A true gardener never stops gardening because the calendar says it is time to stop. Whether growing and/or learning, gardening should be ongoing.

The Master Gardener program can be part of that ongoing earning for the gardening enthusiast. The program provides intensive training in horticulture to interested Ohio residents, who then volunteer their time assisting with educational programs and activities for Ohio residents through their local OSU Extension county office.

The Master Gardener program began in Ohio nearly 20 years ago and is now active in more than 50 counties. The program is also conducted in nearly every state in the United States as well as in Canada.

Volunteers are not required to have gardening skills or knowledge, but a passion for learning about gardening and sharing this knowledge with others is a must!

Working with county Extension personnel, Master Gardener volunteers provide such educational services to their communities as: answering gardening questions from the public; conducting plant clinics; gardening activities with children, senior citizens, or disabled persons; beautifying the community; and developing community or demonstration gardens.

This October we will be hosting a new class for Master Gardener training at the Clinton County Extension Office at 111 S. Nelson Ave., Wilmington, every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-9:15 p.m. It begins Tuesday, Oct. 6 and concludes Thursday, Nov. 24.

Classes will cover Basic Botany & Plant Physiology, Basic Entomology & Integrated Pest Management, Soils & Soil Fertility, Basic Plant Pathology & Plant Disease Diagnostics, Plant Propagation & Grafting, Plant Pathology & Disease Diagnostics, Lawn Management & Care, Annuals, Perennials & Bulbs, Trees & Shrubs, Fruit Production, Invasive Insects & Plants, Vegetable Pests & Diseases, Herbs & Spices, Organic Production, Bees, Pollinators & Habitat and Wildlife Management.

Cost for the entire series is $150 — $100 will be refunded upon completion of 50 volunteer hours. Registration materials are available by stopping at the Clinton County Extension office or by going to our website at www.clinton.osu.edu.

Our roots are in agriculture, but we’re much more than that. The Clinton County Master Gardener Volunteer program improves home and community environments through horticulture education and activities. MGVs complete 50 hours of instruction in plant science and volunteer throughout the year.

If you have a “growing” concern for horticulture/agriculture, and are interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer, contact 937-382-0901 or email your name, address and phone number to Tony Nye at [email protected].

Farm Science Review set

Along the idea of gardening, the upcoming Farm Science Review Sept. 22-24 at the Molly Caren Farm in London, Ohio will also have some great presentations for the gardening enthusiast/master gardener to attend.

There will be several workshops offered at the Utzinger Garden facility which is located at the center of the main Review grounds and is maintained by the Master Gardeners of Clark County. Master Gardener volunteers from all over Ohio will also be on hand daily in the garden to answer gardening questions.

There will also be specific workshops that will be offered throughout each day. Most workshops are scheduled on the hour and change topics each hour beginning each day with the first workshop at 10 a.m. Topics will include:

• Natives

• Beekeeping

• Gardening for Beneficials

• Healthy Food

• Small Space Gardening

• Garden and Insect Photography

• Insects in the Garden

• Plant Scene Investigator: What’s Wrong with My Plant and Who Did It?

• The newest Annuals for Your Flower Beds

• Pruning Woody Ornamentals

• Growing Vegetables all Season

These topics are just a sampling of some of the things participants can expect to learn about during the three-day farm trade show that annually draws more than 130,000 farmers, growers, producers and agricultural enthusiasts from across the U.S. and Canada.

Participants can peruse 4,000 product lines from 600 commercial exhibitors and can capitalize on educational opportunities from Ohio State and Purdue University specialists. For more event details, directions, and time schedules, go online at http://fsr.ose.edu.

You can get Farm Science Review pre-show tickets for $7 – stop by the Clinton County Extension office at 111 S. Nelson Ave., Wilmington.

Tony Nye is the state coordinator for Small Farm Programs and an OSU Extension educator, agriculture and natural resources, for Clinton County and the Miami Valley EERA