Good To Grow

  Denise & Norma welcome Master Gardener Mark Benitez, chair of the Rose Committee.  He gives us some helpful information on how and when to prune our roses.  The Master Gardeners will be holding Rose Pruning Demonstrations on Feb 27 & 28 at the Municipal Rose Garden, 1702 N. Copia.  Check in with the El Paso Master Gardener Facebook page for more details https://www.facebook.com/pages/El-Paso-Master-Gardeners/148950588460436

Here are some other helpful links:

Roses for the Desert http://txmg.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/elpaso/files/2010/08/Rose-Brochure.pdf

Rose Pruning  (very good publication) http://elp.tamu.edu/files/2010/10/Rose-Pruning-Handout-Feb-2010.pdf

Earth Kind Roses http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkindroses/cultivars/

Aired Jan. 24, 2015.

  Do you have gardening questions?  Submit your questions and photos here: http://txmg.org/elpaso/outreach/hotline/.  

You can also e-mail your questions to elpasomg@ag.tamu.edu, or call the Master Gardener Hotline, 566-1276 or 860-2515. Or, submit your questions, comments, and/or photos to the El Paso Master Gardener Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/El-Paso-Master-Gardeners/148950588460436.

Find the El Paso Master Gardeners on Instagram!  http://instagram.com/epmastergardener.

Here are some other helpful links:
http://elp.tamu.edu (Texas AgriLife Extension Service) to access the Extension Calendar and other Master Gardener activities.

http://txmg.org/elpaso/events/ (El Paso Master Gardeners) to access a local calendar, colorful photos, and helpful information. 

http://elp.tamu.edu/horticulture/ for other gardening resources.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/elpasoplants/index.html (Recommended Ornamental Plants for Far West Texas)
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/lawn_garden/veg.html (Home Vegetable Gardening).

Do you have plant pictures you love posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Google+?  Make sure you add #epgardens with your post!  

  Denise and Norma talk about the upcoming Home Gardening in El Paso personal enrichment course being offered at EPCC beginning Jan. 24 (see an earlier entry on www.ktep.org/programs/good-grow for details), and about browsing those seed catalogs and getting ready for spring planting!

Aired Jan. 17, 2015.

  Norma & Denise welcome back Regional Urban Forester Oscar Mestas of the Texas A&M Forest Service.  Winter is the best time for tree pruning, even though pruning can be done at any time of year.  Pruning, however, is not something that should be done indiscriminately - it needs to be done mainly for the health of the tree and the safety of people.   

Aired Jan. 3, 2015.

This is a perfect month to transplant mature or established trees and shrubs.  With the weather cool and the plant dormant, there will be much less stress than if you transplant in the spring. 

Make plans now for spring gardening.  Flower and vegetable catalogs make great reading on those dreary, cold winter days, so spend some time dreaming about your ideal garden.  Time spent now on planning will translate into gardening success, come spring planting time.

  Regional Urban Forester Oscar Mestas of the Texas A&M Forest Service joins Norma & Denise to talk about winter tree care.  How much water do our trees need in the winter?  Do younger trees require more water than mature trees?  Plus, Oscar gives a few tree recommendations for the region.  Learn more about tree selection, planting, and care at http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/.

Aired Dec 27, 2014.

  Norma & Denise talk about the myths & facts of composting.  How do you get started on a compost bin?  What kind of items can be composted?  

Some terrific links are provided by Texas A&M http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2010/10/E-278_composting.pdf and the Bernalillo Extension Agency http://bernalilloextension.nmsu.edu/mastercomposter/composting-information.html.  Reduce waste in our landfills by recycling materials into your landscape!

Aired Dec. 20, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk to Master Naturalist Virginia Galarza.  Virginia tells us about the variety of activities in which the local chapter participates, and about their educational outreach efforts.  The Transpecos Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program is accepting applications for their next class.  Classes begin on February, and the deadline to register is Jan. 28.  Learn more at http://elp.tamu.edu/ai1ec_event/texas-master-naturalist-program/?instance_id=154.

Aired Dec. 13, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk about how to care for your favorite holiday plants.  Poinsettias are tropical plants, so they need to stay moist and have a well-lit area.  Norfolk pines are fragile-looking plants that thrive indoors, but they'll dry up and turn brown if they are neglected.  Amaryllis are flowering bulbs you can enjoy during the holidays and then plant in your garden.  Cyclamens might not be a plant you'd recognize by name, but they also make terrific gifts for the holidays.

Aired Dec. 6, 2014.

   In a rebroadcast from Jan. 18, 2014, Denise & Norma talk with Master Gardener Marianela Milner, co-chair of the Ascarate Vegetable Garden.  Hear about the different crops grown at the garden, the community educational opportunities the garden provides, and how the harvested crops benefit our local food bank.  The public is invited to meet the Master Gardeners working the gardens on Mondays & Thursdays, 7-11 a.m., at Ascarate Park, 6900 Delta.  Information at 915-860-2515.

Aired Nov. 29, 2014.

  It's time to be thinking about the holidays, and you can decorate your house for Fall with some items you may find littering your own (or your neighbor's) landscape!  Norma & Denise talk about ways to make your home naturally festive, plus they'll also give you some tips on picking that Christmas tree that will go on sale right after Thanksgiving.  Live tree, cut tree...which should YOU chose?  Plus...we also give thanks to El Paso Master Gardeners, who have worked so hard to educate the community this past year.  Make sure to visit (and Like) them on Facebook!  https://www.facebook.com/pages/El-Paso-Master-Gardeners/148950588460436

Aired Nov. 22, 2014.

  Denise & Norma are joined by Robin Roberts, President of the Office of State Senator Jose Rodriguez's Sustainable Energy Advisory Committee, and GRO El Paso volunteer.  GRO El Paso (Growth + Resilience + Opportunity) is an organization that is focusing on building a healthier, increasingly-connected, and more prosperous community, and hopes to emphasize the positive ways that El Paso can grow economically and sustainably.  Robin will tell us about GRO El Paso's community event on Sat. Nov 15, 9am-4pm, at Memorial Park, which will feature entertainment, music, educational booths, and demonstrations.  

Information:  915-208-9693, http://www.facebook.com/GROElPaso

Aired Nov. 8, 2014.

  Norma & Denise go over the gardening tips for November, and Denise tells us about the recent accolades received by El Paso Master Gardeners at the recent State Texas Master Gardener Conference! (see attached photos)

Aired Nov. 1, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk with John White, Garden Curator of the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens at UTEP, about the upcoming Sun Country Landscape Conference.  The conference is geared towards the landscape industry professional, but it will feature plenty of information that the general public will find useful.  The conference will cover water, fruit trees, tree pruning, rainwater harvesting, and much more.  The conference is Nov. 5 at the TecH2O Water Resources Learning Center, 10751 Montana, and registration forms are available online at http://www.wtufc.org, or call John White 915-747-8994; Oscar Mesatas 915-834-5610; or Denise Rodriguez 915-860-2515.

Aired Oct. 25, 2014.

   Norma & Denise welcome John White, Garden Curator of the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens at UTEP.  John tells us about the upcoming SunScape workshop, which helps homeowners learn how to garden sensibly in the Chihuahuan Desert with informational talks on landscaping, tree & plant selection, and irrigation.  

The SunScape class is Sat. Oct. 25 from 8am-4:30pm at the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, and registration is recommended by Oct. 23.  Information:  call John White 915-747-8994.

Aired Oct. 18, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk about gardening in small spaces.  If you're looking for small trees or shrubs, think about a Texas Mountain Laurel, a Golden Ball Lead Tree, and even a Pomegranate Tree!  We'll also hear some helpful gardening tips for October, including when to seed wildflowers, plant cool-season flowers, and refrigerate your tulips.  More information on tree selection can be found via the West Texas Urban Forestry Council: http://www.wtufc.org/site/treeSelection/index.php.  Plant the right tree for your space!

Aired Oct. 4, 2014.

  Denise &  Norma talk about some of the upcoming Master Gardener activities, including a great Fall Vegetable Workshop on Oct. 4 at the Ascarate Park Pavilion.  Get great information from Master Gardeners on how to get the best crop of carrots, garlic, potatoes, and more!  The deadline to register is Sept. 29, and you can call 915-860-2515 to register or visit http://txmg.org/elpaso/event/fall-vegetable-garden-workshop/.  Denise & Norma also talk about the recent rains, and about next month's Home & Garden Show.

Aired Sept. 27, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk about how to start a successful compost pile.  What kind of container do you need?  What materials should you toss in your compost bin?  How often should you turn it?  What should it smell like?  

Aired Sept 27, 2014.

  Denise & Norma welcome back  Salvador Vitanza, Extension Agent with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.  Vitanza tells us about the salt cedar beetle which is destroying salt cedars all along the Rio Grande, including in the El Paso region and into southern New Mexico.  The beetle was released to control the salt cedar tree, considered an invasive species to our region.  Should we concern ourselves with the beetle, or should we let it continue to multiply and destroy the trees?

Learn more about the Texas IMP Program at http://ipm.tamu.edu/, and call Texas A&M AgriLife to find out where Dr. Vitanza will be presenting next: 915-860-2515. 

Aired Sept. 13, 2014.

  Norma & Denise have your September Gardening Tips.  Start your cool-season flowering plants indoors...seed your winter veggies directly into the ground...prepare your roses for their fall bloom...and much more!  Plus, Denise explains why you shouldn't try to grow a pecan tree with your own cuttings.

Aired Aug. 30, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk about getting a school garden started in YOUR school.  What materials do you need?  What kind of "red tape" might you face?  How can El Paso Master Gardeners help?  

Aired Aug. 23, 2014.

  Gerbera Daisies and Geraniums are swell plants for our patios, but they might have been neglected over the summer.  Norma & Denise talk about how we can keep them looking their best.  Plus, with fall around the corner, it's time to start your fall veggie seeds indoors.  What to plant when?  The Master Gardeners have provided a Vegetable Planting Calendar here: http://txmg.org/elpaso/publications/vegetable-planting-calendar-2/.  And if you are curious about the vegetable varieties that do best in our climate, visit http://txmg.org/elpaso/publications/vegetable-varieties/.

Aired Aug. 9, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk about what we should be doing in our landscapes in August.  We need to start planning for fall (it's almost here!) and think about whether some of our plants need transplanting.  Spider mites might also still be an issues despite the rains, and we'll also hear why we need to give some extra water to our fruit trees.  Denise also explains how we can spot iron deficiency and nitrogen deficiency in our plants (see attached images).

Aired Aug. 2, 2014.

  In a rebroadcast from Aug. 18, 2012, Norma & Denise talk with Doc Stalker, Rainwater Harvesting Specialist with the Texas Master Gardeners.  Find out how to take advantage of the rainfall to irrigate your plants.  Even the lightest rain can make a huge difference.  Learn more at http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/

Aired July 26, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk about a number of gardening-related activities in El Paso, including an upcoming workshop on Container Gardening with Herbs, taking place Aug. 9 at the El Paso Garden Center, 3105 Grant Ave.  Register by July 31 at 915-860-2515.  We'll also hear about the Master Gardeners' experiements with keyhole gardens, and about the upcoming Master Gardening class.  Learn more at http://txmg.org/elpaso/.

Aired July 19, 2014.

  Denise & Norma talk with Jennifer Salter, who is entering her second year as a Master Gardener.  Jennifer shares the challenges and rewards of entering the Master Gardener class and spending that first year learning about vegetables, trees, irrigation, roses, and much more...and sharing that information with the public.  The Master Gardeners are accepting a new class of students, and you can learn more by visiting http://txmg.org/elpaso/ or calling 915-860-2515.  The deadline to apply is August 8.

Aired July 5, 2014.

  Brown spots on your lawn? Maybe it's a result of poor watering...or it's grub worms. On the next Good to Grow, Denise & Norma preview some July gardening tips, including how to identify and treat grub worm damage.

Aired June 28, 2014.

Do you have pesky bugs or pests in your yard or garden you can't identify? Visit this link, courtesy of Texas A&M:
http://insects.tamu.edu/insectquestions/index.cfm

  In a rebroadcast from July 7, 2012, Norma & Denise talk with Salvador Vitanza, an entomologist with Integrated Pest Management, Texas AgriLife Extension.  Bagworms, spider mites, caterpillers, hornworms...and the list goes on!  What are the pests that damage our trees & tomato plants?  And what's the best and safest way to control them?  

Aired Sat. June 14, 2014.