BULLHEAD CITY – The lush colors and the beautification of the landscape are just some of the benefits of being a strong hand in a garden.
But to be a Master Gardener is a whole other level and Mohave Community College, 3400 Highway 95, is the scene where many hopefuls will gather over the next few months to learn the art of perfecting the ultimate scene.
Griffin Collins, program coordinator, saw the newest edition of the course begin on January 16 and it will run on Thursdays through April 17.
The three-plus hour classes will focus on the “ins and outs” of gardening, focusing on climates and how they can affect one’s work. Several speakers with different skill sets will be on site to share their tips and experiences.
“At the end of the class there’s going to be a final exam and then if they want to continue – and they’ve passed – they can become certified,” Collins said. “We fill different plant and gardening needs and do everything from little garden beds to whatnot and we do a lot of workshops and training.”
The course costs $200 and completing the course earns one the title of “Master Gardener,” which means being familiar with botany, irrigation, fertilizing, landscaping, design, and much more,e and not just when dealing with plants.
“There are different ways to keep our plant world alive, to help them out, to identify diseases, and to deal with pests,” Collins said. “There are (two dozen) people (In the class) who have different areas of interest.”
Collins noted snowbirds will join also to get familiar with how to garden in the Mohave County environment which could be disparate from their homes away from the area.
“Learning hands-on is more effective than from doing it online through YouTube,” Collins said. “Learning in person with experts does cost money but you could spend money (otherwise) and still spend a lot of money doing something and not know what you are doing.
Collins and others at the school will facilitate the class and the process as the different experts come in weekly to help the future masters get a grasp on the process.
It’s a program that has gone on for over a decade and Collins said sign-ups have remained consistent with usually about two dozen enrolled annually. As of mid-January a few days before the class began, Collins said the class was only half full.
“It doesn’t stop at the class as they are really focused more on doing things in the community,” Collins said. “You just have to keep up and attend meetings and educational events. We’re constantly learning because things are changing all the time.”
Frank Nichols took the course and did so following retirement in 2013 and arriving in the area.
“I had always wanted to know more about house plants, landscaping, and trees,” he said. “They add so much to the home and community. I had read articles in the local paper about this club known as the “Master Gardeners.” They write articles every month with tips and instructions on how to take care of all types of indoor and outdoor plants. They do several events for the community annually.”
Nichols had moved to Lake Havasu and his new home had some irrigation issues that caused his plants to struggle.
“My wife and I started working on rebuilding our landscaping and soon learned that desert gardening was difficult, and failure could be expensive,” Nichols said. “I suggested to her that she attend one of their meetings and try to learn more about keeping plants alive in this challenging environment. She was reluctant to go so I thought about doing it myself. I had always thought that gardening knowledge was a hobby for women. As usual, I was wrong.”
He found the program to be, “well run, organized and detailed,” and enjoyed his own experience as a Master Gardener.
“At this point in my membership, I’m in associate status,” he said. “I am required to attend, “Home Garden Day” on the first Tuesday of each month. That’s where people from the community can come to the county library and ask questions of the Master Gardeners about their plants and landscaping.
“I also attend the monthly business meeting where we discuss upcoming events that the Master Gardeners will participate in like the annual fair in Kingman. The club prepares and participates in numerous events available to the community as a service of the University of Arizona extension program.”
Kyle Young is working on becoming a regular master gardener making the leap from associate.
‘The program was great – instructors were well knowledgeable in their expertise,” Young said. “I have applied what I learned and from what the current MG’s teach me and apply it to my own yard.
Alan Dale
