Posted: March 3, 2021
We are busy group, affecting our community and helping others.
Penn State Master Gardeners get asked a lot of questions. Questions abound at our annual plant sale, at the Fayette County Fair, online, through our gardening hotline or by simply chatting with family and friends. But of all the questions we receive, perhaps the most frequent is, "What the heck is a Master Gardener?" If you have ever wondered the same thing, read on to learn the answer.
The Penn State Master Gardeners program is a volunteer organization established by the Cooperative Extension to help in providing horticultural knowledge and gardening skills to the public. Its mission is to support Penn State Extension's outreach by utilizing unbiased research-based information to educate the public and our communities. We promote best practices of sustainable horticulture and environmental stewardship.
What that means in practice is that we will not be much help with old tales regarding which phase of the moon is best for planting. However, if you are looking for fact-based information on improving soil quality, effective pest control, or the right conditions for a particular plant to germinate and thrive, we can help.
Master Gardener volunteers not only have a love of gardening, but we also develop expertise in an array of subjects through a weekly six-month training course covering topics such as plant identification, soil health, integrated pest management, pruning, and composting. The curriculum is aligned regularly with the best-known horticulture science from Penn State and around the world. Classes are conducted by Penn State University faculty and Extension staff.
The program was first introduced in the state of Washington. An extension worker, Dr. David Gibby, was frustrated with his ability to keep up with the number of inquiries he was receiving each week. He enlisted and trained the first group of Master Gardener volunteers in 1973. The idea spread rapidly and today, there are Master Gardener programs in all 50 states, Canada, and other countries.
In the US, the programs within each state are associated with the states' land grant universities. Penn State Extension introduced the Master Gardener program in 1982. There is a Master Gardener group in 65 Pennsylvania counties with more than 3,400 volunteers statewide.
Once training is complete, Master Gardeners volunteer to answer questions, staff gardening events, work with community organizations, and establish local demonstration gardens. We support Penn State statewide research projects designed to understand and improve plants for the benefit of both our native pollinators and backyard gardeners. And we share information through our Internet websites, Facebook page, gardening hotline and by writing articles like the one you are reading now.
Locally, you may have heard our regular radio broadcast on Saturday mornings on WMBS or visited the Fayette County Master Gardeners booth within the 4-H building at the Fayette County Fair. Perhaps you have attended one of our gardening seminars or our annual plant sale.
For the past two years, we have partnered with the Connellsville Garden Club to develop a vegetable demonstration garden near the Carnegie Library. We held weekly sessions to teach the public about growing food and ultimately donated 290 pounds of produce to a local charity. In another community outreach our members worked closely with Menallen School to establish an outdoor learning program. We helped them to create a garden that was used for several years as a resource for teaching the children about our environment. Both projects have been recognized with statewide awards.
The organization is particularly proud of its role in a non-gardening project: Pennsylvania's poison prevention program which features the familiar Mr. Yuk. Master Gardeners and Extension staff visit first-grade classes at local elementary schools (virtually this year) to teach children how to recognize and avoid harmful household products and what to do in the event of an accidental poisoning. Thousands of children benefit each year from these presentations and from the information packet and stickers they receive.
All the Master Gardeners' efforts are aimed at improving our local communities. Even though the training is generalized, we are encouraged to pursue areas that pique our individual interests. For example, prior to my becoming a Master Gardener, I had little to no understanding of Pennsylvania native plants and insects. However, native gardening has become an interest of mine and the focus of my continued learning.
Likewise, within our Fayette County Master Gardener group we have individuals who have developed a wide range of expertise. Specialties range from ancient agricultural history, to advanced botany, to cutting-edge watering systems. While the complexities of gardening can seem limitless, you can be assured your questions will be answered with the knowledge of current research and well-established science.
Teamwork is an integral and essential part of the program. We meet monthly to plan ways to carry out our mission and to share our knowledge with each other. We attend on-going training sessions, webinars, and lectures to expand our knowledge so that we may pass it on. Penn State Master Gardeners work together to teach the best horticulture practices to the public, and in doing so, we develop lasting friendships with others who enjoy learning and have our shared interests.
If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener yourself, more information is available at the Join the Master Gardener Program webpage.
If you are interested in learning more about the Master Gardener's outreach programs, information is available at the here Master Gardener Outreach Programs webpage.
If you have questions about the program or gardening, please email us at fayettemg@psu.edu and a Master Gardener will respond. You can also find us on Facebook where we share gardening news and tips and announce webinars and special events.
By Roy W. Hess, Jr., Penn State Master Gardener, Fayette County
