Who wants to be a Fulton County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer?

By JAMES HERRIN, agriculture and natural resources agent with UGA Extension Fulton County

Two weeks ago, I began to notice brown spots in my lawn. Neighbors' lawns also have these brown patches. Will it eventually go away on its own? Or, should I act?

What are these ferns? They’re choking everything out and they’re so dense they don’t look good. I’m considering removing them entirely if that’s possible. Some of them are six feet tall.

We planted a tree several years ago and now it seems to be dying branch by branch. Why are these branches dying? Are there options available to preserve my tree?

Finding solutions for plant problems sometimes feels like being a contestant on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”. Myriad websites and product advertisements provide the multiple choices. Neighbors, contractors, and retail garden professionals compose the audience and your phone-a-friend list available as lifelines.

Georgia residents seeking answers to horticultural questions can access another resource. UGA Extension Master Gardener Extension Volunteers are here providing unbiased research-based horticultural information and educational programs in counties around the state.

The Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program started in the early 1970s as a way for an agricultural extension agent in Washington state to meet the growing demand of home gardeners with requests for information about plants in their landscapes. Volunteers were recruited and trained to respond to gardeners’ questions. The program’s success led to the establishment of programs in all 50 states and multiple countries around the world.

Georgia’s Master Gardener Program was started in Atlanta, in 1979 and participants have been teaching community members how to use plants and gardening to improve their environment, personal health, and quality of life since. The UGA Extension Fulton County agriculture and natural resources team depends on the dedicated service of more than 100 volunteers to provide our diverse community of more than one million with answers to their questions, beautifully maintained gardens, and horticultural programs.

The purpose of the Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program is to assist UGA Extension in delivering educational programs to increase environmental stewardship, success in home food production, youth participation in gardening, the value of landscapes, and health benefits of gardening. Active projects in Fulton County include exhibiting at horticultural shows and festivals, writing articles, presenting to live and virtual audiences, and responding directly to residents’ questions—like the real questions received by our office last week and included at the top of this article.

The first step in becoming a Master Gardener is completing a few forms and an interview with the local UGA Extension office. Selected trainees complete 42 hours of core horticultural training and pass two exams to prepare for their new role. Within the first year, trainees complete 50 hours of volunteer service. After completing 50 hours on Extension-approved projects that support MGEV program initiatives, the Trainee is recognized as an official MGEV. To remain a current, active MGEV, volunteers give at least 25 hours of volunteer service hours each year and track their accomplishments using an online recordkeeping system.

If you have a passion for teaching others through volunteer community service and consumer horticulture programming, we hope you will consider applying for our upcoming class beginning in January 2024. Applications are being accepted until September 15, 2023 and notification of acceptance will be communicated by December 1, 2023.

To learn more about the UGA Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program or to submit your application for the next training class, visit:

• 2024 MGEV class application - https://site.extension.uga.edu/fultonag/files/2023/08/2024-Fulton-County-MGEV-Application-Final.pdf
• Fulton County MGEV page - https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/fulton/agriculture-and-natural-resources/mastergardner.html
• Becoming a MGEV - https://extension.uga.edu/programs-services/georgia-master-gardener-extension-volunteer-program/volunteer/becoming-a-mgev.html
• Frequently Asked Questions - https://extension.uga.edu/programs-services/georgia-master-gardener-extension-volunteer-program/volunteer/becoming-a-mgev/frequently-asked-questions.html
• Become a Master Gardener - https://nfmg.net/becomeMG.html
• YouTube How to Become A Master Gardener playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playli...
• NFMG YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/northf...
• NFMG Linktree - https://linktr.ee/NFMG

If you have any questions about the next training class, please contact Norlethia Harris (norlethia.harris@uga.edu).

Happy gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more about NFMG at nfmg.net and https://appenmedia.com/opinion/columnists/garden_buzz/.