Rowan County Cooperative Extension

Cooperative Extension is now accepting applications for the 2020 Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

People with a strong interest in horticulture and a desire to volunteer in their community should consider being a Master Gardener volunteer. Volunteering hours to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service is a mandatory part of the program.

The program consists of more than 50 hours of classroom instruction on aspects of urban and commercial horticulture.

The 2020 Master Gardener course outline includes research-based information on plant growth and development; soils and fertilizers; basic entomology; plant disease and control; lawn establishment and maintenance; vegetable production; home fruit production; urban pest management; landscape design and maintenance; perennials in the landscape; plant propagation; and organic gardening.

Cooperative Extension Director Amy-Lynn Albertson, Master Gardener volunteers and other extension agents help teach the course.

Tuition fee for the course is $150. Applications will be accepted until Jan. 2.

The classes are held from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays beginning Jan. 22 and running through through May 20.

Participants must volunteer 40 hours of service with the Cooperative Extension horticulture program and 10 continuing education hours after course completion.

Anyone with an interest in participating should contact the Rowan County Cooperative Extension Office at 704-216-8970 for an application and more information.

Email questions about the Extension Master Gardener Program to Amy-Lynn Albertson at amy_albertson@ncsu.edu.