Howard County Master Gardeners

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Welcome to the website of the Howard County Master Gardeners. We hope you enjoy your visit. The mission of the Howard County Master Gardeners is to educate residents about safe, effective, and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities. The Master Gardener program is administered by the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Service.

Howard County Master Gardeners are volunteers, trained by the university, who provide horticultural education services to individuals, groups, and communities including government agencies, neighborhood associations, non-profit organizations, historic sites, schools and youth groups, senior citizens and garden clubs. Master Gardener programs and services are available free of charge to all Howard County residents and community groups.

Howard County's Master Gardeners offer education via activities such as:

Integrated pest management to solve problems using least toxic methods
Plant clinics to diagnose plant problems (diseases, insects, fertility, and abiotic disorders) and offer advice on weed and other pest control
Nutrient management: composting demonstrations and soil improvement practices
Bay-Wise landscaping practices that protect the Bay and local environments
Youth education about gardening at public schools such as our Schools and Streams program
Speakers to talk on almost any aspect of gardening
Demonstration gardens open for public visits

Benefits of the Master Gardeners Program for communities:

Enjoy a healthier environment by reducing fertilizer runoff into our watersheds and the Bay
Save money and reduce health risks by minimizing use of toxic pesticides
Improve soils and save landfill space by composting yard waste
Reduce water use through horticultural practices
Create beautiful and ecologically sound landscapes for local conditions
Learn ways to provide habitat for native wildlife and beneficial insects

Benefits to individuals who become a Master Gardener:

Sense of satisfaction in helping others
Regular interaction with other gardening experts to share experiences
Opportunity for self improvement, advanced education in horticulture
Proudly wear apparel bearing Master Gardener logo: shirts, caps, pins, nametags, etc.

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