The Beaufort County Extension Service will offer the next master gardener class March 4 through June 12 at the PSD No. 1 office on Matthews Drive, Hilton Head Island.
The class will meet from 1 to 4 p.m. each Wednesday. The curriculum is developed and distributed statewide by Clemson University and administered locally by Laura Lee Rose, county extension agent-horticulture, Beaufort County Extension Service.
Master Gardeners receive a minimum of 40 hours of instruction and core training in soils and plant nutrition, basic botany, entomology, plant pathology, vegetable and fruit gardening, landscape design, and several other subjects.
In addition to completing the class assignments, each individual is required to donate 40 hours of volunteer work to receive designation as master gardener. These projects range from support at the Hilton Head plant clinic and the Beaufort County Extension office, to providing horticultural assistance at a variety of community-based initiatives like restoring the gardens at the Heyward House in Bluffton and teaching gardening skills to area youth and adults.
There is a course materials fee of $200 per person or $230 for spouses sharing materials. Interested applicants can contact the Beaufort County Extension Service, P.O. Box 189, Beaufort, SC 29901, (843) 470-3655 for more information. The application deadline is Feb. 14.
The mission of the Clemson Extension Master Gardener Program is to select, train, and utilize knowledgeable volunteers to facilitate the educational work of the local consumer horticulture agent, by delivering researched-based information to residents of the state.
The Lowcountry Master Gardener Association is a volunteer organization that supports and engages in projects and activities which promote and foster community enrichment, knowledge and enhancement in the areas of horticulture and ecology.