Classes have started in Rosenberg for 27 aspiring gardeners who have begun their journey toward becoming certified Texas Master Gardeners in Fort Bend County. Their goal? To expand their horticultural knowledge and share it with the community.
The 12 weeks of classes are conducted by Texas A&M University professors, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists and certified Fort Bend County Master Gardeners. The interns must attend 60 hours of training and complete 50 hours of volunteer service by May.
Among the interns are Judy Carley of Sugar Land and Esther Salazar of Richmond.
“I’ve had an interest in the Master Gardener program for five years and I knew that I wanted to sign up for the training once I retired,” Carley said. “I retired in May and signed up in July. I was very fortunate to have a co-worker, who was a Master Gardener, and inspired and encouraged me to pursue this path.”
“I’ve been interested in gardening since I was a small child, watching and helping my mother and father while they weeded, and planted roses and fruit trees for us in our yard,” Salazar said,
“My mother spoke fondly of growing up in Utley, Texas, around fields of corn, sweet potatoes and peach trees when she was young and taught me many things about various vegetables and fruit,” she said. “Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve gardened and have continued to this very day in my own home and hopefully will continue to learn more from the Fort Bend County Master Gardener Vegetable Garden team.”
Salazar is joined by Carley in the vegetable garden.
Said Carley: “I’m fairly new to vegetable gardening (e.g., three years container gardening with tomatoes and peppers and then this spring with new potatoes). I chose to volunteer in the Vegetable Demonstration Garden as I’m limited in knowledge and eager to learn. The hands-on experience will be a fantastic growth opportunity for me.”
The vegetable garden is one of 10 demonstration gardens maintained by the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners in Rosenberg.
“I’ve grown a variety of flowers over the years and during the COVID pandemic, I started focusing on sustainable landscaping and began converting most of my backyard flower beds to native plants and pollinators,” Carley said.
Salazar also has grown flowers and vegetables at home.
“I’ve been growing the usual tomatoes, eggplants, herbs and all kinds of flowering plants, focusing on a hummingbird habitat for years. I’ve watched and attended several of the Fort Bend successful gardening classes for years and could not wait to retire from my job to attend Master Gardener classes,” she said.
Salazar would like to work with youngsters, while Carley is uncertain what’s next.
“My hope is to gain enough knowledge to be able to go into classrooms where all the young little brains are, and hopefully share my enthusiasm of gardening with them, so that they may learn and have avenues for someday growing their own food for themselves,” Salazar said.
“I honestly don’t know yet where I want to focus when I complete the training program as we are in the beginning stages of learning about the many opportunities. I do know this. I am a visual learner, and I really like the demonstration gardens. I can see how showing the gardens can encourage others in the community,” Carley said.
“The Master Gardener program empowers people to take what they learn and share it in their communities,” said. Brandy Rader, program coordinator. “Whether it’s educating others, improving local landscapes, or inspiring the next generation, our interns become true ambassadors for horticulture in Fort Bend County. You don’t need to be an expert to join the Master Gardener program. We provide the training, and what grows from there is truly amazing.”
The Master Gardener program is sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Classes focus on topics that include perennials and annuals, soils and plant nutrition and insect, disease and weed management. Registration for Master Gardener classes is held every summer. Learn more at fbmg.org.
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