Author: Gail Langellotto

I'm a Professor in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University (OSU), where I lead the OSU Garden Ecology Lab.
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It’s Master Gardener Awards Season!

Please remember ~ the deadline for submitting most (all?) Master Gardener award nominations is coming up..

The awards that may be submitted include:

Due May 15th

Due June 1st

More information on Master Gardener awards and grants may be found at: http://omga.org/programs-and-awards/

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Advanced Training Webinars for Master Gardener Continuing Education Credit

In reading through the survey responses coming in for our CHAP survey, it is becoming obvious that:
1) many veteran MG volunteers express frustration at not having options to maintain their MG certification ~ particularly for the continuing education requirement. To maintain certification, volunteers need to accrue 10 hours of continuing education and 20 volunteer service hours, annually.
2) many of these same folks seem not to know about the Advanced Training webinars that Brooke Edmunds has put together. These webinars are all eligible for MG continuing education credit (one hour per class). The 2018 webinars and the 2017 webinars, combined, equal nine hours of continuing education credit ~  just one away from meeting the continuing education recertification requirement.
Please make sure that your veteran MGs know about this option.
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Guidance for Master Gardener Plant Sales

As we head into Master Gardener plant sale season, it is a good time to remind Master Gardener Associations of the requirements to host a Master Gardener Plant Sale.

1) Master Gardener Associations need to fill out and file the temporary nursery license with the ODA. This will provide the ODA an opportunity to contact plant sale organizers (if needed), for sales in areas of concern.

2) Master Gardener plant sales can not include sale or distribution of (click on the link for more details):

3) Best practices dictate that Master Gardeners DO NOT MOVE SOIL. If plant sale plants are coming from personal gardens, remove the soil, wash the roots, and repot in commercial potting mix. We recognize this may be inconvenient but there are several exotic horticulture pests (snake worm, European chafer ~ see page 18) that currently have limited distribution in Oregon, and that can be moved through soil.

The Master Gardener teaches sustainable gardening. Modeling best practices in invasive species prevention is part of our work.

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Volunteer Injured? What to Do?

Over the years, we have had very few instances of volunteer injuries over the years. Due diligence when planning events and working in demonstration gardens can greatly help cut down on accidents and injuries. Due diligence includes:

  • Forming a safety committee, for Master Gardener demonstration gardens. The safety committee could write short articles for Master Gardener newsletters or host short learning opportunities in the the garden. Topics could include: safe tool use and storage, chemical use and storage, ergonomics.
  • Doing a safety and risk tour of all sites where programs will be held, such as for tours, public lectures, plant sales. Note potential safety hazards (irregular walkways, decks that have missing boards, etc.), and take corrective action (i.e. drop that site from the tour, cordon off areas where the public should not go, etc.).

In the instance where a volunteer has injured themselves while in the act of volunteering, their supervisor should complete the HR Advocate Public Incident Reporting form, which is available online at http://risk.oregonstate.edu/workerscomp/forms. This form is to be completed by the person supervising/coordinating the volunteer activities to identify what occurred.

In order for this reporting system to be used, the volunteer should have completed the forms required to serve as an OSU Volunteer. These include:

  • Conditions of Volunteer Service Form (must be filled out and signed, annually)
  • Master Gardener Position Description
  • Master Gardener Code of Conduct

More information on the volunteer process and links to the forms for volunteer service from an OSU Risk perspective, can be found online at http://risk.oregonstate.edu/insurance/volunteer.

You can access the required Master Gardener forms at: http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/mgcoordinators/forms/

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Where Do Your Order Certificates, Badges, Stickers?

Certificates can be ordered by contacting Lee Ann Julson, in the Horticulture Department Office at OSU. There are four types of certificates that are available:

  • Certificates of Appreciation: to thank program supporters in the community
  • Certificates of Home Horticulture: for those who successfully complete the training class, but did not complete volunteer service hours, and are thus not certified Master Gardeners
  • Master Gardener Recertification: for veteran Master Gardeners who complete recertification requirements (minimum of 10 hours of continuing education and 20 hours of volunteer service)
  • Master Gardener Certificate of Completion: for those who complete the training class and volunteer service hours. These individuals also receive a Master Gardener badge.

Badges are ordered from A to Z Engraving. Use this form, and email to Gary Nelson (gnelson217@sbcglobal.net).

A to Z Engraving, Co. Inc., 1150 Brown Street, Wauconda IL 60084

847-526-7396 | 847-526-7399 (fax)

Recertification stickers (for badges) may be ordered from Gail.

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EMG Volunteer Service Hour Requirements

I’ve been getting questions about volunteer service hour categories. Thus, I thought it might be useful to write a blog post about the difference between educational service hours (direct and indirect) and support hours.

Volunteer Service Hours which support the educational mission of the Extension Master Gardener Program are given highest priority.  Direct and indirect educational hours should constitute at least 50% of a Master Gardener’s  required volunteer service hours in their initial year and 50% of a Master Gardener’s required volunteer service hours in their recertification years (i.e. at least 10 hours).

What are Direct Educational Hours?

Master Gardener activities that have the potential to directly increase knowledge, change attitudes or change behaviors in ways that promote sustainable gardening.  A Master Gardener must be current on their certification, in order to participate in activities that qualify for direct educational hours.

    • Plant Clinic (no matter the venue):  plant clinic is the venue through which Master Gardeners receive gardening questions and provide high-quality recommendations to the general public.  Typical venues for plant clinic include:  the Extension office (walk-in, phone or email), Ask an Expert, farmer’s markets, Master Gardener events (e.g. plant sales, fairs), other community events.
    • Instructor (at a conference, seminar series, Master Gardener training, speakers bureau, etc.):  includes the time it takes to research, prepare and deliver the presentation.
    • Educational Gardens (demonstration gardens, youth garden, school garden, prison garden, garden tour): Teaching a class in an educational garden, leading a tour, preparing signage or educational displays, or other educational activities may count towards direct service hours.
    • Writing an Educational Article:  in a Master Gardener newsletter, for a local newsletter, or collaborating with an OSU Extension faculty member to write an Extension publication. Includes the time needed to research and write the article.
    • Other approved activities: as determined by your local Master Gardener coordination, in the context of current OSU Extension Master Gardener guidelines and policy

What are Indirect Education Hours?

Indirect educational hours is time spent on activities facilitate or support the efforts of volunteer educators.  The volunteer is not directly teaching others (via plant clinic recommendations or gardening talks or demonstrations), but is supporting the efforts of others who are serving as direct educators. Examples include:
    • Educational Event Planning (conference, seminar series, MG training)
    • Master Gardener Training Class Mentor:  assisting with the annual Master Gardener training course.
    • Educational Garden Maintenance:  Educational gardens require basic upkeep in maintenance, in order to be effectively used in educational outreach.  Thus, garden maintenance and upkeep activities might qualify for direct educational volunteer service hours if work in the garden supports an educational project or program, and if garden maintenance and upkeep activities are not the major focus of activity in the garden.  If garden maintenance and upkeep becomes the major focus of activity, it is time carefully examine the project, and re-calibrate back to the educational mission and focus of the Master Gardener Program.  If you do not host at least two public outreach events, annually, in the garden, it likely does not qualify as an educational garden. Volunteer service hours in gardens that are not educational gardens do not count as indirect educational hours.
    • Other Approved Activities:  as determined by your local Master Gardener coordination, in the context of current OSU Extension Master Gardener guidelines and policy

What are Support Hours?

These are hours spent on Master Gardener activities that are not focused on educational outreach. Instead, support activities help to support the mission of the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program. Examples of support activities include:

    • Fundraiser (plant sale, book sales, etc.)
    • Extension Office Support:  filing, database management, photocopies, or other duties related to the Extension office
    • MG Association:  including serving as an officer, board member or in an appointed position in a MG chapter or in the Oregon Master Gardener Association
    • Other Approved Activities:  as determined by your local Master Gardener coordination, in the context of current OSU Extension Master Gardener guidelines and policy
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New Master Gardener Certificates!

The new Master Gardener certificates have been finalized! They will soon be ready for your use. You may order by emailing Lee Ann Julson in the Department of Horticulture.  Please specify how many you need, and when you need them.  Make sure to order early!

We still have a large supply of the older Certificates of Appreciation. I am going to wait until we run down this supply, before order the updated Certificates of Appreciation.

The Master Gardener Certificate of completion should be used for trainees who successfully complete their coursework, final exam, and volunteer service hours.
The Master Gardener Recertification should be used, when current Master Gardeners complete their annual continuing education units and volunteer service hours, to remain a certified Master Gardener.

 

Certificates of Home Horticulture are given to individuals who complete the Master Gardener coursework, an pass a comprehensive final exam. Service hours are not required for a Certificate of Home Horticulture. Because there is no service hour requirement, the recipients are not Master Gardeners.
Certificates of Appreciation are used to thank our friends and supporters in the community. Currently, we have a very large supply of the older certificates in stock. I will need to wait until we run this supply down, before ordering the updated certificates.
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Add Your Events to the Master Gardener Calendar

Did you know that the Master Gardener Calendar on the OSU website is one of the top-viewed calendars at OSU?

Add your Master Gardener events, classes, workshops, plant clinics, and more to the calendar, to help spread the word about your events.

Adding your events to the Master Gardener Calendar is easy. To submit an event to the OSU Extension Master Gardener calendar:

  1. you must first log in to your ONID account.
  2. Next, head to this link:  http://calendar.oregonstate.edu/osu/submit/
  3. Add in the description of your event (date, time, location, price, etc.).
  4. Make sure choose the ‘Master Gardener Program‘ as one of the calendars, where your event will be featured. This is different than the ‘Master Gardener Workshops’ calendar. That is a county-based calendar, whereas ‘Master Gardener Program’ is a statewide calendar.

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