Topic: Growing a Tea Garden
Speaker: Ms. Cindy Meredith, Owner of The Herb Cottage
The Herb Cottage is an herbal wellness business and plant nursery focused on using herbs in all their wondrous ways. www.theherbcottage.com
Free to the Public! Light refreshments provided. Bring a sack lunch to enjoy while you learn!
Topic: Herbs From Container Plant to Kitchen
Speaker: Bob Haueser, Bluebonnet Master Gardener
Note: This month’s program will be held at the Colorado County Extension Office located at 316 Spring Street which is different from our normal monthly location.
Registration at 11:50 am – 12:05 pm
Program from 12:05 pm – 12:50 pm
Free to the Public! Light refreshments provided. Bring your lunch and learn!
Registration at 11:50 am – 12:05 pm
Program from 12:05 pm – 12:50 pm
Free to the public!
Presentation: “Growing the Herb Garden” by Master Gardeners Bob Haeuser and Lisa Nicklow
Many herbs will grow here. Whether you want to grow the old faithful like rosemary and basil or experiment with more exotic ones, Lisa and Bob will share hints and tips on best practices for growing indoors or out.
Free to the Public! Light refreshments provided. Bring your lunch to enjoy while you learn!
Topic: Oregano and Basil Varieties for the Post Oak Savanna and Blackland Prairie
Speaker: Madeline Johnson, Co-Coordinator of the Horticulture Study Group, HSA Pioneer Unit
Madeline Johnson and Phoebe Lake started the Horticulture Study Group in 2020. The herbs studied include oregano, basil, thyme, mint, and rosemary. The number of growers has varied from 16 to 22 over the years. In addition to measuring growth, the group meets monthly to learn about the herb. Meeting topics include botany, chemistry, cultivation, propagation, harvesting, storing, culinary and non-culinary uses. One of the most valuable benefits of the group is sharing our gardening experiences in growing these herbs. The basil and thyme studies have been published in Texas Gardener. The mint study is currently under review with the Texas Gardener.
Choosing the best varieties from the long list of possible varieties of oregano and basil for your garden can be overwhelming. Sometimes it is easier when the nursery label just reads oregano or basil. But some varieties perform better in our region than others. The Horticulture Study Group of the HSA Pioneer Unit is committed to understanding growth and hardiness differences. This program provides information about seven varieties of oregano and 12 varieties of basil. Background information about growing and using each of these herbs is also covered. Hopefully, this information will help you choose among the different varieties of oregano and basil for planting in your garden.
So 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
The 2018 Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association’s intern training class of 24 trainees held its April 4th class on the grounds of Festival Hill in Round Top, Texas. BMGA takes its intern training class to this “Jewel in the Crown of Texas” each year and the outing is usually a class favorite, especially when the weather is a nice Spring Texas day.
Guided by Festival Hill docent Mary Reeves, this year’s class and a few of their spouses toured the music conservatory’s campus and Festival Hill Herb Gardens. Ms. Reaves, along with her husband Charles, was instrumental in bringing the extensive gardens to their potential since the early 1980s. Ms. Reaves also makes all the floral arrangements for social events at the campus. The tour provided a historical overview of Festival Hill and discussed native plants around the grounds and in the different herb gardens. The group learned about herbs from around the world as well as the usual culinary and medicinal herbs. After the tour, the group enjoyed lunch in the Menke House kitchen which uses herbs from the campus gardens in their cooking. The interns last formal training class is April 11, and after passing a written exam, they will graduate the from Texas Master Gardener training program April 24th at BMGA’s chapter meeting at Grace Community Church in Bellville.
