Master Gardener classes scheduled

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

When new residents arrive in a community, they typically buy a house and then add their personal touch to the property’s landscaping. Some hire the work done but many do their own planting and mulching.
Being a Master Gardener teaches a person the kinds of plants best suited to the terrain, how to take care of flowers and shrubs and the proper use of herbicides and pesticides. It also provides the opportunity to share information with other Master Gardeners and participate in several group-sponsored projects in Wythe, Bland and Smyth counties.
Master Gardeners is a volunteer group of area residents working with Virginia Cooperative Extension to teach others about horticulture-related topics. It requires 45 hours of lectures and 45 hours of practical experience to become a Master Gardener.
To retain the status, a Master Gardener must complete 20 hours of additional education and hands-on work each year.
The ranking of Master Gardener remains throughout a person’s life. It is transferable from state to state although some qualifications may vary.
Debbie Vrsansky has been a Master Gardener for nearly four years. She brought along her expertise when her husband’s job brought the couple to Wytheville from Ohio last December.
“I certainly recommend the program to anybody,” Vrsansky stated this week. “You learn so much and you learn where to find the information you need.”
Retired Wytheville veterinarian Tommy Vaught has raised vegetable gardens and flower gardens for more than 50 years. He has been a Master Gardener for seven years.
“I liked gardening and I decided to see about joining up,” remarked Vaught, who is education chairman for the Wythe-Bland Region Master Gardeners. “Most of our members are retired people who want to gain more knowledge about plants.”
A Master Gardener since 1999, Libby King of Bland learned about the program through an article in the Enterprise. As a child, she was taught gardening from her grandmother and continues raising vegetables and flowers today.
“The classes are very informative even if you are a longtime gardener,” King commented. “It’s a great opportunity to meet fellow Master Gardeners and it’s a wonderful experience.”
Among the local projects of the Wythe-Bland Region Master Gardener group are two gardens at Wytheville Community College. Members selected the flowers – mostly perennials – and a variety of trees and shrubs and are responsible for their maintenance.
“We try to select plants that bloom at different times,” Vaught stated. “That way some of them bloom throughout the summer.”
Master Gardener classes for 2007 will begin Monday, Sept. 17, and will continue for 10 weeks. They will be taught on Mondays and Thursdays starting at 6 p.m. at Wytheville Community College.
Classes will cover such subjects as soils, botany, plant protectants, soil amendments, plant diseases, gardening, perennial plants, annuals, composting and turf management. Other topics will include landscape design, pruning, grafting and soil and water erosion.
Cost of the textbook and educational materials is $100. The amount is due at the first class.
Those wishing to participate should pre-register by calling the Wythe County Extension Office at 223-6040 and requesting an application.
“There’s no age limit for the classes,” noted Vaught. “We’d like to see more young people get involved in the program. All it takes is a desire to learn.”
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or .