Master Gardener training starts in September

by Barbara Guilland Wsu Grant County Master Gardener
| July 25, 2019 9:24 PM

Today we continue last week’s column on Master Gardener training.

Interns will meet veteran Master Gardeners who will be their mentors as they work through the online course. They will receive the schedule of the live classes, instructions for access to the online classes, usually held at two-week intervals through the next three months; instructions for access to the online classes; and a handbook that will help them begin work with their fellow interns and MGs on the many Master Gardener projects throughout Grant and Adams counties.

Saturday, Sept. 28, 9 a.m. to noon at WSU Sunrise Orchards. Karen Lewis, who has been WSUE Tree Fruit Specialist for many years and a friend of the Master Gardener Program in Grant County since its inception, will cover tree fruit growing/management during an onsite tour of WSU Extension Research fruit tree orchards. This particular class/lab has been part of the curriculum for many years.

Saturday, Oct. 12, 2 p.m. to 4 p. m. at the Huck Fuller Building at the Grant County Fairgrounds, Moses Lake. Mike Bush, a pest biologist with the Washington Department of Agriculture and recently retired from WSU Extension, will be speaking about insect identification and plant problem diagnosis.

Saturday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m. to 3 p. m. Cloudview Farms in Ephrata. Isaac Lnenicka, Certified Arborist and Head Gardener for Cloudview Farm, will present the class/lab, which is dedicated to growing food without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizer or pesticides. Lnenicka will speak about vegetable gardening and arboriculture. Cloudview Farm also promotes community wellness through children’s educational programming and supporting community events and programs such as the Master Gardener Program.

Saturday, Nov. 2, 1 p.m. to 3 p. m. at the Huck Fuller Building at the Grant County Fairgrounds, Moses Lake. Paula Dinius, the Chelan-Douglas Extension Urban Horticulturist, will present “The Basics of Gardening” cover site evaluation, plant selection and watering. Paula has come to the Columbia Basin many times to present topics of interest to gardeners.

We’ll conclude Master Gardener training next week.

For answers to your gardening questions, contact the Master Gardeners at the WSU Grant-Adams Extension office at 754-2011, ext. 4313 or by email at ga.mgvolunteers@wsu.edu. Samples may be brought for identification to the WSU Extension Office, 1525 E. Wheeler Road, Moses, Monday-Thursday 8-5 PM.