Patrick CountyMaster Gardeners

By Grace Cooper

During the spring, summer, and fall, small garden plots along Stuart’s North Main Street are filled with an array of beautiful blooms. These gardens are created by a group of local volunteers who work to beautify and educate the county. The Patrick County Master Gardeners are a group of trained volunteers certified by the Virginia Cooperative Extension. These volunteers are tasked with educating their community through gardening workshops and other educational events. As Master Gardener Norma Bozenmayer explains, “everything we do is to educate and make Patrick County a healthier, more beautiful place to live.” To become an Extension Master Gardener, volunteers must complete a minimum of fifty hours of horticulture training and a minimum of fifty volunteer hours. Volunteers are also required to complete at least twenty volunteer hours and eight hours of continuing education each year to maintain their active status. Once volunteers become official Master Gardeners, they can create community gardens, teach workshops, and host events for the public to attend.

The Virginia Master Gardener program is a part of the Virginia Cooperative Extension, an educational outreach program that works to make scientific information accessible to the general public. The program was formed in 1979 to provide communities with research-based gardening education. There are sixty-two Extension Master Gardener groups located throughout Virginia. Each group creates educational programs based on the identified needs in their area. Extension Master Gardeners have established programs like urban tree planting, community vegetable gardens, and pollinator-friendly gardening for their communities. Young or old, the Master Gardeners’ educational programs are perfect for anyone who wants to learn about dirt, bugs, and plants. Master Gardener Sherry Easterbrooks decided to join the program when she relocated to Patrick County. “I needed to upgrade my knowledge when faced with the challenges of a different climate, different soil conditions, longer growing seasons, hotter summers, different plant diseases, and pests. I became a Master Gardener Volunteer in 2010,” says Easterbrooks. Patrick County’s climate and geography can make gardening and landscaping challenging. Factors like soil composition, elevation, and microclimates can greatly affect what plants will thrive. The Patrick County Master Gardeners are an amazing resource for anyone looking for help in their gardening and landscaping projects.

Extension Master Gardeners are tasked with educating their community on how to be better gardeners and how to protect the local environment. Master Gardeners are educated on a wide range of topics including botany, entomology, soil composition, and plant pathology. Educating the community about better gardening techniques can help protect the local ecosystem from pollutants and invasive plants. Their educational programs encourage gardeners to think about every part of the ecosystem. Factors like soil microbiology, water quality, surrounding plants, and local animals can affect local gardens. Master Gardener Norma Bozenmayer explains that “so many people don’t realize the importance of soil and the interacting biology and chemistry. I am particularly fascinated with the microbiology of the soil, so I like bringing a microscope to workshops, allowing attendees to view what is hidden in healthy soil.” Many of their workshops encourage gardeners to work with their environment and not against it. Overusing pesticides and herbicides can disrupt the soil microbiome, kill beneficial insects, kill native plants, and pollute local waterways.

The Patrick County Master Gardeners work with local organizations to create learning gardens. The learning gardens encourage an interest in pollinator friendly gardening. Gardeners can support native pollinators by leaving weeds and dead branched in the landscape whenever possible. Many common weeds are an essential food source for native bugs and birds. Plants like milkweed, pokeweed, clover, and dandelions are key parts of the food web in the native ecosystem. Native plants can even be incorporated into existing flower gardens create a beautiful and beneficial landcape. The small gardens planted along Stuart’s North Main Street are one example of native-friendly garden design. Each plot was created with native pollinators in mind with a carefully selected mix of wildflowers and native plants. Master Gardener Judy Ferring has noted that “ever since the Master Gardeners turned several small garden plots on Main Street into native plant demonstrations, there’s been a marked increase in pocket gardens all around the county. It’s the little things that count.” Even the littlest change in the landscape can have big effects in the environment. Gardeners have the ability to help or hurt the native ecosystem when creating their gardens. Non-native, invasive plants can permanently damage the local environment.

Introducing invasive species can cause harm to the native ecosystem. Some of the most problematic invasive species were introduced by well-intentioned gardeners. Kudzu, bamboo, English ivy, and the tree of heaven are a few of the more common invasive species found in the United States. Invasive plants are problematic due to their ability to outcompete native species. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, invasive species have “contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species can aid in the spread of pests and diseases, increase soil erosion, and degrade water quality. The USDA and the U.S. Forest Service have created detailed guidelines on preventing, detecting, and controlling invasive species throughout the United States. All gardeners should carefully research all plants before adding them to their landscapes. Gardening centers and online sites often include invasive species in wildflower seed mixes and in their decorative plants. The Patrick County Master Gardeners can help identify invasive species, suggest native alternatives, and help remove established invasive plants. Planting native plants whenever possible is one of the ways gardeners can improve the environment around their homes. For Patrick County residents, the annual native plant sale is the perfect place to buy natives.

Attending a workshop at one of the local learning gardens is a fun way for residents to learn new skills. Learning garden workshops are held throughout the year in multiple locations around the county. Some of the learning gardens include the Books, Blooms, and Bugs Garden at the Blue Ridge Regional Library, The Herb Garden at the Stuart Farmers Market, and the Neighbors Feeding Neighbors garden on Tudor Orchard Road. The workshops cover a wide range of topics and are a great place to connect with fellow gardeners. For Master Gardener Sherry Easterbrooks, her “favorite topics to teach are vermicomposting (composting with worms), how to create sustainable habitats for our native pollinators/wildlife, and propagation (especially woody propagation).” Some topics covered in 2022 were microclimates, irrigation, rainwater collecting, and herb growing. The last learning garden of the year discussed growing garlic and turmeric and how to turn garden waste into fertilizer. During the winter, the Patrick County Master Gardeners host library workshops to help residents plan their spring gardens. In addition to in-person workshops, the Master Gardeners also publish educational content in The Enterprise and on WHEO Stuart’s Patrick County Profiles. Attending these events helps support the Patrick County Master Gardeners and their future programs. All programs are created to address specific needs in the community. Factors like attendance and community feedback influence what topics are covered in future workshops. Community members are welcome to suggest new topics that they would like to see covered in future workshops.

The largest educational event hosted by the Patrick County Master Gardeners is the Spring Garden Symposium. The symposium is held in March and features special guest speakers and a small selection of local vendors. It is a great opportunity to connect with gardeners from around the region and learn something new. Past speakers have discussed battling weeds, herb growing, wildflower growing, native landscaping, and more. The symposium is a great learning opportunity and a great way to kick off the growing season. The guest speaker for the 2023 symposium was Dr. Patrick McMillan. Dr. McMillan is the Emmy award-winning host of the PBS series Expeditions with Patrick McMillan and the Director of Horticulture at the Juniper Level Botanical Garden in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. McMillan gave two presentations at the symposium, “Gardening for the Senses” and “Underutilized Native Plants.” The Spring Garden Symposium can help beginners and experts alike master their garden and landscaping projects.

The Patrick County Master Gardeners are a diverse group of volunteers who help educate, beautify, and protect the environment in their community by promoting sustainable landscaping habits and environmental awareness. Their educational programs help foster a love for gardening and respect for the local ecosystem. The learning gardens and other educational events are a great way for individuals - young or old - to learn new skills and meet other local gardeners. The Patrick County Master Gardeners are a small group that works hard to make an impact in the county. For Master Gardener Norma Bozenmayer, one reason she loves being a volunteer is “seeing the impact our small group has made in the community through our programs and our educational gardens.” From little pocket gardens to large landscaping jobs, the Patrick County Master Gardeners provide resources and education that can help any project succeed.

Becoming an Extension Master Gardener is a great way to volunteer and give back to the community. Anyone interested in joining the Extension Master Gardener program is encouraged to contact their local Cooperative Extension Office to learn more. The program is open to anyone who loves to learn, teach, and help their community, no matter their skill level or experience. The Extension Master Gardener Program can help volunteers improve their gardening skills while helping their community. As Master Gardener Judy Ferring explains, “we’re not really masters of this art. Each one of us is learning something new nearly every day.” Constantly learning, growing, and helping one another is what makes the Patrick County Master Gardeners successful. Their work helps Patrick County become a greener, healthier, and happier place for everyone.

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