Learn How to Become a Master Gardener!
Are you a plant lover? Do you like plants and want to learn more about all the fascinating varieties here in the Sonoran desert? Would you like to turn your “brown thumb” green?
Want to meet new people, help others with their plant challenges, and make a difference in your community? Well, the Southeast Pinal County Master Gardener program may be just what you are looking for.
Join the Master Gardeners at one of their Spring Open Houses:
Monday, Feb. 24 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the SaddleBrooke Ranch La Hacienda Club, La Mesa Room, 31390 South Amenity Drive, Oracle
or
Thursday, March 6 from 3 to 4 p.m. at the SaddleBrooke Mountain View Clubhouse, Catalina Room, 38691 S. Mountain View Boulevard, SaddleBrooke
They’ll tell you everything you need to know to become a Master Gardener Volunteer. Master Gardeners will be on hand to explain how you can enroll in this self-paced, online course offered by The University of Arizona to Pinal County residents. The Extension Office trains gardening enthusiasts who have a desire to help their fellow citizens grow better gardens and more sustainable landscapes.
Who should apply?
Anyone who has an interest in environmentally responsible landscaping and gardening in Pinal County and a desire to teach others those principles/skills using research-based materials.
What is taught?
Participants will learn the fundamentals of selecting, installing, and maintaining healthy, appropriate landscapes and gardens. Classes are taught by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Faculty, industry professionals, and other horticultural experts. Some of the courses included are Cacti and Succulents, Desert Adapted Plants/Natives, Pruning, Vegetables, Irrigation, Botany, Entomology, and many more.
When is it available?
These Master Gardener courses are now provided online all year. You can complete the course anywhere with an internet connection, and usually in the comfort of your home.
If you live in SaddleBrooke, SaddleBrooke Ranch, Oracle, San Manuel, or Mammoth and would like more information on how to become a Southeast Pinal County Master Gardener, come to one of the Open Houses or contact Roxanne Watson at 303-809-9166 or [email protected].
Please visit the Southeast Pinal County Master Gardener’s website for more information at extension.arizona.edu/southeast-pinal-county-master-gardener and choose the box “How to Become a Master Gardener.”
Your Master Gardeners hope to see you this spring!
What Would Our World Be Like Without the Beauty of Bees?
Your Southeast Pinal County Master Gardeners are pleased to invite you to our Community Education Presentation on Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m. at SaddleBrooke Ranch Sol Ballroom, 31143 S. Amenity Dr., Oracle AZ 85623. Our topic will be “What a Bee Knows: Exploring the Thoughts, Memories, and Personalities of Bees.”
Our speaker, Dr. Stephen Buchmann, will introduce us to the fascinating lives of local Sonoran Desert bees, and how they make their living, including foraging for pollen and nectar. To wrap up, he will discuss some of the amazing findings that he discusses in his latest book. Sentient bees, bees feeling pain, bees learning, thinking and solving complex puzzles, using tools and engaging in visual social learning. We hope you’ll BEE there!
Dr. Stephen Buchmann is a pollination ecologist specializing in buzz pollination and other native bee behaviors including nesting biology and mate selection. Buchmann is an adjunct professor in the departments of Entomology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, and lives among the giant saguaro cacti in the Catalina Foothills. He’s authored 10 books including: “The Forgotten Pollinators” and “The Reason for Flowers.” Dr. Buchmann is a frequent guest on NPR programs, including “All Things Considered” and “Science Friday.” He enjoys the role of science advisor, a bee and plant wrangler for the BBC and National Geographic, and indie natural history documentary film producers. He often joins field cinematography teams around the world.
Dr. Buchmann’s latest book released on March 7, 2023, is titled, “What a Bee Knows: Exploring the Thoughts, Memories, and Personalities of Bees.” If you purchase his book in advance of the presentation at islandpress.org/books/what-bee-knows, Dr. Buchmann will happily sign your copy at the event. (For a 20% discount, use discount code BEES.)
Please join us for this special free presentation.
Growing Citrus at High Elevations
Your Southeast Pinal County Master Gardeners are pleased to invite you to our Community Education Presentation on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. at SaddleBrooke Ranch Sol Ballroom, 31143 S. Amenity Dr., Oracle AZ 85623. Join us for this free presentation on “Growing Citrus at High Elevations.”
Love your citrus trees, but struggling to keep them alive and healthy in your garden? Dr. Glenn Wright, a specialist in all things citrus, will be here to provide practical science-driven information. Growing citrus at higher elevations in Arizona presents certain challenges and will be our topic this month. He will answer all your questions on cold temperature tolerance, optimal planting locations, how and when to fertilize, proper irrigation, and best pruning practices. Insect and disease control will be covered as well. Bring your questions! We hope to see you there!
Please plan to join us for this special presentation. For more information, please visit us at extension.arizona.edu/southeast-pinal-county-master-gardener.