Train to be a Brevard Master Gardener in Saturday class | Sally Scalera
In September, I wrote about the upcoming UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Master Gardener class 2024 that will begin in January.
The previous article was for residents who can attend a class on Wednesdays, which isn’t possible for residents who work through the week. With this in mind, I am also offering a class next year for working residents. If you missed my previous article about the Master Gardener Program, here is the program's history. In addition, I’ll share specific information on our program.
The Master Gardener program was started in 1972 in Seattle, Washington, by two extension agents. They were looking for ways to meet the needs of backyard gardeners. They felt that well-trained volunteers could help with many of the day-to-day homeowner questions they received.
Since then, there is now a Master Gardener program in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program relies on trained and dedicated volunteers interested in gardening and giving back to their communities, benefiting both UF/IFAS Extension and the residents of Florida.
In 1979, three counties in Florida, one of which was Brevard County, held Master Gardener classes for the first time. The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program has this mission: To assist Extension Agents in providing research-based horticultural education to Florida residents.
It has a vision, too: To be the most trusted resource for horticulture education in Florida.
Out of 67 Florida counties, 56 counties maintain an active Master Gardener program with more than 4,000 volunteers throughout the state.
The Master Gardener volunteer coordinator is typically a horticulture extension agent who runs the Master Gardener class and oversees the county’s volunteer recruiting and management of the program. Here in Brevard County, I am the Master Gardener coordinator, and since 1995, I have offered the Master Gardener class.
The 11-week course costs $250 and will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, from 9 am to 3 pm. Jan. 27; Feb. 10, 17 and 24; March 2, 9 and 30; April 6, 20 and 27; and May 11. Only two classes out of the 11 can be missed to graduate.
Many volunteer opportunities are still available for working residents to fulfill the 75 volunteer hours the year they attend the class. Every year after, only 35 hours are required to remain an active Master Gardener. Below are the various ways working Master Gardeners could volunteer and support the Urban Horticulture program and UF/IFAS Extension in Brevard.
Due to the geographical shape of Brevard County, which is 72 miles long and averages 26.5 miles wide, 14 Master Gardener clinics are held throughout the county. The current Master Gardener clinics are on weekdays, except the Cocoa Library clinic, which is 1-3 p.m. Sundays. Master Gardeners who work during the week could contact their nearby Libraries that are open at night and/or on the weekend and set up additional clinics. Some clinics are held once or twice a month, whereas many of them are held weekly.
We also have the Brevard Discovery Garden for those who enjoy getting their hands dirty. The areas that Master Gardeners work in include the garden, nursery and greenhouse. Each area provides different volunteer opportunities.
In the garden, there are planting, pruning and weeding. In the greenhouse, volunteers start new plants from seeds or cuttings and care for them. In the nursery, volunteers care for and weed the potted plants for future planting in the garden or fundraising plant events, which are often held on weekends.
I also train Master Gardeners to conduct My Brevard Yard site visits. During the site visit, the Master Gardeners collect soil and water samples (if the irrigation source is from a well) for testing. Master Gardeners can also help with plant identification and answer questions.
The homeowner receives fertilizer recommendations based on their soil test results. Master Gardeners who work through the week could schedule site visits on the weekend to help accrue the required 75 hours.
Another opportunity for volunteering is to staff a UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County table at special events held throughout the year. These are fun events that the Master Gardeners attend, answer residents' questions, hand out our gardening information, and get the word out about the UF/IFAS Extension Service. We will be looking for more events to attend, which could be another source of volunteer hours.
Many benefits come with training and being a Master Gardener. The benefits begin in the Master Gardener class, where you will learn new information. Learning is always fun, and if it has to do with gardening, that makes it extra fun.
Along with learning, you will have the opportunity to make new friends. The social aspect is a great benefit, especially for anyone new to the area.
Gardening also is a great way to exercise, as it involves walking, stretching, digging and lifting. And it can be a mood booster, because working with vegetable plants, flowers and trees can improve your outlook through the beauty of the plants and the feeling of accomplishment from making an area look nicer.
The Master Gardener program is a win-win for the Master Gardeners and Brevard County, so if you enjoy gardening, consider becoming a Master Gardener.
If you would like an application for the Saturday Master Gardener Class of 2024, contact the Master Gardeners at [email protected]. After we receive your completed application, you will be contacted by a Master Gardener to set up an interview so you can learn more about the program and ask any questions you may have.
Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email her at [email protected].
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard Master Gardener class now offered on Saturdays
