Master Gardeners looking for new members
The Hot Spring County Master Gardeners is an organization through the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service with about 30 people from all walks of life that share a common interest, the love of gardening. Master Gardeners are always eager to help others with horticulture and gardening problems, and their enthusiasm is contagious.
They have been helping to beautify Hot Spring County for the last several years and have reported almost 1,000 hours of volunteer work this past year. These volunteer hours provide an estimated value of $10,000 to our community for beautification.
Arkansas has more than 3,000 active Master Gardener volunteers from 67 counties. The individuals in the program and their commitment make the program interesting and they make a huge difference in the state and in the Master Gardener Program. The Arkansas Master Gardener Program was started in 1988 in Pulaski, Jefferson, Garland, and Saline counties.
New Master Gardeners receive 40 hours of training in botany, soil science, plant propagation, pest management,
pesticide and herbicide usage, vegetable and ornamental plant gardening, and weed identification, pruning and other horticulture related subjects. In exchange, Master Gardeners donate back to the community by maintaining a number of garden projects, answering questions, researching specific problems, planting educational and therapeutic gardens, providing public speakers and much more.
Hot Spring County Master Gardener training will be available online this spring starting March 1st. New Master Gar
deners will be assigned a mentor to help navigate the program and have until May 15th to complete the training. The cost of the training is $75, but the Hot Spring County Club is willing to pay half of the registration for new members, making the cost only $37.50.
Individuals who have a love for gardening, like to share their knowledge with people in the community, and have time to commit to the training as well as the required volunteer service, would make a good Master Gardener.
Considering becoming
a Master Gardener in 2021? Now is the time! Applications are available at the Cooperative Extension Office at 1415 Smith Street. They must be submitted by February 12.
The Master Gardener Program is open to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protective status.
For information, contact Rachel Bearden, County Extension Agent, Agriculture, at 332-5267 or rlbearden@uaex. edu.