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The Denton County Master
Gardener Association is an education and volunteer program
affiliated with the Texas Master Gardener Association and the
Texas AgriLife Extension
within Texas A&M University.
The program is designed to increase the availability of horticultural
information and extend horticultural projects throughout Denton County.
These goals are implemented through the training and volunteer efforts
of the group. In 2007 Master Gardeners contributed more than 8000
volunteer hours to help schools, churches, businesses and citizens
with various gardening projects.
Our newsletter, the RotoTeller,
recently won a second place award at the state Master Gardener
conference, and one of our 30+ projects,
Hilltop Elementary School, won
third place. The Texas Junior Master Gardeners recently named Jenny
Estes Marva E. Beck Leader or the Year, and her project Riding the
Rails, as JMG County Program of the Year.
Master Gardeners
also use their knowledge to answer gardening questions at the local
extension office, sponsor educational programs, assist with youth
gardening programs, and participate in city beautification projects.
Click Projects to see more.
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Texas Watershed Stewards
The Texas Watershed Steward program is a free educational workshop
designed to help watershed residents improve and protect their water
resources by getting involved in local watershed protection and
management activities. This workshop will focus on the
Hickory Creek Watershed, including Lewisville Lake and Hickory Creek.
Click the link for details and information on how to sign up.
Hickory Creek Watershed |
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There are two ways to ask
your gardening questions.
(1)
Call 940-349-2892 any time. If there is no answer, leave a
detailed message. We will research your question and call you
back. Our help desk, located at 306 N. Loop 288 and staffed by
Master Gardener volunteers, is open Mondays from 10 am - 1 pm. You
may bring in a sample of diseased plants or plants you want us to
identify, or call to ask your gardening questions.
(2)
Email us at the address below. We will research your
question and usually can provide an answer within a day or two.
master.gardener@dentoncounty.com
For more
gardening information:
Search
Aggie Horticulture:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ihound.html
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From
citybugs.tamu.edu
Bee Swarms Common This Spring
DALLAS, TX. If recent calls from concerned
homeowners are any indication, wild bees seem to be
doing fine in Texas this year. This despite last
summer's worries about declines in honey bee
colonies among commercial beekeepers.
Bee swarms occur most commonly during the early
spring when new queens decide to spread their wings
and take part of the mother colony with her to a new
nest site. Bee swarms, therefore, are simply
families of homeless bees in search of new places to
settle.
The problem with swarming bees doesn't have to do
with danger from their stings. This is because bees
in swarms are much less likely to exhibit agressive
behavior than bees which have a nest to defend. The
problem with swarms is that there are not a lot of
acceptable nesting sites in urban neighborhoods--at
least not acceptable from our human perspective. If
a nest settles in a backyard tree it could pose a
hazard to gardeners or children. And, if a colony
discovers a way into your house, you could get stung
in the pocketbook.
If they can find a way in, bees willingly take up
residence in the walls or ceiling of homes and other
human structures. If this happens, the nest will
have to be removed, preferably by an experienced
professional, and often at significant cost. If
nests are not removed, after time the accumulation
of wax, honey and dead bees may produce
objectionable odors and attract pests like mice,
ants, cockroaches, and other scavenger insects.
Although some prefer to leave their wild bee swarms
alone, the safest course in urban areas is to hire a
beekeeper to remove the swarm, or exterminate it
before it can discover a way into your home. Swarm
extermination can be done by a professional, or can
be done with an
inexpensive sprayer and soapy
water.
For more information about bees in and around homes,
see the AgriLife Extension factsheet,
E-346.
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/IntheNews_Details
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Michael Merchant, PhD |
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For More Information
If you are interested in becoming a Master
Gardener or need
further information about the Denton County Master Gardener Association, contact
us at the phone number, address or email listed
below. For more information, click
here.
Texas
Master Gardener Association Website:
http://www.texasmastergardeners.com/
Texas
Master Gardener program:
http://aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/mastergd/index.html
Our Mission
The Denton County Master Gardener
Association is a volunteer program under the guidance of the Texas
Agrilife Extension. As Master Gardeners our mission is to
educate Denton County residents about safe, effective and sustainable
horticultural practices that promote development of healthy gardens,
landscapes and communities.
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Telephone
940-349-2883
- FAX
940-349-2881
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- Postal address
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Texas Agrilife Extension
Denton County Government Center
306 North Loop 288, Suite 222
- Denton, TX 76209-4818
- Electronic mail
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Volunteer Coordinator:
volunteer@dcmga.com Revised
6/27/08
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