As August continues to fly by, I will be gearing up to send out applications to anyone who wants to become a Master Gardener in 2010.
This is exciting for me because we will be adding another 25 to 30 people to our growing group of around 150 enthusiastic, hardworking gardeners who add value to our community through their projects.

Their support of the county Extension office includes answering phone calls on garden-related topics and maintenance. They also sponsor the popular Spring and Fall Garden Expos, drawing plant lovers from around the area.

Some of the public service projects the Master Gardeners have been involved in this year include the “Gardens on Green” at the Hall County Board of Education Building and the gardens at Wilshire Park. The Master Gardeners hosted the successful Garden Walk tour this year, which showcased five Master Gardeners’ home gardens.

Another exciting project that continues to grow in Hall County is the Junior Master Gardener program. There are 11 elementary schools involving more than 250 children, and the more than 50 Master Gardeners involved in this program teach children a love for gardening.

Master Gardeners also contribute to the community through their common passion for gardening. Master Gardeners receive more than 40 hours of classroom and instructional courses taught by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents and other specialists in related horticultural fields. The classes range from Basic Botany to Waterwise Gardening, and these classes help equip the students to assist with gardening questions that come up in the community.

When the classes are completed, the Master Gardener intern is required to volunteer a minimum of 50 hours the first year and 25 hours each year afterward to keep his or her active certification.

If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener, please contact me at the Extension office. You can also go to the Hall County Master Gardener Web site at hcmgs.com for more information.

Applications will be mailed out in mid-September and classes start Jan. 5. They will be taught 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday through the end of March.

Wanda Cannon is a Master Gardener trained through the Hall County program and also serves as Master Gardener coordinator and horticulture assistant for the Hall County Extension office. Phone: 770-535-8293.