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This page
was last updated
February 3, 2010
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Bexar County Master
Gardeners
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Official
Website of the Bexar County Master Gardener Program
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FAQs
New or Transferring
Master Gardeners
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Master
Gardener
Forms
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Now
taking applications
-- Junior Master Gardener (JMG) Program, Class #5 --
(CLICK HERE
to download application)
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Now
taking applications
-- Spring 2010 Teacher's Training --
(CLICK HERE
to download the application and program agenda) |
Now
taking applications
-- Master Gardener Program,
Class #51 --
(CLICK HERE
to download application) |
The Master Gardener Program is a volunteer development program offered by the
Texas AgriLife Extension Service and is designed to increase the availability
of horticultural information and improve the quality of life through horticultural
projects. Master Gardeners are highly-trained volunteers working with Texas
AgriLife Extension to provide residents with information on environmentally
responsible gardening and landscaping. They provide unbiased, research-based
information, problem-solving expertise and educational opportunities to residents.
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. They form a network of highly-qualified and concerned people who are
capable of implementing a wide range of activities useful to the community.
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 local
Extension office to provide horticulture-related information to their communities.
Is
the Master Gardener Program for Me?
To
help you decide if you should apply to be a Master Gardener, ask yourself these
questions:
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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?
If you answered
yes to these questions, the Master Gardener program could be for you.
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Volunteer
Commitment
In
exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer time to their County
Extension program.
The type of service
done by Master Gardeners varies according to community needs, and the abilities
and interests of the Master Gardeners. Some Master Gardeners answer telephone
requests for information related to gardening. Others staff plant clinics or
displays in shopping malls or community centers. Master Gardeners may speak
to local groups and conduct workshops. They may help establish community garden
projects, work with 4-H youth, or assist their agent with news or radio releases
related to gardening. The Master Gardener Coordinator in the County Extension
office decides how volunteer time can be best utilized.
Master Gardeners
are representatives of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. In all volunteer
work related to the program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations
of Texas AgriLife Extension. The title of "Texas Master Gardener"
can be used by volunteers only when engaged in Extension-sponsored activities.
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Qualifications
Qualifications
for the Master Gardener Program include:
- Basic gardening
interest and knowledge
- Enthusiasm for
acquiring and sharing horticulture knowledge and skills
- Ability to relate
unbiased, research-based information to the public
- Ability to learn
(or re-learn) new information, some of which is practically applied information
and some fundamental, scientific principles
- Ability to attend
classes, pass an exam, showing mastery of a wide range of topics
- Willingness,
commitment and time to volunteer
- Understanding
Texas AgriLife Extension's educational mission
Benefits
Benefits
of becoming a Master Gardener include:
- Satisfaction
of serving your community to extend the educational mission of the Texas AgriLife
Extension Service
- Interaction
with people in your community with similar interests and telents in gardening
and landscaping
- Deeper understanding
of the science and art of horticulture and its applied sciences
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Training
If
accepted into the Master Gardener program, you will attend a Master Gardener
training course. Classes are taught by Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialists,
staff, and local experts.
The program offers
a minimum of 50 hours of instruction. Topics may include:
Botany &
Plant Physiology
Integrated Pest Management/Entomology
Plant Identification
Plant Pathology
Xeriscape
Perennials/Annuals
Turfgrass Maintenance & Diseases
Wildscaping
Natural Resources
Urban Forestry
Propagation
Water Conservation & Quality
Herbs
Vegetables
Specialty Gardening
Pruning Principles
Soils/Composting
Fruits & Nuts
What
do Master Gardeners do?
The
Bexar County Master Gardeners assist the local County Extension Office:
- Answering horticultural
inquiries over the telephone
- Giving educational
talks to various groups
- Introducing
youth to gardening
- Supporting 4-H
and Youth Development programs
- Presenting information
at garden and trade events
- Organizing educational
programs and conferences
- Creating and
maintaining gardens which showcase plants for our area, new planting methods,
composting and irrigation methods
- Researching
and answering inquiries
- Writing articles
about horticulture
- Increasing awareness
of integrated pest management, water conservation and quality, and other environmental
issues
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Certification/Recertification
Participants
become certified Master Gardeners after they have completed the Intern training
course, pass an examination administered by Texas AgriLife Extension, and volunteer
a minimum of 50 hours within one year.
In order to retain
the Texas Master Gardener title, individuals are required each year to participate
in a minimum of six (6) hours of recertification training (CEU's) and provide
an additional 30 hours of volunteer service through the Bexar County Extension
office.
Master Gardener Classes in Bexar County
In Bexar
County, Master Gardener classes are usually offered three times during the year--spring,
summer, and fall. Please note that the summer class is usually designed for
teachers affiliated with the Texas
Junior Master Gardener Program. All Master Gardener Classes will be
advertised when class dates are determined, and we will accept applications
at that time. Please do not send your application for a class that is scheduled
for more than six months from the current date. To obtain an application,
you may call the Extension office (210/467-6575) or download an application
from this site.
For
more information on the Master Gardener Program in Bexar County, contact
us by e-mail or call us at 210/467-6575.
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