What Master Gardeners Know

Master Gardeners have a status among gardeners, but particularly, I've noticed, among gardeners that don't understand what a Master Gardener is. First, I want to make it absolutely clear what a Master Gardener is NOT:

A Master Gardener is not someone who knows everything there is to know about gardening in every place, county or state.

A Master Gardener is not someone who has completed a course of study that is so demanding and difficult that ordinary people can't possibly finish the course.

A Master Gardener is not someone who has a perfect yard/garden/potager; who never struggles with weeds, or ever kills plants.

A Master Gardener is not someone whose knowledge is so superior that they would never take the time to help you with your yard and your gardening questions.

In fact, the mission of the corps of Master Gardeners, is the opposite of the above. Master Gardeners love gardening, and are usually long-time gardeners who have developed a certain level of skill and expertise in one area of gardening. When I took my first course, at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, one member of my class was the president of the Alabama Rose Society. He knew just about everything there is to know about growing roses in Birmingham, Alabama, and he was a tremendous asset to our class. But he didn't have a lawn, and he didn't know anything at all about lawn care.

Master Gardeners have completed a course of study that is devised by the professors of agriculture at your state's agricultural university (In Alabama, it's Auburn University; in Louisiana, it's LSU, and so on). The quality of the course is as varied as it's director and teachers, and can have sections that are difficult. However, it's devised to that everyone can find some level of success in the study - and go on to become a Master Gardener.

Master Gardeners rarely have perfect anything. They love to try new and difficult plants - most of which they kill. But most of all, you need to realize right up front that no garden is ever perfect. The ones in the magazines? Well, just remember this - the photographer who took that picture had his back to SOMETHING. He chose his shot carefully. Think about it!

Finally, Master Gardeners enroll in the Master Gardening Program at their local Coooperative Extension Service so that they can help people! They are trained specifically for this job, and they relish every opportunity to talk gardening.

If this blog does nothing but encourage each and every one of you to explore the Master Gardner Program at your local, county Cooperative Extension Service, then all this blogging is not in vain. On this blog, I have added the Web sites of each coastal state's Cooperative Extension Service. They each have a search engine that will provide the name and contact number for the agent in your area. That's the first step in learning about the Master Gardening program nearest you.

If you can't take the Master Gardening Program, then I want to offer you the next best thing. The Gulf Coast Gardener Web site will be going on line this week. It's an act in progress, and I hope to have lots of great information, links, and blogs for you to visit.

Thanks for reading the Gulf Coast Gardener Blog - I hope to hear from you soon!