowthatEastAustinGardenFairandZilkerFestivalareoverwith,Ihopeyouall

wereabletovolunteerandenjoyoneorbothevents. It isvery importantthat

wesendout large“kudos”toSusanDecker,whoworksextremelyhardtomake

theEastAustinGardeneventhappenand to theGreenhouseManagers,Chris

Giaraffa,DorothyAkinandVickiOlson,alongwithMarianStasney,HollyPlotner

&BeckyWaak. These ladiesplusmanyothersmanagedtoturnagreenhouse

wherelittlewasgrowingaftersuchalong,coldwinter intoalush,seedsprouting

wonderland!But,mostespeciallytoallthosewhoworkedatthevery,verycoldEast


AustinGardenFairforenduringtherain,highwindsandnastycoldweathertocome

outandmakethiseventhappen!!

AhugeapplausetoawonderfulgroupofMasterGardenervolunteers!!

It isalsomypleasuretoannouncethatLinkDavidsonwillchairourupcomingMG

GardenTournextApril.Youallhaveoneentireyeartodecidehowyouwouldliketo

volunteerandhelpLinkmakeournewtourprojectthebestever.ThankyouLinkfor

takingthisimportanttask!

IknowasfellowgardenersyouallfeelaspassionateasIwithgardeningso,Itruly

hopeyouallhaveawonderfulandenchantedApril!

HappyGardening,

CarolynWilliams,

President

The President’s Message Continued...

T ime t o p l a n tJuliet Tomatoes- ACentral Texas favorite!

Images courtesy ofBruce and Patty Leander


Marchbroughtthepromiseofwarmweatherandmilddays,andAprilwillbringmoreofthesame.Thepossibilityoffrosthasprobablypassed,butthereisalwayschanceofacoldsnapinApril,sokeepsomerowcover,milkjugsorboxeshandyforcoldprotection.Tomatoes,peppersandeggplantsshouldbeplantedfromtransplantsnow;waterthemwithadilutefertilizereveryweekortwoanduserowcovertoprotectfromstrongwindsinearlyspring.Noneed tospendyourmoneyon transplantsof cucumbers,beans,corn,squashormelons–theseedsarebig,theygerminatequicklyandareeasytoseeddirectlyinthegarden.Waituntilthesoilreaches65-70°todirect-seedokraandSouthernpeas.

AshortlistofdependabletomatovarietiesforCentralTexasgardenswouldinclude‘Juliet’, ‘Celebrity’, ‘Sungold’, ‘Roma’and‘YellowPear’,butifyouhavetheroom,doexperimentwithdifferentvarieties.LastyearBeckyWaakhadsuccesswithaFrenchvarietycalled‘Carmello’,soIhopetotrythatone this year. Just becausea tomatoproduces small fruitdoesnotmean itproducesasmallplant, so ifgrowing incontainers, look for determinate varieties such as ‘Patio’,‘VivaItalia’,‘BHN444’or‘SolarFire’.Plantthemin5gallon(orlarger)containersandbepreparedtowaterfrequently,and,ifnecessary,supportthemwithastakeorcageastheygrow.

Most heirlooms don’t produce as reliably or prolifically asthehybridvarieties,buttheirbeautifulcolors,juicinessandcomplexflavorsarehardtoresist.‘Brandywine’and‘CherokeePurple’aretwovarietiesIalwaysplant,andsomeyearsarebetterthanothers.Thedescriptionsinseedcatalogsandon

planttagsmayhavebeenwrittenbyagardenerinCaliforniaorMaineandaresometimesabitexaggerated,soit’sbesttoasklocalandexperiencedgardenersfor their personal recommendations.Youjustneverknowwhenyouaregoingto find that perfect variety that fulfillsallofyour tomatoexpectations.WhenyoudoIhopeyou’llshareitwithme!

Savespaceinyourvegetablegardenthisseasonbygrowingcucumbers,wintersquashormelonsonatrellis,fenceortomatocage.Cucumbersandsmallersquashdonotneedsupportastheyvine,butmelonsandlargesquashcanbesupportedbymakingaslingoutofpantyhoseandtyingthemtothetrellisorfencebeforetheygettooheavy.

In The Vegetable Garden

By Patty Leander

l e f t : Ye l l o wPear TomatoesRight: A pantyhose melon sling.


Onions that were planted in Januaryshould be sidedressed with fertilizer asthe bulbs begin to swell. Two cups oforganic fertilizerper10 feet of adoublerow is recommended. Strawberries willalso benefit from fertilizer as they startproducing fruit. Mix in one tablespoonof fertilizer around the perimeter of the plant. Spray yourplantseveryweekortwowithawatersolublefertilizerorfish

emulsionandwatchoutforpillbugsastheberriesbegintoripen.Strawberriesdon’tcareforourhotsummers,soit’sbesttotreatthemasannuals,pullinguptheplantsinlateMayorJuneafterharvesttimehaspassed,andthenstartingwithnewplantsinthefall.

IfyouplantedpotatoesinFebruarytheyshouldbegettingbigwithlotsofleafygrowth.Hillthemupwithsoilormulchastheygrowsothatonlythetop6”ofleavesisvisible;thetuberswillformalongthestemandiftheyareexposedtothesuntheywillturngreen.Whencornseedlingsare6”highthinthemsotheyare12”apartintherow.

Onceyourseedsareupandgrowing,besuretomulchtodiscouragecompetitionfromweeds.Mulchalsohelpsretainmoisture,regulatesoil temperatureandovertime itwilldecompose,releasingnutrientsintothesoil.Andbesuretoplantsomeherbsandflowersinandaroundyourvegetables;notonlywillitaddtoyourownsensory,visualandculinaryenjoyment,butbeneficialinsectswillbeattractedtoyourgardenaswell.

In The Vegetable Garden Continued...

Left:Springstrawber-ries ripe forpicking

Above: Partially decomposed com-post - an excel lent mulch.Midd le: Swal lowta i l caterp i l -lar on dill a favorite food.R i gh t : Suyo Cu cumbe r


Butterfly Gardening

By Wizzie Brown

Butterflygardeningisawonderfulwaytowatchthelifecycleofinsectsandaddsome

beautytoyourbackyard,butitmaynotbeforeveryone.Beforestartingabutterfly

garden,realizethatcaterpillars,theimmaturestageofbutterflies,willeatplants,so

ifyoudonotwanttheoccasionaltatteredplantinyouryard,youmightwanttoskip

butterfly-attractingplants.

Thebestbutterflygardensprovideawidevarietyoffoodsourcesforbothadultsand

immaturestages.Adultsfeedonnectar,soyoushouldtryutilizingplantsthatwillpro-

videbloomsineachseasonaswellasprovidingavarietyofcolor.Larvaewilleatthe

foliageofplants,butsomeareveryparticularaboutwhatplantstheywilleat.Group-

ingsofthesameplantcanallowbutterfliestofindthemmoreeasily.Youcanfindsome

ideasofplantsyoucanuseatthebottomofthearticle.

Itisalsoagoodideatoprovideopenareasinthegardentoallowbutterfliestobask

inthesunaswellasshadedorprotectedareassotheycanhidefromtheelements.

Butterfliesalsoneedawatersource.Usingashallowdishfilledwithpebblesorsand

toholdwaterwillallowbutterfliestodrinkwithouttheproblemofdrowning.

Becarefulaboutusingpesticidesaroundyourbutterflygarden.Remember,butterflies

areinsectsandcanbekilledbymanycommoninsecticidesthatareusedtomanage

insectpests,includingmanynaturalor“organic”pesticides.Also,beawareofpesticide

driftthatmayoccurwhenapplyingpesticidetootherareasofyouryard.

Left: Mating Common Buckeye Butterflies


Butterfly Gardening Continued ...

Somelarvaefeedonlyonparticularplants.Thefollowingisalisttohelpyouwith

yourplantselection:

Butterfly Plant

Monarchbutterfly(Fig.1) milkweed,butterflyweed

Queenbutterfly milkweed

Viceroy cottonwood,poplar,willow

Blackswallowtail parsley,dill,fennel

Spicebushswallowtail spicebush,sweetbay,sassafras

Pipevineswallowtail Dutchman’spipevine

Giantswallowtail citrus,Herculesclub

Brazilianskipper canna

Brush-footedbutterflies nettles,thistles

Hairstreakbutterflies pecans,walnuts

Gulffritillary(Fig.2) passionflowervines

Fig 1. (left) Monarch butterfly larvae. Fig 2. (right) Gulf fritillary larvae.



Giantpurplehairstreak mistletoe

Grayhairstreak legumes

Questionmark hackberry,elm

Texascrescent shrimpplant,Dicliptera,Ruellia

Paintedlady(Fig.3) hollyhock,thistles

Buckeye(Fig.4) plantain,snapdragon

Fig 3. (right) Painted Lady Butterfly on Lantana Fig 4. (left) Buckeye Butterfly

Adultbutterfliesneedasourceofnectarinthegarden.Thefollowingisalistof

plantstheymightlike:

Plant name Flower color

Asters lavender,pink,purple,white

Blazingstar lavender

Butterflybush lavender,purple,white

Butterflyweed orange,yellow

Coneflower fuchsia

Flamebush red-orange

Goldenrod yellow



Ironweed pink,purple

Lantana combinations,lavender,orange,pink,white,yellow

Loosestrife lavender

Mexicanheather lavender

Mexicanmilkweed red-orange,yellow

Mexicanmintmarigold yellow-orange

Mistflower blue,white

Phlox pink,purple,red,white

Salvia blue,lavender,pink,red

Verbena blue,lavender,pink,purple,red,white

Zinnia orange,pink,red,white,yellow

Fig 5. (left above) Question Mark Butterfly Fig 6. (right above) Mexican MilkweedFig. 7 (left below) Blazing StarFig. 8 (right below) Monarch butterfly


10 Spring Tips for Central Texas

By Bob Beyer

Thinkingspring?Hereareafewrelatedthoughtsforpreparingforthespringgarden.

1.Planning,planning,planning:Developagardenplanforthecomingseason,bothshort,andlongerterm.Knowwhatitisyouwanttodobeforedigging-whatgoeswhereandwhy.

2.Selectyourplantsforthecomingseasoncarefully.ResearchthemontheInternetorcheckwithanon-commercialreliablesourcesforadviceastoadaptabilityandgrowing featuresofplantsthatyouareconsidering foryourgarden.Remember,thereisarightplantforeveryplacedependingonthemicro-environmentofthegrowinglocation.Impulsebuyingataplantcentercanbewasteful.

3.Prunebackanydeadwoodorexpiredvegetationtoallownewgrowththeopportunitytotakeoverinspring.It isusuallybesttowaituntilnewgrowthactivelyoccursbeforepruning.

4.Cultivatebedareas toaerateand refresh them.Addneworganicmaterialsandcomposttoencouragemicrobioticactivity.Thehealthofyoursoilwilldirectlyaffectyourgardeningsuccess.

5.Don’tbetooeagertobeginplantingtenderplantmaterialsaswearealwayssubjecttolatefreezesorwintryblasts.InCentralTexas,April1stshouldbeasafedateforplantinganythingtender.

6.Ifmovingplantsfromindoorsorlowlightareaswheretheywereprotectedoverwinter,re-acclimateandre-climatizethemtothehigherlightintensitylevelsinslowgradualphases.

7.Mostnurseriescarryfreshstockinspringthroughsummerbutphaseoutstockinfallandwinter,soyourhealthiestplantswillbethosepurchasedasearlyastheybecomeavailable.Manynurserieshavedifficultytakinggoodcareofcontainerstockduringoffseasonssobuyingprioryearstockcanberisky.

8.Whenplantingnewshrubsorperennials,cutthroughtightlywoundrootballsandspread roots outwardbefore coveringwith soil. This allowsnew feeder roots tospreadandtheplanttoestablishitselffaster.Theconsequenceofnotdoingthatmightbe“girdling”ortheplantstranglingitselfovertime.

9. If you have yardmaintenance service, tell them not to pilemulch around treetrunks,nottoprunebackplantsmorethan1/3rdtheirsize(esp.CrapeMyrtle),orusetheirstringtrimmerswithinstrikingdistanceofanyplanttrunkorbase.Thesearecommonproblemswithsuchservices.

10.Learnabouttheplantsyougrow.Themoreyoulearn,themoreeconomicalandenjoyablegardeningwillbecome.Youshouldlearnaboutwhichplantsdowellinyourspecificenvironmentandclimatezoneandnottryto“pushthelimit”ofplanttolerances.

Used with permission from the Gardening In Central Texas blog www.centraltexasgardening.blogspot.com


Dallas and Fort Wortharemyfavoriteplacestovisitnurseries.Eachgardencenter

inthemetroplexisuniqueandmanyareveryhighquality,bothinnurserystockand

customerservice.I’velistedsomeofmyfavorites,bothintheareaandonthewayuptoDFW.

Bonnie’s Greenhouse:

Bonnie’s Greenhouse in Waco has a new owner and a new web site: http://

bonniesgreenhouse.com. One of the nursery’s long time employees

recentlyboughtBonnie’sand ithasmaintained itshighquality.This is thetypeof

nurseryI’d like toown. It looks likesomeonestartedwith“hobby”greenhous-

es, thengotcarriedaway. Thestaff isvery friendlyandknowledgeable. They

frequentlyhavemanybegoniavarietiestochoosefrom.Locatedat5198Orchard,Waco.

Calloway’s:

Althoughthis isachainnursery,thequality isunbeatable. Theplantsarealways

intopshapeandthestaffisknowledgeable.Forme,thebestpartaboutCalloways

isthewidevarietyofpottery,whichusually isreasonablepriced. Therearemany

locationsintheDFWarea,butafewofthemostmemorablearethe100,000square

footstoreinFortWorth,designedtolooklikeaTexashomesteadandthe80,000square

footstoreinMcKinney,withareplicaofMonticelloatthebackofthenursery.Don’t

forgettocheckthewebsite forweeklyspecialsand locations:www.calloways.com

Metro Maples:

Thiswholesalegrower isonlyopenfrom8-2onSaturdays. However, ifyou love

Japanesemaples, it isworth the trip. MetroMaplesgrowsandsells Japanese

Maples and Shantung maples from 1 gallon to 25 gallons. The website,

www.metromaples.com, isagreatresourceforgrowingJapanesemaples inwarm

Roadtrip

By Liz Caskey


weather.Locatedat4890S.DickPriceRd.,FortWorth,76140,(817)-797-3419

Weston Gardens:

“EnglishGardens-TexasStyle.”Thisisoneofmyfavoritenurseries.WhenRandyandSue

Westonopenedtheirlandscapingbusinessin1984,theyhadnoideawhatwasacrossthe

street.The10acreswerecompletelyovergrownwithbriars,hackberriesandotherweeds.

IthadbeentheshowcasepropertyofLeonandPeggyBandy,whoabandonedityearsearlier

becausetheythoughtthetaxesweretoohigh.Muchofthepropertyhasbeenrehabbed-

solookfortheNewEnglandBarn,thelilypondandmyfavorite,thestoneship.Lasttime

Ivisited,theyhadlotsofhandoutsforgardenideasandalsoprintoutsexplainingthe

historyoftheproperty.Locatedat8101AnglinDriveinFortWorth,www.westongardens.com

North Haven Gardens:

Thestorelookslikeanunassuming,old-timenurseryinanurbanneighborhood.But

onceinside...ohmy!Ifyouareaplantcollector,don’tmissthisnursery.Iusuallyhead

tothegreenhouseforallvarietiesofplants.Theplantsareingoodshapeandthestaff

isveryknowledgeable.Thewebsiteisawesomeandhastonsofinformation,including

plantlists,suggestedblogsandmuchmore(www.nhg.com).Italsowillindicatethe

specialsandanylecturesfortheweekend.Locatedat7700NorthavenRoadinDallas.

Redenata’s:

Always fun tovisit,withawidevarietyofplants.Theyalsohaveagoodselec-

tionofgifts, includingsomegreatsoaps.Two locations:5111W.ArkansasLane,

Arlingtonand2001Skillman inDallas.Visit theirwebsiteatwww.redentas.com

Archie’s Gardenland:

Yet another long standing nursery, which is still run with good, old fashioned

customerservice.Itcarriesalltypesofbeddingandnurserystock,inadditiontoa

Roadtrip Continued...


nicegreenhousefulloforchids,bromeliadsandbegonias.Theyalsocarrybulkseeds.

www.archiesgardenland.com,Locatedat6700CampBowieBoulevard,FortWorth,

76116-7113,(817)737-6614.

Marshall Grain:

This isalsoa feedstore,soyoucanfindmosteverythingyouneedforyouryard

andanimals. TheFortWorthstorecarries lowcostbarrelsthatcanbeconverted

intorainbarrels. Theyalsohavehada largevarietyofvegetableplantseachtime

Ihavevisited. LasttimeIvisited, theywerestillofferingadiscount forMaster

Gardeners(askformoreinformationinthestore.)LocationsinFortWorthandGrapevine.

Nicholson-Hardie Nursery & Garden Centers:

Bothlocationarebeautiful.Thegardenshopat5725W.LoversLaneinDallashastons

oftropicalplants,bloomingplantsforbasketsandgiftitems.It’salsoagoodsource

forbulkseed.Thesecondshopisdownthestreetat5060W.LoversLane.Itcarries

alargeselectionofbeddingplants,trees,perennialsandmanyothergardenfixtures.

www.nicholson-hardie.com.

If you have time, visit the Dallas Arboretum. Dallas Blooms will be in

its last few days and is a “must see.” Dallas Blooms is the largest floral

festival inthesouth,showcasingover500,000spring-bloomingbulbs. TheDallas

Arboretumhastrialgardenseachyeartotestwhatwillmake it throughourhot

summer. Makesuretovisit thetrialareaandaskaboutrecommendedvarieties.

The Fort Worth Arboretum & nearby Japanese Gardens are also well worth

thetrip. IfyougototheJapaneseGardensallowanhour+,as it isvery large.

I only scheduled an hour visit and was disappointed that I missed so much.

Roadtrip Continued...


Above:ThestartoftheFridayboothsetuppreparationsfortheTCMGAPlantSales

Boothatthe53rdZilkerGardenFestival.

Below:Afterafulldayofwork!Theplantsandbootharereadyfortheopeningday

plantbuyers.

Chris,Vickiand

Dorothy,TCMGA

GreenhouseManagers,

thankeveryoneforall

theirhardwork!

Zilker Garden Festival

By Chris Giraffa


New US Hardiness Zone map Launches Soon!

by Anne Van Nest

GrahamRicepostedsomeexcitingnewsonhisTransatlanticGardenerblogrecent-

lyaboutthelatestversionoftheUSDAhardinesszonemapnearingonlinerelease.

Discussionandrumorsofthiseventhavebeencirculatingforyearsandthisisthebest

newsaboutanimpendingreleaseofthisupdatedmap.Toreadmoreaboutthenews

onGraham’sblogvisitthislinkhttp://transatlanticplantsman.typepad.com/transat-

lantic_plantsman/2010/03/new-hardiness-zone-map-launches-soon.html

Thenewhardinessmapwillbean interativewebfriendly,GIS-based(Geographic

InformationSystems)map. The improvements includebetterdefinitionbetween

zoneswithmoredetailprovidedsothat the influenceof largebodiesofwater,

elevationincreases,cityradianteffects,andmorecanbeshown.Theextradetailis

madepossiblethroughtheuseofmoreweatherstationsandanalyzing30yearsof

records(theoldmapused12yearsofweatherrecords).

Anotherbigchangetothesoontobereleasedmap istheadditionofthreemore

hardinesszonesonthewarmendfortropicalgrowers.Theoriginalzones1-11a&b

willstaythesameaspreviouslyused.Thenewmapwillbeextendedthroughzone14

a&b.Theresultisamapofzonesandsubzonesthatisdifferentiatedinto27zones

thatreflecta5degreeF.differencebetweeneach.Abigboonforgardeners!Butonce

wehavescrutinizedthenewmapandcometoidentifyourzone(newornot)—7b,

8a,or8b,thenweneedtohavetheindependentandbigchainnurseries,magazine

andbookauthorsputaseriouseffortintocorrectlyidentifyingthehardinesszones

forourplants.Itislittleconsolationtohaveawonderful,newhardinessmapwith

greatdetailforourCentralTexasareaiftheplanthardinessinformationisincorrect.

AndasGrahamRicesays,“Ofcourse,thiswholesystemcanneverbemorethana

guide.Otherfactorslikesoildrainage,exposuretocoldwindsarealsoimportantand


snowcover.But,atlast,we’regoingtohaveazonemapthatreflectsrecentchanges

inourclimate.Soyoumayfindthatyou’renowinawarmerzonethanyouthought

–andyoucangrowfarmoreplantsthanyouthought.”

Thepresent(ie:outdated)USDAhardinessmap(above)canbefoundonlinehere:

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.htmlWatchfornewsofthenewest

versionsoon!

Hardiness Map Continued ...


Heart O' Texas Orchid Society's 39th Annual Orchid Show & Sale,

"Easter Orchids"

April 3rd & 4th, 2010

ZilkerBotanicalGardensCenter

2220BartonSpringsRoad,Austin,TX78746(512)477-8672

Show & Plant Sale : 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday & 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sunday.

Thisyearweareveryproudtopresentthe39thAnnualOrchidShowhereinAustin.OrchidsareMotherNatureatherbest,socomejoinusandcheckoutallthebeautifulorchidsthatwillbeondisplay.Therewillalsobehundredsofbloomingorchidsforsale,aswellashelpfulinformationforgrowingthesebeautifulplantsfromvendorsand societymembers. Need flowers for Easter...orchids are becoming one of themostpopularflowersintheU.S.,sowhynotgetanorchidthisyearforthatspecialoccasion.Admissiontotheeventisfreeandthepublicisencouragedtoattend.Foracompletescheduleofevents,orformoreinformation,pleasecontact:GeoffreyFrost,1011StricklandDrive.Austin,TX78748-4847Telephone(512)413-3199;[email protected]),orvisitourweb-site:www.hotos.org

Austin Invaders of Texas Workshop,

Saturday, May 1st 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

AustinNatureandScienceCenter301NatureCenterDrive,Austin,TX78746

PresentedbytheCityofAustinParksandRecreationDepartmentandtheLadyBirdJohnsonWildflowerCenter.InvadersofTexasisauniqueprogramwherebyvolunteer“citizen scientists” are trained using a specially developed Invasive Species EarlyDetection and Reporting Kit. With this kit, volunteers can help detect invaders’arrivalanddispersalintheirownlocalareas.Theycansubmitthisinformationtoanationaldatabaseandtothosewhocandosomethingaboutit.Theideaissimple.Themoretrainedeyeswatching for invasives, thebetterourchancesof lesseningoravoidingdamagetoournativelandscapes.Formoredetailsandtoregistervisitwww.keepaustinwild.com or orwww.texasinvasives.org/invaders/workshop_results.php,[email protected].

Coming Events


Plant Propagation

Saturday, April 17th, 9:00-11:00 am

AgriLifeExtensionOfficeofTravisCounty

1600BSmithRoad,Austin,TX78721(512)854-9600

Learninghowtopropagatefromexistingplantsisagreatwaytopopulateyourgardenor pass along your favorites to friends. This seminar covers various propagationmethodsincludingcuttings,layering,anddivision,andhelpyouovercomethatfearofstartingplantsfromseeds.Theseminarwillbepartpresentation,partparticipationsoclasssizeislimitedto30participants.Participantsmustalsobringscissorsandanempty,clearplastic,2litersodabottlewithlidforthehands-onproject.

Thisseminarisfreeandopentothepublic.PresentedbytheTravisCountyMasterGardenersAssociation, a volunteer armof theTexasAgriLife ExtensionService inTravisCounty.www.tcmastergardeners.org.CalltheTravisCountyMasterGardener’shelpdeskat(512)854-9600toreserveyourseat.

All About Trees

Saturday, April 24th, 9:30-11:30 am

ZilkerBotanicalGarden


JoinLizMcVeety,GardenCenterCoordinator,ZilkerBotanicalGardenforatourfocusingontreeidentification.DidyouknowthatwehaveaDawnRedwoodtreeinZBG?Yewdon’tsay!Ginkgo,Kapok,Buckeye,Persimmon,Papaya,Banana,Cherry,DatePalm,SawPalmetto,NeedlePalm,Sandpapertree,Lead-tree,KidneyWood,ElbowBush,BigToothMaple,BloodMaple,Birch,Magnolias,Cypresses,Oaks,Elms,Junipersallflourish inZBG,andthat’sonlythebeginning! Allarewelcome.PresentedbytheZilkerBotanicalGardenDocents.Formoreinformation,callMarionat970-3405orAnitaat261-1497

ComingEvents Continued...


Master Gardener Advanced Education ClassesThese free advanced level classes are an additional avenue available to MasterGardeners to complete your yearly Continuing Education Units (CEUs). TheseMGonlyclassesofferan in-depthstudyofspecifictopics.There isalsotheadvantagegainedfrominteractingwithotherMasterGardeners.Locationsvary.QuestionsandreservationsaretakenbyRosalieRussell,[email protected].

Red Oak MonitoringMonday, April 5th, 12:30 -3:30 pm

Thisisafieldtriptoanoakwiltdiseasecenterwiththepurposeoflearningtoidentifydiseasedredoaksanddiseasedredoakswithfungalmats.Discussionswillincludeoakwiltandtheoakwiltdiseasetriangle.Aftertheclassyouwillhavetheopportunitytovoluntarilymonitorredoakstwiceayearnearrecognizedoakwiltdiseasecenters.

Plant PropagationSaturday, April 24th, 9:00 am -4:00 pm

Thisclassisfull.

Diagnosing Plant Health ProblemsSaturday, June 5, 9:00 am -5:00 pm

The Diagnosing Plant Problems class includes topics such as: IPM, insects &mites,infectiousplantdiseases(fungi,bacteria&viruses),cultural&environmentalproblems,organic&chemicaltreatmentapplications.MoredetailswillbearrivingviaemailtotheTCMGAmembershipsoon.

How to Create a Wildlife Habitat

Saturday, May 22nd, 9:00-11:00 am

AgriLifeExtensionOfficeofTravisCounty

1600BSmithRoad,Austin,TX78721(512)854-9600

Learnhowtoattractbutterflies,birds, insects,toads,etc.byutilizingplantswhichcreatefood,cover,placestoraiseyoungandwater.AMasterNaturalistvolunteerwillleadthediscussion.Thisseminarisfreeandopentothepublic.ItispresentedbytheTravisCountyMasterGardenersAssociation,avolunteerarmoftheTexasAgriLifeExtensionServiceinTravisCounty.Forinformation,seewww.tcmastergardeners.orgorcalltheTravisCountyMasterGardener’shelpdeskat(512)854-9600.




Become a Garden Detective

Saturday, May 29th, 10:00 am - noon



Justwhenyouthinkyou’vedoneeverythingrightbyyourplants,oneofthemstartstogodownhill.Oneofthebiggestchallengesforgardenersiscorrectlydiagnosingplantproblemsandfindingeffective,safesolutions.Isyourplantdyingbecauseofaninsect,environmentalordiseaseproblem? Joinus to learn thecausesofplantproblems,the process for diagnosing plant problems, and preventive garden managementtechniques.Thisseminarisfreeandopentothepublic.ItispresentedbytheTravisCountyMasterGardenersAssociation,avolunteerarmoftheTexasAgriLifeExtensionService inTravisCounty.For information,seehttp://www.tcmastergardeners.orgorcalltheTravisCountyMasterGardener’shelpdeskat(512)854-9600.

Rainwater Harvesting

Saturday, June 26th, 10:00 am - noon


2220BartonSpringsRoad,Austin,TX78746(512)477-8672Comeenjoyafreeseminarconcentratingoncapturingrainwaterandloweringwaterusageinyourlandscape.Thissessionwillteachyouallthebasicsonbuildinganon-potablerainwaterharvestingsystem.Inaddition,loweryourwaterusagebylearningaboutraingardenswhichcapturevaluablerainwaterinyourlandscape.Vendorsrepresentingtankandguttercompanieswillbeavailabletoanswerspecificquestions.CityofAustinrepresentativeswillbeavailabletoanswerpermitandrebatequestions.

Thisseminarisfreeandopentothepublic.ItispresentedbytheTravisCountyMasterGardenersAssociation,avolunteerarmoftheTexasAgriLifeExtensionServiceinTravisCounty.www.tcmastergardeners.orgorcalltheTravisCountyMasterGardener’shelpdeskat(512)854-9600.


CarolynWilliams,PresidentMandaRash,ImmediatePastPresidentRosalieRussell,VicePresidentforProgramsVickiBlachman,Co-VicePresidentforEducationBonnieMartin,Co-VicePresidentforEducationCherylMcGrath,VolunteerCoordinatorforProjectsSherrillNilson,Co-VolunteerCoordinatorforTraineesPatMokry,Co-VolunteerCoordinatorforTraineesSusanJung,SecretaryMartyBerdan,TreasurerJanetNewton,MembershipDirectorDorothyAkin,GreenhouseManagerChrisGiaraffa,GreenhouseManagerVickiOlson,GreenhouseManagerJoePosern,AustinAreaGardenCouncilRepresentativeJoKautz,StateCouncilRepresentativeTommieClayton,StateCouncilRepresentative*ThepositionofDirectorofPublications

remainsopen

PastPresidents(Non-voting):

BillBaldwinBillBoytimSusanCashinTommieClaytonSusanDeckerDonFreemanMandaRashPeggyStewartBeckyWaakWillWalker

ExOfficioMemberoftheBoard(Non-voting):

TexasAgriLifeExtensionTravisCountyHorticultureAgentDaphneRichards1600-BSmithRoad,Austin,[email protected]

TRAVIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

2010 EXECUTIVE BOARD


ThisissueoftheCompostBinhasbeenpublishedthankstothecontributionsofthefollowingTravisCountyMasterGardenersandWizzieBrown-TexasAgriLifeExtensionService.

ContributingWriters:

©2010TravisCountyMasterGardenersAssociation512-854-9600Visitthewebsites:www.tcmastergardeners.organdhttp://travis-tx.tamu.edu

EditorandLayout:AnneVanNest

Webmaster:PaulaMiddleton

BobBeyerWizzieBrownLizCaskeyChrisGiaraffaPattyLeanderRosalieRussellAnneVanNestCarolynWilliams

The End... Time to Get Gardening!

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