Calendar

Mar
28
Wed
Fruitful Foraging @ Family Garden in the McGovern Centennial Gardens
Mar 28 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Hermann Park Conservancy’s FREE garden class series in the McGovern Centennial Gardens continues with a session on foraging. Believe it or not, indigenous foods that you can eat can be found all around you! Foraging foods is a fun and fast-growing movement all over the world. Foraging a meal could be picking winter weeds at a nearby park or going deep into the woods to find finkleberries and narroot. If this subject interests you and you’d like to learn more of the everyday tasty (or sometimes not so tasty!) treats that pop up all around Houston, this is the class for you! Come learn from avid forager and entrepreneur Nick Panzarella about some of the secrets of successful foraging. This class is free and open to the public. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. For more information, visit hermannpark.org.

Mar
31
Sat
Green Living: Growing Herbs @ Finca Tres Robles Urban Farm
Mar 31 @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

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The class will cover basic herb growing in the Houston area. Students will learn best practices for soil preparation, growing from seed or transplants, seasonality of various types of herbs, growing in containers vs. garden beds and dealing with our unique climate conditions. Time permitting, we will cover best harvesting practices and easy ways to use herbs in everyday food and beverages.

Instructor: Cindy Meredith is the owner of The Herb Cottage, a rural nursery in Lavaca County, Texas. In business since 1998, Cindy has a wide range of knowledge about gardening. Her favorite topics include growing herbs and heirloom vegetables, and using herbs in the kitchen and landscape. Her website www.TheHerbCottage.com is a handy source for growing information for Texans and other folks who live in hot, humid climates like ours.

Apr
2
Mon
Nature Discovery Center’s Monday Morning Gardening in the Park @ Russ Pitman Park
Apr 2 @ 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Monday Morning Gardening in the Park

with Park Steward & Senior Naturalist Mary Ann Beauchemin

Adults – interested in gardening? Want to learn more about native plant gardening, non-native invasive species and help care for a local park at the same time?

Join Nature Discovery Center Park Steward Mary Ann Beauchemin on (typically) the first Monday of the month while the weather is cooler for some light gardening and help her care for Russ Pitman Park, the Center’s outdoor classroom. Volunteers will be removing some invasive species, growing out and planting natives, trimming the Pocket Prairie, watering recently transplanted plants and more.

  • No experience necessary. Experienced staff will work with you and guide you through projects.
  • Come dressed for the weather and be prepared to get dirty.
  • Bring your own gloves and gardening gear or use ours.

Please contact Park Steward Mary Ann Beauchemin in advance if you are interested in coming or have any questions. mbeauch@naturediscoverycenter.org

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Note: If you are interested in volunteer gardening, but cannot make it on the dates below, contact Mary Ann. Perhaps you can help on another day!

Apr
5
Thu
HPARD’s Native Plant Propagation Workdays @ HPARD Greenhouse
Apr 5 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Image result for Houston Parks & Recreation Department logo

Habitat Restoration

Our volunteer group meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon at the HPARD Greenhouse.

We propagate plants from locally collected native seed. A typical workday may include seeding pots, bumping up trays into 1-gallon containers, separating seedlings, and weeding pots. We will also have special seed collecting trips, invasive species removal workdays, and planting events in our restored prairies!

We are also beginning to conduct semi-annual vegetation transects and monthly bird surveys at our current and future restoration sites. If you’re good at identifying plants or birds or if you would like to learn more about them, come join us!

If you’re interested in volunteering for the NRMP, email kelli.ondracek@houstontx.gov.

Urban Harvest’s Growing Organic Vegetable Series @ University of Houston, Central Campus, McElhinney Hall, Room TBD
Apr 5 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

In a total of 10 classes (25 hours of instruction), this series covers everything you want to know about growing vegetables. Topics include the advantages of organic and ecological approaches over chemicals; vegetable garden design; irrigation and drainage; soil fertility, mulches and composts; organic pest control; seeds, transplants, where to get them and how to plant them. The last half is a detailed discussion of selecting, growing and using the many varieties of vegetables, annual herbs, and melons.

Those who complete the class will become certified Organic Vegetable Specialists.

This is a series of ten classes and may not be taken individually. Assignments for the class include the reading of Dr. Bob Randall’s book, Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers for Metro-Houston. Cost of the book is $45.


SCHEDULE

Thursdays, 2018 from 6:30pm to 9pm

Class 1 – January 18
Class 2 – January 25
Class 3 – February 8
Class 4 – February 22
Class 5 – March 8
Class 6 – March 22
Class 7 – April 5
Class 8 – April 19
Class 9 – May 3
Class 10 – May 17

For an in-depth schedule, go to Spring 2018 class schedule and description.


DIRECTIONS AND PARKING

I-45 S, exit Cullen, go south, enter University of Houston campus, proceed through Elgin, Holman, Entrance 14 and Entrance 13, Cougar Place, turn left at Wheeler, take first right into driveway – park to the left of Lot 9C(although it says permit required, we have permission) Follow Urban Harvest signs back to Wheeler at Cullen. Walk north along Cullen, pass entrance 13 Cougar Village and follow the Urban Harvest signs to the classroom

 

For more classes by Urban Harvest, view their Upcoming Classes.

Apr
8
Sun
Meredith Gardens Community Gardening @ Friends of Mandell Park
Apr 8 @ 9:00 am – 11:30 am

Garden members get together to garden, perform maintenance and share information. A brief talk or program is usually included. If you are interested in joining, stop by and see what it’s all about.

Image may contain: plant and food

Apr
14
Sat
High Island Workdays @ High Island
Apr 14 @ 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Workdays are held once a month, October through March on the second Saturday of the month. We start work around 8:30 AM and work until about noon, when we break for lunch, provided by Houston Audubon and prepared by the lunch crew. Lunch at the picnic area of Boy Scout Woods is a good chance to visit with other volunteers and recharge from a morning of exercise and work. After lunch, we take about an hour to tie up any loose ends and clean up.

Come be a part of sanctuary maintenance, habitat restoration, and Houston Audubon’s amazing volunteer workforce. Email Pete Deichmann at pdeichmann@houstonaudubon.org for more information or to be put on the email list.

  • November 10
  • December 8
  • January 12
  • February 9
  • March 9

Apr
19
Thu
HPARD’s Native Plant Propagation Workdays @ HPARD Greenhouse
Apr 19 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Image result for Houston Parks & Recreation Department logo

Habitat Restoration

Our volunteer group meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon at the HPARD Greenhouse.

We propagate plants from locally collected native seed. A typical workday may include seeding pots, bumping up trays into 1-gallon containers, separating seedlings, and weeding pots. We will also have special seed collecting trips, invasive species removal workdays, and planting events in our restored prairies!

We are also beginning to conduct semi-annual vegetation transects and monthly bird surveys at our current and future restoration sites. If you’re good at identifying plants or birds or if you would like to learn more about them, come join us!

If you’re interested in volunteering for the NRMP, email kelli.ondracek@houstontx.gov.

Urban Harvest’s Growing Organic Vegetable Series @ University of Houston, Central Campus, McElhinney Hall, Room TBD
Apr 19 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

In a total of 10 classes (25 hours of instruction), this series covers everything you want to know about growing vegetables. Topics include the advantages of organic and ecological approaches over chemicals; vegetable garden design; irrigation and drainage; soil fertility, mulches and composts; organic pest control; seeds, transplants, where to get them and how to plant them. The last half is a detailed discussion of selecting, growing and using the many varieties of vegetables, annual herbs, and melons.

Those who complete the class will become certified Organic Vegetable Specialists.

This is a series of ten classes and may not be taken individually. Assignments for the class include the reading of Dr. Bob Randall’s book, Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers for Metro-Houston. Cost of the book is $45.


SCHEDULE

Thursdays, 2018 from 6:30pm to 9pm

Class 1 – January 18
Class 2 – January 25
Class 3 – February 8
Class 4 – February 22
Class 5 – March 8
Class 6 – March 22
Class 7 – April 5
Class 8 – April 19
Class 9 – May 3
Class 10 – May 17

For an in-depth schedule, go to Spring 2018 class schedule and description.


DIRECTIONS AND PARKING

I-45 S, exit Cullen, go south, enter University of Houston campus, proceed through Elgin, Holman, Entrance 14 and Entrance 13, Cougar Place, turn left at Wheeler, take first right into driveway – park to the left of Lot 9C(although it says permit required, we have permission) Follow Urban Harvest signs back to Wheeler at Cullen. Walk north along Cullen, pass entrance 13 Cougar Village and follow the Urban Harvest signs to the classroom

 

For more classes by Urban Harvest, view their Upcoming Classes.

Apr
21
Sat
HMNS’ Edible Landscapes @ The Houston Museum of Natural Science, Moran Conference Hall
Apr 21 @ 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

In making the most of our small spaces, it’s a good idea to think about an edible landscape. Presented by Angela Chandler, this class will discuss the basics of good landscape design based on sound gardening principles and aesthetic beauty. Included will be instruction on how to design the basic components of the garden space and how to accomplish much of this through the use of food plants – from traditional vegetable crops to edible flowers, fruit trees and more. There are no refunds on classes.

PARKING – There is paid-parking attached to The Museum, or you can park in nearby parking lots or the street for free.

For more information, visit urbanharvest.org.