SAN BENITO  –  The Master Gardener Volunteer program in Cameron County kicks off its 13th-year in January with weekly instead of monthly classes, Texas AgriLife Extension Service officials say.

“We went to weekly classes so that we can have our graduation in March instead of July,” said Dr. Enrique Perez, an AgriLife Extension agent in Cameron County. “This way, graduates can complete their volunteer work and become certified Master Gardeners in the spring when many of our community gardening activities begin.”

A Master Gardener intern orientation will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 20 at the San Benito County Annex Building at Williams Road and U.S. Hwy. 83/77.

Classes begin at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 and meet every Wednesday through March 22, also at the annex building, said Jennifer Herrera, the AgriLife Extension county horticulture educator and manager of the Master Gardeners Association.

“We hold an orientation prior to the beginning of classes so that everybody knows what is expected of them before they sign up,” she said. “We’ll provide a class schedule, discuss our Master Gardener programs in Cameron County and the rules and regulations of attending classes. We want everybody to understand what they’re getting into, plus prospective students will meet other Master Gardeners and the association officers.”

Those who sign up for the training provided by AgriLife Extension agree to provide at least 50 hours of horticulture-related volunteer service to the community by May 2, she said.

“Once they become Master Gardeners, they can re-certify with 20 hours of volunteer service annually to stay active in the Texas Master Gardener program,” Herrera said.

At least 100 residents have become Master Gardeners in Cameron County since the program started there in 1999, Perez said.

“Of those, we still have about 60 active members in the Master Gardener Association,” he said. “Together, they’ve established a long list of still-active programs that serve our community well.”

The programs include an annual plant sale, the development of an arboretum next to the county building and a Master Gardener stewardship program that teaches gardening, water conservation, composting, tree care and vegetable gardening.

“Last year members brought in the Earth-Kind program, which is an integrated approach to gardening that stresses conservation with the use of composting to reduce the use of pesticides, fertilizers and water,” Herrera said.

The program has brought horticultural activities and awareness not present in Cameron County prior to 1999, Perez said.

“Each new group of Master Gardeners brings new ideas to the table to sustain the program with sound educational activities,” he said. “We manage our programs with several committees, including the marketing, education and program committees that are now managed by Jennifer Herrera.”

Class topics, taught

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local experts, include landscape drip irrigation, insect control and identification, native landscaping, butterfly gardening, plant propagation, raised-bed vegetable and herb gardening, landscape fruit, and tree care.

For more information, contact the AgriLife Extension office for Cameron County at 956-361-8236.