Register Feb. 1 for online Master Gardener classes

Posted

VERONA — The new year offers a new oppor­tunity for garden enthu­siasts who want to hone their craft and give back to their communities.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is offering the Master Gardener train­ing and certification on­line again this year. Participants take 40 hours of instruction in consumer horticulture and related topics to be­come expert volunteers.

Learn more and register for the first Master Gardener class of 2022 from Feb. 1-28 at http://msuext.ms/mg. In­struction for all classes is on­line and self-paced. The online class material is offered from March 15 to May 15.

“The Master Gardener pro­gram grooms active volun­teers who exchange the 40 hours of educational training they receive for 40 hours of volunteer service within one year of their training,” said Jeff Wilson, Extension horti­culture specialist and state co­ordinator of the Master Gardener program.

“These Master Gardeners continue to be assets to their communities as, in future years, they continue to re­ceive training and log a mini­mum of 20 community service hours a year to maintain their certified status,” he said.

The volunteer work of Mas­ter Gardeners helps local Ex­tension offices reach a broader audience than is pos­sible through just the efforts of Extension agents. Volun­teers take on a variety of com­munity beautification projects and extend the educational arm of the university to the public by providing horticul­tural information based on university research and rec­ommendations.

“Master Gardener volun­teers experience the personal satisfaction of serving their community, gaining horticul­tural expertise and connect­ing with their local gardening community,” Wilson said.

The cost for Master Gar­dener training is $125 for those who want to become certified volunteers and pro­vide 40 hours of service.

For $200, the same material is available for those not inter­ested in the volunteer service component. A third option is to pay $25 per class for select classes. These classes are available year-round and do not require volunteering.

MSU is an equal opportunity institution. For disability ac­commodation or questions about the Master Gardener program, contact Jeff Wilson at 662-566-8019 or jeff.wil­son@msstate.edu.






Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions