Be a Master Gardener

I have been a subscriber for one day – I think it’s been a day, or thereabouts, and I know there is a Master Gardener Forum, but it’s not those guys I am writing this to. It’s you guys who are not certified master gardeners and don’t participate in your State’s voluntary program. Or, if not having such available, haven’t gotten together with neighbors of your ilk to be a service to fellow gardeners, or aspirants within your local outreach.

Based on the correspondence I’ve seen in my short perusal of the forums, the obvious desire of members to advise, help, and even console co-members is over whelming.

Become a certified Master Gardener if your State offers the opportunity. It’s a lot of fun, to say the least, and most of your clients (if I can call them such) are just a stone’s throw away.

Shakemh

Shakemh.........and your point is???????? I am a certified Advanced Master Gardener in my state, which is Michigan, but I can tell you from being a member of Dave's that there are alot of folks in here who are not MG but know a heck of a lot more then I do. There are some pretty knowledgeable people in here. My point being is, being a Master Gardener is not the end all. When folks say to me, "Oh, your a Master Gardener" I like to reply back........Yup, that and rocket fuel will get you to the moon.

By the way, Welcome to Dave's your gonna love it here...

Deann

Way back when, like about 20 years, I was all set to attend the schooling. My extention agent put be at the bottem of the list because I was gardening organically. Of course the list was long & there was not enough openings to get to me.
One of the people who did attend at that time, started a garden club. I went to that a number of times. Also got the cold shoulder every time I mentioned doing something organically.
Now, how times have changed! He is more to the organic side now. I have learned enough from trial & error that I could write a book!
We have had to use some non-organic ways since we got so many acres to take care of. There is no way we could afford to keep weeds dowm organically. At the market, there is very little call for organic produce & the people that do offer it do not get any premium for it. I think it has to do with the fact that we are in the middle of a grain crop ag area.
I try to help people on DG's when I can, & hope I am steering them in the right direction.
Welcome to Dave's!
Bernie

I think Shakemh is just encouraging folks to go through the program and volunteer their time in their own communities as well as offering their knowledge at DG. I didn't read it as saying Master Gardeners are the end-all. I, too, went through the program, but it wasn't the book knowledge that made it fun and interesting, but meeting all the other gardeners. And I am still a neophyte when compared to some of the folks here at DG.

By the way, welcome to DG, Shakemh! :)

This message was edited Nov 27, 2004 10:54 PM

Welcome to DG, Shakemh!

Be seein' ya around the site!

Welcome to Dave's. I have wanted to go to the MG classes but it just has not worked out for me. I am in a rural area and they are not offered here. 35 miles to the closest class at night is the other option.
Experience is a great teacher. Many gardeners have that on Dave's and are more than willing to help. My favorites are Daylily/Hosta/Iris, see you later.

I think it's great advice for people that like to help other people. It would allow people to help other local gardeners as well. People often stop to compliment on my gardens and often walk away with plants or seeds or both. The reason they walk away with stuff-they never knew how easy it was to grow! People see me working endless hours outside and just assume it must be very hard work. Truth be told, I only work so much because I love it and because I have gardens and plants everywhere.

I have checked into the program many times myself but the classes have always been at hours when my hubby was working or I was working. I do think it would be a lot of fun! I think the thing that really appeals to me is meeting other people that are also interested in gardening and learning about gardening, etc. You would be amazed how many people will NOT talk to you when you have six kids. LOL Maybe they are afraid to get to close, in case I need a sitter. ;)

I thank you for the welcome. I am certain I will love being a member, not just because of the tenor of the exchanges, but also because of the ease of navigating the site, its scope and simplicity, and its friendliness.

I apologize if I offended anyone. I did not mean to be critical. No doubt may members are Master Gardeners – either in deed or in practice.

My Message, or at least, intended message, was that by being a certified Master Gardener one gains an additional opportunity to reach out even further to share and gain gardening knowledge – particularly in their own backyard/community/State. Having the title of Master Gardener means little -- as is the case of any learning or supplemental education that does not bear the fruits of such exposure – whether to one’s self or to the community at large.

I could not participate in such programs until after retirement – but very glad that I have done so both in SC and NJ, and by doing so have had additonal opportunities extended to me to help and advise others -- from newbees to old timers -- and they me as well. To those members who do not have the time now to attend such programs because of parenting, job, or other demanding responsibilities I say, sit tight, your time will come and you should do it; if only for the fun and exposure. In the meantime, keep gardening – for me and for many, if not most of you, it is an enviable pastime not limited only to those who have the outdoor accommodations, but to those also who must settle for house plant gardening.

Shakemh

I have been a gardener all my long life, For the first years I didn't know anything about organic gardening but in past 15 to 20 years I have tried to mostly garden organically. I wish we had Whole Foods stores out here in the West. Whenever I go to my daughters we always go to WF, they have wonderful selection of organic foods.

Like Bluegrass it would not be easy for me to attend classes to learn the rules of Master Gardeners. It would mean driving at least 35 miles one way. I did however teach one class a couple of years ago on Growing Perennials. At our District Garden Club meeting a couple of months ago a Master Gardener was our speaker.

Welcome Shakemh, you will surely like DG. So many great people and willing to share their knowledge. Donna

Welcome to the site -ive looked in to the program and dont see the benifits for myself. I do need people to do their volunteer work here at my place! ;)
I have discussed it with the above Advanced Master Gardener and while Im sure there is info to recieve and a title, I think I will stick to the title i have.
NOTmartha/dori

WELCOME TO A GREAT SITE!!!!!!

I wish we could take that course on-line. Anyone ever heard of that?

shakemh.........I was not offended by your remarks, I just wanted you to know that so many people out there, especially here at Dave's have tought me so much. Notmartha is one of those gal's. and since we live only 50 miles or so away from each other have formed a wonderful friendship. She has shared so many of her perennial babies and her knowledge with me and others as well. Like Dori has said, she does not feel she needs that title, and we both joke about it often. If you were to walk thru her gardens, you would agree with me. They are to "die for".

Deann

PS: Did I mention I live way out in the country, and she gives me heads up when one of the stores are having "dirt cheep" sales on plants.

Hi, everybody--Not to rehash everything but I just found this thread and want to make one (small) comment about sharing the great wealth of knowledge that the DG gardeners have--

From what I've learned, the various Master Gardener courses and programs are important to our communities, however the structure or content may not appeal to everyone---But I think there are lots of creative ways in our neighborhoods and communities to learn and to contribute and share garden experience and knowledge with others and help improve the common good without going thru the MG course...

OK some ideas that come to my mind---working as a volunteer at the city/county parks and arboretums; working (for pay!)at a good garden center; helping out with the DNR, Sierra club, or other conservation groups; becoming an activist for community planning and ecology; volunteering in your homeowners association, church or school to plant greenspace; writing articles for the local paper, or, perhaps, joining and sharing knowledge at a garden club, plant society or youth organization, or even just talking with your neighbors informally and getting them excited about gardening, organics, conservation, or whatever aspects interests you.

I think having knowledge (horticulture/gardening) is one thing, the first level, but sharing your knowledge takes it to the next higher level and actually sharing it to the point of creating something (a community garden, a 4H display, a letter to the editor) with others takes knowledge to a third and even higher level....

if a good gardener volunteering can teach and motivate others, too, they've 'done good' in the community and I think so many of the DGers do that, MG or not. But there is always more to do!

So much for my preaching for today--and my (small?) comment! Happy New Year to all! t.

p.s. And Welcome, Shakemh, to DG! Thanks for posting this thread and you will like it on DG!

I work in historic preservation and so landscaping/horticulture naturally follows. I am also participating in the new Comprehensive Plan for the county, merely by going to an open meeting with a couple things I'd like to discuss. I do garden at my communtiy center and a couple of other places away from home. I don't do much, just add a thing or two in the spring and clean up dead stuff. Oh I usually throw some fertilizer on stuff. Black Kow & bone meal in the spring, some lime (we have acid soil everywhere), and a little more regular 8-8-8 later on, that's it!

Somebody is going to have to step & fill in for lack of highly educated persons. In Minnesots they have almost eliminated the county extension agents. The state quit paying them, so counties took over, & now are closing offices because of lack of funds & also they claim a low demand for the services.
The state set up regional offices, but the person is on the run from one town to another, so it's like looking for a ghost to answer questions.
At least the master gardeners will probably answer your inquiry.
Another big thing here is owners & managers of some of the big garden centers & growing operations have call-in shows on radio. They can cover a lot of stuff in an hour. Most of the time it's pretty interesting. I think they screen the calls before the caller goes on the air, so they don't end up with the same subject all hour long.
But, if you can't find the answer anywhere else, come to DG. Someone will know!
Bernie

Our Cooperative Extension Office was nearly closed a few years ago but there was a uproar so they stayed. They tried to eliminate the Home Economics Agent, too, but that effort also failed. The HE Agent we have does an amazing array to tasks, mostly educational even though she has been battling cancer for a couple of years. But I must admit, our small county has very little farmland left. It is all becoming expensive resort developements with only the areas in the floodplains still being farmed.

Hi, woodspirit and everybody--this website, 'Dr. Perry's Perennials'', may be of interest to you and anybody else who wants to take a class in gardening but can't find one close by or at the right time-

http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/hgpo/hgpo.htm#what-

he offers an Online class on home gardening and perennials that might take the place (in part) of an MG course. I think you can get college credit for it, too if you want it.

I think his class is part of the Univ. of Vermont Extension program....there are sample lectures on the site to check out...not the same as actually attending a class but in some ways easier and more convenient...I'd like to do this course.

I use Perry's site a lot for info and background and also, of course, I find our Ohio State Ag Extension websites easier and more convenient and able to answer more questions than our extension office...of course we just have a little garden, not a farm or ranch or anything substantial so that makes a difference.

The OSU extension offers one day classes and Ohio State Ag school offers one day seminars on garden topics at different locations around the state which I think is a nice idea too.

Anyway, just some other ideas for training and continuing education if the MG course isn't right or convenient....t.

I have a question, probably a silly one but here goes. What does a person have to do to become a Master Gardener? I hear about this a lot but do not know anything about it. This thread has peaked my curiosity so I thought I would ask.

JesseK

Hi, JesseK - Check out the NC Master Gardener program website: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/masgar/
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/masgar/about.html

Thanks for the link to the NC MG program....I checked it out and it's a great website for talking about the volunteer responsibilities for the MG in NC but I didn't find anything that actually outlined the course syllabus, topics, books, schedule, etc. Is that listed somewhere? Just would be interested to know what is actually covered in the courses around the country.

looked on the Ohio link and didn't see anything too informative about the Buckeye program....Ohio (Hamilton county especially) seems a little disorganized--at least the websites. I think the MGs around here might take their classes in Kentucky or even thru Purdue (Indiana) extension perhaps...can't find much info on the websites...

Well, they vary by county within each state. Our county's class had an incredible 3-ring binder chock full of information and the class was offered once a week for 7 hours per day. Other counties had evening classes weekly for a few hours, and some didn't get much material-wise. You should be able to find your specific county's extension office online and they may have a link regarding their Master Gardener program.

Hope that helps! :)

Good info thanks GW. I could be wrong (Ham. Cty MGers correct me if I'm wrong!) but I think Hamilton County (cincy) doesn't have much of a program.

the H. County extension website doesn't have any info and at the Cincinnati Home and Garden Show 'MG booth' last winter where I asked for info they seemed to have all taken their classes at Northern Kentucky University or Purdue!....

How many weeks did your classes last? You can get a lot of knowledge in seven hours a day! (No wonder you know so much!) Were the instructors pretty good?

Do you volunteer/work in the Extension office or other places like they described in the NC site? Just wondering...Thanks. t.

Any knowledge I have comes more from knowing where to look for information I need than from anything I memorize! :) Now that I think about it, the class was 8 hours, once a week for five weeks. We often let out an hour early, though.

I am no longer on active status. The main thing I did was man the helpline on the mornings it was offered, but when a new class was in session, those slots filled up really quickly. I did fill many hours contacting many gardening-related companies via phone and e-mail to solicit "goodie bag" donations for the State MG conference; that was kind of fun, as was the day we assembled the bags.

Ultimately, I had some health issues come up and trouble even keeping my own garden up, so I took myself off active status. I just never got back on it. Our nightowl schedule is kind of screwy now, backwards from most of the world, so the typical weekend morning events are out for me.

Truthfully, in practicality, my niche is more in photography, computers and Internete than it is gardening (a casual look at my threads will tell you that, LOL!).

I became a Master Gardener this year. I found that the volunteer side of it was the best part. I meant lots of gardeners. And many different things each loved. I did a lot of work at our Arboridom. I now think of those gardens as my gardens. After hours of weeding , planting and trimming , I became part of it all. The Master Gardener program is about helping other gardeners thru the hort line. And it's about beautification thru plant life. I've been gardening for 40+ years. And truthifully I new a lot of what was taught, but I learned a whole lot more. Being a Master Gardener doesn't mean you know more than the everyday gardner. It just opens the door to another side of this world.

You last two sentences were almost poetic. Thanks for explaining on a more personal basis.

Thank You, Gardening is poetic .

We're fortunate to have Dawe's Arboretum close to us. The MG program here limits the number of hours our MG's can earn there, however; the arboretum has its own volunteer program and the extension wanted the MG's to focus more on the community projects like the children's garden, corrections center garden, farmer's market info table, horticultural hotline and educational presentations.

I'm extremely upset that I have to wait another 30-35 years until retirement before I can participate in a Master Gardener program. By then, I will have been gardening for 40-45 years and won't need a class to consider myself a MG. I've begged my county's extension office (who offers the MG programs) to do a course just for working professionals that involves nights and weekends. No can do. The MG program in my area takes about a year and a half to complete. It's an outstanding program. (Link for anyone who is interested in Leon County, Florida: http://leon.ifas.ufl.edu/mg.htm). Here's what they say about it:

"The 2005 MG training program will probably begin in September 2005 and run through November 2005. The introductory classes are usually each Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with sessions both in the classroom and in the field. Then, after you complete these basic classes, for the rest of the year there will be required monthly classes, normally the second Thursday morning of each month, from 9:00-12:00. And, year-round, once a month, normally the third Monday of the month, all the MG'ers are required to participate in the demonstration garden work days. If you sign up for the MG program, you are making a fifteen month commitment to participate in ALL these activities, as they are all vital components of the learning process: basic classes, update sessions, hands-on experience in the demonstration garden, and diverse, practical experience with the volunteer activities of helping other gardeners through answering questions, etc. The cost for the program, which includes books, will probably be $145. "

(And yes my friends... For those of us born after 1965, retirement age is now 70 years old. Thank you very much.) Who has this much free time, except for retirees?

If anybody knows of a gig (full-time, well-paying professional editorial job) where the company will let me burn THAT much vacation time in 15 months, I'll be happy to apply. Or if you have a really rich and understanding son/brother/young straight single male friend who would like to marry and support me while I putter in the garden for the rest of my life... that would work as well. We will not have children; only dogs, cats and more plants.

On a more serious note, although I appreciate the sentiment of the original post, you have to understand that we are not all retired and do not all have the wherewithal to participate in such a thing. Different strokes and all. The main reason I registered and subscribe to this MB is because I have to work all day: This is the best way to share knowledge with other like-minded people while still being able to put food on the table. I am also a member of my local native plant society, but never have time to attend the meetings.

Yes, as stated by those who responded to this thread, and those who would have done, the point is to share gardening knowledge and enthusiasm, along with a few bouquets and plants, with others, esp. in a world that seems to be losing contact with Mother Earth.

If somewhat pessimistic in this last regard, it could be that senility is creeping in. Perhaps attributable to retirement. I will now go outside and refill the bird feeders while taking delight in the raucous applause.

And, as for those birds, out there on this cold and dismal winter day,
Shakespeare might have this to say:

so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,
Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out;
And take upon's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies
KING LEAR (ACT V SCENE III)

Shakemh





This message was edited Jan 5, 2005 3:56 PM

I took a Master Gardeners Class back in 1997 or 98, but didn't apply for my certification for another two or three years. By that time, I had piled up community hours growing plants for our local garden clubs annual plant sale and doing presentations on plant starting, etc. My husband took th class and got his diploma about three years ago.

I think the Master Gardener program is a little different in different areas across the U.S. Here, we have less resources, perhaps, but rather than having a long waiting list, one has to go out and recruit potential students in order to make it worthwhile for the extension rep to drive to 120 miles to teach classes. I think our classes may not have been as 'intense' as some in the more populated areas. We met on Friday evenings and all day Saturdays for several weeks.

The classes were not what I expected, to tell you the truth. We seldom talked about specific plants or flower varieties. Instead we learned about the composition of soil and how to amend it, the biology of plants and what makes them grow, plant diseases and parasites, calibrating fertilizer and basic composting, etc. If you are a seasoned gardener, you'll definitely learn some new tricks from these classes. If you are a new gardener, you'll learn some basics that will give you a head start on your gardening voyage.

I didn't feel like a master gardener when the classes were over, but I'd met lots of new gardeners in the process and established a line of communication with our local extension rep... a wonderful man who is always available for information. Each year, I send him photos I've taken around Seward so that he can include us in some of his Power Point presentations around the state of Alaska.

It could be my imagination, but it seems there is a renewed interest in gardening around this small Alaskan community. I have lots of repeat customers each spring when I open my little greenhouse business, and the best part is when I am stopped on the street by new customers trying to describe some seedling that is flourishing in their yard. It is as if they have just discovered some new treasure no one has seen before. The Master Gardener Program has been a great asset here.

Dogzilla........Every County Extension Agent is incharge of his county. Sad to say, the one in yours is very narrow minded to think there are not other people out there who would love to take the program but have to work for a living. May I offer a suggestion. Is the county next to you close enough for you to attend a class should one be available in the evenings? That is what I did. The county that I live in was not offering classes, so I went to the next county over. Perhaps, the county next to you has a different criteria. Here in Michigan, we attend classes for 12 to 13 weeks...one night a week, 4 hours per class. Once that is completed, we take a test, and then have a year inwhich to complete our volunteer hours as well as Educational hours. Here in Michigan, it is 14 hours of Volunteer time and 5 hours of Eductional. Most usually complete it in less then a years time. Don't give up yet. Maybe there are others in your area who are interested in evening classes.

Happy Gardening!

Deann

That's a good suggestion deann, but I'm afraid I live in the more "civilized" county. What I mean by that is the surrounding counties are all very rural, full of tiny little communities -- they have little money for such programs. I live in the largest city within 100 miles, so the best resources are here. I will check into your suggestion though -- there might be other alternatives I haven't thought about.

I should have moved to Gainesville...

Dogzilla, the MG class schedule is no better in Gainesville! When I checked last year it was all day on Wednesday for 11 weeks, beginning in September. As you say, not good for us who work "regular" hours.

Gah!

I was thinking about how Gainesville has the botanical gardens, the natural history museum, and there's this guy I took an herbalism class from who has a huge herb farm just outside of Gainesville. (James Steele, I think is his name). AND, UF has far better grad school programs than FSU for the areas in which I might be interested in getting my masters. (I think it's simply a superior school, but I tend to keep that opinion to myself in this neck of the woods.)

Point being, when I was living in SC and thinking of coming back to Florida, I chose Tallahassee, in part, based on the recomendation of an FSU grad who knew this fair city. Not that I don't love Tally-town, but Gainesville would have actually been the better choice for me in terms of the resources and things I'm interested in being more readily available.

Don't tell any of my Seminole fan friends I said that though! ;>) They'll run me out of town!

And I'm still not selling my house and moving. But it seems the State of Florida wants me to wait until I'm too old to dig in the dirt on my hands and knees for hours on end to become an expert at digging in the dirt on my hands and knees...

I get the feeling the programs are set up to target either homemakers or retired people because they probably have more time to volunteer during the hours such people are needed. They probably assume that anyone who really wants to take the class will find a way to be there, but that's not realistic -- not everyone can take vacation time (or would want to) or arrange for time off for so many weeks. I was *very* fortunate to have my employer send me to the training and pay me my normal day's wages while there. I worked at a large call center (Harry & David and Jackson & Perkins) and had become their "plant lady" when I got excited about plants and wanted to know more for teaching classes of employees. If it hadn't been for my employer's generosity, I'd not have been able to attend, that's for sure!

Maybe you should all move up to Seward, Alaska. Our last MG class here was in 2002. I'm sure there are some people interested in another class, but just can't get enough people together. Of course, the growing methods would really be different than the south! Here's our cooperative extension rep dicussing fertilizer calibration... I was always lousy at that!

The classes I attended were in the evening. They said that the extention service was working on Master Gardening classes for people who worked in greenhouses or any other business associated with retailing plants. It was going to cost considerately more money, but would also be a lot deeper in detail. They frowned on people taking the corse for businesses. I don't care one way or the other. I think it's neat that the knowledge that you all have is shared in forums such as this. And it's nice to know that companies care enough to have employees trained. Iowa State university is where our training was out of. I guess it is done different across the states.

Here there is no charge for Master Gardener classes. However, there is an accompanying ringed notebook with all the related cooperative extension materials included, both the free ones and the ones they charge for. It was well worth the $25 that was charged when I got mine. It cost a bit more when my husband got his, but the extension officer undated our older books if we asked him.

Ours cost $40, but you got a huge binder full of fact sheets, articles, and such. We never even had a test, which surprised me. It wasn't as technical a class as I thought it would be in some respects, but I learned a lot from reading the materials and taking notes during the lectures.

One funny thing...We had a field trip to Dawe's arboretum one day. The horticulturist did a demo on grafting and other methods of tree and shub propagation, and he kept referring to "bunny rubbers". Several of us thought that's what he said, but my friend and I had a giggling fit during break. "No wonder they're so small!", she shrieked to me once we got outside. He'd been saying "budding rubbers" -- as in, rubber bands to hold the graft in place!

I tried to take the classes here, I made the final cut out of about 90 applicants. In my interview I mentioned that I feed the squirrels and got a very negative reaction. I also worked four days a week and I guess they felt that I would not have time to do the volunteer work. No one in the room during my interview was under 65 or so. I really wanted to do it, but I guess it is geared toward retired people.
My sister had a completley different and more positive experience, although she doesn't work outside the home and has more time to volunteer. She just got certified and she was very happy with the experience. She just lives about 90 miles from me but the atmosphere is so different.