Fort Bend County Master Gardeners

06/17/2026

It's What is . . . ? Wednesday. Today's term is Basketgrass (Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. setarius) The creeping perennial looks like a vine with crimped leaves and it spreads quickly. It can be used as groundcover or as a decorative plant in a hanging basket. It likes moist soil and high humidity. It also likes shady areas and invades your turf. Learn more at https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsboroughco/2021/12/31/managing-basketgrass/, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OPHIS and https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/165865-Oplismenus-hirtellus

06/16/2026

Plants are abloom in the Demonstration Gardens of the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners in Rosenberg. Entering the Shade Garden, visitors are greeted by the Blue Butterfly Bush (rotheca myricoides 'Ugandense'). It grows well in part sun/part shade and can get up to 10 feet tall. It prefers organic, moist, well-draining soil. In the summer and fall, it produces violet-blue flowers that remind you of a butterfly in flight. It also can be grown in a container. Learn more at https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rotheca-myricoides-ugandense/ and https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/charlotteco/2025/07/10/blue-butterfly-bush-beautiful-flowers-on-an-underwhelming-shrub/
The Demonstration Gardens are open to the public and are located at 1402 Band Road in Rosenberg. Learn more at https://fbmg.org/demonstration-gardens/

06/15/2026

Learn about plants that perform well in Texas by attending a free June 27 lecture about "Texas Superstars® at the Fulshear Branch Library.

Fort Bend County Master Gardener Jody Essigmann will present the hour-long program at 3 p.m. She is co-chair of the Texas Superstar® Garden in the demonstration gardens of Fort Bend County Master Gardeners in Rosenberg.

No registration is required. Attendees will learn about the state designation that selects plants that have successfully endured extensive statewide trials for adaptability, durability and performance.

The library is located at 6350 GM Library Road in Fulshear. Call the library at 346-481-6800 for more information. Learn more at https://texassuperstar.com/

Pictured is Belinda’s Dream rose.

06/14/2026

Here is this week's installment of Friend or Foe from the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners Help Desk! Do you have questions about your home landscape and plants? Contact the Help Desk at [email protected] or 281-341-7068. The Help Desk is manned Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon.

Learn more at https://www.npsot.org/posts/invasive-plant/dioscorea-bulbifera/ and https://www.texasinvasives.org/plant_database/detail.php?symbol=DIBU

06/13/2026

Attend a free online class about shade gardening this month offered by Fort Bend County Master Gardeners. Master Gardener Suma Mudan will teach the June 26 class "Shade Gardening-Ideas and Tips" starting at 1 p.m. Registration is required. Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/cVNZM1gSRmOwLPJmR5yUHQ #/registration
People who register will receive a recording of the class. "Plants for full sun are plenty galore. But it is challenging to find plants that thrive in part to full shade. In this class learn different kinds of shade and how to incorporate plants that survive and thrive in these areas."
For more information, contact Brandy Rader at 281-342-3034 or [email protected] or visit https://fbmg.org/landscape-success-2026/
The seven-class Landscape Success series is offered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Fort Bend County, along with Fort Bend County Master Gardeners.

Fort Bend Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

06/12/2026

Here is another installment of Fun Fact Friday from the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners Help Desk! Do you have questions about your home landscape and plants? Contact the Help Desk at [email protected] or 281-341-7068. The Help Desk is manned Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon. Learn more at https://www.irises.org/gardeners/care-classification/care/

06/11/2026

Gregg's Mistflower is a Texas native perennial wildflower known for its fuzzy lavender-blue flower clusters and exceptional ability to attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. It blooms for a long season—from spring through fall in much of Texas—and is especially popular in butterfly gardens. Excellent nectar source for butterflies, especially Queens and Monarchs.
It is drought tolerant and well suited to Texas landscapes. It has a long bloom season and is easy to maintain.

Learn more at:
https://www.npsot.org/posts/native-plant/conoclinium-greggii/
https://txmg.org/hendersonmg/plant-library/greggs-mistflower/

06/10/2026

It's What is . . . ? Wednesday. Today's term is Green-spored Parasol (Chlorophyllum molybdites) The poisonous mushroom is common in the southeastern United States. It usually creates a "fairy ring":in lawns and grassy areas. Mature mushrooms have a large cap, a ring around their stem and greenish gills. They do well in warm climates and ofen appear after rainy periods. Learn more at https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chlorophyllum-molybdites/common-name/green-spored-parasol/, https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PP324/pdf and https://fungiatlas.com/chlorophyllum-molybdites/

06/09/2026

TREE LEAVES
From the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners Tree Team
By Stacey Earley, Texas Master Gardener and Advanced Tree Care Certified

Tree Irrigation Guide: Preparing for Summer
The Dog Days of Summer are on their way! How can we prepare our landscape trees for the high heat and humidity that is coming? There are some things you can do for your trees, but it differs a lot between those strong, existing trees that have been in the ground 3 years or more and those that are newly planted. Let’s take a look.
If you made new tree selections last year and followed best practices to get them in the ground during the dormant season (November through March when deciduous trees are bare of leaves), you’ve made a good start. Now, this first summer after planting is critical to the success of your young trees. To help us out, the Texas A&M Forest Service has published an important guide to watering newly planted trees.
Rules of Thumb. In the absence of rain, follow these guidelines:
Month 1 – water 3x/week
Month 2 – Water 2x/week
Month 3 – Water 1x/week
Months 4-12 water 1x-2x/month
Beyond 1 year – Water only in the absence of rain
How much water? Use 2-4 gallons of water for each inch of trunk diameter. Is your tree about 2 inches in diameter? Then start with 6 gallons for each watering. Have an existing tree of ten inch diameter? 30-40 gallons of water per watering is the target.
The key is to apply the water slowly so that it soaks into the soil rather than running off. More about how to do that next week, as Tree Leaves talks about slow-release irrigation methods for trees. See you then!

Learn more athttps://tfsweb.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Watering-Newly-Planted-Trees.pdf

06/08/2026

Are you interested in opportunities to garden in your community? There are 45+ community gardens in the Fort Bend Community & there are plans to have even more! With the help of the Fort Bend Community Task Force you can have access to free resources to help you get your community garden started! Please reach out if you have any questions to Gabrielle Butler, Fort Bend County Extension Educator (Community & School Gardens) at 281-633-7006/[email protected]