By Ann Taylor
I know why I wanted to be a “Master Gardener”. I had just moved to Ruston from a very different dry climate in the high elevation desert in Reno, Nevada. Due to the threat of late frosts there, it is a huge risk to plant before Mother’s Day and is usually safe to plant by Memorial Day.
Here in northern Louisiana, I was stumped – with the heat, humidity, bugs, diseases and, oh, did I mention heat! I spent my first year learning what does not work. I had to re-think my approach to gardening. Basically I had to throw out my old playbook and find a way to learn about growing plants in Louisiana.
Then I saw a flyer about an 11-week LSU AgCenter Master Gardener Class coming up. I never thought of myself as a great gardener or that I could be a “master” gardener, but I figured this class could only help me learn about my new home, so I jumped in.
My class had about 20 students of all ages and from many different walks of life. It was jam-packed with information from instructors who are leaders in their fields, and all are committed to providing the most current and up-to-date resources. I learned a lot about gardening in Louisiana, and although I still feel like a novice, I now have a great group of people I can ask about gardening. But one of the best benefits is that I met some of the nicest people who have become some of my closest friends.
At the last monthly meeting of the North Central Louisiana Master Gardeners, I looked around the group of friends I now have and I thought it would be interesting to hear why they decided to become Master Gardeners. From a short survey, the responses I got were all very similar to mine:
- I love plants and learning about plants
- To enhance my home garden and landscaping
- Always wanted to learn more about plants and gardening
- Wanted to learn how to more reliably grow garden vegetables, bedding plants, and hay in support of our old family farm
- I moved from a different climate zone and wanted to learn how to grow plants here
When I asked “what do you enjoy most about being a Master Gardener”, responses were:
- Fellowship with others interested in gardening, learning, and sharing
- Building a community of new friends
- Informational meetings and seminars
- The fellowship with others who have a love for gardens and giving back to their community
- I wanted to work with like-minded plant people
If any of this strikes a chord with you, for more information on how to sign up for the next Master Gardener class starting June 30, please contact Kyleigh Bass, Lincoln and Bienville Horticulture Agent at KyleighBass@agcenter.lsu.edu or the Lincoln Parish Extension Office at (318) 251-5134. Deadline for the class sign-up is May 28, so don’t delay!
If you have gardening questions, please send them to us at NCLAMasterGardener@gmail.com. We will do our best to answer your questions and will continue to provide “snippets” of information about gardening.
Until next time – Happy Gardening!
