The Master Gardener Program at NDSU

1
The Master Gardener Program at NDSU

• Ron Smith, Ph.D.
• Master Gardener Coordinator

2
In The Beginning.

• County Extension Agents across the country were
  frustrated with the ever increasing questions on
  horticultural subjects areas that their
  education and training had not prepared them
  for.
• In 1972 in Seattle, the MG program was initiated,
  in King County, WA, by county agents, David
  Gibby and Bill Scheer. An advertisement was
  placed, and

3
Wanted Expert Gardeners
to Become Master Gardeners

• 600 responses 300 were accepted 200 trained
• Training sessions were held 8 hr/day,1 day/week
  for 5 weeks
• Original MG were required to pass a subject exam
  AND an exam for pesticide licensing administered
  by the Washington State Department of
  Agriculture.

4
Where were you in 1972?
Think about the technology you used in 1972.
When did you first hear about the Master
Gardener program?
5

• The MG Volunteer concept was taken to specialists
  in Western Washington Research and Extension
  Center in Puyallup.The specialists initially
  REJECTED the idea of training volunteers.

6
500 in funds were needed to staff the first MG
clinics.
The request was turned down by University
Extension administration.
7
Origin of the MG Name Gibby and Scheer had
studied in Germany and knew the Germans bestow
titles for hard-earned proficiency levels in
various crafts. The top level of proficiency in
horticulture is donoted Gartenmeister which
they anglicized as Master Gardener.
8
.A New Educational Program is Born

• Purpose Develop a core of volunteers with
  sufficient knowledge to assist Extension in
  meeting the demands for reliable
  gardening/horticultural information
• Today, more than 50,000 Master Gardeners in the
  U.S. and Canada, volunteer their time and effort
  in assisting the Extension Service in
  disseminating sound horticultural advice and
  practices.

9
The Educational Process In ND

• Starting in 1996, the Master Gardener course is
  offered every fall via the IVN (Interactive Video
  Network) system around the state.
• MG students receive approximately 32 hours of
  core classroom instruction, and about an
  additional 8-10 hours of outside self-study.
• MG students take and pass exams on the subject
  matter covered.

10
The Volunteer Program.

• Once the initial classroom instruction is
  completed, the students then volunteer in many
  ways over the next year, completing a total of 48
  hours of approved volunteer work. When completed,
  they are then North Dakota Certified Master
  Gardeners!
• There are annual updates of classroom instruction
  or field trips to maintain their accreditation.

11
The Subject Matter is.

• Diverse! Covering, communication skills, basic
  botany, plant diseases, insects, weed control,
  plant propagation, and more
• We review the newest introductions based on
  research information not wishes or dreams so
  that when the next gardening season comes around,
  they are.

12
Prepared!

• To shop intelligently not only for themselves,
  but be in a position to make sound horticultural
  recommendations based on what they have learned.
• Here are some nuggets of what one would learn
  from taking the NDSU Master Gardener Course!

13
So, Be Prepared to Learn About Flowers,
Vegetables, Woody Plants, and More!
Lipstick Sweetpea
Heritage River Birch
Superbush Hybrid Tomato