{"id":22068,"date":"2025-01-27T10:15:54","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T15:15:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/?p=22068"},"modified":"2025-01-21T08:56:35","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T13:56:35","slug":"flower-power-master-gardener-volunteers-help-beautify-orange-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/2025\/01\/flower-power-master-gardener-volunteers-help-beautify-orange-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Flower Power: Master Gardener Volunteers Help Beautify Orange County"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you know how to choose the right plant for the right place? This is a key focus of UF\/IFAS Extension Orange County<\/a>, a division of Orange County\u2019s Community and Family Services Department<\/a>, and the Master Gardener Volunteer Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Master Gardener Volunteers ensure that all residents know what plant will flourish in the local landscape. On a larger scale, this benefits local ecosystems because people use less water, less fertilizer and less pesticides when they choose and maintain the appropriate plants.<\/p>\n

\"\"With so many new people moving to Central Florida, understanding the horticultural nuances of the region is critical to maintaining healthy landscapes, and having well-trained volunteers who can assist them in this regard ultimately serves the entire community.<\/p>\n

Participants engage in 12 weeks of intensive educational training on soil science, entomology (plant insects), plant pathology (bacterial\/fungal diagnostics), vegetable gardening, turf grass, palm trees, and more. Once training is completed, they log 75 hours of volunteering before earning the Master Gardener Volunteer designation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more than a training course,\u201d explained Clarissa Chairez, Master Gardener Volunteer Program Coordinator. \u201cIt’s an ongoing, community-based volunteer program. Ongoing participants must donate at least 35 volunteer hours and complete 10 hours of continuing education every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most of this volunteering takes place at free plant clinics, during which people receive help with their plant problems at the Extension facility at 6021 S. Conway Rd., Orlando. Master Gardener Volunteers also engage in free consultations by phone or email for those who cannot make it in person, as well as in \u201cpop ups\u201d at local libraries throughout the month.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone wants a beautiful landscape, but some people buy plants that don\u2019t survive in this region, so they\u2019re wasting money on flora that aren\u2019t going to survive,\u201d asserted Chairez. \u201cIn this regard, Master Gardener Volunteers help residents save money and also save plants that need treatment against bacteria and fungi.\u201d<\/p>\n

A citizen-driven initiative, the program relies on dedicated volunteers passionate about gardening and committed to serving their communities\u2026 and the title is most certainly earned.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaster Gardener Volunteers do this out of passion and the goodness of their hearts, which is nice to see in any community,\u201d said Chairez. \u201cThey\u2019re here to educate the community on sustainable gardening methods, so take advantage of their extensive knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n

UF\/IFAS Extension Orange County<\/a> will host its annual Garden Festival and Plant Sale<\/a> on Saturday, March 1. The event \u2013 a full day filled with educational activities and an array of local vendors that any gardening enthusiast will adore \u2013 is organized entirely by the Master Gardener Volunteers. For more information on the program, go to Master Gardener Volunteer Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you know how to choose the right plant for the right place? This is a key focus of UF\/IFAS Extension Orange County, a division of Orange County\u2019s Community and Family Services Department, and the Master Gardener Volunteer Program. Master Gardener Volunteers ensure that all residents know what plant will flourish in the local landscape. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":22070,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[652,649,650],"class_list":["post-22068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-services","tag-florida-friendly-garden","tag-orange-county-master-gardener-volunteer-program","tag-uf-ifas-extension-orange-county-master-gardener-volunteer-program"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFlower Power: Master Gardener Volunteers Help Beautify Orange County<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/2025\/01\/flower-power-master-gardener-volunteers-help-beautify-orange-county\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Flower Power: Master Gardener Volunteers Help Beautify Orange County\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do you know how to choose the right plant for the right place? This is a key focus of UF\/IFAS Extension Orange County, a division of Orange County\u2019s Community and Family Services Department, and the Master Gardener Volunteer Program. Master Gardener Volunteers ensure that all residents know what plant will flourish in the local landscape. 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