Athens-Clarke County Extension Is Accepting Applications for Its 2015 Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program

Are you a gardener who would like to volunteer in the community? Athens-Clarke County Extension is accepting applications for the 2015 Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program. Celebrating its twenty-fifth year this January, this adult education course provides comprehensive training in horticulture principles, gardening practices and pest management. The program also includes a volunteer component for participants to share their knowledge with others.

Designed for both new and experienced gardeners, classes for the 2015 program will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from Jan. through March at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Classes are primarily taught by University of Georgia faculty and include topics such as include soil and nutrition, vegetable gardening, organic gardening, annuals and perennials, plant propagation, disease control, landscaping, turf, tree care and more. Participants also will partake in a hands-on pruning workshop, garden tours led by State Botanical Garden of Georgia curators and a tour of the University of Georgia Soil, Plant and Water Laboratories. The cost for the program is $205, which includes 50 hours of course instruction, the Georgia Master Gardener textbook, name badge, certificate and graduation reception upon course completion.

After completing the course, Master Gardeners assist UGA Extension in providing unbiased, research-based gardening information to the community. Participants each serve 50 volunteer hours within their first year and then 25 hours each year thereafter to retain an active certification. Volunteer opportunities are designed to provide additional training and education to new Master Gardeners, and trainees work alongside veteran volunteers. Example opportunities include assisting clients at the Athens-Clarke County Extension office, staffing the “Ask a Master Gardener” booth at farmers markets, digging in the dirt at Plant a Row for the Hungry gardens, working at community and demonstration gardens, facilitating Junior Master Gardener programs for elementary school students and more. In 2013, 150 Master Gardeners volunteered 13,000 hours in the Athens area.

To download the 2015 application, please visit www.ugaextension.com/clarke/anr or call (706) 613-3640. Please submit your application by Nov. 1, 2014. Early registration is encouraged.