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How to Become a Master Gardener

 

Do you love flowers, veggies, and/or digging around in the dirt?

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MASTER GARDENER?

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT in horticulture or even have a “green thumb”. This program will expose you to a world of information and is an excellent way to get involved in giving back to the community. You can live in an apartment and only have an African Violet and still become a Master Gardener!

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A SCHOLAR to become a Master Gardener, but believe me, the people who teach these classes are top notch. Most are Auburn professors or Extension Agents with an occasional Master Gardener speaker. Just a few of the subjects you will learn about are flowers, lawns, vegetables, soil types, organic gardening, pest problems, safe use of chemicals in gardening, composting, and way more things than I can list here. Some people are hesitant because they hear classes! No fear…..these classes are fun and interesting!

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DRIVE A TRACTOR or be able to lift 50 pounds to get in your volunteer hours.

Physically everyone can’t do all the projects and that is understood. Volunteer hours for your internship and membership can come from hands on experience in a variety of projects such as: greenhouse work (getting ready for the annual plant sale), helping with the hotline to assist the public with questions about gardening, working on community projects, i.e., landscaping Habitat For Humanity homes, instigating or helping with school projects, helping with extension projects, as well as many other beautification/civic projects. Volunteering 50 hours during your internship is barely a work week. You don’t have to do it all in one week or even one month. A few hours here and a few hours there and before you know it you will be one… A Master Gardener, that is!

YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU BECAME A MASTER GARDENER! Our members are all ages and from all walks of life and professions. We have a covered dish meeting once a month with speakers. Oh and I almost forgot to mention we take 1 or 2 field trips a year just for the fun of it.

Alabama Master Gardener Purpose

The Master Gardener project trains volunteers interested in committing their time to intensive horticulture-related training and to then return Extension approved volunteer service in their community. Training from Extension enables these volunteers to make lasting impact with their outreach activities.

Program Requirements

  • Receive 50 hours of instruction in gardening practices and pest control

  • Conduct 50 hours of approved volunteer service

Selection Criteria

Participants are selected primarily based on their commitment to volunteering in their communities as an educational outreach of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System

 

More Info

For more info on the next training course please contact the

 Etowah Co. Extension  Office at 256-547-7936 or visit www.aces.edu/go/mgv.

 

Etowah County Master Gardeners Association is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit association located at Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Alabama. Our purpose is to disseminate fact-based information.

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