May 5, 2010

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The early blight get the poor tomato

By Kevin Ong, Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Extension Plant Pathologist
Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology
Director - Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Ever seen the bottom leaves of tomatoes having spots or blotches, turning yellow and eventually dying. Then the problem seems to continue to climb up the plant. The plant appears to be burnt from the bottom up. For home gardeners in Texas, these are usually the symptoms that result from early blight disease. Early blight typically starts on older leaves as small spots. These spots enlarge into somewhat circular lesions with concentric rings. Plant tissue surrounding the lesions is yellow. Eventually the leaves drop. Early blight, caused by the fungus Alternaria solani, is favored by warms temperatures and extended periods of leaf wetness. This fungus can persist in soil or on plant debris.

Quality fruit yield can be affected if early blight is allowed to run rampant. If you have had to deal with this problem in previous year, there is a good possibility that you will have to deal with this same problem if growing tomatoes in same area. Here are several things that can be done to help manage this disease in a home garden:

  • Rotate planting area. Choose to plant your tomato plants in another part of your garden.
  • Use resistant varieties. There are a few varieties that are available to home gardeners with resistance to Alternaria. Look for description on plant labels or the “A” designation behind the variety name.
  • Taking care while watering the plant. Prevent the splashing of water or “soil splashing” onto lower leaves. Since the pathogen can persist in the soil, this is good practice to prevent the fungus from getting on plant. Drip irrigation is a good way to reduce this splashing effect. Also water at times of the days to prevent/reduce the leaf wetness period.
  • Mulching. Using plastic or organic (straw) mulch will help to cut down on “soil splashing” thus reducing the probability of the pathogen getting on the plant.
  • Encourage air flow. Staking and spacing the tomato plants to increase air movement within and between the plants are extremely helpful in reducing the leaf wetness period.
  • Remove & destroy old plant debris. At the end of the season, remove and destroy old plants.
  • Use fungicide in a timely fashion. There are several products that are available to home gardeners that are relatively effective against early blight. Products containing the active ingredient chlorothalonil (Fungonil, Ortho Garden Disease Control) or mancozeb are effective in managing early blight especially when used in a preventative fashion. Alternative fungicide include biological such as Bacillus pumilus (Serenade) or natural products containing potassium bicarbonate (Bonide Remedy) are best used as preventative to manage early blight. Please refer to product label for proper rates and usage.

For factsheet on early blight of tomatoes and other vegetable diseases, please visit the plantclinic website (http://plantclinic.tamu.edu click on FACTSHEETS).


Both the low-spreading Chihuahuan Desert pink fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla) and the upright Baja fairy duster (C. californica) are water-smart garden choices. (Photos by William Scheick)

 The garden reader:
Water-smart gardening

By William Scheick
University of Texas at Austin

Diana Maranhao (editor). Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest. Cool Springs Press, 2010. $19.95.

Last winter, Texas enjoyed some good luck — enough rain to replenish ground water supplies alarmingly depleted by last year’s horrible drought. But if it’s okay to count our blessings today, it would be a mistake to count on them for tomorrow.

Future ruinous droughts are more than a possibility for our state. They are predicted. “Climatologists forecast future droughts of increasing severity,” Andrew Sansom has reported in Water in Texas (University of Texas Press, 2008).

So being water-smart makes aesthetic, environmental and economic sense for Texas gardeners. But does making good sense necessarily mean minimalistic, hardscrabble gardens?

Not in the least, according to Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest, an amply illustrated, well-designed and informative collection of updated recommendations drawn from Mary Irish’s Arizona Gardener’s Guide, Judith Phillips’ New Mexico Gardener’s Guide, Nan Sterman’s California Gardener’s Guide and Joe Lamp’l’s The Green Gardener’s Guide.

Yes, I did notice that the word “Texas” is conspicuously absent from this list. But don’t worry. We’re mentioned as early as the first text page of the book.

Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest, in fact, includes many selections capable of performing well in water-conserving Lone Star landscapes. Some of these plants are fairly familiar, such as dwarf fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides), a resilient favorite.

Others are less well known but worth getting to know. That’s the case with the low-spreading pink fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla), a Chihuahuan Desert native. I have seen it and the erect Baja fairy duster (C. californica) available at nurseries in Central Texas.

Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest contains some enticing surprises, too, not the least of which (for me at least) is the New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa).

Considering their native environment, most plants from New Zealand are hardly ideal for hot, droughty Texas. Sedges (Carex) and flax (Phormium) are notable exceptions, but the gorgeous pohutukawa tree?

It’s funny how things can converge.

I couldn’t help but zero in on this entry because I happen to have two potted New Zealand Christmas trees grown from cuttings offered a while ago by a colleague. She has been trying valiantly to raise her imported gifted tree as an in-ground plant.

Assailed by Central Texas summer heat and winter cold, her seven-year-old pohutukawa stayed very small and never bloomed even during the best of times. It’s still alive today, but haplessly died to the ground as a result of last winter’s unusual low temperatures.

Clearly, the New Zealand Christmas tree is a poor bet as a thriving in-ground plant for Texas zone 8. But what about zone 9, especially along the Texas coast?>

“The plant has proven to perform well in the temperate climes of the California coastal areas,” editor Diana Maranhao told me during an e-mail interview. “Ours were planted at the top of a slope to allow for better drainage. They are very slow growing, as is typical of quite a few drought-tolerant species.

“Ours were given weekly deep watering during the cooler months, twice weekly during the hot (sometimes triple digit) summer months for the first year after planting. We cut back the water to once a week throughout the spring and summer to an occasional watering during winters with less than the average nine inches of rainfall (which was most years!) upon establishment (about three years).”

Consider this detail, too. The horticultural requirements of the New Zealand Christmas tree are similar to those for the Australian bottlebrush tree (Callistemon). As residents of the Corpus Christi area can attest, the Australian bottlebrush performs beautifully even as a neglected in-ground coastal plant.

So, I’m intrigued and wonder: Is the pohutukawa tree a candidate for the Texas coast?

Whatever the answer, Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest will likely get you thinking, too, about novel but water-smart gardening possibilities.

 

 Gardening tips

Blackberry plants need to be pruned immediately after you have finished harvesting the berries for the season. Cut to the ground all canes that set fruit because they will never fruit again. New canes will form to produce next year’s crop.

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.
Did You Know...

Dowsing is the art of locating water using a forked twig, brass rod or other object. Some use willow, hazel, apple or beech twigs. Modern day dowsers use brass or steel rods and Henry Gross, one of the more famous dowsers, once located a water source in Bermuda while in his home 800 miles away in Maine. As you may expect, the art of dowsing has been the subject of a great deal of scientific controversy and many folks aren’t convinced that it really works.
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.

Austin: "Gardening for Butterflies & Hummingbirds" will be held at the Demonstration Garden at the AgriLife Extension Office of Travis County, 1600 B Smith Road, Austin, from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m., Friday, May 7. This seminar is appropriate for anyone wanting to incorporate the correct plants into the garden to attract these beauties. Learn plant food sources, host plants and nesting places for the most common butterflies and hummingbirds in Central Texas. This seminar is free and open to the public. For additional information, visit www.tcmastergardeners.org or call the Travis County Master Gardener's help desk at (512) 854-9600.

Denton: The Denton County Master Gardener 2010 Spring Garden Tour and Plant Sale will be held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday, May 8. Tickets $8 in advance; $10 at the gate; $5 single garden. Children under 14 free. For additional information, including locations of the gardens, visit www.dcmga.com or call (940) 349-2883.

Rockport: The 10th Annual Hidden Gardens Tour by Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners will be held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday, May 8. Tickets are $10 and are available from the Aransas County Texas AgriLife Extension office, 611 E. Mimosa. In the event of rain, the tour will be rescheduled for May 15. For additional information, call (361) 790-0103.

San Antonio: The San Antonio Antique Rose Emporium and the Comal Master Gardener Association will present their annual Herb Affair at the Antique Rose Emporium, 7561 E. Evans Road, San Antonio, Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Dill, the 2010 Herb of the Year, will be featured. Demonstrations will include the many ways to use herbs throughout the home and garden, including herbs for pest control, cleansers, nature printing and other crafts. For additional information, visit www.antiqueroseemporium.com, http://grovesite.com/mg/comal, or call (210) 651-4565.

Highland Lakes: Join a discussion of “Texas Tough Plants” which are suitable to Central Texas and view examples of Native and Native adapted plants that grow well in Hill Country gardens. This free Green Thumb program is presented by the Highland Lakes Master Gardeners and the Lakeshore Library Speaker Series on Tuesday, May 11 at 2:30 p.m. at the Lakeshore Library located at 7346 Hwy 261, 3.6 miles past the intersection with FM 1431 in Buchanan Dam. Highland Lakes Master Gardener Sheryl Yantis has a beautiful program showing and discussing the plants that are recommended to grow vigorously in the area. Get a preview of some recommended plants at http://yantislakesidegardens.giving.officelive.com/sherylsgarden.aspx.This is a free program but attendees must reserve their seats. Call the library at (325) 379-1174.

Pearland: The Harris County Master Gardener Association will present a program on growing plants from seeds and cuttings Tuesday, May 11, 6:30-9 pm at Bass Pro Shops, Highway 288 at the Sam Houston Tollway, Pearland. This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information visit http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu.

Rocksprings: The Texas AgriLife Extension Service office in Edwards County will conduct a free General Horticulture Workshop from 5-7:25 p.m. May 11 in the Edwards County Annex, 400 West Main, Rocksprings. Two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered in the general and integrated pest management categories for participants completing the workshop. Dr. Noel Troxclair, AgriLife Extension entomologist at Uvalde, will speak on the life cycles of common insect pests found in and around the home and the control methods available for them. Dr. Mark Black, AgriLife Extension plant pathologist at Uvalde, will discuss common lawn and garden plant diseases and their treatment procedures. For more information, call Silvers at (830) 683-4310 or (830) 234-7021.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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
volume 20 (November/December 2000 through September/October 2001),
volume 21 (November/December 2001 through September/October 2002),
volume 22 (November/December 2002 through September/October 2003),
volume 23 (November/December 2003 through September/October 2004),
volume 24 (November/December 2004 through September/October 2005),
volume 25 (November/December 2005 through September/October 2006),
volume 26 (November/December 2006 through September/October 2007),
volume 27 (November/December 2007 through September/October 2008) and
volume 28 (November/December 2008 through September/October 2009)*.

$16.99 per CD includes tax and shipping

Order by calling 1-800-727-9020.

(Discover, MasterCard and Visa accepted.)

*Other volumes will be available soon.
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.)
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.)
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.


Texas Gardener’s Seeds is published weekly. © Suntex Communications, Inc. 2010. All rights reserved. You may forward this publication to your friends and colleagues if it is sent in its entirety. No individual part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher.

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