Bluebonnet Master Gardener AssociationTexas AgriLife Extension Service

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BMGA Chapter Meeting – La Grange

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BMGA Chapter Meeting

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

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

2020 Master Gardener Open Houses

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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.

 

Earth-Kind Landscape Short Course in Somerville

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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

Master Gardener Online Earth-Kind Training

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Earth-Kind Logo

Earth-Kind® On-Line Master Gardener Training videos are made available by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. These videos are available to the public to learn more about Earth-Kind® gardening practices.  This program is designed to provide information on a variety of environmentally friendly (Earth-Kind®) practices for use in the home landscape and garden. As your interest and knowledge in this area grows you will have an increased awareness of the many programs, practices and activities that are Earth-Kind®.

All Texas Master Gardeners must recertify each year to remain in the Texas Master Gardener program.  In addition to the annual volunteer hour requirements, recertification requires Texas Master Gardeners to complete continuing education hours on topics of horticulture and gardening practices.  This continuing education helps Texas Master Gardeners sharpen their gardening skills and learn new fact-based and scientifically sound practices supported by Texas A&M AgriLife.

Texas Master Gardeners may select from any of these on-line modules to obtain up to 3 hours of re-certification education credits in a calendar year. Each module is worth 1 hour of credit.  Progress through the training program is tracked “on-line” and the results for each completed module are automatically forwarded to the Texas Master Gardener’s county Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Master Gardener Coordinator.

Participation in the Earth-Kind® On-Line Master Gardener Training will assist Texas AgriLife Extension Service to promote principles and practices that help conserve and protect our state’s valuable natural resources. Working together we can create a healthy and sustainable environment.

To go to the online modules, click the link below and following the instructions.

Link to: Earth-Kind® On-Line Master Gardener Training videos

Available videos are:

2020 Training Class

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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.  Participatants 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 Indepdance Rd entrance) , plus some field trips to be announced in class.  The updated training manual compiled by the Texas Master Gardener Assocation, is inlcuded 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

TAMU – Landscape Plant Conference

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This is an incredible opportunity to have plant people from both the east coast and west coast and places in between to meet at TAMU, to talk about the development and production of new landscape plants. They will share with you their unbiased trial-based plant information. At the end, we will tour the Aggie Garden or plant trials at TAMU. Join us!

https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/2866

Yellow Butterfly Vine Named Texas Superstar

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Source: AgriLife Today, June 13, 2019;

Yellow Butterfly

Yellow butterfly vine, also known as yellow orchid vine, a perennial, twining evergreen vine, has been named a Texas Superstar selection for its low maintenance requirements and beauty.

Texas Superstar® is a registered trademark owned by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, a state agency that is part of the Texas A&M University System. Plants are designated Texas Superstars by the Texas Superstar executive board, made up of nine horticulturalists from AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Tech University.

To be designated a Texas Superstar, a plant must not only be beautiful but perform well for consumers and growers throughout the state. Texas Superstars must be easy to propagate, which should ensure the plants are not only widely available but also reasonably priced, said David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Bexar County.

Rodriguez said the clusters of dainty flowers on butterfly vine are a brilliant yellow in the summer sun. But it’s the seed pods that give the plant its most common name.

Read Full Article

The Landscape Design School Series XXVI, Course II

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This school is open to anyone wishing to add to their knowledge of landscape desgin.  Master Gardeners who complete a course may apply for 12 hours of credit to their requirements for continueing educaion in their county.  After completeing four courses, they will receive the Landscape Design Steward certification.

Register by Febrary 2, 2019 and recieve the discounted price of $145.00

Registration

Course Announcement

Landscape Design Course Agenda