Looking for gardeners
Garland County Master Gardeners is an organization through the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service with about 230 people from all walks of life who 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
Springs and Garland County for 30 years and have reported over 14,000 hours of volunteer work and 8,600 educational hours annually.
These volunteer hours provide an estimated value of over $350,000 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 our state and in our 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, 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.
Garland County Master Gardener training starts Thursday, Jan. 30, with the continuing training days on Feb. 6, 13, 20 and 27. The training starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. each day. The application deadline is Nov. 27, with interviews starting in December.
If you have a love for gardening, like to share your knowledge with people in the community, and have time to commit to the training as well as the required volunteer service, you would make a good Master Gardener.
Come to our monthly meeting at the Elks Lodge, 132 Abbott Place, on the third Thursday of October or November and meet many of the Garland County Master Gardeners.
Considering becoming a Master Gardener in 2020? Now is the time! Applications are available at the Cooperative Extension Office at 236 Woodbine.
Master Gardener information
Master Gardener meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Elks Lodge. They’re open to the public, and guests are welcome. For more information, call the Extension office at 623-6841 or email Alex Dykes at adykes@uaex.edu.
EHC information
Are you interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For information on EHC, call 623-6841 or email Alison Crane at acrane@uaex.edu. Follow Alison on Facebook @garlandEGF and @Garland FCS, and EHC on Facebook @GarlandCountyEHC.
4-H information
For information about Garland County 4-H Club membership or program benefits, contact Linda Bates at the Garland County Cooperative Extension Service office located at 236 Woodbine in Hot Springs, call 501-623-6841, or email lbates@uaex.edu. Additional information is available at http://www.uaex.edu/garland.