NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
September 16, 1999
The North Dakota State University Extension Service will offer its Master Gardener Program at sites around the state beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8. The classes will meet each Saturday, from Jan. 8 through Feb. 26. Each session will run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., with a one-hour break at noon for students to get lunch.
The classroom instruction will originate on NDSU's campus in Fargo and be carried electronically to sites around the state linked with the Interactive Video Network (IVN). This system allows for question-and-answer exchanges between instructors and students during the presentations. Students will receive a 4-inch three-ring binder of horticultural information, supplemental handouts from various instructors and recommendations on books that contain reliable horticultural information.
Students have three options for enrolling in the Master Gardener Program. For volunteers, the fee is $70, but these students are expected to volunteer 40 hours during the coming year, as arranged through their county office of the NDSU Extension Service. For non-volunteer enrollment, the fee is $140. In addition to the $70 volunteer fee, students taking the class for credit would pay $50 for two credits ($120 total) or $60 for three credits ($130 total).
Topics to be covered in the class include gardener's botany; herbaceous annuals and perennials; pesticide handling and use; soils; pests (insects, diseases and weeds); fruit, vegetable and herb culture; woody plant selections; landscape design ideas; turfgrass and ornamental grass selection and management; and houseplant selection and care.
For more details on the Master Gardener Program, write to Ron Smith, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences, Box 5051, Fargo, ND 58105, or call (701) 231-8161 or send inquiries via e-mail to ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu .
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Source: Ron Smith (701) 231-8161
Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136