Clinton County Master Gardeners

The Purdue Master Gardener Program is an integral part of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and provides the citizens of Indiana with a chance to grow.

The Program provides a learning framework for participants to increase their knowledge on a wide variety of horticultural subjects. In turn, participants volunteer and help others grow by sharing knowledge while providing leadership and service in educational gardening activities within their communities.

The purpose of the Purdue Master Gardener Program is to teach people more about growing plants and to more effectively extend information related to plants. Its specific aim is to provide information and technical assistance in the areas of gardening and home horticulture through the use of trained and certified volunteers.

To become a Master Gardener you must first attend an intensive training course. In Clinton County this generally consists of 13 three-hour classes or a total of nearly 40 hours of instruction. You must then pass a final exam with a score of at least 70% (don't worry - if you attend classes and complete the assignments you shouldn't have any trouble with this). Once you have completed this you must donate 35 hours of service to the community. This can be in the form of answering questions from the public, working with a church, school or other organization on a horticultural project, or working on an approved community beautification project. Volunteers should not be considered a "cheap labor force" but rather an educational resource for the community.

Plant Nutrition	Plant Disease Identification and Control
Pest identification and Control	Pesticide Use and Safety
Lawn Care	Perennials
Basic Landscaping	Tree Planting and Care
Fruit Production	Vegetable Production
Houseplants and Plant Propagation	Backyard Wildlife Habitats

And Much More!

The next Clinton County Master Gardener Class will be held on Monday evenings from January 7 through April 14. We will not be having a class on Martin Luther King Day. Each class will run from 6-9 p.m. and, with a couple of exceptions, will be held at the Clinton County Extension Office, 1111 South Jackson Street in Frankfort. The cost will be $90.00, or $135.00 for a husband and wife who are willing to share one set of course materials. If you are interested in signing up for this class, please call the Clinton County Extension Office at 765-659-6380 or 765-296-3511 or email Curt Emanuel, Clinton County Master Gardener Coordinator, at cemanuel@purdue.edu. Please include your name and contact information. You may also print out and complete this form and return it to the office. Maximum class size is 25 and we will fill this on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you are interested in taking a class in another location, the link below includes Master Gardener training programs around the state.

Clinton County has a very active Master Gardener Organization. Master Gardeners are involved in a wide variety of activities. Click on their web page for additional information.

Clinton County Master Gardeners - Follow this link to take a look at the Master Gardener meeting schedule and some of the activities the Clinton County Master Gardeners have participated in. There are several images on this page so dial-up users may experience slow page loading.