ANNOUNCEMENTS
Children’s Vegetable Garden WORK PARTY at the San Antonio Botanical Garden (555 Funston Pl) this Friday, March 1, from 9am to Noonish. Help get garden ready for Spring with general clean up, and miscellaneous chores. CVG Parking Map Here.
Emerald Ash Borer Webinar: THIS FRIDAY, March 1st from 1-2pm (Central); presented by Lynne Womack, Georgia Forestry Commission. Login at home, or come for a Viewing Party at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office. 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, 78230. Email your RSVP for the Viewing Party to Molly Keck.
Emerald Ash Borer has been found in a couple counties in Texas, and is a major threat our native ash trees. This invasive borer attacks both healthy and stressed ash, and threatens to cause the extinction of some species. It’s best to learn all we can before the pest reaches Bexar County.
Calling All Rodeo Plant Sale Shift Coordinators & Shift Volunteers!
Join us for an “After-Event” meeting on Friday, March 8, 9:30-11am In the large meeting room. Bring your observations and feedback from the 2019 Rodeo Plant Sale, to include training, scheduling, plant sale signage, shift duties, communication, and anything else that will enhance our 2020 Rodeo Plant Sale. Please plan to attend and contribute to our Lessons Learned (what worked well and what we can do better). VMS Code 400. For more information, email Lynn Cox.
SABOT New Culinary Docent & Refresher Training Coming Up!!
A new Culinary Garden Docent Class, is set for Saturday, March 9, 2019, from 10am to 1pm for all interested BCMG members, and also as a Spring refresher for current Culinary Docents. Training will take place in the Education Center Classroom at SABOT near the Culinary Garden just passed the Kiosk on the right. New docents should email, Nadezhda Garza, SABOT Volunteer Coordinator, or call 210-536-1415. If you have questions about the training or about this program in general, email President Grace Emery.
Watch Your Inbox for the March Scion Newsletter Announcement!
BCMGs, if you attended the Feb 18th GVST meeting, you can record CEUs for the presentation on Oak Wilt using CEU code 001 since Dr. Calvin Finch is retired AgriLife staff. If you have questions about how or what to record, please contact either Membership Director Art Vasquez or Membership Assistant Lisa Nixon.
NEXT BCMG Board Meeting will take place 3-5 pm on Thu, Mar 21 at 3355 Cherry Ridge 78230. If you are interested in placing items on the agenda, email President Grace Emery by Thu, Mar 14. And, all members are welcome to observe the meetings; however, in order to accommodate seating, please email President Grace Emery that you will be attending.
2019 CONFERENCE REGISTRATIONS OPEN
Registration for the 2019 TGMA Conference is underway for the April 25-27, 2019 event being hosted by Victoria County Master Gardener Association. Great speakers, plenty of good food, wonderful tours and garden-crafty workshops are planned for you! Registration now thru TOMORROW, Feb 28 = $175; from Mar 1 to Apr 1 = $200. Leadership training (Topics = Mentoring, Fundraising and Technology) will be held on April 24th. Visit the Conference website for tons of information!
The 17th biennial conference for the international master gardener community, Penn’s Woods: Digging into Our Roots, will be held June 17-21, 2019 at the Valley Forge Casino Resort, Valley Forge, PA. Online registration is now open, and you can subscribe to the IMGC newsletter for conference updates.
IS COMING !!
Did You Hear?
CULTIVATE! has been designated a “Super Saturday” WaterSaver Rewards Event by SAWS!
This means you can earn all seven points needed to earn a total of $150 in coupons to spend on tools, mulch, plants, and more, in one day! You must be a SAWS customer and sign up for the WaterSaver Rewards program prior to earning points.
Our Earth-Friendly Gardening & Landscaping Seminar takes place Sat, Mar 23, from 8am to 1pm at the University of The Incarnate Word Dr. Burton E. Grossman International Conference Center (ICC), 847 E. Hildebrand, 78212. Visit our website Cultivate! page for all the details for 9 different workshops ( $5 per workshop), online registration (NOW), and driving & parking directions. Code 001, 1 CEU per workshop.
MAKE YOUR BIRDIES DONATION
Thanks to those of you who have contributed to BCMG’s Birdies for Charity fundraising drive. For those of you who want to donate, there are a few more weeks to help support our Bexar County Master Gardeners association. You can make your donation using the pledge form which you received at the Rodeo meeting or received by mail, or by donating online using our custom link. Deadline for the donations is Thursday, March 28. Funds raised help support our programs and activities with 100% of the donations made to BCMG through this program benefitting us, AND Valero matches 7%. So we get 107% of donations made!
Guess how many birdies will be made during the Valero Texas Open. If your guess is correct, you could win a Stay-and Play Package to JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country and TPC San Antonio. In the event of a tie, a tie-breaker event will determine the winner. And if no one guesses correctly, the computer will randomly select a winner… and it may just pick your name!
If you have any questions or need pledge forms, please email Barbara Lutz or call 210-699-0663.
Mark your Calendar for Thursday, March 21st from 6-8pm
Harvest Vegetable Creations
Chef Dave Terrazas, from the San Antonio Botanical Garden’s new solar-powered culinary garden, will demonstrate new and interesting ways to prepare our Harvested Vegetables. He is known for his creative combinations of “produce forward,” tapas-style creations. A tasting of the dishes will follow his demonstration!
Bexar County Master Gardener (BCMG) Educational Seminars/General Meetings are held in the evenings of the third Thursday every other month at 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208, 78230. For more information contact the BCMG President. 1 CEU. BCMG Code: 002.
SIGN-UP for VOLUNTEER EVENTS using the Event Calendar in the VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – VMS. Find number of volunteers still needed, who has signed up, Project Code and even request an event reminder! REMEMBER: If you volunteer for any event and have a last minute change of plans, please contact the coordinator listed on VMS to let them know!
San Antonio Garden Center Plant Sale: Need your help to unload & arrange plants at the SA Garden Center (3310 N. New Braunfels, 78209) from 9am-1pm on Thu, Mar 14. And, need volunteers for morning and afternoon shifts on Fri and Sat, Mar 15 & 16, to help customers with plant selections ,manage sales and answer gardening questions. Email Barbara Lutz if you have any questions. VMS Code 700.
MGs Who Completed SABOT Culinary Docent Training!
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED: 10am – 1pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. VMS has all dates/times for sign-ups! VMS Code 100.
Still Open in March: 2nd (Sat), 7th (Thu), 8th (Fri), 9th (Sat), 21st (Thu), 22nd (Fri), 23rd (Sat), 28th (Thu), 30th (Sat)
PLUS, Spring Break Week, now has two shifts each day from 10am-1pm and 1-3pm: Tue – Mar 12, Wed – Mar 13, Thu – Mar14, Fri – Mar 15, Sat – Mar 16, Sun – Mar 17
Coming Up for Youth Gardens Program (Sign Up on VMS)Youth Garden Educator Training Supply Prep at AgriLife Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge Dr. on Thu, Feb. 28 from 9am-Noon. Need 2 volunteers to help put binders together with handouts, package seeds, and make name badges. Vol Code: 1200.
Volunteer Sign-up for Monarch Festival on VMS now. Need your help at the Zoo, on Sat, Mar 23 from 9am-5pm & Sun, Mar 24, 9am to 3pm. If you have questions, please email or call President Grace Emery at 210-875-6919.
Come and Provide BCMG Monthly Meeting (VMS Code 700) & Brown Bag lunch & Learn (VMS Code 100) Support: Arrive one hour before Meeting start time to help set up the general monthly meeting room, sign-in sheets and distribute raffle tickets and meeting information. Assist with the plant sales and plant information. After the meeting help in cleaning up the meeting room and place the items back in the master garden office for the monthly meeting. Need volunteers for June thru November meetings!
For Brown Bag, come and help set up, hand out info, and clean up; arrive 30 minutes prior to session. Need help July & November. Contact President Grace Emery if you have any questions.
THANK YOU, MASTER GARDENERS !!!
For all your help and hard work this year which resulted in terrifically successful Rodeo 2019.
From rodeo sign up and construction, to docent, greeter, plant sales, watering team, school tours, kids activities, tree give-away, and finally to deconstruction, We All Dd a Great Job!!!
Grace Emery, BCMG President
2019 BCMG VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (VMS) CODES ARE POSTED ON THE BCMG WEBSITE FOR EASY REFERENCE WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO VMS FROM THE SAME PAGE!
SPECIAL NOTE: CEU Code 001 now includes programs presented by all certified Texas Master Gardeners, AgriLife Extension staff, TAMU System staff, and programs at the TMGA State Conferences, as well as the International MG Conferences.
See all the Details for Classes in the Bexar County area on the MG Calendar! Classes listed below may be of special interest to you:
2019 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Emerald Ash Borer TOMORROW, Fri, Mar 1st at 1pm online. A Viewing Party will be held at the A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 208 for those who would like to attend the webinar with company! Please RSVP to Molly Keck so she can plan room for all attendees. 1 CEU; Code 001
The San Antonio Garden Center invites you for coffee at 9:30am and speaker at 10am on Wed, Mar 6. BCMG Monika Maeckle, Texas Butterfly Ranch Blogger, will present a program on The Monarch’s Return from Mexico. 1 CEU; Code 001Next Seminar in 2019 Earth-Kind Home Gardening Series! Register Now Online Weds, Mar 6 at 6:30pm in the Master Gardener’s classroom at 3355 Cherry Ridge, join David Rodriguez for Fruits & Nuts. Great training for new homeowners and residents of Bexar County; cost is $75/series or $15/session. 2 CEUs; Code 001.
BROWN BAG – LUNCH & LEARN FOR MARCH: Growing a Spring Vegetable Garden.Join the lunch group on Fri, Mar 8, at Noon in the County Extension Office, Suite 208. 1 CEU, Code 001.
Free Spring Vegetable Seminar (and 20% OFF Everything Sale): Sat, Mar 9 from 10:30am- Noon at Fanick’s Garden Center, 1025 Holmgreen Rd, 78220. Learn how to plant, grow and harvest your vegetables properly with David Rodriguez. 1.5 CEUs; Code 001.
Your Family’s Spring Vegetable Garden: Sat, Mar 16 from 10:30am- Noon at Milberger’s, 3920 N Loop 1604 E, 78247. Learn how toselect the plants for your garden, how to plant and care for them, and what to do when you spot problems with David Rodriguez. Free seminar. 1.5 CEUs; Code 001.
Learn from Master Gardeners at these 2019 Speakers Bureau Presentations:
- Sat, Mar 9 from 9 am – Noon: South Texas Gardening Expo at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 13153 Iron Horse Way, Helotes 78023. Lou Kellogg will discuss Rainwater Harvesting; Owen Keiser will give a Drip Irrigation presentation: and Don Crites will talk about Container Gardening. The event is open to the public. 1 CEU per session, Code: 001
- Xeriscaping with Oliver Smith, hosted by San Antonio OASIS, at 2201 St. Cloud, 78228 on Tue, Apr 16, from 10:30am – Noon. 1.5 CEUs, Code: 001
BE SURE TO MARK YOUR 2019 CALENDAR FOR THESE GREAT CLASSES!
AND OUR NEW LUNCH TIME TREATS!
And remember, you can find all the TEXAS MASTER GARDENER ADVANCED (formerly Specialist) COURSES offered at the TMGA website. If you are interested in attending any courses, please email David Rodriguez, Extension Agent-Horticulture, Bexar County. BCMG CEU Code: 001.
Tree Care – Mar. 13-15, 2019, hosted by Dallas County, Dallas
Earth-Kind® – May 16-18, 2019, hosted by Henderson County, Athens
Turfgrass – May 23-24, 2019, hosted by Montgomery County, Conroe
Tree Care – Jun. 12-14, 2019, hosted by Kerr County, Kerrville
Vegetables – Aug. 13-15, 2019, hosted by Bexar County, San Antonio
Great Gardening Events on the BCMG March Calendar. Bookmark the Calendar and visit it frequently! Here is a sampling of what is coming up:
- Mar 6 – The Monarch’s Return from Mexico
- Mar 7 – Hydroponic Gardening
- Mar 7 – Mint in Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Mar 12 – Restoring Our Woodlands
SHARE WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS!
SAVE THE DATE: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host a Texas Community Futures Forum on Friday, April 5 to assess the community’s needs. Four program areas will be addressed: Agriculture & Natural Resources, Families & Health, Youth Development and Community Development.
Applications are now being accepted for the BCMG 2019-2020 Scholarship in Horticultural Studies. This scholarship provides financial support to an undergraduate or graduate student at a Texas college or university who is pursuing a degree in Horticultural Sciences, Landscape Design, Turfgrass Management, or any affiliated “Green Industry” area. All the details and the scholarship application are available on the BCMG website. Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2019.
Starting March 1, SAWS Residential Customers can apply for up to four $100 WaterSaver coupons in order to replace part of your thirsty lawn with lush, drought-tolerant garden beds and/or permeable patios. Up to $400 in savings!
Spring Bloom 2019:Saturday, March 9, 9am to 1pm, SAWS Headquarters (2800 US HWY 281 at Mulberry) with three presentations. Opportunity to earn up to three WaterSaver Rewards points and a $50 coupon to use toward water-conserving mulch for your landscape, plus first 1,000 visitors get a free plant.
- 9:30am – Good Bug, Bad Bug: 10 Bugs Everyone Should Know by Molly Keck (1 CEU, Code 001)
- 10:30am – Texas – It’s a Whole ‘Nother Country: A Newcomer’s Guide to Gardening in South Texas by Anna Vogler (1 CEU, Code 001)
- 11:35 am – What Everyone New to San Antonio and Gardening Should Know – The Organic Perspective by Bob Webster
Help Out With Can Collection!! Molly Keck is looking for large, clean, empty cans with tops removed (larger than typical veggie can sizes; metal, plastic or cardboard) for building native pollinator homes for an educational program. Please drop off at the Bexar County Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite 212 (or in Suite 208 if you are there attending a meeting anyway!). Collecting Now through end of March!