Volume 30, Issue #9 – September 2020
BCMG President
September!
I love the knowledge that cooler weather is just around the corner. While our gardens may have struggled this summer, they have (mostly) survived another hot Texas summer. They have survived by being adaptable to their surroundings and the changing weather. They have also survived due to the love and care that we have given them during this brutal season.
September brings to my mind a season of change. We will continue to tend to our gardens and enjoy those late-summer and fall blooms. We will enjoy the harvests of our fall vegetable gardens. And we will begin to plan and plant for a new year.
To all our fellow Bexar County gardeners, remember that we, the Bexar County Master Gardeners, are here to help you. You can find us this fall through our hotline and website, on our new Facebook page, and at fall CULTIVIATE! We may not be able to help face-to-face at this time, but we are still here for you!
Stay safe,
Lynn
Scion Index – Click and Go!
- This Month’s Presentation– Growing Good Kids by Ruby Zavala
- Gardening
- Wise Water Words
- Texas Superstar Spotlight – Fall Zinnias
- In the Garden Articles
- Boost Your Garden Yields with Rabbits
- Nature Abounds in the Hill Country
- Three Challenging Herbs to Grow in San Antonio
- Gardening Education – Online Opportunities
- Master Gardener Corner
- Member Awards– Master Gardener of the Winter Season
BCMG offices are still closed at this time. That could change, so call before you make a trip over there.
All monthly meetings and presentations for the rest of 2020 will be on-line webinars held on Zoom.
The first time you use Zoom, allow a few minutes extra to get set up. Zoom can be used free on home PCs, Macs and on smartphones.
Pre-Registration on Zoom is required for each webinar. Register weeks ahead of time or even just a few minutes before the webinar and the link will be sent to you in email.
Hello Fellow Gardeners!
I hope everyone is doing well and staying cool. I’m sure I’m not the only gardener looking forward to cooler temperatures.
I have recently received several phone calls regarding some of the SAWS WaterSaver programs, and so this month I thought I would highlight a couple of those programs for you.
If you are not familiar with the SAWS’ Conservation Department website, Garden Style San Antonio, it can be found at https://www.gardenstylesanantonio.com/ . This website is filled with great water and money saving information, landscaping ideas, and beautiful pictures to give you inspiration. SAWS offers numerous coupons and programs for customers, and the first one I would like to give a few details about is the WaterSaver Rewards program. SAWS customers can sign up for free and will receive reward points for attending approved educational events and can earn up to $150 in coupons towards plants, mulch, garden tools and even rain barrels from participating local retailers. Most of the coupons can be used at various businesses, however the rain barrel coupon can only be redeemed at any of the Stone & Soil Depot locations. If you haven’t joined this program yet, you can sign up using the following link: https://www.gardenstylesanantonio.com/watersaver-rewards-signup/ . These points expire annually, but that just means that we can participate every year! If you are going to attend our educational seminar, CULTIVATE! on September 11 & 12, you can receive up to 6 of the 7 points in two days and will receive the first two coupons in time for fall planting!
The second program is relatively new, and it’s a great way to detect leaks and save money as well. It’s called the Water Flow Sensor Rebate and eligible customers can earn $150 with this rebate. Complete details can be found at: https://www.gardenstylesanantonio.com/water-flow-sensor-rebate/ . I know several people who have already taken advantage of this program and one friend’s water flow sensor detected a leak in their system right away. Technology can be a very useful tool to help us in our landscapes and SAWS makes it convenient to save money.
Take a look at the website for all the tips and info to find what WaterSaver offers might work for you. Let’s hope rain and cooler temperatures are on their way to us soon!
Conservationally Yours,
Anna Vogler, BCMG Water Conservation Coordinator
Latest Hardberger Park Land Bridge news -Nearly Completed! (click for article
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Nature-Abounds-in-the-Hill-Country-Sept-Scion
Three-Chanllenging-Herbs-to-Grow-in-San-AntonioSept-Scion
Gardening Education Opportunities
Cultivate
September 1 – 12 Months of Vegetable Gardening – Click here for more info
September 8 – Gardening Q&A Chat – Click here for more info
Second Steps in Beekeeping
If you have attended the Beekeeping Basics program or already have bees and are ready for some more in depth information, this course will cover those needs! We will discuss the next steps in beekeeping now that you are beekeeper, but still don’t have all the answers, in a four part series. This is very much a “What’s Next?” course. 4 classes, $35.
Topics:
- Pests & Diseases of Bees & their Management
- Mite Management & Monitoring
- Recognizing Signs of Stress & What to Do
- Crash Course in Queens
- Honey Extracting
- Recap of Bee Biology
All webinars will be recorded. If you cannot make the live event, you can watch at your leisure for at least a month after the completion of the class.
For more info and to register, click here
Top tips for a successful fall vegetable garden
COVID-19 can affect pets
Irrigation tips for lawns during summer
Frequently check the BCMG Calendar, as that is where all the new, upcoming programs will be posted. Click Here
Past webinars are posted on YouTube for your viewing (or reviewing) pleasure! Check often for new postings! Click here for the list.
- Pests of Tomatoes by Molly Keck
- Growing a Fall and Winter Vegetable Garden
- 12 Months of Pollen and Nectar Producing Plants for Pollinators
- Turf Grass Basics: Surviving Summer and the Rest of the Year
- Vegetable Garden Basics
- Top 10 Insects of Summer
- Tropical Escape with Texas Superstar Plants
- Growing Citrus on your Patio and Landscape
- Beneficial Insects!
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fblive/https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fblive/
Just a few of them are:
- Raised Garden Beds, Location, Soil Mixtures and more!
- Home Fruit Production – Tips for Success!
- Small fruits for the backyard
- Floral Designs from your backyard – Growing, Cutting, Using your flowers and shrubs!
- Backyard Grapes/Vineyards
- How to Prune Your Trees
- Drip Irrigation Essentials
- Indoor Gardening
- Growing Blueberries in Containers
Get the full list here
- Landscape Water Conservation
- Low-Volume Irrigation
- Irrigation System Auditing
- Safe Use and Handling of Pesticides
- Safe Use and Handling of Fertilizers
- Composting
- Designing an Earth–Kind® Landscape
- Landscaping for Energy Conservation
- Creating Native Habitat
- Earth–Kind® Roses
- Integrated Pest Management
- Pest Management for Crape Myrtles
- Rainwater Harvesting
Free and open to the public.
Click here to register
Learn more about:
- Plant Growth and Development
- Soil, Water and Plant Nutrition
- Earth-Kind landscaping
- Plant Health
- Fruit and Nut Plants
- Vegetable and Herb Gardening
- Landscape Horticulture
- LawnCare
BCMG is on YouTube! Watch classes on a computer (or on your smartphone)!
August’s presentation was by Patsy Inglet, from the Bexar Audubon Society, and it is on, “Native Birds and Native Plants: A Relationship Worth Nurturing”. You might reconsider your landscape! Click here to watch!
- Crape-Myrtle Bark Scale
- Herb Gardening
- Propagation by Cuttings
- Rainwater Harvesting with Lou Kellogg
- San Antonio: It’s History and Water
- Texas Superstars
- Starting Vegetables from Seed Indoors
- Organic Gardening
Check often for other new videos! The whole list of available videos is HERE.
Call in to Live Radio on Saturday mornings, with your gardening questions for David.
Call in: 210-737-1200 or 1-800-383-9624 on Saturdays from 7 am to 10pm
Or just listen to the show, and learn about everyone else’s questions!
WOAI 1200 AM – Lawn and Garden Show
Host: David Rodriguez, Bexar County AgriLife Extension Horticulturist.
Past shows are archived here, for easy listening on your computer or phone, anytime! Listen on your phone while you drive!
Ask a Master Gardener
Master Gardeners are available to help you with your gardening questions. We provide unbiased, research-based, locally relevant gardening information. Free service. You can reach us:
By phone: 210-631-0400 (Ask to speak to a Master Gardener)
Mon-Fri 9 am – Noon, 1-4 pm (Closed on county holidays)
Even during Covid-19 precautions, the phones and the Hotline are being operated from home telephones, hotline calls are being directed by AgriLife Extension receptionist Nick Vasquez.
Member’s Corner
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