Master Gardeners preparing for busy 2017

Published 6:15 am Wednesday, January 11, 2017

The Limestone County Master Gardeners Association is gearing up for a new season and is issuing a call for any volunteers interested in gardening or who simply want to help beautify the community.

The season will again begin with the annual tri-county Master Gardener Volunteer class, set to begin Feb. 9. The 14-week class will be held from 9 a.m. To 1 p.m. And will be led by horticulture professionals from Auburn University, Alabama A&M and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.

The cost for the class is $140 and it is limited to 30 to 35 participants from Limestone, Morgan and Madison counties. Topics covered in the classes include plant growth, insect and disease control, vegetables, fruits, flowers, trees, shrubs, soil, and environmental issues.

Those who sign up will also learn how to serve the community through gardening.

Those interested are urged to visit the Extension office on Market Street and pick up an application or visit the Master Gardeners website at mg.aces.edu/limestone. The deadline to apply is Feb. 2.

Classes are generally taught at the Auburn University research station in Belle Mina, while some may be taught at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

Master Gardeners President Janet Hunt said anyone who has an interest in gardening and volunteerism would be welcome in the local group, which was formed in 1992. Each year, members perform more than 1,500 hours of volunteer service through a variety of projects from sharing knowledge to manual labor.

The group typically meets the second Monday of each month in the Extension Office on Market Street in Athens. Hunt said eight meetings are held in the afternoon, while four are held in the evening to accommodate those who work a day job. The annual membership costs are $10 for the county club and $10 for the state organization.

Hunt said the group is looking forward to another exciting year and will again offer the “Ask a Master Gardener” segments held at the Athens-Limestone Public Library. Those are held on Tuesdays and the first Saturday of each month.

In addition to the regular library appearances, the group will tend the demonstration garden behind the Athens-Limestone Visitors Center on Beaty Street and the public beds at the Limestone County Farmers Market on Green Street.

Hunt also looks forward to working closely with schools in Athens and Limestone County. The group will be happy to make a presentation at any school requesting one.

The Master Gardeners will also partner with Sprit of Athens to have a booth and demonstrations at the Athens Saturday Market during the summer season. Hunt said the group is also working to host workshops and demonstrations at the Visitors Center.

The Master Gardeners’ biggest annual event is the group’s plant sale, set for the third Saturday in April. She anticipates the sale to be even “bigger and better” this year.

“It’s good to get to know people who have the same interests,” Hunt said about the group. “It’s much more than a social organization because the members learn from each other.”

Anyone who doesn’t want to get down and dig in the dirt can participate in other ways, including taking part in the “Ask a Master Gardener” series.

“Answering questions can be just as valuable,” she said.

For more information about the Master Gardeners, visit the group’s Facebook page or call Hunt at 256-614-3530.