POPLARVILLE — When Dolores Smith retired in 2001 from Pearl River Community College after 40 years teaching in the Business Department, a friend told her about the Master Gardeners program offered by Mississippi State University County Extension Service. “I heard about it about the time I retired,” said Dolores. “So the next Spring, I took the class and have enjoyed it ever since.”

In the training program, potential Master Gardeners learn a wealth of knowledge in, among others, botany, soils, and ornamental plants over a six week period. Once the course is complete, participants take a test — but don’t let that deter you — and are certified as Master Gardeners. “They receive their certificate and name tags,” said Hancock County Extension Agent Eddie Smith, who is one of two agents filling in for Pearl River County. “And in return, we ask for 20 hours a year of community service.”

After Dolores passed her certification, she did some volunteer work at Crosby Arboretum, but her heart was at the Poplarville Upper Elementary School and their Poplarville Outdoor Science Center.

The school had started a walking trail behind the playing fields and an outdoor garden for the students to learn about plants and their connection to everyday life. At first, Dolores said, it was started as strictly a wild flower garden attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. But then Hurricane Katrina blew through town destroying the tiny garden and decimating the walking trail with downed trees.

It took the students, teachers, and six to eight Master Gardeners a couple of years to get the garden back to working shape and until last fall, the walking trail back. “In 2007 we received a grant from the state Master Gardeners Association and the children planted a pizza garden, a fruit garden, a vegetable garden,” said Dolores. “And at the end of the semester they harvested them and the cafeteria ladies helped them make small, little pizzas — like taster pizzas. The kids loved it.”

She explained that in the “Pizza Garden,” the fourth graders — the grade that participates in the garden program — planted tomatoes, basil, onions, and other items that could be used on a pizza. But, she said, one of the biggest problems with the garden walks on four legs — the deer. “The deer have loved the garden, too,” she continued. “And they have eaten just about everything. The only thing the deer hasn’t enjoyed is the rosemary, thyme, basil.”

Another set back the garden had was the summer of 2008 when the school was closed for the entire summer. “Because there were no activities at the school (in the summer of 2008,) when we got out here in August the weeds were up to our waists,” Dolores said. Pointing to the small, two foot tall fence, Dolores noted that the weeds were so overgrown in the small garden that one could not even see the fence enclosure.

At first, the group of gardeners struggled to get the weeds pulled and manageable, but the neglect had wrecked havoc on the garden area. In addition, because they were not allowed to use weed deterrents such as Round-Up, the gardeners wrestled with how to eliminate the now out-of-control weeds. Dolores said that is when they went to the county agent and asked what could they use to help combat the weeds. “He told us some of the weed seeds could last up to 20 years,” Dolores said.

Finally, she said, they were given a solution to fighting the weeds and the gardeners went on weed control. “From late Fall 2008 until Spring 2009, we worked on weed control,” said Dolores, noting that the kids had seedling projects they could work on in their classrooms during the reclamation process.

She went onto explain that some of the garden beds could not be treated with weed deterrent because they had perennial plants such as primrose, blue bonnet, and American Beauty Berry, and that during the process, the majority of the garden beds had to be re-built and re-mulched, much of what the students helped with.

Pointing to fresh deer tracks, Dolores said the school would need to apply for another grant that would provide a taller, sturdier fence. “We need a tall fence to keep the deer out,” said Dolores. “The kids have seen as many as three deer in here when they are in the playground.”

She said to continue as a Master Gardener she is required to take 12 educational hours annually and volunteer for 20 hours a year in a community project. She does most of her community service at the school garden. Other community projects master Gardeners are involved with are city of Picayune garden areas, a butterfly garden at Crosby Arboretum, and gardens at Pearl River Central schools.

Smith said that not all counties have Master Gardener opportunities even though it is a national program. He said that to take the course, a person does not have to have any pre-education experience in gardening or plants. “They just got to like gardening and plants,” said Smith, adding that the MSU Pearl River County Extension Service is offering the course February 23 through April 1 on Tuesdays and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The $85 one-time fee pays for the classroom instructions from Extension agents, specialists and certified Master Gardener instructors, as well as the manual participants will use to help identify problems, issues, and plants for people using the Extension Service’s service, as well as a one-year membership in the state Master Gardener Association.

He said the local chapter meets once a month at the Arboretum. “They discuss programs, volunteer activities, and any needs we may have,” said Smith, adding that there are 97 Master Gardeners locally, but only 25 are active. He said the deadline for registering for the training has been extended until Friday, February 5.

Smith continued, explaining that some of the services offered by the Extension Service can help just about anyone with a gardening issue from what to plant, soil problems, or identification of problematic insects among others. “If they don’t know what to plant, we can make recommendations,” said Smith, going on to note that problems with plants, gardens, or weed control also are covered. “We also do soil testing,” added Smith, noting that based on what type of plant or crop someone wanted to grow, the test can reveal what needs to be done to the soil to make it a perfect environment for that particular plant. “Based on what crop you’re growing and what’s in your soil, we can recommend what fertilizer to use and when.”

He said that in addition, the Extension Service offers over 2000 publications at no cost to the public. “And if we don’t have it, we can print it from the Internet,” he said.

To participate in the upcoming Master Gardener’s training, call 601-403-2280. It will be held at the Poplarville facility next to Pearl River Community College.