The Guadalupe Gardener

Transcription

1 The Guadalupe Gardener OCTOBER 2011 A monthly publication of the Guadalupe County Master Gardeners in cooperation with the Texas AgriLIFE Extension, Guadalupe County CHANGES AND TEMPS As of September 21, 2011, our President, George Ammermann, is doing very well after his cardiovascular bypass surgery. He received a good progress report from his doctor today but does not know when he will be released from rehab. As we have more updates, we will keep everyone advised. All members should have received a copy of the proposed NEW bylaws. The current bylaws were adopted in April 1993 and have been amended ten times. By simplifying the NEW bylaws, it will allow the organization to incorporate some of the original language into the NEW Policies and Procedures Manual to improve organizational function. The NEW bylaws shall be voted on during the October membership meeting. Also, the NEW Policies and Procedures Manual will be submitted for review at the October meeting and voted on in November. Linda Bruno and her group of volunteers have devoted countless hours into this undertaking and should be commended for their efforts. Nominations are still open for 2012 officers. Nominees to date are: President-Elect, Peggy Jones; Vice-President, Don Hilbert; Treasurer, Bob Teweles; and Secretary, Gail Johnson. The sweat equity has certainly paid dividends for Ann Odvody and her crew of volunteers at the Schertz Community Garden with a vegetable and fruit production to date of over 1,100 lbs. (more water melons?) OUTSTANDING!! We have had an unforgettable summer witnessed by record breaking temperatures. Texas broke the 77 year old record set in 1934 in (continued on page 4) OCTOBER MEETING October 20th Beneficial & Pollinating Insects - Molly Keck will talk about pollinators and beneficial insects. Molly is an Integrated Pest Management Program Specialist with Texas AgriLIFE Extension of Bexar County. She has a BS and MS in Entomology and is widely sought as a lecturer and instructor in the field of Entomology. Barbara Gettig, Janice Knobles and Gretchen Ricker have agreed to provide refreshments. Don t forget to bring your plants for the plant exchange table. In This Issue Page 2 - Meeting Program Page Association News (Christmas Party, George Award, County Fair, Big, Class 23, Community Garden, Future Programs, Speakers Bureau, Gutierrez Park) Page 10 - The Wandering Gardener Page Volunteer Opportunities Page Education-Classes-Seminars Page Gardening Events Page 19 - October Calendar 1

2 September Meeting Program GET THOSE HATS AND SUNSCREENS ON!!!!! Dr. Becky Kelso of Kelso Dermatology in San Antonio was the guest speaker at the September members meeting. Dr. Kelso discussed skin disorders that affect gardeners. She began by discussing common skin conditions in aging skin. Solar lentigos are commonly known as liver spots and are typically found on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun. They can vary from light to medium. Skin on the hands can demonstrate its sun exposure by fat atrophy and thinning of the dermis. This gives the hand a crepey appearance which is progressive over a person s lifetime. It is caused by damage to the collagen in the hand which causes the skin to lose elasticity and develop solar elastosis. Sun exposure can also be demonstrated by brown discoloration, melasma dyschromia, which is a common skin condition in Hispanics. In actinic purpura, the blood vessels in the skin become fragile from sun and any small bump makes a marked purple bruising. All of these conditions are considered cosmetic and do not cause any health related problems. Precancerous skin conditions can demonstrate in form of actinic keratosis. This condition appears as red, scaly bumps. The discoloration can come and go but underlying the discoloration are bumps which can be felt in the skin. About 10% of actinic keratosis can progress into skin cancer. A similar condition, actinic cheilitis, can develop on the lips. The lips will be whitish or mottled looking with rough and scaly skin. Because of the difference in the skin on the lips, this condition can be far more serious on lips than on other skin. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. The skin develops a pearly appearance that reflects light. It is sometimes itchy or may bleed. It is commonly mistaken for a pimple or a sore that will not heal. Dr. Kelso advised that no one should have sores that do not heal and any such sore should be examined by a physician. Basal cell carcinoma does not spread but it can be both a cosmetic and a functional problem if it arises on areas such as ears. Squamous cell carcinoma demonstrates as a sore that won t heal. It is often a warty growth and it is the second most common form of skin cancer. It can also spread in about 10% of cases. It can extend down to the second layer of skin and it can be compounded in the mouth by tobacco. Finally, melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and can be life threatening because it spreads to other areas and organs in the body. It is most often mistaken for a mole. Regular moles however are symmetric and smooth whereas melanoma is irregular. It is typically asymmetrical, its shows border irregularity, there is color change within the mole, its texture is often like a pencil eraser and it tends to evolve and change. About 10% of melanomas develop in areas that are never exposed to the sun. About 1/3 of cases arise from moles. Dr. Kelso recommended sunglasses, hats with at least a 4 inch brim and sunscreens of at least SPF 30. Baseball caps with a full neck drape can be acceptable, but most cosmetic makeups with SPF have limits because no one ever applies enough of it to be effective. You d need 7 times the amount of makeup the average person uses to get the SPF protection advertised on the bottle. She said that SPF really only measures UVB screening while UVA is actually more dangerous because while UVB is a problem at peak times of the day, UVA is present all day and more commonly the cause of skin cancers. UVA can also penetrate glass-- even side windows of cars. She recommended that gardeners slather up with a good sunscreen with SPF 30 (more than that is mainly fluff) with UVA protection. (Continued on page 3) 2

3 (Continued from page 2) It should be water resistant and reapplied as needed. No one kind is necessarily better than another, she said, but it needs to be one you like and will use. Zinc oxide is the most effective, but she also recommended UPF clothing which blocks 98% of the sun s rays whereas a t-shirt blocks only 20%. Darker clothing is more effective than lighter and dry clothing is more effective than wet. So keeps those shirts on and no wet t-shirts!!! And for goodness sake don t forget to protect your lips. by Gail Johnson Association News Master Gardener Christmas Party Social Date: December 15th, 2011 (our regular meeting date) Location: St. John's Lutheran Activity Center in Marion Chair Pat Schultze, Co-chair Joyce Friesenhahn, Assistant Treva Hicks contact Pat Schultze by clydepat6@aol.com Please help support our chairman and new student co-chairman and let s make this the best Social yet. More details will come in your November newsletter. Carol Calentine, Master Gardener Volunteer Chairman SEGUIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AGRICULTURE AWARD OF THE YEAR to GEORGE AMMERMANN 3

4 Master Gardener s at the Guadadupe County Fair October 5-10, 2011, City of Seguin Coliseum, 950 South Austin Street Come out and see all the fun and check out our booths located by the stage. If you did not sign up to help, we will be having lots more volunteer happenings going on in October in Seguin. Contact Chairman Jeri Doyle and let her know to put you in for a standby in case someone can not come. Master Gardeners are responsible for acceptance of Horticultural and other related entries to be judged. During the Fair, Master Gardeners operate information and demonstration booths where they talk to the public and answer questions and give seeds and other handouts. New this year - we are doing projects with the younger children and letting them know the importance of having gardening as a family project. Betty Hughes is in charge of the youth project. Contact Betty Hughes at or at ehughes5@satx.rr.com. Request for County Fair Volunteers As a slight incentive, for every shift anyone works at the Fair, their name will be entered in a drawing for three gardener related prizes. Time Slots Needed: Oct. 6 th, Thursday 4-8 p.m. 1 person Oct. 8 th, Saturday 12-4 p.m. 2 people Oct. 8 th, Saturday 4-8 p.m people Oct. 9 th, Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 2 people Contact Jeri Doyle at or at jerild@satx.rr.com. Painted Rain Barrel The GCMG painted rain barrel sold for $ at the Guadalupe County Youth Show Gala. Gail Damerau of the Gala says: Thanks so much. What great fun having it. And we made it rain!!! A really big thank you is due Janelle Hannemann for painting the rain barrel. (CHANGES continued from page 1) Oklahoma during the depression dust bowl years. The average Texas temp for June, July and August was 86.8 degrees. Drip irrigation certainly demonstrates the merits of its use in a garden environment, otherwise, the Schertz Garden would not have achieved the results it has recorded. As we move toward the end of the year, effective January 1, 2012, all certified members will be required to have a criminal background check and be required every third year thereafter. Closing note: AVERAGE IS BEST OF THE WORST AND WORST OF THE BEST. Bob Davis, President Elect REMEMBER THE TEXAS GARDENER FUNDRAISER Our Treasury keeps 25% of your subscription when it is sent through GCMG. jlbruno@gvec.net for further information or see article in the August issue of this Newsletter. August meeting refreshments were provided by Carmen Rosas, Toni Guiles and Gail Kiehn. The drawing of $28.00 was won by Pat Schultze. Gail Johnson won the gift certificate. A GCMG cap was won by Joyce Johnston. 4

5 The Big Garden by Gretchen Ricker We were eager to ensure that there would be on-the-vine pumpkins for the Ag Fest and the Pecan Fest so planting began in July. We have 8 volunteers who gather at the (Texas Ag Ed and Heritage Center) Friday mornings to tend the gardens - butterfly, herb and vegetable. During the week, the volunteers have assigned areas to water, weed and trim and on Fridays we put heads together for status updates and next steps. But especially we learn with and from one another. Gina Mullen has added a 3 part composter, raised bed and container beds and is redoing the information sign. Photos by Gretchen Ricker from flower to fruit Bees at work In the Pumpkin Patch New beginnings September pumpkin LARGEST Soon to be 5

6 CLASS 23: Gardening: Passion of the Heart! By Linda Waite, Class 23 Hey, come look at the size of this backyard! The young, single mother of a rollicking, mischievous four-year-old girl looked out the sliding glass doors of her newly purchased home. She exclaimed to her Mom, Before long, this yard, now filled with Johnson grass and weeds, will be a beautiful jungle! Thirty-seven years later, her thoughts about that backyard have changed a little but not her passion, excitement and joy over this jungle she is creating there. Many hardscapes have come and gone over the the beautiful jungle years - including a play set and kiddie pool, rabbit hutches and a duck pen. The vegetable garden now takes up a large chunk of land in the back corner but shares it with several roses, a large butterfly vine and some crinum lilies. Her passionate dream of a beautiful backyard jungle is alive and well! Thanks to the Guadalupe County Master Gardeners (GCMG), the creative juices of a life-long gardener are overflowing! I am that gardener, that Mom, the owner of the one-fifth of an acre outside those same sliding glass doors. I am now a student in the GCMG class # 23. From the very first meeting of our class on Aug. 24, 2011, at Harmon s Barbeque in Cibolo, Texas, I have felt a comfortable sense of camaraderie and shared interest in plants and their culture. This is in part due to the Mentorship program started this year by GCMG. My mentor, Ms. Peggy Jones, had already been in contact with me several times, introducing herself, encouraging my involvement in the membership meetings and volunteer programs, patiently answering my questions, and creating interest in the projects and extensions of the local group. As we enter the classroom on any given class day at St. Paul s Evangelical Church, also in Cibolo, Texas, the place is buzzing with activity. Folks are greeting one another as friends, sharing thoughts about the field trip to My Father s Farm in Seguin with Pedro Schambon or the excitement of their Saturday trip to the KWED Radio Station Lawn and Garden Show. Others are turning in or picking up tests, getting snacks ready, or settling in for an afternoon of rigorous and informative class time. Our main guest speakers have been just that! We have heard about Plant Growth and Development from Liz Palfini, botanist from the University of Florida; Dr. Mark McFarland from Texas A&M gave us all the latest dirt on Soil, Water and Plant Nutrients ; Mr. Mike Lininger from New Earth Compost shared with us how they make their product; the Bexar County Extension Agent, David Rodriguez, explained EarthKind Landscaping ; Deedy Wright, President of the GC Native Plant Society, spoke on Native Plants. Our latest speaker was Dr. Barron Rector from Texas A&M who challenged us to think differently about using native grasses in our plantings and shared his vast expertise on plant identification. WOW! These passionate gardeners are experts in their chosen fields and have been totally awesome! Our class coordinator, Jose Antonio Contreras (along with his wife, Romelia) has also been totally awesome. He tells us that this is just the beginning of an extraordinary and impressive list to come. I m having a little difficulty putting my mind around what my beautiful jungle will look like after I have acquired so much knowledge about what I am actually doing! I am excited about all the new ideas to which I ve been exposed, and I am enjoying all the new friends I ve met. I am also looking forward to the volunteer work I ll get to do that will help bring information and beauty to my community. Thank you, GCMG! Your heartfelt passion for gardening and sharing that knowledge have made our class # 23 experience an unforgettable adventure. Class 23 students Cyndy Winkelman and Helen Griffiths gave a report on Class 23 at the September meeting. According to them, the entire class is benefiting greatly from the excellent preparation and coordination that Jose & Romelia have done. Highlights have been the field trip to My Father's Farm and Deedy Wright's presentation on bringing nature home. Each speaker that we have had has presented new and unique perspectives on how we all can become better stewards of our environments. Even though we all have diverse gardening wants and needs, the commonality is to enhance our landscapes and gardens sensibly. Texas presents challenges, and as we go along in the class we're finding new ways to think and plan for greatest bio-diversity and sustainability. 6

7 Schertz Community Garden Photo by Linda Bruno Den 1 of Cub Scout Pack 51 from Schertz is taking on two beds for planting this fall. We welcomed the boys and parents to the Garden on Sep. 10 th. The Scouts sampled some of the vegetables we ve been growing, then helped with construction of the beds. They really enjoyed shoveling the soil from the trailer into the beds and getting dirt in their shoes. A big thank you to the boys for reminding us that part of the fun in gardening is really working in the dirt! We are happy to have them in the Garden. Our own Jim Johnson did a presentation on drip irrigation at the Schertz Community Garden on Saturday, September 24th. There was a great turnout & a lot of people stayed to tour the Garden afterwards. Photos by Betty Hughes Sat. Oct. 22 nd, starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Community Garden, Mark Peterson, with SAWS & previously the Regional Community Forester for the Texas Forest Service for 23 years, will share his extensive knowledge on Evaluating Trees, Shrubs & Grass after Drought. A donation to the Community Garden for this event is appreciated. Space is limited; please RSVP to jlbruno@gvec.net What s in a name? Well, the Schertz Community Garden is looking for a new one. With an official request to make it clearer that the Garden serves the entire county, we are looking for suggestions. Guadalupe County Community Garden? Maybe. But we d like suggestions from our members before we decide. Send your ideas to jlbruno@gvec.net And when they re not digging in the dirt Two blondes were sipping their Starbucks when a truck went past loaded up with rolls of sod. "I'm going to do that when I win the lottery," announced Blonde #1. "Do what?" asked Blonde #2. "Send my lawn out to be mowed." (courtesy of Ann Odvody and Linda Bruno ) 7

8 SCHERTZ COMMUNITY GARDEN Updates from Ann 9/3 We harvested 23 lbs. this week..mostly okra. Total this year /6 We should have fireworks today! Harvest total 54 pounds 9 ounces. Total for the year 1,042 pounds 10 ounces. It was good working today in the cool temps and it was nice to see new faces helping. Got a lot of weeding done, more mulch laid in and did a little planting. By the way that Charleston Gray watermelon we have been watching for weeks came in this morning at 33 pounds! 9/9 Set out 220 transplants. THANKS ladies. Mulched, weeded, worked on compost piles. THANKS guys. Harvested 23 lbs. 13 oz lbs. 7 oz so far. 9/13 Sorry we were late opening up, will do better next time! Harvested 7 lbs. 9 oz. Saturday and 18 lbs. 9 oz. today - gives us 1,092 lbs. 9 oz. for the year. Thanks again for all the help - especially good to see the new folks from Class 23. 9/16 Joe Bruno, Dale Odvody, Sue Hadley(Class 23) and I were busy this morning harvesting, planting and mulching. We used pine needles around the new plants (thanks Linda Bruno) in hopes of discouraging our resident rabbit. Sue was a BIG help! Harvested 26 lbs. 15 oz. - so far this year 1,119 lbs. 8 oz. 9/20 The haul for today was 48 lbs. 7 oz. So far this year 1,167 lbs. 15 oz. Thanks to all who were out helping this morning. 9/27 Good picking this morning, but first Fri 9/23 23 lbs. 12 oz was harvested. This morning 73 lbs. 14 oz and that was with no watermelon or cantaloupe. Got our first harvest of beans for the year - finally cooled down enough for them to make. Our total so far this year 1,264 lbs. 14 oz. FUTURE PROGRAMS Nov 17 - Using Vines in the Landscape - Sir Oliver Smith will talk about how vines can best be utilized in the landscape. Dec 15 - Christmas Party Jan 19 - Bees and Honey Production - Mark Gretchen, local honey producer, will talk about bees and his honey business. Feb 16 - Toxic Landscape Plants - Paul Cox, botanist and former supervisor at The Botanical Gardens, will present a program about the poisonous nature of some of our landscape plants. Mar 15 - Square Foot Gardening - Andy Chidster who works for The Natural Gardener Inc., manufacturer of Lady Bug Products, will present Mel Bartholomew's method for growing more in less space. Apr 19 - Olive Tree Growing in Seguin - Joe Wait, local grower of olive trees, will present a program about growing olive trees. May 17 - Using Herbs in Your Diet - Mary Dunford, owner of Nature's Herb Farm, will talk about how herbs can best be used in our diet. 8

9 Speakers Bureau Clara Mae reported the following speaking engagements in September: On September 24th, Jim Johnson spoke at the Schertz Community Garden on drip irrigation. Speakers, please let me know how many listeners are in each group, your subject, and when and where the talk is given. Membership: if you belong to a club that needs speakers, please contact me, Clara Mae Marcotte, at rcm.marcotte@gmail.com. We have speakers on FireWise, Plant Propagation, Oak Wilt, Rainwater Harvesting, Greenhouse Management, Composting, Citrus Greening, Entomology, Vegetables, Wildflowers, and Floral Arranging. Gutierrez Park Elbel Rd Schertz The park has survived the summer drought. Patty Violet and I have been working weekly at tending to the park, trimming, weeding, watering, and trash pick up. Just went there yesterday to soak the trees. I would also thank my husband for helping me out. I am so happy that the flowers are still blooming! Trees are stressed! I am currently working with Steele HS Key club on a plan to build a garden and applying for a grant. We will be including the culinary arts students and the Ag students. Tammee Trawick Members in Service Texas Master Gardener Board of Directors Two Year Term -Gail Johnson; Jim Johnson, Alternate One Year Term - Deedy Wright; Pat Schultze, Alternate Project Evaluation Committee Gillian Siemens, Barbara Gettig, Janice Knobles Membership Outreach Committee - Merv Cook Speakers Bureau - Clara Mae Marcotte Schertz Community Garden Operating Committee Linda Bruno, Holly Christian Master Gardener Office/Library - Betty Hughes AgriLife Building Workdays - Liz Romero 2011 Guadalupe County Fair - Jeri Doyle New Member Support - Bob Teweles Hours Reporting - Dale & Ann Odvody Notification - Dale Odvody & Beth Zies Refreshment Coordinator - Ryla Cottingham WebSite Photo Album - Jerilyn Preston Class 23 Coordinator - Jose Antonio Contreras Newsletter Editor - Elaine McIntyre Web Master - Randee Malmsten 9

10 Marilyn Moltz, The Wandering Gardener Fall in a Central Texas Garden Each day as I look out over the property that is behind my house, I see fewer leaves and mostly brown or yellowing dead leaves. I do not know if some of these trees will survive for next year. I am hoping so as the trees in my back pastureland is home to many birds, deer, possums, armadillos and other Texas animals. If you go out early enough there are even bats flying around. I have tried to keep the trees around my house green and the flower beds in bloom. I have many native plants and try to plant deer resistant but bird and butterfly friendly. I also keep 2 hummingbird feeders (one on the front porch which I can see from the couch and the other on the back porch which I can see from the kitchen table) filled with fresh nectar. In September and October we, in this area, may happen to see birds and butterflies which are only passing thru. Last week we had a flurry of new bird color with orioles and yellow finch. Year round we have doves, mockingbirds, woodpeckers, cardinals, red finch, scissortails, several types of sparrows and hawks. Today I am noticing much more butterfly activity and as I walk under the crepe myrtle trees there is a steady hum from the bees which are ever present in my yard. It is not hard to attract birds and butterflies to your back yard. The time I spend watching them gives me great enjoyment. My grandchildren enjoy it so much that they have made their parents make a place for bird feed and water so they can watch at home. If you don t have a space now at your place, think about making one. Just be sure it is in an area where you can watch and not disturb your visitors. Marilyn Moltz, Bee and Butterflies Photos by Marilyn Moltz 10

11 Volunteer Opportunities Pecan Fest Heritage Days at the Big, Oct 29 & 30 Event Volunteers Needed Variety of Tasks and Shifts Once each year, Seguin locals break out of their shell and throw one great party. It takes a lot of hands to staff the Texas Agriculture Education & Heritage Center (The Big ) during Pecan Fest Heritage Days. Pecan Fest is a community-wide fun-filled and family-friendly event. Last year nearly 6,500 people attended this celebrated Go Texan event. There are many service opportunities during the event for which Master Gardeners may volunteer and earn accredited volunteer hours: serving ice cream; helping with baked goods sales; greeting visitors and handing out schedules of activities and campus maps; helping with the children s scavenger hunt, and much more. Saturday, Oct. 29, volunteer shifts available from 10 am to 5 pm Sunday, Oct. 30, volunteer shifts available from 11 am to 3 pm Raise your hand and help us Go Nuts! Contact Michelle Martin at (C) or evenings (H) Vegetable and Herb Garden volunteers needed Need Chairman to coordinate scheduling of volunteers to staff the GCMG vegetable garden at the Texas Agriculture Education & Heritage Center (Hwy 123 & Cordova Rd) during Pecan Fest Heritage Days. Pecan Fest is a fun-filled and family friendly event. Also need volunteers to staff and guide event visitors around the vegetable and herb garden and answer general questions. Plantings are labeled and there is a crib sheet. Volunteer shifts (ideally, two volunteers per shift): Saturday, Oct. 29: Sunday, Oct 30 9:45 am noon 10:45 am - 1pm Noon 2:30 pm 1 pm - 3 pm 2:30 pm 5 pm Contact Carol Calentine, Volunteer Chairman, if you can serve as Coordinator of volunteers at Pecan Fest or if you can volunteer at the event: carolc@co.guadalupe.tx.us Volunteers Needed - Sat., October 22, :00 am - Noon Weinert Elementary Beautification Project, 1111 Bruns Street, Seguin Bring tools to clip and shape shrubs, pull vines off of walls, clean beds in general. There are some low tree limbs that need to be cut also, if possible. Help this school SHINE!!! Make a difference in your community!!! 11

12 Volunteers Do You Need some Volunteer hours? You only have 3 more months to get in your volunteer time. Contact Carol Calentine on any Volunteer signups or questions at carolc@co.guadalupe.tx.us EDUCATION COMMITTEE Members needed Planning starts very soon for 2012 programs. If you have ideas about both public & member education workshops & lectures, let s talk. If you like to organize & make things happen, let s talk. This is an open invitation to everyone, including interns & students. Call me at or jlbruno@gvec.net. Linda Bruno, Education Chairman Other Volunteer Opportunities Master Gardener Office Monday, from 9 a.m. to noon. Except for federal holidays, the Master Gardener office is open at the Extension Building at 210 East Live Oak. Betty Hughes, ehughes5@satx.rr.com for more information. They do need help for the next two Mondays, packaging lots of seeds for the County Fair and boxing up all the handouts and supplies we need to load up and take to the Coliseum. 9 a.m. to 12 noon. KWED Lawn & Garden Show broadcast heard live every Saturday morning from 9:15 to 10. Call Bob Grafe at or Janet Grafe at to volunteer or to suggest a topic or speaker. Meeting Refreshments - sign up at the next meeting Speakers Bureau - page 9 Guadalupe County Fair - page 4 Schertz Community Garden - page 7 & 8 - Contact Ann Odvody odvodyd@swbell.net GC Finance Flower Beds - Contact Carol Mycue camycue@satx.rr.com Green Team - Contact Hughlene Micheli clifmic@axs4u.net Big Fall Garden - page 5 - contact Susan Casto sscasto2@aol.com Gutierrez Park - page 9 - Contact Tammee Trawick ttrawick@sbcglobal.net 12

13 ANTIQUE ROSE EMPORIUM San Antonio October 1 st - Saturday Stressed Out About the Drought? with David Will at 10:00am Are you wondering what to do next? Local landscape contractor, David Will, is going to take us through his drought recovery program and teach us how to deal with this past summer s damage. Learn how to reduce your water bill and still have a great looking yard. Free Rainwater Harvesting Made Easy with Bryan Davis at 11:30am Our local Natural Resource Extension Agent, Bryan will show us how easy it is to harvest free water and save money by collecting and storing rainwater. We will have a demonstration of how to build and use your own system. (Bryan even promises one of the barrels will go home with a lucky attendee.) Rain dance included. Free October 2 nd - Sunday Fall Vegetable Gardening with Andy Chidester at 1:00pm The fall garden can be the most productive garden of the year. Andy will share her enthusiastic garden wisdom with us. She will be covering many topics such as soils, fertilizers, location, pest control, fall plant selections, types of garden, and much more. Andy works with Ladybug Organic Products. Free The Dinner Garden with Holly Hirshberg at 2:30pm Started by Holly, The Dinner Garden is an innovative group dedicated to teaching people easy ways to grow their own vegetables to feed themselves. She will share with us how they are working to end hunger in the United States one garden at a time. It will be an inspiring program for those who garden and those who want to learn. Free October 8 th - Saturday 12 Months of Garden Color with Calvin Finch at 10:00am If you want to jazz up the color in your garden, you just have to be here when Calvin shares his inside tips for yearround color. Calvin s ideas will make your garden the envy of the neighborhood. Calvin is a horticulturist, a former extension agent, a garden radio host, and currently works with SAWS in their water conservation programs. Free October 22 nd - Saturday 9 am to 5:30pm Our 9 th Annual Garden Festival in the Roses and Art in the Garden Two events - one day! Interesting Programs and Great Artisans. Food Available. 10 to 11:30am Mike Shoup - Ultimate Garden Plant 1 to 2:30pm David Will - Bulbs 3 to 4:30pm Nematode Nick - Edible Landscaping October 29 th - Saturday Gifting with Herbs with Cindy Meredith at 10:00am FREE November 12 th - Saturday Making Your Own Holiday Gifts: Easy Natural Beauty Products with Margaret Wolfshohl at 10:00am 13

14 What Makes Heirloom Plants So Great Wednesday, October 5th, at 10 am San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels & Funston by the Botanical Gardens The San Antonio Garden Center invites you to their monthly meeting to hear another knowledgeable speaker on gardening. Judy Barrett, the founding Editor & Publisher of Homegrown: Good Sense Organic Living for Texas will be our speaker. Join us for free. Membership is encouraged. or call Rachel at Native Plant Society of Texas Guadalupe County (Schertz/Seguin) Chapter On Tuesday October 11, 2011 the guest speaker will be Robert J. George. Robert George will be informing us about the work of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) which is located in Fort Worth, Texas. Mr. George is project coordinator of Illustrated Texas Floras and a communication specialist with BRIT. The BRIT is dedicated to the conservation of our botanical heritage with a large collection of pressed specimens, some dating back many years. Please come learn about BRIT, how important BRIT is, and the exciting research projects that are going on here and in other countries. The Society meets the second Tuesday of the month at The Library, 500 Bulldog, in Marion. There will not be a meeting in November but will return in December. There will be a plant exchange and a Meet and Greet at 6:00pm followed by the program at 7:00pm. It is open to the public and we welcome all visitors. For more information, directions to The Library or membership applications contact our website at: INTERNET CLASSES Earth-Kind Drought Preparedness. Go to: go through the entire section and complete and submit the On-line Evaluation to earn 2 Continuing Education Hours. Earthkind classes are available at AgriLife is now charging $10 to take the Tomato 101 class found at details.cfm?id=641 but it is well worth it. IMPORTANT NOTE Although GCMG policy is that you may not take over 3 credits a calendar year for on line courses, the board voted that, in this instance, we can take an additional 2 CEU s over and above the 3 CEU limit for on line courses for the Earthkind Drought Preparedness. 14

15 SA Herb Society - Oct 13 (Thursday) 6:30 pm. SA Herb Society presentation by nationally known herbalist, Susan Belsinger, author of the creative herbal home. Hospitality and book signing at 6:30 pm. San Antonio Garden Center. $5.00 donation requested. Tickets can be purchased from Marilyn Nyhus, 1006 Kayton Ave, San Antonio Earth-Kind Landscape Series: Companion Herbs for the Vegetable Garden The Winter Vegetable Garden Oct 1 (Saturday) 9:30-11 am and 11:15 am - 1:00 pm. at Schulz Nursery, 100 W. Huebinger, Marion This educational opportunity will be conducted by Master Gardener Don Crites and Extension Horticulturist David Rodriguez. Cost is FREE. However, donations to support the Children s Vegetable Garden Program will be accepted. Master Gardeners will be awarded 3 CEUs. GREAT HORNED OWL Perched on the satellite dish on our roof for over 20 minutes. Photo by Nancy Stuhl. Master Gardener Specialist Training Update Oct (Wednesday Friday) National Earth Kind Specialist Training Course in Cleburne, Texas. Nov (Wednesday - Friday) Greenhouse Management Specialist Training in Huntsville, TX For information on other training, see listings on the TMGA website specialist-training-2010/ Ticks? We Have an App for That! Yes, you can get phone applications for just about everything these days, including an app all about ticks. If you were like the rest of us this summer, the drought seemed to bring out the ticks in droves. People who had never had a tick problem before were overrun by them. And ticks aren't just gross, they can carry diseases and they can be extremely difficult to manage. Texas A&M's tick expert, Dr. Pete Teel, developed a Tick Application for your phone (also viewable online) with information about tick biology, identification, management, and removal. What's nice about this app is that you can choose the specific location you need ticks controlled - on dogs, on livestock, urban landscape, etc. 15

16 Gardening Events Texas Gourd Festival October 14 through 16 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Fredericksburg s Gillespie Co. Fairgrounds Texas Gourd Society s annual nationwide competition for growers, decorators, and vendors of dried gourds and supplies, Classes, children s crafts, and more texasgourdsociety.org Betty Hughes sends raves about this one! 2011 International Master Gardener Conference The 2011 International Master Gardener Conference will be October 11-14, 2011 in Charleston, West Virginia. The website is Extension.Service@MAIL.WVU.EDU. Registration is open. Cost: $300. Mitchell Lake Audubon Center Join us for the ribbon cutting of our new outdoor pavilion Friday, October 14th, at 9:30 am 7th Fall Wildlife Festival and Plant Sale -- October 22nd, 2011 Native Plant Walk with Patty Leslie Paszor October 1st, 9 am Noon San Antonio River Watershed & You why every drop matters! October 15th, 9 am 10:30 am For more information or to RSVP, mlac@audubon.org 19th Annual Texas Koi and Fancy Goldfish Show Saturday, October 22, 9 am 4 pm Sunday, October 23, 11 am 4 pm Water Garden Gems, 3136 Bolton Road, Marion Free Admission Free Seminars Good Family Fun 16

17 Watersaver Landscape Tour, Saturday, October 1 Get ideas for making your yard more water and maintenance efficient on the annual Watersaver Landscape Tour, Saturday, October 1, 9am-3pm in San Antonio. Visit six outstanding yards on the free, self-guided tour. Visit yards in the Vineyard, Hollywood Park, Vista Del Norte, King William, and Southtown. For locations and directions, visit the tour preview at or call (210) Sponsors of the annual tour are San Antonio Water System, San Antonio River Authority, Edwards Aquifer Authority and Gardening Volunteers of South Texas. Home and Garden Show at the Alamodome Sept 30 - Oct 2 (Fri-Sun) San Antonio Herb Market Saturday, October 15th, 9 am - 4 pm Pearl Brewery near Broadway & Josephine, San Antonio The San Antonio Herb Market is proud to announce their 20th anniversary and special guest, noted herbalist, writer and culinary educator Susan Belsinger. Come join us as we celebrate "20 Herbs to Remember." With cooking demos, lectures, shopping and activities for the children, the herb market is free and open to the public. Mark your calendars for this very special event! The San Antonio Herb Market is a GoTexan event, affiliated with the Texas Dept of Agriculture. Green Spaces Alliance cordially invites you to attend the 2011 Fall Gala. Please join us as we celebrate with a fundraising dinner featuring Green Spaces Alliance s Picture Your World Youth Photography Program. October 13th at 6:30. Historic King William District on the San Antonio River Farm & Range Forum Uvalde, Texas October Conserving Our Rural Heritage The Farm & Range Forum provides an ongoing dialog between rural landowners and urban conservationists. For further information see 17

18 Rose Show & Seminar It s Showtime!! In spite of the horrible summer we have had, we are optimistic that our roses will bounce back and provide us with the beautiful blooms which are characteristic of a good Fall season. The San Antonio Rose Society is pleased to invite everyone to come to our Fall Rose Show on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at the S.A. Garden Center. Show hours are 1 4:30 p.m. following show judging that morning. Admission is FREE and there will be an educational seminar starting at 2 p.m. It s a great opportunity to talk to Master Rosarians oneon-one about growing roses in your garden. If you ve had problems with your roses this summer, bring samples to analyze. Cut roses and bouquets will be available for sale. Merry Mart Shopping Extravaganza The San Antonio Garden Center will hold it s annual Merry Mart Shopping Extravaganza Friday, Oct. 14th & Saturday, Oct.15th. Join us at 3310 N. New Braunfels & Funston by the Botanical Gardens from 9 am to 4 pm where vendors will display their purses, scarves, jewelry, Christmas items, gifts and Tin Men for your garden. Start your Christmas shopping early and help support this building built by the San Antonio Garden Clubs in the 1950 s. Check out the facility for your next meeting or reception. For more information call SAGC at Guadalupe County (Schertz-Seguin) Chapter Of the Native Plant Society of Texas Will hold a Native Plant Sale and Quilt Raffle At Pecan Fest Heritage Days Central Park, 201 Austin Street, Seguin Saturday October 29, :00am-4:00pm For information or directions contact our website. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Fall Sale Fri-Sun, Oct 14 (Austin, TX) 18

19 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 KWED Radio 1580 AM Lawn & Garden Show 9:15 a.m. 2 3 Master Gardener Office/Library Open 8:30-NOON GREEN TEAM 9 am 4 SCG Workday 5 Class 23 Noon-4:30pm GC FAIR 6 GC FAIR 7 GC FAIR 8 KWED Radio 1580 AM Lawn & Garden Show 9:15 a.m. SCG Workday 8 AM GC FAIR 9 GC FAIR 10 Master Gardener Office/Library COLUMBUS DAY GC FAIR 11 SCG Workday 12 Class 23 Noon-4:30pm O Full Moon 13 GCMG Board Meeting KWED Radio 1580 AM Lawn & Garden Show 9:15 a.m Master Gardener Office/Library GREEN TEAM 9 am 18 SCG Workday 219 Class 23 Noon-4:30pm 20 GCMG Meeting 7 PM KWED Radio Lawn & Garden Show 9:15 a.m. 9 AM SCG Workshop Class 23 Propagation Weinert Elem Cleanup Master Gardener Office/Library 25 SCG Workday 26 Class 23 Noon-4:30pm Newsletter Deadline 27 New Moon KWED Radio 1580 AM Lawn & Garden Show 9:15 a.m PECAN FEST 30 PECAN FEST 31 Master Gardener Office/Library Open 8:30-NOON HALLOWEEN 19

20 Guadalupe County Master Gardeners, Inc. 210 East Live Oak St. Seguin, TX Guadalupe County Master Gardeners Ext 210 Guadalupe County AgriLIFE Extension Texas Master Gardeners GCMG Officers & Board of Directors George Ammermann President Bob Davis President Elect Doug Biggs Vice President Sandy Foss Secretary Bob Teweles Treasurer Linda Bruno Education Chairman Peggy Jones Publication Chairman Carol Calentine Volunteer Chairman Jose Antonio Contreras MG Training Chairman Travis Franke AgriLIFE Agent Master Gardener Coordinator Meeting, Thurs, October 20th, 2011, 7 P.M. AgriLife Extension Building 210 E. Live Oak, Seguin, Tx Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination by the Master Gardeners is implied, and no endorsement by the Master Gardeners is implied. Educational programs conducted by the Guadalupe County Master Gardeners serve people of all ages, regardless of socioeconomic level, color, sex, religion, handicap, or national origin. Elaine McIntyre, Editor (elaine@tindomorgans.com) Marilyn Moltz, The Wandering Gardener 20