Click for a hub of Extension resources related to the current COVID-19 situation.
COVID-19 Resources
Bluebonnet Master Gardener AssociationTexas AgriLife Extension Service

Members Only   Enter Hours

Chapter Meeting – Sens Activity Center

by

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.

Tagged With:

2021 Texas Master Gardener Virtual Conference-DAY 2

by

The 2021 Texas Master Gardener State Conference will be held virtually this year on May 18-19, 2021. The leadership workshop will be on May 17, 2021.

Join us as we walk through Texas gardens! We have an amazing line-up of inspirational speakers ready to share with you their favorite topics in horticulture. We will also travel across the state through virtual tours to see the diverse gardens of Texas.

The conference offers continuing education hours for Master Gardeners including three keynote presentations, twenty-four breakout sessions, and four virtual tours.

The conference is also time to celebrate the Search for Excellence Awards and the incredible achievements our volunteers are accomplishing in education across the state.

Cost:  $50 includes both Day 1 & Day 2!

 

Register Button

2021 Texas Master Gardener Virtual Conference- DAY 1

by

The 2021 Texas Master Gardener State Conference will be held virtually this year on May 18-19, 2021. The leadership workshop will be on May 17, 2021.

Join us as we walk through Texas gardens! We have an amazing line-up of inspirational speakers ready to share with you their favorite topics in horticulture. We will also travel across the state through virtual tours to see the diverse gardens of Texas.

The conference offers continuing education hours for Master Gardeners including three keynote presentations, twenty-four breakout sessions, and four virtual tours.

The conference is also time to celebrate the Search for Excellence Awards and the incredible achievements our volunteers are accomplishing in education across the state.

Cost:  $50 includes both Day 1 & Day 2!

 

Register Button

Leadership Workshop – Let’s Get Engaged!

by

Cultivate Your Volunteer Team and Reap the Benefits of Success!

Guest Speaker: Karen Reid, President and Founder, Kaber Communications

May 17, 2021 from 12:30pm- 4:30pm

Whether you are a budding or seasoned team leader, this workshop is for you! Join us and learn how to develop a vibrant volunteer environment fostering collaboration, empowerment and communication to help you nurture and grow your people.

During this interactive workshop, we’ll explore best practices and essential elements of volunteer engagement and communication strategies while sharing techniques to help you confidently lead both from within and at the forefront of your team. Along the way, we’ll look at the volunteer lifecycle and scaling solutions to fit your team and budget.

You’ll come away with tips and techniques to help you upgrade recruiting strategies, roll out exciting volunteer opportunities, motivate through recognition and lay the foundation for future growth through succession planning and branching out to younger volunteers.

$25.00 per registrant; pre-registration required.

Register HERE

Bugs by the Yard & Unwanted Guests Podcasts

by

Bumble Bee Insects and pests are some of the most diffcult challenges home gardeners and homeowners try to manage.  To address these issues, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists in entomology and integrated pest managemnt (IPM) have team-up to present two podcasts:  “Bugs by the Yard”  and “Unwanted Guests”.  Both are free and open to the public to listen and learn from these specialists.

Bugs in the Yard: A weekly podcast focused on garden pests and bugs.

Hosts: Texas A&M AgriLife Exention
Dr. Erfan Vafaie (IPM Specialist)
Molly Keck (entomologist, Bexar County)
Wizzie Brown (entomolgoist, Travis County)

Listen:    Link to Listen to Bugs by the Yard Podcasts

Unwanted Guests: This podcast covers insects and pests we don’t want in the house.

Hosts: Texas A&M AgriLife Exention
Robert Puckett, Ph.D. (entomolgist, Bryan-College Station)
Jane Hurley (IPM Specialist, Dallas)
Molly Keck (entomologist, Bexar County)
Wizzie Brown (entomolgoist, Travis County)

Listen: Availalbe on podcast platforms like iTunes and Audible.

 

 

 

 

 

BMGA Chapter Meeting – Weimar

by

April 27, 2021 – Intern Graduation
Weimar Civic Center at 1754 I-10
Weimar, TX 78962
BMGA Intern Class Graduation.  There are 11 graduates.

8:30  – 10:00:     Board of Directors Meeting
10:00 – 10:20:    Social/Team Time
10:20 – 10:30:    Pledges/Prayers (Al Prescott)
10:30 – 11:00:    Graduation
11:00 – 11:30:     Presentation on new VMS system (Stacie Villareal)
11:30 – 12:30:    Catered Lunch – This is NOT a pot-luck so please do not bring food.

Social distancing and masks required.

2021 Virtual Advanced Training in Rainwater Harvesting

by

Rainwater Harvesting

 

 

 

 

Think you know everything about Rainwater Harvesting? Think again! and then sign up for the online 2021 MG Advanced Training in Rainwater Harvesting. Most sessions will be led by Dr. Dotty Woodson, retired Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Water Specialist. Those that have had classes with Dotty know she is an excellent speaker and a super educator. Sign up for the class and learn new things about Rainwater Harvesting from Dr. Dotty Woodson.

The Master Gardener 2021 Rainwater Harvesting Advanced Training Class is being offered to certified Master Gardeners only by Tarrant County Master Gardeners. The training will be an online event on three consecutive Fridays in May, meaning participants can remain at home (living more cheaply than being on the road) and still obtain excellent Rainwater Harvesting training. Remaining at home is also good for spring gardens!

Three consecutive Fridays – May 7, 14, & 21, 2021
Virtual Presentation hosted by the Tarrant County Master Gardener Association

Tuition is $125.00

Registration  Deadline April 30, 2021
Click for Registration Information

AgriLife logo

BMGA Chapter Meeting – Sealy

by

BMGA Chapter Meeting at the American Legion Hall in Sealy.

Time:  8:30 – 10:00 Board Meeting
10:00 – 10:30 Social/Team Time
10:30 – 11:30 Presenter
11:30 – 12:00 General Chapter Business

Place:   Austin County /Sealy     American Legion Hall, 1630 Meyer Street, Sealy, TX 77474

Presenter:  Jay White – Texas Gardener Magazine

Presentation:   Texas Gardener’s Grow Great Vegetables

Masks and social distancing required.
All snacks must be individually wrapped food items.

Texas Master Gardener Association Virtual 2021 Conference

by

TMGA Virtual Conference May 18-19, 2021

The 2021 Virtual Texas Master Gardener Conference is open for registration!

The 2021 Texas Master Gardener State Conference will be held virtually this year on May 18-19, 2021. The leadership workshop will be on May 17, 2021.

Join a virtual walk-through of Texas gardens and an amazing line-up of inspirational speakers ready to share their favorite topics in horticulture.

See the Agenda & speaker’s bios

The conference offers continuing education hours for Master Gardeners including three keynote presentations, twenty-four breakout sessions, and four virtual tours.

The conference is also time to celebrate the Search for Excellence Awards and the incredible achievements our volunteers are accomplishing in education across the state.

Please visit https://txmg.org/2021-virtual-conference to learn more and to register for the conference.

This is a unique opportunity to hear from many of our AgriLife Extension Horticulturists and Specialists as well as many public experts.

Some things you can expect at this year’s conference:

  • Skilled speakers
  • Leadership training (additional half day at minimal cost)
  • Virtual Tours
  • Awards Ceremony
  • Directors meeting
  • Agents meeting
  • Conference t-shirt option

Master Gardener General Conference     $50.00
Master Gardener Leadership Workshop $25.00

We look forward to hosting this virtual conference. Because of the virtual aspect, diligent explanation has gone into the registration and participation process. Please carefully read all correspondence associated with the conference so that you have a positive virtual experience. If you have any questions, please contact txmastergardeners21@gmail.com.

Pollinator Citizen Science Project Opens Again March 22, 2021

by

Logo with butterflyMaster Volunteers, a group that includes Master Gardeners, contributed 7434 observations to the Pollinator Citizen Science Project according to the last updated summary on December 21, 2020.  Based on data collected in the project so far, the most visited plant by honey bees was Melochia tomentosa, also known as Teabush or Pyramid Bush.  For more information about this Texas native pollinator plant, visit the USDA Plant Database or the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center website 

photo of teabusy

Melochia tomentosa, also known as Teabush or Pyramid Bush

The purpose of the project is to use citizen scientists to determine the attractiveness of different commercially available ornamentals (annuals or perennials) to different groups of pollinators in the Southern USA, namely Texas and Oklahoma.

Due to popular demand and great results from 2020 and 2019, Pollinator Citizen Science Project is launching yet again this year.  The required training and quiz start online on-demand Monday March 22, 2021, accessible through the project page. The training will be similar to last year, with some added training on plant identification (offered by Dr. Vikram Baliga from Texas Tech University).  There will also be a live Q&A session later that week to answer any questions citizen scientists may have related to the project.

As before, BMGA members may recieve CEU credit for the training and volunteer hour credit for the time collecting and submitting data to the project.  This is a true citizen science project allowing ordinary citizens to make a  contribution that matters to the horticulture of our state.

When: Mar 25, 2021 02:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada) 
https://agrilife.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqc-2rqzkvGdfxKLO8vgAuj9ulTtgO3FiL

Results for  2020
Result for 2019

Many congratulations to the Project Team:

 

Online Event: The Unexpected Health Benefits of Gardening

by

Unexpected Health Benefits Flyer

Planting flowers and vegetables can result in beautiful bouquets and bountiful harvests for your meals. But did you know that gardening offers many health benefits as well? Join Jennifer Shukaitis, MPH, FCHS Educator, Rutgers Cooperative Extension from the State Office to learn how gardening may benefit the well-being of you and your family members.  See registration link below:

When: March 31, 2021 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Central Time

BMGA CEU: 1 hour

Register for the Event Here

Presenter: Jennifer Shukaitis, Family & Community Health Sciences Educator III (Eqv. to Asst. Professor), Dept. of Family and Community Health Sciences