To provide continuing education for Master Gardeners, the Statewide Master Gardener Program provides regional trainings.  An example is the Advanced IPM Training being offered next week in Davis, CA.  Trainings like these are always popular and serve as a place for Master Gardeners to learn new things, refine their skills, interact with University of California scientists, and meet other gardeners.  By promoting activities where Master Gardeners learn together, the Statewide Master Gardener Program ensures that Master Gardeners are up-to-date with the most recent research recommendations from the University of California.

The next set of regional training sessions will be the Edible Landscaping series.  In this training, Master Gardeners will learn the ins and outs of incorporating edibles into their landscapes.  The training includes planning and design, policies, maintenance, harvest and storage, and food safety.  Attendees will then be certified to teach others in Edible Landscaping practices - a skill that is in high demand.

Master Gardeners might recall attending the Sustainable Landscape Train the Trainer series two years ago.  The Statewide Master Gardener program surveyed the people who were subsequently trained by Master Gardeners and we found some wonderful things!  For example, 77% of the people who did not compost at the time of training indicated that they had started composting after three months!  That is a significant change in their behavior that definitely leads to a more sustainable California.  In addition to composting, over 40% more people began leaving portions of their gardens undisturbed for wildlife, 20% of those surveyed began using better irrigation techniques, and just over 10% planted drought tolerant plants.  These examples are just a handful of the practices that were influenced by the Sustainable Landscape classes.  

Together, through these classes, the Master Gardeners and the Statewide Master Gardener Program are making a difference!  See you soon at one of the Edible Landscape Training sessions!