Horticulture

Would you like to become a Master Gardener? What is a Master Gardener? A Master Gardener volunteer has an interest in any type of gardening, such as vegetable or ornamental, wants to teach others to garden, wants to enhance their communities and the environment with service-oriented projects, enjoys working with people and plants, and is trained by Cooperative Extension Service personnel. How do I become a Master Gardener? You become a Master Gardener by successfully completing the 15 week Master Gardener training program and then volunteering your time according to the Master Gardener guidelines. What does a Master Gardener do? Master Gardeners help Extension’s county agents reach more residents with gardening information by visiting garden sites; working information booths at community events; maintaining demonstration gardens; teaching horticulture to beginning gardeners; using special talents, such as writing, photography and drawing, to benefit others; and exploring environmentally friendly options to gardening problems. How are Master Gardeners trained? Master Gardener training classes are conducted through the Cooperative Extension Service County offices by Cooperative Extension Service specialists, agents and other horticulture professionals. During the training program, participants are taught many different horticulture subjects by experts in the field. Master Gardeners are trained in botany, plant disease and insects, soils and fertilizers, fruit and vegetable gardening, tree and shrub care, lawn care, flower gardening and more. What does the training cost? A fee is charged to cover the cost of the supplies and literature used in training. These materials are the Master Gardener’s to keep. The cost for the Franklin/Woodford County Master Gardener class is $125 per person. This can be paid in full or through a payment plan. When will the class be held in Woodford/Franklin County? The program begins Thursday, Aug. 22, and meets every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for 14 weeks. The final class will be Dec. 12. The classes will be held at the Woodford and Franklin County Extension offices, with some classes consisting of field trips and labs out of the office. How do I enroll? Class size is limited to 25. Please contact the Woodford County Extension Service, 859-873-4601, or email me atfaye.tewksbury@uky.edu.