If you’ve wanted to sharpen your gardening skills, and you have an interest in sharing your knowledge with others, Purdue University has the ideal program for you.
Beginning Sept. 10, a Master Gardener training series will be offered for residents of Dearborn, Ripley, Ohio County and surrounding areas. The Master Gardener Program is a volunteer training program which offers an extensive course in horticulture in exchange for a donation of volunteer hours to help teach others what you have learned.
Training will be held from Sept. 10, through Nov. 26, on Mondays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Dearborn County Extension Office, located in the Aurora City Hall. Participants will be exposed to a wide range of subjects including soil and plant science, diagnosis of plant problems, pesticide safety, composting, and culture of vegetable, flower, landscape, and fruit plants.
A $120 per person supply fee will be charged to cover such items as reference materials, mailings, and name badges. These materials all become part of the Master Gardener’s personal collection.
While the class will be encouraged to create new educational outreach programs, there are already plenty of opportunities for which volunteers are needed. Some of these projects include teaching public education classes at local schools, speaking to local clubs and organizations, and developing gardens at local parks.
If you’d like an application to join our new team of volunteers or have questions about the program, contact Mike Hornbach at the Dearborn County Extension Office at 1-812-926-1189, Dave Osborne at the Ripley County Extension Office at 1-812-689-6511 or Jill Andrew-Richards at the Ohio County Extension Office at 1-812-438-3656.