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Training

Any resident of Kerr, Gillespie, Bandera, or other surrounding counties who wishes to become a Hill Country Master Gardener must make application, complete an interview, and pay $175 tuition.

When accepted into the Master Gardener program, students attend once-a-week training sessions January through May. Classes are taught by Texas A&M University horticulture specialists, staff, and area horticulture experts. The program offers more than 50 hours of instruction covering such topics as shrub, tree, and lawn care; insect, disease, and weed management; soils and plant nutrition; vegetable and flower gardening; water conservation; and safe environmental practices.

The application for the 2009 class can be printed from this site, completed and mailed to Hill Country Master Gardeners, Education Dept., 3655 Highway 27, Kerrville, Texas 78028. If you have questions concerning the training program or the application, call 830.257.6568. Deadline for submitting the application is October 31, 2008.   Application

Certification

In exchange for the 50 hours of training, participants must volunteer 50 hours of their time within one year. Interns become certified Texas Master Gardeners when the volunteer commitment is fulfilled. Hours are earned through organization activities and service projects. Master Gardeners are representatives of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. In all volunteer work related to the program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of the Extension Service.

To maintain certification, Master Gardeners must fulfill 25 volunteer hours and six continuing education hours yearly. Master Gardeners – all gardeners – never stop learning. The first Wednesday of each month Hill Country Master Gardeners meet to hear a speaker present information on some aspect of gardening. Committee reports are heard and ongoing projects are discussed as well.

The 2008 Hill Country Master Gardeners graduating class