Aggie Park

Monday Lunch | David Rodriguez '90 '92

The Colorization of the Aggie Maroon Bluebonnet and the Texas Superstar Plant Program

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-Extension Horticulturist

David Rodriguez is deeply rooted in the Texas gardening and landscape plant world. He started working at the prime age of ten with local nurseries which included Grimm’s Garden Centers and Landscape, Wolfe Nurseries and Calloway’s. David then went off to Texas A&M University and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in horticultural sciences. Before and during these formal educational years, he often worked seven days a week to save up money for his educational and living expenses.

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David joined the ranks of the Extension Service an educational agency of the Texas A&M University System in 2006 as the area Extension Horticulturist. During his service with the Extension Service, David has helped expand youth horticulture programming, enhanced outreach to the green industry which includes trialing and releasing new plant introductions in support of the Texas SuperStar™ Plant Program as well as increasing the awareness of the Bexar County Master Gardener program and their significant contributions to the community.

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David also oversees the Bexar County Youth Gardens program, which serves more than 80 schools, the majority of which are in low-income areas of Bexar County. Among the most popular of his youth gardening programs are two award winning and national recognized Children’s Vegetable Gardens at the San Antonio Botanical Garden and at Phil Hardberger Park. As part of these programs, children are provided a plot and learn to grow their own vegetables, herbs, and seasonal annuals under the mentorship of a Master Gardener. For many urban youths, these programs provide their first experience working in a vegetable garden and learning how plant-based foods are grown and how their nutritional value impacts overall health. It also teaches them responsibility, teamwork, and leadership in addition to many aspects of earth science.

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David can be heard every Saturday morning on the WOAI 1200 AM Lawn and Garden Radio Show answering horticulture and gardening questions. He regularly provides his expertise through television interviews, print articles and numerous presentations on gardening and landscape topics at venues countywide and beyond.

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David has received numerous awards and recognition including most recently The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Superior Service “Greenies Urban Farm” Team award for growing and harvesting 25,000 pounds of fresh vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic to supplement the food needs of needy citizens in Bexar County and The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Vice Chancellor’s Superior Team Award in the category of Earth-Kind® Environmental Landscape Stewardship for his many community activities and educational outreach efforts.

Monday Lunch