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Fort Bend Regional Vegetable Conference – Summer Session Scheduled

July 12, 2021 by cmschweikhardt

The Fort Bend Regional Vegetable Conference is a celebration of vegetable production along the upper Gulf Coast region. Counties of Waller, Wharton, Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Colorado, and Austin join with Fort Bend to put on this event focusing on teaching sustainable practices to help producers maximize efficiencies and profitability. Although we were not able to host our annual Vegetable Conference in February, we have put together a short virtual summer session with topics centered around sustainable and organic production, disease and insect management, and variety selection. Partnering sponsors have allowed us to offer this program at a great price. The cost to attend is $10.  We will offer three (3) continuing education credits in the General category for Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicator license holders.

Come join us virtually at the Fort Bend Regional Vegetable Conference – Summer Session on Thursday, July 29, 2021.  The conference will begin at 9:00 am and end at 12:00 pm.

To register, please go to https://tinyurl.com/t86xftbh.  There will be no in office registrations.  For general questions, please contact Brandy Rader at 281-633-7029.

 

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: CEU, Disease, Pests, Vegetables

Ask an Expert is now Ask Extension

February 27, 2021 by bluebonnet

Question Mark image

Ask an Expert is now Ask Extension.  This service offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions from across the United States.  Before posting a new question, you may also search previously answered questions in the Knowledgebase catalogue.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR EXTENSION EXPERTS?

Ask A Question

Search the Knowledgebase

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: Compost, Disease, Fruit, Irrigation, Lawns, Pests, Trees, Vegetables

Online Horticulture Learning Could Never be Easier

November 20, 2020 by cmschweikhardt

 

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

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: CEU, Disease, Earth-Kind, Fruit, Greenhouses, Herbs, Lawns, Pests, Seminar, TexasSuperstars, Trees, Vegetables

Plant Pathology for Master Gardeners – Free Online Course

June 17, 2020 by cmschweikhardt

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.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: CEU, Disease

2020 Master Gardener Open Houses

January 3, 2020 by cmschweikhardt

The Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association is hosting three Open House events in January, 2020.  If you are interested in learning more about the Master Gardener Program in Texas or want to sign-up for the intensive 5o- hour certficiation training class, please be our guest at one of these three events:

La Grange Open House
January 8, 2020
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Fayette County AgriLife Meeting Room
255 Svoboda Ln, Rm 134
La Grange, TX 78945

Brenham Open House
January 9, 2020
11:30 a.m.– 1:00 p.m.
Washington County Fairgrounds Sales Facility (Entrance on Independence St across from Sherriff’s Office)
1305 East Blue Bell Road
Brenham, TX  77833

Bellville Open House
January 9, 2020
10:00 a.m. 12:00 noon
AgriLife Extension Office – Austin County
800 E. Wendt St.
Bellville, TX 77418

The Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association 2020 Training Class will be held in Brenham.  Space is limited.  For more information and to apply online visit our Application Page.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: CertificationClass, Compost, Disease, Earth-Kind, Fruit, Herbs, Irrigation, LandscapeDesign, Lawns, Propagation, Trees, Vegetables

Earth-Kind Landscape Short Course in Somerville

November 5, 2019 by bluebonnet

The 2019 Earth-Kind Landscape Short Course by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Horticulture Sciences Program is a continuing education program designed for professionals responsible for managing and maintaining urban green space such as residential landscapes, parks, commercial properties and golf courses.

The course will also benefit municipal, schools, city personnel and landscape businesses, particularly those interested in developing sustainable urban landscape conservation programs.

Texas Master Gardeners earn CEUs for this course.

When:
December 16 – 18, 2019

Where:
Texas A&M HortTREC
3199 CR 269 E.
Somerville, TX 77879

Speakers:

  • Dr. Mike Arnold
  • Dr. Gerald Bergner
  • Ms. Wizzie Brown
  • Dr. Becky Grubbs
  • Dr. Mengmeng Gu
  • Dr. Young-Ki Jo
  • Dr. Mark Matocha
  • Mr. Shea McLamore
  • Ms. Laura Miller
  • Dr. Genhua Niu
  • Dr. Kevin Ong
  • Dr. David Reed

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: CEU, Disease, Earth-Kind, LandscapeDesign, Pests, Trees

Coneflowers with Aster Yellows Disease

September 1, 2019 by bluebonnet

photo of coneflower with Aster Yellows Disease

The coneflower oddities pictured came from Sens Center Vegetable Demonstration Garden that the Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association manages in Bellville, Texas in June 2019.  Our research shows that these plants are infected with Aster Yellows disease caused by phytoplasma.  However interesting the effect, Aster Yellows is a serious garden disease impacting more than 300 plants species in 38 plant families.

The Texas Plant Disease Handbook lists the following as the most important impacted plants of Aster Yellows disease:

Crops: broccoli, buckwheat, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, endive, flax, lettuce, onion, parsley, potato, parsnip, pumpkin, red clover, salsify, spinach, strawberry and tomato.

Flowers: aster, anemone, calendula, Centaurea, China aster, chrysanthemum, Clarkia, cockscomb, Coreopsis, cosmos, delphinium, daisies, Gaillardia, hydrangea, marigold, Nemesia, Paris daisy, periwinkle, petunia, phylox, Scabiosa, snapdragon, statice, strawflower, veronica, and zinnia.

Weeds: cinquefoil, daisy fleabane, dandelion, horseweed, plantain, ragweed, thistle, wild carrot, and wild lettuce.

Yellows diseases are caused by phytoplasma.  All known forms of these small, specialized bacteria cause plant disease.  Phytoplasmas are naturally spread from plant to plant by sucking insects, particularly leafhoppers. The insects pick-up phytoplasma during their feeding on infected host plants, then spread the disease when they move to feed on other plants. The phytoplasma can overwinter in leafhoppers and on perennial host plants  and will re-emerge in the Spring.

Phytoplasmas commonly cause distorted, dwarfed, and yellowish leaves and shoots often referred to as “yellows”. Other symptoms include abnormal flower and leaf development, shortened internodes, and shoot proliferation (known as “witches’ broom”). The flowers of infected plants sometimes develop green, leaflike structures as seen the coneflower photo from the Sens Center Demonstration Garden.

Aster Yellows wreaks havoc on all parts of the plant. There are no chemical or organic treatments known to cure, suppress or kill the disease so once plants become infected, they remain infected and are a host plant for further infection throught the garden.  Failing to destroy the infected plant means it survives as a constant source of phytoplasma to be spread to other plants.  Garden sanitation is key to managing the disease.  Once the disease is discovered, all parts of the plant including the root system must be removed and destroyed.  Although heat may kill the pathogen, it is best not compost diseased plants. As with all phytoplasmas, the Aster Yellows pathogen cannot survive outside of the plant so the bacteria will not remain in the soil.

An integrated pest and disease management approach including destroying infected plants immediately upon discovery of the disease, maintaining proper garden sanitation practices and attempts to control the leafhoppers is recommended. If you believe you have plants of any kind infected with Aster Yellows or a similar disease,  contact the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab for information about diagnostic testing and recommendations for minimizing the spread of disease in your garden.

Web sources used for this post include:  Texas Plant Disease Handbook, Texas Plant Disease Diagnosic Lab, Missouri Botanical Gardens, Ohio State Cornflower Clean-up, Wisconsin Horticulture Division of the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

 

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: Disease, Pests, Vegetables

2020 Training Class

July 26, 2019 by bluebonnet

Our  2020 Master Gardener Certification Training Class is scheduled each Thursday from January 16th – April 23rd with the final graduation class on Tuesday, April 28, 2020.  Participants from Austin, Colorado, Fayette & Washington Counties are welcome. The 64 hours of classes will be held at the Washington County Extension Sales Facility at 1305 East Bell Road, Brenham, Texas 77833 (use the Independence Rd entrance) , plus some field trips to be announced in class.  The updated training manual compiled by the Texas Master Gardener Association, is included in the $175 registration fee.  You may register online below or contact the Washington County Extension office at (979) 277-6262 for more information.

 

Bluebonnet Master Gardener Volunteer Program Application

 

2020 Training Class Flyer

Map to Open House & Class Location

2020 Training Class Flyer

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: CertificationClass, Disease, Earth-Kind, Herbs, Irrigation, LandscapeDesign, Lawns, Pests, Propagation, RainwaterHarvesting, Trees, Vegetables

Washington County Lunch-N-Learn: Top Ten Plant Diseases by Shelia McBride

April 26, 2019 by bluebonnet

May 7 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Washington County 2019 Lunch-N-Learn Series.  These gardening presentations are Free to the public.  Light refreshments are provided or bring your own lunch.

Map & Directions

Shelia McBride Profile

Schedule for Program

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: CEU, Disease, Lunch N Learn

2019 Master Gardener Training Class Announced

December 8, 2018 by bluebonnet

The Bluebonnet Master Gardener Assocation 2019 training classes begin January 17th in La Grange, Texas. The series consists of 50 hours of training held every Thursday until April 25th, 2019.  Master Gardener Carol Daniels of La Grange is the coordinator of the 2019 training program.  Ms. Daneils also coordinated the 2017 training class for BMGA. The class is designed for trainees from any of the four Bluebonnet Master Gardener counties of Austin, Colorado, Fayette and Washington.  Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides the training material used by Master Gardener programs statewide.

This is a unique opportunity for individuals who are interested in horticulture and serving their community. Master Gardeners are trained in all facets of horticulture such as plant & soil science, entomology, plant pathology, fruit and vegetable gardening, and much more. Upon completion of their training, Master Gardeners will be required to give at least 50 hours of volunteer service time in their local community in order to receive the title of “Master Gardener”.

Two Open House dates have been set for January 2019 for anyone interested in learning more about the program.  These two events will provide a great opportunity to visit with current Master Gardeners, learn about projects in each of the counties, and enjoy a few Master Gardener goodies.

January 8, 2019 – 11:30am-1:00pm – Washington County Fairgrounds Sales Facility
January 10, 2019 – 10:00am -12:00noon – Fayette County Extension Office

2019 Training Class Application Form_

Training classes begin January 17th and will be held every Thursday through April 18th at the Fayette County Extension Office at 255 Svoboda Lane in La Grange from 8:30am-12:30pm.  Final assesment and graduation will be held April 23. Applications are available at the Fayette County Extension Office.  Class size will be limited, so to ensure your spot in the 2019 BMGA Training Class the application and payment of $175 must be turned into the Extension Office as soon as possible.

Come out and enjoy lots of wonderful refreshments and a chance to learn more about what all the Master Gardeners have to offer! For more information on the Master Gardener program, contact the Extension office at (979) 968-5831.

The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife.

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 this meeting are encouraged to contact the Fayette County Extension Office at (979)968-5831 seven work days prior to the meeting to determine how reasonable accommodations can be made.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: CertificationClass, Disease

Faye Beery & Carolyn Woodruff Complete First Detector Training Class

June 14, 2018 by bluebonnet

Photo of First Detector Class 2018BMGA members Faye Beery and Carolyn Woodruff completed the two-day First Detector Training June 11-12, 2018 in Angleton.  The Master Gardener Specialist First Detector-Plant Disease training course introduces participants to the National Plant Diagnostic Network’s effort to protect US agriculture and plants through awareness information of invasive, non-native pests and pathogens.  Trainees learn basic plant disease diagnostic skills and symptom documentation skills.   The ultimate goal of the training is to provide these trainees, all of whom are already certified Texas Master Gardeners, with expertise to assist Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service with early detection of invasive and exotic pathogens & pests.  This year’s class was sponsored by the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, the Brazoria County Master Gardener Association and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Brazoria County.

While the classroom part of their training is complete, to obtain the First Detector Specialist designation recognized by the Texas Master Gardener Association, Ms. Beery and Ms. Woodruff must complete 20 hours of field work assessing citrus and palm plants for pathogens. If you have citrus or palm in your gardens, be sure to contact Ms. Berry or Ms. Woodruff to conduct an assessment of your plants for invasive, non-native pests and pathogens.   Their completed assessments and information forms will be submitted to the Plant Disease Clinic for Dr. Kevin Ong’s approval.  Additionally, Ms. Beery and Ms. Woodruff are equipment with photos and other information to use educating the public through presentations to interested groups, clubs and societies.

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: Disease, Pests

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