It's Tuesday Night and I Miss my Master Gardener Class

For the past 9 weeks I've spent Tuesday and Thursday evenings in Master Gardener School at the University of D.C., with this wonderful bunch.  Even more fun were the tree-planting day and our field trip to Hillwood Gardens.  Now classes are over and while I'll be doing 32 more hours of community service before I'm official, I just realized I may never see these people again.  If continuing ed requirements are instituted, as rumored, that would change and I think the community of Master Gardeners that would result would be a hoot.  This class included people who work or volunteer regularly at the National Arboretum, work at local nurseries, have landscaping businesses or want to, already volunteer in gardens at schools and senior centers -- and the list just keeps on going.  Go Urban Gardeners!

Oh, and how about the substance of the classes, an astute reader might ask.  Well, imagine PowerPoint presentations by guest experts on these subjects: botany, soils and fertilizers, entomology, plant diseases, bulbs, woodies, herbaceous plants, herbs, pruning, veggies, propagation, IPM and weed ID, turf and design.  What's not to love?  All that and a certification at the end of the process cost only $100, plus a $50 book - a real old-fashioned bargain.

Comments

[DC Urban Gardener]

Hello!

I just learnt that there is this wonderful class available in DC from my local nursery this morning! So apparently I have missed out on this recent class. Where do I sign up for the next? I went to UDC website and couldn't find the appropriate link.

Also, I have been looking up the programs at Smithsonian and the Botanical Garden too. But they seem to be rather complicated and require tough admission requirements. I just want to start somewhere and learn how to do planting right. ;-)

[Takoma Gardener]

See www.takomagarden.net, then click community service for information about dc master gardeners. Website coming soon!