Tri-County Master Gardener Training



Limestone - Madison - Morgan
Growing in the Heart of the Valley
ACES Logo
KEN CREEL
Regional Master Gardener Program Coordinator

Phone: (256) 532-1578, ext. 18
Cell: (256) 382-1554
E-mail
AMG Logo


This site was last updated on May 20, 2013.

Directions to the TN Valley Research Station north of Belle Mina, AL.


Tennessee Valley
Research and
Extension Center
Sign on Mooresville Road
On Mooresville Road
2 miles north of
Belle Mina in SW
Limestone County
Area Map Aerial View of the Station Northbound Mooresville Rd.
Boseck Road Southbound Mooresville Rd. Stewart Lane

What We Do!
Master Gardeners are a generous group who volunteer their time to educate their communities, grow vegetable gardens that benefit others, help those who have suffered a loss or damage to their properties, help collect data for Auburn University research, meet the public at various venues to answer gardening questions ... the list goes on. If it is related to horticulture, you might find a Master Gardener there. The following list of articles show Master Gardeners reaching out to help. Please check back regularly because this list of articles is growing.

If you have questions, or want to contribute an article, contact us at TriCountyMasterGardener@gmail.com.

MGs, Interns came from far and wide to clear storm debris for one of their own. Winter 2011 Class Helps Fellow Intern Hit by Tornado in Limestone County. Winter 2011 MG Class tours a local facility
that works to improve the water quality.

Ask a Master Gardener Project.
Questions on Soil, Insects & Vegetables.
MG Class Winter 2011
Graduation
MG Class Winter 2012
Graduation

Got a question or need some help?
Contact your county Team Leader if you are going to miss a class or have questions about anything in the program. Go to your county's website for more information about projects and volunteer opportunities.

• Tri-County Class Coordinator - Alice Lawler, E-mail, Phone (256) 539-2815 •

• Limestone County - Kathryn Davis, E-mail, Phone (256) 350-2431. Website
• Madison County - Max Campbell, E-mail, Phone (256) 883-5704. Website
• Morgan County - Stan Addyman, E-mail, Phone (256) 350-9425. Website

Ken Creel does a weekly Outdoor Living and Garden show on the radio to answer listener questions. Tune in Saturday mornings on WTKI, 1450AM / 92.9FM and WEKI 1490AM / 94.7FM or stream on the web at wtkiradio.com. You are welcome to call in to ask a question or join the often lively discussions. Contact Ken if you would like to accompany him to the station to present a relevant topic you are interested in.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) maintains a very large library of informational publications on many topics. A number of these are listed below as reading assignments or additional resources. You will need a PDF viewer to read the files online. A free copy is available for download from Adobe Acrobat. Click here to search the ACES library for other brochures.


Weather Note: The blue bar at the top of the weather link will turn RED when severe weather is forecasted in the area of the Tennessee Valley Research Station at Belle Mina, Alabama.

View the syllabus for this AMG training course. Some rearranging of the class sequence is necessary for each course due to availability of the guest speakers.

Invite a friend to be a Master Gardener. Contact Ken Creel, Regional Extension Agent, 819 Cook Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801. Phone: (256) 532-1578.


•  February 7, 2013  •

ORIENTATION    (2-3 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Ken Creel & Class Volunteers

  • Objectives:
        • Welcome to the program
        • Review schedules and program requirements
        • Understand rights and responsibilities as a student in the program
        • Meet program staff and class participants
  • Reading Assignment for Orientation
        • Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 1: pages 5-15
  • Additional Resources for the Orientation
        • Alabama Cooperative Extension System
        • ACES Master Gardener Site
        • Alabama Master Gardeners

  • Return to the Top

    •  February 14, 2013  •

    BASIC BOTANY    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Dr. Rudy Pacumbaba

  • Objectives:
        • Review basic plant parts/structures and their functions in plant growth and development
        • Understand relationship of photosynthesis and respiration to plant growth and development
        • Identify the basic requirements for plant growth including the 12 essential elements
        • Recognize the process by which plants absorb essential elements
  • Reading Assignment for Plant Physiology
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 3: pages 5 – 22


    TREES AND PRUNING TECHNIQUES    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Ken Creel

  • Objectives:
        • Become familiar with basic cultural practices relating to the planting and care of trees
        • Understand the importance of proper site analysis and selection
        • Learn to identify and control major diseases of trees
        • Recognize types of trees successfully grown in this geographic region
        • Learn appropriate basic pruning techniques
  • Reading Assignment for Trees and Pruning Techniques
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 9; Chapter 10, pages 35-46.

  • Return to the Top

    •  February 21, 2013  •

    SOILS and PLANT NUTRITION (video conference)    (4 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Dr. Charles Mitchell

  • Objectives:
        • Identify the five factors of soil formation
        • Recognize the physical components of soil
        • Be able to identify and explain the function of the elements essential to plant growth
        • Recognize types of fertilizer and their appropriate uses
  • Reading Assignment for Soils & Fertilizers
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 2
  • Additional Resources for Soils & Fertilizers
        • ANR-0340 Soils of Alabama
        • ANR-0744 Fertilizer Basics For Home Grounds
        • ANR-0006-A Home Soil Testing: Taking a Sample
        • ANR-0006-B Home Soil Testing: Using The Soil Test Report



  • Return to the Top

    •  February 28, 2013  •

    VEGETABLE GARDENING    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Max Campbell

  • Objectives:
        • Understand the basics of small scale vegetable gardening
        • Understand planting schedules and fertilization
        • Review methods of insect and disease control
        • Learn harvesting and storage techniques
  • Reading Assignment for Vegetable Gardening
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 12.
  • Additional Resources for Vegetable Gardening
        • ANR-0910 Common Insect and Disease Pests of Turfgrasses and Ornamentals in Alabama
        • ANR-0063 Planting Guide For Home Gardening In Alabama
        • ANR-0479 The Alabama Vegetable Gardener


    LAWNS    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Ken Creel

  • Objectives:
        • Identify the varieties of lawn grasses recommended for our area
        • Learn to evaluate them based on temperature tolerance, resilience, and amount of care required
        • Learn basic techniques involved in establishing lawn grass
        • Become familiar with the basic requirements for proper lawn maintenance
  • Reading Assignment for Lawns
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 11.

  • Return to the Top

    •  March 7, 2013  •

    •  NOTE FOR THIS WEEK  •
    This week's class will meet at the Huntsville Botanical Garden at the regular time.

    PLANT SELECTION    (4 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Harvey Cotten

  • Objectives:
        • Learn what to look for in a plant, i.e. growth habit and cultural requirements
        • Obtain an overview of plants that perform well in our growing zone
  • Reading Assignment for Plant Selection
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 10; Chapter 3, pages 22-27.
  • Additional Resources for Plant Selection
        • ANR-0566 Herbaceous Perennials in Alabama



  • Return to the Top

    •  March 14, 2013  •

    •  NOTE FOR THIS WEEK  •
    This week's class will meet at the Huntsville Botanical Garden at the regular time.

    ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Niki Sothers

  • Objectives:
        • Learn about the selection and care of annuals and perennials
        • Become familiar with their growth habits and best cultural practices
  • Reading Assignment for Annuals & Perennials
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 14
  • Additional Resources for Annuals & Perennials
        • ANR-751 Correct Installation And Establishment Of Ornamental Plants
        • ANR-0566 Herbaceous Perennials in Alabama
        • ANR-1071 Wildflower Identification


    CREATING GARDEN ROOMS    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Harvey Cotten

  • Objectives:
        • Gain knowledge of design principles to help create garden rooms
  • Reading Assignment for Landscaping with Harvey
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 16
        • NOT REQUIRED: P. Allen Smith's GARDEN HOME

  • Return to the Top

    •  March 21, 2013  •

    CONTAINER GARDENING    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Alice Lawler, Amy Rakestraw

  • Objectives:
        • Review the principles of successful indoor container gardening
  • Reading Assignment for Container Gardening
        • Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 15.
  • Additional Resources for Container Gardening
        • ANR-0184 Annual Bedding Plants
        • ANR-1139 Container Gardening
        • ANR-1242 Home Selection and Care of Interior Foliage Plants


    SUSTAINABLE GARDENING    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Elouisa Stokes

  • Objectives:
        • Learn the major elements of environmental gardening
        • Become familiar with benefits of environmental gardening
        • Understand the practice of adaptive gardening for specific reasons
        • Recognize the basic principles of composting
  • Additional Resources for Environmental Gardening and Composting
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 2, pages 35-36     • Class hand-outs

  • Return to the Top

    •  March 28, 2013  •

    ENTOMOLOGY    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Ken Creel

  • Objectives:
        • Learn to identify and control various types of common insects
        • Become familiar with the principles of pesticide safety
  • Reading Assignment for Entomology
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 4; Chapter 9, pages 19-21; chapter 10, pages 66-71; Chapter 11, pages 32-38.
  • Additional Resources for Entomology
        • ANR-1042 Common Diseases and Insects Found in Landscape Settings
        • ANR-1045 Garden Bugs
        • Integrated Pest Management


    SMALL FRUITS    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Ken Creel

  • Objectives:
        • Identify the recommended varieties of fruit trees for our growing zone
        • Gain an awareness of the basic cultural practices for home orchards and small fruits
        • Become familiar with methods to identify and control insects and deseases in home orchards and on small fruits
        • Learn the basic pruning techniques for home orchards
        • Understand the importance of site and cultivar selection for small fruits in the home garden
  • Reading Assignment for Small Fruits
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 13.

  • Return to the Top

    •  April 4, 2013  •

    PLANT PATHOLOGY    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Dr. Jim Jacobi

  • Objectives:
        • Learn to identify the major diseases of ornamental flowers, shrubs, and trees
        • Acquire a knowledge of techniques for diagnosing growth problems of ornamentals
  • Reading Assignment for Plant Pathology
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 5; Chapter 9, pages 19-21; and Chapter 10, pages 47-65
  • Additional Resources for Plant Pathology
        • Auburn University Plant Laboratory
        • Birmingham Plant Diagnostic Laboratory


    WEED SCIENCE    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Ken Creel

  • Objectives:
        • Learn to identify and classify weeds
        • Become familiar with the four general methods of weed control
        • Understand the importance of proper selection of herbicides and safety procedures for their use
  • Reading for Assignment for Weed Science
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 6
  • Additional Resources for Weed Science
        • ANR-1128 Weed Identification for Horticultural Crops
        • ANR-0854 Weed Control in Residential Landscape Plantings
        • ANR-0322 Weed Control in Home Gardens
        • Auburn University Weed Identification

  • Return to the Top

    •  April 11, 2013  •

    LANDSCAPE DESIGN    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Dr. Rudy Pacumbaba

  • Objectives:
        • Gain an awareness of the basic principles of “good” landscape design
        • Understand the process of analyzing a site to be landscaped
        • Become familiar with the steps involved in developing a landscape design
  • Reading Assignment for Landscape Design
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 16
  • Additional Resources for Landscape Design
        • ANR-0813 Residential Landscape Design
        • Auburn University Landscape website
        • Auburn University Landscape Plant Database


    LANDSCAPE WORKSHOP    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Dr. Rudy Pacumbaba

  • Objectives:
        • TBD

  • Return to the Top

    •  April 18, 2013  •

    HERBS    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Kathryn Davis

  • Objectives:
        • Learn the basics of herb gardening including varieties appropriate for our area
        • Gain an awareness of growing, harvesting, and storage and use techniques
  • Reading Assignment for Herbs
        • Hand-outs
  • Additional Resources for Herbs
        • ANR-1037 Growing Herbs in Containers
        • ANR-1164 Growing Herbs


    PESTICISE SAFETY    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Ken Creel

  • Objective:
        • Learn the basics of safely using and disposing of common pesticides.

  • Return to the Top

    •  April 25, 2013  •

    •  NOTE FOR THIS WEEK  •
    This is a hands-on class. Bring your garden gloves. We will view a short video and then split into small groups to rotate through learning stations. Experienced MGs will demonstrate how to perform various types of propagation and then you will practice them. You will keep what you plant so bring a medium-sized box to put your plants in.

    PLANT PROPAGATION    (4 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Master Gardeners

  • Objectives:
        • Be able to categorize methods of propagation as sexual or asexual
        • Learn techniques and methods of vegetative propagation
        • Learn techniques and methods of propagation by seeds
  • Reading Assignment for Plant Propagation
        • Read Alabama Master Gardener Handbook, Chapter 7



  • Return to the Top

    •  May 2, 2013  •

    BACKYARD WILDLIFE HABITAT    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Herb Lewis

  • Objectives:
        • Illustrate incorporating water into a backyard wildlife habitat
        • Focus on the key element of flowing water
        • Demonstrate associated benefits within a small backyard setting
  • Additional Resources for Backyard Wildlife Habitat
        • For the Birds, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, March 2001
        • Guide to Bird Behavior, Volume One, Donald Stokes; Little Brown and Company, 1979
        • The Practical Rock & Water Garden, Peter Robinson, Hermes House, 2002
        • Garden Stone, Barbara Pleasant, Story Books, Stone Publishing, 2002


    WATER FEATURE CONSTRUCTION    (2 hours)

  • Guest Speaker: Herb Lewis

  • Objectives:
        • TBD

  • Return to the Top


    Heart of the Valley Regional Master Gardeners
    Ken Creel - Regional Master Gardener Coordinator
    • Limestone County •
    1109 W. Market Street
    Athens, AL 35611
    Phone: 256-232-5510
    Fax: 256-230-0015
    Email: Doug Chapman
    (Map to the Office)

    LCMGA Website

    Mailing Address
    P.O. Box 1304
    Athens, AL 35612

    LCMGA E-mail
    • Madison County •
    819 Cook Avenue
    Huntsville, AL 35801
    Phone: 256-532-1578
    Cell: 256-382-1554
    Email: Ken Creel
    (Map to the Office)

    MGNA Website

    Mailing Address
    819 Cook Avenue
    Huntsville, AL 35801

    MGNA E-mail
    • Morgan County •
    3120 Highway 36 W.
    Hartselle, AL 35640
    Phone: 256-773-2549
    Fax: 256-773-2540
    Email: Ron Britnell
    (Map to the Office)

    MCMGA Website

    Mailing Address
    P.O. Box 98
    Hartselle, AL 35640

    MCMGA E-mail

    E-mail the Webmaster