Mastering the art of gardening
Hawai'i imports about 90 percent of the foods consumed in the islands, which means the average meal on a typical family's table has traveled more than 1,500 miles. Striving to reduce that percentage are local farmers and agricultural experts, including many University of Hawai'i at M?noa faculty at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). They have been working on a variety of research and educational programs with the ultimate, heroic goal of achieving a more sustainable Hawai'i.
Case in point: the highly popular Cooperative Extension Service's Master Gardener Program, which is aiding residents interested in gardening and growing their own vegetable gardens. There are Master Gardener educational volunteer training programs on O'ahu, Kaua'i, Maui, and in Hilo and Kona on the Big Island. All are designed to increase the availability of university-based horticultural information to local nonprofit community groups and private individuals through trained volunteers known as Master Gardeners. Free public resources include a Master Gardener Plant Helpline (808-453-6055), plant diagnostics clinics and presentations on gardening to local groups.
Jayme Grzebik, CTAHR extension specialist and program coordinator, proudly notes that Master Gardener volunteers are specifically trained to nurture people with green thumbs and green dreams. Grzebik is one of four extension agents statewide who coordinate the Master Gardener effort in their respective areas. They set the statewide standards for training and certification, provide direction in managing the helplines, recruit volunteers, and compile the volunteer hour requirements. "We implement outreach programs and constantly expand the program to meet the needs of both our volunteers and trends in home gardening," said Grzebik.
The Master Gardener program, whose roots date back to 1982, started with a group of 15 O'ahu residents who were interested in learning about home gardening. Part of a nationwide program throughout the U.S. and Canada, it was first initiated in Washington state in 1972. The public service provides training to volunteers under the leadership of land-grant universities and the Cooperative Extension Service. To date, nearly 95,000 people nationwide have become Master Gardeners since the inception of the program.
On O'ahu, there are about 100 Master Gardener volunteers who are certified to solve gardening problems. They gather every second Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon for the Second Saturday at the Garden program at the Urban Garden Center in Pearl City, a 30-acre display garden for the public, owned and operated by the Cooperative Extension Service.
During these Second Saturdays, the public delights in getting free tips on keeping their gardens growing. Visitors also learn about organic pest control, soils, invasive species, seed saving, gardening in containers, and how to grow tomatoes, among other subjects. The talks are a joint effort between the Master Gardener program and nonprofit organizations like the Aloha Arborist Association, Honolulu Rose Society, O'ahu Invasive Species Council and Kokua Foundation, as well as the Hawai'i departments of Agriculture and Health.
Overwhelmingly positive feedback led to CTAHR extension agents holding their inaugural Master Gardener Statewide Conference, "Growing Together in Hawai'i," on October 15-17, 2010. Held at the Ala Moana Hotel at the edge of Waik?k?, more than 75 Master Gardeners, residents, speakers and UH faculty attended to reap new information about agriculture and backyard gardening issues.
Conference attendees were treated to tours of Lyon Arboretum in M?noa Valley, CTAHR's Waim?nalo Research Field Station, local nurseries, Waianu Farm in K?ne'ohe, Windward Community College's plant biotechnology program and bioprocessing medicinal garden, and Leeward Community College's Native Hawaiian Botanical Collection and Shade House Propagation Center. Highlighted sessions during the conference included Mastering the Aloha with Plants and Landscape Design, Growing Tropical Fruits and Nuts in Hawai'i, Green Inspiration for Landscapes, Mindful Planting, Hawai'i's Pollinator Crisis, and Aquaponics for the Backyard Gardener.
During the conference, and for the first time in the program's history, Master Gardeners were presented service awards for their volunteer achievements, including 27 five-year service awards and six 10-year awards. Individual awards also were given to Sho Mizuba, Certified Master Gardener of Hilo, for Statewide Support; Joan Lamont, Certified Master Gardner of Kona, for Statewide Public Outreach; and Robert Speer, Certified Master Gardener of O'ahu, for Statewide Leadership.
A second annual conference is in the works in 2011, with plans to host the event on Maui. The conference will feature field trips to unique areas of the Valley Island's landscape and keynote speakers from Maui's local agricultural industry.
For more information, contact Jayme Grzebik at (808) 453-6059 or grzebik@hawaii.edu.
For more information on the College of Tropical Agriculture at UH M?noa and its programs, visit www.ctahr.hawaii.edu.
Attaining Master Gardener status
Master Gardener volunteers, who are trained at various locations throughout the state, will be the first to attest that the entire experience can fun and rewarding. In addition to gaining more knowledge about gardening, volunteers can give back to the community by helping to educate school groups, teachers and homeowners. "Master Gardeners find the program valuable to network locally with those with similar interests," attests
Jayme Grzebik, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources extension specialist and program coordinator at the University of Hawai'i at M?noa.
Master Gardener Core Course training consists of a minimum of 42 hours of classroom instruction. Fees are set by local units offering the training, and cover the cost of training manuals and operational costs. Required sessions include plant science and horticulture, pruning and plant propagation, soils and plant nutrition, insects, plant diseases, weeds, integrated pest management, pesticides, vegetables, fruits, lawns, ornamentals and landscape design.
There are three levels of Master Gardeners:
1. Master Gardener Trainee, who is a program participant from the time he/she is accepted into the program through completion of classroom training.
2. Master Gardener Intern, who is a program participant from the time he/she graduates from classroom training with an average score of at least 80 percent on quizzes and exams, through the completion of a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service. This internship is normally completed within 12 months of the end of classroom training. However, interns may take two years to complete their internships upon agreement of the Master Gardener coordinator in the local extension unit.
3. Certified (Active) Master Gardener, who is a Master Gardener Intern who has completed his/her initial hours of volunteer service requirement or a returning UH Extension Master Gardener. Maintaining status requires a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service. An active Master Gardener is encouraged to pair with a Master Gardener for training.
On O'ahu, the 16-week training costs $120, which covers the cost of class supplies. Classes are held each year from January through May. Following the training period, interns have one year to devote 50 hours of payback time to the community-based program. "So, coming into the program, it would take 18 months to reach certification," explains Grzebik.
For further information on the Master Gardener Program, call 808-453-6050 or email OahuMG@ctahr.hawaii.edu.
