Keep it Green, by Michael Womack
Archives | Arts & Entertainment | Audio/Video | Business | Classifieds | Columns | Food | Forums | Health & Fitness | News | Obits | Opinions | People | Politics | Science/Technology | Search | Sports | Subscribe | Travel | Weather

Saturday, June 23, 2001

Learn to grow a green thumb

Master Gardeners are looking for a few good men and women interested in helping others and making their thumbs a little greener along the way. These dedicated volunteers further extend the educational programming of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Master Gardeners are a vital part of the Extension Horticulture program, not only in Nueces County but throughout much of the state.
   Texas has 91 counties with Master Gardener programs. Last year, more than 4,150 Texas Master Gardeners contributed 219,815 hours. That has been estimated as the equivalent of 105 full-time employees and an economic benefit of $3.1 million to the people of Texas.
   In 2000, 64 Nueces County Master Gardeners volunteered 4,657 hours to local horticultural education programs and projects. Carol Bonn, extension specialist for volunteer management, estimated their value at more than $69,000.
   Desire to volunteer
   These volunteers serve in a multitude of activities, including youth gardening programs at schools and at the Botanical Gardens Children's Garden. They also work on some community beautifcation efforts, including assisting in the maintenance of the Xeriscape Design Garden and Learning Center and horticultural assistance to the Botanical Gardens. Other volunteers provide horticulture presentations to civic and garden clubs and answer questions from the public through phone, e-mail and at home and garden shows. In short, they are in the business of teaching others about gardening.
   There are no prerequisites for becoming a Master Gardener, just a desire to volunteer and to continue learning. Many of these volunteers have had an interest in gardening, but no formal training. Others are truly "masters" of gardening. Some of them have been gardening in the Coastal Bend for most of their lives and have learned the tricks to gardening in our difficult environment. However, that does not qualify them to be a certified Texas Master Gardener.
   Back to school
   Master Gardeners are required to go through an extensive class that provides a broad-scope knowledge for successful gardening in Texas, with local classes focusing on South Texas gardening challenges. After completing the 50-hour course, interns then return 50 hours of volunteer service during the next year.
   Classes include basic botany, plant insect identification and management, plant pathology, water quality and soil fertility, vegetable gardening, landscape design, landscape plant selection, turf management, tree selection and maintenance, propagation and tropical plant care.
   Other specialty topics tentatively planned include water gardening, using native plants in the landscape, attracting birds and butterflies and floral design.
   Classes are taught by extension specialists and by local gardening experts.
   The next class begins Aug. 22 and will be held at the extension office in Robstown (710 E. Main, Suite 1). All classes are scheduled for Wednesday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to noon through Dec. 12.
   The cost is $85 for materials plus a $50 deposit on volunteer hours which is returned after the hours are completed.
   Those interested must attend an orientation in July. To learn about the Nueces County Master Gardener program, call the Texas Agricultural Extension Service at 767-5217.
   Aransas and San Patricio counties will run a Master Gardener course in Rockport on Tuesday afternoons, concurrent with the Nueces County program. For information, call 790-0103.
   Other area Master Gardener programs are located in Beeville and Kingsville. Call the respective county extension offices for information.
  
  

---

Michael Womack is a horticulturist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Got a question? Michael Womack will answer landscape and gardening questions. Call 886-4648, category 3025 to record your question. Write Keep It Green, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi, TX 78469 or email wm-womack@tamu.edu

---

---

2000 Caller-Times Publishing Company, a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.