New Year's resolution: Become a Master Gardener

It's that time again. Time to start the New Year, to make some New Year's Resolutions! Eat less, exercise more. Clean out that closet. Take up a new hobby. Read a good book. All are good things to do for sure. But how about setting your sights on something that will increase your knowledge and skills in a variety of areas, potentially give you more time outdoors, give you opportunities to help others in our community, and widen your circle of friends? Do you have an interest in gardening, but have never really taken the time to learn more about it? Or, do you already enjoy gardening, and would like to expand your knowledge? Would you like to share your love of gardening with others? The Erie County Master Gardener Program, sponsored by the Ohio State Extension Service, might be for you!! The mission of the Ohio State Extension Master Gardener Program is to promote and teach timely, research-based lawn and gardening practices to the public, to provide an environment for personal growth to Erie County Master Gardener Volunteers, and to assist Ohio State University Extension in Erie County. So, what do Erie County Master Gardener volunteers do? We have a variety of ongoing projects to help address various needs in our community, and to fit with the various skills and interests of Master Gardener volunteers. At Back to the Wild Wildlife Rehab Center in Castalia, we maintain a garden and a hoop house where we grow food for the animals at the wildlife rehab center. At the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky, we work with the residents in the facility's greenhouse, helping maintain the plants, introducing best practices, and encouraging those residents already involved in indoor gardening. We have established and maintained several pollinator gardens in our area, including at Sherod Park in Vermilion and at the Mc Bride Arboretum on the campus of BGSU Firelands in Huron. We work with two School Garden Clubs in the area, one at Furry Elementary School in Perkins Township and one at Huron St. Peter School. Erie Master Gardeners have information and activity booths at the Erie County Fair and at events in the community including at Osborn Park. We also reach out to the general community by writing articles on a variety of gardening topics for the weekly Let's Get Growing column in the Sandusky Register. (Recent articles can be found on the OSU Extension website at: erie.osu.edu/program-areas/master-gardener-volunteers/lets-get-growing-column.) We run an annual Spring Seminar open to the public, this year on March 28 at Mesenberg's in Huron, and an annual Plant Sale on the second Saturday in May at the Erie County Fairgrounds. Besides the volunteer services Master Gardeners provide to our community, there are many opportunities to Master Gardeners for their own advanced training in gardening topics. Field trips and talks on topics of interest to Master Gardeners are planned by interested MG volunteers. OSU Extension provides training online through their "Lunch and Learn" program (mastergardener.osu.edu/LNL25) as well as through planned field trips and educational programs around the state. And Master Gardeners also get together for an annual awards "banquet"; check out our current photo, taken at Osborn Park on the OSU Master Gardeners website: erie.osu.edu/program-areas/master-gardener-volunteers/master-gardener-training-information Training to become an Erie County Master Gardener includes classes presented by experts in their fields on topics such as plant propagation, soils, turf management, integrated pest management, therapeutic horticulture, herb and vegetable gardening, pruning woody ornamentals, to name but a few. Classes will be held 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. on days to be selected beginning this winter through October. All classes are mandatory; some field trips will be included. Classes will be held at the Norwalk Extension Service Office, 80 Milan Ave., in Norwalk. There is a registration fee of $150. Trainees will then be required to complete a given number of volunteer hours and educational hours in the Master Gardener program. There is an application to complete and submit by January 10, 2026, and an interview will then be scheduled. Those accepted into the program will begin training classes this winter. Come join us Erie County Master Gardeners in 2026! We are eager to meet, and garden, with you! Interested people like you can find more details and the application at: erie.osu.edu/program-areas/master-gardener-volunteers/master-gardener-training-information