2009: Another Year of Master Gardeners’ Accomplishments by Bek Akin Two wonderful gardener events occurred this past week. First of all, six Walker County Master Gardeners attended the 2009 Texas Master Gardeners Conference in Marshall, Texas this past weekend, and were among 400+ attendees there. The highlight for the Walker County six took place at the awards banquet Friday night when the gardeners received six awards for their association’s outstanding accomplishments.
George and Sandy Tykol won second place for Master Gardeners of the Year – a first for a couple. Many may remember Sandy as the ever-smiling, hardworking, and much loved master gardener who passed away during Hurricane Ike. Together for several years she and her husband, George, worked tirelessly in the master gardening program. In part she helped maintain the greenhouse plants, and he coordinated building projects that have made the garden area so incredibly beautiful. George continues to be a good steward over the demonstration gardens at the AgriLife Agency on Hwy 75N.
The five additional awards presented, including three 1st places, were all about LEAF-PRO, an educational outreach effort designed to demonstrate and promote educated, ecologically responsible decision-making through our home landscape practices. The objectives of LEAF-PRO are: Protection of our environment, Reduction of solid waste, and Outreach education. Among the awards were ones for education, media, and projects.
During the conference, master gardeners were treated to sessions lead by some of the finest gardeners and horticulturalists Texas has to offer. Among several speakers, three of them were: Dr. Dave Creech, a Texas A&M graduate who is now a professor at Stephen F. Austin University, Director of the SFA Arboretum, and Director of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden. Creech lectured about “Fifty Plants You Shouldn’t Live Without.” Among many plants, he spoke about crape myrtles, cypress and fringe trees.
Dr. George Damoff spoke about “wrangling” earthworms. He encouraged collecting or purchasing, then growing earthworms in our home compost bins utilizing a multi-bin system which can be purchased or made. Benefits of composting with earthworms are conservation, increasing soil fertility, controlling garden pests, and increasing plant productivity. The process is simple and the results are phenomenal. Damoff has researched earthworms all over the United States, and has attended many symposia in other parts of the world. He recommends several books including Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a Worm Composting System (1997, Mary Appelhof).
Dr. Doug Welsh, Associate Department Head for Extension Horticulture in the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, spoke with a special emphasis to landscape water management and Xeriscape. Over the past 29 years, Welsh has written garden books including Doug Welsh’s Texas Garden Almanac (Texas A&M Press, 2007), and broadcasted a regular gardening program on several stations in Texas, and a call-in garden show on KAMU-FM public radio (College Station).
Also last week, 22 Walker County Master Gardener Interns completed sixteen weeks of classes and are well on their way to becoming certified master gardeners. As a part of their studies, the class was divided into two groups for a special project. Each group planned and planted a garden of their choosing into existing raised beds. They regularly maintained their beds as they took pictures and put together a presentation to be shown during their Celebration dinner. More information on the Celebration next week…
From conferences to celebrations, the accomplishments of the Walker County Master Gardeners Association provide many new insights as well as many rewards. For us, learning and sharing the good news is a gardener’s joy, not unlike the feeling we get with a well-done landscape. Just as healthy plants and flowers robustly exhibit their beauty, the camaraderie of like-minded folk thrives on the fun of accomplishment. Here’s looking forward to many more wonderful occasions!
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