 HORTICULTURE 
Valley County Extension's horticulture program provides expert resources to help gardeners, growers and landscape tenders get the best results from conditions in their area.
Master Gardener Program Coming to Glasgow!
March 4th -
The Valley County Extension Service will be providing the 8 week Level 1 course for Master Gardeners, beginning March 4, 2010. The classes will be taught through Adobe Connect at the Glasgow High School on Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The fee for the 8 week program is $85.00 which covers course materials including a Montana Master Gardener Handbook ($35 with the program, $40 if purchased without taking the course), refreshments, and a gift upon completion of the volunteer service requirement of 20 hours. This is a fabulous opportunity to hone your gardening skills in a collaborative environment with other local gardeners and gardening professionals from the area. Please contact the Extension office 228-6241 or valleyextension@valleycountymt.net to sign up for the program so that materials may be ordered prior to the first session.
So what is the Master Gardener program you ask? It is a series of classes to train volunteers in research-based home horticulture practices. Beginning in 2010, there will be three levels to the Master Gardener Program. The eight-week Level 1 Extension Master Gardener course will teach basic yard and garden installation and maintenance, which is great for beginners and is a good refresher for intermediate to advanced gardeners. Level 2 is an advanced Master Gardener course for those that have prior gardening knowledge and/or experience. The Level 3 master Gardener course will be an intensive three day training on the Montana State University campus that will be available the summer of 2011.
Classroom participation enhances your educational experience as students are encouraged to network and share their own experiences, thereby also learning from each other. Upon completion of your training, you will receive a certificate and be asked to volunteer community service time through the Montana State University Extension Service.
In the Level 1 Master Gardener course you will learn:
- Introduction to Montana State University Extension and the Master Gardener Program
- Soils and fertility (N-P-K-Fe)
- Plant growth and development Part 1
- Growing food from your yard and garden
- Flowers
- Trees, shrubs, vines and pruning
- Lawns and irrigation
- Yard and garden maintenance/composting
- Intro to integrated pest management (IPM)
Following the completion of the Level 1 master Gardener course, you will be required to pass an open-book exam and fulfill your volunteer commitment of 20 hours.
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