For Immediate Release:

October 28, 2011

 

2012 Master Gardener program

is accepting applications

Deadline is Jan. 2 for annual program

 

FREEHOLD, NJ  – If you are interested in becoming a certified expert in all things related to home gardening in Monmouth County, the Master Gardener Program may be a great way for you to begin the new year. The deadline to apply is Jan. 2.

 

“Each Master Gardener trainee receives in-depth, hands-on training in horticulture from the best in the field – Rutgers University and Brookdale Community College faculty as well as Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service professional staff,” Freeholder Lillian G. Burry said. “The program includes plant biology, propagation, soil science and pest control.”

 

After completing classroom and hands-on training, Master Gardeners share their knowledge by conducting garden lectures, demonstrations, school and community gardening projects, telephone diagnostic service for callers and research.

 

To become a Master Gardener, an applicant must live in Monmouth County, be available to attend 10 weeks of classes and make a commitment to providing gardening information and services to the community.

 

Classroom sessions will be held from February through May on Tuesday and Thursday or Friday mornings. The first class is Feb. 21. At the conclusion of the classes, Master Gardener trainees are required to give 60 hours of volunteer time in horticultural projects and answering calls on the county’s “horticulture helpline.” Those who complete the training become certified Master Gardeners. 

 

Those interested in the program should file an application no later than Jan. 2, 2012. The application can be downloaded from the county’s Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com. Be sure to click on the Department link to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service. You can also pick up a copy at the Cooperative Extension Service office at 4000 Kozloski Rd., Freehold, or call 732-431-7260 to request an application be mailed to you. There is a $250 fee to cover material and program costs.

 

The Master Gardener Program, conducted throughout the United States and Canada, is a two-part educational effort, in which avid gardeners are provided many hours of intense home horticulture training. In return, they “pay back” local university extension agents through volunteerism. In Monmouth County, the program is a cooperative effort of Rutgers University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Brookdale Community College and the Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

 

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