When you took Little Rock-Arkansa out, interest in gardening increased, and that interest did not seem to be waning.
The Arkansas Master’s Gardeners Program, part of the University of Arkansas’ Department of Agriculture, continues to be the state’s largest fruit and vegetable volunteer and educational organization. Registration for the spring training, which begins on September 22, is now open.
This year’s training will be conducted through ZOM and will include five-day sessions on September 22, September 29, October 6, October 20 and October 27.
It costs $ 75 and includes 40 hours of training and a master gardener’s book.
Trainees learn about basic plant, soil and fertilizer, pest control and pest control. In addition, there will be lectures on landscape design, horticulture, annual and other topics of interest to other homeowners. Each new master gardener is also paired with a councilor in their county.
“Our consultants are unique among this volunteer program,” said Bernie Kurth, an extension consumer of fruits and vegetables for the Department of Agriculture. They provide guidance to new gardeners and help answer questions.
Voluntary teaching is essential for many cooperative expansion programs, including major gardeners. Members will complete a 40-hour volunteer service after training. They complete 20 school hours and 20 hours of community service each year to maintain membership.
He said communities around Arkansas have benefited greatly from the work of the main gardens in public gardens, parks and other public places. You can see the work of teacher gardeners in almost every district in the state.
In 1988, with only four counties and 40 members, the Arkansas Master Gardener Program now has 3,200 volunteers in 67 counties.
Contact your county representative at the county Cooperative Expansion Service Office for a program application. The county directory is available at https://www.uaex.uada.edu/counties/.