2017 New River Valley Master Gardener Training Class - Blacksburg, VA, February 28 - May 11

Are you looking for a way to improve your community through volunteer service?  Do you have an interest in horticulture?   Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge?  If the answer to all of these questions is yes, being an Extension Master Gardener may be right for you!

Virginia Cooperative Extension is now accepting applications for the

2017 New River Valley Master Gardener Training Program!

Applicants must be able to attend a 60-hour Training Course and complete 50 hours of volunteer service with Virginia Cooperative Extension during their first year.

The Training Course will be held March-May 2017 on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:00PM – 4:00PM at the Hahn Horticulture Pavilion at Virginia Tech. Students will get an equivalent of 3 college credits worth of knowledge from classes taught by Virginia Tech professors and Virginia Cooperative Extension Agents.  The course provides a thorough understanding of all areas in horticulture and includes the following topics: 

Topics covered in the course include:
Botany	Entomology	Indoor Foliage	Annuals
Perennials	Risk Management	Trees and Shrubs	Abiotic Plant Stress
Fruits	Plant Pathology	Urban Forestry/Pruning	Landscape Design
Propagation	Vegetables	Pesticide Use & Safety	Water Quality

The cost for the 60-hour course is $150.00, which covers the Virginia Master Gardener Handbook textbook and other training materials.

Upon completion of the Training Course, students will be considered interns and will begin a 50-hour internship designed to provide practical hands-on learning under guidance of experienced Extension Master Gardeners.

There are many on-going Master Gardener projects in the NRV that help others learn and use sustainable gardening and landscape practices, teach youth gardening skills, provide food for those in need while teaching them how to grow their own, assist community members through horticultural therapy, and more. Master Gardening is a fantastic way to volunteer. The skills you learn during the Extension Master Gardener Training Course will help you not only in your own gardens but when assisting others as well.  We hope you will consider joining this exciting, fun, and educational group who don’t mind getting their hands dirty to support the community!

Contact the New River Valley Master Gardener Coordinator at the Montgomery County Extension Office for more information or to obtain an application!

Applications are due by December 19, 2016.