Volume 31, Issue #01 – January 2021
BCMG President
January brings new beginnings… new year, new goals, new challenges, new opportunities! And the Scion has a new beginning series for our vegetable gardeners. The BCMG’s Vegetable Gardening Advance Training (AT) Team is a group of Bexar County Master Gardeners who have received advanced training in the area of vegetable gardening. They will be sharing information each month on what you can be doing in your gardening plus helpful tips and techniques. Let me allow Bill Swantner, who is coordinating this new series, to share some words with you.
“January used to be my least favorite month. Starting back in October- there are kids and candy, November is turkey and those close to us, December is lights presents presents and singing, “Auld Lang Syne”- although no one knows, “why.” January was always an endless series of cold days and colder nights, less daylight and more darkness, barren trees against a gray sky. But as a Master Gardener, I have come to appreciate the beauty of January.”
January is a month of growing leafy vegetables, browsing seed catalogs and the Texas SuperStars brochure, the planning and preparation of new gardening beds, and making plans for the coming year’s gardening seasons. For example, where could I add new gardens, how might I improve older gardens, which vegetables to try this year or what old favorites will I plant, which Texas Superstar might I try? January is a month to harvest, plant and dream.
In each issue of the 2021 Scion, a BCMG Vegetable Gardening AT will take us through the month in growing vegetables. These MGs will tell us about growing their favorite vegetables and herbs, or maybe the “specialty” vegetable or herb that they grow, the variety they found that works best, do they use seed or transplant, how to water, do they plant in the ground or in pots- and what are the insect issues? We’ll try to keep you informed as to when the plants come into the local nurseries and if there are any extraordinary pests or disease issues in the Bexar County area.
Please enjoy this new series!
Happy New Year and happy gardening!
Lynn
Scion Index – Click and Go!
- This Month’s Presentation– Rodeo Tomatoes and How to Grow Them
- In the Garden Articles
- Climate Change and Plant Hardiness Zones
- What’s Wrong With My……Turfgrass?
- Brugmansia and Daturas
- Swanflower
- Gardening Education – Online Opportunities
- Master Gardener Corner
BCMG offices are open at 25%. You must have an appointment to go in. Call before going over.
Offices will be closed January 1, 2021 for New Years Day
Offices will be closed January 18, 2021 for Martin Luther King Jr Day
All monthly meetings and presentations for 2021 will be on-line webinars held on Zoom, until further notice.
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. (Equivalent to the “Sign-in sheet”). Register weeks ahead of time or even just a few minutes before the webinar and the link will be sent to you in email .
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Gardening Education Opportunities
Jan 5, 12 noon – 1 pm – Live Gardening Q & A Chat
By David Rodriguez, Bexar County Extension Agent. This is a great opportunity to Listen Live and “chat in” your gardening or landscape questions and to learn about other people’s issues and concerns at the same time!
Jan 19, 12 noon – 1 pm. Growing a Home Fruit Orchard
By David Rodriguez, Bexar County Extension Agent. Come learn how to select, plant, and maintain fruit trees
Join these webinars Meeting ID: 990 2593 9574, Passcode: Garden2020
How To Plant Shade Trees in Texas
Cold temperatures are coming
Plant fruit trees the AgriLife Extension way
How to choose the right fertilizer for home vegetable gardens
Top tips for a successful fall vegetable garden
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.
- Fly Management
- Pantry Pests
- Dragonflies of Texas
- Arachnids of Texas
- Where Do Insects Go When It Rains? by Molly Keck
- 12 Months of Vegetable Gardening by David Rodriguez
- 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
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fblive/https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fblive/
Just a few of them are:
- Fall Blooming Flowers and Bienniels Planted in Fall
- Growing Muscadine Grapes in Texas
- Toys (tools) Fro Gardening
- Compost versus Mulch
- Planting Strawberries
- Fall Blooming Flowers & Biennials Planted in Fall
- Harvesting Pecans
- 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!
- How to Prune Your Trees
- Indoor Gardening
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
BCMG is on YouTube! Watch classes on a computer (or on your smartphone)!
- Native Plants for Native Birds
- Crape-Myrtle Bark Scale
- Herb Gardening
- Propagation by Cuttings
- Rainwater Harvesting with Lou Kellogg
- 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 from 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, tablet 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
Each year, Master Gardeners must certify for the following year. Once they complete requirements, they receive the Maroon Bluebonnet Service Pin. They must complete:
- at least 30 volunteer hours in the community
- 6 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to keep their knowledge current
- attend two regular BCMG monthly meetings.
Congratulations to the Bexar County Master Gardeners who earned their 2020 certification in December.
Butch Lee*
Linda Maldonado
John Mayer
Jodi Perez*
Ashley Pulido*
Jennifer Sierra
*Completed 50 hour internship
Congratulations to the following Bexar County Master Gardeners who achieved a significant service anniversary in 2020. These individuals were recognized at the Master Gardener Christmas party, December 10, 2020. We thank them for their many years of service to the Bexar County Master Gardener program!
25 Yr – Santos Menchaca
15 Yr – Doris Westbrook
10 Yr – Betty L Andersen
10 Yr – DeAnne Coltrane
10 Yr – Lisa Nixon
10 Yr – John Sells
5 Yr – Juan Garza
5 Yr – Lorraine Keidel
5 Yr – Mary Mangiapane
5 Yr – Marybeth Parsons
5 Yr – Brian Roach
5 Yr – Candy Roach
5 Yr – Doug Smith
5 Yr – Tom Thompson
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