Variety of classes help to make better gardeners

By Angela O'Callaghan

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 | midnight

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has finally recognized the great work that Master Gardener volunteers perform for their communities nationwide. This is in the form of a news release entitled “USDA Master Gardeners Available to Help Americans Grow Safe, Healthy Food Throughout the Country.”

These are not simply good gardeners; they are good gardeners who are committed to improving the quality of horticulture in their hometowns. While this might not be news for many people, it could be a surprise to those who have never used the help that they provide, such as teaching classes to the public, answering gardening questions and helping residents solve problems on the daily help line. This help is offered by volunteers who successfully complete a 70 hour training and donate 50 hours annually. Here in Southern Nevada, the average contribution is considerably higher.

If you are interested in participating in the Master Gardener program, you will have a chance soon. There will be a new class starting in September, meeting three mornings per week. The training covers virtually everything that one would need to garden here in the challenging Mojave environment.

An information and registration meeting will be Aug. 10 at the Cooperative Extension office at Windmill and the 215. It will be necessary for you to phone Ann Edmunds, the Master Gardener coordinator, to register.

For educators, we will be offering an “Introduction to Gardening for Teachers” class on Aug. 1. This will cover basics of creating a garden without fear, to help teachers who are interested in using a garden as an outdoor classroom but are at a loss as to getting started. Call our school gardens coordinator, Karyn Johnson, for more information.

Much of the time, people only want to have information for their own use. They do not have the time to attend a 70-hour course, nor to volunteer, and they are not in the educational field.

Extension has a program for people who can only afford half a day to learn about growing vegetables. On August 29, I will teach “Growing in Small Places” emphasizing growing vegetables on porches or patios. I will actually have two classes: the morning class is really designed for beginners. This will cover how, where, when and what to plant; with an introduction to composting. The afternoon, for those who have either taken the morning class or consider themselves to be experienced gardeners, will be more in-depth. This will look at selecting varieties, managing the fertility of soils and potting mixes, problem solving, and more. Please call the community gardens coordinator, Elaine Fagin, if you want to participate in one or both of these classes.

Even though it is a month of astonishingly intense heat, you can see that August will be full of gardening information, and that will prepare everyone for the great fall garden season. The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension phone number is 222-3130.

­Angela O’Callaghan is the area specialist in social horticulture for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. She can be reached c/o the Home News, 2275 Corporate Circle, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074, or [email protected].