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Master Gardeners After 25 years:
What's next?
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER KEN KNIEF
Victoria County Master Gardeners posing with their parade entry at the 2022 Victoria Lighted Christmas Parade. Shown are, back from left: Ed Gregurek, Larry Nichols, Sandy Knief, Cheryl Clark, Phyllis Elmore, Shelby Anderson, Kathy Chilek, Bitsy Lee, Pat Plowman and Cindy Brewer; front from left: Janet McCrea, Brynn Lee, and Barbara David.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER CARLA RODRIGUEZ
Native plants for sale at the October 2022 Plant Sale.
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, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
I never thought of becoming president of Victoria County Master Gardener Association. In 2022, the president-elect needed to move from the area and someone had to take his place. The membership voted me in as president-elect at our general meeting July 26.
It didn’t seem all that real until last week at our Christmas party when our 2022 President Linda Lees handed me the gavel and the keys. Now it’s real.
Before we look ahead to 2023, let me reflect for a moment on this past year, our 25th year as an organization. In 1997 the first training class was held, and Victoria County Master Gardener Association began. We still have one member of that original class in our group. Ed Gregurek has been a Victoria County Master Gardener for 25 years, and has twice been our Master Gardener of the Year, in 2000 and in 2007. He is an inspiration to all master gardeners.
A Master Gardener Training Class has been held every year since that first class except for 2020. The 2023 Training Class will begin Jan. 19 and continue through April 20 at the VEG Pavilion. For more information, visit our website, vcmga.org. We would love to have you join us.
The Victoria Educational Gardens opened in May 2003. Today, almost 20 years later, we maintain 20 different landscaped gardens covering nearly 2 acres. Tours are offered for students and groups of all ages. Visitors can also tour the gardens on their own anytime from dawn to dusk.
Most of the plants in the gardens have signage to identify them and give additional information. My goal is for the signage to be updated to include pictures and QR codes. With pictures, visitors would know exactly which plant is labeled, and with the QR codes, visitors could learn more information about the plant using their phones.
Victoria County Master Gardeners began writing articles for The Victoria Advocate in July 2003. For almost 20 years, The Gardeners’ Dirt column has continued, with no two articles being identical. Last year, different native plants were featured each month. In 2023, gardeners will write about Texas state plant and animal symbols.
Lunch and Learn with the Masters, informative presentations open to the public, began in 2008. In the past 15 years, over 125 programs have been shared. The 2023 schedule will begin on Feb.13, from noon to 1p.m. All presentations will be held at the Victoria Educational Gardens Pavilion, 283 Bachelor Drive, by the Victoria Regional Airport. Feel free to bring your lunch and beverage.
In June 2016 we held our first “Growing Healthy Kids Summer Camp” for ages 6-12. This five-day morning program will continue next June.
You may notice an “education” theme throughout all the mentioned activities. Part of our Master Gardener Mission Statement acknowledges that we are “committed to the education of the community.” Last September we held a very successful full day Gardening Symposium. We plan to host a similar symposium again next fall.
This past October at our fall plant sale, for the first time, we had a section of native Texas plants. Over 200 native plants from 40 different species were available for purchase. Since native plants are my passion, this sale made me quite happy. Native plants are not only attractive, but they also provide better habitat and food for wildlife. Look for more native plants at our spring plant sale.
To learn more about the importance of landscaping with native plants, or any other gardening topics, you can request a speaker through our Speaker’s Bureau or attend any of our educational programs. We look forward to seeing you.
ph: 361-935-1556
nancyk