Lunch and Learn with the Masters begins Feb. 12

By Cindy Brewer Victoria County Master Gardener

A pond at the Victoria Educational Gardens. Plants for Fish and Water Ponds is the topic for the June Lunch and Learn. Contributed Photo by Cindy Brewer/ Victoria County Master Gardener

Janet McCrea distributes plants at a lunch and learn program. Contributed Photo

Helen Parks presents a lunch and learn program last year. Contributed Photo

The Victoria County Master Gardener Association (VCMGA) will continue its community outreach program titled Lunch & Learn with the Masters at noon Feb. 12. These horticultural presentations will be the second Monday of the month from February through August. We meet at the Victoria Educational Gardens Pavilion, 283 Bachelors Drive, across from the Victoria Airport Control Tower

These hour-long talks and demonstrations provide a wealth of information on Texas gardening and are free and open to the public. They also count for Continuing Education hours for Master Gardeners. Bring your lunch and drink and learn from noon to 1 p.m. Master Gardeners will stay longer to answer your gardening questions. If you’re new to the area or new to gardening, these programs will be perfect for you.

Our viewing system of two large side televisions has been updated and now includes a new state-of-the-art projector and large front screen for fantastic viewing and hearing.

While at the Victoria Educational Gardens (VEG), you can spend some time wandering through two acres of gardens, and update your knowledge of native plants, as well as other plants that will grow well in Victoria County.

The 2024 Schedule Planting to Attract a Variety of Birds will be the first presentation of the year. Norma Friedrich, Audubon specialist and VC Master Gardener will teach you what plants you should have in your yard to provide a welcoming garden to native and migrating birds.

Space-Saving Container Gardening will be presented by VC Master Gardener Mike Martignoni on March 11. This class will be perfect for those who only have a terrace or a very small yard in which to garden. Don’t let that stop you. He will show you all the possibilities provided by a container garden.

Root Vegetable Gardening on April 8, by Master Gardener Sandi Coleman, will introduce you to those vegetables that stay hidden in your garden soil. She will teach what, when, and how deep to plant root and tuber vegetables. She will go beyond carrots and radishes, and will also teach about planting potatoes, beets, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes and edible tops.

Air Plants! Plants that Don’t Use Soil will be taught on May 13, by Master Gardener Lupe Cook, and her son-in-law Mike Hooper. If you’re not a tidy gardener, join us to learn from them how we can grow these interesting plants without soil.

Plants for Fish and Water Ponds will be presented on June 10 by me. I will share Master Gardener Pat Plowman’s presentation on what plants can create an environment to sustain a pond and fish in your yard.

Palm Trees – Identity and Care will be taught on July 8, by Master Gardener Norma Friedrich. Imagine sitting in the shade of a beautiful palm tree this summer. In her second Lunch and Learn class of the year, she will teach about the different varieties of palms that will grow in Victoria County, as well as how to care for them.

Pesticides’ effectiveness, safety, and rules will be presented by Victoria County Extension Agent Matt Bochat on Aug. 12. During his 2023 What’s This? presentation, there were several questions about pesticides. It was decided that pesticides would be a great topic for the 2024 Lunch & Learn program. Pesticides can help protect your garden, but they can also be harmful to you, your pets, and the environment if not used properly.

This year I hope you will join us to learn about Texas gardening and safety! You will reward yourself!

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or [email protected], or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.