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Union County Master Gardeners Open House

The Master Gardeners of Union County plan an open house on October 11, 2006 from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Union County Agricultural Services Center at 18000 St. Rt. 4 in Marysville. The Union County Master Gardener Program was established in 1994 and has 111 members. Each year 50 hours of classes are offered which cover the best management practices of lawn care, ornamental trees, and shrubs, insect, disease and weed control, soil science and plant nutrition, vegetable gardening, home fruit production and other horticultural topics.

Classes are held at the Union County Agricultural Services Center on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6- 9 p.m. starting January 30 and ending March 20, 2007.

Those who successfully pass an examination covering course material will provide 50 volunteer hours before earning Master Gardener Certification.

In return for this specialized training. Master Gardeners are asked to volunteer time to the Union County Extension Program. Volunteer activities include our annual Tour of Gardens, maintaining McCloud Park, sponsoring a plant sale, providing speakers on horticultural topics to community groups, holding plant clinics, and providing plant, disease, insect and nutritional deficiency identification.

The benefits of becoming a Certified Master Gardener are many. Master Gardeners receive quarterly newsletters and other free update materials, participate in Regional, State and National conferences and attend educational in-service. These sessions provide opportunities to address gardening problems and new horticultural developments with other Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners are also given countless opportunities for community service and become recognized experts in their horticultural specialties.

Applications for the 2007 Master Gardener Program is available through the OSU Extension Office, 18000 State Route 4, Suite E, Marysville, Ohio 43040 or by calling (937) 644.8117. The application deadline is December 31, 2006.