Program List
GARDENING QUESTIONS?
Do you have gardening questions? E-mail your questions to elpasomg@ag.tamu.edu, or call the Master Gardener Hotline, 566-1276.
Here are some other helpful links:
http://elp.tamu.edu (Texas AgriLife Extension Service).
http://txmg.org/elpaso/ (El Paso Master Gardeners.)
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/elpasoplants/index.html (Recommended Ornamental Plants for Far West Texas).
FARMERS MARKETS
Farmer's Markets take place every Sunday from 8 a.m.-noon at the Outlet Shoppes at El Paso, and every Saturday from 7:30 a.m.-noon at Ardovino's Desert Crossing. Both markets will continue every weekend through October.
Master Gardeners will host half-hour classes every Saturday at 8:30 p.m. during the Ardovino's Farmer's Market.
For information on many of the above events, contact the Master Gardener Hotline, 566-1276.
SECOND SATURDAYS TALKS
The Second Saturdays series are presented for free by the Master Gardeners at the El Paso Garden Center, 3105 Grant, at Memorial Park, from 10 a.m.-12 noon. No reservations required.
September 11 "Year Round Gardening" with Susan Marquez.
October 9 "Bedding Down Your Garden for the Winter" with Joe Falkner.
For information, call the Master Gardener Hotline, 566-1276.
SUNSCAPE CLASSES
Learn about using native plants and gardening in harmony with the desert with the Sunscape workshop, Sept. 11, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Centennial Museum. $35 registration fee. Class size limited. Call 747-8994 for info and to sign up.
Sep 04, 2010
GARDENING TIPS FOR SEPTEMBER
Time to sow seeds of snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, and other winter flowers in flats for planting outdoors during October.
Dig & divide spring flowering bulbs & perennials such as daffodil, iris, daylily, ajuga, liriope, and canna.
Plant leaf & root vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, spinach, and lettuce late in the month.
This month or early next month, sow seeds of wildflowers into weed-free, well-tilled soil.
Sow or overseed cool-season grasses such as fescue & rye, but remember, if you apply any pre-emergent weed killers to your lawn, newly-applied grass seed will not germinate.
Rejuvinate heat-stressed geraniums, petunias, begonias, and chrysanthemums for the fall season by lightly pruning & fertilizing them.
Remove weak, unprotected growth from roses to stimulate new growth for fall beauty.
Prune out dead or diseased wood from trees & shrubs. Hold off on major pruning until mid-winter. Pruning now will stimulate tender growth that may be damaged by frost.
Root prune established trees & shrubs that you intend to move this winter. This allows them to establish new roots within the zone of soil that will eventually be moved with them.
Caladiums require plenty of water at this time of year if they are to remain lush & attractive until fall.
Don't allow plants with green fruit or berries to suffer from lack of moisture. Hollies will frequently drop their fruit under drought conditions.
Prepare the beds for spring flowering bulbs as soon as possible. Incorporate organic matter to improve drainage to prevent the bulbs from rotting when planted next spring.
Fertilize & groom verbenas, perennial salvias and lantanas by lightly pruning & removing non-vigorous growth to stimulate a long & productive fall season.
Good to Grow
Saturday 11:15am
Gardening in the El Paso Southwest has always been a challenge. Enthusiasts have to contend with a variety of problems: scarce annual rainfall, less than ideal soil composition, and extreme temperatures among others. But southwestern gardening aficionados always seem to find a way to keep our desert blooming, beautiful and fruitful.
Each Saturday, Master Gardener Joe Falkner and Norma Martinez, hosts of
Good to Grow will answer the many questions gardeners may have about plants, growing conditions, and proper care for El Paso’s varied gardens.
Good to Grow won 1st place in the annual Texas Master Gardener Conference in 2010.
Joe Falkner is a Master Gardener in El Paso, and helps citizens in the community solve their plant problems by fielding calls on the Master Gardner Hotline (566-1276). Falkner is a native of West Virginia and served various assignments in the U.S. Army in Europe, Asia, and the United States until December 1986, when he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. During his time in the Army, Falkner spent time on Fort Bliss in 1963 as an Electronic Engineering Specialist, and later returned in 1989 as the Director of COLSA Corp. in El Paso. A lifelong gardener, Falkner joined the Maricopa County (AZ) Master Gardener Program in 1996 and joined the El Paso County Master Gardener program in 2005.
Norma Martinez is the producer of "Good to Grow" and occasionally plants things that don't die.
Audio Archive
September 4, 2010 September Gardening Tips - Norma welcomes back Master Gardener Bill Hooten for a talk about what we should be doing in our gardens & landscapes in September.
August 21, 2010 Listener Q&A - Norma and special guest host, Master Gardener Bill Hooten, talk about the mysterious little red & black beetles that seem to be in everyone's yards. They also talk about how much you really need to be watering your lawn and trees. Plus, Bill talks about the annoying little gnat that may be flitting around your indoor plants.
August 14, 2010 Grass - Norma and guest host, Master Gardener Bill Hooten, talk about grass. Can you really have a maintenance-free lawn? What types of turf are available for our region?
Bill also talks about the Master Gardener program--applications are still available for this Fall's classes! Call the Master Gardeners at 566-1276, or e-mail them at elpasomg@ag.tamu.edu.
August 7, 2010 Listener Q&A - Norma and guest host, Master Gardener Bill Hooten, answer some listener questions:
Why is a cherry laurel tree oozing reddish sap?
Tomato plants are flowering but not pollinating or producing fruit--why?
