Are master gardener courses realistic? What about 'realistic for me'?
October 28, 2015 2:45 AM Subscribe
I'm thinking of doing this either next year or the following. Can I get some experiences, thoughts, and feedback?
This is in Massachusetts. Currently, classes are held on Thursdays. I imagine it's mostly retired people, but I'm not. It's fourteen Thursdays overall, and would blow all of my vacation time for the year.
I'm considering doing it. I can put up with a lot for a year, and there are three day weekends and other holidays and personal days tucked in there.
Secondly, I expect it's hard. I don't have any background in botany or any hard science at all, though I read an appalling amount of gardening books and know more than a pure beginner. I know the botanical names of most of the plants, shrubs, and trees in my yard, and how to do varying types of propagation. I know the rudimentary components of plant classification. I own and have actually read books on pruning. I know soil components, though I don't personally bother measuring them (it's acid; I throw in wood ash and compost, works for me for vegetable gardening. The rest gets leaf mold.) As someone who majored in creative writing, graduate and undergraduate, am I by definition in over my head? Is this realistic? Is this like 'become a brain surgeon in a year while holding down a full time professional job, marriage and child and no background in science?' or can I do this with good preparation and motivation?
Thirdly, can you direct me to any specific books that I should read if I were to preemptively prepare myself with this knowledge prior to starting the program? Is there a canon out there I should read?
Here's the class. And some of what they cover: "the Master Gardener Training course (MGT) consists of fourteen classroom and lab modules, including soil science, botany, entomology, plant pathology, pruning and propagation. "
Ultimately I want to learn more about design in a serious way, but I want a real background and solid foundation behind me.
This is in Massachusetts. Currently, classes are held on Thursdays. I imagine it's mostly retired people, but I'm not. It's fourteen Thursdays overall, and would blow all of my vacation time for the year.
I'm considering doing it. I can put up with a lot for a year, and there are three day weekends and other holidays and personal days tucked in there.
Secondly, I expect it's hard. I don't have any background in botany or any hard science at all, though I read an appalling amount of gardening books and know more than a pure beginner. I know the botanical names of most of the plants, shrubs, and trees in my yard, and how to do varying types of propagation. I know the rudimentary components of plant classification. I own and have actually read books on pruning. I know soil components, though I don't personally bother measuring them (it's acid; I throw in wood ash and compost, works for me for vegetable gardening. The rest gets leaf mold.) As someone who majored in creative writing, graduate and undergraduate, am I by definition in over my head? Is this realistic? Is this like 'become a brain surgeon in a year while holding down a full time professional job, marriage and child and no background in science?' or can I do this with good preparation and motivation?
Thirdly, can you direct me to any specific books that I should read if I were to preemptively prepare myself with this knowledge prior to starting the program? Is there a canon out there I should read?
Here's the class. And some of what they cover: "the Master Gardener Training course (MGT) consists of fourteen classroom and lab modules, including soil science, botany, entomology, plant pathology, pruning and propagation. "
Ultimately I want to learn more about design in a serious way, but I want a real background and solid foundation behind me.
My mom became a master gardener after she retired from corporate America. She didn't graduate from college and had no science background. She is smart. She took and continues to take the relevant classes through the university extension. She worked hard to pass, but she loved the material. And she loves being a master gardener and helping people with plants at the botanical garden! So, I'd say to give it a shot. Memail me if you don't get good book recs here and I'll ask her for some.
posted by persona au gratin at 3:43 AM on October 28, 2015
posted by persona au gratin at 3:43 AM on October 28, 2015
A friend of mine took the courses and got the certification, mostly for fun (rather than for her career, say). Like you say, it was mostly older people but by no means entirely, and there was no expectation that you come into it already an expert.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:54 AM on October 28, 2015
posted by Dip Flash at 4:54 AM on October 28, 2015
I think you'll be fine, especially since the exams are take home in your course. In my local course (which I ultimately elected to not take) I had reviewed a copy of the syllabus and coursework and found that there wasn't information in there that I wouldn't have otherwise learned from materials already available either through other online master gardener courses or reading gardening books. The final exam was also open book.
See for example Colorado state extension that has a course you can take for free.
Your local program will be more specialized to your region, but you can learn a lot from materials already available. Having the certification wouldn't have benefited me since I'm not in this business, so I didn't take the course.
The one benefit I did see was local hands on work opportunities, but there's plenty of those sorts of classes around from horticultural societies here.
posted by Karaage at 4:55 AM on October 28, 2015
See for example Colorado state extension that has a course you can take for free.
Your local program will be more specialized to your region, but you can learn a lot from materials already available. Having the certification wouldn't have benefited me since I'm not in this business, so I didn't take the course.
The one benefit I did see was local hands on work opportunities, but there's plenty of those sorts of classes around from horticultural societies here.
posted by Karaage at 4:55 AM on October 28, 2015
The quality of the program will vary from county to county - the one I went through some years ago in Memphis/Shelby County was excellent. The downside was that they were very particular as to what they'd accept as volunteer work, an essential part of the program. The best parts were the Q&A hotline that volunteers staffed with supervision, and the chance to get to know extremely knowledgeable people within the local network.
I wish county extension offices would work to make classes appropriate and available to low-income adults (and kids, maybe) who ask to earn extra money by mowing your lawn (then mow over your infant shrubs). It could launch some small businesses in landscaping, or at worst give people some skills and connections; maybe include some business tips along the way.
posted by mmiddle at 6:15 AM on October 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
I wish county extension offices would work to make classes appropriate and available to low-income adults (and kids, maybe) who ask to earn extra money by mowing your lawn (then mow over your infant shrubs). It could launch some small businesses in landscaping, or at worst give people some skills and connections; maybe include some business tips along the way.
posted by mmiddle at 6:15 AM on October 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm currently in a North Carolina Master Gardeners' class!
You're right - previous to this year, classes were run in the daytime and consisted solely of retirees. I'm in the first night class, so for the last couple of months I've given up my Tuesday and Thursday nights to take the class with mostly working-age people in their 20s-40s and a couple retirees. Master Gardeners' programs vary - I have no homework other than readings in the handbook, and our final test is take-home. Mine was also only $40 to take, plus the handbook.
The Idaho Master Gardeners' Handbook is available online for free and was recommended as an additional resource by my extension agent/teacher.
I came into the program, like you, with an intense interest in gardening and a solid scientific foundation. That said, it's been an invaluable class both because of the information I've learned from the seasoned extension agent - from off-hand remarks, hands-on demonstrations, and field trips - and the community it's connected me with.
Interestingly enough, re:mmiddle's comment, our agent/teacher connects the course material to possible side businesses that could be run fairly easily and simply, like pruning services, boughs for florists, etc.
Feel free to MeMail me!
posted by bookdragoness at 6:43 AM on October 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
You're right - previous to this year, classes were run in the daytime and consisted solely of retirees. I'm in the first night class, so for the last couple of months I've given up my Tuesday and Thursday nights to take the class with mostly working-age people in their 20s-40s and a couple retirees. Master Gardeners' programs vary - I have no homework other than readings in the handbook, and our final test is take-home. Mine was also only $40 to take, plus the handbook.
The Idaho Master Gardeners' Handbook is available online for free and was recommended as an additional resource by my extension agent/teacher.
I came into the program, like you, with an intense interest in gardening and a solid scientific foundation. That said, it's been an invaluable class both because of the information I've learned from the seasoned extension agent - from off-hand remarks, hands-on demonstrations, and field trips - and the community it's connected me with.
Interestingly enough, re:mmiddle's comment, our agent/teacher connects the course material to possible side businesses that could be run fairly easily and simply, like pruning services, boughs for florists, etc.
Feel free to MeMail me!
posted by bookdragoness at 6:43 AM on October 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
I went through the program in NC and was quite far from being a retiree! But the reality of a daytime/week day class is that most working folks won't be able to attend. Wasn't an issue with me - my friendships have always been interest based and age has little to do with it.
A strong interest is all you need. Material is presented in logical units and the manual is comprehensive.
What did become difficult was fulfilling the second years volunteer requirement due to changing work schedules.
It's a great program, a tremendous bargain and a chance to make connections with a wonderful group of people.
posted by cat_link at 7:59 AM on October 28, 2015
A strong interest is all you need. Material is presented in logical units and the manual is comprehensive.
What did become difficult was fulfilling the second years volunteer requirement due to changing work schedules.
It's a great program, a tremendous bargain and a chance to make connections with a wonderful group of people.
posted by cat_link at 7:59 AM on October 28, 2015
My local library has a copy of all the materials that my local master gardener class uses. You might look to see if yours does as well -- it would give you a chance to see what you are in for ahead of time.
posted by OrangeDisk at 8:24 AM on October 28, 2015
posted by OrangeDisk at 8:24 AM on October 28, 2015
My mom is just like persona au gratin's mom. She had no trouble with it and loves being a master gardener.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:10 PM on October 28, 2015
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:10 PM on October 28, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks so much everyone. I really want to do this, I think. If anyone else has links or specific resources to help get me started I'd appreciate it. I'm checking out the Colorado one as well as others and there's a free botany course offered in Oregon as part of their extension program and I've enrolled in that.
From what I can tell, Massachusetts has no option for any type of evening or online courses, which is a real bummer because I'm freakishly motivated. I'm sitting here with graph paper and stencils doing garden design for my yard to scale...I've escalated rapidly to pure obsessed nerddom and I really want to to go forward with it. It's been a long time since I've had something that I felt really passionate and excited about and somewhat obsessed and that's kind of a nice feeling for a boring middle aged person to have occasionally.
Feel free to add any resources or ideas and I appreciate all of your answers.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:39 AM on November 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
From what I can tell, Massachusetts has no option for any type of evening or online courses, which is a real bummer because I'm freakishly motivated. I'm sitting here with graph paper and stencils doing garden design for my yard to scale...I've escalated rapidly to pure obsessed nerddom and I really want to to go forward with it. It's been a long time since I've had something that I felt really passionate and excited about and somewhat obsessed and that's kind of a nice feeling for a boring middle aged person to have occasionally.
Feel free to add any resources or ideas and I appreciate all of your answers.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:39 AM on November 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:46 AM on October 28, 2015