Thursday, January 31, 2013

Join my colleague for a fabulous webinar on fire ants


Join my colleague, Wizzie Brown from Urban IPM, for the first in a series of webinars, tomorrow afternoon at 1 PM central time.   Wizzie's presentation will open your eyes to some of the snake oil out there.   Future presentations are at the same time on the first Friday of every month, through November 2013.  Registration and more info here.  Each webinar will last only 30 to 45 minutes, and the best part is you can participate from the comfort of your very own computer.

New event announcement: Care of Ornamental Trees



Care of Ornamental Trees
Saturday, March 30, 2013, 9am-1pm
Austin Community College, South Campus, rm 1130
1820 W Stassney Lane, Austin TX 

Oak wilt, one of the most destructive tree diseases in the United States, is killing oak trees in central Texas at epidemic proportions.  Dr. David Appel, professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at Texas A&M, will teach which trees are affected by oak wilt, how to identify the disease, how it is spread, and how it can be managed.  We will discuss preventative measures that can help you avoid this devastating disease. 

Please register at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu   keyword: Trees, or by phone (979)845-2604.  Class fee is $25 (water and snacks provided). Free parking available.  Sign-in at the security desk with your vehicle license number. This class is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

New seminar announcement: Understanding Your Soil



 Your soil is the foundation of your garden and it can make your plants survive and thrive or bring them down.  So understanding how to make your soil the best it can be should be at the top of your gardening priority list.

Understanding Soil and Soil Amendments
Thursday, March 14, 2013, 10am-12pm
Travis County AgriLife Extension Office
1600 B Smith Rd., Austin TX  78721

Get to know your soil so you can improve its ability to retain moisture and improve plant growth.  Your soil may be blocking vital elements your plants need to grow.  Ascertain how and when to add missing elements to improve plant health and production. Learn the type of soil on your property and its corresponding strengths and weakness.  (Bring a cup of your soil in a plastic bag and a glass jar with lid.) Discover changes you can make to improve the soil structure and water storage capacity.  Organic matter, cover crops, soil microorganism and mulching will be discussed.

This class is part of The Green Thumb series.  Registration required at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu or by phone 979-845-2604.  Keyword Search: Green Thumb.  One class is $15, with price discounts for signing up for 3 or more classes at the same time.  Class is limited to 40 people. It is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Seminar reminder: Spring Vegetable Gardening

Spring Vegetable Gardening
Thursday, February 7, 2013, 10am-12pm
Travis County AgriLife Extension Office
1600 B Smith Rd., Austin TX  78721
Now is the time to plan for Spring!  Join Tommie Clayton, Master Gardener Vegetable Garden Specialist, for this fact-packed session. Increase your plant’s production by learning about soils and amendments.   Discover how short- and long-term planning helps prevent diseases.   Understand which varieties are recommended for this area and ideal planting time.  Take the guess work out of choosing seed seeds or transplants.  This is an excellent session for new and experienced gardeners. 
This class is part of The Green Thumb series.  Register required at  https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu or by phone 979-845-2604.  Keyword Search: Green Thumb.  One class is $15, with price discounts for signing up for 3 or more classes at the same time.  Class is limited to 40 people.  It is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

New event announcement: Easy Rose Gardening seminar



Easy Rose Gardening
Saturday, February 9, 2013, 10am-12pm
Zilker Botanical Garden, Garden Center
2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin TX  78746

Incorporate user friendly roses into your new or existing garden plans! Cher Groody is a master gardener with 30 years of experience in the use of roses in a landscape. She will teach you methods for proper selection of rose varieties, site prep and maintenance like pruning, pest control and fertilization.   This session is excellent for newbies and experienced gardeners and questions are encouraged. 

This seminar is free; Zilker park entrance fee is $2 per adult, $1 per child or senior.  The seminar is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County. www.tcmastergardeners.org. For information, call (512)477-8672.

Monday, January 14, 2013

New event announcement: Spring Vegetable Gardening seminar

Travis County Master Gardeners announce an upcoming event:



Spring Vegetable Gardening
Thursday, February 7, 2013, 10am-12pm
Travis County AgriLife Extension Office
1600 B Smith Rd., Austin TX  78721

Now is the time to plan for Spring!  Join Tommie Clayton, Master Gardener Vegetable Garden Specialist, for this fact-packed session. Increase your plant’s production by learning about soils and amendments.   Discover how short- and long-term planning helps prevent diseases.   Understand which varieties are recommended for this area and ideal planting time.  Take the guess work out of choosing seed seeds or transplants.  This is an excellent session for new and experienced gardeners. 

This class is part of The Green Thumb series.  Register required at  https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu or by phone 979-845-2604.  Keyword Search: Green Thumb.  One class is $15, with price discounts for signing up for 3 or more classes at the same time.  Class is limited to 40 people.  It is presented by the Travis County Master Gardeners, a volunteer arm of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County. .