This program will appeal to enthusiastic home gardeners who wish to become volunteer gardening advisors with the Master Gardeners Association of BC. The intensive Basic Training Program provides up-to-date information on all gardening basics.

Program Goals:

You will fill gaps in your gardening knowledge, learn where to find the answers to new challenges, meet other gardeners and prepare to share your love of gardening in your community. The program emphasizes environmentally responsible, sustainable gardening practices.

Program Format:

The program combines classroom instruction and volunteer hours. Classroom training (78 hours) is provided every Saturday for 3 months. The volunteer hours are individually scheduled over a two-year period.

Program Content:

Classroom component, covering a full range of gardening topics such as:

• Botany and plant identification
• Soils, amendments and composting
• Lawns and their alternatives
• Right plant, right place
• Trees, shrubs, fruit trees, berries, roses, and perennials
• Sustainable landscape design
• Xeriscaping
• Organic vegetable gardening
• Diagnosis and management of pest, disease and weed problems
• Propagation and pruning
• Basic entomology and integrated pest management

Volunteer component, comprised of 70 volunteer hours over two years. On successful completion of the classroom component, students share their knowledge and passion about gardening with the community through volunteer hours, supported by experienced Master Gardeners.

Program Start Dates:

The Master Gardener Basic Training Program will be delivered in Kamloops in 2010. Training will begin on Saturday, September 11, 2010 and be held on all Saturdays (except October 9th, 2010) up to December 11, 2010.

For more specific information please contact thompsonshuswap@bcmastergardeners.org

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