After four months of lectures, study and homework, I took my six-hour final exam last Saturday and passed my Master Gardener test! This course of study was a goal of mine for many years, and last summer, I finally found a course that was relevant to the area in which I live, and which was manageable with my busy schedule.
The course to earn certification as a Master Gardener in Home Horticulture was offered by Oregon State University, and taught by Dr. Gail Langelotto, who heads up the entire Master Gardener program for the State of Oregon. Her Ph. D. is in Entomology, and the course was well-taught and well organized, with lectures by Dr. Langelotto and three of her associates from OSU.
We covered many subjects in the four months, including sustainable landscaping, pest control, composting, and vegetable gardening. We analyzed our soil's pH and % of organic matter (OM), and learned how to select the appropriate native plants for the areas in which we live. The most important part of the course for me was learning how to diagnose plant pests and diseases, and to know the appropriate ways to control them, using chemical means as only a last resort.
I've aleady planned my spring garden, and can't wait to order my seeds and plants for the yard and garden. I learned so much in the course, and it will take me many years to implement all of them, but I know I'll enjoy the adventure of making my property and garden appropriately landscaped and maintained.
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