Tarrant County Master Gardener Association - Texas A&M AgriLife ...

SharecropperTarrant County Master Gardener AssociationMarch 2012Inside this IssueAGENT’SCORNEROur Soil, what Happened to itduring the Drought?By Steve Chaney, Tarrant County Extension AgentAgent’s Corner 1President’s Message 3TCMGA MeetingMinutesSpecial Feature—Growing Roses2012 TCMGA Rose Sale 72012 TCMGA RoseOrder FormTCMGA Announcements 11Upcoming Garden Events 162012 RC/CG GardenClasses2012 AgriLife ExtensionSeminars4610BRIT Annual Party 14TCMGA Calendar 151718Volunteer Opportunities 19If you have an idea or would like to contributeto the newsletter, please contactJackie Heidingerrheidinger@tx.rr.com.As we all are aware 2011 was a terribledrought time for most of us here inNorth Texas and everyone certainly sufferedincluding our soil! After attendingseveral meetings on water and theweather, it doesn’t look like 2012 willbe a change in the continued drought.The Forestry departments throughout Texas are predictingthe loss of millions oftrees including up to 20-25% of the tree canopyright here in Ft. Worth.I would guess the majorityof us all lost plantmaterials and sod in ourown yards as well.Looking around the metro there were a few yards and businessesthat were still lush and beautiful and it wasn’t becausethey overwatered. These landscapes have one thing incommon and that’s well prepared organic soils.So, you ask what can I do to help offset the consequences oflast year’s drought and get ready for the possible droughtthis year. One possibility obviously is to plant a whole lot ofnew plants? Another possibility would be to water more?The best possibility would be to amend the soil, pick welladapted plants for our area, mulch well and water only asneeded and very efficiently!This last year with the extreme drought and high temperaturesthe soil was baked and the majority of the living organismsin the soil were killed. We need to amend the soiland add compost back to the soil to bring it back to life and(Continued on page 2)

Our Soil, what Happened to it during the Drought? -cont’dSharecropper Page 2then protect it with some good quality mulchto hold the effects of the heat and drought toa minimum. I read something on a posterthat stuck in my mind all these years.“The soil is the engineof the garden andshould be treated as a resource”.The beneficial soil life can then perform itsjob only if we do our part in following siximportant rules when growing new or existingplants.Of the above rules, the fourth rule is the mostimportant. It is the law of recycle and return.When best practiced, it supports the other fiverules and makes them less important.So in the words of a famous Horticulturalistthat I have long admired:Compost once and Mulch Forever!Enjoy your yard; keep the soil alive and letMother Nature take care of the plants. Insteadof raking all of those leaves up and baggingthem and sending them to the landfill, compostthem and put it right back into youryard!Importance of Mulch as InsulatorRules to Grow By:1. Use the best adapted plant varietiesfor each and every environment.2. Plant in the preferred season.Trees in late fall, roses in earlyspring.3. Balance the mineral content ofthe soil, perhaps through the useof a soil sample sent to A&M’ssoil lab?4. Build and maintain the soil organiccontent – humus. You cannever get too much compostedmaterial back into the soil!5. Do nothing to harm the beneficialsoil life.6. Consider troublesome insectsand most diseases as symptomsof one of the above rules havingbeen violated!Note how the half bed with mulch retainssnow to melt slowly and insulates rootsfrom freeze. The bare ground is left unprotectedto extreme freeze/thaw and meltruns off quickly.A nice thick layer of mulch serves somany purposes, but one of the most importantis insulator. In winter, the mulchkeeps drying wind from evaporating thesoil moisture and it protects surface rootsfrom freezing temperatures. In summerthe mulch protects roots from scorchingsun, extreme heat and retains moisture.

Sharecropper Page 3President’s Message– March 2012Dear Gardener Friends,Our favorite groundhog Punxsutawney Phil reported there will be six moreweeks of winter. Are you wondering if Mother Nature has a surprise in storefor us before we see spring? On the bright side, it may give us a bit more timeto finish plans for our garden.As you work on those plans don’t forget to schedule time to answer phones at the extensionoffice, volunteer at TCMGA projects around Tarrant County and in the MG DemonstrationGarden at the Resource Connection.Squeeze in a class or two. There are a lot of opportunities to teach gardening to kids or adultsand a lot of opportunities for us to learn something new too.The TCMGA Annual Plant Sale will be here before you know it. Plan to help with thesale during delivery and set up on Friday, April 13 or during the sale day, Saturday, April 14.Greeting the public and helping them learn about plants and making a selection is anotherway to educate the public.Turn in your monthly hours. Member’s documentation of TCMGA hours is an importantway to demonstrate to the state the importance of Master Gardeners and AgriLIFE tothe public.Click here to register http://www.2012tmgaconference.org/Don’t forget to make your reservation to attend theTMG State Conference in San Antonio/Bexar County May 3-5. The state conference isan opportunity to hear different speakers, tour wonderfulgardens and see interesting displays.Have you checked out the International Master Gardener Conference website( http://www.uaex.edu/imgc2013/default.htm ) yet? The 2013 conferencewill be Alaskan Cruise September 7 - 14, 2013. You can pre-register and pre-pay for this event. It should be a conference to remember.See you in the Garden!Nancy Curl, PresidentTarrant County Master Gardeners

Minutes of the February 2, 2012—cont’dSharecropper Page 5ported that the Growing A Vegetable GardenProgram, done with the Clayton, Yes! afterschoolprogram is growing and doing well butstill in need of more help. The schools thatneed help are Daggett Elementary and GeorgeC Clark. They are working with between 30-50 students at each of 6 schools. We havebeen requested to set up a program at MorningsideElementary which is not part of Clayton,Yes! and there is now at program at Handleyelementary.Dave Wilson reports he will barbeque inMarch and have everything from chicken, toribs, to pulled pork, all for $5 per plate. Allprofit will go to the 2013 TCMGA projectbudgets.Nancy Jarrett reports that the plant sale needsvolunteers. Friday April 13, plants will be deliveredand set up. There will be a presale thatday to Master Gardener workers and Resourceconnection employees. The sale will be SaturdayApril 14AnnouncementsThere is now a schedule for 2012 classes atthe Community Garden. Please contact MaryLynn Haines to register for class or NancyCurl to volunteer to teach a class.The state conference will be in San Antoniothis year. The International meeting will be acruise to Alaska, September 11-14, 2013.Sue Ellen Schlitzer has requested help withthe grants committee.Ginger Bason is looking for gardens for theGarden Conservancy Tour. Contact her if youknow of one.The Trial Garden will resume work on February16.Common Ground NRH Community Gardenannounced a Garden landscape Design Contest.Please contact Diane Spradling formore information.Alice Carlson is requesting votes for theRain Bird Contest.Condolences to the family of Kitt Sukup, aMaster Gardener who passed away. A bookis being purchased in her honor for theTCMGA library. Also, Larry Matl’s mother,Judy Ratzlaff’s mother-in-law, and JodyPuente’s mother-in-law all passed away.Earl Alexander made an announcementabout Pinterest, a social network, where youcan share your interest, including gardening.The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 am.Respectfully submitted byDonna MorrisSecretarySteve Purdy cooking hot dogs!

Sharecropper Page 6Growing Roses for the Novice Gardener: A few easy tips to get startedBy Steve Chaney, Tarrant County Extension AgentOk, you just bought your first house and thebuilder left a little flower bed with a few unknownbushes in them. What do you do now; doyou trust the neighbor, the local package store orthe big landscape company that works in theneighborhood? You remember when you werelittle and your Grandmother grew all those beautifulroses all over her place in the country. Youwould love to have some but your Grandmotheris long gone and you have no one to help you.Don’t give up, it’s not that hard to grow rosesthat bloom well and take minimal care! There area few simple steps to follow to get a yard full ofbeds and beautiful roses!1) First you need to contact your local Extensionoffice in whatever county you live in, everystate has a Extension Service. Ask them how totake a soil sample and if they have a soil labthey would recommend? Take the sample andfind out a little about your particular soil andask for recommendations on growing roses.2) Spend some time and locate areas in your yardthat have full sun (a minimum of 8 hours), gooddrainage and good airflow. Make sure it’s anarea that you can see from the house or fromyour patio so you can enjoy the fragrance andbeauty of the blooms!3) Amend your soil with lots of well finished organicmaterial, you can buy it in bulk, in bagsor maybe your city gives it away like Ft. Worthdoes. If it’s heavy sticky clay then consider addingsomething like expanded shale to open thesoil up a bit to improve drainage.4) Decide how much room you have and want todevote to roses. Do you want a miniature, ashrub or a climbing rose? Miniatures do well insmall beds or pots, shrub roses do good anywhereand climbers need a trellis or a fence toclimb on.5) Decide on colors and then consult your localExtension office again to see what theysuggest for your area. Take some time andwalk your neighborhood and see what theyhave, meet your neighbors and get sometips. If your here in Texas then we suggestthe Earth-Kind Roses which have been extensivelytrialed and proven successful inall areas of the state.6) Read the sizes and when you plant allowroom for maximum height and width soyou will have good air flow.7) Mulch them in good with a minimum of 3inches of good organic mulch, being carefulto not have it against the stem of theplant.8) Water in as necessary for the first fewweeks and then gradually wean it off soyour only watering about once every 10days if you haven’t received any rainfall.Be sure and water around the base of theplant and don’t spray it all over the foliage.9) Once it starts to bloom then you can give ita lite application of organic nitrogen fertilizeronce a month during the growing seasonto help it continue to bloom.10) Last but not least, pour you a cold beverageof your choice and sit back and enjoythe beauty of all the blooms from your roses,the Queen of the Garden.See it wasn’t as hard as you thought to growroses and be successful at it as well. Overthe winter read up either online or at the library,or maybe enjoy a class on taking cuttingsand grow your own. Then when youget that new neighbor that doesn’t know anythingyou can take her a rooted rose bushthat you grew and share a little of yourknowledge with her!Happy Gardening!

Sharecropper Tarrant County Master Gardener 2012 – Rose Sale Page 7Go totarrantmg.orgfor fullbrochure andorderingform!

Sharecropper Tarrant County Master Gardener 2012 – Rose Sale Page 8

Sharecropper Tarrant County Master Gardener 2012 – Rose Sale Page 9

Sharecropper TCMGA 2012 – Rose Sale Order FormPage 10

Master Gardener AnnouncementsSharecropper Page 11March TCMGA MeetingGuest SpeakerGene Stille, owner of Genes Greens will be themorning speaker for the March 1st TCMGAmeeting. Genes Greens LP opened in Keller in2003 and specializes in selling premium qualitygourmet microgreens to the restaurant industryand catering to specialty groceries.His state of the art greenhouse was built withplans and materials from the Netherlands. A certifiedorganic grower he offers a dozen varietiesincluding broccoli, young bulls blood and kohlrabi.In the afternoon, we are pleased to have DallasCounty Master Gardener, Janet Smith, speakabout reproduction or Sex in the Garden.This entertaining and educational talk describeswhat really goes on in our gardens: pollination.Learn how flowers lure insects to help with theirreproduction and how they reward the pollinators.You will never look at the garden in thesame old way again.2011 Friend ofExtension AwardMr. Ed VaughanMaster GardenerThe Friend of Extension Award recognizes anindividual or organization for outstanding serviceto the people of Tarrant County by their exceptionalsupport and personal involvement in TexasAgriLife Extension Service.March Birthdays4 Robert Lundin5 Jodi Morris, Charlotte Krystinik6 Moira Brunken7 Linda Mitchell, Mary Ann Rojas (I)9 Julie Tabor (I)10 Susan Miller. Kay Lewis12 Emily Ward13 Pat Oliver, Claudia Teague,Diana Vicenti (I)19 Nancy Price24 Shirley Schaffer25 Hala Shafik26 Sharon Nice29 Susan Stanek, Carol Lally30 Dawn Hancock, Bernice Ramsbottom31 Jo Poppelreiter, Kim FreemanIf your birthday is this month and youdon’t see it, please contactDoris Hill, (817) 337-8484 or emailartanddorishill@verizon.net.Directory ChangesPlease note the following TCMGA DirectoryChanges:Kim Clark address change:Rita Hottel telephone change:Nona Baptiste emailand phone change:1512 Cherry Bark DriveKeller, TX 76248817-576-4442817-876-6354 (home)817-929-6847 (cell)skoolmarm102@gmail.com817-271-2488If you have changes in your contact information,please contact Steve Purdy at spurdy06!sbcglobal.net

Sharecropper Master Gardener Announcements—cont’dPage 122012 Caladium SaleMarch 1st—Final Day to BuyAt the March 1st Master Gardener meeting we will betaking orders for Caladium Bulbs to be delivered at theApril MG meeting.Four Fancy Leaf varieties and one Strap Leaf varietywill be offered. These varieties are: Candidum ClassicWhite, White Queen, Red Flash and Carolyn Whorton.For the first time, we will offer a Strap Leaf varietycalled Red Ruffles.The bulbs will be #1 size and will be purchased fromthe same source that we used in 2011. The performancelast year of all varieties was excellent.The price per bulb will be 60 cents this year. No limiton quantities per order. Make sure you place your orderat the February/March meeting. Orders cannot beaccepted after that meeting. Your complete order mustbe paid for by cash or check at the time of ordering.If you have any questions, call Linda Hawkins at 817-791-4295.CandidumGingerlandWhite QueenCarolyn WhortonRaffle Committee UpdateAs you have probably noticed, the Raffle Tablehas been closed the last few meetings.That’s because we aremaking somereally neat changes!Instead of every month, we will now have araffle every three months. AND……the itemsup for grabs will be high dollar, big ticketitems.The next raffle will be at the April meeting.Tickets will be $10.00 each…..yeah, I know…that’s a lot of dough.BUT….the two items that you could win willbe either a brand new mulching lawnmower ora $100 gift certificate from Calloway’s.Tickets will be on sale at the March meeting.For those wonderful people who bring food forthe lunch, your name will be automatically enteredfor a door prize to be given out during themeeting. No need for a ticket. Shirley willsubmit your names before the meeting and twopeople will be chosen.Red FlashFlorida SweetheartIf you have items that you typically bring forthe raffle, kindly hold them for the garage salethis summer.We hope you like the changes we have made tothe raffle which benefits the projects that we asMaster Gardeners sponsor. So get your ticketsat the March or April meeting for the drawingin April.Raffle Committee ChairDonna Fry

Sharecropper Master Gardener Announcements —cont’dPage 13Acvies Commiee Field TripUpdateLavender scents and smells. Texas Backland Prairie. EastTexas ecosystem. All right here in the Metroplex. A behind-thescenes look at the Dallas Arboretum and the horticulturalside of the Gaylord Hotel.The activities committee with Donna Fry, Dorothy Hildebrand,Linda Kitson, Starr Krottinger, Laura Lowe and PatsyMiller, chairman, have been busy planning this year’sfield trips. Some of the trips are still in the planning stage, acouple have confirmed dates. We’ll be announcing sign-updates in the near future.Confirmed for Friday, June 1 is a double visit to twounique ecosystems that reside almost side by side. TheDogwood Canyon Audubon Center at Cedar Hill openedlast fall. It is a 205-acre nature and bird sanctuary nestled inthe Metroplex’s version of the Hill Country. Almost untouchedby man, it has many of the flowers, trees and birdsof East Texas.We will also visit Cedar Hill State Park which includesBackland Prairie and rugged Austin Chalk limestone. Lessthan one percent of the American tall grass prairie survives.At Cedar Hill, plant species include Indian grass and bigbluestem and a wide variety of wildflowers.Tentatively set for Thursday, September 20, Master Gardenerswill get a behind-the-scenes look at the Dallas Arboretum,its trial gardens and greenhouses. A special bonus isthat Chihuly glass will be displayed throughout the gardenfor us to view.Also on the schedule is a trip to the Purple Ranch LavenderFarm in Royce City. Started by Collin County Master GardenerJune Hand, she and her daughter created the recipesfor their lavender products. In addition to seeing severalkinds of lavender, we will also see her unique rose rootingsystem. Roses outline the lavender farm.The Gaylord Hotel in Grapevine is known for its beautifullandscaping and delicious restaurants. Many of the vegetablesand herbs used in the recipes are grown on site. Thecommittee is looking to get a behind-the-scenes tour withthe Gaylord’s horticulturist and chef.We know Master Gardener’s love to eat and we plan onsampling the restaurant scene in the areas we visit.Look for the announcements of the field trips and sign uptimes. Feel free to offer suggestions for possible trips thisyear or the future.Activities Committee ChairmanPatsy MillerThe task of the Nominating Committee is to present a slateof qualified nominees to the general membership for votingpurposes. From these nominees, and any that may be nominatedfrom the floor, the general membership will vote tofill Executive Board positions that will be vacated at theend of the year.Before any of the above happens, the Nominating Committeemust be formed. According to the By-Laws/StandingRules, the current board appoints the chairperson. Thegeneral membership shall elect four members, two ofwhom may be from the Executive Board. Anyone whoserved on the 2011 Nominating Committee is not eligibleto serve in 2012.At this time, I am asking all certified members (blue badges)to give serious thought to anyone you believe would bea willing and effective member for this committee. Eligiblecommittee members will:●●●Nominang CommieeCall for Nominees and VolunteersBe certified members in good standing who have completedtheir certification requirements and paid theircurrent duesHave been a certified member for at least one yearHave not served on the Nominating Committee duringthe previous year.Once committee members have been voted on by the membership,the committee will determine what positions needto be filled next year. We will again call on you to recommendcandidates.For now, the critical need is to identify MGs who are willingto serve on this 2012 Nominating Committee. If youknow someone who would be a good candidate, and haveverified they are willing to take on the task, or you yourselfwould be willing to serve if elected, please e-mail or callme. Thank you for your participation.Nominating Committee Chair,Sue Ellen Schlitzers.schlitzer@sbcglobal.net/817-294-1329Looking for Gold DiggersIf you are good at finding loose coins in the sofa, money in thedryer, or change on the ground, we could use your help. A GrantCommittee is being formed to locate funds to help support ourprojects. The committee will work on grants for the associationand/or individual projects.If you are interested, please contact:Sue Ellen Schlitzers.schlitzer@sbcglobal.net

Sharecropper Master Gardener Announcements & Information Page 14BRIT FETES VOLUNTEERS AT ANNUAL PARTYThe BRIT staff put on another entertaining Volunteer AppreciationCelebration which included a chili cook-off preparedand served by the staff. Five teams prepared a widevariety of chilis which were voted on by the guests. Doorprizes were given out as well as awards for most hours.Our own Paula Billman came in 5 th with 232 hours. KayYount was 2 nd with 327 hours !! The Tarrant County MasterGardeners - 45 of us! - put in 1651 hours - and that wasin only 8 months! We worked in the library, research, theherbarium, publishing, education and administration.Sy Sohmer, BRIT president and director praised the work ofthe volunteers. Other speeches of appreciation by staffmembers followed. The Herbarium’s Sam Kieschnick saidin his enthusiastic genuine way “Thank you…….thankyou……thank you thank you thank you thank you thankyou.”The highlight was the delightful song with new BRIT-icizedlyrics:--to the tune of Home Home On The Range---Refrain: Oh, give me a home where the plants never roam,Where the staff and the volunteers play,Where seldom is heard a non-botanical wordAnd the skies are not cloudy all day.You are our best face in our new public spaceAnd back in our ice-cold herbarium.You file plants with grace and the books you embraceWhen you volunteer in our Librarium.RefrainHow often at BRIT you have all done your bitHelping kids to get outside and play,Whether working with Anne or picking on SamOr reviewing a book for BarnAy.RefrainThen give us a hand as we dig in the clayDeadheading and filing all day.You digitize plants and get glue on your pants.What a great place to learn botanAY.RefrainYou give us a hand and we think you are grandCause you give public tours every dayYou do it with style and you wear a big smileAnd we’re glad you decided to stayThere is no question that every volunteer left the party feelingappreciated.Contact Kay Yount kjyount2@sbcglobal.net about volunteeropportunities. It’s a great place to work.

SharecropperMarch 2012 CalendarPage 15Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat4 58:30a Alice Carlson9a Union Gospel9a Fitzgerald69a Samaritan House8:30a CG Veggie9a CG PropagationWork Day9a CG Rose GardenWork Day78a BG Perennial8:30a Common NRH9a Teen Challenge9a CG HerbWork9:30a Thistle Hill1pVeterans Pk18:30a Alice Carlson8:30a BG TrialTCMGAMeeting88:30a Alice Carlson8:30a BG Trial2 38:30a Common NRH9am CompostDemo—VeteransPark9a– Veterans Park-Wildscape98:30a JPS MeditationGardenAgriLifeSeminar"Rainwater Harvesting"Make Your OwnRain Barrel108:30a Common NRH9am CompostingDemo—River Legacy9am SW Crthse11 128:30a Alice Carlson9a Union Gospel9a Fitzgerald.139a Samaritan House8:30a CG Veggie9a CG PropagationWork Day9a CG Rose GardenWork Day148a BG Perennial8:30a Common NRH9a Teen Challenge9a CG Herb Work9a Bob Jones Nature1p Veterans Pk3:00p Fitzgerald158:30a Alice Carlson8:30a BG Trial16 178:30a Common NRHRC/CG ClassThe Earthkind Way18 198:30a Alice Carlson9a Union Gospel9a Fitzgerald209a Samaritan House8:30a CG Veggie9a CG PropagationWork Day9a CG Rose GardenWork DaySpringBegins!218a BG Perennial8:30a Common NRH9am SW Crthse9a Teen Challenge9a CG Herb Work9a FW Hulen Lbry9:30a Thistle Hill1p Veterans Park3:00p Fitzgerald228:30a Alice Carlson8:30a BG Trial238:30a JPS MeditationGarden248:30a Common NRHRC/CG ClassRainwater Harvesng& How toMake a Rain Barrel-25 268:30a Alice Carlson9a Union Gospel9a FitzgeraldMaster GardenerSpecialist - IrrigationEfficiencyTraining279a Samaritan House8:30a CG Veggie9a CG PropagationWork Day9a CG Rose GardenWork DayMaster GardenerSpecialist - IrrigationEfficiencyTraining288a BG Perennial8:30a Common NRH9a Teen Challenge9a CG Herb Work9:30a Thistle Hill1p Veterans Pk3:00p FitzgeraldMaster GardenerSpecialist -Irrigation EfficiencyTraining29 30RC/CG ClassHow to Paint aRain Barrel31RC/CG ClassComposng, CompostTea, and WormComposng

SharecropperUpcoming Gardening EventsPage 16March 3-April 8, 2012Ft. Worth Botanic GardenButterflies in the Garden10:00am-4:00pm dailyButterflies in the Garden - Thousands of live, tropical butterfliesin the conservatory of the Fort Worth BotanicGarden. Order tickets online at www.fwbg.orgSaturday April 21, 2012Ft. Worth Botanic Garden Spring PlantSale9:00am-2:00pmWide assortment of annuals, perennials, citrus trees,ornamental grasses, shade plants, shrubs, trees, tropicalplants and vegetablesSaturdayApril 14, 2012TCMGA Annual Plant Sale10:00am—2:00pmThe annual TCMGA plant sale will be held on April14. More info to come!Carol LallySpring Garden TourSaturday, March 31, 2012,10:00 AM - 4:00 PM(alternate date April 14, 2012)Sponsored by the Woman's Club of Grand PrairieTickets - $10.00Available from: Calloway's Nurseries in Arlington or fromWoman's Club of Grand Prairie 972-264-2066 or 972-264-2320.There are seven gardens on the tour--5 private homes, onecommunity garden and the grounds at the Women's Buildingwhich includes refreshments as a part of the tour.Master Gardener Specialist -Irrigation Efficiency TrainingMonday,March 26 - Wednesday, March 28, 2012San Antonio Botanical Garden555 Funston PlaceSan Antonio, TX 78209Cost: $200.00 (includes manual, power points, threelunches, snacks and drinks)To register go to http://dallas.tamu.edu/courses/march-26-28,-2012-master-gardner-specialist-training/April 28 th & 29 th , 2012Heart O' Texas Orchid Society's41 st Annual Show & Sale,"Orchid Heaven"Zilker Botanical Gardens Center2220 Barton Springs Road,Austin, TX 78746(512) 477-8672Show & Plant Sale : 10:00am -5:00pm Saturday & 10:00am - 4:00pm Sunday.Click here to register http://www.2012tmgaconference.org/For a complete schedule of events, or for moreinformation, please contact: Geoffrey Frost, 1011Strickland Drive. Austin, TX 78748-4847(Telephone (512) 413-3199; e-mail geoffreylfrost@yahoo.com),or visit our web-site: http://www.hotos.org/

Sharecropper Upcoming Resource Connection/Community Garden Classes Page 17March 2012Saturday, March 17, 201210 am – 12 noonThe Earthkind WayBeverly Beazley, Bill Hall, Theresa ThomasClass Fee: None RC, Bldg. 2300, Room 2301 Class limit: 30Saturday, March 24, 201210 am – 12 noonRainwater Harvesng & How to Make a Rain Barrel -Hands-on ClassCharlie Shiner, Ron and Sue Ellen Schlitzer, Theresa Thomas,Claudia TeagueClass Fee: $15 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20Class/Material Fee: w/Rain barrel $45Friday, March 30, 201210 am – 2 pmHow to Paint a Rain Barrel - Hands-on ClassClaudia TeagueClass Fee: $15 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20 Class/Material Fee:w/Rain barrel $45Saturday, March 31, 201210 am – 12 noonComposng, Compost Tea, and Worm ComposngCharlie Shiner, Ron and Sue Ellen Schlitzer, Bill Hall, TheresaThomas, Donna FryClass Fee: $5 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20Material Fee: w/ Composters $45 or $65April 2012Friday, April 13, 201212noon – 6pmTCMGA Annual Plant Sale – Pre-Sale set-up dayTCMGA Garden, Resource Connecon of Tarrant CountyDelivery & Set-up12 noon – 3 pmPre-Sale–Open to RC, VA hosp & MG helpers only 3 pm – 6 pmSaturday, April 14, 201210 am – 2 pmTarrant County Master Gardeners Annual Plant SaleTCMGA Garden, Resource Connecon of Tarrant CountyOpen to the PublicSaturday, April 28, 2012Hypertufa Pots - Make & TakeSusanne MillsMay 201210 am – 12 noonClass Fee: $15 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20Saturday, May 19, 20129 am – 11 amBuerfly Puddler - Make & TakeTheresa ThomasClass Fee: $20 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20Tuesday, May 22, 201210 am – 12 noonHerb GardeningRita Hoel, Nan Garvin and CG Herb teamClass Fee: $5 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20Saturday, May 26, 20129 am – 11 amCement MushroomsTammy Edwards, Jeanie Browning, Nancy Curl Make & TakeClass Fee: $20 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20Saturday, June 9, 20129 am – 11 amCement LeavesTammy Edwards, Nancy Curl Make & TakeClass Fee: $20 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20Saturday, June 23, 201210 am-12 noonCanning & Making Jelly - Demo OnlyPat Higgins and Bill VandeverClass Fee: $5 Class limit: 30Texas AgriLife Extension -Lonestar Room BSaturday, July 21, 2012Fall Vegetable GardeningMay 2012 (cont'd)June 2012July 2012August 201210 am – 12 noonTheresa Thomas, Beverly Beazley, Bill VandeverClass Fee: $5 RC, Bldg 2300, Gym Class limit: 60Wednesday, August 15, 2012 10 am – 12 noonHow to Make a Living Wreath w/ Clay Pots & Succulents- Make & TakeDonna MorrisClass Fee: $45 RC, Bldg 2300, Gym Class limit: 20September 2012Saturday, September 15, 2012 10 am – 12 noonPerennialsJoann Hahn, Ginger BasonClass Fee: $5 RC, Bldg. 2300, gym & garden Class limit: 20Saturday, September 22, 2012 10 am – 12 noonGarden Water Features & Shade GardensSteve ChaneyClass Fee: $5 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20November 2012Saturday, November 10, 2012 10 am – 12 noonBugs – The Good, the bad, & the uglyLinda Hawkins, Lance Jepson & Eleanor TuckClass Fee: $ 5 TCMGA Garden Class limit: 20To register for a class contact Mary Lynn Haines merrymarylynn@sbcglobal.netTo schedule a class contact Nancy Curl nl_curl@yahoo.com

Sharecropper Upcoming Texas AgriLife Extension ServicesPage 182012 Home Horticulture SeminarsTexas AgriLife Extension ServiceDATE TIME ROOM SUBJECTMarch 3, 2012 10:00 am-12 Noon Lonestar A&B "Rainwater Harvesting"Make Your Own Rain Barrel*Optional-Extra FeeMay 12, 2012 1:00 pm-5:00 pm Bluebonnet D&E "Lawns & How to Irrigate Responsibly"June 2, 2012 10:00 am-12 Noon Lonestar A&B "Growing Herbs for Medicinal & Cooking"July 7, 2012 10:00 am-12 Noon Lonestar A&B "Sustainability" Organic vs. Inorganic?August 4, 2012 1:00 pm-5:00 pm Lonestar A&B “Fall Vegetable Garden”,The Best Season in TexasSeptember 1, 2012 10:00 am-12 Noon Lonestar A&B "Native & Adapted Plants"November 3, 2012 1:00 pm-5:00 pm Lonestar A&B "Landscape Design"December 1, 2012 10:00 am-12 Noon Lonestar A&B "Individual Consultations"Texas AgriLife Extension Service200 Taylor Street, Suite 500Fort Worth, TX 76196-0123Phone: 817-884-1945Classes will be held in the Conference Rooms of the Tarrant County Plaza Building and are open tothe public.Cost of each class is $15.*There is an extra fee of $50 for materials to make the rain barrel during class.Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all public without regard to race, sex, disability, religion,age or national origin.Please contact Billie Hammack at blhammack@ag.tamu.edu to register!The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service or accommodation in order to participate in any of our meetings are encouraged to contact our officeat 817.884.1945 for assistance.

SharecropperVolunteer Opportunities for TCMGAPage 19Project Code & Name Work Days/Times Project Manager Phone301 BRIT Activities Call Chairman Kay Yount 817-292-7690302 BG Perennial Garden Wed. 8:00 am Cindy Woelke 817-366-4436302 BG Children’s Garden Dolores Geisel 817-446-4536302 BG Trial Garden Thurs. 8:30-11:30am Susan Millersemiller@sbcglobal.net 817-261-1420303 Community and Demo Garden Chair Steve Chaney, s-chaney@tamu.edu 817-884-1945Project LeadsCommunity Garden, TuesdaysBarn Beds Charlotte Berck, caberck@dot11net. 817-426-6417Compost & Rainwater Harvesting Ron & Sue Ellen Schlitzer, s.schlitzer@sbcglobal.net 817-294-1329Community Vegetable Beds Bill Vandever, bvandever@sbcglobal.net 817-244-1580Demonstration and Enabling Beds Frank Durda 817-292-2270Education Nancy Curl, nl_curl@yahoo.com 817-319-1795Education – TCU Lance Jepson ljepson@aol.com 817-557-6122Enabling Garden Frank Durda 817-292-2270Greenhouse/Propagation Claire Alford, caagardner@aol.com 817-481-8861Herb Garden , Tuesdays Rita Hottel, rnhottel@att.net 817-295-2883Hospitality (Cook-outs) Beverly Beazley, babeazley@tx.rr.com 817-483-7080Orchard Renee Beckum, jrbeckum@sbcglobal.net 817-790-8575Perennial GardenGinger Bason & Joann Hahn,Plant Salesgbason@hotmail.com, joannhahn@att.net 817-838-7321/817-923-9250Carol Lally & Linda Winnlallyca@sbcglobal.net, mwinnclan@aol.com 817-656-2736/817-581-4486Potting Shed Pat Lovejoy, palovejoy@att.net 817-447-7924Rain Barrel Construction Claudia Teague, cteague@flash.net 817-444-2247Rose Garden, Tuesdays Nan Garvin, garbre@hotmail.com 817-477-2867304 Thistle Hill 1 st , 3 rd Weds. 9:30 am Emily Ward 817-281-5925304 Union Gospel Mission Mon. 10 am thru Feb Gay Larson 817-441-6560304 Teen Challenge Wed. 9 am Debbie Bollinger 817-498-1508304 Common Ground NRH Community Wed. & Sat 8:30a-12n Diane Spradling 817-431-4666Garden Sandra Totty 817-281-7877304 Six Stones/City of Bedford Annette Lee 214-803-2219Community Garden304 The Samaritan House Tues. March 9am-11am, John Pinkerton 682-433-2529April 8am-11a304 JPS Meditation Garden 2nd & 4th Fri. 8:30am Bernice Ransbottom 817-485-6631203 Grapevine Botanic GardenDocents Call Chairman Rachel Clark, Co-Chair 817-488-003Paula Wilbanks, Co-Chair 817-481-4398Environmental Projects:305 Composting Demo 1st Sat., Veterans Pk, Arlington LaVonne Nowlin 817-581-18502 nd Sat., River Legacy, Arlington Charlie Shiner 817-488-6123305 FW Library at Hulen St. 3rd Wed. 9 am Evaline Woodrey 817-295-5182305 SW Sub-Courthouse 2 nd Sat., last Wed. 9 am Gailon Hardin 817-475-0923305 Southlake Liberty Garden Call Chairman Wendi Carlucci 817-488-56402nd Tues., 8-11 am305 Veterans Park-Wildscape Wed. 1p—4pm Molly Hollar 817-319-69241st Sat., 9-12noon305 Bob Jones Nature Center 3rd , Wednesday, 9 am Nancy Searl 817-542-3190School Gardens:306 Alice Carlson OLE Mon. & Thurs. 8:30 am Sharon Chastain 817-926-2575306 Fitzgerald OLE Mon 9:00 am, & Wed. 3:00 pm Leeann Rosenthal 817-237-7180306 Heritage School OLE Mon. 8-10am Jackie Peel 817-581-0977

Sharecropper Page 20Tarrant County Master Gardener Association200 Taylor St., Suite 500Fort Worth, Texas 76102-7308Important Websites to Know!Our local TCMGA website: http://www.tarrantmg.org/State MG Website and TMG news: http://www.texasmastergardeners.comState Newsletter:http://www.tmganewsletter.orgOur RC Demo Garden Website: http://www.localharvest.org/member/M27123Native Plant Society of Texas http://txnativeplants.orgAggie Horticulture:http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.eduEarthkind:http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkindTexas Superstars:http://texassuperstar.comFort Worth Botanic Garden: http://fwbg.orgWildscape:http://thewildscape.orgUrban Solution Center:http://urbansolutioncenter.tamu.eduBotanical Research Institute of Texas: http://www.brit.orgEducational programs of Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, ornational origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service, or accommodation in order to participate in any of our meetings are encouragedto contact our office at 817.884.1945 for assistance.