Volume 31, Issue #10 – October 2021
BCMG President
Fall is here! At least according to the calendar. I’ll wait until the temperatures moderate a little more before I do my fall planting. Thanks to a friend, I now have five evergreen sumacs to add to my garden! I’ve been looking for over a year now for these natives. If you want to learn more about fall gardening and other tasks, join Anna Vogler and me for Fall Gardening Tasks at the San Antonio Botanical Garden on Wednesday, October 13 at 10 AM. Register here.
I also want to put in a plug for the annual Bexar County Master Gardeners Poinsettia Sale. This year we have five colors to choose from: red, white, variegated, red glitter, and new for this year – pink! These are big, florist quality poinsettias from the premier grower of poinsettias in the state, Peterson Brothers, located here in San Antonio. You will be able to place orders on our website now through November 30, and pick them up Thursday, December 2, just in time for the holidays. There is a limited quantity of some colors so place your order now! Proceeds from the sale help fund our college scholarships and educational programs. Thank you, in advance for your support!
And finally, bring your family to the Monarch Festival at Confluence Park, Saturday, October 16. Master Gardeners will have a fun activity for the kids, answer your garden questions, and have pollinator-friendly plants for sale. Come join the fun!
And as always, call us at 210-631-0400 for unbiased, researched-based answers to your gardening questions!
Happy gardening!
Lynn
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 the many of FREE classes and webinars listed in this issue.
Scion Index
- This Month’s Presentation– The Bulb Hunter
- Wise Water Words by Anna Vogler
- Poinsettia Sale –
- Superstar Spotlight – Texas Chinkapin Oak Tree
- In the Garden Articles
- October In The Garden by Bill Swantner
- Mexican Mint Marigolds by Mary Centeno
- Time For Irish Potatoes by Grace Emery
- Gardening Education
- Agrilife Today
- MyExtension210
- Aggie Horticulture Facebook Events
- Earth-Kind Webinar Series
- WOAI 1200 AM – Lawn and Garden Show
- Ask a Master Gardener Hotline
- Can You Help? – Join Amazon Smile
- BCMG Facebook
- Member News
- Certified BCMG Members for 2021
BCMG offices are closed to Drop-ins, so you must have an appointment to go in. Call before going over.
Agrilife Extension offices are open for business.
All monthly meetings for 2021 will be on-line webinars held on Zoom, until further notice.
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 .
Bills-October-Gardening-Newslettter-2
Mexican-Mint-Marigold-by-Mary-Cennamo-1
Time-for-Irish-Potatoes1-by-Grace-Emery
Gardening Education Opportunities
October 2 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Milberger’s Landscaping & Nursery, 3920 North Loop 1604, San Antonio, TX 78247.
Presented by David Rodriguez, Horticulturist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Join David at this FREE Earth-Kind® Seminar and learn about getting your lawn ready for winter. Space is limited. Call 210-497-3760 to sign up. Free and Open to the Public. Find out more »
October 5 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Interested in becoming a beekeeper? This Beekeeping 101, 4-part, live online series will help you learn the basics to get started. We’ll answer: what do I buy, where do I get bees, where do I put bees, what do I do with them? All the answers to get you going your first year. A Beekeeping Field Day is also scheduled for those local to San Antonio or willing to drive. Fee: $45. Find out more »
The Wide World of Potting Soils – San Antonio Garden Center Mtg.
October 6 @ 9:30 am – 11:00 am
San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels Ave., San Antonio, TX 78209.
Presented by Bill Swantner, Bexar County Master Gardener. Bill will share how to take the mystery out of choosing the right soil for the right plant and container. There are so many different mixes to choose from, and Bill says he’s tried them all. Find out more »
Lunch & Learn With a Bexar County Master Gardener – Butterflies as Pollinators
October 8 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Bexar County Master Gardeners, 3355 Cherry Ridge, Ste.208, San Antonio, TX 78230.
Bring your favorite lunch and learn from one of our Bexar County Master Gardeners. These lunch seminars are free. However, because of COVID restrictions, reservations are required and must be made in advance because seating is limited. Please check each event’s date for registration information. Find out more »
Fall is for Planting Trees, Shrubs and Much More
October 9 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Milberger’s Landscaping & Nursery, 3920 North Loop 1604, San Antonio, TX 78247.
Presented by David Rodriguez, Horticulturist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Fall is an ideal time to plant in South Central Texas because our cooler night temperatures and better rain chances promote faster root and plant growth. Join David at this FREE Earth-Kind seminar and learn what you can do in your specific landscape this fall. Find out more »
October 13 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, San Antonio, TX 78209.
Presented by Anna Vogler and Lynn Cox, Bexar County Master Gardeners. While the calendar says it’s fall, our temperatures often say it’s still summer. How do you determine when fall is actually happening in Texas? Fall gardening means different things to different gardeners. Find out more »
October 16 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Milberger’s Landscaping & Nursery, 3920 North Loop 1604, San Antonio, TX 78247.
Presented by David Rodriguez, Horticulturist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. One of the great things about living in South Central Texas is that we have a gorgeous “Second Spring” from September to December every year. In this FREE seminar, David will show you how to make your landscape explode with vibrant colors this fall. Find out more »
Back to the Basics Beef Cattle Series (Online Presentation)
October 19 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Tuesday, October 19, 2021 – 12:00-2:00 PM ❖ Marketing Calves and Cull Cows – Why timing is important? Dr. David Anderson, Extension Economist – College Station. Fee: $15/class. Find out more »
Winterizing Irrigation Systems – Guadalupe County MG Lunch & Learn
October 20 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Guadalupe County AgriLife Extension, 210 East Live Oak, Seguin, TX 78155
Guadalupe County Master Gardeners Lunch & Learn Program. Speaker: Marvin Borth, Guadalupe County Master Gardener. Find out more »
BCMG October Monthly Meeting – The Bulb Hunter: A Story Seeking Out Botanical Treasures
October 21 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Bulb collecting adventures turn into a life-altering quest, as Chris searches for heirloom bulbs across the South. Find out more »
October 30 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
The Garden Center, 10682 Bandera Rd., San Antonio, TX 78250.
Presented by David Rodriguez, Horticulturist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Join David for this FREE seminar and learn about what and how to plant in the fall. Bring a notebook and all your gardening questions! Free and Open to the Public. Find out more »
When Do I Plant Wildflower Seeds For Spring Blooms?
Three Tips To Recycle Fall Leaves
Top Tips For a Successful Fall Vegetable Garden
Youth gardening programs grow great kids
Aquaponics for Beginners course now available online
Mosquito populations booming after rains
Plant a pollinator garden to supply immediate food in response to freeze setback
Back to the Basics series on Beef Cattle Production
Early spring lawn to-do list a little different this year
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
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!
- Back to Index
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
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.
Congratulations to the 34 MGs who earned their certification pin through September 25, 2021. These MGs have completed at least 6 hours of Continuing Education, attended at least 2 BCMG monthly meetings and logged in at least 12 volunteer hours to earn their 2022 certification.
Anderson, Betty
Ballez-Griffin, Sylvia
Bauml, Paul
Bills, Terri L.
Bourquin, Jayne
Breniman, Kathy
Brune, Henry
Butterworth, Leslie K.
Cace, Linda
Campos, George C
Dare, Dwight
Dare, Joyce E
Godwin, Glen J
Gutierrez, Olivia
Hernandez-Lascurain, Sandra
Kennady, Monta C
Lamm, Barbara A
Lutz, Barbara B. B
McLaughlin, Linda D.
McShane, Sherri
Milikien, Linda
Mims, Charles H.
Mims, LaVunn
Montez, Maria G
Moss, Anne
Ortiz, Gloria
Qualls, Peggy
Rose, Catherine
Sells, John
Short, Melanie
Simpson, Patricia A
Snow, Art
Socher, Nancy P
Thorton, Wendy
Vann, John
Vogler, Anna M
Warren, Judy
Whitaker, Jane