If you love gardening and sharing your knowledge with others, you are encouraged to enroll in the Master Gardener course offered in McKenzie County through an online program with North Dakota State University Extension. Application deadline is October 29.
The NDSU Extension Master Gardener Program is a volunteer service organization that beautifies communities, educates the public about gardening, works with youth and encourages conservation of natural resources.
This year’s Master Gardener online training program will run for 10 weeks beginning Jan. 18 and ending March 29, 2019. Classes will not be held on March 15.
“Online students can log in on their computers and participate in the live Friday classes from 1 to 4 p.m (CST),” says Esther McGinnis, NDSU Extension horticulturist and Extension Master Gardener director. “Alternatively, students can watch the recorded lectures at a more convenient time.”
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.
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 NDSU Extension. After that, they will be certified as Master Gardeners.
Potential volunteer projects include answering gardening questions in the Extension office, organizing horticultural workshops, managing school and community gardens, designing and maintaining pollinator gardens, and providing horticultural therapy.
Tuition for the 2019 class is $225 plus an application fee of $35 for those wishing to become a Certified Extension Master Gardener or $400 for the nonvolunteer option. Internet access, computer knowledge and an email account are required.
Twenty-seven North Dakota counties will be accepting a limited number of Master Gardener applications. The application deadline is Oct. 29.
Application forms are available at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/mastergardener/. For more information, contact the NDSU Extension/McKenzie County Office at 701-444-3451 or McGinnis at 701-231-7971 or [email protected].
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