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May 12, 2010 Welcome to Texas Gardener’s Seeds, the weekly newsletter for Texas gardeners. Please do not reply to this e-mail because the sending address is not monitored. See the bottom of this newsletter for information on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or contact the editor. |
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DNA barcoding exposes fake ferns in international plant trade Duke University Office of News & Communications DNA testing of garden
ferns sold at plant nurseries in North Carolina, Texas and California
has found that plants marketed as American natives may actually be
exotic species from other parts of the globe.
The finding relied on
a new technique called "DNA barcoding" that uses small snippets of DNA
to distinguish between species, in much the same way that a supermarket
scanner uses the black lines in a barcode to identify cans of soup or
boxes of cereal.
A team of North
Carolina researchers suspected a fern sold in commercial nurseries might
not be what the labels said it was, so they took a specimen to the lab
to analyze its DNA. When they pasted the DNA sequence of three of the
plant's genes into an online database, they discovered that what had
been labeled as Wright’s lip fern (Cheilanthes wrightii), an
American native popular in rock gardens and xeriscapes, was in fact a
bristle cloak fern (C. distans), a distant relative from
Australia.
“It was a 100 percent
match,” said co-author Eric Schuettpelz, a post-doctoral fellow at the
National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) in Durham. The team’s
findings appear online in the April 9 issue of Molecular Ecology
Resources. “Probably 50 percent of the plants I’ve collected from
botanical gardens and greenhouses were incorrectly identified,” said
Schuettpelz.
“Nomenclature mix-ups
in the nursery industry are frequent in all plants, ferns included,”
said co-author Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, a retail
nursery that sells plants from all over the world. Most nurseries are
run by growers and retailers, not taxonomists, Avent said. Ferns are
difficult to monitor because they’re tricky to tell apart.
"Ferns don’t have
flowers or fruits to help with identification, like many other plants,”
said lead author Kathleen Pryer, associate professor of biology at Duke
University. Fern species are particularly hard to contain in the close
quarters of a greenhouse, where their spores can drift into neighboring
pots. “After a while, who’s to know whether a plant is what the label
says it is?” said Pryer.
Most mix-ups happen when
plants are passed from one grower to the next without good labeling,
Avent said. “But some mix-ups occur when nurseries intentionally change
the tags to sell a plant, especially when they have requests for a
similar species or cultivar."
“Most nurseries don’t
have the time or interest to find the proper nomenclature,” said Avent.
“They are more interested in making money, and in this economy, staying
in business.”
Since DNA barcoding
was first proposed in 2003, the technique has caught on more quickly in
animals than plants. A standardized botanical barcode remains elusive
partly because of the greater complexity of plant genetics, but also due
to ongoing debate over which combination of genes will work reliably for
the more than 400,000 species of land plants.
But for those in the
business of buying and selling exotic plants, DNA barcoding could help
identify harmful or invasive species or prevent the sale of species
which are rare or endangered. “This might eventually be able to help
prevent people from taking things out of countries illegally,” said
Pryer.
One of the advantages
of the technique is that it can identify species from small amounts of
tissue or processed material — a bit of leaf, a plank of wood, or an
herbal mix — that are otherwise impossible to match to the plants they
came from, said co-author Michael Windham, curator of vascular plants at
the Duke Herbarium.
Some scientists
foresee a future in which biologists, customs officials and port
inspectors can feed a piece of leaf or root into a handheld DNA scanner,
which will then sequence a handful of genetic markers and spit out the
species name.
“Just like the
tricorder device they used in Star Trek,” said Windham. “Spock used it
to analyze the mineral content of rocks, or the oxygen content of the
atmosphere. Who needs to lug around a copy of ‘Flora of North America’
when they’ve got a species tricorder?” |
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New gardening guide offers tips for climate-friendly gardens and yards
Union of Concerned Scientists Home gardeners can avoiding contributing to climate change by using
certain techniques and tools that are more climate-friendly than others,
according to a new gardening guide released in April by the Union of
Concerned Scientists (UCS). The science-based guide explains the
connection between land use and global warming, and offers
recommendations for conscientious gardeners to maximize the amount of
heat-trapping carbon dioxide their green spaces store and minimize the
other global warming gases gardens can emit.
“Many Americans understand that powering our cars and computers
overloads our atmosphere with heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide,”
said Karen Perry Stillerman, a senior analyst with the UCS Food and
Environment Program. “With the right practices, farmers and gardeners
can lock up some of that carbon in the soil.”
When too much carbon dioxide and other global warming gases, such as
methane and nitrous oxide, are released into the air, they act like a
blanket, trapping heat in the atmosphere and altering weather patterns
around the world, Stillerman explained. Unchecked climate change will
have serious consequences for public health and the environment.
Although agriculture can store carbon and reduce other emissions on a
much larger scale, gardeners can help. The Climate-Friendly Gardener: A
Guide to Combating Global Warming from the Ground Up (www.ucsusa.org/gardenguide)
offers five recommendations for gardeners.
1. Minimize Carbon-Emitting Tools and Products. Gasoline-powered lawn
mowers and leaf blowers are obvious sources of heat-trapping carbon
dioxide. A typical mower emits 20 pounds of carbon dioxide per gallon.
Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which require a lot of energy to
produce, also contribute to global warming. The new guide provides
several tips for avoiding garden chemicals and fossil-fuel-powered
equipment.
2. Use cover crops. Bare off-season gardens are vulnerable to
erosion, weed infestation and carbon loss. Seeding grasses, cereal
grains or legumes in the fall builds up the soil, reduces the need for
energy-intensive chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and maximizes
carbon storage. The guide recommends that gardeners plant peas, beans,
clovers, rye and winter wheat as cover crops and explains the specific
advantages that legume and non-legume cover crop choices have for
gardens.
3. Plant Trees and Shrubs Strategically. Planting and maintaining one
or more trees or large shrubs is an excellent way to remove more
heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over a long period of
time. A recent study estimated that the trees in U.S. urban areas store
nearly 23 million tons of carbon in their tissues every year. That’s
more than all of the homes, cars, and industries in Los Angeles County
emit annually, or about as much as all of the homes in Illinois or
Pennsylvania emit every year. Well-placed trees also shade buildings
from the summer sun or buffer them from cold winter winds, reducing the
need for — and cost of — air conditioning and heating. UCS’s guide
discusses the most suitable types of trees for a climate-friendly yard.
4. Expand Recycling to the Garden. Yard trimmings and food waste
account for nearly 25 percent of U.S. landfill waste, and the methane
gas released as the waste breaks down represents 3 to 4 percent of all
human-generated heat-trapping gases. Studies indicate that well-managed
composted waste has a smaller climate impact than landfills. The UCS
guide describes how to create a climate-friendly compost pile.
5. Think Long and Hard about Your Lawn. Residential lawns, parks,
golf courses and athletic fields are estimated to cover more than 40
million acres — about as much as all the farmland in Illinois and
Indiana combined. A growing body of research suggests that lawns can
capture and store significant amounts of carbon dioxide, but some newer
studies warn of the potential for well-watered and fertilized lawns to
generate heat-trapping nitrous oxide. The science is unsettled, but
there are practical things gardeners can do to maximize lawn growth and
health with a minimum of fertilizer and water. The new UCS guide
summarizes the science and offers tips for homeowners to make their
lawns truly “green.”
“Gardening practices alone won’t solve global warming, but they can
move us in the right direction, just like installing super efficient
light bulbs and using reusable bags,” said Stillerman. “Seventy percent
of Americans garden, and they can have a positive impact. Our guide
shows them how.” |
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Gardening tips
Be on the lookout for bad guys like squash bugs, cucumber beetles and tomato hornworms in the vegetable garden. If you remove and destroy them when spotted, often times you can avoid spraying with toxic sprays, thus saving the beneficial insects in your garden. Your shadow in the garden is the best garden tool around. Have a favorite gardening tip you’d like to share? Texas Gardener’s Seeds is seeking brief gardening tips from Texas gardeners to use in future issues. If we publish your tip in Seeds, we will send you a free copy of Texas Gardener's 2010 Planning Guide & Calendar. Please send your tips of 50 words or less to the editor at: Gardening Tips. |
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Did You Know...
When it comes to Pennyroyal, there are two different types: English Mentha pulegium and American Hedeoma pulegioides. The English pennyroyal is a member of the mint family while the American version is not. Both varieties have been used by organic gardeners as insect repellents. |
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Upcoming garden events.
If you would like your organization’s
events included in "Upcoming Garden Events," please contact us at
Garden Events. To ensure inclusion in
this column, please provide complete details at least three weeks
prior to the event.
Houston: Christine Povinelli will discuss edible plants that grow
like weeds at the May meeting of the Houston Urban Gardeners, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 12,
at the Houston Garden Center, 1500 Hermann Dr. in Hermann Park, Houston.
Meetings are free. For additional information, call (713) 284-1989. Georgetown: Don Beaumont, geologist, will present "The Phantom
Science: How Geology Created the Amazing Natural Resources of Central
Texas" from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Thursday, May 13, meeting
of the Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT).
The meeting will be held on the second floor of the Georgetown
Public Library, 402 W. 8th St., Georgetown, and a free plant swap
at the library entrance will be held at 5:30 p.m. For additional
information, call Susan Waitz at (512) 948-5241 or visit
http://www.npsot.org/WilliamsonCounty/default.htm.
Alvin: The Lone Star Daylily Society will hold a daylily and
plant sat, May 15, from 9 a.m. until sold out, at the Alvin
Senior Center, Alvin. Judging of flowers begins at 10:30 a.m. and the
show opens to the public at 2 p.m., For additional information, visit
www.lonestardaylilysociety.org or call Michael Mayfield at (281)
996-9310. Dallas: Enjoy a self-guided tour of seven private
gardens in Dallas and Heath as part of The Garden Conservancy's Open
Days Program, Saturday, May 15, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. (at most
locations). Begin the tour at the Patterson + Thoma Garden, 3201
Wendover Road, Dallas, where the discounted day pass and directions to
each additional location will be provided. Admission is $5 per garden or
$30 for all seven gardens; children 12 and under free. Discounted day
passes are available in advance and on the day of the tour at Calloways
Nursery locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. For more information,
visit www.opendaysprogram.org
or call The Garden Conservancy toll-free weekdays, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.,
EST, (888) 842-2442. Rockwall: Tickets are on sale now for the 2010 Tour of Gardens sponsored by the
Rockwall County Master Gardener Association. The
tour is May 15 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 on
the day of the tour. For more information visit
http://grovesite.com/page.asp?o=mg&s=rc&p=313468 or call
(972) 204-7660.
San Antonio: The San Antonio Daylily Society
Show and Sale will be held Saturday, May 15, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. at
the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels, San Antonio. For
additional information, call (210) 824-9981. Pearland:
Daylilies will be in peak bloom when Payne's in the Grass Daylily Farm —
2137 Melanie Lane, Pearland — hosts an open garden Sunday, May 16,
from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is free and daylily plants will be
for sale. For additional information, call (281) 485-3821 or
lp-payne@comcast.net or visit
www.paynesinthegrassdaylilyfarm.com. Livingston: The Texas
AgriLife Extension office in Livingston will sponsor a series of
horticultural talks beginning at 6:30 p.m., May 18, at the
AgriLife office, 602 E. Church St., Suite 127, Livingston. The first
talk will be "Tomato Tips, or how to make the most of of all those
plants!" For additional information or directions, call (936) 327-6828. Seabrook: Catherine Hubbard, Director of the Albuquerque
Biopark's Botanic Garden will discuss "Rose Gardening in the Arid
Landscape" at 10 a.m., May 19 at The Meeting Room at
Clear Lake Park (on the lakeside), 5001 NASA Road
1, Seabrook. Hubbard will discuss the construction of a one-acre
rose garden in Biopark's Garden and the role roses can play in an arid
landscape. For more information, visit
http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu.
New Braunfels: Octavio Garza, New Braunfels Assistant City
Engineer, will speak to the Lindheimer Chapter of the Texas Master
Naturalists at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 20, at the AgriLife
Building, 325 Resource, New Braunfels. The public is welcome. For
additional information, contact Judy Brupbacher at
thebrups@hotmail.com. Austin: "How to Create a Wildlife Habitat" will be presented
from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., Saturday, May 22, at the Demonstration
Garden at AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County, 1660 B Smith Road,
Austin. Learn how to attract butterflies, birds, insects, toads, and
other creatures by utilizing plants which create food, cover, water and
places to raise young. A Master Naturalist volunteer will lead the
discussion. This seminar is free and open to the public. For more
information, visit
www.tcmastergardeners.org
or call the Travis Country Master Gardener's help desk at (512)
854-9600.
Bryan: "Good Garden Therapy — Earth Kind Methods for
Gardening" will be presented Saturday, May 22, 9 a.m. to noon at
the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. Get answers to your
spring-summer vegetable gardening questions and prepare now for a
successful fall garden with Tom LeRoy, Montgomery County Horticulture
Extension Agent and author of The Southern Kitchen Garden. In
session 2 learn about “The Soil Food Web,” a new model of soil fertility
and management, from John Ferguson, owner of Nature’s Way Resources in
Conroe. This model explains how biological methods work to save time and
money-producing better gardening results. Hosted by the Brazos County
Office of Texas AgriLife Extension Master Gardeners. Seminar fee: $20.
Pre-registration preferred. For registration,
http://www.brazosmg.com. For additional information, contact Brazos
County Master Gardeners at
brazosmg@ag.tamu.edu or (979) 823-0129.
Brenham: The Barrington Living History Farm's gardens will be
open Saturday and Sunday, May 29-30 from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Learn about the foods pioneers grew to feed their families in the Brazos
Valley in the 1850s. See the heirloom varieties Republic of Texas
President Anson Jones may well have been growing on his farm. Barrington
Living History Farm is located at Washington-on-the-Brazos State
Historic Site off Highway 105 on FM 1155 between Navasota and Brenham.
Admission: adults $5; students, $3; children 6 and under free. For
additional information, call (936) 878-2214, ext. 246, and ask for
Kellie, or visit
www.birthplaceoftexas.com.
San Antonio: 13th Annual Festival of Flowers, Saturday,
May 29. One of the largest gardening events in South Texas. Featured
attractions include Texas' largest plant and seed exchange (more than
1,000 plants and seed packets traded each year) and the new Alamo Area
Horticulture Show and Contest. Morning seminars include Jeff Pavlat on
landscaping with succulents and cactus; Texas Gardener
Contributing Writer Patty Leander on organic fall vegetable gardening;
landscape designer Randy Rodgers on energizing tired landscapes; and
Mark Peterson on colorful Spanish courtyards. Afternoon Organic
Roundtable moderated by Bob Webster with panelists Malcolm Beck, John
Dromgoole, Judy Barrett, Bruce Deuley and Stuart Franke. Herb-cooking
demonstrations, floral design competition and GO TEXAN Farmers Market.
Shop for plants, landscape supplies and garden accessories at the
Indoor Garden Mall — a mix of non-profit and retail gardening
vendors. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission $6 for adults, no charge for children
under 10. Free parking. Bring carts and wagons. Free plant checkroom
available. For more information, visit
www.SAFestivalofFlowers.com.
Nacogdoches: The Stephen F. Austin State University Pineywoods Native Plant Center will host the 5th Lone Star Regional
Native Plant Conference June 2-5 in Nacogdoches. The conference will be
held on the SFA campus, home to the Mast Arboretum, the Ruby Mize Azalea
Garden, and the 40-acre Pineywoods Native Plant Center. Join a unique
blend of naturalists, horticulturists, nurserymen, landscapers, and
gardeners and for talks ranging from green roofs to landscape design and
native azaleas, guided tours featuring unique local flora, and
educational workshops. Registration begins February 1. For more
information, visit
http://arboretum.sfasu.edu or contact Dawn Stover at (936) 468-4404
or
dparish@sfasu.edu.
Cameron: Nature Festival, June 11-12. Explore
historical Wilson-Ledbetter Park in Cameron. Friday evening activities –
discovery walks, outdoor nature movie, keynote speakers, dedication of
bird sanctuary. Saturday – hands-on fun and educational family
activities, tour exhibits, sample foods. Discover El Camino Real de los Tejas National Heritage Trail. For additional information, visit
www.cameron-tx.com, call (254) 697-4979, visit
www.rockdalechamber.com, or call (512) 446-2030.
Houston: Urban Harvest Farmers Market will host the sixth
annual Urban Harvest Tomato Fest, Saturday, June 5, and Saturday,
June 12, at 3000 Richmond at Eastside (between Kirby and Buffalo
Speedway), in the back parking lot. For additional information, visit
www.urbanharvest.org. Austin:
“Basic Landscape Design Principles” will be presented Saturday, June 19,
10 a.m. until noon, at Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs
Road, Austin. “Basic Landscape Design Principles,” the first of a
two-part series, will help get your creative juices flowing by exploring
ways to use your space and by looking at various garden styles. Learn
about basic design principles such as texture, color, and function that
will help you to create a pleasing environment. This seminar is free and
open to the public. For additional information, visit
www.tcmastergardeners.org or call the Travis County Master
Gardeners' help desk at (512) 854-9600. Austin: Enjoy
a free seminar concentrating on capturing rainwater and lowering water
usage in your landscape from 10 a.m. until noon, Saturday, June 26, at
Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin. This session
will teach you all the basics on building a non-potable rainwater
harvesting system. In addition, lower your water usage by learning about
rain gardens which capture valuable rainwater in your landscape. Vendors
representing tank and gutter companies will be available to answer
specific questions. City of Austin representatives will be available to
answer permit and rebate questions. This seminar is free and open to the
public. It is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners
Association, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in
Travis County. For additional information, visit
www.tcmastergardeners.org or call the Travis County Master
Gardener's help desk at (512) 854-9600.
Austin: “Designing Your Landscape” will be presented Saturday,
July 10, 10 a.m. until noon, at Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220
Barton Springs Road, Austin. “Designing Your Landscape,” the second of a
two-part series, will explore the step-by-step process of creating a
landscape plan., including a discussion of the creation of drawings from
site analysis through concept to a final planting plan. Learn how to
measure your yard and draw a base plan to scale. This seminar will
introduce the tools you need to create the garden you have always
wanted. This seminar is free and open to the public. For additional
information, visit
www.tcmastergardeners.org or call the Travis County Master
Gardeners' help desk at (512) 854-9600. Weatherford: The 26th annual Parker County Peach Festival will
be held from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Saturday, July 10, in downtown
Weatherford. More than 200 arts/crafts, produce and food vendors will
line the historic streets. Admission is $5 for adults; children 12 and
under are free. For additional information, visit
www.peachfestivaltx.com or
contact
info@weatherford-chamber.com or (888) 594-3801.
Austin: "Better Photography in the Garden," a class to help
gardeners capture the beauty of nature, will be held from 10 a.m. until
noon, Saturday, July 24, at Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton
Springs Road, Austin. Learn tips on capturing plants and insects in the
garden. Discussion will include how lighting, focal length and aperture
interact in composing photographs and how to use a camera's programs
(landscape, portrait, etc.) effectively. After the presentation, go into
the Botanical Garden to practice. Participants must provide their own
camera and have an understanding of how it works. All types of cameras
are welcome. The seminar is free and open to the public. For more
information, visit
www.tcmastergardeners.com or call the Travis County Master Gardener's
Help desk at (512) 854-9600.
Seguin: Guadalupe County Master Gardeners is now accepting applications for
Evening Training Classes. School will be Wednesdays, August 11
through December 1; 6-9 p.m. at the Texas AgriLife Extension
Building, 210 Live Oak, Seguin. Interested in learning about vegetable and flower gardening, trees and
the environment? Enjoy sharing knowledge of plants and
gardening with people in your community? Want to participate
in positive community service programs with volunteers that have similar
interests? Then the Master Gardener program could be for you. Learn from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension specialists, staff and
local experts, including Malcolm Beck, Texas Gardener
Contributing Writer Patty Leander, Flo Oxley, John Dromgoole and Drs. Larry Stein and Mark Black. Topics cover botany &
plant growth, entomology, xeriscaping, propagation, herbs and
vegetables, tree care and pruning principles, composting and organic
horticulture, water conservation and much more. Sign up now before
the classes are full. Registration is $170 with a 10% discount for
early payment. For more information, please contact Robert Teweles at
210 289-9997, email
rteweles@satx.rr.com or visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org.
Fredericksburg: 5th Annual Wildscapes Workshop — Better
Basics: Backyards, Birds & Butterflies. September 11,
Registration & Plant Sale open at 8 a.m., Seminars 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Garden Tours 3:30 p.m. to
5:30 p.m. United Methodist Church, 1800 North Llano Street,
Fredericksburg. Take a comprehensive look at using native plants to
provide a sustainable environment that will attract the local wildlife
to your landscape. Speakers will show how to expand your living space by
creating outdoor retreats using native plants and hardscape. The cost of
$35.00 includes morning snack and lunch, along with afternoon tours of
gardens that exemplify the information taught during the seminars.
Raffles, a big door prize and a silent auction will be ongoing
throughout the day. Several local nurseries will be selling hard-to-find
native plants and volunteers from the Fredericksburg Chapter will be
selling even harder-to-find books about native plants. For more
information visit
www.npsot.org/Fredericksburg or contact Lynn Sample at (830)
889-1331. MONTHLY MEETINGS
Rockport: The Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners meets at 9
a.m. the first Tuesday of each month at the AgriLife Extension
Office - Aransas County, 611 E. Mimosa, Rockport. For additional
information, e-mail
aransas-tx@tamu.edu or call (361)
790-0103.
Kilgore: Northeast Texas Organic Gardeners
meets at 10 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at Wildwood
Eco-Farm in Kilgore. For more information, call Carole Ramke at (903) 986-9475.
Allen: The Allen Garden Club meets at 7 p.m. on the
first Thursday of each month, February through December, at the
Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main St., Allen. For more information, visit
www.allengardenclub.org.
Austin: Austin Organic Gardeners meet at 7 p.m. on the second
Monday of each month at the Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin. For more
information, visit
www.main.org/aog.
Pearland: The second Tuesday of each month the
Harris County Precinct 2 Master Gardeners hold a free evening
educational program for the public, called the Green Thumb Series, at
Bass Pro Shop, Highway 288 at Sam Houston Tollway, Pearland. For more
information visit
http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu or call
(281) 991-8437.
Schertz: The Guadalupe County
(Schertz/Seguin) Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT)
meets the second Tuesday of each month except July and August at
the library, 798 Schertz Parkway, Schertz. A plant exchange and meet-and-greet
begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by a program at 7 p.m. For additional
information or an application to join NPSOT, contact
guadalupecounty@npsot.org.
Rockport: The Rockport
Herb & Rose Study Group, founded in March 2003, meets the second
Wednesday of each month, with the exceptions of June and July, to
discuss all aspects of using and growing herbs, including historical
uses and tips for successful propagation and cultivation, meets at 619
N. Live Oak Street, Room 14, Rockport at 10 a.m. Sometimes they take
field trips and have cooking demonstrations in different locations. For
more information, contact Linda (361) 729-6037, Ruth (361) 729-8923 or
Cindy (979) 562-2153 or visit
www.rockportherbs.com.
Beaumont: The Jefferson County Master Gardeners meet at 7 p.m. the
second Thursday of each month at the AgriLife Extension Office,
1225 Pearl Street, Suite 200, Beaumont. For more information, call (409)
835-8461.
Brownwood: Brown County Master Gardeners Association
meets the second Thursday of each month, from Noon to 1 p.m., at the Brown
County AgriLife Extension Office, 605 Fisk, Brownwood. For additional
information, call Freda Day (325) 643-1077, or Mary Engle (325)
784-8453.
Georgetown: The Williamson County Chapter of the
Native Plant Society of Texas meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. the
second Thursday of each month at the Georgetown Public Library, 402
W. 8th Street. Georgetown. For additional information, contract Billye
Adams at (512) 863-9636 or visit
http://www.npsot.org/WilliamsonCounty/default.htm.
Orange: The Orange County Master Gardeners meet at the
Salvation Army in Orange on the second Thursday of each month. A covered-dish dinner at 6:30 p.m. is followed by a speaker and business
meeting at 7 p.m. San Antonio: The San Antonio Herb Society meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the San Antonio
Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels
(corner of Funston & N. New Braunfels). For more information on programs, visit
www.sanantonioherbs.org.
College Station: The A&M Garden Club meets on
the second Friday of each month during the school year at 9:30
a.m. at the Senior Circle Rooms, College Station Professional Building
II, 1651 Rock Prairie Road, College Station. Expert
speakers, plant sharing, and federated club projects help members learn
about gardening in the Brazos Valley, floral design, conservation
topics, and more. For more information, visit
www.sallysfamilyplace.com/Clubs/GardenClub.htm.
Dallas: The Rainbow Garden Club of North Texas
meets the second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
Meetings are held at member’s homes and garden centers around the
area. For more information, visit
www.RainbowGardenClub.com.
Cleburne: The Johnson County Master Gardeners meet the third Monday of each month
at McGregor house on the corner of West Henderson and Colonial Dr. in
Cleburne. A program starts at 6 p.m., followed by a meet-and-greet with
refreshments and a short business meeting. For information visit
http://www.jcmga.org/.
Arlington: The Arlington Men's Garden Club meets from 7 p.m.
until 9 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month (except December)
at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington. For more
information, contact Lance Jepson at
LJepson@aol.com.
Sugar Land: The Sugar Land Garden Club meets on the
third Tuesday of each month, September through November
and January through April at 10 a.m. at the Sugar Land
Community Center, 226 Matlage Way, Sugar Land. The club hosts a
different speaker each month. For more information, visit
www.sugarlandgardenclub.org.
Denton: The Denton Organic Society,
a group devoted to sharing information and educating the public
regarding organic principles, meets the third Wednesday of each month
(except July, August and December) at the Denton Senior Center, 509 N.
Bell Avenue. Meetings are free and open to the public. Meetings begin at
7 p.m. and are preceded by a social at 6:30. For more information,
call (940) 382-8551.
Glen Rose: The Somervell County
Master Gardeners meet at 10 a.m., the third Wednesday of each month at
the Somervell County AgriLife Extension office, 1405 Texas Drive, Glen
Rose. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call (254) 897-2809 or
visit
www.somervellmastergardener.org.
Granbury: The Lake Granbury Master
Gardeners meet at 1 p.m. on the third
Wednesday of each month at the Hood County Annex 1, 1410 West
Pearl Street, Granbury. The public is invited to attend. There is an
educational program each month preceding the business meeting. For
information on topics call (817) 579-3280 or visit
http://www.hoodcountymastergardeners.org/.
Seabrook: The Harris
County Precinct 2 Master Gardeners hold an educational program at 10
a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at The Meeting Room
at Clear Lake Park (on the Lakeside), 5001 NASA Road 1, Seabrook. The
programs are free and open to the public. For more information, visit
http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu.
Houston: The Native Plant Society of Texas —
Houston (NPSOT-H) meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month except for October (4th Thursday) and December (2nd Thursday). Location
varies. For locations, for more information on programs, and for
information about native plants for Houston, visit
http://www.npsot.org/Houston.
Rosenberg: The
Fort Bend Master Gardeners meet at 7:15 p.m. on the third Thursday of
each month except December at the Bud O’Shieles Community Center
located at 1330 Band Road, Rosenberg. For more information, call (281)
341-7068 or visit
www.fbmg.com.
Seguin: The
Guadalupe County Master Gardeners meets at 7 p.m. the
third Thursday of each month, except December, at the Texas AgriLife Extension
Bldg. at 210 E. Live Oak, Seguin. An educational program precedes the
business meeting. The public is invited to attend. For topic or other information,
call (830) 379-1972 or
visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org.
Atlanta:
The Caddo Wildflower Chapter of Native Plants Society meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month at the Horne Enterprise building in
Atlanta at 7 p.m. Visitors are welcome. For additional information,
contact Kay Lowery at
frostkay268@aol.com. Edna: The Jackson County
Master Gardeners present their "Come Grown With Us" seminars
on the fourth Tuesday of each month, January through
October, beginning at 7 p.m. at 411 N. Wells, Edna. The seminars are
free, open to the public and offer 2 CEU hours to Master Gardeners
or others requiring them. For additional information, contact the
Jackson County Extension Office at (361) 782-3312.
Fort Worth: The Organic Garden Club of Forth
Worth meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month except
July and December at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens main building.
Refreshments are served. For more information, call (817) 274-8460.
Brackenridge Park: The Native Plant Society San Antonio Chapter
meets every fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the
Lions Field Adult and Senior Center, 2809 Broadway at E. Mulberry, Brackenridge Park,
except August and December. Social and seed/plant exchange at 6:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Bea at (210)
999-7292 or visit
www.npsot.org/sanantonio. Dallas: The Dallas Organic Garden Club meets at 2:30 p.m. on the
fourth Sunday of each month at the North Haven Gardens, 7700
Northaven Rd., Dallas. For more
information, call (214) 824-2448 or visit
www.dogc.org.
Arlington: The Arlington Organic Garden Club meets from 7 p.m.
until 9 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month (except November
and December) at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street,
Arlington. For more information, contact David at (817) 483-7746.
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Sale! A book so
good, even the insects like it
That’s right. We
have a small quantity of The Vegetable Book that have been
nibbled on by silverfish. The result is very minor cosmetic
damage. We can’t sell them as new books at full price so we are
forced to drastically reduce the price to $13.87 (includes
tax and shipping). That is more than half off the regular
price! This should appeal to all the tightwads out there as well as
those who would like to have a second, not-so-perfect copy of Dr. Cotner’s timeless classic to carry with them to the garden as a
working copy. Hurry while supplies last!
$13.87 includes tax and shipping! (while supplies last) Order by calling 1-800-727-9020 or order on-line. (Discover, MasterCard and Visa accepted.) |
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Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife By Kelly Conrad Bender
NEW EDITION of the popular Texas Parks & Wildlife book, now with
fully searchable DVD containing all the plant and animal information you
need to customizTexas
Wildscapes program provides the tools you need to make ahome for all
the animals that will thrive in the native habitat you create.
In Texas Wildscapes, Kelly Conrad Bender identifies the kinds of
animals you can expect when you give them their three basic needs: food,
water, and shelter. She then provides guidelines for designing and
planting your yard or garden to best provide these requirements for the
many birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates the
environment will attract. $31.88 includes tax and shipping
Order online with credit card at
www.texasgardener.com or call toll-free 1-800-727-9020.
Visa, MasterCard and Discover
accepted. |
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Wish you'd saved
them?
Are you missing an important issue of
Texas Gardener? Or, perhaps, just tired of thumbing through stacks
of back issues looking for the tips and techniques you need to make your
garden grow? These new CDs provide easy access to all six issues of Order by calling 1-800-727-9020.
(Discover, MasterCard and Visa accepted.)
*Other volumes will be available soon. |
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Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac
Doug Welsh’s Texas Garden Almanac is a giant monthly calendar for
the entire state — a practical, information-packed, month-by-month guide
for gardeners and "yardeners." This book provides everything you need to
know about flowers and garden design; trees, shrubs, and vines; lawns;
vegetable, herb, and fruit gardening; and soil, mulch, water, pests, and
plant care. It will help you to create beautiful, productive, healthy
gardens and have fun doing it.
$26.63 plus shipping*
Order by calling 1-800-727-9020 or
order on-line.
*Mention
Texas Gardener’s Seeds when ordering by phone and we’ll waive shipping charges. (Discover, MasterCard and Visa
accepted.) |
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Fiber row cover
valuable year-round
Grow-Web encourages plant growth and development, and also provides
protection from insects, birds, diseases and frosts. It is also air and
water permeable and allows for ventilation. Grow-Web provides excellent
protection to seedlings when applied directly to the seedbed.
$30.64 per 12.3’ x 32.8’ roll (includes shipping!)
Order by calling 1-800-727-9020 or
order on-line.
(Discover, MasterCard and Visa
accepted.) |
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Become a Texas
Gardener fan on Facebook Become a fan of Texas Gardener magazine on Facebook. See what we're up to at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Gardener-Magazine/301356291835?ref=nf. |
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Missed an issue? Back issues of Texas Gardener’s Seeds are available at www.texasgardener.com/newsletters. Publisher: Chris S. Corby ● Editor: Michael Bracken Texas Gardener’s Seeds, P.O. Box 9005, Waco, Texas 76714 ● www.TexasGardener.com |