February 7, 2018
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All the buzz: Bigger honeybee colonies have quieter combs
Cornell University
When honeybee colonies get larger, common sense suggests it would be noisier with more bees buzzing around.
But a study recently published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology reports that bigger honeybee colonies actually have quieter combs than smaller ones.
"The surprising result was that - and at first I thought something must be wrong - when there are more bees on the comb, the vibrations are actually reduced," said Michael Smith, a doctoral student in neurobiology and behavior and the paper's lead author. Po-Cheng Chen, a former doctoral student in the field of electrical and computer engineering, is a co-author of the paper.
The researchers found the bees actively damp vibrations in the comb, possibly by the way they grasp the combs, though more study is needed to verify the mechanism.
The finding is important because bees communicate with substrate vibrations in the comb. Bees perform a waggle dance to communicate to other bees the exact location of a patch of flowers; the dance vibrates the comb to spread the message to other bees. Even queen bees transmit vibrational signals to communicate with other queens. But in order to convey these messages, or any message, one must eliminate noise.
The study underlines the universal need to separate signals from noise in all biological systems - from unicellular organisms sensing their environment to human bodies trying to sense hormone concentrations, Smith said.
Smith searched for someone who had the expertise to measure the comb vibrations, and was directed to Chen, who built computer chips that contain an accelerometer for measuring vibrations in three dimensions.
"The chip takes 800 samples in one-eighth of a second and does that for as long as you need," said Smith. They attached these chips to the outside of honeycombs in the lab.
Smith and Chen varied the number of bees on the combs by taking measurements with half a colony and then with an entire colony. In another experiment, they took measurements of an active colony at different times of the day, since their numbers fluctuate as bees move in and out. Smith counted the bees on the combs with each measurement.
The researchers suspect that the secret to how the bees damp the vibrations could be in their posture, where individual bees straddle many comb cells at once and act as "little staples" by connecting different cells together, Smith said. Another hypothesis is that, like sailors on a teetering boat, bees lean into and compensate for the vibrations, in a manner that has a stabilizing effect.
Smith and Chen also tested whether the mass or sheer weight of bees was damping the comb vibrations, the way a piece of paper with paper clips might wiggle less than a plain sheet. Smith added dead bees into comb cells, and Chen took accelerometer measurements with 400, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,200, 1,400 and 1,600 dead bees on the comb.
The additional bees "had absolutely no effect whatsoever on the comb vibrations, which showed us that the bees are actually doing something to damp these vibrations," Smith said.
The results demonstrate how living systems, including superorganisms such as honeybee colonies, can overcome physical obstacles with curiously simple and elegant solutions, Smith said.
The study was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Garden Club of America.
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Home composters have a choice of methods, ease
The Soil Science Society of America
Composting is a great way to reduce waste sent to landfills while benefiting garden soil. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) January 15 Soils Matter blog post explains the difference between traditional composting and vermicomposting - and how even apartment-dwellers can take part!
Traditional composting (thermophilic) uses naturally-occurring heat to break down vegetable waste, paper products, and yard waste. But it also requires contact with the ground and its microbes, and a generous allowance of space and time.
Vermicomposting, however, is quicker and can be done on a smaller scale. Worms, such as red wigglers, process the waste into nutrient-dense worm casts for the soil. A quick DIY build with plastic bins makes this possible for more people.
"One of the main benefits of vermicompost is that there is no amount of waste too small to get started," explains Caitlin Hodges, Pennsylvania State University. "This makes vermicomposting especially attractive to apartment-dwellers who may not produce quite as much compostable waste as those with yards. Additionally, vermicomposting is much faster than thermophilic composting in producing a soil-ready amendment (about a month versus 2-6 months)."
Hodges, herself an apartment-dweller, uses a small vermicompost system. "Whichever method you chose, both thermophilic compost and vermicompost are great ways to reduce your waste output and create a great soil-improving amendment."
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Gardening tips
In light our very dry winter, don't forget to water newly established trees and shrubs. Even though it is cold outside, they will continue to develop roots, which will help them prosper going into spring. Give them a good soaking every couple of weeks (unless it rains). It is not necessary to water dormant turf grass and mature trees during the winter, but be ready to provide supplemental irrigation when spring arrives, particularly if this drought continues.
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 2018 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
Georgetown: The Native Plant Society of Texas, Williamson County Chapter, will meet on Thursday, February 8, at 7 p.m. Meeting is upstairs at the Georgetown Library, 402 E. 8th St., Georgetown. The presentation will be "The Useful Wild Plants of Texas."
Houston: Monica Singhania, Regional Urban Forester with Texas A&M Forest Service, Harris County presents "Good Tree Planting Techniques And Pruning Young Trees", 10:00-11:30 a.m., Thursday, February 8, at Genoa Friendship Gardens Educational Center Building, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Road., Houston.
Houston: "Better Pruning for Better Blooming"
is the topic of the Houston Rose Society meeting, Thursday, February 8, 7:00 p.m. at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavillon, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston. The parking lot is Lot C located at Hermann Drive and Crawford Street. Expert consulting rosarians with the Houston Rose Society will demonstrate pruning techniques on actual bushes of all types of roses. Tables will be placed so all can get a close-up view of the demonstration. Questions are encouraged. Added bonus: all pruned bushes will be given away as door prizes; obtain a free raffle ticket upon arrival to be eligible. Arrive at 7:00 p.m. for social time and refreshments, pruning will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Free admission. For more information, visit
http://www.houstonrose.org.
Nacogdoches: Cindy McClimans, landscaper, will lead "Creating Unique Landscapes," from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., February 8, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, 2900 Raguet St., Nacogdoches. For reservations, contact (936) 468-1832 or sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
San Antonio: Andrew Labay, horticulturist with the San Antonio Botanical Garden and former Viticulture Program Specialist at Texas A&M, will do a brief overview of the Texas Wine Industry and Texas grape growing (with a backyard grower focus), then discuss the work that he is doing in the Culinary Garden at the Botanical Garden. He holds a B.S. in biology from UT Austin and an M.S. in Functional Plant Science from the University of Montpellier II. The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
February 8, at the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels, San Antonio. The event is free and open to the public.
Tyler:
Master Gardeners at the Library, February 9, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. "Texas Tough! The History of the Texas Superstar Plant Program" with Texas Gardener Contributing Editor and Smith County Horticulture Agent Greg Grant. Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College, Tyler. Free and open to the public. For additional information visit
www.txmg.org/smith
or call 903-590-2980.
Angleton: Brazoria County Master Gardeners present their 12th Annual Citrus & Fruit Tree Sale, 8:00 a.m.-noon, February 10, at the Brazoria County Fair Grounds, 901 South Downing, Angleton. More than 1,000 plants will be available for purchase. For more information, including a list of plants offered, visit http://txmg.org/brazoria.
Conroe
: Saturday, February 10. Educational Classes. Session 1: Lawn Types and Caring for Lawns in Montgomery County. 8:00 until 10:00 a.m. Session 2: Identifying (and Solutions for) Lawn Problems. 10:30 until 12:30. $5 per session or $8 for both. Learn what you need to know about having healthy lawns in Montgomery County. Montgomery County Master Gardeners, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. For more info, visit www.mcmga.com or call 936-539-7824.
Dallas: Dr. Peter Scnaar presents "Keep it Rosy!" 10:00 a.m.-noon,
February 10, at Texas Discovery Gardens and Fair Park, 3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas. Scnaar slashes through rose myths and teaches proper pruning and care of roses. Take home a rose plant! $25, $20/members. For additional information visit
TexasDiscoveryGardens.org.
Austin: Nick Ulrich from Barton Springs Nursery will lead a hands-on demonstration of plant propagation from cuttings at 7:00 p.m., Monday, February 12. The Austin Organic Gardeners' Club meets at the Austin Area Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Rd, in Zilker Botanical Gardens the 2nd Monday of each month except December. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the opportunity to meet, mingle, and ask questions with experienced local gardeners. Club business begins at 7 p.m., followed by our guest speaker presentation. For more information, visit www.austinorganicgardeners.org.
San Antonio: Consulting Rosarian Murray Warner and Emilia Collins will provide a hands-on demonstration of proper pruning techniques for different types of roses, at 7:00 p.m., February 12, at the San Antonio Rose Society's meeting. San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels, San Antonio.
Victoria: Victoria County Master Gardener Association will offer a "Lunch and Learn" February 12, from noon until 1 p.m. at the Pattie Dodson Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., Victoria. "What's This?--Volume III" will be presented by Matt Bochat, Victoria County Extension Agent. The event is free to the public. Attendees may bring a sack lunch and beverage.
Orangefield: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association will hold a rose training session on Saturday, February 13, from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at Cormier Park, 8235 FM 1442, Orangefield. Cost is $15 and includes materials and two cuttings of your choice from our rose collection. Additional cuttings may be purchased. To enroll, call 409 882-7010 or visit Orange.agrilife.org and click on the EarthKind Roses Propagation Class.
Dallas: Entomologist John Watts presents "Love is in the Air," 6 p.m.-8 p.m.,
February 14, at Texas Discovery Gardens and Fair Park, 3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas. Scroll through the romantic Butterfly House with a loved one. Enjoy dinner and drinks featuring chocolate covered insects while Entomologist John Watts talks bug love, or insect reproduction. $40/single. $60/couple. $32/single member, $48/member couple. Parents may appreciate Love is in the Air, for Kids. Want to enjoy the special Valentines event and include a fun program for your kids? Drop off your potty-trained child with the Education Team for a mini-camp & dinner while you enjoy your evening! Ages 3-12; $20/child; $17/member child. For additional information visit
TexasDiscoveryGardens.org.
Hitchcock: "Galveston County Master Gardeners Annual Spring Fruit & Citrus Tree, Vegetable, Perennials, Bulbs, and Crafts Sale," huge number of plant varieties adapted to the Texas Gulf Coast growing area offered; Pre-sale seminar, 8-8:50 a.m., Sale 9 a.m.-1 p.m.;
February 17, at
Jack Brooks Park Rodeo Arena,
10 Jack Brooks Rd and Hwy 6, Hitchcock, TX 77563 (Galveston County Fairgrounds). For a complete list of plants included in the Sale, visit
McKinney: The Collin County Master Gardeners Association will host, "Spring into Vegetable Gardening" on February 17, from 8:00 a.m. till noon at the Landing at Myers Park & Event Center in McKinney, Texas. The focus of the program will be basic vegetable gardening in Collin County for beginners and backyard gardeners. Vegetable garden experts will discuss the specifics of planning, designing, and planting a garden, the best plant varieties and the planting calendar for Collin County gardens. Attendees will learn about the importance of soil and soil preparation, how to grow vegetables in raised beds, containers and small spaces, plus learn "Everything You Want to Know About Tomatoes," how to propagate seeds, and more.
Demonstration tables will feature hands-on displays and will be manned by Master Gardeners and local experts who have expertise in vegetable resources, raised bed construction, vertical gardens, water conservation, drip irrigation, propagation, container gardening, insects/disease, and more. Representatives from Texas Pure Products will be on hand with examples of various soil amendments and mulches. Spend the morning session with Collin County Master Gardeners learning how to grow delicious, nutritious veggies, and stay for the afternoon session "Tree Care" seminar. Trees are a valuable part of the landscape, providing shade, improving air quality, preserving soil, and supporting wildlife. The program, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. will cover "Tree Care 101" presented by Urban Forester Mike Sills, and "Tree Diseases and Pests" presented by Consulting Arborist Dr. Greg Church. Register online at the CCMGA website
www.ccmgatx.org
. There is a $10 per person, per session, fee to attend. Seating is limited so registration is required to ensure enough handouts and goodie bags for attendees. Contact 972-548-4219, or visit
www.ccmgatx.org for more information. Doors open at 8:00 a.m. on February 17 at the Landing at Myers Park, 7117 County Road 166, McKinney.
San Antonio: San Antonio Rose Society presents a Rose Pruning Demonstration at 11:00 a.m., February 17, at 8516 Bandera Road, San Antonio, and again at 2:00 p.m. at 2585 Thousand Oaks, San Antonio. For additional information, visit
https://www.facebook.com/SanAntonioRoseSociety/.
Houston: The Nancy Thomas Horticulture Lecture featuring landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh. This free lecture is sponsored by The Garden Club of Houston. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. with the lecture beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 21, at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road, 77056. For more information: https://www.gchouston.org/lectures/.
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MARCH
Austin: The annual plant sale/fundraiser for Sunshine Community Gardens, 4814 Sunshine Drive, Austin, will be held
March 3, 9:00 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sunshine Community Gardens are the largest community garden in Austin with the largest community garden plant sale. Available will be organically grown tomatoes (126 varieties), peppers (80 varieties), eggplants, tomatillos, herbs, natives and ornamentals, plus compost to help them all be healthy and happy. For more information, visit
sunshinecommunitygardens.org.
Navasota: "Being One with Nature" Nature Walk at Becker Home, 2578 Vista Hills Dr., Navasota, at 10:00 a.m., March 7.
Tyler:
Master Gardeners at the Library, March 9, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. "Raised Bed Gardening on a Hillside" with Smith County Master Gardener Wayne Elliott. Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College, Tyler. Free and open to the public. For additional information, visit
www.txmg.org/smith
or call 903-590-2980.
Conroe
: Saturday, March 10. Educational Classes.
Session 1: Floral Plants for Montgomery County. 8:00 until 10:00 a.m. Session 2: Vegetables for Montgomery County. 10:30 until 12:30 p.m. $5 per session or $8 for both. Come learn what you need to know about having great gardens in Montgomery County. Montgomery County Master Gardeners, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe. For more info, visit www.mcmga.com or call 936-539-7824.
Conroe
: Saturday, March 24
, Spring Plant Sale. Presentation 8:00 a.m., sale 9:00 a.m. until 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 info, call 936-539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com.
Orangefield: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association will hold their Annual Bloomin' Crazy Plant Fair, March 24, 8:00 a.m.-1 p.m. at Cormier Park, 8235 FM 1442, Orangefield. All types of plants will be available, including bedding plants, Texas SuperStars, citrus, avocados, blueberries, roses, succulents, trees, shrubs and many more types. Potential vendors and attendees can find more information at
https://txmg.org/orange.
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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
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.
Dallas: Garden Masters, Inc., meet the
first Wednesday of each month at North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd., Dallas. The club hosts different speaker each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your lunch! For more information, email Bunny Williams at
bunny-williams@sbcglobal.net.
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/Odessa: The Permian Basin Master Gardeners meet at noon, the
first Wednesday of each month, lternating between the Midland and Ector County's Extensions Offices. For more information about location, 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 Peckerwood Insider's Tour at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month. Spaces are limited so pre-registration is required. $15, free for members. For more information, visit http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
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. 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 Woodmen of the World, 1800 College Ave., Jacksonville. For more information, e-mail Tom Abbott at
tom@deerfield-abbey.org.
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.
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 10:30am 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.
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.
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@yahoo.com for more information.
Houston: The Native Plant Society of Texas - Houston (NPSOT-H) meets at 7:30 p.m. on the
third Thursday of each month except for October (4th Thursday) at the Houston SArboretum and Nature Center in Memorial Park (4501 Woodway Dr.). For more information on programs, and for information about native plants for Houston, visit
http:/npsot.org/wp/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 begins with a social time at 6 p.m. followed by a free presentation from 6:30-8:30 p.m. During the intervening months (Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct., Dec.), afternoon educational seminars/general meetings are held from 1-3:30 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.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, hosts the Evening at Peckerwood Lecture series at 7 p.m. on the
third Friday of each month. Tickets are available online. Tickets are $10, $5 for members.For more information, visit
http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
FOURTH WEEK
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.
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 Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center, 3220 Botanic Blvd., Ft. Worth. Refreshments are served. For more information, call 817-263-9322 or visit
www.ogcfw.webs.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 at the Cherie Flores Pavilion in McGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston. 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.
Dallas: The Greater Dallas Organic Garden Club meets at 7:00 p.m. on the
fourth Thursday of each month at the REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Dallas. For more information, call 214-824-2448 or visit
www.gdogc.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.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, holds an Open Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. Tours start at 10 a.m. and the last tour leaves at 2 p.m. Tickets available online or at the gate. $10, free for members. For more information, visit http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
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Texas Gardener digital edition available-Only $19.95 per year (digital only) or $9 per year if you tack it on to your print subscription!
Same magazine as our print edition without the paper and at a better price. Fully compatible with your desktop, laptop, iPad or Tablet. Access Texas Gardener anywhere, anytime: at the office, home, vacation, even in the garden. Easy to use with robust features and fully searchable archive as long as your subscription is active. Click on this link to explore your options
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2018 Planning Guide & Calendar
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