Four-part series in September and October will address best home landscaping practices
SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Water Star Program will present the four-part “Earth-Kind Landscape School for Homeowners” program on four Saturdays during September and October, said program coordinators at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County.
The school will be from 8:30 a.m.-noon on Sept. 6 and Sept. 20, and Oct. 4 and Oct.18. All classes will be in Suite 208 of the AgriLife Extension office, located in the Conroy Square business complex, 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive in San Antonio.
Earth-Kind landscapes combine the best of organic and traditional gardening and landscaping principles to create a horticultural system based on real-world effectiveness and environmental responsibility. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Kathleen Phillips)
“The workshop will target new homeowners in the area interested in learning the best practices for home landscaping and gardening,” said Troy Luepke, program coordinator, water and natural resources for Bexar County.
Luepke will be presenting the landscaping school with David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture in Bexar County, and the Bexar County Master Gardeners association, a volunteer horticulture program of AgriLife Extension.
“In these classes, we will be focusing on Earth-Kind landscaping principles,” Rodriguez said.
“Earth-Kind uses research-proven techniques to provide maximum garden and landscape production using the best of organic and traditional principles to create an effective and environmentally responsible landscaping system.”
Topics per individual classes will be:
— Sept. 6, Water Conservation: Soil Prep, Drip Irrigation and Raised Beds. Program will covertechniques for saving water and money by amending soil, plus how to build a raised-bed garden with drip irrigation.
— Sept. 20, Energy Conservation: Tree Selection, Care for Your Trees, and Rainwater Harvesting. Program will include an overview of the importance of conserving energy and how trees help in this process; native trees and how to select the proper tree and location to plant; and an introduction to rainwater harvesting and hands-on demonstration of how to build a rain barrel.
— Oct. 4, Proper Uses of Plant Nutrition and Pest Management. Program will include discussion of beneficial and non-beneficial bugs and how to manage them; proper use and care of lawn spreaders; and pros and cons of conventional and organic fertilizers to help improve soil and plants.
— Oct. 18, Wildscaping, Rain Gardens and Yard Waste Reduction. Program will include demonstrations of proper lawnmower care and use, including selecting the proper setting; reducing, reusing and recycling waste through composting; and how to build a rain garden and select plants to attract wildlife and birds.
There will be question-and-answer sessions at the end of each class.
Registration is $20 per person per session or $60 per person for all four sessions. Registration is $100 for two people from the same household to attend all four sessions.
Attendees must RSVP and pay registration by Aug. 27, and are asked to register as soon as possible due to limited space.
To RSVP, contact Angel Torres at 210-467-6575 or matorres@ag.tamu.edu. Make checks payable to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Mail payment to: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Attn: Angel Torres, 3355 Cherry Ridge Dr., Suite 212, San Antonio, TX 78230-4818.
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