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Master Gardeners
The Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) Program
The Master Gardener Volunteer role is to support OSU Extension, Shelby County in meeting the needs of our citizens in the area of consumer horticulture by assisting with educational programs, diagnosing plant problems, making cultural and pest management recommendations, and other various opportunities.
To become a certified Master Gardener, you must attend all the training sessions, pass (open-book) examinations at the end of the sessions, and volunteer 50 hours to the community through Extension supported events. Such events could include; answering horticultural questions from the public through our hotline, teaching 4-H youth gardening, planting and maintaining demonstration gardens, judging horticultural projects, and assisting with community garden projects.
Master Gardener Training has already begun for 2009 BUT if you are interested in becoming a 2010 Master Gardener please read the Volunteer Position Description below, complete the application, and/or contact the OSU Extension Office, 937-498-7239 or aufderhaar.5@cfaes.osu.edu!
OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Application
OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Position Description
2009 Spring Gardening Seminar: Sunday March 29th
Would you like to know more about Rose Gardening or Landscaping with Edible Plants? On Sunday March 29th two Shelby County Master Gardeners will be sharing their expertise on roses and edible landscaping at the 2009 Spring Gardening Seminar. The seminar will be begin at 1:30pm at the Shelby Co. Amos Memorial Public Library Art Gallery on 230 East North St., Sidney.
Bonnie Banks will start the seminar with selecting roses, pruning, disease and insect problems and prevention methods. Bonnie has been a Shelby County Master Gardener for the past eight years. Bonnie’s primary interest is in flower gardening, specifically, unusual perennials and annuals, roses, cottage gardens, and container water gardens.
John Gutman will follow Bonnie’s portion of the seminar. John will discuss using edible plants as landscaping. John has been a Shelby County Master Gardener for over 10 years and much of his landscaping is not only beautiful to see but eventually tasty to eat! He will walk you through how you can have landscaping and food all in one plant or tree.
The Spring Gardening Seminar is free to the public and refreshments will be available.
Organic Gardening Seminar: Wednesday April 1st
Would you like to know more about Organic Gardening? The 2009 Master Gardener Training kicked off March 4th with 20 trainees from Miami, Shelby, Logan and Champaign Counties. The training will continue over nine consecutive Wednesdays at the Tipp-Monroe Community Service Building located at 3 E. Main Street in Tipp City.
The trainings cover various horticultural topics including the best cultural practices for growing flowers and vegetables, house plant care, plant disease and insect pest identification/control. The instructors include Extension professionals, local businesses and other experts. One of those experts include Marvin Duren founder and owner Marvin’s Organic Gardens in Lebanon. On Wednesday April 1st Marvin will be spending the day with the MG trainees discussing Organic Soils, Composting, Insect Facts, Developing Bird Habitats and much more. And because this information is a unique and timely topic to the area this training session will be open to the public.
Marvin Duren purchased a 32-acre property in Lebanon in 1999 and Marvin’s Organic Gardens was born earning its official USDA organic certification in 2003. This certification guarantees the entire property follows strict, organic growing methods, and never uses synthetics or chemicals.
For many years, Marvin has practiced gardening and lawn care without using synthetics or chemicals (no herbicides, fungicides, pesticides or fake synthetic fertilizers). He converted to all-organic methods of gardening in 1978 believing our environment is too important to waste. Gardening is "therapy" for him and he encourages others to enjoy the rewards of gardening as well.
Marvin’s seminar with begin at 9:00am at the Tipp-Monroe Community Service Building. From 9am-12pm Marvin will discuss working with organic soils and composting and from 1-4pm creating bird habitats and using insects to your advantage. The cost is $20.00 for the day. Master Gardener trainees and current Master Gardener volunteers can attend the seminar free of charge but all attendees must register.Please register by March 27, 2009 because the number of participants will be limited. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to increase your knowledge about organic gardening. Below is a link to a registration form...
Organic Gardening Seminar Registration Form
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