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Welcome to the Ashtabula County Master Gardeners
All About the Master Gardener Program
The Ohio State University's Extension Master Gardener Program is a volunteer educational program designed to meet the horticultural needs of the citizens of Ohio. Its purpose is to train volunteers and utilize their expertise in teaching people more about plants, their culture, and their importance to the environment and our quality of life. Master Gardener volunteers provide technical assistance to their county Extension office so that consumer horticulture activities and programs can be more effectively and efficiently carried out. In return for the 50 hours of horticulture training the Master Gardeners volunteer 50 hours to OSU Extension to help educate local residents on horticultural issues.
Check out the Master Gardeners Informational Web Site
The Ashtabula County Master Gardeners maintain an informational website at: http://ashtabulacountymastergardeners.info/
When did the Master Program Begin?
The Master Gardener program was started by Dr. David Gibby from the State of Washington in 1972. In order to meet the horticulture needs of his community, Dr. Gibby used specially trained volunteers to complete outreach work in the area of home gardening. His concept has now spread to more than 40 states with 50,000 people serving as Master Gardener volunteers.
The Master Gardener program has been in Ohio since the late 70's but did not really take off until 1986 when the Cuyahoga County Master Gardener program began. We now have 30 county programs in Ohio with over 900 volunteers with the Ashtabula County program beginning in January 1998.
When did the Master Gardener Program Begin in Ashtabula County?
The planning of the Ashtabula County Master Gardener program began in fall of 1997 when Phyllis O'Brien, Betty Hansen, and Laurie Markle assisted David Marrison, OSU Agriculture Agent, in developing the framework for this program. All three ladies are residents of Ashtabula County but were trained through the Lake County Program. It was through their hard work that the philosophy and framework for the Ashtabula program was developed.
The 1998 class of Master Gardeners were selected in January of 1998 and then trained in conjunction with the Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Lake County programs. The Master Gardeners completed their training in May, 1998 and then developed their educational outreach program.
Fourteen individuals were selected to be members of the 1999 Master Gardener Class and were trained at the Ashtabula County Extension office during the winter of 1999. Nine residents were members of the 2000 Master Gardener Class. Thirteen memebers were trained in 2001, ten in 2003, eight in 2004, ten in 2006 and eleven i 2008. Applications for the 2010 training class are due November 1, 2010. Please contact our office at 440-576-9008 to have your name placed on our application packet mailing list.
The Master Gardeners conduct a "Garden Hotline" from April-October on Monday from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and Thursday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pmm. Additionally, the Master Gardeners have an educational display at the Ashtabula County Fair in August. The Master Gardeners also teach horticulture classes for the community during February, March, August and September.
In what ways can the Master Gardener Volunteers benefit Ashtabula County?
1. Answer consumer's telephone inquiries and assist office visitors with plant/insect samples for identification or diagnosis.
2. Assist with establishing and maintaining demonstration gardens at the Extension office.
3. Assist teachers, 4-H leaders, and/or children with gardening education projects in school or club settings.
4. Interpret information from Extension bulletins and fact sheets for the general public.
5. Distribute Extension information to the public at such events as garden center plant clinics, county fairs, Home and Garden Shows.
6. Assist with Extension educational programming, such as talks for garden clubs, Extension-sponsored workshops, etc.
7. And much, much more!
What are the Master Gardeners trained in?
The training program was developed to provide the participants a balanced, integrated practical course in plant science. Core topics that are a part of the training in every county are Orientation to Extension and the Master Gardener Program; Basic Botany and Plant Physiology; Soils and Fertilizers; Basic Entomology; Basic Plant Pathology and Plant Disease Diagnosis; Integrated Pest Management and Pesticide Use and Safety; Home Lawn Care; Annuals, Perennials and Bulbs; Trees and Shrubs; Home Vegetable Production; Home Fruit Production; Houseplants; and Backyard Wildlife Management. Special topics, based on local needs, are also part of the curriculum.
What are some of the questions that OSU Extension Can Answer?
* How does one takes a soil sample?
* How do I control grubs in my lawn?
* What are some integrated pest management approaches?
* How can I control apple scab?
* What are oak leaf skeltonizers?
* How can I control bagworms?
* How do I design a raised garden bed?
* What plants can I plant by my black walnut trees?
* How can I control aphids?
* What is hydroponics all about?
* How do I control moles?
* When do I mulch?
* What is black knot and how do I control it?
* And much, much more!!!!
Interested in becoming a Ashtabula County Master Gardener?
If you are interested in becoming an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener volunteer, contact David Marrison, Ag & NR Educator, at the Ashtabula County Office (440-576- 9008) or email David at marrison.2@osu.edu to receive an application packet. The applications for members for the 2010 Master Gardener class are due by November 1, 2009.
Horticulture and Crop Science Factsheet Database Search
OSU Extension Fruit & Disease Resources
OSU Extension Growing Degree Day
Horticulture and Crop Science in Virtual Perspective
Horticulture, Vegetables, Fruits and Gardening - Farming the Net
Commercial Landscape & Nursery Production
