Over the Garden Gate: Become a Penn State Master Gardener in Beaver County

Have you ever wondered what it takes to gain the title “Master Gardener?”

It may sound like a fancy designation. There is certainly a lot of hard work that goes into earning it, and many amazing benefits to experience as part of this program. The reality is, though, that the Penn State Master Gardeners of Beaver County are people probably just like you ― lifelong learners who love plants and the outdoors and are passionate about spreading their growing knowledge with their community. It’s time to apply for the 2023-2024 Master Gardener training class ― will you join us this year?

Pollinator garden at the Beaver Train Station.
Pollinator garden at the Beaver Train Station.

So, what does it take? Master Gardener volunteers receive more than 40 hours of unbiased, evidence-based horticultural training from Penn State experts between October and March. These classes, held via Zoom on Thursday nights from 6-8:15 p.m., include topics such as soil health, vegetable gardening, botany, lawn care, native plants and many more. There are also several hands-on learning opportunities that allow you to put into practice some of the concepts introduced online (like pruning!) as well as help you get to know your fellow trainees and many of the projects that Master Gardeners work on.

Once trained, volunteers get connected with these Master Gardener projects happening around the county. We maintain demonstration gardens, teach classes, host tour groups, consult on public gardens, and answer “hotline” questions to help our communities garden and grow more effectively. Master Gardeners volunteer 50 hours of service during their training year, and at least 20 hours per year thereafter, along with 10 hours per year of continuing education.

Master Gardeners field study at McClures' farm
Master Gardeners field study at McClures' farm

So, what exactly do we do? Have you ever called the “garden hotline” with a question about your lawn, vegetable garden or soil test? That’s us! Have you ever driven by the Route 18 and Broadhead Road intersection and marveled at the beautiful flowers in the traffic islands? That’s us, too! Have you ever attended a class about plants at the Beaver or Chippewa public libraries? We host several programs there! Have you ever walked around Vicary Mansion or Old Economy Village and snapped photos of the beautiful historic gardens? That’s also us!

Planting day along Route 18 in Center Township
Planting day along Route 18 in Center Township

Some of our other 20+ projects include a fruit and vegetable demonstration garden, a writing team for this column, Over the Garden Gate, a budget-friendly beginner’s vegetable gardening class called Seed to Supper, a Mr. Yuk team that teaches first graders about pesticide safety and poison prevention, partnerships to maintain gardens and teach visitors at Sahli Nature Park, Bradys Run Park and Raccoon Creek State Park, and there are plenty more possibilities on the horizon. Did you see something that piques your interest? If you enjoy gardening, I bet so…

Master Gardeners love plants, soil, and nature, but just as much, we love to learn. The Penn State Master Gardener program isn’t about giving you all the right answers to every possible gardening problem. Rather, we provide regular people with a solid horticultural foundation and teach them the skills needed to research and solve many specific and nuanced scenarios. If you are curious about the natural world, you get excited to identify a new insect in your garden, or you have a jungle of indoor plants that you enjoy researching and tending to, you may be a great fit for the program.

Garden at the Beaver County Courthouse
Garden at the Beaver County Courthouse

I started in my role as coordinator of this program in August of last year. Over the past nine months, I have been continually impressed with the volunteers who make this program what it is. I can share with experience that they are kind, generous, smart, enthusiastic, creative, and hard-working. They know how to laugh and have a good time, and they take seriously the mission to educate our community about the very best gardening practices.

If this sounds like a group of people you’d like to be part of, we’d love to have you join us. Applications are now open for the 2023-24 training year. If you’d like to learn more about the program visit our website. There is a $200 fee to join the program, which covers training materials, a fabulous textbook, and more. Financial aid may be available ― please ask! Applications are due July 21, after which point interviews will be conducted. For any questions, please reach out to me at lfeather@psu.edu or our garden hotline at beavermg@psu.edu.

Lyndsay Feather is a Horticulture Extension Educator and Master Gardener Program Coordinator in Beaver County.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Over the Garden Gate: Become a Penn State Master Gardener in Beaver County