OGLE COUNTY — Two new Master Gardener Interns are on the job in Ogle County. On Nov. 17, University of Illinois Extension graduated 19 area volunteers from the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener training program held in Boone County.
University of Illinois Extension’s Master Gardener program is an educational volunteer training program. Volunteers take classes that provide information on horticulture topics including vegetables, tree and small fruits, insect and disease management, turf grass management, annuals, perennials, soils, botany, and plant pathology.
Once they’ve completed their training, they volunteer 60 hours over a two-year time period for their local county Extension program. They may answer client questions at the horticulture help desk, assist with plant clinics, speak to various groups, conduct workshops, work with community and school gardens, and more.

Master Gardener volunteers enable University of Illinois Extension to expand its potential to reach more people with horticulture information to improve their gardens and communities. Master Gardeners share a love of gardening and the desire to share their knowledge with others.
On behalf of Extension, we congratulate our new interns, Sara Pohl of Rochelle and Norm Metz of Byron. We look forward to many years of working with them in this significant volunteer program.
If you have questions about the Master Gardener program, please feel free to contact Extension Program Coordinator, Elizabeth Sosa at Sosa6@illinois.edu or by phone 815-732-2191. The next Master Gardener training will be held in Winnebago County starting Feb. 1, 2018.
It will also be held in Ogle County in the fall of 2018. If you are interested in more information regarding Extension or the Master Gardener program please visit our website at web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo.