Beginning on Jan. 14, 2019, the Purdue Master Gardener Program basic intern training will be offered for residents of Hamilton County and surrounding areas. In 2018, the members of the Hamilton County Master Gardener Program donated over 15,000 volunteer hours on approved projects throughout the county.
Training will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Mondays (two Wednesday dates) at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2003 Pleasant St., Noblesville. Participants will be exposed to a wide range of subjects including soil science, plant science, diagnosis of plant problems, using pesticides safely and much more.
The Purdue Master Gardener Program is a volunteer training program that provides a learning framework for participants to increase their knowledge on a wide variety of horticultural subjects. In turn, participants represent Purdue University as volunteers, sharing knowledge while providing leadership and service in educational gardening activities within their communities.
Materials and expenses for the series of classes cost $175 per participant. This expense fee covers such items as reference notebooks, mailings and name badges. These materials all become part of the participants 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 helping with the annual plant sale, staffing information booths at gardening events, teaching public education classes, speaking to local clubs and organizations and hands-on demonstration gardens.
The Purdue Master Gardener Program is an educational outreach of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service. To obtain an application about the Purdue Master Gardener Program, please contact Purdue Extension Hamilton County at (317) 776-0854.
For more information about Purdue Extension in Hamilton County, visit extension.purdue.edu/hamilton.