July 2013 - Texas Master Gardeners Association
July 2013 - Texas Master Gardeners Association
July 2013 - Texas Master Gardeners Association
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<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
Comal Gardener<br />
A monthly publication of the Comal <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong> <strong>Association</strong> through the <strong>Texas</strong> A& M AgriLife Extension Service in<br />
Comal County, 325 Resource Drive, New Braunfels, TX 78132 (830-620-3440)<br />
http://txmg.org/comal<br />
<strong>July</strong> Program:<br />
Rainwater Harvesting<br />
presented by Glenn Avriett<br />
Lu Allen<br />
Glenn Avriett will present a program on Rainwater Harvesting at the next CMG general<br />
meeting on Wednesday, <strong>July</strong> 10 at 6:30 pm at the<br />
GVTC auditorium. Avriett is a former County Agent for<br />
Comal AgriLife A&M Extension Office in New Braunfels.<br />
He will inform homeowners and landowners about building<br />
simple or complex systems which will capture, store and<br />
use rainwater to water landscape plants, support wildlife<br />
and provide potable drinking water. Specific information<br />
regarding installation of rain barrels will<br />
SUMMER FUN OPPORTUNITY:<br />
<strong>July</strong> Herb SIG<br />
The <strong>July</strong> meeting of the Herb SIG will meet on<br />
Monday, <strong>July</strong> 8 at 10 am. Take advantage of this unique<br />
opportunity to learn to make jam from Barbi Briney,<br />
who will be using herbs to enhance the flavors. Contact<br />
Mary Moses (marycm@me.com) by <strong>July</strong> 3 for more details.<br />
Reminder:<br />
Don’t forget to self-report volunteer hours and CE hours now!<br />
Volume XIV Number 25<br />
Inside this Issue:<br />
Garden Posts 2<br />
Gardening To Do List 2<br />
Prickly Pear Cacti 4<br />
Book Synopsis: Cactus Field<br />
Guide<br />
4-5<br />
<strong>July</strong> Committee Reports 6-7<br />
<strong>July</strong> Gardening Activities 8<br />
<strong>July</strong> Herb Sig 8<br />
Annual Auction & Chili<br />
Supper<br />
<strong>July</strong> CE Opportunities 9-10<br />
NOTICE: CMG MEETING DATE CHANGED<br />
Because of conflict with the <strong>July</strong> 4 holiday,<br />
the <strong>July</strong> general membership meeting of<br />
the Comal <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong> will be<br />
Wednesday, <strong>July</strong> 10 at 6 pm<br />
GVTC Auditorium<br />
Program: “Rainwater Collection” by Glenn Avriett,<br />
former County Agent for<br />
Comal County AgriLife Extension Office<br />
It is important that all volunteer hours and all CE hours are reported. Bill Waechter,<br />
CMG’s timekeeper, is always available to help any members with self-reporting. Don’t hesitate<br />
to contact Bill; he is ready to help. Contact Bill (waechter.william @yahoo.com or timekeeper@comalmastergardeners.org<br />
or 830-609-3120).<br />
8<br />
Educational programs of the <strong>Texas</strong> AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid,<br />
service, or accommodation in order to participate in meetings are encouraged to contact the <strong>Texas</strong> AgriLife Extension Service, 830-620-3440 for assistance. The information given herein is for educational purposes only.<br />
References to commercial products or trade names do not intend discrimination or imply endorsement by the Extension Service. Extension forbids employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability,<br />
or national origin in any term, condition, or privilege of employment.
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>July</strong> Garden Posts<br />
Page 2<br />
Patsy Vann<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The <strong>July</strong> CMG general<br />
meeting will be Wednesday,<br />
<strong>July</strong> 10, 6:30 pm.<br />
Remember to self-report<br />
your volunteer hours and<br />
your CE hours.<br />
Congratulations to our<br />
newest CMG members:<br />
Sandy Mergen and Bob<br />
Bunyard.<br />
SAVE THE DATE: Annual<br />
CMG Auction and Chili<br />
Supper<br />
Download your handbook<br />
from the CMG website.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Monday AEGC Vegetable<br />
Garden chair is Kelly Morga<br />
(kellyjudy2279@att.net or<br />
830-629-7466).<br />
Wednesday AEGC<br />
Vegetable Garden chair is<br />
Richard Vonder Embse<br />
(vicki.vonderembse@yahoo<br />
.com or 830-980-3968).<br />
Friday AEGC Vegetable<br />
Garden chair is Tai Flynn<br />
(tbnb5511@satx.rr.com or<br />
830-832-0998).<br />
Sandy Mergen and Bob Bunyard.<br />
<strong>2013</strong> class members, certifying.<br />
with Lee Franzel.<br />
<strong>July</strong> Gardening To-Do List<br />
Julie Siliven<br />
<strong>July</strong> is the month to work in the garden early in the morning or late in the evening. Be sure to drink plenty<br />
of water, use sunscreen, and take plenty of breaks to avoid overheating. Just relax and enjoy the fruits of<br />
your labors.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mulch all bare soil. Turn the compost pile and add new ingredients. Clean up spring vegetable gardens<br />
and replenish with compost.<br />
Start planning the fall garden now. Check fall plants with short maturity and harvest dates for a<br />
good crop.<br />
Okra loves heat so plant it now. Also, plant pumpkins to harvest for Halloween.<br />
Be sure to deadhead and fertilize roses.<br />
Be on the lookout for chinch bugs, fleas, ticks, chiggers and grubs in the lawn.<br />
Water outdoor container plants daily.<br />
Remove any diseased leaves from beds; do not add to compost.<br />
Gather herbs and flowers to dry. Preserve the garden’s harvest by freezing, canning or drying vegetables<br />
and fruits.<br />
Provide water for the birds and squirrels with birdbaths, fountains or bubblers.
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
Prickly Pear Cacti<br />
Page 3<br />
Betty Jackson<br />
Prickly pear cactus is the common name for more than 200 species of cacti that grow in North America.<br />
These are the only cactus included in the genus Opuntia of the cactus family, Cactaceae. The most common<br />
species of Opuntia here in Central <strong>Texas</strong> are the Engelmann Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmanii) and the<br />
<strong>Texas</strong> Prickly Pear (Opuntia lindheimeri). Many other species have a limited range, sometimes as small as<br />
only a portion of one <strong>Texas</strong> county as their native habitat, while others grow easily throughout the world,<br />
including Greece, southern France, Portugal, Spain, Malta and the Middle East.<br />
Prickly pears grow in large, trunkless clumps up to 15 feet across. The pads are actually modified<br />
branches or stems and provide water storage, photosynthesis and flowers. The pads (nopalitos) can be<br />
cleaned of their spines and eaten as a vegetable. The large spines on the nopalitos are surrounded by clusters<br />
of smaller, barbed spines called glochids. These are some “stickers” to avoid! Many Opuntia have yellow<br />
flowers that mature to orange-red and produce a barrel-shaped fruit called a tuna. The fruit is sweet and the<br />
juice is often made into candy, nectar and jelly or fermented into a potent alcoholic beverage.<br />
Opuntia with mature tunas<br />
To propagate a new prickly pear plant, simply bury one<br />
half of a live pad in sandy soil. It will grow roots from the cut<br />
end and new growth will start on the upper edges. This ease of<br />
propagation has caused the common prickly pear to be considered<br />
an invasive weed in some parts of the world. In Australia<br />
the plants grew so quickly and became so invasive that wholesale<br />
eradication became necessary in the early twentieth century.<br />
The most common use of prickly pears comes not from<br />
the plant itself but from an insect that lives on the pads. The<br />
cochineal is a scale insect that lives on Opuntia, feeding on the<br />
plant’s moisture and nutrients. The bug produces carminic<br />
acid, a substance that discourages predators. When the acid is<br />
extracted, it makes a red dye that is used in cosmetics and food<br />
coloring. Civilizations as early as the Aztecs and Mayans used<br />
this dye. It became an important export from Mexico. With an<br />
increased awareness of the ramifications of using artificial food<br />
colorings, the dye is regaining some of its former popularity.<br />
The Prickly Pear Cacti, a signature cactus in <strong>Texas</strong>, is a worldwide<br />
resident with decorative, ecological and economic importance.<br />
The cochineal insect that produces<br />
carminic acid, that discourages<br />
predators.
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
Book Synopsis:<br />
Cactus of <strong>Texas</strong> Field Guide<br />
Donna Welch<br />
Page 4<br />
As hot and dry as the summers are in <strong>Texas</strong>, some people wonder if there is anything that is easy to grow<br />
during the dog days of June through September. For any readers who want to grow a low maintenance plant,<br />
suitable for the hot, dry summers in <strong>Texas</strong>, try a cactus.<br />
The cactus family (Cactaceae) is one of the most<br />
striking, distinctive, diversified and specialized groups in the<br />
plant kingdom and many of them are at home in <strong>Texas</strong> according<br />
to Nora and Rick Bowers and Stan Tekiela, who coauthored<br />
Cactus of <strong>Texas</strong> Field Guide. The cactus family<br />
includes about 2,000 species, and all of them are perennial<br />
and succulent.<br />
Succulents (including cacti) are plants that have organs<br />
such as leaves, stems or roots that are capable of storing<br />
water during the rainy or wet season in order to survive extended<br />
periods of drought. All the plants in the cactus family<br />
are considered stem succulents. During periods of moisture,<br />
the stem swells. Then during droughts, the stem slowly contracts.<br />
Cactus that have ribs are particularly well adapted to<br />
this storage of water because the ribs fill in and contract like<br />
an accordion.<br />
Cactus flowers are usually conspicuous. The structure<br />
of the cactus flowers are different from all other plant<br />
flowers, further differentiating cacti as unique.<br />
The distinctiveness of the cactus family shows itself not only<br />
in the flower structure, but also in one other characteristic—<br />
the areole. Whether or not spines are present, all cacti have<br />
areoles and no other plants have them. An areole (pictured<br />
here) is the radial arrangement of spines on pad-like buds<br />
where shoots and flowers may appear.<br />
Some succulent cacti can be used as pot plants. These include Aloe Vera, crassulas, Echeverias, peperomias and<br />
kalanchoe.<br />
Larger-growing succulent cacti make dramatic floor plants with heights up to 10 feet or more. These include<br />
Cereus peruvianus, Yucca elephantipes, Euphorbias and ponytail or bottle palm.<br />
Cacti are beautiful! They are easy to grow. A cactus garden doesn’t need water in these hot, dry months of June,<br />
<strong>July</strong>, August and September. But a word of caution—don’t OVERWATER!<br />
Cactus of <strong>Texas</strong> Field Guide can be ordered for approximately $12. Its 368 pages are full of pictures and<br />
information about native <strong>Texas</strong> cacti.
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
Page 5<br />
Glory of <strong>Texas</strong><br />
Golf Ball Pincushion<br />
Prickly Pear<br />
Living Rock<br />
Strawberry Hedgehog
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong> Committee Reports<br />
Page 6<br />
Carmen Butts<br />
Please visit the Comal <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong>' site at http://txmg.org/comal/ and select the Upcoming Events link to<br />
see all of the current volunteer activities and events.<br />
AGRILIFE EXTENSION GARDEN COMPLEX (AEGC)<br />
The AEGC Office Gardens will meet at 8 am on <strong>July</strong> 2, <strong>July</strong> 16 and possibly <strong>July</strong> 30. Work time will end<br />
at 10 am because of the heat. The addition of plants donated by <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong> will be planted and road<br />
base will be added to the ADA Beds. Mulching will continue until all the areas are done. Welcome John<br />
Cruikshank to the AEGC; he is a new co-chair, in charge of the irrigation for the AEGC Office Gardens. He<br />
joins Rich Bradley and Michael Caldwell.<br />
Chair information: Linda D. Valdez, overall chair (ldvaldez@satx.rr.com); Rich Bradley, co-chair of native<br />
grasses, etc.(rmbrad@gvtc.com); Tai Flynn, co-chair of the wildscape (tbnb5511@satx.rr.com); Sandi Larsen,<br />
co-chair of heirloom and antique roses (cactusf16@aol.com); Ron Schmidt, co-chair of the herb garden<br />
(noscamsinnb@yahoo.com).<br />
AEGC Vegetable Garden will meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 am for the month of<br />
<strong>July</strong>. Please bring gloves and appropriate tools. Sam and Susan Norris (snorris8@satx.rr.com)<br />
COMAL COUNTY FAIRGROUND GARDENS will meet Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 18, at 8 am. Bring tools to weed<br />
and prune plants at the Common St. and Grant St. gardens. For additional information about the work day,<br />
contact chairs Cyndi Karlovich (gocardinals36@yahoo.com or 309-397-2618), Mary Barr-Gilbert<br />
(ughmug@hotmail.com or 830-885-5191/787-6398), or Aleta Meyer (aleta_meyer@hotmail.com or 830-629-<br />
2929).<br />
NEW BRAUNFELS CONSERVATION PLAZA ROSE GARDENS will meet one workday in <strong>July</strong>,<br />
Wednesday, <strong>July</strong> 24 at 8 am for general maintenance, including watering, weeding and spraying liquid seaweed.<br />
For additional information, contact Dan Krueger (dan.krueger1@gmail.com or 830-629-5338) or Janis<br />
Womack (gwomack1@satx.rr.com or 830-620-7002).<br />
BUTTERFLY GARDENS AT THE BULVERDE/SPRING BRANCH LIBRARY workday is Thursday,<br />
<strong>July</strong> 27 8 am. Contact Bev Lemes (rvlinc@gvtc.com) for more information.<br />
NEW LIFE BUTTERFLY GARDEN will meet for general maintenance Monday, <strong>July</strong> 15, 8:30 am. For<br />
more information, contact Lois Ricci (poepjr@aol.com or 830-899-5362) or Patty Malek<br />
(tommalek56@hotmail.com or 830-964-5613).<br />
HOPE HOSPICE NEW BRAUNFELS will have a workday on Tuesday, <strong>July</strong> 23, at 8:30 am. There is always<br />
much work that needs to be done. For contact information please contact Melissa Weigler<br />
(mweigler@sbcglobal.net or 830-608-9176).
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong> Page 7<br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong> Committee Reports con’t<br />
LINDHEIMER GARDENS The workday is scheduled for Tuesday, <strong>July</strong> 9 at 8:30 am. Water and snacks<br />
provided. Bring gloves, hand pruners and sunscreen. Contact Germaine Tuff (germainetuff@hotmail.com or<br />
830-629-1127) for information.<br />
YOUTH EDUCATION<br />
JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM IN SATELLITE SCHOOLS<br />
Dr. Lisa Whittlesey<br />
There will be a training August 7 for those interested in participating in Youth Education<br />
programs including SOW Healthy in St. Peter and Paul Gardens of Kids Club garden<br />
classes. The August 7 training is from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the AgriLife A&M Extension<br />
office, 325 Resource Dr. Lisa Whittlesey, national trainer for the Junior <strong>Master</strong> Gardener<br />
programs, will conduct the afternoon session and will speak to the CMG at our general<br />
meeting in the evening. Contact Mary Helen Phillips for registration for the day training at<br />
maryhelenphillips@usa.net. This event is open to teachers, <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong>, and parent<br />
volunteers. Registration is limited so please enroll early.<br />
<strong>Master</strong> Gardener volunteers are working in a cooperative program with Comal ISD and Resolute Health at satellite<br />
schools targeted by Comal ISD. The SOW Healthy schools are The Flagship Garden at Canyon High<br />
School, Indian Springs Elementary, Specht Elementary, Morningside Elementary, Arlon Seay Elementary, and<br />
Startzville Elementary. For information regarding each school’s weekly garden schedule, see the <strong>Master</strong> Gardener<br />
web site. <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong> are also working with the PTA wellness committee to establish a school<br />
garden this spring at St. Peter and Paul’s Catholic School. <strong>Master</strong> Gardener volunteers are helping the teenage<br />
boys at St. Jude’s Ranch to plant a spring garden. If interested in participating in any of these gardening programs,<br />
contact Mary Helen Phillips at maryhelenphillips@usa.net. The schedule for classes is listed on our<br />
web site.<br />
THE SUSAN BOGLE BUTTERFLY GARDEN<br />
AT TYE PRESTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY<br />
will have a workday on Friday, <strong>July</strong> 19 from 8-11<br />
am. Work will consist of weeding and pruning to<br />
stimulate new growth and color and the installation<br />
of a water line along fence perimeter deferred from<br />
May. Please bring standard bucket tools. Everything<br />
else will be provided on site. The TPML garden<br />
was designed to be very low maintenance, so<br />
only one workday per month will be typical throughout<br />
the summer. Steve Grainger, Chair<br />
(jstevengrainger@gmail.com).
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
Page 8<br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong> Gardening Experiences<br />
Bonnie Leitch<br />
Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 11, 6--9 pm. “Birds of Prey” with Dave Scott from the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center.<br />
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Avenue, Austin. Nature Nights are fun explorations<br />
of plants, animals and the ecology of Central <strong>Texas</strong>. Each evening features interactive presentations, hikes<br />
with experts in their fields, and nature crafting for kids of all ages. The first 250 people to each Auditorium<br />
presentation will receive a free ticket at the admissions table. First come, first served. Lady Bird Johnson<br />
Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave, Austin. For information, call 512-232-0200.<br />
Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 18, 6–9 pm. “Wildlife” with Dave Scott, lead instructor at Earth Native Wilderness School.<br />
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Avenue, Austin. Find out about mammals in this area.<br />
What wildlife has been seen at the Wildflower Center? Capital Area <strong>Master</strong> Naturalists will be helping kids<br />
use plaster of Paris to ‘Make Tracks’ to take home. Scott will have a Wildlife Tracking station. For information,<br />
call 512-232-0200.<br />
Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 25, 6–9 pm. “Snakes” with Travis LaDuc. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La<br />
Crosse Avenue, Austin. What is the difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes? Just how do<br />
snakes smell and hear? Come and look at live snakes and find the answers at our last Nature Nights of <strong>2013</strong>.<br />
Tim Cole will be on site with live snakes. Go on a scavenger hunt and let the kids enjoy making a fun snake<br />
craft item. For information, call 512-232-0200.<br />
<strong>July</strong> Herb Sig:<br />
Making Jams<br />
The <strong>July</strong> Herb SIG meeting will be held on Monday, <strong>July</strong> 8 at 10am. Summer is time for making jams and<br />
Barb Briney, who makes some excellent jams, will present. Herbs can always add an interesting flavor<br />
twist to the process. Barb will show those in attendance how to make several kinds of jams and will share<br />
an easy recipe to make with kids. No need for Smuckers when Barb is around! Please RSVP to SIG group<br />
chair Mary Moses (marycm@me.com) by <strong>July</strong> 3 to get further details about the meeting.<br />
SAVE THE DATE: OCTOBER 9<br />
CMG’s Annual Auction and Chili Supper<br />
Don’t miss CMG’s annual auction and chili supper. The traditional silent auction will be held first followed<br />
by a live auction of limited special items. The auction will be conducted by Comal <strong>Master</strong> Gardener<br />
Harry Sutherland who is a Benefit Auction Specialist and a member of the National Auctioneers <strong>Association</strong>.<br />
Set up will be at 4 pm. Silent auction begins at 5:30 pm. Chili supper begins at 6 pm. Sign up now to<br />
register donation items! Register items by e-mail at maryhelenphillips@usa.net by September 30. Please<br />
include the estimated value.
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong> CE Opportunities<br />
Page 9<br />
Bonnie Leitch<br />
Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 11, 6:30—8:30 pm. Rare plants for Central <strong>Texas</strong> by Douglas Tomasini. Bexar County<br />
AgriLife Extension Offices, 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive, Suite 208, San Antonio. Free. Tomasini will share<br />
growing hints on rare plants that do well in Central <strong>Texas</strong> landscapes. Plants will be provided to examine and<br />
raffle off. Sponsored by Bexar County <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong>. For more information, contact Lisa Nixon<br />
(lisa.nixon@bexarcountymastergardeners.org or 210-364-7844). 2 CEs<br />
Friday, <strong>July</strong> 12, 10 am–Noon. Superpower Plants--Our Summer Heroes. San Antonio Botanical Garden,<br />
555 Funston. Fee: $10 ($9 members). Discover the superpowers of native plants, succulents, grasses, perennials<br />
and trees that are botanical heroes. Find the best choices for the garden and learn how to create beds and<br />
care for these plants. Sponsored by SAWS. Contact programregistrar@sabot.org or Sasha Kodet<br />
(sasha.kodet@sanantonio.gov) or 210-207-3270) for more information. 2 CEs<br />
Saturday, <strong>July</strong> 13, (and Saturday, August 17), 10 am–Noon. New Gardens for Newcomers with Janet<br />
Peppers. San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston. Fee: $10 ($9 members). Learn how to plan a low-water<br />
garden that will thrive in this climate. Get information about native plant selection, soil, mulching, watering,<br />
rebates and much more. Sponsored by SAWS. Contact Sasha Kodet (sasha.kodet@sanantonio.gov or 210-207<br />
-3270) or programregistrar@sabot.org for information. 2 CEs<br />
Monday, <strong>July</strong> 15 12:15–1:15 pm. Session 1: “Know Your Plants: Fig Trees and Pomegranates” with<br />
Jerry Parsons. Fig trees and pomegranates will be for sale at the class. For more information, contact<br />
info@gardeningvolunteers.org or 210-251-8101. 1 CE 1:30–2:30 pm. Session 2: TBA. Gardening Volunteers<br />
of South <strong>Texas</strong>. For more information, contact info@gardeningvolunteers.org or 210-251-8101. 1 CE<br />
Tuesday, <strong>July</strong> 16, 7–8 pm. Seed Collecting with Minnette Marr. Guadalupe Valley Telephone Co-op<br />
(GVTC), 36101 FM 3159. Sponsored by the Native Plant Society of <strong>Texas</strong>, Lindheimer Chapter. For information,<br />
call David Wilson (830-899-5339). 1 CE<br />
Thursday, <strong>July</strong> 18, 7–8 pm. Fall Vegetable Gardening with Deedy Wright. Guadalupe County <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong>,<br />
AgriLife Building at 210 E. Live Oak, Seguin. Free. For information, contact<br />
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org or call 830-303-3889. 1 CE<br />
Saturday, <strong>July</strong> 27 (and Saturday, August 10), 10–Noon. Retrofitting Your Yard for Drought Conditions.<br />
San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston. Fee: $10 ($9 for members). Transcend traditional gardening<br />
ideas to create a progressive low-water landscape. Bring imagination and design a yard that will showcase artistic<br />
talents. Sponsored by SAWS. Contact programregistrar@sabot.org or Sasha Kodet<br />
(sasha.kodet@sanantonio.gov or 210-207-3270) for more information. 2 CEs<br />
Tuesday, <strong>July</strong> 30, 6:30-830 pm. “Selecting <strong>Texas</strong> Superstar Plants for Your Landscape” by Horticulturists<br />
David Rodriguez and Dr. Jerry Parsons. Bexar County AgriLife Extension Offices, 3355 Cherry Ridge<br />
Drive, Suite 208, San Antonio. Fee: $10. Learn about the history of the <strong>Texas</strong> Superstar plants and the advantages<br />
of selecting these plants for landscaping, this presentation is part of the Backyard Gardening Series. For<br />
more information and to RSVP, contact Angel Torres (210-467-6575). 2 CEs
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
Page 10<br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2013</strong> CE Opportunities continued<br />
Sunday, <strong>July</strong> 21, 2–3 pm. “Bugs. . . Outdoors: The Good and The Bad” with Don Tuff, sponsored by San Antonio<br />
Daylily Society. San Antonio Botanical Garden Education Office, 555 Funston Place. CMG and daylily<br />
club member explains how to recognize the good bugs and bad bugs found in the yard. Come and join the daylily<br />
meeting and learn what’s “bugging you in your gardens.” For more information, contact Germaine Tuff<br />
(germainetuff@hotmail.com or 830-629-1127). 1 CE<br />
CMG Needs You!<br />
Patsy Vann<br />
The <strong>2013</strong> Comal County Fair will be Friday through Sunday, September 27-29, at the Comal County Fairgrounds.<br />
Planning for the CMG fair booth has already begun. Comal <strong>Master</strong> <strong>Gardeners</strong> participate actively<br />
during this time by interacting with children and their parents providing gardening information, giving tips<br />
and sharing gardeners’ expertise. This year’s co-chairs, Cyndi Karlovich and Mary Barr-Gilbert, need volunteers<br />
to help share this information during the fair. Topics for sharing include the following:<br />
Vegetable gardening<br />
Care of roses<br />
Host plants for butterflies and hummingbirds<br />
Composting<br />
Herbs<br />
Importance of bees in gardening<br />
Worm farm<br />
(New ideas welcome!)<br />
Other volunteer opportunities for the fair booth include making seed balls, planting seeds in cups for kids,<br />
manning the booth, setting up, etc. Anyone interested in participating in any of these activities or just helping<br />
with the CMG booth is encouraged to contact Cyndi (gocardinals36@yahoo.com or 309-397-2618) or<br />
Mary (ughmug@hotmail.com or 210-787-6932).