Master Gardener Training in Lowndes County will be offered Feb. 26 through March 24, the Mississippi State University Extension Office has announced.
The Master Gardener program trains individuals who want to serve the County Extension Office as volunteers to assist in Extension horticultural programs, 4-H youth horticulture training and community service projects. Work is done under the direction of the Lowndes County Extension Agent.
“You may have noticed some of the landscape projects around Columbus that have had the hands of the Lowndes County Master Gardener Volunteers placed on them — like the landscaping at the downtown Post Office, the beautiful Butterfly Garden along the Columbus Riverwalk, or the colorful pots and landscaping at Lee Park,” said Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Agent Reid Nevins. Many have also attended one of the horticultural programs offered by the Master Gardeners or Lowndes County Extension Office.
The Mississippi Master Gardener program is offered by the MSU Extension Service. Individuals are trained and certified in horticulture and related areas. In exchange for educational training, individuals are asked to volunteer to help the Lowndes Extension Office with horticulture projects that benefit the local community. Master Gardeners help extend the educational arm of MSU to the public by providing horticultural information based on university research and recommendations.
The volunteer program is a good way to gain horticultural expertise at a low cost, meet other avid gardeners, share gardening experiences, get connected to the community and belong to a respected educational exchange program, Nevins noted.
How to participate
Master Gardener Training will be offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoons Feb. 26 through March 24, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The location of the interactive video training this year will be the Lowndes County Extension Office at 318 Seventh St. N.
“To enroll, we require that you prepay the $90 fee that funds the training program, materials, CD and meeting refreshments,” said Nevins. “Should circumstances prevent you from attending the class after registration, $50 of that fee is refundable if claimed the first week of class.”
To register for the class, contact the Lowndes County Extension Office or Nevins at 662-328-2111 or email [email protected]. Checks should be made payable to the Lowndes County Master Gardener Volunteers.
Individuals who require special accommodations to participate should contact the Extension office to make their request known prior to the program.
To maintain certification in the Master Gardener program individuals must attend 12 hours of advanced training and also volunteer 20 hours of service to the County Extension program annually. The average Lowndes County Master Gardeners volunteer an average of 40-plus hours per year.
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