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El Paso County Master Gardener Program
The number one leisure activity in the United States is
gardening and the number one volunteer gardening program
in the United States is the Master Gardener program.
In El Paso, approximately 25 volunteer gardeners are selected
each year and trained extensively.
All volunteers chosen to participate in the Master Gardener program are required to serve
a minimum of 50 hours of community service under the
direction of the CEA--Horticulture. The Master
Gardener program is not a gardening class per se--it is
more akin to a docent-training program and the selection
process for inclusion is based on the ability and the
willingness of the applicant to share with the community
what they have learned. Each county Master
Gardener program has different volunteer opportunities.
During the intern year (first year after class) in El Paso, 20 hours must
be spent answering horticulture questions on the
gardening hotline, 20 hours must be spent at our
demonstration garden, and 10 hours must be spent on any
other currently approved Master Gardener project.
The course is held only once per year, usually from
August through November.
Classes are taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Topics include: landscape design, plant and soil science,
plant propagation, native plants, tree care and
maintenance, insect management, and diagnosing plant diseases.
Classes are taught by Texas A&M University personnel and
various community experts. A $150.00 fee, ($195.00
for commercial applicants) payable on the first day of
classes, covers all course materials and handbook.
A portion of this fee is used to perform a criminal
background check (for working with youth) on all course participants. To
be placed on the list to be notified about the next
Master Gardener program, please send an email to
drichards@ag.tamu.edu
Download the Fall 2008 Master Gardener Application:
(Word Document)
--
(Adobe Acrobat)
Ms. Daphne L. Richards
County Extension Agent-Horticulture
190 San Elizario Road
P.O. Box 929
Clint, TX 79836
(915) 851-2515
(915) 851-5312 FAX
Email: drichards@ag.tamu.edu
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