I'm going to be a master gardener!

dizzygardener 2/2/2011, 1:28 pm

Next week I'm starting a master gardener course though our extension office. This promises to be quite an experience.

Are there any master gardeners out There? What should I Expect?

**camprn** 2/2/2011, 1:55 pm

Congrats. Our NH Master Gardener program began too early in the season for me, so I have my sights set on next year. Good luck with your classes.

FarmerValerie 2/2/2011, 2:06 pm

That's on my bucket list, right after win lottery!!!! Just don't have the extra finances this year to take anything else on.

CindiLou 2/2/2011, 3:58 pm

I am in my third year MG. I love it. The hardest part actually, is getting the continuing education after wards. I live a ways away from any big towns so I have to search for opportunities.

First Training: makes you an intern
Second 40 hours of volunteer hours by approx Nov 1st: then your a MG
Each year after: 6 hours continuing education and 6 volunteer hours

I love doing it. Being around people with the same interests. You learn new things each year.

**Furbalsmom** 2/2/2011, 4:28 pm

dizzygardener wrote:Next week I'm starting a master gardener course though our extension office. This promises to be quite an experience.

Are there any master gardeners out There? What should I Expect?

Congratulations! cheers

Wishing you the best while taking your classes and volunteering.

I missed the deadline to register for this year. Sad

Our classes started the first week of January.
That's OK. I still have lots to keep me busy this year, so I will try to schedule next year's classes in time.

FarmerValerie 2/2/2011, 5:37 pm

Our county does not have one, the nearest is about an hour away, maybe more. Do you have to buy your curriculum, and is there a fee each year after to maintain your status?

dizzygardener 2/2/2011, 6:21 pm

There was a bit of a fee, but it includes our materials. I'm not aware of additional fees.

I'm really excited to take the course. I'm not a very experienced gardener so this is really going to help me gain the confidence I need.

CindiLou 2/2/2011, 6:58 pm

dizzygardener wrote:There was a bit of a fee, but it includes our materials. I'm not aware of additional fees.

I'm really excited to take the course. I'm not a very experienced gardener so this is really going to help me gain the confidence I need.

You will have class about once, sometimes twice a week. We had one day (a saturday) we had to go to the university for labs all day.
Your lectures will range all the way from soil to plants to ecosystems. Not graded!
It takes about 3 months. It will be fascinating to find out your interested in things you never even thought of!

FarmerValerie 2/2/2011, 7:04 pm

How much was your fee?

TryingForGreen 2/2/2011, 10:14 pm

I just started our state's MG program on Monday! It cost $300 and includes the RI Sustainable Gardening Manual. Each week features a different topic presented by an expert on that subject. There are weekly take-home, open-book quizzes. The program is every Monday evening through May 2nd and you cannot miss more than two classes. You also have to have an ave. quiz grade of 80%. Once you complete 50 hours (within one year of class completion) of volunteer time in one of their approved programs/projects, you are an official "certified" URI MG.

There are 111 of us in the class! We are assigned mentors based on our location. So, my mentor lives one town over and the 5 of us who live closest to her have been assigned to her. We plan on carpooling and getting together soon for a potluck and some gardening talk.

I'm very excited about the whole thing!

**camprn** 2/2/2011, 10:18 pm

Trying, that is so nice that they have evening classes. One of the main reasons I did not do MG this year was that it met all day on Thursdays from 9-4. NH MG class I believe is $375.

CindiLou 2/2/2011, 10:54 pm

Oh my, mine cost $125 and we went to lecture once, sometimes twice a week for three months (approximately 40 hours) then 40 hours min of voluteer time. Fee included Iowa Master Gardener Workbook (MG 5) and the Resource Guide for Iowa Master Gardeners .(yes there were quizs to do at home) and the day at the university(hands-on exercises related to soil science, botany, entomology, and plant pathology).

Master Gardener training sessions include:

* Animal ecology
* Botany
* Entomology (study of insects)
* Fruit culture
* Herbaceous ornamentals
* Home Landscape Design
* Houseplants
* IPM/Pesticides
* Landscape plants
* Plant pathology
* Soils
* Turfgrass Management
* Vegetables
* Weed Management

dizzygardener 2/3/2011, 12:39 am

Wow! Some of your courses are spendy. Ours is $90. It includes the course materials. We meet once a week for three months and have a comprehensive take home exam at the end. Once we complete our 40 hours of service we are certified.

That's all I know thus far. I'll be sure to come back with more details once I have them.

TryingForGreen 2/3/2011, 7:13 am

Isn't it interesting how different each state's program is in terms of cost/hours/etc?

I had also meant to say that in RI, you must do 20 hours of volunteer work per year to maintain your MG status. At our orientation this week, there was a guy who had just completed his 10,000th volunteer hour!

**camprn** 2/3/2011, 7:40 am

In NH a lot of the programs are required to generate as much income as they can as we have no broad based tax. Here is a link to our program. NH Master Gardener Program<~~ click here

TryingForGreen 2/3/2011, 9:19 am

I'm really surprised they don't offer evening classes in NH. Do they think all gardeners are retired? That must eliminate a lot of people who would like to participate. Here's the link to the URI MG Program: http://www.urimga.org/

By the way, I grew up in NH. Smile

nancy 2/3/2011, 9:31 am

Hurray for you!! cheers

I want to take ours, but it will have to wait until my dd is older and can stay home by herself. I can't ask someone to watch her every Saturday for 3 months. Keep us posted as you go through it - I'm so excited for you!

TryingForGreen 2/3/2011, 9:34 am

Every Sat for 3 months would definitely be tough!

Thanks for the nice words Nancy!

**donnainzone5** 2/3/2011, 10:03 am

I recently contacted my County Extension regarding that pesky olive tree and thought to ask about the MG program. I was told that the fee is only $30.00 or $40.00, which includes materials (I already have the book).

Once I retire, I'm going for it!

CindiLou 2/3/2011, 10:20 am

camprn, our program is sponsered by the horticultural department of one of our state universities. but the college has cut a lot of the (sorry, consolidated) training areas so they are farther away. used to be in each county.

Oh and was looking and ours as increased to $150 for the training.

Our lectures are in the evenings.

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