LEARN WITH THE MASTERS:

Programs offer learning opportunities in 2018

January 05, 2018

Here we are in 2018. Wow, aren't we all glad 2017 is over - at least as far as gardening is concerned?

We couldn't predict the weather

2017 was a year for the record books in many ways. Very little of what happened was predictable - certainly not the weather.

• Hard freeze, then spring rains

Remember the hard freeze we had in January last year? That event devastated many landscapes. The spring rains were wonderful, just what we needed after a drought. Our thirsty plants thrived.

• Guy named Harvey, then snow in early December

Then came the hot, hot summer and that very unwelcome guy Harvey. He did a lot of damage, too much to mention here. Many people are still in recovery mode from that visit.

However, the snow in early December made everything seem a little better. While we still can't predict the weather, we do know that with a new year comes new hope, and all of us in the Victoria County Master Gardener Association are here to help educate and advise.

Come learn: where and when

Since 2008, information classes have been provided through Lunch and Learn with the Masters. Once again this year, certified master gardeners and the Victoria County Extension Agent will present programs on the second Monday of the month (except in May - on the first Monday) from noon to 1 p.m. at the Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., in Victoria. Bring a lunch and drink if you wish.

This year's schedule

• Jan. 8 - Virginia Ruschhaupt and Joe Moore will present "Growing Peach Trees in the Victoria Area." Since we have received many requests for this information, what these two specialists have to offer will be very timely. No doubt they will share the peach varieties that do well in our climate.

• Feb. 12 - Victoria County Extension Agent Matt Bochat will once again bring us the very informative and fun program, "What's This? - Volume III?" Volumes I and II presented in previous years were greatly enjoyed by everyone. It will be a surprise for all of us to see what he comes up with in this unique interactive program.

•  March 12 - "Keyhole Gardening: Innovative Raised Vegetable Beds" will bring to you information on a unique, raised bed system that originated in Africa. Presenter Brian Serold has built several keyhole gardens in Victoria and Bloomington to support the Healthy South Texas Initiative that Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has rolled out in South Texas. Learn how you can build a keyhole garden on your property. Sandi Coleman, another presenter, is a vegetable specialist and will share how she has incorporated the keyhole garden in the Victoria Educational Gardens (VEG) vegetable area.

• April 9 - Lupe Cook will present "Plant Propagation." Lupe has been instrumental in growing new plants in the VEG greenhouse for our plant sales for several years and has been a propagation instructor for several of the master gardener training classes. She will share some specialized techniques she has experienced in her years of plant propagation, especially the "what-to-dos" and "what-not-to-dos."

• May 7 - The program "Begonias: Varieties, Care and Propagation" will be presented by Jean Knowles. Because begonias are a favorite of Knowles, she has been growing them for some time. She has quite a collection of varieties and will help you start your own. Make note this program is on the first Monday in May.

• June 11 - Virginia Ruschhaupt is back, and this time, she will share her expertise with her presentation, "The Joy of Growing Daylilies." Her membership in The American Hemerocallis Society has given her insight into the love of this plant. She also works in the daylily section of Victoria Educational Gardens.

July 9 - As mentioned earlier, this author isn't a prognosticator of weather, but I'll just bet it will be hot for sure and probably dry. Debbie Krueger will offer some suggestions in "Xeriscaping: Drought Resistant Plants." Learn which plants to incorporate into your landscape to ease up on your water bill and be pretty as well. There are many plants besides cacti that fit into the xeriscape category.

• Aug. 9 - Our final program of the year will help you prepare for autumn when leaves start falling - and you want to do something with them besides put them in bags for the city to pick up. Jack Goodwin will present, "Composting: Building and Maintaining a Compost Pile." Composting is a way you will be able to recycle something that you would ordinarily throw away into a valuable, nutrient-rich commodity for your own landscape.

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.