FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Shelby County Extension System is offering the Master Gardener Volunteer Program beginning Aug. 6 at the Extension Office in Columbiana.

The purpose of this nationwide education program is to train interested gardeners to help others solve their home horticulture problems.  The course is designed for non-professionals with an interest in increasing their gardening skills and helping others with the knowledge they have gained.

The classes will meet once a week on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for 13 weeks, and after completing the course, Master Gardener interns will be expected to give 50 hours of volunteer service to Extension and their communities.  Any volunteer effort that relates to gardening will be accepted.  Examples of volunteer efforts would include giving garden club programs, community garden projects, diagnosing plant problems or assisting the local cooperative extension office in some way.

The instructors are specialists from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University Professors, Regional Extension Agents, Master Gardeners and friends of the Extension System.  The topics to be covered include soils and plant nutrition, plant physiology, entomology, plant pathology, care of landscape plants, landscape design, plant selection, lawn care, weed identification, houseplants, vegetable gardening, home orchards and plant propagation.

The class is limited to 20 people.  For more information about this class or for an application contact the Shelby County Extension Office at 205-669-6763 or Nelson D. Wynn by e-mail at wynnnel@aces.edu.