Take your gardening skills to a new level starting this January
We’ve all heard the commercials: “It’s time to go play in the yard.” And while the winter months are not exactly the prime gardening season, come this January you can take part in a transformative experience that goes far beyond mere “gardening”.
Once a year, the folks at the University of Tennessee Extension System offer a Master Gardener class, which starts in January and runs for 15 weeks. It is so much more than just tools and tips and so forth; it is a golden opportunity to connect with fellow gardeners and to learn how to use everything from trees to flowers to vegetables to impact and improve the lives of everyone. And best of all, you don’t even have to be a gardening expert to become a Master Gardener. All it takes is time, a little bit of money, and passion.
So what’s involved in the classes? Everything from soils, trees, perennials and vegetables to fruits, insects, lawn care and so much more, all taught by experts in each area. Each student gets a massive Master Gardener manual (which you get to keep), plus there are often door prizes and even free plants given away at many of the classes. And who doesn’t love free plants?
But what truly makes the Master Gardener program unique and so beneficial to the community is the spirit of volunteer service. Each graduate of the program then goes on to complete a 40-hour service commitment, giving the gift of their new-found knowledge back to the community, to earn the title of Master Gardener.
“Master Gardeners are individuals who have an interest in gardening and nature,” explains Tom Stebbins, the Extension Agent for Hamilton County. “They have taken the Master Gardener training and then share their time and expertise with other gardeners. It is the attainment of knowledge, then giving it back to the community that distinguishes a Master Gardener from other gardeners.”
And those Master Gardeners stay very active, with numerous ongoing projects, such as the Chattanooga Area Food Bank Demonstration Garden, assisting organic vegetable gardeners at Crabtree Farms, giving lessons at the Siskin Children’s Institute Garden, helping with the indoor and outdoor gardens at the Tennessee Aquarium, working with the Chattanooga Nature Center and Habitat for Humanity, and so much more. All told, over 20,000 volunteer hours are given annually on these and numerous other projects in Hamilton County.
If you’re interested, sign up now, as classes fill up quickly. There are two classes, one on Monday evenings and the other on Tuesday mornings, each with 20-30 students, who meet at the UT Extension Building off Bonny Oaks. The total fee is $170 for the class, which includes the huge book and other materials.
To apply, call the UT Extension office at (423) 855-6113 or go to mghc.org…because it’s always time to go play in the yard, indoor or outdoor, rain or shine, winter, spring, summer or fall.