Volume 31, Issue #04 – April 2021
BCMG President
April showers bring May flowers… and I am ready for both the showers and the flowers. After the deviation of the February freeze and waiting to see what had survived in the garden, I am ready to shop for some new plants! And I’m not alone… nurseries are struggling to keep up with the demand for new plants. While fresh new plants are enticing, don’t just grab something that looks pretty. Make sure you get the right plant for the right place. This is a good time to evaluate what you had and decide if you should simply replace it or choose something else. Was it a plant suited to our area? This may be a good time to consider using more Texas Superstars®, natives, or other well-adapted plants. Make sure you know the sun requirements. Your landscapes may be more shaded than they were when you last did a major planting.
If you would like more information on some really good choices, join us at CULTIVATE! Encore to learn more. We have selected five of our Spring CULTIVATE classes to present again on Saturdays at 10 AM, beginning April 10. See more about this event below!
Happy gardening!
Lynn
Cultivate-Encore
For CULTIVATE! Encore questions, email [email protected]
Scion Index – Click and Go!
You can now print or download Member Articles to your computer. Just click the Blue Button beneath the article you wish to save, and a pdf version of the article will pop up on your screen. From there, you can print or download using the indicators at the top right of your screen.
Please check out all of the FREE classes and webinars listed in this issue.
- This Month’s Presentation– Soils
- Superstar Spotlight – Rock Rose
- April Tips For Your Garden
- Don’t Prune Too Soon by Paul Foerster
- Herbs to Plant in April by Grace Emery
- Gardening Education – Online Opportunities
BCMG offices are open at 25%. You must have an appointment to go in. Call before going over.
All monthly meetings and classes for 2021 will be on-line webinars held on Zoom, until further notice.
And they are all FREE.
Monthly meeting presentations are always free and open to the public
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 .
I hope this finds you all enjoying the warmer temperatures and beautiful weather. Judging from the recent huge crowds at the local nurseries, most San Antonio residents are working in their gardens. This time of year is always a perfect time to reevaluate our landscapes for what worked and what didn’t work. The freeze we had in February gave us an additional opportunity, as many of our plants didn’t survive. While you are looking for replacement plants, don’t forget to pay attention to the watering requirements and drought tolerance of the plants you consider. As always, ensure there is the proper amount of sunlight for the area where you are selecting plants to install.
Consider purchasing either Texas Superstar perennial plants or native perennial plants for these areas, as these plants will bring beauty to the space year after year, provide habitats for our birds and insects, and reduce the need for chemicals. Once these plants have been watered in to establish a healthy root system, they will need minimal supplemental water. Remember that it’s much better for plants to be watered deeply, to the root zone, but less frequently. Watering lightly so the surface of the soil is barely moistened results in shallow-rooted plants, which are not strong or resilient plants.
As you are preparing your space for planting, mix in 1-2” of compost to increase nutrients and health to the soil, which will also increase the moisture holding capacity of the soil and conserve water. Complete the space by adding 3” of double shredded hardwood mulch and you will have a clean and pleasing look to your garden beds, which will also help to keep the soil cooler as we go into the summer months of high temperatures. Mulch also reduces the amount of evaporation as well as the amount of weeds that compete for the same water and nutrients as your plants, not to mention taking away from the beauty of the plants.
Decreasing water use in our landscapes not only conserves water for San Antonio, but also helps to slow the increases in our regional demands and preserves a critical resource. Please remind your friends and neighbors to consider water conservation as they head back into their gardens and landscapes this spring. You can refer them for more information on gardening topics to the Bexar County Master Gardener’s Gardening Library, https://bexarmg.org/may-we-help/gardening-information-library/ as well as the SAWS Conservation website, https://www.gardenstylesanantonio.com/ .
Conservationally Yours,
Anna Vogler
Water Conservation Coordinator
Texas Superstar
2020 Booklet Is Now Available
Can’t decide which plants to try out this year? The new 2020 Texas Superstar booklet has descriptions and color photos to help you find the perfect plant for that difficult spot in your yard. Texas Superstars are plants tested by Texas A&M and proven to do well in our Texas climate and soils. View or Download here
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Gardening Education Opportunities
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Register for the FREE webinars below by clicking on the link. You will receive an email with link to join the webinar.
April 6, 2021 12 noon – 1 pm – Garden / Landscape Live 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! Register here
April 20, 2021 12 noon – 1 pm. Things To Do in the Landscape / Garden
By David Rodriguez, Bexar County Extension Agent. Learn what you should do now, to get your landscape / garden ready for the season. Register here
REGISTER HERE!
Early spring lawn to-do list a little different this year
Basics of raised garden beds
How To Plant Shade Trees in Texas
Plant fruit trees the AgriLife Extension way
How to choose the right fertilizer for home vegetable gardens
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.
- What’s Making Holes in my Lawn?!
- Spring Lawn Management
- Growing a Home Fruit Orchard with David Rodriguez
- Gardening and Landscape Q&A Chat with David Rodriguez
- 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
- 12 Months of Pollen and Nectar Producing Plants for Pollinators
- Turf Grass Basics: Surviving Summer and the Rest of the Year
- Vegetable Garden Basics
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fblive/https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fblive/
Just a few of them are:
- Fall Blooming Flowers and Biennials Planted in Fall
- Growing Muscadine Grapes in Texas
- Toys (tools) For Gardening
- Compost versus Mulch
- Planting Strawberries
- 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 of FREE classes 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.
