Gain More Gardening Know-How

by Cathy Bylinowski, Horticulture Instructor, MU Extension- Urban West Region
Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program

     If you are interested in a more in-depth horticulture and gardening education experience and want to volunteer, consider the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program. This year, participants in Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Training in Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties, will receive 14 weeks of live, online horticulture training, along with in-person field trips and hands on demonstrations. After graduation, participants volunteer at a wide range of opportunities. For more information about the 2022 Extension Master Gardener Training in the Kansas City region, please contact Cathy Bylinowski, MU Extension (MUE) Horticulture Instructor, [email protected] or MUE Field Specialist in Horticulture, Dr. Tamra Reall, [email protected].
     Horticulture Faculty on the MU campus in Columbia, MO also offer Online Extension Master Gardener Training twice a year. Keep your eye on this webpage for upcoming training classes-  https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/master-gardener
     The next campus-facilitated online Master Gardener training will be offered Fall 2022. Graduates of this online training join their local chapter to meet other Extension Master Gardeners, learn about local gardening projects and activities, and to fulfill the volunteer service requirements.
MU Extension Gardening and Horticulture Publications
     Another way to gain gardening knowledge is to take advantage of the dozens of gardening and horticulture publications available on the MU Extension (MUE) website for free download. Go to this website and in the search bar, type in your topic- https://extension.missouri.edu/
     For example, if you type in “Vegetable Gardening” in the search bar, one of the results you will receive is this publication, the vegetable gardening chapter from the Master Gardener Core Manual-
https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/mg5
     More chapters from the Master Gardener Core Manual are available for free download on the MUE website.
Gardeners’ Hotline-
     Lastly, if you have a gardening question that needs to be answered quickly, try contacting the Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City’s Hotline. Call or email your home gardening questions to:
816-833-TREE (8733) – 24-hour voicemail
[email protected]
     Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City (MGGKC) volunteers staff the Hotline and provide free, unbiased, research-based answers to your home yard, garden and plant questions.
     Volunteers answer questions weekdays (9:00 AM thru 12:00 PM) during the growing season, March 1st to October 31st. Our goal is to respond within 2 business days.
     During the winter season, November 1st to February 28th, volunteers respond weekly, on Mondays.
     Be sure to provide your address (street, city, state, zip code) and daytime phone number so we can get in touch with you if we need additional information and to mail you a written response to your questions.  Also, if you leave a voice mail on the Hotline, include your email address, it will allow us to provide you with a timely response while saving paper/postage. We never share your personal information with anyone.
     I hope you are looking forward to gardening and getting outside in 2022. Yes, the weather can be challenging, but gardening days are coming soon.
     If you need more gardening and horticulture information, please feel free to contact me, Cathy Bylinowski, MU Extension Horticulture Instructor, [email protected].
 
     Have gardening questions? MU Extension has devised a way for you to ask questions of highly knowledgeable MU Extension Horticulture Faculty free of charge. 
     "The Garden Hour with MU Extension" happens From October – March. These online events are on the third Wednesdays. Upcoming Garden Hour with MU Extension sessions are on February 16 and March 16, 12-1pm.
     Submit questions and register for these free events at https://ipm.missouri.edu/townHalls/. 
     (Weekly town halls will resume starting April 6th, 2022. Register at the same link above to get seasonal gardening tips from the MU Extension experts.)
     Extension Garden Steward Program is a new offering from the Urban West Region Field Specialist in Horticulture, Dr. Tamra Reall, for those who want to learn more about the basics of gardening. The five sessions are offered online.