Did you know that the WSU-Snohomish County Extension Master Gardener Program located right in Mill Creek’s backyard at McCollum Park trains new Master Gardeners every year, once a year, during the Winter? Whoo, that was a long sentence.

First, what is a Master Gardener & what do they do? Washington State University Master Gardeners are trained community educators – specialists in gardening & environmental stewardship. They operate Plant Problem Clinics, and they maintain three Demonstration Gardens: in Marysville, at Extension offices at McCollum Park & at the perennial border at the Evergreen Arboretum at Legion Park. They also conduct workshops, provide speakers, work with youth groups & provide mentors & educators through the Growing Groceries Program, the Natural Yard Care Program & the Rain Garden Program.

So, are you interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Training includes 80 hours of classroom & workshop instruction one day a week – on Thursdays – for three months, from January through March, as well as online instruction using “your” home computer. Tuition for this training is $245 which covers direct costs, materials & online training fees, plus a volunteer commitment of 50 hours each year for two years working in the various Master Garderner programs. If your work schedule does not permit you to make the volunteer commitment, you would be looking at tuition of $745. Obviously, this is something an applicant would have to be passionate about & to be in a position to fully commit to the training program. Do tell.

Applications are available at the Extension office & from the website now. The deadline for applications to be received by the office is November 2, 2012 for the class beginning in January 2013.

For more information about the Master Gardener Program regarding the training,  Plant Problem Clinics, the Demonstration Gardens, any of the other educational outreach work they do & the Snohomish County Master Gardener Foundation check out their website at  http://snohomish.wsu.edu

Information obtained from the WSU Extension Snohomish County website.

Photo ©dotellmillcreek.com