El Paso Master Gardeners

09/07/2026

Back in July we shared a post about transplanting tomatoes in midsummer for a second fall harvest and we’re excited to report that our Ascarate Garden plants are thriving. They’re big, healthy, and growing beautifully under protective garden cloth to shield them from the intense El Paso sun.

Fingers crossed, fruit should be on the way soon.

Swipe to the third photo to see how the seedlings looked right before transplanting.

If you want to check out our original post, please go to link in comments!

En julio compartimos una publicación sobre trasplantar tomates a mediados del verano para obtener una segunda cosecha en otoño y nos emociona contarles que las plantas en nuestro Jardín de Ascarate están prosperando. Están grandes, saludables y creciendo muy bien bajo tela de sombra que las protege del intenso sol de El Paso.

Haciendo changuitos 🤞🏼 para pronto ver frutos formándose.

Deslicen hasta la tercera foto para ver cómo se veían las plántulas justo antes del trasplante.

Si deseas ver la publicación original, ve al enlace en los comentarios.

09/04/2026

We started filling our new addition to the backyard garden: a 6‑foot by 3‑foot bottomless trough, tall enough to allow everyone to garden comfortably regardless of physical abilities. We’re beginning with compostable logs and twigs as the foundation. We cut down a large limb from a dying tree and placed the logs in the bottom layer to build structure and improve drainage. The next layers include larger twigs mixed with pine needles, followed by smaller twigs to help create airflow. We’re filling the gaps with sandy soil, and the bed is almost ready for compost and potting mix.

We also have a new accesible potting table!

Keep watching to see what’s next!

Comenzamos a llenar nuestra nueva adición al jardín trasero: una jardinera sin fondo de 6 pies por 3 pies, lo suficientemente alto para que cualquier persona pueda trabajar cómodamente sin importar sus habilidades físicas. Estamos empezando con troncos y ramas compostables como base. Cortamos una rama grande de un árbol que estaba muriendo y colocamos los troncos en la capa inferior para crear estructura y mejorar el drenaje. Las siguientes capas incluyen ramas más grandes mezcladas con agujas de pino, seguidas de ramitas pequeñas para ayudar con la circulación de aire. Estamos rellenando los espacios con tierra arenosa, y la jardinera está casi está lista para recibir composta y tierra para jardín.

Sigan atentos para ver lo que viene!

También tenemos una mesa para plantar con la misma altura!

09/03/2026

🌱 Free Virtual Gardening Sessions! 🌸
Looking to upgrade your landscape with eco-friendly gardening tips? Our friends at Bexar County Master Gardeners are presenting Cultivate! Earth-Friendly Gardening & Landscaping with 6 FREE virtual sessions on Sept. 4–5! Be mindful that the hours listed are in central time.

For more information head to our website, link in comments!

Don't Forget!
Register for cultivate today! 6 sessions.
All virtual. All Free.
Topics vary from planting Texas natives in your landscape to healthy tree maintenance.
https://bexarmg.org/cultivate-sessions/

09/01/2026

If you’ve noticed amber sap oozing from your honey mesquite’s trunk, you’re seeing the tree’s natural defense response. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, mesquites exude sap when their bark is injured or stressed often from boring insects, pruning wounds, or environmental extremes.

Research‑Based Explanation

• Gummosis is the term for sap exudation caused by stress or infection.
• It can follow mechanical injury, sunscald, or borer activity (especially Eurytoma or Agrilus species).
• The resin helps seal wounds and block pathogens, but persistent oozing may indicate internal decay or insect galleries.
• In desert climates like ours, rapid temperature swings and drought stress can intensify gummosis.

Research‑Supported Care Tips

• Inspect for borers: Look for small exit holes or frass (sawdust‑like material).
• Prune only in cool months (late fall to winter) to reduce stress.
• Avoid overwatering—mesquite roots prefer dry cycles.
• Seal large wounds naturally; avoid wound paints, which can trap moisture.
• Encourage airflow and remove dead wood to prevent fungal buildup.

Honey mesquite is resilient and perfect for our area. A little sap is normal, but excessive gumming signals stress. With proper pruning timing and irrigation management, the tree can recover and continue thriving in our desert landscape.

Si has notado savia color ámbar saliendo del tronco de tu mezquite, estás viendo la respuesta natural del árbol ante el estrés. Según investigaciones de Texas A&M AgriLife Extension y la Universidad de Arizona Cooperative Extension, los mezquites exudan savia cuando su corteza sufre daños físicos, ataques de insectos perforadores o condiciones ambientales extremas.

Explicación basada en investigación

• Gomosis es el término para la exudación de savia causada por estrés o infección.
• Puede aparecer tras heridas mecánicas, golpes de sol o actividad de barrenadores (como especies de Eurytoma o Agrilus).
• La resina ayuda a sellar heridas y bloquear patógenos, pero una exudación persistente puede indicar decadencia interna o galerías de insectos.
• En climas desérticos como el nuestro, los cambios bruscos de temperatura y el estrés por sequía pueden intensificar la gomosis.

Recomendaciones respaldadas por investigación

• Revisa si hay barrenadores: busca pequeños orificios o residuos tipo aserrín.
• Poda solo en meses frescos (finales de otoño a invierno) para reducir el estrés.
• Evita el exceso de riego las raíces del mezquite prefieren ciclos secos.
• No uses selladores de heridas; el árbol cicatriza mejor de forma natural.
• Mantén buena ventilación y elimina ramas muertas para prevenir hongos.

El mezquite es resistente y perfecto para nuestro clima. Un poco de savia es normal, pero la exudación excesiva indica estrés. Con buena poda y manejo del riego, el árbol puede recuperarse y seguir prosperando en nuestro paisaje desértico.

08/31/2026

🌱 Friendly Reminder: Classes start next week! Register now. 🚨
Don't wait another year to level up your gardening skills. Learn how to master El Paso’s desert climate from certified Texas Master Gardeners at EPCC! 🥦🌸
🗓 Saturdays, Sept. 5 – Oct. 24, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
🏫 EPCC Valle Verde Campus, Bldg. B, Room 150 (CRN: 14649)
Secure your spot before registration closes!
🔗 Register now: go.epcc.edu/ceregistration or call 915.831.6684.

08/30/2026

⏰ Classes start soon—don't miss out! Register now. ⏳
There's still time to get started on your desert garden journey! ✨
Join us at El Paso Community College (Valle Verde Campus) for "Home Gardening in El Paso," taught directly by certified Texas Master Gardeners. You'll get hands-on knowledge tailored specifically for growing successfully in our local climate while you wait for Master Gardener applications to open up next year!
🗓 Dates: Saturdays, Sept. 5 – Oct. 24, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
📍 Location: EPCC Valle Verde Campus, Bldg. B, Room 150
📚 Course: PIA 477 | CRN: 14649
Spots are filling up, so reserve yours today!
👉 Register online: go.epcc.edu/ceregistration
📞 Questions? Call 915.831.6684 or 915.831.6689

Did you miss the deadline for the Master Gardener program? 🌻 Worried about missing out on all the amazing information?
No worries! You can take this Continuing Education course at EPCC while you wait for applications to open up again next year and get a jumpstart on your garden right now! 🌱✨
Taught directly by certified Texas Master Gardeners, this course covers key topics tailored specifically to gardening in the El Paso desert.
Class Details:
📚 Course: Home Gardening in El Paso (PIA 477 – CRN: 14649)
🗓 Dates: Saturdays, Sept. 5 – Oct. 24, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
📍 Location: EPCC Valle Verde Campus, Bldg. B, Room 150
Don't wait another year to start growing your dream garden!
👉 Register online: go.epcc.edu/ceregistration
📞 Questions? Call 915.831.6684 or 915.831.6689 for details.

08/28/2026

🌿 El Paso Home & Garden Show | Aug. 28–30 🌿
Join the El Paso Master Gardeners this weekend at the El Paso Convention Center!
📚 Free Information Table: Get expert advice and free gardening publications all 3 days.
🧒 Kids Korner: Fun games & activities on Saturday and Sunday.
🎤 Garden Stage: Catch our fall gardening presentations on Saturday and Sunday.
🚗 Don't forget to grab a coupon to save $3 on parking in the convention center garage!
Get parking details and event details here: https://txmg.org/elpaso/

08/27/2026

Master Gardeners from our greenhouse committee are in full swing starting seedling for our fall gardens. As discussed in previous posts, we’re in prime time to start seedlings indoor for fall/winter.

We had started several different varieties of: cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cilantro, parsley, chives, oregano, marigolds, Pansies, black eyed Susan, violas, coleus, cornflower and many more!

Our Ascarate and AgriLife gardens are going to be looking bountiful this coming season.

Los Master Gardeners del comité del invernadero están trabajando a todo ritmo iniciando plántulas para nuestros jardines de otoño.

Como mencionamos en publicaciones anteriores, estamos en el mejor momento para iniciar plántulas dentro de casa para la temporada de otoño/invierno.

Hemos plantado diferentes variedades de: coliflor, brócoli, bok choy, repollo, coles de Bruselas, cilantro, perejil, cebollín, orégano, cempasúchil, pensamientos, rudbeckia, violas, coleus, aciano y muchas más.

Nuestros jardines de Ascarate y AgriLife van a lucir abundantes esta próxima temporada.

08/26/2026

Walking around town, we found the perfect example why planting native trees will give you better results than other non native ornamentals. Trees in picture are Bradford Pears that are completely gone . In the background we see thriving honey mesquites. These were, more than likely, planted at the same time and look at the difference!

Native trees are a better choice for our desert environment than Bradford pears because they support the land, wildlife, and long‑term health of our urban canopy. Bradford pears struggle in El Paso’s alkaline soils, intense heat, and seasonal winds, which leads to weak growth, limb breakage, and short lifespans. They also offer very little ecological value: their flowers provide minimal nectar, their leaves do not support native caterpillars, and their water needs run higher than what xeriscapes are designed to provide.

Native trees, by contrast, are built for the Chihuahuan Desert. Species like desert willow, netleaf hackberry, Mexican elderberry and mesquite handle heat, drought, and local soils without constant intervention. They support native pollinators, birds, and insects, strengthen soil biology, and live longer with fewer problems. Choosing native trees means planting for resilience, reducing water use, and building a healthier ecosystem that can thrive in our climate.

08/25/2026

In the AgriLife Vegetable Garden this morning, committee chair Rosie had the great fortune of having fellow gardeners Lory and Margie's help. These ladies rolled up their sleeves and helped with much needed weeding and supplemental watering of the fruit trees in the fruit tree orchard. All of us got the special treat of spotting and checking out the 2 Great Horned owls in our garden's pine trees. Gardening and wildlife = winning 🦉🌳🌻