RENO, Nev. – Home gardening can be great fun and great exercise, and provide nutritious, tasty treats for our tables. But it is not without its challenges, especially in Nevada. If you want to dive in a little deeper to learn how to garden like a pro, the University of Nevada, Reno Extension is offering its online Home Horticulture Certificate Program, Aug. 6 to Oct. 12. The program is ideal for anyone wanting to learn more about gardening in Nevada and is also a prerequisite for those interested in becoming a certified Nevada Master Gardener.
The certificate program includes instruction on a variety of topics, such as soils, composting, native plants, small fruits, vegetables, and pest management. Katelyn Brinkerhoff, statewide Master Gardener coordinator, said the online program was developed to be accessible to everyone in Nevada.
“Topics address information on gardening specific to northern Nevada, southern Nevada, and our rural counties,” Brinkerhoff said. “The training is applicable to anyone wanting to start or learn more about gardening in the state. The program was created to help make people more comfortable with gardening in Nevada.”
The program is a self-paced online course that also includes live question-and-answer sessions via Zoom with specialists and local gardening professionals, from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 6 through Oct. 1. The question-and-answer sessions will also be recorded for those who cannot attend them live. Participants complete the online exam at their own pace by Oct. 11.
Those interested in enrolling need to register online by July 30. The cost is $275.
After completing the Home Horticulture Certificate Program, those still thirsty for more gardening knowledge have two options for the fall.
One option is to enroll in the Advanced Home Horticulture Certificate Program, which is for those wanting more gardening knowledge for their own personal use. The program is self-paced and entirely online, running Nov. 5 through Dec. 17, with a completion deadline for the online exam of Dec. 30. The cost is $175.
Another option is for those not only wanting to learn more, but also wanting to share their expertise throughout their community by volunteering. This is the training program to become a Nevada Master Gardener volunteer. Master Gardeners share their knowledge through presentations and workshops, participating in community events and projects, answering gardening questions at Extension offices, and more.
This program has the same self-paced online curriculum as the Advanced Certificate Program, but in addition, there are live question-and-answer sessions via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays, Nov. 5 through Dec. 17, along with in-person sessions, including labs, tours, and workshops.
The cost is $175 if taken immediately after the Home Horticulture Certificate Program. If not taken the same year as the Home Horticulture Certificate Program, the cost is $250.
After completing the online exam by Dec. 29, aspiring Master Gardeners begin their internship year, which requires 15 hours of continuing education and 35 hours of approved volunteer projects or activities. After completing their internship year, the minimum yearly commitment is 10 hours of continuing education and 20 hours of approved volunteer projects or activities.
Last year, Nevada Master Gardeners volunteered 34,460 hours and produced 17,881 pounds of food donated to local food banks and charities.
Registration for both the Advanced Home Horticulture Certificate Program and the Nevada Master Gardener Training Program opens in the fall after the initial Home Horticulture Certificate Program has finished.
For more information, contact Brinkerhoff at [email protected] or 515-523-0860. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should contact Paul Lessick at [email protected] or 702-257-5577 at least five days prior to the scheduled event.
Photo Cutline: Master Gardener Cindy Edwards shows off some locally grown flowers. The Home Horticulture Certificate Program is the first step to becoming a Master Gardener, and registration for the program is now open. Photo by Rachel McClure.
The University of Nevada, Reno is a public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s land-grant university, it serves 21,000 students and is classified as an R1 institution with very high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The university also holds the Carnegie Engaged classification for civic engagement and community collaboration.
More than $800 million in advanced labs, residence halls, and facilities has been invested on campus since 2009. The university is home to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Nevada Wolf Pack athletics programs and maintains a statewide outreach mission through programs such as the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Small Business Development Center, and Nevada Seismological Laboratory.
Contact:
Claudene Wharton
Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources
University of Nevada, Reno / MS 0405
Reno, Nevada 89557-0404
775-784-7072
[email protected]
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