Trained Almost 24% More Master Gardeners Than Last Year

The State Advanced Training Program trained 1623 Master Gardeners in 2013 and was coordinated by Robin Hessey.

HIGHLIGHTS:

•Trained almost 24% more Master Gardeners than last year

•Hired Sara Tangren, Ph.D as a MG Trainer in Native Plants and Sustainable Horticulture

•Developed and presented 4 brand new courses

•Worked with Sea Grant Extension and a University of Maryland Extension grant to educate MGs about water management in 3 counties.

SUMMARY:

•320 took Level II Advanced Training classes in Plant ID/Taxonomy, 200 Common Landscape Plants of Maryland, Entomology- Ecological IPM, Ask a MG Practicum, Landscape Design for Water Management, Vegetables – Intensive Techniques and Master Composter.

•430 were trained in a single day continuing education workshops on Soils, Plant Diseases, Organic Vegetables, Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnostics, Wild Collecting Native Seeds and Basic Native Tree ID

•873 attended Annual Training Day in May 2013 at UMCP.

320 were trained In Advanced Training Level II. Level II classes offered Master Gardeners an opportunity for in-depth learning about many important subjects such as the basics of plant taxonomy, specifics about 45 Ornamental Trees and Vines and 40 Flowering Shrubs and 50 Evergreen Trees and Shrubs, how to diagnose landscape plant problems in "Ask a MG" Practicum, how to diagnose problems in the Vegetable Garden in “Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnostics”, how to become compost experts in the Master Composter Class, how to control pests in the landscape in the least toxic manner in Entomology- Ecological IPM, and how to design landscapes that would best handle and infiltrate stormwater in the Landscape Design for Water Management class.

These courses were designed to give Master Gardeners the in-depth knowledge they need to better understand their environment and how to advise the public. They are all certificate classes and are multi-part and multi-day.

• Plant ID/Taxonomy- 54students received 9 hours of training. Course was taught by Wanda MacLachlan in Howard Co and Steve Dubik in Montgomery Co. 92% and 100% respectively of students taking these classes rated the class a 4 or 5 (5 being the highest rating). Students now know how to identify woody plants in the landscape using dichotomous keys.
• Landscape Horticulture- 200 Common Landscape Plants of MD. 86 total students trainedin 3 different 9-hr courses taught in 5 different locations.
• Flowering Shrubs - 18 trained by Joyce Browning in Harford Co. and 19 by Wanda MacLachlan in Prince Georges Co.
• Evergreen Trees and Shrubs – 29 trained by Bob Stewart in St. Mary’s Co.
• Ornamental Trees and Vines- 20 trained by Steve Dubik in Anne Arundel Co.
• “Ask an MG” Practicum. 20 trained. One 12-hour class spread out over 3 days. Included 2 field trip and 3 instructors. 88% rated this course as excellent or very good and 100% said they’d be more likely to work at a Plant Clinic as a result of taking the course.
• Master Composter Classes- 25 trained. 10 hour course taught in 1 location (Frederick Co.). 100% gave this class an excellent or very good rating. 100% passed their final exam. All are expected to perform 10 hours of volunteer work in the field of composting.
• Entomology – Ecological IPM. 28 trained. 12 hour course taught by Mike Raupp, Ph.D. in Queen Anne’s Co.100% gave this class an excellent or very good rating.
• Landscaping Design for Water Management. New course for 3 different locations.
• Montgomery Co. - 22 educated with Sea Grant Educator Amanda Rockler
• Queen Anne’s Co - 25 educated with Sea Grant Educator Jen Dindinger
• St. Mary’s Co. – 22 were educated with Sea Grant Educator Jackie Takacs

These courses were supported by a grant from the University of Maryland Extension and were coordinated with Sea Grant Extension. 86 trained. Each location had 17-hr class spread out over 3 days. In two locations 100% rated the class good or excellentand in one location 66% gave the class these ratings. 100% of all classes say they are likely to teach others about stormwater management based on what they learned in this course. Every student is expected to volunteer at least 5 hours in the field of water management after course completion.

•Vegetables – Intensive Techniques and Small Space Gardening - 38 trained in Frederick Co. New 2-day course taught by Jon Traunfeld. 4 instructors. 88% rated this class as excellent or very good.

430 were trained in a single day continuing education workshops where MGs had the chance to deepen their knowledge about Soils, Organic Vegetable Gardening, Plant Diseases, Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis, Wild Collecting Native Seeds and Basic Native Tree ID.

• Better Yields through Better Soils – 140 trained with Elizabeth Hill, Jon Traunfeld and 6 other presenters in Baltimore Co.
• Organic Vegetable Gardening – 81 trained. 6 hr. course taught by Jon Traunfeld and 2 other instructors in Baltimore County.
• Plant Diseases. 52 trained. One 6-hr. courses taught by Dave Clement, Ph.D. in two locations: Baltimore County and Howard Co.
• Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis – 55 trained. 6 hr classes taught by Jon Traunfeld in 2 locations: Howard and Charles Counties.
• Wild Collecting Native Seed – 31 trained. 6 hr class taught by Sara Tangren, Ph.D. in 2 locations: Baltimore City and Prince George’s Co.
• Basic Native Tree ID – 71 trained. 6 hr training taught by Sara Tangren, Ph.D. in 3 locations: Anne Arundel, Frederick and Queen Anne’s Co.

873were trained at Annual Training Day- MG’s received 6.5 hours of training with keynote speaker, 30 workshops, a trade show, breakfast and lunch. A wide variety of topics from pollinators, soils and landscaping to labs on plant diseases were offered to better educate MGs with current, relevant information. This year’s keynote speaker was University of Maryland Researcher, Dennis VanEngelsdorp, Ph.D. on “Why we Need Bees”.