Thursday, December 21, 2017

2018 Master Gardener Class Forming

Do you love gardening and sharing your experience with others? Even if you are not a Cabell County resident, you can become a Master Gardener through the Cabell County Master Gardener Association classes that are beginning soon.

Master Gardeners are volunteers trained by agents of the WVU Cooperative Extension Service and local experts to provide practical home and garden education. They answer questions at the WSAZ Home & Garden Show, volunteer at horticultural events like Huntington in Bloom, and help manage school and community gardens.

The 2018 Master Gardener classes begin on Tuesday, January 9 th , at Enslow Park Presbyterian Church in Huntington, WV. Classes are from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. each Tuesday through May 15 th . Class size is limited.

The Master Gardener class consists of 16 weeks of classroom work and hands-on activities. Instructors provide an overview of major horticultural topics, environmentally sound gardening practices, food safety, and issues affecting West Virginia residents and homeowners. Class topics include insect management, container gardening, soils and fertilizers, composting, organic gardening, and many others.

Upon completion of classroom work, graduates volunteer 40 hours on designated projects to complete the requirements for earning the Master Gardener title.  A fee of $110 must be paid at the start of class. This fee will cover the comprehensive West Virginia Master Gardener Handbook, handouts, name badge, and other supplies.

For more information or to register for the class, call Pauline Tiller at the WVU Extension Service - Cabell County at (304) 526-8458, or you can also sign up for the classes using the online form.


Thursday, December 7, 2017

Putnam County Master Gardeners to Conduct 2018 Fruit Tree Fundraiser

The Putnam County Master Gardeners are conducting a Fruit Tree Fundraiser during the months of December and January.  The public is invited to place their order for trees from Adams County Nursery, Inc. in PA with a bulk order placed by the local Master Gardener association.  Pending on the total number of trees that the group orders, typical savings per tree (when ordering 100 trees or more) are $18/tree for apple and pear varieties and approximately $17/tree for peach, plum and cherry trees.  Two yeqrs ago, we ordered 150 trees and trees averaged $12 -$15 per tree.  Orders and payments must be received by January 30th.  Price breaks, premium charges, disease resistant varieties, rootstocks and pollination considerations are located at the company’s website (http://www.acnursery.com/acn_trees.php).  A limited number of catalogues are available at the WVU Putnam County Extension Office.  A donation to the Putnam County Master Gardeners of ($2) per tree, depending on the number of trees ordered, will be collected for each tree order.  To place an order or for further questions, call the Kari Wilger at 304-767-5583 or email her at wilgerkari@gmail.com.