February 19, 2020
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Natural compound in vegetables helps fight fatty liver disease
By Paul Schattenberg
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
A new study led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists shows how a natural compound found in many well-known and widely consumed vegetables can also be used to fight fatty liver disease.
The study demonstrates how non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, can be controlled by indole, a natural compound found in gut bacteria - and in cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. It also addresses how this natural compound may lead to new treatments or preventive measures for NAFLD.
The study was recently published in Hepatology and can be found on PubMed.gov.
"Based on this research, we believe healthy foods with high capacity for indole production are essential for preventing NAFLD and are beneficial for improving the health of those with it," said Chaodong Wu, M.D., Ph.D., a Texas A&M AgriLife Research Faculty Fellow and principal investigator for the study. "This is another example where altering the diet can help prevent or treat disease and improve the well-being of the individual."
About NAFLD and indole
NAFLD occurs when the liver becomes "marbled" with fat, sometimes due to unhealthy nutrition, such as excessive intake of saturated fats. If not properly addressed, this condition can lead to life-threatening liver disease, including cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Many diverse factors contribute to NAFLD. Fatty liver is seven to 10 times more common in people with obesity than in the general population. In addition, obesity causes inflammation in the body. Driving this inflammation are macrophages, types of white blood cells that normally battle infection. This inflammation exacerbates liver damage in those with liver disease.
Gut bacteria can also have an effect - either positive or negative - on the progression of fatty liver disease. These bacteria produce many different compounds, one of which is indole. This product of the amino acid tryptophan has been identified by clinical nutritionists and nutrition scientists as likely having preventive and therapeutic benefits to people with NAFLD.
The National Cancer Institute also notes the benefits of indole-3-carbinol found in cruciferous vegetables, including their anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting properties.
A comprehensive and multi-level study on fatty liver disease
The present study examined the effect of indole concentrations on people, animal models and individual cells to help determine indole's effect on liver inflammation and its potential benefits to people with NAFLD. It investigated the extent to which indole alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, incorporating previous findings on gut bacteria, intestinal inflammation and liver inflammation. It also incorporated investigation into how indole improves fatty liver in animal models.
For the study, researchers investigated the effects of indole on individuals with fatty livers. As research collaborator Qifu Li, M.D., was also a physician at Chongqing Medical University in China, the team decided he should lead the clinical research using Chinese participants.
In 137 subjects, the research team discovered people with a higher body mass index tended to have lower levels of indole in their blood. Additionally, the indole levels in those who were clinically obese were significantly lower than those who were considered lean. And in those with lower indole levels, there was also a higher amount of fat deposition in the liver.
This result will likely extend to other ethnicities, Li noted, though ethnic background may have some influence on gut bacteria populations and the exact levels of metabolites.
To further determine the impact of indole, the research team used animal models fed a low-fat diet as control and a high-fat diet to simulate the effects of NAFLD.
"The comparisons of animal models fed a low-fat diet and high-fat diet gave us a better understanding of how indole is relevant to NAFLD," said Gianfranco Alpini, M.D., a study collaborator and former distinguished professor of Texas A&M Health Science Center, now the director of the Indiana Center for Liver Research.
Alpini said treatment of NAFLD-mimicking animal models with indole significantly decreased fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver.
The research team also studied how indole affected individual cells.
Shannon Glaser, Ph.D., a professor of Texas A&M Health Science Center, said that in addition to reducing the amount of fat in liver cells, indole also acts on cells in the intestine, which send out molecular signals that dampen inflammation.
"The link between the gut and the liver adds another layer of complexity to studies on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and future studies are very much needed to fully understand the role of indole," Glaser said.
Additional nutrition research needed
"Foods with a high capacity of indole production or medicines that mimic its effects may be new therapies for the treatment of NAFLD," Wu said, adding prevention is another important aspect to consider.
"Preventing NAFLD's development and progression may depend on nutritional approaches to ensure that gut microbes allow indole and other metabolites to function effectively," he said.
"Future research is needed to investigate how certain diets may be able to achieve this." Wu said in future research he hopes to collaborate with food scientists and clinical nutritionists to examine what healthy foods can alter gut microbiota and increase indole production. |
Do soils need a low-salt diet?
American Society of Agronomy
Doctors often tell their patients to reduce their salt intake as part of a healthy lifestyle. When we start looking at food labels, we may find salt in surprising places - like baked goods, drinks and canned foods.
While you may try to keep an eye on your personal salt intake, you have probably never given much thought to how much salt there is in the soil under your feet. As many people are finding salt creeping into their diets, scientists are seeing increased levels of salt in water sources.
"There is a significant increase in salinity in freshwater systems, including water used for irrigation," explains Meredith Steele. Steele is an Assistant Professor of Urban Ecosystems and Watershed Biogeochemistry at Virginia Tech.
Steele thought if there is salt in irrigation water, there might be a buildup of salt in soil. High levels of salt can damage soil microbes and plants. Most research on soil salinity has focused on these situations. Steele wondered if small amounts of salt could change the chemistry or biology of soils.
To determine if salt concentrations would change soil, Steele's team started with soil that had no history of salt exposure. The researchers compared soil watered without salt to soils watered with slight concentrations of one salt. The salts included sodium chloride (table salt), potassium chloride, and calcium chloride. All of these salts are natural in our environment.
The research used salt concentrations common in nature. The salt concentrations in the experiment were 700 times less salty than seawater. In this way, the experiment demonstrated what could happen if soils are flooded by a nearby stream or if farmers irrigate fields using water nearby. The experiment ran for 90 days.
One thing the researchers measured was soil respiration. Soil respiration is the amount of carbon dioxide gas released from the soil. In this case, the carbon dioxide was from the microbes in the soil. Just like us, these microbes are living organisms that are 'exhaling' the carbon dioxide gas.
Steele and colleagues found soils irrigated with saltwater release more carbon dioxide. But, calcium chloride had less effect on the carbon dioxide emissions than the sodium chloride and potassium chloride. The small increase in potassium and sodium resulted in a 20% increase compared to the control, while the calcium chloride treatment only resulted in a 9% increase.
This research shows that farmers may need to monitor for salt in floodwaters, irrigation water, and even fertilizers. Steele says, "This has really not been on our radar, especially in the eastern United States." In the eastern U.S., where there is more rain, there has been less concern about salt building up in the soil.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Understanding this relationship between soils and saltwater is important for scientists studying climate change.
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Gardening tips
Gardeners in the northern third of the state can start planting Cole crops, and gardeners in the southern two-thirds can continue planting these tasty nutritious vegetables this month.
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 copy of
Texas Gardene
r's 2020 Planning Guide & Calendar. Please send your tips of 50 words or less to the editor at:
Garde
ning Tips.
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Upcoming garden events
If you would like your organization's events included in "Upcoming Garden Events" or would like to make a change to a listed event, please contact us at Garden Events. To ensure inclusion in this column, please provide complete details at least three weeks prior to the event.
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FEBRUARY
Tyler: Smith County Master Gardeners at the Library. Master Gardener Debby Watkins will present, "Protecting the World One Garden at a Time"--What is YOUR Role and What Can YOU Do?, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. February 21, at Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College, Tyler. Free and open to the public. Free parking garage. Call (903) 590-2980 for more information.
Huntsville: Henry Flowers of Brenham will headline the slate of speakers for the 2020 Spring Expo presented by the Walker County Master Gardeners. Flowers, known for his 16 years as Director of Gardens for the Round Top Festival Institute (Festival Hill) in Round Top and previously with the Antique Rose Emporium, will be featured at noon on Saturday, February 22. Flowers is a native Texan, a graduate of Texas A & M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture and a Master of Agriculture degree in Floriculture. He is a member of the Herb Society of America Pioneer Unit, and has been a featured speaker at herbal forums, nursery workshops, and educational events across the state and U.S. Bill Runyon, Texas CoCoRaHS State Coordinator, will take the spotlight on Sunday, February 23 at 1:00 p.m. CoCoRaHS is an acronym for Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network, and is now 21 years old. Otis Cunningham, Planning and Resource Utilization Group, MSOC Maintenance Team of NASA, will be another featured speaker. Cunningham is noted for his presentations on Moon Gardening. The 2020 Spring Garden Expo will take place at the Walker County Fairgrounds, 3925 SH 30, Huntsville, TX 77340. The two-day event will be held Saturday, February 22, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 23, 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Vendors, Children's Area, Ask A Master Gardener and other speaker programs will run each day. For more information, email
walkercomg@gmail.com
or call (936) 435-2426.
Kaufman: Join the Kaufman County Master Gardeners for an afternoon of education and enrichment highlighted by by Jacob Eickstead with the Texas Department of Transportation talking about Texas wildflower seed distribution and the screening of the award-winning documentary "Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf." The program will be held at the First Baptist Church, 2000 West Fair Street, Kaufman, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. February 22, and the cost will be $40.00 per person, which includes your lunch. More information to follow on our Facebook page.
Bryan:
Brazos County Master Gardeners present Community Education Event - "When Good Gardeners Go Bad" at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 25, at Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest, Bryan. Gardens do not take care of themselves. Poor soil, pests, disease, fungus, and inclement weather can ruin plants and a gardener's zeal. Judy Barrett-a veteran author and pioneer organic-offers safe, practical, and inexpensive advice for handling common garden problems and challenges. Plants thrive and fail for many reasons, but if you improve the soil, choose the right plants, plant them at the right time, and encourage them along the way, you will have far fewer failures and be able to take the credit when they flourish. This event is open to the public at no charge.
Austin: Master Gardener Reeve Hobbie will present "If Plants Could Talk," 7:00-9:00 p.m.,
February 27 at the ZBG Auditorium, Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin.
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MARCH
La Marque: "A Homeowner's Guide to Weed Control": with Galveston County Master Gardener John Jons presenting, 6:30-8 p.m., March 3, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension
Bldg.
in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
Austin: Annual Plant Sale/Benefit for Sunshine Community Gardens, 4814 Sunshine Drive Austin, 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., March 7. Available will be organically grown tomatoes (120 varieties), peppers (80 varieties), eggplants tomatillos, herbs, natives and ornamentals for the yard and garden, and compost to help them all be healthy and happy. For more information and plant lists, please visit sunshinecommunitygardens.org.
Austin: The Travis County Master Gardeners Association will kick-off its 2020 gardening seminar series March 7, 10 a.m. to noon in the Austin Area Garden Center at the Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin. Travis County Master Gardeners Sheryl Williams and Kirk Walden will provide strategies for gardening in Central Texas' challenging conditions.You'll learn how to cope with weather patterns and how to work with the soil and gardening site you have. Additional topics will include hydrozones, which are garden areas that have specific moisture requirements because of the plantings or natural factors, irrigation best practices and suggestions for a maintenance calendar. A short walking tour of Zilker Botanical Garden to discuss its geology and water will be available for interested participants. No registration is required. Attendance to the seminar is free. A Zilker Botanical Garden admission fee is required. Fee are Adults - Austin Resident $6.00, Non Austin Resident $8.00;Seniors (62+) - Austin Resident $5.00, Non Austin Resident $7.00; Youths (3-17) - Austin Resident $3.00, Non Austin Resident $4.00) Cash, Credit card or check accepted. Parking in the main lot is limited.
Additional parking available on
Stratford Dr
.
For additional information call Travis County Master Gardeners Association at (512) 854-9600.
Hempstead: The Waller County Master Gardeners' Vegetable & Herb sale will be held 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., March 7, at the Waller County Extension Office, 846 6th St., Hempstead. Guest speakers: Mary Karish will speak about vegetables and Henry Flowers will speak about herbs. For additional information, call (979) 826-7651.
La Marque: "Herbs for the Gulf Coast": with Galveston County Master Gardener Briana Etie presenting, 9-10:30 a.m., March 7, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension
Bldg.
in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
La Marque: "Kitchen Gardening": with Galveston County Master Gardener Mary Demeny presenting, 1-3 p.m., March 7, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension
Bldg.
in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
Rosenberg: The Fort Bend County Master Gardeners will hold their annual spring Vegetable-Herb Plant Sale on Saturday, March 7, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. (or until sold out). The sale will be held inside the Bud O'Shieles Community Center, 1330 Band Rd., Rosenberg. The varieties of vegetable and herb plants selected are recommended for Fort Bend County by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and are reliable producers for the area. All plants available at the spring sale have been grown in the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners' greenhouse. Vegetables offered at the sale include 16 varieties of tomatoes, eight varieties of hot peppers, five varieties of sweet peppers, four varieties of eggplant, along with a single variety each of Moringa, tomatillo and Swiss chard. Also offered will be 16 varieties of herbs Visit https://fbmg.org/events/annual-sales/vegetable-herb-sale/for additional information, a complete list of plants and directions to the sale. For more information about this event and other Fort Bend County Master Gardeners programs, visit www.fbmg.org or call (281) 341-7068.
Victoria: Victoria County Master Gardener Association "Lunch and Learn With the Masters" will hold a program on the "Benefits of Backyard Gardening" Monday, March 9, at the Pattie Dodson Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., Victoria. The event will be from noon until 1 p.m. with vegetable specialist Gerald Bludau speaking. The event is free, and those attending may bring a sack lunch and beverage.
Conroe
: Saturday, March 14. Educational Classes. Session 1: Must Do, Should Do and Don't Do in Your Garden. 8:00 until 10:00 a.m. Session 2: Attracting Bees, Butterflies and Other Pollinators to Your Garden. 10:30 til 12:30. $5 per session or $8 for both. Learn what you need to know about having great gardens in Montgomery County. Montgomery County Master Gardeners, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. For more information, call (936) 539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com.
Jacksonville:
The Cherokee County Master Gardeners will host their 2020 Spring Conference, featuring learning sessions on Choosing Your Fruit Trees, Companion Planting and more. Enjoy door prizes and treats while visiting with the many onsite vendors. Saturday,
March 14, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
at the First United Methodist Church, 1031 TX-456 Loop, Jacksonville. Registration 12-1 p.m., $15.00 per person.
For more information, contact Kim Benton at
kim.benton@ag.tamu.edu
.
La Marque: "Tomato Stress Management, Growing Great Tomatoes, Part 3 of 3": with Galveston County Master Gardener Ira Gervais presenting, 9-11 a.m. March 14, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension
Bldg.
in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
La Marque: "Bonsai (hands-on workshop)": with Galveston County Master Gardener Clyde Holt presenting, 1-4 p.m., March 14, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension
Bldg.
in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. $25 fee will be charged for material the participant may keep; to be paid at event; limited to 10 persons. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. You must pre-register.
McKinney: The CCMGA 2020 Garden Show, presented by the Collin County Master Gardeners Association, will take place March 14 & 15 at Myers Park & Event Center in McKinney. Browse through booths of more than 60 garden and gift vendors, attend expert lectures on a variety of topics, including "Growing Tomatoes in North Texas," "Earth-Kind Gardening," "Container Gardens" and "Terrariums." Children will enjoy the Peter Rabbit skit and a passport activity. Sharp tools make every gardening job easier! An expert tool sharpener will be onsite, so bring your favorites to get them ready for the season. Demonstrations and presentations will run throughout the show. The Garden Show is an indoor event, so come rain or shine! Hours are 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday, March 14, and 11: a.m.-5:00 p.m. Sunday, March 15. Entry on both days is a donation of $2 per person. Parking is free! Bringing your own cart or wagon is encouraged. Visit
www.ccmgatx.org/TheGardenShowÂ
for up-to-date information.
Nolanville: "Planting Tomatoes and Peppers" will be presented at 2:30 p.m., March 14, at Grizzly's Hidden Hills Nursery & Landscaping,1101 W. Hwy 190, Nolanville. For additional information, email ybgi2018@gmail.com.
La Marque: "Louisiana Irises": with Galveston County Master Gardener Monica Martens presenting, 9-11 a.m., March 21, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
La Marque: "Aquaponics": with Galveston County Master Gardeners Gene Speller and Briana Etie presenting, includes tour of aquaponics unit, 1-3 p.m., March 21, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
Conroe
: Saturday, March 28, Spring Plant Sale. Free Presentation 8:00 a.m., sale 9:00 a.m. unti noon. Get your Spring "yardening" needs! Don't forget your wagon. On sale are varieties that will do well in Montgomery County! Montgomery County Master Gardeners, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. For more information, call (936) 539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com.
La Marque: "Greenhouse Selection and Management": with Galveston County Master Gardener and Greenhouse Specialist Briana Etie presenting, 9-10:30 a.m., March 28, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
La Marque: "Rainwater Harvesting": with Galveston County Master Gardener and Certified Rainwater Harvesting Specialist Nat Gruesen, 1-3 p.m., March 28, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Bldg. in Carbide Park, 4102-B Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com
; for additional details visit
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html
. Free, but you must pre-register.
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APRIL
Conroe
: Saturday, April 11. Educational Classes. Session 1: Soil Issues in Your Garden. 8:00 til 10:00 a.m. Session 2: Best Herb Selections for Montgomery County. 10:30 until 12:30. $5 per session or $8 for both. Learn what you need to know about having healthy soil and fresh herbs in Montgomery County. Montgomery County Master Gardeners, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. For more information, call (936) 539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com.
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Weekly Meetings
Galveston: The Young Gardeners Program is a school garden and healthy eating program operating on Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula. Every Saturday, 9-11 a.m., they host a garden Community Day at one of the schools. It's an opportunity for community members to work and play in the garden and it's kid-friendly. First Saturday - Crenshaw, 416 State Hwy 87, Crystal Beach; Second Saturday - Rosenberg Elementary, 721 10th St., Galveston; Third Saturday - Morgan Elementary, 1410 37th St., Galveston; Fourth Saturday - Oppe Elementary, 2915 81st St., Galveston.
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Monthly meetings
If you would like your organization's events included in "Monthly Meetings" or would like to make a change to a listed meeting, please contact us at Monthly Meetings. To ensure inclusion in this column, please provide complete details.
FIRST WEEK
Jasper:
The Jasper County Master Gardeners meet on the first Monday of each month at St. Michael's Catholic Church from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The evening begins with pot luck social and then guest presentations and/or educational class to conclude. Visit https://jasper.agrilife.org/jasper-master-gardeners/ to verify meeting date for any given month, as circumstances could require a change, and to find information on the speaker and topic scheduled for each meeting; Visit
https://mastergardener.tamu.edu/become/ to become a member.
Kaufman:
The Kaufman County Master Gardeners meet the first Monday of each month at the First Community Church at 1401 Trinity Drive in Crandall. January through April and August and September meetings are at 9 a.m., with the remaining meetings beginning at 7 p.m. For additional information, visit http://www.kcmga.org, call 972-932-9069 or email to sbburden@ag.tamu.edu.
Houston: The Harris County Master Gardeners meet at noon the
first Tuesday of each month at a location in Houston to be determined. For additional information, visit
http://hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/ or call 713-274-0950.
Schulenberg: Schulenburg Garden Club meets the first Tuesday of the month, at 11:30 a.m., September-May, at the Schulenburg First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 110 Upton Ave., Schulenburg.
Dallas:
Garden Masters, Inc., meet the first Wednesday of each month, Sept.- May, at North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd., Dallas, 75230. The club hosts different speakers each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Come early and order lunch from the The Cafe, which features a healthy menu, fresh local produce and sustainably produced meats and fish (or call in advance to order
972-338-2233)
. For more information about Garden Masters Inc, email Marcia Borders at
borderlineart1@gmail.com
.
Kerrville: Hill Country Master Gardeners meet the
first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm at Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Hwy 27. For more information visit
www.hillcountrymastergardeners.org.
Midland: The Permian Basin Master Gardeners (Ector/Midland counties) have monthly meetings at noon on the
first Wednesday of each month at the West Texas Food Bank, 1601 Westcliff Drive in Midland. For more information call 432-498-4071 or 432-686-4700.
Navasota: The Navasota Garden Club meets on the
first Wednesday of each month (September through May) at 10:00 a.m., usually at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, 300 Church Street, Navasota. If not meeting at the church, a change of meeting notice will be placed on the door at the North entrance. Guests are welcome. Members are from Grimes County and surrounding counties.
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.
Atlanta: The Cass County Master Gardeners meet the
first Thursday of each month at the Atlanta Memorial Hospital Conference Room, State Highway 77 @ S. Williams St., Atlanta. A business meeting is followed by an educational program. The public is welcome to attend. For additional information, call 903-756-5391 or visit
http://cass.agrilife.org.
Fort Worth:
The Native Plant Society of Texas - North Central Chapter meets the first Thursday of each month, excluding January and July, at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth. Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., program begins at 7:00 p.m. Guest speakers present educational programs on topics of interest. Members, friends, family, guests and the public are welcome. For a list of speakers and topics or more information, visit http://www.txnativeplants.org.
Hempstead: The Waller County Master Gardeners usually meet at 9 a.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Waller County AgriLife Extension Office, 846 6th St., Hempstead. For more information on the meeting schedule, visit http://txmg.org/wallermg or call 979-826-7651.
Gonzalas: Gonzales Master Gardeners hold their monthly meeting at noon on the
first Thursday of each month at 623 Fair Street, Gonzales. Bring a bag lunch, drinks provided. Contact AgriLife Extension Office at 830-672-8531 or visit
http://gonzalesmastergardeners.org
for more information.
New Braunfels: The Comal Garden Club meets the
first Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Southbank Clubhouse, 222 Southbank Blvd., New Braunfels.
Hempstead:
The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, hosts a special Insider's Tour at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month. Spaces are limited so pre-registration is encouraged. $15, free for members. For more information, visit http://peckerwoodgarden.org/product/peckerwood-insiders-tours/.
SECOND WEEK
Austin: Austin Organic Gardeners Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the
second Monday of each month (except December) at the Austin Area Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; club business begins at 7:00 p.m., followed by a presentation. For more information, visit
www.austinorganicgardeners.org.
Jacksonville: The Cherokee County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at The First Methodist Church, 1031 TX-456 Loop, Jacksonville. For additional information, contact Kim Benton at
kim.benton@ag.tamu.edu.
Cedar Park/Leander/Liberty Hill: The Hill Country Bloomers meet the
second Tuesday of each month (except December) at 7 p.m. at the Cedar Park Recreation Center, 1435 Main Street, Cedar Park. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. to socialize and swap plants and seeds. Meetings feature guest speakers on a variety of topics for the home gardener or landscaper. They host a plant sale in the spring and a garden tour in the late summer/early fall. Throughout the year they contribute time and expertise to local projects. Those with any level of experience are welcome. Non-members are invited to their first meeting at no cost. Membership and speaker info is available at
www.hillcountrybloomers.com.
Glen Rose: The Glen Rose Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. on the
second Tuesday of each month (September through May) at the Somervell County Community Center in Glen Rose. For additional information, email
stringer030@yahoo.com.
Glen Rose: The Prairie Rose Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets at 6 p.m. on the
second Monday of each month at the Somerville County Citizen Center, 209 SW Barnard St., Glen Rose. For additional information, email
prairierose.npsot@gmail.com.
Harrison County: The Harrison County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Tuesday of each month in the Harrison County Annex building, 102 W Houston St. (south side of the square), Marshall. Meetings are held in the 2nd floor AgriLife Extension meeting room. For more information, call 903-935-8413, or email
wannagrow2@gmail.com.
Marion: The Guadalupe County (Schertz/Seguin) Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the
second Tuesday of each month except July, August and December at St. John's Lutheran Church in Marion. Directions to St. John's Lutheran Church: From FM 78 turn south onto FM 465 and the church is just past the Marion School on the right. From IH-10 go north on FM 465 towards Marion. The Church will be on the left, just before you get to town. A plant exchange and meet-and-greet begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the program at 7 p.m. Visitors are welcome. For more information or an application to join NPSOT visit
www.npsot.org/GuadalupeCounty/
or contact
guadalupecounty@npsot.org.
Quitman: The Quitman Garden Club meets at 2 p.m. the
second Tuesday of each month at the Quitman Library on E Goode Street, Quitman. It is a diverse group that welcomes all visitors. For more information, e-mail
quitmangardenclub@gmail.com.
Denton:
The Denton County Master Gardener Association meets from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. the
second Wednesday of each month
. Meetings are open to the public. For complete details, visit
http://dcmga.com/.
Humble: The Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble, hosts a Lunch Bunch the
second Wednesday of each month from noon until 2 p.m. Take a sack lunch or order a box lunch from Starbucks when you call 281-443-8731 to reserve your spot. Master Gardeners and Masters Naturalists may earn CEU credits by attending.
Jacksboro: The Jacksboro Garden Club meets at 9:30 a.m. the
second Wednesday of each month (except June, July and August) at the Concerned Citizens Center, 400 East Pine Street, Jacksboro. For more information, call Melinda at 940-567-6218.
Longview:
The Gregg County Master Gardeners Association's Learn at Lunch program meet the second Wednesday of each month. The business meeting begins at 11:30 a.m., with the program at noon, at the AgriLife Extension Office, 405 E. Marshall Ave., Longview. The program is presented for horticultural education and is free to the public. For further information call 903-236-8429, visit www.txmg.org/gregg, or like us on Facebook at Gregg County Master Gardeners.
Rockport: The Rockport Herb & Rose Study Group, founded in March 2003, meets the
second
Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at 619 N. Live Oak Street, Room 14, Rockport, to discuss all aspects of using and growing herbs, including historical uses and tips for successful propagation and cultivation. 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.or
g and
http://rockportherbies.blogspot.com.
Woodway: The McLennan County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Wednesday each month at noon at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, 9001 Bosque Blvd., Woodway. Educational programs follow the business session. For more information, call 254-757-5180.
Beaumont: The Jefferson County Master Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. (social) 7:00 (meeting) the
second Thursday of each month except in July in the AgriLife Extension auditorium, 1225 Pearl 2nd floor (downtown Beaumont next to the Court House). For more information contact: 409-835-8461 or
txmg.org/jcmg.
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 Kathy Henderson at kshend@verizon.net or visit
http://www.npsot.org/wp/wilco.
Orange: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association holds their monthly meeting on the
second Thursday of each month. A short program is presented. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the new Orange County Expo Center on Hwy 1442 in Orangefield. Enter the building in the front entrance, first door on the right, Texas AgriLife offices. Pot luck supper at 6 p.m. Visit
http://txmg.org/orange
for more information.
Pasadena
: The Harris County Precinct 2 Master Gardeners hold an educational program at 10 a.m. on the
second Thursday of each month
at The Genoa Friendship Garden Educational Building at 1202 Genoa Red Bluff, Pasadena. The programs are free and open to the public. For more information,
visit http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu
.
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.
San Marcos: The Spring Lake Garden Club meets the second Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m., September-May, at McCoy's Building Supply Headquarters, 1350 IH-35, San Marcos. Contact Terri Boyd (512) 395-66644 x6134.
Smithville: The Smithville Community Gardens meets at 5:30 p.m. the
second Thursday of each month at the Smithville Recreation Center.
Angleton: The Brazoria County Master Gardeners meet at 11 a.m. on the
second Friday of each month at the Brazoria County Extension Office, 21017 County Road 171, Angleton. There is a general business meeting followed by a brief educational program each month. For further information call 979-864-1558, ext.110.
College Station: The A&M Garden Club meets on the
second Friday of each month during the school year at 9:30 a.m. in the training room of the College Station Waste Water Facility building at the end of North Forest Parkway, College Station. Expert speakers, plant sharing, and federated club projects help members learn about gardening in the Brazos Valley, floral design, conservation, and more. For more information, visit
http://www.amgardenclub.com/.
Houston: The Spring Branch African Violet Club meets the
second Saturday of each month, January through November, at 10:00 a.m. at the Copperfield Baptist Church, 8350 Highway 6 North, Houston. Call Karla at 281-748-8417 prior to attending to confirm meeting date and time.
Kilgore: Northeast Texas Organic Gardeners meets at 1:30 p.m. on the
second Saturday of each month. For more information, call Carole Ramke at 903-986-9475.
Killeen: Youth Backyard Gardening Initiative holds community engagement meetings the
second Saturday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at Monarch Academy, 4205 Old Florence Road, Killeen. To learn more, visit
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ybkydgarden/.
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.
THIRD WEEK
Arlington: The Arlington Men's Garden Club meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the
third Monday 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.
Cleburne:
The Johnson County Master Gardener's meet on the third Monday of each month at McGregor House, 1628 W Henderson, Cleburne. Meeting times are at 2 p.m. October through April, except December and at 6 p.m. May through September. An educational program precedes the business meeting. For additional information, contact Elaine Bell at 817-309-8052.
New Braunfels: The Comal Master Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. the
third Monday of each month (except April and December,) at the
GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels. An educational program precedes the business meeting. The public is invited to attend. For additional information, call 830-620-3440 or visit
http://txmg.org/comal/.
Texarkana: The Four Corners Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas meets at 7 p.m. on the
third Monday of each month at the Southwest Center, 3222 W. 7th St. (U.S. 67), Texarkana. Visitors are welcome. For additional information, contact Belinda McCoy at 903-424-7724 or
blackmtngardens@yahoo.com.
Abilene: The Master Gardeners meet the
third Tuesday of each month at the Taylor County Extension Office, 1982 Lytle Way, Abilene. For more information, contact Big Country Master Gardeners Association at
mgardeners@yahoo.com.
Corpus Christi: The Nueces Master Gardeners meet at noon the
third Tuesday of each month, except December, at Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Dr., Corpus Christi. An educational program precedes the business meeting. For further information call 361 767-5217.
Evant: The Evant Garden Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m., usually at the bank in downtown Evant. To confirm the date, time and place of each month's meeting, call 254-471-5860.
New Braunfels:
The Lindheimer Chapter (Comal County) of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the third Tuesday of each month at
6:30 pm
at the GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels. Meetings include an informative speaker
and a Plant of the Month presentation. Meetings are free and
visitors are welcome. For more information,visit www.npsot.org/w/lindheimer.
Note
: there will be no meeting in June or December.
Rockport: Monthly meetings of the Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners are held at 10 a.m. on the
third Tuesday of each month at Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Aransas County Office, 892 Airport Rd., Rockport. For additional information, e-mail
aransas-tx@tamu.edu or call 361-790-0103.
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 Knights of Columbus Hall, 702 Burney Road, 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.somervellmastergardeners.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/.
Brownwood: Brownwood Garden Club meets the
third Thursday of each month, 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. The club meetings are at Southside Baptist Church, 1219 Indian Creek Road, with refreshments and a speaker presentation. Visitors are welcome. For more information, email
boeblingen@centex.net or call 817-454-8175.
Hallettsville: The Hallettsville Garden Club meets at 2 p.m. on the
third Thursday of each month from September through May, at the Hallettsville Garden and Cultural Center, 605 E 2nd St, Hallettsville. Each month, the club hosts speakers that provide informative programs on a wide range of gardening subjects, and refreshments are provided by member hostesses after the business meeting. Visitors are welcome. Please email Sharon Harrigan at
sharonspetals@gmail.com for more information.
Houston:
The Native Plant Society of Texas - Houston Chapter meets at 6:45 pm on the third Thursday of each month at the American Red Cross Building, 2700 Southwest Fwy. For more information about meeting presentations and native plants, visit http://npsot.org/houston.
San Antonio: The Bexar County Master Gardeners (BCMG) meet on the
third Thursday of each month at the Texas AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge Dr., Suite 208, San Antonio. During the months of Jan., March, May, July, Sep. and Nov., an evening meeting with presentation is held 6:00-8:00 p.m. During the intervening months (Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct.), afternoon educational seminars/general meetings are held from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Check
http://www.bexarmg.org/ to verify meeting date for any given month, as circumstances could require a change, and to find information on the speaker and topic scheduled for each meeting.
Seguin: The Guadalupe County Master Gardeners meets at 6:30 p.m. the
third Thursday of each month, at the AgriLife Building, 210 East Live Oak, Seguin. After a brief social hour, the meeting and guest speaker begins at 7 p.m. The meeting is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 830-303-3889 or visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org.
Fort Worth: The Greater Fort Worth Herb Society meetings are held the
third Saturday of each month at Texas Garden Club Inc, 3111 Old Garden Club Rd., Fort Worth (located next to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden), 10:00 a.m. to noon, September through June. For more information, email
herbalhen@yahoo.com.
FOURTH WEEK
New Braunfels: The New Braunfels Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the
fourth Monday of each month except July and December. Meetings are held at the Westside Community Center, 2932 S. I-35 Frontage Road, New Braunfels. Meetings start at 6:15 p.m. with a meet and greet time, followed by a short business meeting. Programs begin around 7:00. Native plant and seed exchanges are held monthly. Expert speakers present educational programs on topics of interest. Meetings are free and open to the public. For more information or to join, visit
www.npsot.org.
Brackenridge Park: The Native Plant Society San Antonio Chapter meets every
fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 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.
Bryan: The Brazos County Master Gardeners, a program of Texas AgriLife Extension, meet the
fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. There is a public gardening program at each meeting and pertinent information may be found at
brazosmg.com or 979-823-0129.
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.
Linden: The Caddo Wildflower Chapter of Native Plants Society meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month at the senior citizens building at 507 S Kaufman St. in Linden at 6:30. Visitors are welcome. For additional information, contact Karen Tromza at
khtromza@yahoo.com.
San Antonio: The Native Plant Society of Texas San Antonio Chapter meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month, except August and December, at the Lions Field Adult & Senior Center, 2809 Broadway, San Antonio. Social and plant/seed exchange at 6:30 p.m., program at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit
www.npsot.org/sanantonio or email
npsot.sanantonio@gmail.com.
Houston: The Houston Native Prairie Association meets at 7 p.m. on the
fourth Wednesday of each month (except November and December) at the Houston Red Cross Building, 2700 Southwest Freeway, Houston. Refreshments served at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact
hnpat@prairies.org.
Austin: The Garden Club of Austin meets at Zilker Botanical Gardens auditorium, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, at 7:00 p.m. on the
fourth Thursday of each month. 7:00-7:30 p.m. Refreshments and Social, followed by a presentation at 7:30 p.m. Free. For additional information, visit
http://thegardenclubofaustin.org/.
Leander:
The Leander Garden Club meets on the fourth Thursday of each month (except June, July and August) at 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Room of the Leander Presbyterian Church, 101 N. West St., Leander, unless there is a special event planned. Following a program and short business meeting, there is a pot-luck luncheon. To confirm the meeting place and time, please call President Kathleen Tully at 512-422-8580 or email LeanderGardenClub@gmail.com .
Dallas: The Dallas County Master Gardeners meet the
fourth Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. For location and program information, visit
h
ttp://www.dallascountymastergardeners.org/ or contact The Helpdesk, M-F, 8 to 4:30 214-904-3053.
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.
Hempstead:
The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, hosts a garden Open Days from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. Drop-in tours are permitted but pre-registration is encouraged. Docent led tours are $10 for guests, free for members. For more information, http://peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
Dallas: The Greater Dallas Organic Garden Club meets at 2:30 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month (except November and December) at North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Road, Dallas. For more information, visit www.gdogc.org.
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