Master Gardener Training Class Information and Materials

Class will begin January 27, 2012 and run every Friday through March 23.  Information and materials will be posted on a weekly basis every Friday.

Week 1 - January 27, 2012

  • Pre-Test

  • Master Gardener Introductions (Name, Island, what do you want to learn)

Websites
 http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_book_mg_south

 

Readings: Florida Friendly Landscape Handbook (1-17)
Websites
 http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/
http://www.floridayards.org/

FYI - Books: Monroe County Environmental Story (1991) or The Florida Keys Environmental Story (1997)

Group activity - Select one from each group from FFL Plant Selection plants grown in zone 10b or 11:

large tree, medium tree,  small tree, large shrub, small shrub, vine, ground cover, grass, palm and palm-like plant, perennial, annual

Hands-on activities (soil texture-jar, soil pH, soil buffering capacity, soil water)

Websites  
 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_mg_soil_and_fertilizers

http://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_soil_testing

Readings: Florida Friendly Landscape Handbook (17-21)

Week 2 - February 3, 2012

  • Jeopardy (PowerPoint)

  • Rain Barrel (Video)

Rain Barrel (How to make one)

  • Hands-on activity water test (EC testing, water infiltration exercise)

Readings: Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Handbook (43-48)

Websites
 http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/environment/water_resources.html

http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/water/water_conservation.html

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_landscapes_and_water_conservation

Websites
 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FR002

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/botany/physiology.html

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/botany/growth.html

DDIS Plant Identification (Exercise) – Interns: bring a plant for identification

 

Plant Identification and Information Service
 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/SR013

          DDIS website: http://ddis.ifas.ufl.edu

          U: master    P: gardener

 

Site visit: (trees, palms, shrubs & ground covers) – Tranquility Bay & Government Center Parking Lots

How to Use Florida-Friendly Landscaping Plant List (Articulate – home viewing)

http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/plant_list/plantlist_player.html

Readings: FFL Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design

Websites
 http://hort.ufl.edu/woody

http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/landscaping/xeriscaping.html

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG086

http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/FFL_Book_Zone_10_081610.pdf

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP39600.pdf

http://lyra.ifas.ufl.edu/FloridaTrees/index.html

Week 3 - February 10, 2012


TREC, 18905 S.W. 280th Street, Homestead, FL 33031

Tropical Fruit (PowerPoint), Jonathan Crane, Ph.D., 9:30 to noon - tour

RAB-LW in the Home Landscape (PowerPoint)

Readings: Avocado, Bananas, Mango IFAS fact sheets

Readings: Month-By-Month Gardening in Florida (83-140)

Readings: Florida Gardener’s Resource (76-107) 

Website - http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/fruitscapes/

Plant Pathology (PowerPoint), Aaron Palmateer, Ph.D., 12:30 to 3:00 pm - plant clinic tour

Websites
 http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/ornpathology/index.shtml

http://www.plantclinic.org/

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/departments/plantpath.html

http://flrec.ifas.ufl.edu/palm_prod/palm_problems.shtml

 

Review before attending Plant Pathology class: http://erec.ifas.ufl.edu/plant_pathology_guidelines/index.shtml

 

TREC Driving Directions:

18905 S.W. 280th Street, Homestead, FL 33031
Phone: 305-246-7000 

Upon entering Florida City, take the first turn Left onto Route 997. (This is before the first red light.)

Proceed to Palm Avenue, turn Left.

Take Palm Avenue, turn Right onto Redlands (SW 187th Avenue).  Note: Post Office is on the corner. 

Proceed to S.W. 280th Street, turn Left.

Make first Right onto TREC property, cross over speed bumps and park in front of building.  Look for the white Monroe County Dodge Caravan and Master Gardener training signs.

Please carpool. I will be leaving BPK Winn-Dixie parking lot (closest to Key Deer Blvd) at 6:30 a.m. I can take 5 passengers; let me know if you will ride with me.

If you have any problems call Kim Gabel’s cell number: 305-587-9491.

Week 4 - February 17, 2012


 

Week 5 - February 24, 2012


 

Week 6 - March 2, 2012


 

Week 7 - March 9, 2012


 

Week 8 - March 16, 2012


 

Week 9 - March 23, 2012


 


Monroe County Master GardenerTraining: putting a seedling in the ground

Kim Gabel 
Environmental Horticulture Agent