Popular home horticulture course moves to the North Country this fall

UNH Cooperative Extension will offer a Master Gardener course in Lancaster this fall. After completing the intensive course in home horticulture, Master Gardeners volunteer time in their communities, sharing their knowledge and their love of gardening with others.

Since 1993, this popular program has trained more than 700 Master Gardeners throughout New Hampshire, 500 of whom remain active as Master Gardener volunteers and take advantage of ongoing programs of continuing education.

Students in the program normally travel to Concord or to Manchester for classes. Coos County Extension educator Steve Turaj organized the Lancaster classes to ease the travel burden for North Country residents. Through an exchange program with the Vermont Master Gardener program, the Lancaster training program also welcomes Vermont applicants.

"The course isn't geared for beginners," says Turaj. "We're looking for experienced gardeners who want to increase their in-depth knowledge of home horticulture." Instructors will cover such topics as botany, soils, insects, plant diseases, plant propagation, indoor plants, fruits, vegetables, sustainable gardening, woody ornamentals, annuals and perennials, landscaping and more.

After graduation, the gardeners volunteer a minimum 45 hours during a year-long internship, extending to other gardeners their enthusiasm for gardening and the knowledge gained through the classes. After the intern year, full-fledged Master Gardeners remain active by continuing to volunteer a few hours each year.

The North County classes will meet a full day a week for eight weeks in the Granite State Room of North County Resource Center in Lancaster from late September to mid-October.

The eight classes will meet from 9 am to 4 pm, September 23, 28 and 30, and October 5, 8, 12, 14, and 19 (days of the week vary-check calendar). The program costs $175, which includes a reference handbook. Scholarships are available based on need.

For more information, or to receive an application in the mail, please call 788-4961.You can also download the application from our Web site. Please submit your application for the Lancaster program by August 31.