THE WOAI HOME & GARDEN SHOW
Saturday 7:00-10:00 a.m.
     Call in: 210-737-1200 or 1-800-383-WOAI
      Host: Bill Rohde - Expert: David Rodriguez
         e-mail Bill: billrohde@clearchannel.com
        e-mail David: dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu

 

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1.03.01

Junior Master Gardener Class
 

Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Bexar County - Horticulture (Gardening & Landscaping)

Texas A & M University Horticulture

Texas Master Gardeners Association

Texas Master Gardeners Newsletters

Hello everyone. My name is David Rodriguez, County Extension Agent-Horticulture for Texas AgriLife Extension Service-Bexar County of the Texas A&M University System. I am also, the Program Coordinator of over 400 trained and recertified volunteers of the Bexar County Master Gardener Program.

Here is a little bit about myself. I was born on March 28, 1968 in Houston, Texas. But, I was raised all my life here, in San Antonio. Considered a second generation Sicilian, yes I have a Spanish surname, but I was adopted and recently have been acquainted with my birth parents and family (a much longer story).

I attended Mount Sacred Heart School K-8th grade—in which I survived nine years of an all-boys military Catholic school! (And the nuns survived me!) I attended high school at Antonian College Preparatory School, graduating in 1986. I was very active through those years in all aspects of sports and student council. I graduated from Texas A&M University, College Station, with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and earned my Masters in 1992 in Horticulture, as well. Hopefully, I’ll start and finish my Doctorates one day.

I am a prodigy of the nursery “Green Industry. I started with Grimm’s Nursery when I was 10 years old. I received my first official paycheck when I was 12 years old! (Making $3.15 per hour.) My father worked with the Grimm’s family for almost fifty years. From the age of 12 to 23 (11 years), I worked at Grimm’s learning about wholesale growing (roses, fruit trees), retail nursery management, residential, and large scale commercial landscaping. I am both a certified and Master Nursery Professional.

After finishing my formal education, I worked with George Weschler of Wolfe’s Nurseries for about 10 years and then Calloway’s Nursery for three3 more years thereafter. So I bring over 29 years of practical hands-on experience with a sound education taking the position as an Extension Horticulturist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service in January 2006. I am always willing and excited in learning new things on a daily basis. I did my first Senior Internship with the Extension and helped set up the first Master Gardener class in 1989, so it’s good to be back.

Here is some information about Texas AgriLife Extension Service and my current programs. The educational programs conducted by Texas AgriLife Extension Service serve people of all ages, regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, religion, disability, or national origin.

Questions can be asked and horticultural information can be found on the Internet at Texas A&M’s Plantanswers website: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu or our own county site at: http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu, please click under Horticulture for all our local information including the Bexar Master Gardener page.

Current media that I work on include a weekly gardening calendar in the San Antonio Life section of the Saturday San Antonio Express-News, a question and answer column in all Thursdays Prime Time Newspaper Outlets, which includes the Northside Recorder-Times, the Northside Times and Southside Reporter. A monthly gardening “Live Chat” on MySA.com at: http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/gardening/.

A monthly Sunday gardening article in Spanish, in “La Prensa”, San Antonio’s oldest and only Bi-lingual newspaper. The WOAI “Garden” Show every Saturday from 7:00-10:00 a.m. in which they have a wonderful garden page with a plant of the week and seasonal article at: http://radio.woai.com/pages/homeandgardenshow.html.

I also have a monthly gardening article with pictures on the WOAI web magazine, “the place” at: http://www.theplace-digital.com/theplace/200708/?u1=texterity.

I often contribute to plantaswers.com, which is the largest Horticulture web site in the world. As well as many other gardening publications, interviews, articles, press releases and gardening presentations.

The other pages in this “Welcoming” package will show and provide information in how valuable and how much the Master Gardener Volunteers of Texas AgriLife Extension Service help out in the public.

If we can be of further service, please contact our office at (210) 467-6575, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and ask for the Homeowner Hotline. Check it Out!!! Remember Learn and have Fun!!! As always we want to thank all the Master Gardener volunteers and are partners who support Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Extension Horticulture programs. Without each and everyone’s loyalties and hard work very little to none of this work could be conducted.
David Rodriguez
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System
Extension Horticulturist & Bexar County Master Gardener Coordinator
3355 Cherry Ridge, Suite #212
San Antonio, TX 78230-4818
Phone: 210-467-6575
Fax: 210-930-1753
E-mail: dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu
Horticulture Secretary: Angel Torres What is