FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Purdue Master Gardener Basic Training will be offered both this fall 2018 and spring 2019 in Allen County, according to Terri Theisen, Extension Educator with the Purdue Extension, Allen County.
The fall 2018 course will be on Monday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon. The spring 2019 course will be Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. To complete the classroom requirements, interested persons only need to attend either the fall or the spring course, not both. The program will be offered at the Purdue Extension, Allen County building located at 4001 Crescent Ave, Fort Wayne, IN.
The Purdue Master Gardener program is designed to train volunteers to assist with horticultural education programs for Purdue Extension. Participants enter a specially designed training program in home horticulture. Upon completion of the training program, they are identified as Master Gardener interns. At that time, the volunteers are expected to extend the information in the areas of gardening and horticulture under the guidance of Purdue Extension to become certified Master Gardeners.
The Purdue Master Gardener basic training program will consist of 14 sessions. The fall course starts on Sept. 10 and concludes on Dec 10. The spring session starts Jan. 9, 2019, and concludes on April 17 (note: no class on March 20).
Topics covered are plant science, plant nutrition, soil science, pest identification and control, pesticide safety and alternatives, and care of specific plant types, such as: home lawns, vegetables, fruits and herbaceous and woody ornamentals. Purdue Extension Specialists, Extension Educators, Advanced Master Gardeners, and local horticulture experts serve as instructors.
Persons interested in registration information for the Master Gardener program should contact Purdue Extension, Allen County via phone at 260-481-6826 or via email at smit2177@purdue.edu. Pre-registration is required. The cost is $125 per person.
— Purdue Extension, Allen County