Tarrant County Master Gardener



Tarrant County Master Gardener2013 Members Survey102 Surveys returned 10/3/1348 Involvement sheets returnedTexas AgriLIFEHow likely will you be to implement changes in your gardening practices due to what you learned this year as an MG?I love learning to use new ideas; 100%; Definitely changing to more native plants; It is not what I have changed but what I have taught others and the change;Yes, I’m always excited to hear how others achieve success; All the time! Plus my friends and neighbors are making changes because of questions I can answer. Sometimes – been an MG for 10 years; some what likely; pretty likely; I follow most of the practices; I tried to use almost everything that applicable to my gardening needs; possibly – I always learn something new each year; fairly likely if no expensive; better watering and use of native plants; Put ideas and suggestions to use all the time!; likely -with emphasis; very due to impending drought; Very – at 1 mcg learned about introducing flowers into vegetable beds for beauty – and to make more acceptable to neighbors in front yards; I find something to use at home almost everytime I participate in an event; Likely; very likely; a 10; very likely; likely, already have; likely – on a mission to --- in my yard; more compost; very much; very likely; sharing and promoting MG efforts in the community, increased knowledge of design, propagation; likely, already have; very; quite a lot, I’m redoing many things that I had done wrong before, started a compost bin; very likely’ ; all the time; very likely; very; very; very; removing grass from front yard and replacing with TX natives; already have; very likely; likely; I already have made some changes; I have changed many things because of education through this organization; very; not; very likely; yes, I will; very likely; very likely; on reports, very likely; I’ve learned several things I will use; very; very likely; extremely likely; likely; quite likely, actually; very likely; very; very likely, yes; likely, drought tolerant and native plants- speakers gave us a lot of great ideas; Monthly Master Gardener MeetingsSuggestions to improve monthly meetings:Love them as they are; more energetic speakers who do not just show a slide show; More Education, less business; cookies, coffee, tea or bottled water ready to serve at beginning of mtg. present both programs, then the business mtg. then dismiss. There should be far less emphasis on food. Start mtg. at 10:00 and be done by 12:30; I am OK with current plan; too long, eliminate PM speaker; business meeting seems to be getting longer and longer; add a “tip” jar at coffee area to help with cost of coffee and condiments; Maybe let people who bring food get 2-5 hours credit; ? day- open time for questions; make some sound and audio-visuals work; shorter –fewer announcements – that’s the newsletter job!; already well organized; I like the vendor meetings; Maybe 9-12?; I would not want to be an afternoon speaker – many people have to leave at noon; give a two minute warning before meeting starts (bell?); shorter business section – Don’t need reports from every committee, Pres. Doesn’t need to talk so much; generally satisfactory as is; better speakers; sometimes speaker can’t be heard; cut back business meeting. Treasurer’s resprt in writing not explained; love it the way it is; start at 9 – too much business; I love all the programs; business meeting too long! Too much time at Resource Connection, not enough on projects; explain that the meeting begins at 10, everyone needs to be seated and quiet or go into the hall. I like having the time at lunch to get to te various stations but it can be a long block of time; on reports, such things the entire group is not interested in – trip to Mexico- Garden conser, - and as such there doesn’t need 45 min. report; during business meeting have officers close at hand so there isn’t dead time while we wait for them to walk to podium; we need to work on speaker quality; please try to streamline the business meeting so that ir doesn’t drag on and on; give speakers ideas and topics for their area of interest to make sure the topic is covered more; move some of more popular/busy vendor tables to other end of room to move some of congestion near sing in table; improve speakers, perhaps from A&M and professionals in landscape architecture, improve presentations with technology; shorter business portion, we don’t need loads of information about personal opinions. August mtg for example had one person talking for a long time about the trip to Mexico; I really enjoy it the way it is, maybe try this one time to see how it works, we need the extra time to make trip worth while, visit display items, etc.;Would you favor having a brunch with only one speaking session and ending the MG meeting at noon? Yes - lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllNo - llllllllllllllllllll Only if we can get 3 hours of credit; either is fine; but only if the business portion were reduced; Yes, this is a good idea; for some meetings; So many people leave after lunch, I always feel bad for the 2nd speaker; How would this effect time keeping requirements? Either; for most meetings except BBQ days w/longer speaker those days; definitely; either or both;TCMGA Meeting ProgramsSuggestions for topics or speakers at monthly meeting:Dragonfly experts from Tarleton State Univ. Since Tarleton is now in the TA&M system, we should see who else would be a good speaker for us.FW Nature Center – Chad Etheridge – I have heard him give this program (817-392-7410).Excellent program on the Trinity River (Not Trinity Vision or Uptown)More TAMU involvement. Get speaker from TAMU – Less Selling; Residential landscaping, Plant education; Arboretum Children’s Garden George Bush library landscape follow up on BRIT; easy fixes for adding color to front yards, native plants, plant diseases, esp. tomatoes and other vege, gardens plants; another weather man; house plants; Native plant gardens – introducing natives into existing gardens; container gardening, perennials, vines; We never hear enough about drought tolerance, water conservation, not just in plants but on a systemic basis. Also serious vegetable gardening advice, not just tomatoes; gardening by season at appropriate time of year; wildscaping, native grasses, container gardening, rock gardening, rain gardening, hedgerows; Citizen Forestry – contact Courtney Blevins – City of FW; more info on landscapes and plants; invasive aquatic plants; class on redesigning residential garden w/ suggestions on plant pairings for shade- light, sun, soil suggestions, rock design, etc.; plant identification, identifying pests and problems, treatments; lily, grounds of the Perot; BRIT; the woman who spoke in Jan. 2011 about critters the – from Dallas; water issues in Tarrant area, Linda Christie of Tarrant Regional Water district; more rainwater harvesting, landscape architecture, picture tour thru famous Gardens (Monticello); specific plants to grow for all seasons and companion plants; garden design; more info on native plants; lily and iris society; at a naturalist meeting, there was an excellent film about the Tx horned lizard (horney toad). It emphasizes how humans effect the environment, so I think it would be relevant; container gardening, plants, gift certificates to nurseries, iris in spring; Neil Sperry, Howard Garrett; vegetables, roses; native trees for our area; rose rosette; we have enough funds, we might consider a major speaker, i.e., Brent Anderson from Brent and Becky’s bulb. Might be able to share costs with another organization, Dallas MG. One meeting a year it would be interesting to have a “seminar” format – set up eight classrooms w/MG speakers and you can attend 2-3. Evan McKibbin- Viticulture, a program by one of the foresters on urban forestry and trees, winter vegetable gardening in Tarrant County, state parks landscaping; Programs are good; great job on programs; organic speakers, authors; landscape architecture, lectures from A&M, speakers from other MG towns, MG Real gardens; already fabulous; I have enjoyed all payments; great selection this year, suggest 1. water frugal native plants for DGW area, water 1-2-3-4-5 times a year, example McKinney research project- Sept field trip, 2 a talk from one of the Master Gardeners or all of those who went to Alaska on the MG cruise; TCMGA Monthly Raffle - money raised is divided among all ProjectsSuggestions to improve the Raffle; Visibility in room – needs to be next to sign-in table; it’s Okay; currently too expensive; raffle tickets too expensive; quit funding projects; yes, if monthly; keep doing this!!! Projects need the money and more!; Donna Fry has done a great job!; Donna did a great job this year; no; too expensive; like it now; multiple items better than single large; charge less for tickets; none; like the old way – maybe ; more marketing at beginning of meeting and at door; really $10 – look how many more could participate at $5; it’s a great format; better and more interesting items for auction, trips, spa package, garden drawing, planting guide’s, gift certificate to nursery’s; keep it up – fun;Activities / Field TripsWhat field trips do you enjoy the most? Check all that applyllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll_____ Public garden tours (example: Chandor) llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll _____Private / Home garden toursllll No lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll_____ Tours that include shopping at a garden center llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll_____ A combination of abovellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll_____ Thematic garden tours (all roses, all native plants, etc.)lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll_____ Morning only tours llllllllllllllllllllllllll_____Morning through mid-afternoon toursWhat local or regional (public or private) garden would you recommend the membership tour? (Please give location/area and as much information as possible.)Dallas Arboretum; I enjoyed the tour of some of our Master Gardeners successes. I have enjoyed every trip I’ve gone on; Roy Myers Children’s Garden; Lavender Ridge Farm- located just outside Gainesville – good day trip; local MG projects – many haven’t been visited since intern year, if then; Grapevine botanic; Tx Discovery garden in Dallas; Weatherford, Chamblea Garden; FW Botanical Garden, BRIT; Blue Moon Gardens near Edom, Tx: Dallas Arboretum by bus or Tyler Roses; FW Botanic Garden, Chandor Garden, have not visited a bad garden recommended by this organization; Arboretum; Chandor Gardens, Clark Gardens, Dallas arboretum; One of the best field trips I’ve been on is a visit to Plano’s compost facility; Dallas arboretum; history and ---of this UTA- garden developed with----between city/architects/ and market, these is a vegetarian restaurant?Suggestions to improve Activities and Field Trips:Please don’t schedule trips so far away. Ie, McKinney; I don’t walk very well. I need to bring my own car. Very often am not able to tay the entire time and I don’t want to ask my friends to miss part of the field trip. Please that that into consideration when you declare Car Pools ONLY. I’m not the only person that doesn’t go on field trips anymore because of that. Some need portable PA system for guide to be heard; Hard to go in the summer, too hot; improved maps and directions to location; lunch provided; it was impossible to get to the recent McKinney tour. I was going to arrive later and it never happened; try to find something closer to FW; rotate members of committee; Post intern trips so others can join; I hope to participate in more of the field trips and activities after March when I quit my full time job. I haven’t gone on very many of thse because of my work so I really can’t comment; the Collin county MGs had an amazing facility, the tree farm near there wold have been better in the spring, I missed some of the tours, would love to go to Fredericksburg in the spring; don’t plan too many stops for a field trip. The McKinney field trip had too many places to see in one day, very exhausting; Historical houses with gardens, doesn’t’ have to be a “historic garden” – maybe someone in Dallas MG Ass. May know about some on “M” street (This isn’t very helpful, sorry); a bus to far away places; better planning for lunch; schedule at appropriate time. McKinney to see crepe myrtles was fabulous, but blooms were not oat their peak; McKinney was too far; TCMGA Education:Have you ever attended a MG class? Yes- 1lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lll No lllll(too far from where I live plus cannot do SaturdaysWhich ones? Propagating bulbs; Compost,rainbarrell harvest, stone leaves, hypertufa; compost, hypertufa, cement leaves; various;Only to teach it; composting; several; fall veggies, mosaic stones; succulents; veg. growing, rain gauge and others I can’t remember; tomato plants, herb gardening, irrigation water barrel, transplanting vegetable gardening, perennial gardens, propagation; drip irrigation – class was worthless, same info I had already heard; all of the pruning classes; cement leaf making; copper rain gauge, cement leaves; spring and fall veg. gardening; vegetable gardening; several – rain barrel, canning, cactus class (speaker); hypertufa, cactus, vegetable gardening, backyard chickens, herbs, irrigation, greenhouse, glass totems; pruning; herbs; prune blackberries; making garden stones; rain barrel, community immigrant day; hypertufa; The orchard, blackberry pruning; totems; many; vegetable gardening; rain gauge building; perennials, gourds; many, mushroom cement; canning; pruning, veg specialist, fruits, veg (intern classes); glass totem poles; fall veg gardening; vegetable gardening; rain barrel, stepping stones; native plants; vegetables, roses, diseases; propagation, perennials, rain barrel, vegetable gardening; propagation, garden leaves; plant seeds, drip irrigation; perennials, crafts; making a rain chain, herbal vinegar, composting; many; many; bulbs, rain gauge, cement planter; perennials, natives, farie gardening; terrariums, hypertufa; rain barrels, herbs; bulbs; composting, companion planting, pruning fruit trees, blackberries, roses, native plants, herbs; children’s garden; bugs; hypertufa, terrariums; leaf, glass totem, orb, wreath; cement leaves, bulb pots, hypertufa, glass totem;What are some topics you would like to learn about?Making a tile table; Trees; foundational things- setting pathways, building, construction tips and points to save time and money; propagation, landscape design; native plants, rainwater harvesting, landscape design; plant propagation; as in specialist? Or Interns? Yes, I have oak wilt and ENTO; seed saving, mixed flower and vegetable beds – what plants go together for beauty and edible too (spring bulbs and purple lettuce – intriguing example; good design, vegetable gardening – fall and spring; see meeting program suggestions; advanced tree pruning for young trees; cement mushroom; landscaping class @ min cost; propagation; rose propagation, leaf molded, stepping stones and decorative items, bulb propagation; veggies, tree pruning; Pic w/specific info on the plants, greenhouse; would like a lawn grass class, many questions come in the ext office about lawn grasses; propagation, raised bed gardening, getting rid of “bird dropped invasives” in a garden; it was an excellent informative class; have a bulb class; irrigation; more classes on trees; making pathways in shade; soil test readings; make stepping stones; vegetable; many; Suggestions for improving the classes:Hands-on; drought watering, planning and installing drip irrigation (wehre to buy hardware); RC classes during the week; give better notice; be more familiar with the power point, sometimes speakers use other’s power point and are lost in its presentation; more advertising; stay on subject, handouts are good; reduce price, hold some on east side of Tarrant Co.; the best one I attended this year – propagation class for 39 visitors across TX, excellent; TCMGA Monthly Newsletter, the SharecropperHow often do you read the newsletter? Check most appropriatelllllll Always lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Usually llllllllllll Sometimes lllllll Rarely -I don’t have time to read online, it’s easier for me to read a paper copy when I am sitting watching TC after diner, I realize I could print a copy;l Never – no time and don’t like online format;Of the following list: Mark your favorite features Check all that applyLlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Cover article by expertllllllllll Committee ProfilesLllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Photo pageslllllllllllllll Member ProfilesLllllllllllllllllllllllllll Project Profilesllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Articles by memberslllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Upcoming Events lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Announcements / Goings Onllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Calendarlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Field Trip Infollllllllllllll Birthdaysllll Other really all of it; state info; all; Class offering;Jackie is a jewel! Suggestions to improve the Sharecropper Newsletter:It is excellent – how could it be improved! Hats Of to the Editor and all involved; More articles by members; Sometimes my computer doesn’t let me open things. I’m sure it’s more me than the computer but it won’t call me a liar; more plant education; more “tips”; make sure it is current, sometimes seems out of date; I like it now; shorter, what is going on around the state or MG organizations; its great- you have all necessary info as well as good articles; fab; good job; great the way it is; TCMGA WebsiteHow many times per month do you look at the website?;0-1 –I go in to read the Sharecropper ; 0; At least once if not more; 6; 2; 1-3;1;2; at least 1; 1; 3-4; 1; 2-3; 3-4; 2-3; 0-1; 8; 2-3; never; several; 4-5; 2-3; 1; every few months; several – it is good!; 1;1-2; several; 1; 3-4; 1-2; 2-3; maybe once every 3 months; 2-3; 1; almost never; 2; 0-1; 1-2; 3; seldom; daily, sometimes; 1-2; 1; 2; 1; 1; 5 +; 2; 1-2; twice a year; 4-5; 1; 2-3; 1; 20-25; 1-2; 20+; maybe 2; 1-2; 1-2; maby once; not often; at least once; 2-3; varies- 1-3; 1; 1; 2;2-3; 1-2; twice; 2; 1-3; 3-5; 0-2; when needed; once or twice; 4 or more; once; 2; 1-2; 0 occasionally; 1-2; depends what I look up; 15; 1; 1-2; 1; 2; 2-3; 1; 1-2; monthly; What reasons do you most often use the website?To read the newsletter; Activities and events; Calendars, Programs, classes; check times, dates;Phone calendar, project info; Gardening info and schedule of events; to read newsletter; to read newsletter; telephone duty, back issues of Sharecropper; newsletter; for new info – timekeeping; read newsletter, check for classes, look at rose ad bulb when they’re for sale; check on classes that are scheduled and opportunities to volunteer; to sign up for phone duty or to down load a time keeping sheet; general information; Info; upcoming events; variety of reasons; looking for articles of personal use and info to pass on to neighborhood and friends; check upcoming events; timekeeping total hours; remind me if 1st article and telephone schedule; calendar- phone duty, events; info on projects, check on hours; calendar; Sharecropper and announcements; look at newsletter; info on specific subjects; check my hours reported, newsletter, events, forms; newsletter, timesheet; time keeper, Sharecropper; check for times – activities; info; timekeeping or newsletter; to check for the meeting location, check recorded hours, lookup native plant info; calendar; phone duty, contact info; look up newsletter; to check my calendar and events; check upcoming events and now it will be used for timekeeping; to see what’s going on; info; to see newsletter; the phone duty sign up, announcements; calendar, newsletter; phone duty, upcoming event info; phone duty; timekeeping, phone duty, project info, events; for newsletter; information I forget, check on project dates; calendar for phone; timekeeping, activities; plant info or MG info; to read newsletter; sign up for phone duty; to check on performing;, phone duty; to find out about classes, fieldtrips, and plant sales, also to sign up for phone duty; time and info; information; access newsletter, check hours; sign up for phone duty; timekeeping, newsletter; newsletter, calendar; info; information; reporting hours, telephone sign up, activity info; put myself on calendar for phone; scheduling, checking dates, timekeeping; check on classes, schedule phone duty; look up info; newsletter, time sheet, ---schedule; information on speaker plants; to read the newsletter, or to sign up for phone duty; look at news and calendar; classes and events; calendar; look up hour codes; newsletter, timekeeping, info, phone duty, calendar or project times/contacts; get newsletter; research problem; hours; see what’s new; for info on classes/ goings on; checking info on trips, telephone duty, etc.; reporting hours, Toni’s tips; Suggestions to improve the website:Get rid of 2 year old articles; keeps getting better; more tips; cooking with vegetables grown; keep it current; none from a non-geek; already send eblast when new newsletter available but website sometimes seems old w/out of date info; continue to try to keep as current as possible on events with a time frame; making it easier to navigate; I like it now; more pictures; info, events; guidelines for establishing a community garden; We need more general articles specifically about gardening in Tarrant County (North Central) maybe by season; keep it current; advertise it; it’s been improved, I like it; information, calendar; TCMGA FacebookAre you friends of TCMGA on facebook?No –llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllYes – lllllllllllllllllllllllBut I forget to look at it; but will join; I think so, not sure; don’t do facebook 111l; I am technology inept; Tarrant County Master Gardener AssociationSuggestions to improve our organization:Keep the politics of A&M in the executive sessions. We really are not interested. We want good information to pass along to the public; More people involved; outreach to minority populations; try to have interns visit each of the TCMG projects during training; I would like to see less activities only on the weekend. Weekend is my family time and this does reduce the activities I am able to attend. More concentration on fewer projects and be sure projects is teaching or learning – not maintenance!; already well run. Maybe more attention to mentoring for committee jobs for retention after intern year; I love it the way it is; diversify leadership, tends to be “clickish”; There are a few long-term members who use their position on the state board to intimidate and bully interns and new members – someone needs to do something about them; more field trips and activities on weekend days; more financial support for projects; require minimum 100 hours/year; encourage interns to work at all projects … not just the resource Connection; BBQa are great! Sponsor a big speaker like Neil Sperry or Dirt Doctor; I love the luncheons. They are a great combination of foods. It would be nice when holding an open house that you always have something that comes from the ground on the table. Let’s help fight obesity and diabetes when we opt to have refreshments. Don’t eliminate, add the good stuff; turn committees over; more labels on food table @ lunch time; better speakers, spend some money, we have it, bring in authors or experts; as an intern, I hope to get more involved once I complete this portion my work does limit my involvement, however; put term limits on positions, If yo headed a committee, you need to be off the board/committee for at least a year before you head any committee again. ................
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