University of Wisconsin - Extension

The Master Gardener Program in Wisconsin is an organization of volunteers in horticulture. After training in all aspects of gardening through University of Wisconsin-Extension, certified Master

Gardeners become involved in educating other members of their communities, answering questions and providing information, whether at local gardening events, special workshops, or on UW-Extension supported garden phone lines.

Master Gardeners work with members of the UW-Extension Urban Agriculture and Horticulture Team to staff booths at area fairs, Wisconsin Farm Progress Days and other community events to answer horticulture questions, and they educate the public on Garden Parades or Walks. Master Gardeners present talks on perennials, plant propagation, native plants, and other topics for various groups throughout the state.

Several groups statewide have spring gardening programs with Master Gardener speakers and workshops on a variety of topics. The St. Croix Valley Master Gardeners hold "Veggie U," a one-day seminar on

vegetable gardening each spring. Master Gardeners in Forest County have taught a gardening course for retirees, while the Chippewa County Master Gardeners organized a Landscape seminar series last year.

Master Gardeners in Marquette County organized four public summer field days at members' gardens with an educational program at each. And their game "Who Wants to Be a Gardener" at their Garden Expo was

a fun way to learn about gardening. The Southeast Wisconsin Master Gardeners in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties offer advanced training to their certified Master Gardeners to become Plant Health Advisors who assist with the "Yard and Garden Line" during the summer months.

Demonstration gardens developed and maintained by Master Gardener groups also educate the public. The West Central Master Gardener's Eau Claire County Landscape Demonstration Site offers design concepts, plant identification and landscape examples for homeowners and land caretakers. The Northern Lights Master Gardeners in Marinette County maintains Harmony Demonstration Gardens and hosts an annual Garden Fair for the public with all sorts of educational

activities. Lake Superior Master Gardeners planted a Square Foot Gardening Demonstration to educate visitors at the Head of the Lakes Fair on raising vegetables in limited space.

For more information about the Master Gardeners program, visit their Web site at http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/"> http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener. Visit the

UW-Extension Urban Agriculture and Horticulture Team Web site at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wihort/"> http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wihort/ for information and publications on many gardening and landscaping topics.

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