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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – If you love gardening and sharing your knowledge with others, consider becoming an Extension Master Gardener volunteer in collaboration with the North Dakota State University Extension Service.
Extension Educator spokesperson Sue Milender Toppen said the NDSU Extension Master Gardener Program is a volunteer service program that beautifies our communities, educates the public about gardening, works with youth and encourages conservation of natural resources.
She said this year’s Master Gardener online training program will run for 10 weeks beginning Jan. 19 and ending March 23, 2018.
“Online students can login on their computers and participate in the live Friday classes from 1 to 4 p.m (CDT),” says Esther McGinnis, NDSU Extension horticulturist and North Dakota Master Gardener director.
McGinnis said course topics include annual and perennial flowers, tree selection and maintenance, soil health, composting, plant diseases and insects, vegetable and fruit production and lawn maintenance. NDSU faculty and Extension personnel teach the classes.
She said once participants complete the training, they are known as Master Gardener interns. They must volunteer 48 hours of time during a two-year period on horticultural projects in cooperation with the NDSU Extension Service. After that, they will be certified as Master Gardeners.
Projects include planting and designing pollinator gardens, organizing horticultural workshops, managing school and community gardens, working with youth and growing fresh produce for local food pantries.
Tuition for the 2017 class is $195 for those wishing to become a certified master gardener or $400 for those just interested in taking the class.
Thirty-one North Dakota counties will be accepting a limited number of Master Gardener applications including Barnes County. The application deadline is Dec. 1.
Online registration is available at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/mastergardener/.
For more information, contact the Barnes County Extension Service office at 845-8528 or Esther McGinnis at 701-231-7406, or esther.mcginnis@ndsu.edu.