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Bell County Master Gardener
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Gardening Tips

from Articles Published in Bell County Newspapers

Butterflies & Birds

  • American Robin
  • Barn Swallow
  • Swallowtail butterflies
  • Feeding the Birds.pdf
  • Humm-Dingers.pdf
  • Butter-Flying.pdf
  • Gardening for Butterflies Oct08.pdf
  • Attracting Birds to Winter Garden Dec08.pdf
  • Backyard Bird Sanctuary Dec09.pdf
  • Attract Hummingbirds Dec09.pdf
  • Sphinx Moth May 2011 pdf
  • Plant Polinators June 2011 pdf

Bulbs

  • Lilies
  • Forcing Bulbs Indoors
  • Fall Bulb Planting for Spring Show.pdf
  • Bulbs Dec08.pdf
  • Plant a Flag (Irises) April09.pdf
  • Spring blooming bulbs Dec10

Christmas & Other Holiday Plant Care

  • Massive Pumpkins
  • Patriotic garden bed
  • Mother’s Day flowers
  • Valentine’s Day Flowers
  • Mistletoe
  • Living Christmas tree
  • Norfolk pine
  • Christmas Plant Care.pdf
  • Christmas Gifts for the Gardener in Your Life.pdf
  • The Poinsettia.pdf
  • Recycling Christmas Trees.pdf
  • Christmas for the Critters Dec08.pdf
  • Christmas House Plants Dec08.pdf
  • Valentine Flowers _ Celebrations.pdf
  • Plantin’ of the Green Mar09.pdf
  • Pumpkin Time Oct09.pdf
  • Gifts for GardenerNov 09.pdf
  • Frankincense Dec 2010
  • Myrrh Dec 2010

Composting & Mulch

  • Live Oak Composting
  • Composting.pdf
  • Bottoms Up – Composting.pdf
  • composting Oct08.pdf
  • Compost Tea.pdf
  • Compost Tea -Jul2010
  • Why Mulch.pdf
  • Mulch Types.pdf
  • Mulch.pdf
  • Fall composting Nov10

Color in the Garden

  • Bright spots of color_garden Oct08.pdf
  • Fall color in the garden Oct08.pdf
  • Choosing Color for Your Garden.pdf
  • White and Gray Plants Feb09.pdf
  • October Color – Oct09.pdf
  • Gray Plants -Jul2010
  • Fall into Color Nov10

Desert Gardening (Cactus & Succulents)

  • The Other Succulents
  • Rounding out the Desert Garden
  • Cold Hardy Cacti and Succulents
  • Desert Gardens Jan 11

Earthkind Gardening

  • Earthkind Part1_Feb10.pdf
  • Earthkind _2 Roses Feb 10.pdf
  • Earthkind _3 Roses Mar10.pdf
  • Fragrant Earthkind Roses- May 2011

Grasses – Native, Ornamental, Lawn

  • Native_ORNAMENTAL_GRASSES_6-28-08.pdf
  • Starting A New Lawn.pdf
  • Spring Lawn Care.pdf
  • Hot Weather Lawn Care.pdf
  • Controlling Weeds in Your Lawn.pdf
  • Ready for Spring Apr2011

Herbs

  • Elderberry 2013 Herb of year
  • Scented Geraniums
  • 2012 Herb of the Year Rose
  • Garlic, Part 3
  • Garlic, part 2
  • Garlic,  part 1
  • Herb – Turmeric.pdf
  • Intro to Herbs 2-09-09.pdf
  • Herb-Bay Laurel Mar09.pdf
  • Dill-2010 Herb of the Year.pdf
  • Historical Herbs,Part one Sep10
  • Historical Herbs, Part two Sep10
  • Horseradish Jan 11
  • Herbs Feb2011
  • Lavendar in Central Texas – May2011

Integrated Pest Management

  • Snails in the Garden
  • Killing Fire ants July 11
  • Controlling Fire Ants.pdf
  • Beneficials.pdf
  • Using Beneficial Nematodes.pdf
  • Insects in the Garden Feb 09.pdf
  • Pill Bugs -Jun 2010

Invasive Plants – to Avoid in Central Texas

  • Invasive Plant_Desert willow Aug08.pdf

Landscape

  • Three Tough Plants
  • July garden maintenance
  • Prepare for summer
  • Time to Get Busy
  • December Chores
  • Drought, Part 2
  • Drought, Part 1
  • Drought Survivors
  • Fall Vegetable sale
  • Container Gardening Part 2
  • Container Gardening Part 1
  • We are in Drought, Part Three
  • Drought, What is it? Part one
  • Drought, What to do. Part two
  • Test Your Soil.pdf
  • Protecting Your Home from Wildfire.pdf
  • To Xeriscape or Not to Xeriscape.pdf
  • Rock Garden.pdf
  • Drought tolernat plants Jul09.pdf
  • Late summer heat lovers Sep08.pdf
  • Perk Up Your Landscape With Fall Color.pdf
  • Winterizing Your Garden.pdf
  • Winterizing your garden Nov08.pdf
  • Preparing Your Landscape for Winter.pdf
  • The Weekend Gardener.pdf
  • Plan and Plant for Fall Color.pdf
  • Annuals for Central Texas-1.pdf
  • Here Comes Fall- Sep09.pdf
  • Fall Gardens Sep 09.pdf
  • Landscape Care Important Dec09.pdf
  • December Gardening chores Dec 09.pdf
  • Winter, Evaluate Garden Jan 2010.pdf
  • End of Winter Chores Mar10.pdf
  • Winter Visions Jan 11
  • Before you Dig Mar2011

Propagation & Seeds

  • Share Your Plants with Others.pdf
  • Irises- Vegetative Propagation-1.pdf
  • Storing Native Seeds Nov08.pdf
  • Nannie Fannie and the Purple Iris Jun09.pdf

Roses

  • Rose_information-1.pdf
  • The Love and Care of Roses.pdf
  • Roses and Chocolate Garden 2-09.pdf
  • How Do I Choose Roses0509.pdf
  • Roses and Chocolate Garden 2-09.pdf
  • Keeping Roses healthy Aug09.pdf
  • Roses Mar10.pdf
  • Rose Hips Nov09.pdf
  • Prune Roses Feb2011

Shade Gardening

  • Color in the shade
  • Shady Flower Garden
  • Japanese Yellow Rose Nov08.pdf
  • Shade Gardening.pdf

Special Needs Gardening

  • GardeningWithLimitations Jul10.pdf

Specific Plant Information

  • The Luffa Sponge Gourd
  • Zinnias
  • Artemesia–Lace for your Landscape
  •  Oxalis
  • Pansies – Winter Delight
  • Angel’s Trumpet
  • Mexican Mint Marigold.pdf
  • Sunflowers Sep08.pdf
  • Baccharis neglecta (Roosevelt Weed).pdf
  • Bluebell.pdf
  • Snow on the prairie Sep08.pdf
  • Earthkind and other easy roses Mar09.pdf
  • Annuals for Central Texas Apr09.pdf
  • India Mustard _Brassica juncea_Apr2009.pdf
  • Nannie Annie and the Jack Beans _May09.pdf
  • A Moonlit Garden_May09.pdf
  • Mealy Blue Sage May09.pdf
  • Milkweed Jun09.pdf
  • Bird of Paradise Jun09.pdf
  • Black-eyed Susan Jul09.pdf
  • Zinnia-Butterfly Magnets Jul09.pdf
  • Queen’s Wreath-Pink Profusion Jul09.pdf
  • Sweet peas for Sweet Pea Aug09.pdf
  • Calendula Aug09.pdf
  • Moss Roses Like it HOT Sep09.pdf
  • Marigolds Sep09.pdf
  • Yellow Butterfly vine Oct09.pdf
  • Goldenrod Nov09.pdf
  • ForsythiaMar2010.pdf
  • Wisteria Vine Jul10
  • Passion Flower Vine Jul10
  • Aloe vera- Aug10
  • Desert Willow- Aug10
  • Possumhaw Holly Sep10
  • Texas GreenSage Oct10
  • Aloe Vera-An old Friend Dec10
  • Facts of Flax – Jan 2011
  • Lilium- Mar2011
  • Artemisia – Named for a Goddess May 2011

Texas Native Plants

  • Plan for Texas Wildflowers
  • Get Ready For Wildflowers
  • Buffalo Gourd
  • Desert globe mallow
  • Coreopsis – A Little Piece of Sunshine
  • Pin Clover
  • Texas Native Edible plants
  • Tx_Spring_Natives-1.pdf
  • Waterwise_plants_Sunny_07-08-08.pdf
  • Caring for Texas Natives.pdf
  • Let’s Go Native.pdf
  • Go Native.pdf
  • Grow Some Texas Wildflowers.pdf
  • Wildflowers.pdf
  • Wildflowers 2.pdf
  • Plan Ahead for Bluebonnets Sep08.pdf
  • Adapted Non-Natives _ Perennials and Annuals.pdf
  • Is It Sage or Is It Salvia.pdf
  • Texas Super Stars.pdf
  • super stars Mar2009.pdf
  • Superstars_ MoyGrande _ Belinda’s Dream Apr09.pdf
  • Roadside plants May09.pdf
  • Texas Superstars=Success Jan 2010.pdf

Tree Selection and Care

  • Pomegrante Tree
  • Choosing_Shade_Trees_08-11-08.pdf
  • Ornamental Trees for Your Landscape.pdf
  • Tree Varieties for Central Texas.pdf
  • Small native trees Oct08.pdf
  • Trees for Texas.pdf
  • Adapted Native Trees and Shrubs.pdf
  • Planting Your Trees.pdf
  • Fall Tree Planting_10-27-07.pdf
  • Tree Planting Time Oct09-1.pdf
  • Oak Wilt.pdf
  • Memory tree Nov09.pdf
  • It’s Winter,Plant trees Jan 2010.pdf
  • Selecting Shade Trees Dec10
  • Texas Native trees Mar11

Growing Orchids

  • Grow Orchids.pdf

Vegetable & Herb Gardening

  • Vegetable Garden How To
  • Vegetables _ Herbs for Fall Gardening_08-04-08.pdf
  • Fall Gardening Aug08.pdf
  • FALL VEGETABLE GARDENING Sep08.pdf
  • Herbs for Beginners.pdf
  • Vegetable Varieties for Bell County.pdf
  • Preserving Good Things.pdf
  • Potatoes 2.pdf
  • Tomato Transplant Procedures.pdf
  • Onions.pdf
  • Valentine’s Strawberries Feb 2010.pdf
  • Soil Analysis & Tomatoes Aug10
  • Fall Vegeetable Garden Aug10
  • Squash Oct10
  • Still Winter Feb2011
  • Tomatoes Feb 2011
  • Peppers Feb 2011
  • Plant a Veg garden Mar2011
  • The Onion Apr2011
  • Asparagus May2011

Water – Rainwater, Ponds, Garden Watering

  • Water–Delicious Entertainment
  • Water Harvesting.pdf
  • Proper Landscape and Garden Watering.pdf
  • Planting Your Pond.pdf
  • The Trickle of Moving Water.pdf
  • Keep that Rainwater 06-09.pdf
  • waterwise gardening Aug09.pdf

Weeds

  • Getting Rid of Poison Ivy.pdf

Wildlife – Deer & Other Animals

for more see also Educational Articles – General Interest
  • Hanging Baskets
  • Deer Tale
  • Attracting Wildlife with flowering vines
  • Deer Driven Landscapes.pdf
  • Gardening with Deer.pdf
  • What Plants Will Survive Visiting Deer.pdf
  • Texas Gone Bats.pdf
  • Enjoy Purple Martins in Your Garden.pdf

Miscellaneous

  • What is a Master Gardener?
  • Recommended Gardening Books.pdf
  • gardening safely Aug08.pdf
  • Special Gardens Nov08.pdf
  • The Naming of Plants.pdf
  • Nov Garden Chores Nov09.pdf
  • Personal Protective Gear -Jun2010
  • Garden tour inspiration Sep10
  • Tending God’s Garden Oct10
  • Garden tour Apr2011

 


BCMGA Mission Statement

The Bell County Master Gardeners Association assists the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in providing high quality, relevant, research-based horticultural education and service to the residents of Bell County and the state of Texas through outreach, teaching, and demonstration projects. Read More

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BCMGA Help Desk

For help with horticulture questions or concerns please email a photograph, contact information and questions to our email address at bell.mg@agnet.tamu.edu. Requests for assistance will be addressed by email or by phone (254) 933-5304. The Bell County Master Gardener Office is staffed for the public Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., except for holidays.

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exception of December... Read More

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