WHAT IS A MASTER GARDENER?

Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and they are able to communicate with diverse groups of people.

What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their cooperative Extension office to provide horticultural-related information to their communities.

You have just read the official description of a Master Gardener. The real description of a Master Gardener in layman's terms is a little different.

They are the people you are talking to when you call the Horticulture Extension Office about bees, diseased plants, insect riddled oak trees, and other problems. They are the ones who find the answers for you.

The Master Gardener is a sleuth, a person who defines a problem, and immediately looks for the cause, the culprit that is responsible and defines a sensible approach to eliminate the problem. Don't be surprised if the person whips out a magnifying glass or pocket loupe for closer examination or drops to their knees to examine the grass blades.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In Tarrant County the Master Gardeners must complete 72 hours of classroom instructions and another 72 hours of volunteer time and answering phone calls during the intern year.

Of the last 72 hours, 36 hours is spent in the office answering phone calls. The other 36 hours is spent working in Botanic gardens, gardens at schools, courthouses, missions, working with teens, and in the Home and Garden shows. Many of these Master Gardeners volunteer many hours beyond the requirements because of devotion to the challenge and the desire to learn more.

A Master Gardener class usually has about 50 interns when held 1-time per year or 30 per class in 2-time per year classes.

These people are proud of what they know. Some boast, some appear humble, but don't knock it, they know a lot more than the average gardener.

They are often pounced upon at meetings, grocery stores, and parties just like doctors are cornered at a dinner party by people with chronic aches and pains.

Don't be disillusioned if they do not have the answer on their lips at that moment. The most important thing that Master Gardeners learn is not how to remember everything, but how to find the answers. That's what makes them good. They know how and where to find the answers.

CREDITS

In Tarrant County the Master Gardeners completed 33,000 man hours of volunteer work and handled 5,988 phone calls in the year 2004. After the first year of the required 144 hours each MG must complete 24 hours to re-certify in each of the following years. Many volunteer several hundred hours each year. The Speakers Bureau presented 124 programs that reached 6,278 participants at neighborhood, community, and school programs in 2004.

The Master Gardeners are awarded with plaques, certificates, and recognitions, but most of all they are rewarded by seeing the fruits of their labors where they worked and knowing they have helped people with their problems and to provide gardens that people can enjoy.

The next time you see a person wearing a Master Gardener badge, you will have a higher appreciation of that person. You will know that person worked hard for the priviledge to wear that badge.

Someday, maybe you will want to be a Master Gardener.

HOW TO BECOME A MASTER GARDENER

You need to locate your County Extension Office and see if they offer a Master Gardener Program. Some MG programs require an orientation class and intervew to be accepted. Others are more lax. Some classes fill up rapidly, but are usually offered more frequently. All groups expect dedication from you and volunteer time helping in various areas. Besides the classroom hours you will be working on the various projects. This is how you learn. It doesn't all happen in a classroom. You are expected to get out and do things. Most classes have a registration fee. Each one is different.

I will list web sites for you to check. To search for Master Gardener programs in Texas you can use the following two links.

Texas Master Gardener site for Texas. Click on Program info.

Texas Master Gardener site for Texas listed by county. Click on the map.

Search for program in other states by entering the search string "Master Gardener programs by state". Search Google (48,000 LISTINGS), Yahoo (71,000), or MSN (39,000). That's too many listings. So add your state name to the search string. Oklahoma and Maine returned about 1,700 each.