P1 Lisa Martinez

P1 Intern Training

P1` NMG Officers 2018

P2 Volunteering

P2 Other Activities

P2 Monthly Meeting

P2 Ongoing Projects

P2 Birthdays

P2 From Betty Rogers

P3 Agent’s Notes

P4 Presidents Corner

P5 Training Classes

P6 KEDT-TV Family Day

P6 Scholarship Committee

P6 Seed Packing

P6 Earth-Kind Meeting

P6 Michael Bishop

P6 Intern PicRoster

P7 Plant Show

P8 Stage Presentations

P9 Plant Sale

P10 TMGA Newsletter

P10 Kissing Bugs

P11 Native Plants

P11 Succulents Abloom

P12 Garden Council

P13 Gardening Events

P14 Gardens By The Bay

P14 Disclaimers

L E A D E R S H I P President

John Slusarz

Vice President

Beth Spirko

Carlos Valdez - Elect

Secretary

Brenda Bishop

Jessica Latimer

Treasurer

Norma Hernandez

Members at Large

Linda Lamprecht

Huxley Smith

Theresa Stelzig

State Directors

Nina Dawson

Mary Lambert

Alt - Carlos Valdez

Gazette Editor

John Slusarz L E A D E R S H I P C O N T A C T S

C L I C K T H I S

Edition 32 – Sept 2018 I N T H I S I S S U E

PAGE 1

Master Gardener Gazette Nueces County, Tx

The mission of the association shall be to organize and promote volunteer efforts that support the AgriLife Extension programs that are advancing sound horticultural practices in Nueces County (nueces.agrilife.org).

Lisa Mart inez

After 11 years as the secretary for AgriLife Horti-

culture Lisa Martinez has received a new posi-

tion and is moving on. Actually, she is only mov-

ing about 10 feet. I asked about Lisa for this arti-

cle and here is what I received: Avid gardener –

some of her favorite plants include: lilies, Rose

of Sharon, Elephant ears, Indian Carnations, Hi-

biscus, and Plumerias - Coffee Connoisseur -

Dog named Patch - Entire career in extension

was spent as Senior Horticulture Assistant - Fa-

vorite food is tacos - Grew up in Kingsville -

Hobbies are Gardening, Reading, and Shopping

- Married, husband Daniel - Series binger, Re-

cently watched Game of Thrones and Outlander

- Worked for USDA in Dallas for 15 years -

Worked in Sheriff’s office as an IP clerk.

For a true understanding of Lisa, see Kevin’s arti-

cle on page 3.

Class 29—2018 Intern Training

The Interns were very fortunate in that the first

classes featured Dr. Michael Womack, Executive

Director of the South Texas Botanical Gardens

who did a most educational and interesting

presentation on Plant Science and Botany over

two class sessions. A great way to begin the

course. More Intern training information and

class schedule are on page 5..

PAGE 2

MASTE R GARDENERS MEE TING

Tuesday, September 18

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX

OTHER ACTIVITIES THIS MONTH

Wed, Sept 5 - Coastal Bend Cacti & Succu-

lent Society Meeting, 7pm, GC, 687-6474

Thur, Sept 6 - Orchidology: 7pm BG 852-

2100

Fri, Sept 14 - NMG LTG Seed Packing: 8:30-

11:30am at the Senior Garden Center. See

page 6

Wed, Sept 18 - Plumeria Society Meeting,

6:30pm BG, 991-4376

Tue, Sept 25 - NMG Earth-Kind Meeting, at

beds in the Botanical Garden 9am. See page 6.

Thur, Sept 27 - Bonsai Society Meeting,

7pm, GC, 992-0009

Thur, Sept 27 - Bromeliad 658-8650 GC 7pm

GC - 5325 Greely Dr, CC, TX CLICK FOR MAP

See page 13 for events at the Botanical

Garden and Gills Nursery

O N G O I N G P R O J E C T S CLICK THIS - COMMITTEE/PROJECT CONTACTS PDF

BOTANICAL GARDENS, Wednesday, 7:30 am

GREELY SENIOR CENTER COURTYARD, 1st

Mon., 8am Jessica Latimer 563-6008 or 429palo-

ma@att.net

EARTH-KIND BEDS AT BOTANICAL GARDENS -

Times and days vary by each team - Contact Paul

Parr for info. paulnorman4910@aol.com

FOOD BANK PROJECT Tuesdays 7:30am (Except

MG meeting day then Wednesday) Contact: Mary

Lambert 813-7596 or cwlmel@yahoo.com

NATURE CONSERVANCY Mon.s, 4:00pm & Blu-

cher Park 5:00pm (Behind the Main Library). Con-

tact: Karen Smith 877-9723

11:00am - Board of Directors Meeting

11:30am - Meet & Greet Lunch

12:00pm - Presentation

12:30pm - General Meeting

Note - the meeting times have changed

See page 4 for details

There are not any volunteers for luncheon this month. You can still step up and contact Rita as shown below.

If you could volunteer to help with future lunches, you can contact Rita Phillips 991-0750 or email her at rnphillipscctx@grandecom.net and it would be greatly appreciated by everyone.

Nueces Master Gardeners with a birthday this month include the following. When you see one of them, be sure that you take time to tell and wish they have a

Sept 06 Whitt, Betty 9

Sept 07 Martin, Stephanie 13

Sept 09 Parr, Pat 10

Sept 09 Hernandez, Norma 21

Sept 15 Martin, Jackie 22

Sept 16 Klanecky, Iris 10

Sept 24 Wigley, Joshua 26

Sept 25 Romero, Hope 24

As MGs (students and interns included) you are a

member of Garden Council. Please plan to attend

those meetings. The meeting itself does not count

for hours, but if there is a program certified MG’s

can count that for CE time. Students and interns do

not receive credit but will receive knowledge and

make new friends.

F r o m B e t t y R o g e r s T I P S O N R E P O R T I N G Y O U R H O U R S

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 3

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Agents Notes - Kevin O. Gibbs, CEA - Horticulture

Moving forward , but looking back !

As you all know by this point, our beloved horticulture matron, Lisa Martinez has moved up in the

extension family to Senior Assistant to the Ag and Natural Resources Agent, Jason Ott. It will be

almost impossible to replace her and her wealth of the horticulture extension department in

Nueces County. I thought I would take a few minutes to tell you about Lisa and my experiences

with her.

I came to serve as horticulture agent for Nueces County in January 2016. Although I had years of

experience in horticulture and education, I had absolutely no experience in extension. From day

one, it was clear that Lisa would be teaching me how extension operates. When I didn’t know how

things were done, she did. When important things were at hand, she was quick to tell me to be

prepared. When I tackled the first Landscape Conference and the first Master Gardener Intern

trainings, it was Lisa, that helped me figure out the ins and outs of how the trainings, the schedules,

the event locations and many more details should occur.

She was so knowledgeable that she handled many things on her own. There was little that she did-

n’t know the answers to even though sometimes she would still pass them by me, just for protocols

sake. Most people didn’t call asking to talk to me, they instead went straight to the person in the

know, Lisa, and she helped them with the information they sought. She is an unselfish, hardworking

servant. Even now, as she works in her new position, she continues to make sure our programs are

successful; sure she could defer all the phone calls and people to me, but she’s not like that. She

truly doesn’t know how much her guidance and support have meant to me.

She was more than just a secretary. We often talked about our gardens. She showed me pictures

of plants that she was growing. We discussed problems and how to fix them. I looked forward to

bringing her plants from conferences and trips, because I knew how much she loved them. She

might have been horticulture assistant, but friends she was first and foremost a gardener. I joked

with her recently that she wouldn’t get any more plants when I returned from trips, but you can rest

assured that she will, because I know how much she loves them.

Above all, the one thing that I valued the most was her opinion. Singularly, because I knew what it

meant and where it came from. Her opinion was coming from somebody that cared and that had a

stake in the decision being made. She thought about the things she was saying and the opinions

she was giving. Yes, I’ll still seek her opinion, even though she’s no longer officially the horticulture

assistant.

We will move on and we’ll find a new horticulture assistant, but Lisa you will always be in our

hearts. You are one of the primary reasons that horticulture extension is successful. I thank you for

your hard work, for your desire to makes things a success, for your opinions and know how. I even

value your ability to reign me in at times. We will move forward, but it’s reassuring to know that

you’re only ten feet away. Missing you already, but wishing you the absolute best!

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 4

Monthly Meet ing Changes

The recent monthly meetings have been running more than three hours and this length of time has

put a burden on many Master Gardeners. Meetings of this length impose on many MGs personal

and business obligations. This often results with NMGs having to leave before the meetings are com-

plete, despite a desire to attend the full meeting, and potentially missing relevant information.

At the August meeting the board discussed this issue and voted for the following three items:

1. Meeting times for the September meetings will be changed to the following:

11:00am – Board Meeting

11:30am - Meet and Greet Lunch

12:00pm - Presentation

12:30pm – General Meeting

2. Only items that are on the board meeting agenda will be addressed during the board meeting.

Any NMG leader of a committee/project or individual NMG that would like to raise an issue or

make a presentation during the board meeting must be on the agenda for the meeting. The

request for board meeting agenda items is sent out approximately nine days before the

meeting and the agenda is finalized and issued four days before the meeting.

3. It is requested that anyone making an informational presentation defer their presentation to the

general meeting.

It is planned to continue with the above monthly meeting schedule for a few months, to see how it

works out, and make adjustments if needed. This is being done so that the maximum possible Mas-

ter Gardeners have the opportunity to attend the monthly meetings.

Common Courtesy

The Nueces Master Gardeners have a lot of committees, projects and activities going on right now

with the Home and Garden Show that now includes the Youth Plant Show, the upcoming Plant Sale,

the ongoing Greely Lease Project, By-laws, the Earth-Kind beds and more. Add in all the other nor-

mal activities that go on throughout the year, it is a lot of activity. I would like to remind everyone

that we should always use common courtesy to others in the group if you are involved in an activity.

• If you are part of a committee, project or other activity and a meeting is scheduled, that you

would normally attend, and cannot attend - advise the leader that you will not be there.

• And if you cannot continue to participate in the activity, for any reason, please advise the

leader of the function.

• Committee/project leader should send a reminder email to the planned attendees a day or

two before the meeting including; meeting date, time, location and a planned agenda.

These three simple acts of courtesy will allow the group leader to better plan the meeting and make

for a more effective and organized function. And yes, I have been guilty of all of these, a few times,

and will try my hardest to not let it happen again.

Nueces Master Gardener

Presidents Corner - John Slusarz President 2018

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 5

Week 5

Sept 5

9/5/18 Wednesday 1pm-4pm

IPM/Entomology Kate Harrell, CEA

Integrated Pest Management Del Mar Center

3209 S. Staples, Room 141

Week 6

Sept 10-12

9/10/18 Monday 1pm-4pm

Weeds Joshua McGinty, Ph.D.

Assist. Professor Extension Agronomist

Del Mar Center 3209 S. Staples, Room 141

9/12/18 Wednesday 1pm-3pm

Weeds Tools Lab

John Slusarz Nueces Master Gardener

AgriLife Extension Service 710 E. Main Ave., Robstown

Week 7

Sept 17-19

9/17/18 Monday 1pm-4pm

Woodies Pruning

Ginger Easton-Smith, CEA, Aransas

Del Mar Center 3209 S. Staples, Room 141

9/19/18 Wednesday 1pm-3pm

Pruning Herbaceous Lab

Kevin Gibbs, CEA, Nueces Botanical Gardens

8545 S. Staples

Week 8

Sept 24-26

9/24/18 Monday 1pm-4pm

Trees Bill Green, Forest Service Del Mar Center

3209 S. Staples, Room 141

9/26/18 Wednesday 1pm-3pm

Tree ID Lab Cindy Straub & Helen Orsak Local Parks

The following is the training schedule for the September Master Gardener Intern classes, labs and

field trips. NMGs are encouraged to attend the training sessions and get those elusive CE hours,

Shown below is Shanna Dunn, Resource Soil Scientist Soils & Fertility/Composting doing a presenta-

tion for the Interns in a August class at the Del Mar Economic Development Center.

Class 29 - 2018 Master Gardener Intern Training

The classes, labs and field trips are happening every week as the Interns are being instructed on all

major aspects of horti-

culture as it is applied in

our local environment.

Shown to the left is

Nueces Master Gardener

Carol Krank conducting

a hands-on Plant Science

and Botany Lab at the

Educational Center of

the Botanical Gardens.

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 6

LTG Fal l Seed Packing

It is that time of year again and the schedule for the an-

nual fall seed packing event, will take place on the

morning of Friday, September, 14th

, 8:30 – 11:30 am at the Senior Garden Center on Greely. We will

need help labeling the packets, packing the seeds, sorting the seedlings, assembling the packages

and then delivering them to the schools, so the more the merrier. No experience needed, just show

up at the Senior Garden Center. Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Earth-Kind NMG Meet ing Our five Earth-Kind beds at the South Texas Botanical Gardens have expe-

rienced a dramatic improvement over the past several months and we

would like to have that trend continue. There will be a meeting at 9:00am

on Tuesday, September 25th

STBG. The meeting will review where every-

thing stands, address and hopefully resolve some irrigation issues, All NMGs are invited to attend.

Intern PicRoster The PicRoster for Class 29, the 2018 Master Gardener Interns, is now available online. For a PDF

download by any NMG that would need it. It is available by CLICKING THIS.

KEDT-TV Family Day Submitted by NMG Deb Holliday

On Saturday, August 18 at the KEDT-TV family day event we were in

contact with more than 700 people. As part of the activity we supplied

and helped about 300 children of all ages plant salad-in-a-pot beans

for them to take home and grow. Also got the chance to talk to many

of the parents and children about the upcoming plant show and com-

petition. Thanks to Nueces Master Gardeners Michael Bishop, Gloria

Van Zante, Brian Carter and John Slusarz for your help.

Scholarship Committee The Scholarship Committee has started to gear up and make

strategies for the upcoming scholastic season. Committee

members are Carlos Valdez, Sandra Williams, Gloria Van Zante

and Alene Burch. There is always room for one more if you

would like to take part and join this committee.

NMG Michael Bishop

At the August monthly meeting NMG Michael Bishop was presented his

Gold Nueces Master Gardener pin for completing over 500 hours of vol-

unteers service. Presenting the pin are CEA Kevin Gibbs and NMG Presi-

dent John Slusarz. Congratulations to Michael!

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 7

Coastal Bend Area

Youth Plant Show

The addition of the Coastal Bend Area Youth Plant Show to our

regular Home and Garden Show booth activity and stage presentations will bring new and additional

challenges to the Nueces Master Gardeners. The plant show will require supplemental NMG support

to hep organize the set up, stage and categorize the plants and to be available in the plant show ar-

ea to answer questions from the show attendees. The normal breakdown of the NMG booth at the

end of the Home and Garden Show on Sunday will now have the added requirement to assist with

the breakdown and general clean up of the plant show. It is anticipated that there might be some

plants that are not picked up and those will have to be handled as well.

All the above reflects that the requirement for NMG participation over the period of the Home and

Garden Show will increase a goodly amount. It would be greatly appreciated if you have any time to

spare during the show weekend that you volunteer a little of that time to help with this project.

If you are not familiar with where the plant show area will

be located within Home and Garden Show the illustration

to the left should give you a good idea. The entire corner

area past our normal booth area is being allocated to the

plant show, this is over 13 booth spaces. This is where the

dogs were and we should not now have to have their occa-

sional barking accompanying the stage presentations.

Additionally, it is anticipated that there will be some other

regional gardening organizations that will be involved with

the plant show by setting up tables or displays in the show area, but as of this time it is not certain

exactly which organizations will elect to participate.

It should be noted that the Coastal Bend Area Youth Plant show has been, from our perspective,

heavily promoted by the Nueces Master Gardeners. The Master Gardeners

have hand distributed a large amount of plant show posters, flyers and other

information to schools, businesses and organizations throughout the area.

Additionally, hundreds of emails were sent to regional print media, radio sta-

tions, TV stations, public and private schools, and other youth related organi-

zations throughout the entire costal bend. The emails contained general in-

formation about the plant show, an attached flyer, they had links that would

provide detailed rules, additional entry information and links to download

the entry form.

If you know a young relative, neighbor or friend that you think might be interested in submitting a

plant in the show, there is still time as the deadline for entries is not until September 14. To access

the entry forms and rules - CLICK THIS and then click on UPCOMING EVENTS.

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 8

Fri, 9/28 T i t l e a n d D e s c r i p t i o n P r e s e n t e r

3:00-4:00 Rainwater – Why it’s such a valuable resource for your Garden Learn how to capture this free resource to use at home and at your business. Equipment and techniques will be demonstrated.

Carlos Valdez, Nueces Master Gardener, Tex-as Master Naturalist, EarthKind Specialist

4:00-5:00

Fall Garden Composting - Put your yard waste and fall leaves to work feeding your gardens through the techniques of composting. Examples and hands on experiences will be part of the presentation.

Deb Holliday, Nueces Master Gardener, Com-post Specialist

Sat, 9/29 T i t l e a n d D e s c r i p t i o n P r e s e n t e r

11:00-12:00

Monarch Butterfly Fall Migration – and what you can do to help. Monarch butterflies have been under a lot of stress due to loss of habitat, which reduc-es their food sources, and diseases, which combine to drastically reduce their populations. Learn what you can do to help them maintain and flourish.

Michael Womack, PhD, Executive Director, South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center

12:00-1:00

Pruning – The Basics Fall is an excellent time to prune many trees and shrubs. There is a right way to prune for the best results and health of your plants. Learn the correct techniques through this presentation and hands on demon-stration.

Ginger Easton-Smith, CEA, San Patricio Coun-ty, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent

2:00-3:00

Citrus and Palm Disease Alert - Losing your prized palms or citrus trees to disease is heart-breaking and expensive. Growers and homeowners are now facing threats such as citrus greening. Learn about causes, detection and possible remedies.

Beth Spirko and Michael Bishop, Nueces Mas-ter Gardeners and First Detector Specialists for Citrus and Palm diseases

4:00-5:00

Drip Irrigation – a low cost, energy efficient way to water your gardens Hear about the benefits of using drip irrigation systems to reduce your garden water use. Equipment will be demonstrated so you can see how easy it is to set up drip irrigation systems for your gardens, lawns, and container plants.

Joshua Wigley, Nueces Master Gardener

5:00-6:00

Botanical Gardens Presentations – Birds and Reptiles – Texas Master Natu-ralists Get to know some of the critters that live at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. Texas Master Naturalists will explain their volun-teer role working in our community.

Chad Huckabee, Texas Master Naturalist, and volunteers and employees of South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center

Sun,9/30 T i t l e a n d D e s c r i p t i o n P r e s e n t e r

11:00-12:00

2 in 1 Presentation - Choose your tools – There is a right tool to use for every garden chore. Avoid wasting time and energy, and be a safer gardener, by learning how to select the proper tools for the job. Identify and Eliminate Weeds – a quick tutorial on how to identify weeds and stay ahead of the game, economically and in an environmentally friendly way.

John Slusarz, Nueces Master Gardener and Chapter President

12:00-1:00

Recovering from garden disaster and preparing for the future– Lessons learned from Hurricane Harvey. Many of us and our gardens suffered big losses a year ago when Hurricane Harvey unleashed itself on us. Our Horti-culture Agent will share the lessons learned and some things we can do to reduce our losses if another major storm hits.

Kevin Gibbs, CEA, Nueces County, Texas A&M AgriLife Horticulture Agent

2:00-2:30

2:30-3:00

Prepare your lawn for fall and spring. Learn which grasses are best for us and how to keep them healthy over winter to have lush spring growth. Get tips on how to prevent common fungi and insect infestations. Protect your plumerias. Learn the best methods of preparing your plumerias for winter, and how to keep them healthy all year.

Huxley Smith, Nueces Master Gardener and Turf Grass Specialist John Balcar, Nueces Master Gardener, Plumeria Society

3:00-4:00

Awards Ceremony and Family Entertainment Coastal Bend Area Youth Plant Show awards ceremony Gardening with your kids – See how one young family gets their children into home gardening for veggies and pretty flowers.

Plant Show Committee Brian Carter, Nueces Master Gardener and Plant Show Chairman, and family

4:00-5:00

Your Fall Garden – Two Master Gardeners will team up to share the latest varieties and techniques learned in their recent specialist training. You’ll learn the best veggies to grow right now, and we’ll demonstrate how you can make and use a self watering container garden – great for a kitchen garden or folks with little garden space.

Michael Bishop and Deb Holliday, Nueces Master Gardeners and Vegetable Specialists

Fal l Home and Garden Show - Stage Presentations Shown be lo w a r e th e p lann ed s tag e p r e sen t a t ion s fo r th i s yea r s show .

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 9

Nueces Master Gardener Plant Sale The Nueces Master Gardener Plant Sale is coming up quick. It is just

about six weeks away. MGs should have a firm understanding of

what plants they will be able to submit for the sale on October 13.

To greatly assist the committee with planning many of the important

components of the process for this plant sale it is requested that

MGs email the following information for each species/variety of your

plants to Madeline Church at madichurch@hotmail.com.

• Plant common name

• Plant botanical name

• Number of plants

• Height of the pots in inches

The committee has created plant identification cards, see below, and they are requesting the MGs to

complete these for the plants that they will be submitting. It will be necessary to prepare an identifi-

cation card for each plant that will be in the sale. There will be an ample supply of these cards availa-

ble at the September monthly meeting and arrangements will be made to get them to MGs that are

unable to attend the meeting.

For those MGs that have a large number of plants there are available 2” x 4” Avery sheets of adhesive

computer labels for pots and 3/4” x 2 1/4” computer labels for plant stakes or small pots that can be

printed or you can be given the sheets and print

off your own computer. And for the smaller pots

there are 1” x 4” white plastic plant stakes avail-

able to put the smaller labels on.

If you are interested in utilizing this type process

or using some of these materials, contact John Slusarz by email at jmslusarz2@gmail.com.

FILL IN THE CARD WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Common Name

Botanical Name

Water (Recommended watering requirements)

Light (Recommended light exposure)

Soil (As needed)

Height Width (As appropriate)

Annual Biennial Perennial (Check one)

Remarks (Add any additional important remarks)

Use reverse side for additional information

The committee reaffirmed that the NMGs can contribute items other than plants. Additional infor-

mation and some guidelines as to what can be included in the sale will be distributed shortly.

And don’t forget that seeds packets can be included in the sale. There will be small and large enve-

lopes available for you to use at the September monthly meeting. The seed packets should be neatly

marked with the necessary seed germination specifics and general plant growing information.

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 10

July 2018 - TMGA Newsletter

Texas Gardener Magazine

If you are already a subscriber to Texas Gardener Magazine, you already know

that Jay White, is the new owner of the magazine. He has been one of the main

article contributors to the magazine and to its weekly "Seeds" e-newsletter. Mr.

White recently contacted TMGA with an interest in highlighting Master Gardener

associations - one county per month. If you would like to see your association

highlighted in the magazine, write up an article on a special topic, including pic-

tures with captions, and send your article to Jayla Fry (jbfry@tamu.edu) who will be

the contact for TMGA articles to Texas Gardener Magazine. Texas Gardener Magazine Seeds news-

letter Jay White's Masters of Hort blog

Tour of The Gardens at Texas A&M

Prior to the Directors meeting on August 4th, MG Di-

rectors and Officers toured the completed Phase I of

The Gardens at Texas A&M. As a combination

demonstration and teaching venue, the seven com-

pleted acres showcase a variety of gardening speci-

mens, techniques, and beauty. Interesting architec-

tural “hardscape” features, wildflower areas, a bios-

wale, bird, bee, and butterfly gardens, varying types

of vegetable beds, vineyards, the 100 year-old oak

tree, a Hispanic and a German garden were all part

of the hour and a half walking tour. Innovations such as drip irrigation devices for agriculture crops, and

a “water fence” were only two of the interesting features along the tour.

Joseph Johnson, the Director of the Gardens explained the future for the remaining 20 acres and gave

details on the building of the Pavilion area. Phase II of the Gardens is to begin soon. Lunch was provided

in the Pavilion to those that toured before the Directors meeting. The Gardens are open to the public at

all times, and tours are offered for groups on Wednesdays and Fridays. Parking on campus near The Gar-

dens is limited, but the West Campus garage is an option. You can book garden tours at https://

gardens.tamu.edu/events/. Visit the website for more information about The Gardens at Texas A&M.

Kiss ing Bugs There is another potential health threat coming from

Kissing Bugs, Trypanosoma cruzi, that you might want a

little information on. Kissing bugs are nocturnal, blood-

feeding insects that are members of the Reduviidae fami-

ly that are a concern for those individuals that are living

in the US/Mexico border regions. For the full TAMU arti-

cle on this latest health concern - CLICK THIS.

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 11

Opportunity to Order

Hard-to-Find Nat ive Plants

The Mid-Coast Texas Master Naturalists will be selling native

plants at the HummerBird Celebration, Sept 14-16, 2018 in Rock-

port. We are offering you the opportunity to order plants from

our suppliers (Native Texas Nursery, Mike Heep’s Nursery). The

link shown below to a list that shows plants available at the time

of preparing the list, indicated by a check mark or the price of

larger-sized pots. Please note that the availability may change by

the time the order is placed. Also, not all of these plants will be in the sale during HummerBird, so

this is a chance to order a plant that may not be readily available elsewhere.

We sell 1-gallon plants for $7, and the prices of larger sizes are shown in the list. The 4” plants are

ordered as a flat of 20, for $40; if you do not want this many, come to the sale and there may be 4”

plants available for $3 each. Contact Janet Price and let her know if you are interested in buying 4”

plants, but do not want the full flat.

Note - Pre-ordering may not be available as this information was originally issued at an earlier date.

The pre-ordered plants can be paid for and collected at the following times:

• Wednesday, September 12, 3:00-5:00 pm, at 518 S. Verne St., Rockport.

• At the Plant Sale (Sept 14-16), 9:00-5:00 pm Friday and Saturday, 9:00-3:00 pm Sunday. The Plant

Sale will be outside the High School Commons building on the Rockport-Fulton School Campus.

Pay by check made out to MCTMN or with cash. Credit cards will be accepted at the Plant Sale.

The last day to place this special order is Saturday, September 1.

Call or text Janet Price (713-202-7639), or send an e-mail to janprice11@gmail.com with any ques-

tions or to place your order. For a PDF listing of plants - CLICK THIS. Map to sale - CLICK THIS

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3jwii3lb77yh66z/Pre-order%20plant%20list.pdf?dl=0

https://goo.gl/maps/Z8AxARMkSdm

For info on HummerBird Celebration CLICK THIS

Succulents are abloom Submitted by Nueces Master Gardener Ana Abarca

I have two I believe are lovely from my patio:

Starfish Flower (Stapelia Gigangtea)- a star shaped flower lightly lined

with crimson and fringed with silky hairs, family of Apocynaceae - na-

tive to South Eastern Africa. This is a spine free succulent and a

member of the milkweed, not cactus, family. Native to dry desert ar-

eas from Tanzania of South Africa.

Crown of Thorns, Euphorbia milii, the crown of thorns, Christ plant, or

Christ thorn, called Corona de Cristo in Latin America, is a species of

flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaciae, native to Mada-

gascar Island, Indian Ocean.

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 12

Just what is the

GARDEN COUNCIL?

The Corpus Christi Area Garden Council was formed in the 1940’s by local gardeners with the objective to

conserve native plants and all natural resources, encourage civic planting, and educate members and the

general public in the growing and artistic use of plant material.

The Garden Council wanted to create a garden headquarter building on City land at Lindale where associat-

ed garden clubs could meet. The City suggested a new building behind the business zone named Cullen

Mall. The new garden building was built at 5325 Greely St. behind the Cullen School. The Garden Council

raised the money to finance the building which was constructed and belonged to the Garden Council.

However after a time the upkeep and other costs of the building became more than the Garden Council

could handle. In November 1963 the building ownership was transferred to the City Parks and Recreation

Dept. It was agreed that the center would be available to the Garden Council and all the member Garden

Clubs to meet at no cost. This was good arrangement. The Council then raised money for Jim Wright of Cur-

ries Nursery to develop the patio garden. In 1998/1999 the center was upgraded with a kitchen, appliances

and rooms because the City wanted to set it up as a senior community center. During this time the Garden

Council moved to the Lindale Center. When the Greely Building was finished, the Garden Council moved

back in. The Renovated Building was renamed as The Garden Senior Center. It should be

noted here that the one person mainly instrumental in all of this is Yvonne Padilla who has

been the heart and soul of gardening in the coastal bend for the last generation.

The Corpus Christ Area Garden Council maintains membership in the National Garden Clubs

Inc., South Central Region of National Garden Clubs, Texas Garden Clubs Inc. and District VII

of the Texas Garden Clubs Inc. The CC Area Garden Council provides the local Garden Clubs

with a place to meet at no cost, Insurance for local conventions, plant shows and plant sales,

financial grants for project and conventions, a year book to each Club and a website where

they can post their information.

Currently (2018) the following clubs: CC Bonsai Club, Coastal Bend Beekeepers Association,

CC Bromeliad Soc., Cacti & Succulent Soc, Nueces Master Gardeners , Native Plant Soc. of

Texas, Sth Texas Chapter, Plumeria Soc. of Sth. Texas Corpus Christi Rose Society. Bay area

Garden Guild,. Ocean Drive Garden Club, Hibiscus Garden Club, Late Bloomers and Port

Aransas Garden Club. Any other garden club can join the Council for a $25 annual dues.

On April 17-20th 2016, Corpus Christi Area Garden Council participated in hosting the annual

Texas Garden Club convention right here in Corpus Christi at the Bayfront Holliday Inn.

Among other things they planted a tree in Lexington Park in honor of the late Ted Turner

Senior.

Coastal Bend gardeners have always relied on the Garden Books which are devoted to gar-

dening in the Bay Area and published by the Garden Council. The first Garden Book that dealt

with local conditions was published in 1949. The second was published in 1970 and the third

which most of us grew up with was published in 1992. The Fourth Garden Book published in

2015 is now available and is the latest and best gardening tool for keen growers in the coastal

bend Area. It is available on the Website or from Huxley Smith and for any other questions

contact Huxleysmith@grandecom.net.

The website for the Garden Council is www.copruschristigardencouncil.com

Submitted by Nueces Master

Gardner and Garden Council

President Huxley Smith

1949 Garden Book

1970 Garden Book

1992 Garden Book

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 13

Saturday, September 8, 10:00am-11:00am - Veg-

gies For Fall Gardens! Speaker Debbie Pinkerton buyer

for Gill Landscape Nursery. Fall is the perfect time to plant a

food garden with a wide selection of choices. You can bring a

feast to your table and share your harvest with others. Come

learn the basics of growing food from the soil to the harvest

Saturday, September 15, 10:00am-11:00am - Creating Curb Appeal! Speaker Phillip

Elbert, Landscape Designer, Gill Landscape Nursery. Enhance an existing outdoor space or create a

new outdoor area? Take a slideshow tour of unique garden spaces and real outdoor living rooms

created by our landscape design dept. Courtyards, edible landscapes, patios, water features, lighting

and more. We can take your inspiration and turn it into a new creation! Time for Q & A and schedule

your landscape design appointment with Phillip!

Saturday, September 22, 10:00am-11:00am - How to Grow Trees! Speaker James Gill,

Owner & Landscape Designer Gill Landscape Nursery. Fall is THE best time to plant trees. James will

talk selection for South Texas, planting, pruning, fertilizing, and good maintenance practices.

Saturday, September 29, 10:00am-11:00am - International Inspirations! Speaker

Kathy Hubner, Landscape Designer, Gill Nursery. Flowers speak a universal language and great gar-

den design knows no borders! Come explore the bountiful gardens of Toronto, Canada to find fresh

planting combinations and clever design techniques that will make your gardens unique.

S a t u r d a y , O c t o b e r 6 t h , A l l D a y ! 2 81 0 A i r l i ne Rd . Co rpu s Ch r i s t i , TX 7 841 4 ( 3 61 ) 992 -9 674

Join us for a fun celebration and great savings

all day long! Our 40th Anniversary Celebration!

Saturday, September 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m. ATTRACTING

HUMMINGBIRDS TO YOUR GARDEN Rosemary Plank,

Texas Master Naturalists, tells exactly what to plant and

which feeders to hang to attract more hummers to your

landscape this fall migration season.

Saturday, September 15, 10:30-11:30 a.m. IRRIGATION SEASON BY SEASON Carlos Valdez,

Nueces County Master Gardener and Texas Master Naturalist, shares best irrigation practices to both

save water and keep a lush yard, with watering “schedules” to minimize risk of disease and insects.

Saturday, September 22, 10:30-11:30 a.m RAISING MONARCHS & THREAT OF O.E.

(Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) . Learn about raising the beautiful State Insect of Texas, but also about

O.E. Monarch disease threatening our populations. Master Naturalist Rosemary Plank shares ways to

keep monarchs healthy.

Saturday, September 29, 10:30-11:30 a.m. WILDFLOWER PLANTING (& Seed Balls) Texas Mas-

ter Naturalist Mid-Coast Chapter & Native Plant Society expert Ernie Schertz, teaches fall windows of

opportunity and other tips on planting correct wildflower species for our area.

Saturdays: 2:15 pm Sept 8, Oct 13, Nov 10 T-A-G (trail and garden) (following Parrot Talk)

Children ages 5-10, with a adult, experience FITNESS combined with TRAIL AND GARDEN activities;

planting plants, stick stacking, wheelbarrow push, using gardening tools—plus hula hoops, ring toss,

sensory and compass games. Lead by Education Coordinator/Field Biologist Brenda Ermis.

MASTER GARDENER GAZETTE NUECES COUNTY, TX PAGE 14

CEA-Horticulture; Kevin O. Gibbs - Editor: John M. Slusarz - Associate Editor: Barbara Moses Disclaimer - The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and activities, education, and em-ployment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife. The information herein is for informational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Master Gardeners is implied.

Individuals with disabilities who require auxiliary aid, service, or accommodation in order to participate in any extension event are encouraged to contact their County Extension Office at 361-767-5217 at least one week in advance of the program in order for proper arrangements to be made.

For general information please contact Extension office at: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 710 E. Main, Suite 1 Attn: Horticulture Robstown, Texas 78380 361-767-5217 llmartinez@ag.tamu.edu

The Gardens By The Bay In Singapore The Gardens By The Bay, featured in "Crazy Rich Asians," is a major landmark in Singapore, fea-turing more than a million plants, the world's largest glass greenhouse, and a grove of 160-foot tall 'supertrees”. The Bay is a nature park built as part of the government's initiative to turn Singa-pore, long known as "the garden city," into a "city in a garden."

But to call Gardens By The Bay simply a park or a garden is a massive understatement. The site is an architectural, technological, and natural mar-

vel, consisting of 1.5 million plants of over 5,000 species, the world's largest glass greenhouse, and a grove of 160-foot tall 'supertrees' that look like they popped out of a science-fiction movie.

The Gardens By The Bay's real stars are the biodomes. There is the 129,000 square-foot "Flower Dome" and the 86,000 square-foot "Cloud Forest." Because the climate inside the domes needs to be cooler than tropical Singapore, they are made of 6,000 coated double-glazed glass panels that let in 66% of sunlight and 33% of external heat. The domes are also air-conditioned to the right temper-ature. The Cloud Forest conservatory is smaller than the Flower Dome, but it might be more impres-sive. Its climate mimics that of mist-covered tropical highlands and contains 72,000 plants.

Editor’s note - This has made my bucket list. These pictures do not do justice to how amazing the Gardens By The Bay is in size and planting features. In an attempt to illustrate and give you some un-derstanding how impressive this landmark is, shown below is a short article and a few videos.

For a short illustrated article - CLICK THIS.

For a 23 minute video - CLICK THIS. For a longer 46 minute video - CLICK THIS.