Victoria County Master Gardener Association 2009 VICTORIA ADVOCATE Gardeners' Dirt Articles edited by Charla Borchers Leon

Jan 01 - What's In The Bag For Victoria County Master Gardeners in 2009 - Cliff Knezek Jan 08 - Learn with the masters--Gardening program was initiated to serve the public - Helen Boatman Jan 15 - Beauty or beast?--Mesquite trees really do have a good side - Beth Ellis Jan 22 - Tea, anyone?  Take advantage of fresh herbs grown in your garden - Barb Henry Jan 29 - Green and Shades of Pink, Purple, and Red-Dwarf plants save water, conserve time & energy - Charlie Neumeyer

Feb 05 - Heirloom Tomatoes Are Oldies But Goodies-with at least 600 different types - Michael Vandeveer Feb 12 - Get Curb Appeal-Lawn, garden can add to home value -- Donna Sahualla Feb 19 - Grow Your Own Food - Starting a garden is not as hard as you think -- Linda Lees Feb 26 - SAVE WATER - Expanded shale mixed in soil aids in retention/drainage -- Sara & Alton Meyer

Mar 05 - PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR GARDEN -- Brynn Lee Mar 12 - MAGICAL FERNS-Plants offer a variety of textures, colors, as well as fine foliage -- Maria Sobczak Mar 19 - IT'S PLANT SALE TIME -- Plants, seedball back at Master Gardeners' annual event -- Alyse Quintanilla Mar 26 - THE QUEST FOR EARTH-KIND™ STATUS --VEG participates in rose trial garden - Jerome & Mary Janak

Apr 02 - BEAUTIFUL EDIBLES--Plantings contribute to the nutrition budget, as well as the beauty of our surroundings -- Brenda Cusack Apr 09 - FRESH MINT ~ Plants are part of a large family found around the world -- Doris Martinak Apr 16 - ZONE YOUR PLANTING AREAS BASED ON WATER REQUIREMENTS - Karen Pye Apr 23 - PALMS ADD EXOTIC FEEL TO AN OUTDOOR SPACE -- Barbara Sparkman Apr 30 - ANGELONIAS ARE EASY TO GROW -- Jean Wofford

May 07 - Nature's Beauty Beyond The Gate ~ Annual Garden Tour Begins May 16 -- Sara Meyer May 14 - GARDEN TOUR ~ View a myriad of tropicals, roses and plants with animal names -- Sara Meyer May 21 - Grow your own Tex-Mex garden with herbs, spices and peppers -- Lupe Cook and Alyse Quintanilla May 28 - HOME-GROWN TOMATOES ~ To ensure success, plant in full sun -- Gerrie Van Toledo

June 04 - GOOD GUYS VS. BAD GUYS - 97 percent of insects are beneficial or harmless -- Michael Vandeveer June 11 - WEEDS GONE WILD - Away from supervision they quickly become noxious -- Barb Henry  June 18 - A SIMPLE SUCCULENT WREATH - Sun-tolerant plants make fun, easy project -- Mimi Saenz June 25 - A STREAM RUNS THROUGH IT - Do your homework before taking on water projects -- Deloris Gaus

July 02 - TIME TO CELEBRATE - Give your garden a touch of patriotic color -- Charla Borchers Leon July 09 - CALLING ALL GARDENERS -Get ready to sign up for the 2009 fall MG training class -- Donna Sahualla July 16 - THE BIG DRIP - Irrigation systems can save money, time and water -- Charlie Neumeyer July 23 - BRING THE DESERT TO YOUR LANDSCAPE -- Lupe Cook July 30 - DESERT GARDENING -- Cacti are drought-tolerant, great for xeriscaping -- Lupe Cook

Aug 06 - BURSTS OF COLOR ~ Daisies are easy to grow, flourish in our area -- Jean Wofford Aug 13 - Red hot, cool blue Texas Superstar plants -- Nancy Kramer Aug 20 - Rainbow of colors -- Nancy Kramer Aug 27 - Use proven performers and reseeders for garden color -- Suzann Herricks

Sept 03 - Distinctly different plants available at VCMGA Plant Sale -- Roy Cook Sept 10 - PLANT SALE ENCOURAGES FALL GARDENING -- Mary McCurdy Sept 17 - BUTTERFLY ATTRACTION - Lure beautiful insects with flower resort -- Beth Ellis Sept 24 - EARTH-KIND ROSES TOPIC OF SYMPOSIUM -- Mary Janak

Oct 01 - PAINT YOUR CORNER OF TEXAS WITH WILDFLOWERS -- Maria Sobczak Oct 08 - REGISTRATION DEADLINE MONDAY FOR ROSE SYMPOSIUM -- Mary Janak Oct 15 - WILD ABOUT WILDFLOWERS -- Maria Sobczak Oct 22 - 25th South Texas Farm & Ranch Show full of topics to interest gardeners -- Jerome Janak Oct 29 - Brighten Your Garden~ Larkspur flowers offer bunnies for Easter -- Karen Pye

Nov 05 - Combine slow-growing trees with fast growers -- Beth Ellis Nov 12 - ARTICHOKE ~ This edible thistle is full of vitamins -- Michael Vandeveer Nov 19 - Art adds life to garden -- Barbara Sparkman Nov 26 - COLORFUL CROTONS - Don't forget to be thankful for Mother Nature -- Mimi Saenz

Dec 03 - REAP FRUITS, NUTS OF THE SEASON - Plant memories for your children, grandchildren -- Suzann Herricks Dec 10 - CHRISTMAS CACTUS - Plant actually a tropical -- Jane Stephens Dec 17 - Master Gardeners expect to complete pavilion in 2010 -- Pat Plowman Dec 24 - CELEBRATE AT VICTORIA EDUCATIONAL GARDENS -- Maria Sobczak Dec 31 - LUNCH & LEARN WITH THE MASTERS -- Helen Boatman