Baxter County Master Gardeners
Horticulture Table
The Horticulture Table, a division of member education, is a part of every Baxter County Master Gardener membership meeting. A pre-meeting message is sent to members announcing the planned topic for the Horticulture Table and suggested items to bring. The topic may be related to the program of the day, the season or another topic of interest. A member of the Horticulture Table Committee usually leads the discussion.
Photo by Al Knack
As a means of educating other members on what grows well here as well as what doesn’t, items brought may be cut plant specimens, vegetables, fruit, seeds, plants to avoid planting and why, beneficial and harmful insects, examples of diseased plant materials, [diseased items should be sealed in containers such as Zip-lock bags]. Books, magazines and tools that members have found helpful are also displayed on the table. The Horticulture Table helps us learn about various aspects of gardening. It is a means of sharing knowledge and information about many aspects of horticulture, not just about plants. Hummingbird nests, nematode-infested roots, cucumber beetles, ladybug larva, and members’ artwork have all been displayed. Members are encouraged to talk about what they brought. It is meant to be an enjoyable, fun way to share our knowledge and to learn from and about each other.
The specimens brought are displayed with a form containing the following information: name of plant (botanical, common, cultivar/variety), plant type, sun requirements, water requirements, special needs, mature plant size, plant bloom time, and name of the person displaying the specimen.