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Bluebonnet Master Gardener AssociationTexas AgriLife Extension Service

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Chapter Meeting – Sens Activity Center

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Board Meeting:  8:30 – 10:00
Social: 10:00 – 10:30
Program: 10:30 – 12:00

Presentation: Sens Center 20th Anniversary History Presentation and Anniversary Celebration, presented Faye Berry & Phillip Schackleford.

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Online Horticulture Learning Could Never be Easier

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LogoSo many online horticulture learning opportunities you don’t know where to start?  This guide can get you started learning from horticulture experts.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension recorded many of their programs for viewing on your own schedule.  These recorded presentations are free to the public.

Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association members may claim Continuing Education Units (CEU) for these all AgriLife programs that pertain to gardening and horticulture; live or recorded.  Just watch the presentation and record your time as CEU.  BMGA members, remember to get your CEU credits recorded by December 31, 2020 to apply those hours to your re-certification requirement.  For 2020, you need 6 CEU credits.

Below are links to some of these programs to start learning from our Aggie experts.

Gulf Coast Gardening Online Series
There are 22 videos for more than 24 hours of learning. Topics include:

Young Tree Care – Video  #5
Earth Kind Pest Disease & Weed Control – Video #10
Texas Superstar Plants – Video #19

Horticulture & Gardening Webinar Series with David Rodriguez, County Extension Horticulture Agent, Bexar County
There are currently 17 of these recorded sessions for more than 13 hours of education. Topics include:

Getting Your Lawn and Landscape Ready for Summer Heat – Video #9
Tomato Basics 101 – Video #13
Butterfly Gardening – Nectar Plants – Video #5

Aggie Horticulture Facebook Live Recordings
There are 55 horticulture recorded events. Wow!  You do not need a Facebook account to watch.  Topics include:

Homeowner Greenhouses- Video #41
Transitioning to a Fall Garden, Two Parts – Video #40 & #45
Toys for Vegetable Gardening – Video #50
Fall Blooming Flowers & Biennials Planted in Fall – Video #51
Growing Blueberries in Containers – Video 18

 

BMGA Chapter Meeting – Washington County Sales Fac

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THIS IS AN IN-PERSON MEETING

Board Meeting:  8:30 – 10:00
Social: 10:00 – 10:30
Program: 10:30 – 12:00

Fragrant Plants from the Garden, presented by Henry Flowers

Henry Flowers is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds both Bachelor and Master of Agriculture degrees in Horticulture. He is currently a horticulturist with Glasco & Co. Landscaping in Brenham, TX, where he enjoys doing a wide variety of tasks. He was Garden Director at the Round Top Festival Institute for 16 years, where he oversaw a variety of display gardens with the support of a large number of volunteers and also coordinated a variety of educational garden-related events. At home he and his wife Melissa grow a wide variety of herbs that they enjoy for their beauty and usefulness in the kitchen. He is a lifetime member of The Herb Society of America and was the 2009 recipient of The HSA’s Joanna McQuail Reed Award for the Artistic Use of Herbs.

Live Lunch and Learn Gardening Series – September 2020

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Lunch & Learn

Live Lunch and Learn Gardening Series – September 2020

Join Horticulturist David Rodriguez and Entomologist Molly Keck for their Live Lunch and Learn Gardening Webinar Series.  Learn about your landscape and vegetable gardening.   To join, click link below and put in the meeting id and passcode at the date and time of the presentation.
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Time

Click Here to Join

Meeting ID: 990 2593 9574
Passcode: Garden2020

September 16: Where do Insects Go When it Rains?
September 23: September is Butterfly Month!
September 30: Dragonfly Watching

 

Live Lunch and Learn Gardening Series

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Lunch & Learn

Live Lunch and Learn Gardening Series – August 2020

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Time
Join Horticulturist David Rodriguez and Entomologist Molly Keck for their Live Lunch and Learn Gardening Webinar Series.  Learn about your landscape and vegetable gardening.   To join, click the link below and put in the meeting ID and Passcode at the date and time of the presentation.
Join the Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 990 2593 9574
Passcode: Garden2020
Schedule:
August 11: Tomato 101: Growing Basics
August 12: Pests of Tomatoes
August 18: Lawn 101: Turfgrass Basics
August 19: Lawn 101: Turfgrass Pests
August 25: Growing a Fall & Winter Vegetable Garden
August 26: Managing Cool Weather Fall Veggie Pests
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Time
For more information, contact David Rodriguez,  dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu

 

Backyard Bug Hunt Recorded Series

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If you missed Wizzie Brown’s Backyard Bug Hunt webinars, below are links to recorded series to date.

Ms. Brown is an Integrated Pest Management Program Specialist in Travis County.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Entomology from the The Ohio State University in 1996 and her Masters in Entomology at Texas A&M University in 1999.

When you find insects in your garden, your first instinct might be to destroy them, but that’s not always the best action.  Of the 1.5 million known insect species in the world, more than 97% are beneficial to gardens, or simply benign.  That leaves less than 3% that are agricultural and nuisance pests.

Bluebonnet Master Gardeners may claim CEU credit for these live or recorded events.

You may watch these webinars on the Travis County AgriLife Extension site or click the topics below:

Butterfly & caterpillar ID (Nymphalids & Papilionids)

Attracting insects to your yard

Veggie pests

Spiders

Fire ant biology & management

All about ants- ID & biology

Mosquitoes

Fly identification & management

Stinging & biting arthropods

 

BMGA Chapter Meeting – Moved Online!

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BMGA Chapter Meeting

10:00 a.m. Online 

BMGA Members & Interns:  Check your email for how to access the meeting

Laura Sherrod
Wildlife Biologist

Native Landscaping / Texas Wildscaping: Creating ‘backyard habitat’ through the use of native and well adapted plant species not only provides habitat, but also assists in reducing water use, as well as the need for potentially harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Texas Wildscapes, coordinated by Texas Parks and Wildlife, is one of the most popular and successful native habitat projects for commercial and residential landscapes

All About Trees: Forests – Living Pharmacies

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Tree

All About Trees: Forests – Living Pharmacies

Registration: Please cut and paste the link into your browser.

https://tfs.webex.com/tfs/onstage/g.php?MTID=e46376572ab72e9dea2d947c49b06c626

June 25, Thursday
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

All About Trees: Forests – Living Pharmacies is bringing the science, the chemistry, the biology to the field of wild edible and herbal medicine. Dr. Mark Merriwether Vorderbruggen is a chemist, with an MS in medicinal chemistry and a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry.

“An estimated 50,000 plant species are used medicinally. Within the plant kingdom, trees make a substantial contribution to this figure, and many species are used in traditional and modern medicine.”

“Medicine from trees, extracted from the wood, bark, roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, or seeds is fundamental to the well-being of millions of people. Where access to modern pharmaceuticals is limited, trees offer living pharmacies open to anyone with traditional knowledge on their medicinal properties.” (Global Tree Campaign)

Texas A&M Forest Service’s ALL ABOUT TREES has moved our live presentations to a web-based platform. This is in response to the important stay-at-home ordinances related to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Join us for this presentation series created to bring experts in forestry, arboriculture, chemistry, and science to answer your questions interactively through a dynamic CHAT feature.

Check with your local Texas Master Naturalist or Texas Master Gardener chapters for Advance Training AT credits. For CEUs from ISA, SAF, TNLA, and other organizational providers, a certificate of participation may be sent to you upon request for verification of attendance.

This class will be live on our WebEx platform allowing experts to answer your questions in real-time meeting state AT requirements.

 __________________________________

For more information, contact:

JOHN R. WARNER, CF, CA, AF
URBAN DISTRICT FORESTER IV
Texas A&M Forest Service
1328 FM 1488, Conroe, TX 77384
936/546-3169 cell
tfsweb.tamu.edu

 

Plant Pathology for Master Gardeners – Free Online Course

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photo of Diseased Bell Pepper PlantTexas A&M AgriLife Exension offers a variety online gardning courses free of charge.  One such offering is a self-directed course designed for Master Gardener interns to introduce the basic concept of plant disease development and an overview of the four common plant pathogen groups.

Plant disease is one of the most difficult topics for home gardeners.  Although this course is designed for Master Gardener interns, experienced Master Gardeners may find this online course a good refresher on a complex topic.

These modules will provide some base information which will help participants gain a foundational understanding of the different plant-pathogen types, and will enhance better understanding of the material presented at classroom Master Gardener intern training on plant pathology.

See all available AgriLife online courses under the Plants and Garden.

 

Tomato 101: The Basics of Growing Tomatoes – Online Course

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Photo of TomatoesTomatoes are the most popular garden edible crop in Texas according to Joseph Masabni, Assistant Professor and Extension Horticulturist, The Texas A&M University System.  Although the jewel of the Texas garden, many home gardeners have disappointing results with tomatoes.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s online course Tomato 101:  The Basics of Growing Tomatoes  teaches the basics of growing tomatoes in your garden. You may cover the material at your own pace and on your own time schedule so begin when you’re ready. This course was first developed for Texas gardeners. However, most information is suitable for other regions.

The cost of the course is $20.00

See all available AgriLife online courses under the Plants and Garden.

Gulf Coast Gardening Online Series – Free

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Join Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Horticulture agents and specialists as they discuss gardening in the Gulf Coast Region of Texas.  Mark your calendars for these CEU opportunties.

Register to attend live events:       

Link to recorded past events CLICK HERE

July 2020

July 1 at 10:00am – Home Citrus Growing by Ginger Easton-Smith, AgriLife Extension Ag and Natural Resources Agent in Aransas County

July 8 at 10am – Young Tree Care by Boone Holladay, AgriLife Extension Horticulture

July 15 at 10am – Cacti & Succulent Varieties by Kevin Gibbs, AgriLife Extension Horticulture

July 22 at 10am – Fabulous Figs for the Gulf by Stephen Brueggerhoff, AgriLife Extension Horticulture Agent in Brazoria County

July 29 at 10am – EarthKind Pest, Disease & Weed Control by Robert “Skip” Richter, AgriLife Extension Horticulture Agent in Brazos County

June 2020

June 3 at 10:00am – Annuals in the Summer Heat by Paul Winski, AgriLife Extension Horticulture Agent in Harris County

June 10 at 10:00am – Olives on the Texas Gulf Coast by Stephen Janak, Extension Program Specialist

June 17 at 10:00am – Gardening in Containers by Skip Richter, AgriLife Extension Horticulture Agent in Brazos County

June 24 at 10:00am – Turf Irrigation Audit by Michael Potter, AgriLife Extension Horticulture Agent in Montgomery County

Gulf Coast Gardening Online

Invitation to Virtual Master Gardener College

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Texas Master Gardeners are inviited to join the online Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener College June 25-28, 2020. This is really a neat opportunity to learn from another state’s Master Gardener program.  Although not all of the information pertains to Texas gardeners, much will.  Please take this opportunity for more innovated learning.

BMGA CEU credit.

BMGA Interns Only: Apply time to their volunteer hours.

Get Information Button

 

 

 

Register by June 19, 2020:

 

Virginia Master Gardener College 2020

 

BMGA Chapter Meeting – Canceled

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This event is canceled.  However, members are encouraged to engage in online education.

Free AgriLife CEU Videos Open to Master Gardeners through the end of the year. These videos are collected under a single title Gardening 101. Click the link below, create an account (you will not be charged) and follow the instructions for the course work. Make sure you take the quiz after completing each topic.

Please use Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser, not Internet Explorer or Microsoft.

Go to Videos

 

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Aggie Horticulture Live Facebook Events!

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LogoJoin Aggie Horticulture on Wednesdays & Fridays at 1 p.m. Central time on the Aggie Horticulture Facebook Page to watch Facebook Live events!

Aggie Horticulture Live Facebook Events

Upcoming Events:

  • 5/22/2020 – Friday 1:00 pm – From Garden to Glass DIY Mocktails/Cocktails
  • 5/27/2020 – Wednesday 1:00 pm – “Some Like it Hot” – Growing Vegetables in Summer
  • 5/29/2020 – Friday 1:00 pm – TBD
  • 6/3/2020 – Wednesday 1:00 pm – Check your crape (and other plants) for scale

Qualifies for Master Gardener CEU Credits.

Prior Live Event Videos Available on Aggie Horticulture’s  Facebook page:

All About Trees: Forests, Water and People Online Class

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Tree

 

Thursday, May 21, 2020 2:00 pm
Central Daylight Time (Chicago, GMT-05:00)

COST: FREE
Thursday, May 21, 2020
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

 

Click below link to register:

https://tfs.webex.com/tfs/onstage/g.php?MTID=e2b809db1e53296189759595ec886e545

Healthy forests are critically important for protecting water supplies.

Forests play an important role in providing clean water. More than 50 percent of the nation’s freshwater resources originate from forests that cover about one-third of the United States. In addition to providing clean water, forests also absorb rainfall, refill groundwater aquifers, slow and filter stormwater runoff, reduce floods and maintain watershed stability and resilience.

Several municipalities and water utilities have already recognized the important role forests play in supplying fresh drinking water, and, as such, have taken action to conserve these critical landscapes. Efforts are underway to explore these approaches throughout the South.

Approximately 89 percent of the South’s forestland is privately-owned, making it the nation’s stronghold for private forestland ownership. To sustain healthy forests and protect water resources, viable economic markets, careful forest management and well-targeted forest, conservation efforts are critical. (Southern Group of State Forester)

Texas A&M Forest Service’s ALL ABOUT TREES has moved several of our live presentations to a web-based platform. This is in response to the important stay-at-home ordinances related to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Join us for this presentation series created to bring experts in forestry, hydrology and arboriculture to answer your questions interactively through a dynamic CHAT feature.

Check with your local Texas Master Naturalist or Texas Master Gardener chapters for Advance Training AT credits. For CEUs from ISA, SAF, TNLA, and others organizational providers, a certificate of participation may be sent to you upon request for verification of attendance.

This class will be live on our WebEx platform allowing healthcare providers, certified forest therapy guides, foresters and arborists to answer your questions in real-time meeting state AT requirements.

Program information is available by emailing or calling John Warner, jwarner@tfs.tamu.edu or 936/546-3169.