August 5, 2011
08/08/11 Marshall County Extension Office offers an excellent class to help gardeners expand their knowledge and skills being the Master Gardener Intern Class. This class provides the education class hours needed for an individual to become a certified Purdue University Master Gardener. The Class will start on Tuesday evening, August 30th, and have sixteen evening classes on mainly Tuesday evenings and three on Thursday nights through December 13.
The class series is being held at Marshall County Extension Office located east of the Marshall County Courthouse on Jefferson Street one block west of Michigan Street.
The purpose of the Purdue Master Gardener Program is to spread horticulture knowledge throughout our community by providing quality horticulture education to garden enthusiasts.
According to Bob Yoder, Marshall County Extension Educator, a positive aspect of the intern class is gardeners getting to spend time together, developing new friendships, and swapping gardening information among themselves. The sixteen class series will provide educational presentations on plant science, soil science, plant nutrition, insect, disease, and weed identification and control options, woody ornamentals, herbaceous ornamentals, fruit and vegetable production, pesticide safety, basic organic production options, lawn care, basic principles on landscaping and plant propagation.
Once this class is completed and 35 hours of volunteer time are completed, you will become a Purdue Master Gardener and be eligible to be active in our local organization and in state and national level programs. Participating in this program and being a member of our local organization is a great way for gardeners to make new friends and to further their horticulture knowledge.
The cost of the Marshall County Master Gardener Intern Class is only $120, which includes a $50 reference material, or $180 for a couple willing to share Master Gardener resource handouts. Again, this program will start on Tuesday evening, August 30th. Class size is limited to the first 25 individuals that sign up. For more information on the Master Gardener Intern Class and Purdue Master Gardener Program or to obtain the registration form, call the Marshall County Extension Office (574) 935-8545 or e-mail Robert Yoder at ryoder@purdue.edu.