The Travis County Master Gardeners Association and the Travis County AgriLife Extension sponsor free public seminars on gardening topics throughout the year at different locations in the county. Our goal is to help the public learn easy-to-follow tips they can do on their own that will help them get more joy from their gardens, and to learn from research-based Extension and other sources what can go wrong in the garden and what to do about it in environmentally sensitive ways.

Lectures include such common themes as rainwater harvesting, vegetable gardening, lawn care, tree maintenance, native and adapted plants, propagating plants, and much more. Join us for some really great free learning opportunities and bring your questions!

Most of these seminars are free, open to the public and require no reservations (unless otherwise noted).

"Get Up, Get Green!" 2013 East Austin Garden Fair
Saturday, April 20, 9:30am – 1:30pm
Parque Zaragoza
2608 Gonzales St, 78702

The fair is free and open to the public. The 2013 fair, “Get Up, Get Green!", will feature numerous booths, activities, and classes under the areas of Horticulture, Family Health & Nutrition, Greening Your Home, and Kiddos. This fair will be very fun, hands-on and interactive. There will be an assortment of DIY and demonstration activities, including make your own container garden station, produce tastings, garden planning, theatrical skits, cooking demonstrations, and free seedlings offered to participants. Mini-classes will also be held inside the Zaragosa community center throughout the day. Do you want:

• To learn (and see) how to build a rain barrel for under $20?
• A free veggie or herb seedling (and to watch a cooking demo using this produce?)
• Easy steps for greening your home, and how to get partially reimbursed for doing so?
• To watch a 101- level pickling / food preservation demonstration that you can repeat at home?
• To learn very inexpensive, innovative, and EASY (no power tools involved!) ways to create container and raised-bed gardens?
• To learn about school gardening, beneficial insects, backyard chickens, organic veggie gardening, citrus, all manners of composting, butterfly gardens, or beekeeping, or get expert advice on many other topics?
• To sign up for SNAP benefits? and learn how to double your benefits at farmers markets?
• Your kids to make cool outdoorsy crafts and have fun learning about the ecology and nutrition?

Then join Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Travis County Master Gardeners, Travis County Master Wellness Volunteers, and many community partners at the 2013 East Austin Garden Fair! For more information, please email Lindsay Razzaz at lindsay.razzaz@ag.tamu.edu. Or, call 512-854-9616. View the poster in English or en español.

 

Composting and Soil Health
Saturday, June 15, 2013, 9:30am-3:40pm
Austin Community College, South Campus, Rm 1130
1820 Stassney Lane, Austin TX 78745

Learn about compost positive impact on soil health with an incredible program packed with information and how-to topics. This is everything you need to know to treat your garden by embracing composting. Topics include an overview of composting, equipment needed for success, an overview of the Ground to Ground program in Austin, vermicomposting, compost tea, and Austin Resource Recovery.
$35 registration fee includes box lunch, water, and snacks. Attendees must register at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu, keyword: soil or by phone at 979-845-2604.

 

How to Build a Home Drip Irrigation System
Thursday, May 9, 2013, 10am-12pm
Travis County AgriLife Extension Office

Can you conserve water and still keep your plants happy? Yes! Drip irrigation slowly distributes water and reduces evaporation and run-off, allowing your soil to absorb the maximum amount of water. Learn about the different types of drip irrigations systems and spray heads which are available to determine the system which will best solve your irrigation needs. Gain firsthand knowledge of how to plan and assemble a drip irrigation system. This will include a discussion on layout, parts, tools and specifics on assembly.
This class is part of the Green Thumb series. Registration required at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu or by phone 979-845-2604. Keyword Search: Green Thumb. One class is $15, with price discounts for signing up for 3 or more classes at the same time. Class is limited to 40 people.

 

Backyard Basics
Saturday, May 11, 2013, 9am-1pm
Travis County AgriLife Extension Office

Backyard Basics is a free, family-friendly, gardening topic open house event! Hands on kids’ activities are available the entire time. Stroll the garden and ask questions. Experts available for one-on-one discussion on composting, vegetable gardening, wicking beds, installing drip irrigation, raising chickens, identifying good/bad bugs and permaculture. Plus learn about good practices, white fly tomato trial bed, and common mistakes. In-depth talks offered every hour starting at 9:30:

• Summer Vegetable Gardening includes basics of vegetable gardening, vegetables which can be planted now and thrive in the heat and how to protect other vegetables from summer’s heat.
• Preserving Your Summer Harvest covers the basics of canning, freezing, dehydrating and fermentation of vegetables and how to bring the vegetables back to life.
• Backyard Chickens is an introduction to what is required to progress from baby chicks to egg producing hens. Shelter, food, breeds will be a part of talk.

Green Thumb Series: What's Eating My Plants
Thursday, June 13, 2013, 10am-12pm
Travis County AgriLife Extension Office

Yikes! What is eating my plant? Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist, will teach you detective skills needed for correctly identifying insects. Knowing exactly who are the “good bugs” and the “bad bugs” is important because the majority of insects are not “bad”!
Armed with knowledge of insect mouthparts and biology, you can figure out what may be causing damage to plants even when there is not an insect in sight. Think about what kind of mouth part could have done the damage? Are there holes in the plant? Are the holes small or are entire leaves eaten? Does the plant have yellowing and curling on the foliage? Knowing the types of damage insects can cause to plants can help reveal what pest you are dealing with and help to make management decision. Identification of common insects will also be covered along with integrated pest management practices to help reduce pesticide use. Integrated pest management programs start with non-chemical approaches first and while chemicals are included in the program, they are a last resort strategy.
This class is part of The Green Thumb series. Must register at: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu or by phone 979-845-2604. Keyword Search: Green Thumb. One class is $15, with price discounts for signing up for 3 or more classes at the same time. Class is limited to 40 people.