Master Gardener Programs
Training
Outreach programs
Nursery Worker Training Program
Consultations with Master Gardeners

Master gardener programs throughout the United States help citizen gardeners start and maintain their landscapes. They are typically administered via Cooperative Extension programs in various states, which are adjuncts of universities. In northwestern Nevada, The University of Nevada at Reno (UNR) administers Cooperative Extension (abbreviated as UNCE), which in turn administers Master Gardener programs.

The purpose of the UNCE program is to train people interested in gardening so that they can volunteer their time and efforts to help other gardeners. There are training courses in the evenings at Carson City in September and October and in the morning at Reno in March and April; teleconferencing is frequently used to reach people in smaller cities for whom traveling to these cities would be inconvenient. Each class has an average of 40 students and encompasses some 45 hours of training, with staff, "Green Industry" professionals and other Master Gardeners speaking about a cross section of topics dealing with growing plants in Northwestern Nevada.

After the classes, the prospective Master Gardeners must complete a set number of volunteer hours to be certified as such. Some of the ways they fulfill their commitment are:

Answering plant problem phone queries and office visits in:
Reno, 3505 Mill Street, (775) 784-4848;
Carson City, 621 Northgate Lane Suite 15, (775) 887-2252;
Gardnerville, 1329 Waterloo Lane, (775) 782-9960;
Incline Village, 865 Tahoe Blvd., Suite 110, (775) 832-4150;
Fallon, 111 Sheckler Rd., (775) 423-5121; and
Yerington, 504 S. Main St., (775) 463-6541

Giving talks at the "Bartley Ranch Series" during March and April. The talks are on various aspects of gardening, but generally three or four concern woody plants. The schedule is not yet set for 2006. Consult Wendy Hanson at (775) 784-4848 or email her at 'hansonw@unce.unr.edu.'

From time to time there are other Master Gardener talks. Details are available in the Master Gardener calendar.

Helping with design and planting along the future I-580 bypass in Carson City;

Growing vegetables in the UNCE's Demonstration Garden on Mill Street for distribution to various food banks.

There are many other outreach projects undertaken by UNCE Master Gardeners; the total number of Master Gardeners is over 300, and they provide over 12,000 hours of volunteer work annually.

Other resources in the Reno UNCE Horticulture offices include handouts about topics of interest to gardeners in northwestern Nevada. These handouts were either authored by "professionals" or by Master Gardeners. Of  approximately 493 handouts, 76 deal directly with woody plants, and another 206 deal indirectly. Some of the topics covered are:

Plant selection
Planting
Maintaining
Soil Testing
Insects and diseases
Pests
Weeds

If you would like information on plants, please call UNCE Horticulture at (775) 784-4848.

If you are interested in learning more about gardening in northwest Nevada and would like to help others, please contact Wendy Hanson at (775) 784-4848 or email her at 'hansonw@unce-unr.edu'

Nursery Worker Training Program:

For the last several years, from January to March, UNCE has given a course geared toward professionals in the "Green Industry" (nursery workers, landscapers and others). This course is similar in many respects to the Master Gardener program, and had an average of about 35 students. The course has been cancelled for 2006 because the course leader has accepted a position with private industry.

Consultations with master gardeners:

In the Reno office of UNCE at 5305 Mill Street, Master Garderers assist professional staff in answering questions about plant problems from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday thriugh Friday. Consultations can either be in person or on the phone: dial (775) 784-4848 and ask for "Horticulture" or "Master Gardeners." If office personnel cannot answer a question, they refer to specialists from other offices; for example, if they cannot identify an insect, they will send the insect to Jeff Knight of the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

Master Gardeners also consult about weed problems.

Master Gardeners also provide free soil testing. Bring in a soil sample, and within a week or two receive a document stating how salty the soil is ("ec") and how alkaline it is ("pH").