Victoria County Master         Gardener Association

Gardening topics offered to community

January 10, 2016

By Helen Boatman/Victoria County Master Gardener

Edited by Charla Borchers Leon/Victoria County Master Gardener

PHOTO CREDIT TO BE ADDED SOON:

Come hear typical questions asked of an Extension Agent at Monday's Lunch and Learn with the Masters session at noon. Victoria County Agent Matt Bochat will begin the 2016 schedule with this presentation.

PHOTO BY EDNA LAFOUR/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

This early season spring wildflower mix appeared several years ago at Victoria Educational Gardens as a result of seeds planted the preceding fall. Master Gardener Kathy Chilek will talk about and show various area wildflowers at the Lunch and Learn with the Masters program March 14.

PHOTO BY TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION

Some insects provide biological control for insect pests, and the larvae of this green lacewing prey on aphids, spider mites, thrips, moth eggs and small larvae. Lacewings when introduced to the garden must have an ample food supply or they will leave. "Get to Know Insects: Good and Bad" will be the topic at the last Lunch and Learn with the Masters presented by Master Gardener Helen Boatman on Aug. 8.

Have you made noontime plans for Monday, Jan. 11? If not, the Victoria County Master Gardener Association is pleased to extend an invitation to you to attend our first Lunch and Learn with the Masters session of 2016.

A popular setting where the Master Gardeners of Victoria County share good gardening practices with the community, these free presentations have been provided since 2008. Because of the positive public response, we once again are offering a fine slate of topics to be presented by knowledgeable Master Gardeners this year.

Second Monday, January-August

Our calendar extends from January through August, and each session is the second Monday of the month from noon to 1 p.m. The location is at the Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St. You are welcome to bring your own lunch and drink. Each session is free. You don't need to register in advance; however, the available seats do fill up - so come a bit early.

Here is our calendar for 2016:

• Monday, Jan. 11 - Common questions for an extension agent

Monday's session, begins with Victoria County Extension Agent Matt Bochat, presenting "What's This: The Most Common Question a County Extension Agent Gets."

You will be able to be part of an interactive training session where you will see pictures of things that are brought into his office for identification. The range is wide and includes insects, diseases, grasses, weeds, trees and more. This will no doubt be quite a learning session for all.

• Feb. 8 - Rose care

Master Gardener Jerome Janak will present "Care of Roses" on Feb. 8. Janak has an extensive knowledge of roses and is involved with various statewide rose organizations including the Texas Rose Rustlers.

You will learn about the various types of roses - antique, hybrid and Earthkind. He will give you tips on growing roses that he has acquired from various Texas AgriLife Extension Service sources as well as his own experiences.

• March 14 - Wildflowers beyond bluebonnets

Spring is right around the corner now, and so are wildflowers. On March 14, Master Gardener Kathy Chilek will present "The Wild Ones: Way Beyond Bluebonnets."

What little-recognized gems are sprinkled among the paint brushes and bluebonnets we love? Kathy's program will help you discover strange faces, fanciful names, folklore, old friends and more in this visual tour of area wildflowers emerging now.

• April 11 - Non-traditional ways to grow vegetables

Don't have room for a traditional row vegetable garden? You'll learn about other ways of growing favorite vegetables for your dinner table, when Master Gardener/Vegetable Specialist Sandi Coleman presents "Alternative Vegetable Gardening Ideas" on April 11. Even if you do have room on your property for a row garden, you might have fun trying some new methods.

• May 9 - Unique garden art

Have you noticed the cute garden art objects in stores and catalogs, the things that add that extra pizazz to a flower bed? Two very crafty Master Gardeners, Sandy Knief and Cheryl Clark, will present "Unique Art Ideas for the Garden" on May 9. They will show you how to incorporate whimsy and creativity into your garden. Sounds like fun.

• June 13 - Herbs in food

Herbs help to enhance the flavor of the food we eat. What better way to have them right at hand when preparing food? "Herbs and How to Use Them" will be presented on June 13 by Debbie Hopper. She will have lots of good information for you.

• July 11 - Fruit trees

On July 11, Master Gardener husband and wife Emory Powitzky Jr., and Pat Koenig will present "Fruits of Your Labor: Fruit Trees." They will share information on various fruit trees that grow in our area and give good pointers on how to have a successful crop.

• Aug. 8 - Good and bad insects

Our last program will be on Aug. 8, when Helen Boatman presents "Get to Know Insects: Good and Bad." There are so many insects in our environment - some good and some bad. Learn how to distinguish between the two and how to promote the good ones and deter the bad ones.

There you have it - our schedule for 2016. We hope you find our selections enticing, and look forward to seeing you on the second Monday of each month, January-August. There are often more than 100 people in attendance at these sessions, so allow some time to arrive, bring your lunch and learn with us.

The Gardeners' Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com. Click to read on Victoria Advocate site