Speakers Bureau
Does your garden club, service group or other organization need a speaker? Kaufman County Master Gardeners are available at no cost to speak on a variety of topics. Select a topic from the list of specific topics below to open a new tab/window with more information.
If you don’t see the topic you want, contact the Speakers Bureau to find out if we have something being developed or revised. If not, we may be able to create something if we have enough lead time (at least a full month).
Contact the Speakers Bureau using the contact form on the Contact page or by calling the Extension Office at 469-376-4520 to make arrangements; please make your request at least two weeks before the presentation date.
Available Topics
Get a copy of our topic list: 2022 Speakers Bureau Topics–Printer-friendly version

All About Ladybugs
All About Ladybugs All about lady beetles: life cycle, history, identification, native lady beetles, use as a biological control and how to attract lady beetles.

Bed Preparation
Bed Preparation Advantages and disadvantages of raised beds, permanent beds, mulching in vegetable gardens. Trench composting.

Beekeeping for Beginners
Beekeeping for Beginners How to get started keeping bees and harvesting honey.

Beneficial Insects
Beneficial Insects Definition of beneficial insects, why they are important, and how to attract them. Includes an overview of biological controls.

Bugs: Friends or Foes?
Bugs: Friends or Foes? A discussion of beneficial insects and pest insects, with several examples of each, including lacewings, dragonflies, fall army worms, Mexican bean beetles and others. Two new potential pest insects to look out for are the brown marmorated stink bug and the emerald ash borer.

Choosing a Garden Site
Choosing a Garden Site How to select a garden site, what to try and avoid. What plants require the maximum amount of sunlight, what plants can tolerate some shade, garden orientation (north /south beds), poorly drained areas.

Composting
Composting What is composting, benefits of composting, backyard composting, how to build a compost bin, composting materials (good and bad), using your compost, testing your compost.

Confessions of an Agaveholic
Confessions of an Agaveholic Learn about the different varieties of agave and how to care for them from a self-confessed agave fanatic.

Crop Selection
Crop Selection What types of vegetables to grow in your garden, what do you like to eat? Cool season crops vs. warm season crops, how to select cultivars for your area.

Dirty Dozen: Terrestrial Invasive Species of the Blackland Prairie
Dirty Dozen: Terrestrial Invasive Species of the Blackland Prairie Invasive species can threaten the survival of native species and can cause significant economic damage. Learn about the twelve least-wanted species, according to TexasInvasives.org, that are found in the Blackland Prairie. Includes photographs, habitat, growth characteristics and origin.

Drip Irrigation
Drip Irrigation Basics How to design and select the proper drip irrigation equipment, how to connect to your house water system, how to use rain water. The different controllers, timers and emitter types available.

Edible Landscaping
Edible Landscaping Ways to incorporate fruit, vegetables, herbs and more into your landscape without having the “vegetable garden” look. Plant list provided.

Fall Vegetable Gardening
Fall Vegetable Gardening How a fall vegetable garden is different from spring and summer gardens. Plant selection and growth requirements.

Gardening for Butterflies
Gardening for Butterflies Find out what you need to do to attract butterflies and other pollinators to your landscape or garden. Learn about the life cycle of butterflies and what they need to thrive. A list of butterflies common to our area and the plants they need is included.

Gardening Made Easier
Gardening Made Easier An overview of the many tools and techniques that can make gardening easier for older adults and those with physical limitations.

Gardening with Kids
Gardening with Kids Find out why gardening with kids is important and why you should be doing it. Learn what you need to know to garden with kids and how to get started.

Getting the Garden Ready for Winter
Getting the Garden Ready for Winter An overview of tasks that should be done to prepare your garden for winter, and some that will help get the garden ready for spring.

Growing Vegetables in Containers
Growing Vegetables in Containers Plant selection, growing media, types of containers, light and location, fertilizers.

Introduction to Rain Water Harvesting
Introduction to Rain Water Harvesting Watershed basics, simple and complex systems,how to calculate your capture volume, storage, usage and maintenance.

Keyhole Gardening
Keyhole Gardening A discussion of the history of keyhole gardens, what one is, how it is made, and what its benefits are. Examples of keyhole gardens are shown.

Making a Rain Barrel
Making a Rain Barrel How to build and maintain your rain barrel. Tools required, filters, how to install a hose bib.

Planning Your Garden
Planning Your Garden Covers important things to consider in planning your garden: location, orientation, size, and timing. Discusses putting all these pieces together

Plants for Pollinators
Plants for Pollinators After a brief overview of the types of pollinators and what they need to thrive, characteristics of plants that appeal to a wide variety of pollinators will be discussed. A list of online reference sites for more information is provided.

Plants of the Bible
Plants of the Bible Plants were an important part of life in Biblical times. They provided many of the things needed for survival: food, fuel, medicine and building materials. Explore some of the most important plants, including trees like olive and cedar and grains like wheat and barley, and learn how they were used in daily and ceremonial life.

Rose Rosette Disease
Rose Rosette Disease Thorough discussion of symptoms, with illustrations. Causes and remediation.

Seed Starting
Seed Starting Learn how to start seeds, and get a jump on the spring growing season or grow those summer greens year-round. Growing medium, water and light requirements, easiest seeds to start.

Soil Preparation
Soil Preparation How to prepare your soil for a garden: what compost is, how to build a compost bin, composting in the rows, proper soil ph, how to improve clay soil.

Texas Superstar® Plants
Texas Superstar® Plants Texas Superstar® plants are tested and selected for superstar performance in the Texas Landscape. This program discusses the Texas SuperStar® program, explains which plants are Texas Superstars and where to find them.

Texas’ Native Bees
Texas’ Native Bees Honeybees get most of the press, but our native bees are also threatened. They are also more efficient pollinators of native plants than honeybees. Learn about our native bees, how they live, and how to help them survive.