July 15, 2004
JEAN WOFFORD & MARIA SOBCZAK
Victoria County Master Gardener Interns
The
The program, according to Dr. Doug Welsh, extension horticulturist and
Master gardeners are members of the community who take an active interest in
their own gardens, landscapes and gardening activities. What really sets them
apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture.
This, in fact, has propelled them into being the envy of other gardening groups
because they have the network of
When the first master gardener program was conducted in
No wonder Victoria County Master Gardener Association (VCMGA) continues to
have inquiries about master gardener training and certification in this area.
Today there are programs in more than 110
Beginning Aug. 12, Victoria County Extension will offer its eighth year of
training in a 17-week master gardening class. Training will be 1-5 p.m. each
Thursday, with the class ending Dec. 9. The cost of the class is $135, which
includes a Master Gardener Handbook detailing management of various landscape
and horticultural gardening topics. It will also cover the administrative cost
of required screening to work with local area youth.
Classes are taught by some of the most knowledgeable in the state - Texas
Cooperative Extension specialists, county extension agents, and Texas A&M University System professors. This year, training
will include material from one of our local well-known experts, John Fossati of
· Plant propagation.
· Turf grasses.
· Organic and regular gardening.
· Entomology (bugs!).
· Pesticide safety.
· Perennials.
· Seasonal color.
· Tropicals.
· Vines.
· Fruits and nuts.
· Water gardening, bog ponds and plants.
· Butterflies.
· Soils.
· Trees (including palms).
· Plant pathology.
You will also be exposed to other interesting subjects such as gardening Web
site accessibility and Power Point presentation.
Through the master gardener program, you will be privy to the latest in
horticulture training, and encouraged to learn about and propagate plants that
will be sold to the public for the benefit of master gardener educational
projects.
You can be trained to write for this column and try your hand at digital
photography, and help train and docent for the jointly sponsored Annual Garden
Tour ... and a whole lot more.
If you are accepted into the master gardening program, you will be expected
to attend all classes and fulfill a volunteer commitment of 50 hours. In
exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer their time to the
county extension program to better educate the community. At least 50 hours of
volunteer time within one year following the training are required to earn the
title of master gardener. Volunteer service for master gardeners varies
according to community needs, and the abilities and interests of the master
gardeners.
This is the completion of our first year in the master gardening program. We
came to the training program with differing backgrounds, but both with the time
and interest in gardening. Both of our appetites also were whetted with what we
read about the program in the article in "The Gardeners' Dirt" column
last year.
I (Jean Wofford) had never known anyone other than
professionals with whom I could "talk gardening." I had friends who
did enjoy flowers, but most had others doing the "dirty" work for
them.
It has been a delight for me to finally be a part of a group of real gardeners
who are not professionals, but who are just as knowledgeable in horticulture.
Master gardening is not only a garden club, of which I have been a member for
years, but it is that - and much, much more.
When I (
You should ask yourself: Is the master gardening program for me? If you
answer "yes" to the following questions, it very well could be.
· Do I want to learn more about the
culture and management of many types of plants?
· Am I eager to participate in a
practical and intensive horticultural training program?
· Do I look forward to sharing my
knowledge with people of our community?
· Do I have enough time to attend
training and to complete volunteer work?
· Do I enjoy being around other
gardeners?
Determine your own answers to these questions. If you can make the commitments as outlined above, join the gardening group with enviable knowledge and training. Call the Victoria County Extension office at 361-575-4581 and ask for the master gardener coordinator office for additional information. Look for master gardener brochures with green training class inserts at local nurseries and feed stores. We hope to see you in the fall class beginning Aug. 12.