Spring 2013 Master Gardener Course Offered at Sunset Hill Farm

Purdue-ExtensionPorter County is announcing its Spring 2013 Master Gardener Course. The program runs Monday evenings from February 25 through May 20, 2013. Classes will be held at the Sunset Hill Farm County Park Education Center, U.S Highway 6 & Meridian Road, Valparaiso, IN. The classes will be from 6:00 to 9:00pm.

Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and able to communicate with diverse groups of people. What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their cooperative extension office to provide horticultural-related information to their communities.

To help you decide if you should be a Master Gardener, ask yourself these questions? Do I want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of many types of plants? Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training program? Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my community? Do I have enough time to attend training and to complete the volunteer service?

When you are accepted into the Master Gardener program, you will attend a Master Gardener training course. Classes are taught by the Purdue University Extension Service specialists, staff, and local experts. The program offers a minimum of 35 hours of instruction that covers topics including lawn care, ornamental trees and shrubs, insect, disease, and weed management; soils and plant nutrition, vegetable gardening; home fruit production; garden flowers; landscaping and herbs. In exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer time to their county extension program. At least 35 hours of volunteer service following the training is required to earn the title of “Purdue Master Gardener.”

The cost of the class is $200 which includes manuals and materials. Applications with payment need to be submitted to the Extension Office as soon as possible for consideration. Priority will be given to Porter County residents and early applications.

For more information and an application, contact Lyndsay Ploehn, Agriculture & Natural Resources Associate, at (219) 465-3555. Applications are also available on the web at: www.extension.purdue.edu/porter