State Master Gardener
Advanced Training Program
Annual Report 2013
The State Advanced Training Program trained 1623 Master Gardeners in 2013 and was
coordinated by Robin Hessey.
HIGHLIGHTS:
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Trained almost 24% more Master Gardeners than last year
Hired Sara Tangren, Ph.D as a MG Trainer in Native Plants and Sustainable Horticulture
Developed and presented 4 brand new courses
Worked with Sea Grant Extension and a University of Maryland Extension grant to educate
MGs about water management in 3 counties.
SUMMARY:
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320 took Level II Advanced Training classes in Plant ID/Taxonomy, 200 Common
Landscape Plants of Maryland, Entomology- Ecological IPM, Ask a MG Practicum,
Landscape Design for Water Management, Vegetables – Intensive Techniques and Master
Composter.
430 were trained in a single day continuing education workshops on Soils, Plant Diseases,
Organic Vegetables, Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnostics, Wild Collecting Native Seeds and
Basic Native Tree ID
873 attended Annual Training Day in May 2013 at UMCP.
320 were trained In Advanced Training Level II. Level II classes offered Master Gardeners an
opportunity for in-depth learning about many important subjects such as the basics of plant
taxonomy, specifics about 45 Ornamental Trees and Vines and 40 Flowering Shrubs and 50
Evergreen Trees and Shrubs, how to diagnose landscape plant problems in "Ask a MG"
Practicum, how to diagnose problems in the Vegetable Garden in “Vegetable Plant and Pest
Diagnostics”, how to become compost experts in the Master Composter Class, how to control
pests in the landscape in the least toxic manner in Entomology- Ecological IPM, and how to
design landscapes that would best handle and infiltrate stormwater in the Landscape Design for
Water Management class.
These courses were designed to give Master Gardeners the in-depth knowledge they need to
better understand their environment and how to advise the public. They are all certificate classes
and are multi-part and multi-day.
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Plant ID/Taxonomy- 54 students received 9 hours of training. Course was taught by
Wanda MacLachlan in Howard Co and Steve Dubik in Montgomery Co. 92% and 100%
respectively of students taking these classes rated the class a 4 or 5 (5 being the highest
rating). Students now know how to identify woody plants in the landscape using
dichotomous keys.
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Landscape Horticulture- 200 Common Landscape Plants of MD. 86 total students
trained in 3 different 9-hr courses taught in 5 different locations.
o Flowering Shrubs - 18 trained by Joyce Browning in Harford Co. and 19 by
Wanda MacLachlan in Prince Georges Co.
o Evergreen Trees and Shrubs – 29 trained by Bob Stewart in St. Mary’s Co.
o Ornamental Trees and Vines- 20 trained by Steve Dubik in Anne Arundel Co.
“Ask an MG” Practicum. 20 trained. One 12-hour class spread out over 3 days. Included
2 field trip and 3 instructors. 88% rated this course as excellent or very good and 100%
said they’d be more likely to work at a Plant Clinic as a result of taking the course.
Master Composter Classes- 25 trained. 10 hour course taught in 1 location (Frederick
Co.). 100% gave this class an excellent or very good rating. 100% passed their final
exam. All are expected to perform 10 hours of volunteer work in the field of composting.
Entomology – Ecological IPM. 28 trained. 12 hour course taught by Mike Raupp, Ph.D.
in Queen Anne’s Co. 100% gave this class an excellent or very good rating.
Landscaping Design for Water Management. New course for 3 different locations.
o Montgomery Co. - 22 educated with Sea Grant Educator Amanda Rockler
o Queen Anne’s Co - 25 educated with Sea Grant Educator Jen Dindinger
o St. Mary’s Co. – 22 were educated with Sea Grant Educator Jackie Takacs
These courses were supported by a grant from the University of Maryland Extension and
were coordinated with Sea Grant Extension. 86 trained. Each location had 17-hr class
spread out over 3 days. In two locations 100% rated the class good or excellent and in
one location 66% gave the class these ratings. 100% of all classes say they are likely to
teach others about storm water management based on what they learned in this course.
Every student is expected to volunteer at least 5 hours in the field of water management
after course completion.
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Vegetables – Intensive Techniques and Small Space Gardening - 38 trained in Frederick
Co. New 2-day course taught by Jon Traunfeld. 4 instructors. 88% rated this class as
excellent or very good.
430 were trained in a single day continuing education workshops where MGs had the chance
to deepen their knowledge about Soils, Organic Vegetable Gardening, Plant Diseases, Vegetable
Plant and Pest Diagnosis, Wild Collecting Native Seeds and Basic Native Tree ID.
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Better Yields through Better Soils – 140 trained with Elizabeth Hill, Jon Traunfeld and 6
other presenters in Baltimore Co.
Organic Vegetable Gardening – 81 trained. 6 hr. course taught by Jon Traunfeld and 2
other instructors in Baltimore County.
Plant Diseases. 52 trained. One 6-hr. courses taught by Dave Clement, Ph.D. in two
locations: Baltimore County and Howard Co.
Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis – 55 trained. 6 hr classes taught by Jon Traunfeld in 2
locations: Howard and Charles Counties.
Wild Collecting Native Seed – 31 trained. 6 hr class taught by Sara Tangren, Ph.D. in 2
locations: Baltimore City and Prince George’s Co.
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Basic Native Tree ID – 71 trained. 6 hr training taught by Sara Tangren, Ph.D. in 3
locations: Anne Arundel, Frederick and Queen Anne’s Co.
873 were trained at Annual Training Day- MG’s received 6.5 hours of training with keynote
speaker, 30 workshops, a trade show, breakfast and lunch. A wide variety of topics from
pollinators, soils and landscaping to labs on plant diseases were offered to better educate MGs
with current, relevant information. This year’s keynote speaker was University of Maryland
Researcher, Dennis VanEngelsdorp, Ph.D. on “Why we Need Bees”.