Only certain cultivars of pears are long-lived and fruitful in East Texas.
January 18, 2024 - Winter is when we typically plant fruit and nut trees and begin making plans for our spring vegetable gardens. Thankfully, there is a great opportunity coming up to learn from the experts with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Stephen F. Austin State University.
The annual East Texas Fruit, Nut and Vegetable Conference is scheduled for Friday, February 9 at the Tyler Rose Garden Center (420 Rose Park Dr. Tyler, Texas 75702). It will offer both professional and amateur gardeners tips on blackberries, blueberries, bunch grapes, muscadines, and IPM (Integrated Pest Management) on peppers and tomatoes.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m., followed by the first lecture at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required (for a lunch head count) and ends February 7 at 5:00 pm. The cost of the program is $25 (plus 5% convenience fee for online credit card payment). The program will be held in person only. Attendees can register and pay on-line or register and pay in person at the Smith County Extension Office. One hour of Department of Agriculture IPM CEU (for those with a Private Applicator license) will be awarded for this event. However, CEs (5 hours) for certified Texas Master Gardeners can be claimed.
Topics and speakers include:
- Growing Blueberries in East Texas: Dr. David Creech, Professor Emeritus, Stephen F. Austin State University. Dr. Creech is the director of SFA Gardens in Nacogdoches and the leading expert on blueberries in Texas.
- Growing Muscadines and Bunch Grapes in East Texas: Michael Cook, Viticulture Regional Specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Michael earned his Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology at California State University-Fresno.
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on Peppers and Tomatoes: Dr. Rafia Khan, Assistant Professor and Extension Entomologist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dr. Khan is the new entomologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Experiment Station in Overton and has experience conducting research on commercial tomatoes in Florida.
- Knowing and Growing Pears in East Texas: Dr. Andrew King, King’s Nursery, Tenaha, Texas. Dr. King is a 4th generation East Texas nurseryman and the assistant director of SFA Gardens in Nacogdoches.
- Growing Blackberries in East Texas: Dr. Tim Hartmann, Assistant Professor, Fruit Crops, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dr. Hartmann is a lifelong horticulturist and well versed in all things “fruit.”
This event was organized to meet the growing demand for information about fruit, nut, and vegetable production for home gardeners and commercial growers in East Texas. It is an opportunity to learn techniques from horticulture specialists on how to be successful, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to learn more as you grow.
For more information about this educational event, contact the Smith County Extension office at 903-590-2980. The flyer, schedule, and registration link are posted on the “Texas A&M AgriLife-Smith County” Facebook page and on the Texas A&M AgriLife-Smith County web page at smith.agrilife.org/fnvc/.
Greg Grant is the Smith County horticulturist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. He is the author of Texas Fruit and Vegetable Gardening, Texas Home Landscaping, Heirloom Gardening in the South, and The Rose Rustlers. You can read his “Greg’s Ramblings” blog at arborgate.com and read his “In Greg’s Garden” in each issue of Texas Gardener magazine (texasgardener.com). More science-based lawn and gardening information from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service can be found at aggieturf.tamu.edu and aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu.
