Mighty Mulchers
Do you like to garden? Do you have time to donate? Are you looking for a new hobby or to learn from others? Volunteering in a garden might be for you.
Many of the world’s most famous gardens would not exist without the help of multitudes of volunteers. Without their contribution of pruning, weeding, and tidying of large gardens, it would be nearly impossible to hire and pay enough workers to keep gardens looking at their best. Let’s face it, maintaining a really outstanding garden is expensive. There is hardscape to maintain, compost and fertilizers to buy, and there always seems to be some replacement plants needed. Labor can also be a huge drain on the budget. That is where volunteers can enter to fill in the gaps and help with the tasks that do not require an advanced degree in horticulture.
When I visited Wisley, the Royal Horticultural Society’s flagship garden outside of London, there were armies of volunteers directing visitors, weeding, deadheading, and doing other chores. They were readily recognizable in their bright purple shirts. We struck up a conversation with one volunteer who was a retired flight attendant and she was efficiently guiding visitors into the Hilltop Centre where there are displays, a library, as well as a café. She said that she enjoyed meeting visitors and using her skills to keep the crowds moving safely.
Do we have organized garden volunteers in this country? Yes. They are usually Master Gardeners. What exactly does it mean to be a Master Gardener? Each state has a University Extension Service. The Extension services were begun in the late 1800’s by various acts of Congress and used land grant universities to bring educational services to farmers, ranchers, and home gardeners at the local county level. Our land grant university is Clemson and our local Extension Service that serves Beaufort and Jasper counties is located at 18 John Galt Road in Beaufort. Each state has its own land grant university that offers extension services, has research facilities, and courses in various agricultural and horticultural fields. One mission of each state’s Extension Service is to train Master Gardeners to expand their reach to the local level.
How do you become a Master Gardener and what do they do? To become an official Master Gardener, it is necessary to do coursework through the local Extension Office. There is a final exam and once passed, the student is a Master Gardener intern. Upon completion of forty hours of volunteer service, the intern becomes a fully certified Master Gardener. To maintain certification, there are additional yearly volunteer hours that must be completed which include continuing education credits to keep up with the latest trends and research.
Master Gardeners volunteer for many different activities. Some may choose to help with a local beautification project or the maintenance of a community garden space. Others may help with a school garden and provide education to students about gardening, especially how to grow their own food. At different venues such as Farmer’s Markets or festivals, you may see an “Ask A Master Gardener” booth where volunteers are available to provide answers to gardening questions. Other Master Gardeners may speak at local garden clubs or other organizations on various gardening related topics. The emphasis is very much on volunteerism whether it be the contribution of physical labor or delivery of an educational program.
Do you have to be a Master Gardener to volunteer in a local garden? Absolutely not. Check out your community for volunteer activities. One of my most pleasant memories was working in a community garden in Ohio before I became a Master Gardener. One day while I was working in the garden I was joined by several students from a local school. It was their community service day and some chose to work in community beautification. It was such a fun experience to work with willing students and there was a lot of education about plants as well as ecology that went on that day.
Start the new year with an activity that has proven to lift your spirits and give you a good physical work out in the fresh air. Gardening is good from the body and the soul. Give it a try.
