Volume 32, Issue #10 – October 2022
It is finally October! Cooler temps at last. From the (second) Big Freeze in February to the scorching 100+ temps of June and our Exceptional Drought, the year 2022 has been a year for determining plant survivability. Like many gardeners, I have narrowed my list of preferred plants based on who survived this year.
Along with Nancy Mills, I am the other Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors. I was in the Class of 46 (2007) and have volunteered in a wide variety of roles since that time. I also serve on the Education and Facebook Committees. And if you haven’t yet followed our FB Page, come check it out! Bexar County Master Gardeners | Facebook. Our fantastic editors provide a wide variety of relevant topics – often punctuated with their unique gardening humor.
Like most members, I missed having face-to-face contact with colleagues during the long months of COVID, and I look forward to “getting in the dirt” again with fellow MGs and new in-person venues and events. As we continue to rebuild post-COVID, I look forward to seeing how BCMG will evolve to adapt to our ever-changing world. And we are adapting! I am proud of the work our Board has done to flex with the changing landscape (did you catch the pun?), and I am excited about new opportunities that are presenting themselves to BCMG. I hope everyone reading this Scion will be a part of that new growth!
While it has been my privilege to serve on the Board for the past 3 years, I look forward to enjoying more time to work on (or maybe just enjoy!) my landscape. And maybe – just maybe – I’ll even buy a few more plants. (As if that’s even a question…) Enjoy your fall!
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 FREE classes and webinars listed in this issue.
Scion Index
- This Month’s Presentation– Trees, Turf and Built Landscape by Tyler Burkett
- Wise Water Words by Anna Vogler
- Superstar Spotlight – Texas Bluebonnet
- In the Garden Articles
- October in The Garden
- 1956: The Year That Comal Springs Dried Up by Paul Foerster
- Growing Lettuce in the Fall by Michelle Hobbs
- Beyond Bok Choy, Part 2 by Anne Moss
- Gardening Education Opportunities
- Poinsettia and Pansy Sale
- BCMG Happenings!
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Happenings!
- WOAI 1200 AM – Lawn and Garden Show
- Ask a Master Gardener Hotline
- Can You Help? – Join Amazon Smile
The BCMG office is closed to Walk-ins. If you would like to set up an appointment to visit the office, please email [email protected].
Hello, Fellow Gardeners.
I hope everyone is doing well and staying cool. I know most of us are anxiously awaiting the cooler temperatures of the autumn season.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who attended our educational seminar CULTIVATE! on September 9th & 10th. There are so many Master Gardener volunteers who continue to give their time and talents to make this event such a success. This was our 10th CULTIVATE! and we ranged from 90-119 people in our classes, with a total of 667 attendees for our 6 online workshops. If you were one of these attendees, thank you very much! We hope you enjoyed each session you attended and that you will be able to put into practice what you learned in your own gardens and landscapes. If you were not able to attend, we look forward to seeing you in one or all our workshops on Friday, March 3rd and Saturday, March 4th, 2023.
We had such an overwhelming response to our fall event that we experienced some technical issues with so many people visiting our website. For that, we do apologize and are taking steps to correct that issue so it doesn’t happen again for our spring CULTIVATE! We appreciate your understanding and patience.
As we announced during CULTIVATE!, there were 4 chances to win some great prizes. Here are the winners:
San Antonio Botanical Garden Annual Membership- Jeffery Hankins
$50 Gift Certificate to Rainbow Gardens- Dina Saad
$50 Gift Certificate to Rainbow Gardens- Kristen Opaska
$50 Gift Certificate to Rainbow Gardens- Michael Adams
Congratulations to all these lucky winners!
Thanks again to all of you who participated, and we look forward to seeing you in March!
Conservationally yours,
Anna Vogler
Water Conservation Coordinator
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1956-The-Year-Comal-Springs-Dried-Up-by-Paul-Foerster-final_-002
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Gardening Education Opportunities
October 1 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Trees and Turfgrass – FREE
Milberger’s Landscaping & Nursery, 3920 North Loop 1604, San Antonio, TX
Trees and Turfgrass Presented by David Rodriguez, Horticulturist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and hosted by Milberger’s Landscaping & Nursery.
October 5 @ 10:00 am
Fire Safety in your Landscape, Yard and Home – FREE
San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio, TX
Presented by San Antonio Fire Department and hosted by Windcrest Garden Club, Alamo Orchid Society and Alamo Heights – Terrell Hills Garden Club. Coffee and plant sell at 9:30am and meeting starts at 10:00 am.
October 6 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am ONLINE
Home Grown Lecture Series 2022 – Proper Pruning in the Landscape – FREE
Presented by Paul Winski, County Extension Agent-Commercial Horticulture as part of the Home Grown Lecture Series. Register online for the Seminar.
October 8 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Home Gardening Series: Part II, Growing Cool Weather Vegetables – FREE
The Garden Center, 10682 Bandera Rd., San Antonio, TX
Presented by David Rodriguez, Horticulturist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
October 12 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
What’s Bugging You? Creepy Crawlies in the Garden – FREE
San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Pl, San Antonio, TX
Presented by Bill Swantner, Bexar County Master Gardener. Do you have creatures crawling in your trees, chewing the leaves of your plants, or otherwise creating a creepy mess of your landscape and garden? Join Bill as he helps you identify these creepy crawlies and what to do about them.
October 15 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Butterflies of Texas 101
San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Pl, San Antonio, TX
Presented by Molly Keck, Entomologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Join Molly Keck to learn all about the butterflies found in Texas and the San Antonio area. Guests will view preserved specimens and vivid images and participate in a guided walk to help learn species identification. Topics include identifying common butterflies, their families, flight times, host plants, and the best plants to attract butterflies to your landscape. Participants will receive a Butterflies of Central Texas guide with their registration. This program is WaterSaver Rewards. Cost per participant $20.
October 20 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm ONLINE
BCMG October Monthly Meeting – Trees, Turf and Built Landscape – Free
Topic presented by Tyler Burkett and hosted by Bexar County Master Gardeners. Tyler will address common tree issues seen in built environments, many of which are done with the best of intentions. Register in advance for online meeting and seminar.
Frequently check the BCMG Calendar, as that is where all the new, upcoming programs will be posted. Click Here
Poinsettia and Pansy Sale 2022!
The Bexar County Master Gardeners Poinsettia & Pansy Sale starts October 1. This year we have pansies and five colors of poinsettias to choose from: red, white, red glitter (grown by Peterson Brothers), and new for this year – marble (grown by Klepac Greenhouses! Both renowned local growers offer big, florist quality poinsettias and landscape quality pansies. You will be able to place orders on our website now through November 30, and pick them up Thursday, December 8 and Friday December 9, 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!
BCMG Happenings!
Thank you! To all the Bexar County Master Gardeners and Volunteers who attended the start of the Fall garden season at San Antonio Botanical Gardens. The Children’s Vegetable Garden once again came alive as it hosted 50 plus children and their parents. We started the day off with a brief group meeting. Children and parents were given a short history of the garden and also information on what to expect for the upcoming season. Safety issues were also discussed. Children and parents were then introduced to their section leaders who started the children on their journey towards becoming ” Gardeners”. Our first task of the season was to work the garden beds to get them ready for next week’s plantings. We also added fertilizer to our beds and ended the day with a long drink of water. Both us and the garden beds. We still have opportunities for Volunteers. Contact Mary Fernandez at [email protected] or John Mayer at [email protected]. (Photo by John Mayer)
At September’s BCMG meeting held at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, attendees learned about New and Underutilized Plants for the Texas Hill Country from presenter Jessica Robertson with Greenleaf Nursery Company.
(Photos by Muriel Lanford)
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BCMG Facebook
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Happenings!
Congratulations David Rodriguez!
We are pleased to announce David Rodriguez, County Extension Horticulture Agent for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for Bexar County has received the Distinguished Coordinator Award from Extension Master Gardener.
The intent of the program is to identify, reward and promote Extension Master Gardener Coordinators who demonstrate excellence in a number of categories.
CHECK OUT EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER TO LEARN MORE….
Past webinars are posted on YouTube for your viewing (or reviewing) pleasure! Check often for new postings! Click here for the list.
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)
The phones and the Hotline are being operated from Master Gardener home telephones; hotline calls are being directed by the AgriLife Extension receptionist.
What is AmazonSmile?
An easy, convenient way for you to support BCMG every time you shop, at no cost to you.
Available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones.
Amazon smile has the same prices, selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com
How to Sign Up
Simply go to smile.amazon.com on your web browser or activate AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app on your iOS or Android phone within the Settings or Programs & Features menu
On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you will be prompted to select a charitable organization to receive donations from your future eligible AmazonSmile purchases.
Use the Search feature to Select: Bexar County Master Gardeners
That’s it! AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Bexar County Master Gardeners.
On your web browser, you can add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start shopping with AmazonSmile.
Use your existing Amazon user name and password to sign on to Amazon Smile. No need to create another Amazon account.
Note: Amazon will remember your selected charity. You do not have to select BCMG each time you purchase from smile.amazon.com. We are grateful for all you do and all you give to Bexar County Master Gardeners.