Ah, it’s happened again.   I have the bug, and it’s bad, folks.   Last year I broke my shovel and Don wouldn’t let me get a new one until my back felt better.   It’s much better, now that I have a new shovel. One of the most addictive aspects of the Internet is the amount of horticultural information available.   I just listened to a radio show called “You Bet Your Garden” with Mike McGrath, a wonderful organic gardener.   It’s about disease-resistant roses and dozens of other topics.

The last week has been spent, not blogging, oh no.   The Dirtgoddess has dirt fever.   I broke down and went a little un-organic, buying ground cloth to kill a bunch of grass over the septic drainfield in the lawn.   Last year I covered some of it with many layers of newspaper and rough mulch, not knowing that nutsedge and burmuda grass just laugh at you and grow stronger.   No more mowing that spot now.   I hate grass!   That spot will be covered with mulch and planting beds placed on top.   A few potted plants and perhaps some tasteful ornaments and I’m set.   That area and my new, larger flowerbed is bordered by big rocks I hauled in by hand so every one’s precious to me.   Bought a nice pile of old brick from the local permanent flea market and have been transporting them home a bit at a time.   Some brick walkways around the eventually grassless yard will be very nice.

This week on Wednesday I began taking the Texas Master Gardener’s Course, sponsored by Texas A&M University.   Oh, man, hope I’m not out of my depth here.   All the instructors are Dr. This’s and Dr. That’s; it’s a little intimidating.   On the other hand, they’re really nice, down-to-earth folks.   The teacher told a good story on himself.   The first class he taught, he and another agricultural agent jumped right in with very specific, advanced terms and concepts.   They got that deer-in-the-headlights look from all the students.   They were told in no uncertain terms to take it easy and slow down.   They received a poor rating from that particular class and they took it to heart for future classes.   The instructors have devoted many years and all their working lives to earning degrees in horticulture and teaching.   They were reminded they weren’t talking TO master gardeners, they were helping people BECOME master gardeners.   We received a 4.5-lb. “handbook” that’s an education in itself and a wonderful book that’s called “Soil Survey of Llano County, TX”.   It has the soil maps of all of Llano County plus a lot of other information.   Just reading the Glossary will be a big help, you learn a lot of background just reading the nomenclature of a science.

A friend who helped me talk myself into this was right, the books alone are worth the $100 fee.   Add to that 50 hours of classes by the county’s agricultural experts and you’ve got a wonderful bargain here.   Not to say there’s no price.   The price is at least 50 hours of community service in the next year to receive certification.   No problem.   I’ll have a shovel in my hand anyway, and I feel great.

Lisa Miller

Tags: spring, horticulture, flowers, mike mcgrath, roses, master gardener, texas a&m