October 6, 2022

Join local Latino-owned businesses as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a full-day, family-friendly event. Gain access to kids’ cultural arts activities, music and folkloric presentations, as well as shopping and tasting delicious foods from several Latin American countries.

MECA Houston and the Garden will host a festive duo of family-friendly events on Sunday, Oct. 16. Start your day by learning the Art of Making Paper Marigolds then join us in the afternoon for Festival en el Jardín to celebrate the past and honor the future through music, dance, and visual arts.

Just in time for National Pumpkin Day (Oct. 26) and Halloween, here are several fun facts about Cucurbita pepo (pumpkins). 

Did you know…? 

• Botanically speaking, pumpkins are actually fruits – an enlarged ovary containing seeds – just like tomatoes, whereas most vegetables are stems or leaves, like potatoes or lettuce, for example.
  
• They are members of Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family, which has around 95 genera and 965 species, including squash, zucchini, luffa, calabash, watermelon, and cucumber.
• The average pumpkin weighs about as much as a bowling ball.
  
• Evidence of domesticated pumpkins dates back to 7,000-5,000 B.C. Wow!
  
• Full-grown pumpkins can contain hundreds of seeds.
  
• Pumpkins grow on a vine and take 90-120 days to grow to maturity. 
  
• Pumpkins are made up of nearly 90% water.
  

Indigenous People’s Forum: Climate Change

On Oct. 10, you’re invited to a unique storytelling experience and conversation about climate change and Indigenous spiritual connections to the land. Learn about the impacts the climate crisis is having on Indigenous communities and help discuss ways we can all be more engaged with the environment.

Seasonal Cooking with Chef Keisha 

On Oct. 13, Chef Keisha Griggs is ready to take you on a delicious pre-Halloween adventure that will help you trick your little ghouls and goblins at home with treats that contain the necessary nutrients for them to grow. Wine pairing is available for participants 21+.

We are thrilled to welcome Sara Dykman, author of Bicycling With Butterflies, to the Garden on Oct. 15. In partnership with the Coastal Prairie Conservancy, this lecture and book signing provides the optimism, energy, and hope needed to start saving threatened systems of nature, such as the monarch migration, that affect our survival. 

Explore our Events Calendar for more upcoming opportunities to grow your gardening knowledge, prioritize wellness, and more. 

How do I choose the right fertilizer for my home garden?

The first question to ask is actually, “Do I even need to fertilize?” People waste money every year fertilizing too much or unnecessarily. Runoff from excessive fertilizer is also a leading cause of algae blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, so there is a significant environmental cost, as well. The only way to know for sure if you need to fertilize is to send a soil sample to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for testing. For a relatively minimal cost, they will provide you with a recommended rate for applying fertilizer, if they determine you need it at all.

If fertilizer is necessary, try to use a complete one containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K), the three major macronutrients. The numbers you see on bags of fertilizer—such as 6-2-4—reflect the percentage of these nutrients by volume. You may also want to find a fertilizer that contains micronutrients (such as boron, calcium, manganese, and zinc), which are essential to plant health but needed in much lower concentrations.

For the Houston region, when is the latest recommended date to apply fertilizer?

It is best not to fertilize once temperatures begin to cool and plants stop putting out any new growth. Doing so could force plants to produce tender growth that may not be hardened in time for the first blast of cold weather. There are exceptions, however. It can be beneficial to fertilize deciduous trees since they have likely used up many nutrients during the growing season. Apply the fertilizer well after new growth has stopped—around late October into November—while soils are still warm enough, generally in the 50s, for active root growth. The roots will take up the nutrients and be better prepared for growth when temperatures rise again in spring.  

“I thought, if this garden comes to fruition, it will transform the whole neighborhood! And, WOW, has it ever.” Meet Claudia Borrego and Victor Garay, two native Houstonians with a deep appreciation for nature who take every opportunity to help elevate and contribute to the Houston Botanic Garden’s mission. We sat down with these enthusiastic supporters to discuss the Garden, why it’s the perfect place to escape and relax, and the educational benefits future generations will find here.

With so much art and nature to behold at the Garden, we’re seeking volunteers who would enjoy a museum-style docent role. These volunteers will help deepen the visitor experience at our living museum, answering questions about artwork like Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects® Made with LEGO® Bricks, and ensuring exhibitions and collections aren’t damaged. Volunteers receive training, entry to the Garden, and the joy of connecting others to nature!

To get involved, contact us at volunteers@hbg.org or call 713-715-9675 ext. 152.

In case you missed the big announcement, member mornings -- with early entry at 8 a.m. -- are here to stay! Also, complimentary membership pins will be available at the Ticket Window the next time you visit. 

The Houston Botanic Garden’s next-generation group is hosting their fall social “Creations & Libations” on Oct. 20. Don’t miss this fun night out networking with like-minded, nature-loving young folks! 

www.hbg.org