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Yellowstone County

Master Gardener Program Progresses Despite COVID-19

Published: 2020
By Amy Grandpre
2020 was unlike any year before. Due to the pandemic, our February/March in-person Master Gardener classes were cut two sessions short of finishing; however, with innovation and technology, 37 level 1 and 10 level 2 participants reached the finish line. A new round of online level 1 classes began in September. The experience has been well received, with 30 participants so far. With this self-paced, year-round option, the opportunity to reach many more in our county/state has increased. We also look forward to offering level 2 online classes during January/February of 2021. COVID-19 also affected our typical summer Master Gardener activities. Our biggest event ever, the State Master Gardener Celebration that Yellowstone County was selected to host, was cancelled. One bright spot was that the major portion of our projects carried on, as they are garden-centered and naturally provide the perfect social distancing opportunity. Progress continued in both the Education Center Greenhouse and the Square Foot Demonstration Garden located at MetraPark. A new growing area was installed in the Education Center Greenhouse, consisting of a 2’ x 32’ growing bed, sided with trellis, to demonstrate the space saving technique of upright gardening. In the Square Foot Demonstration Garden, a rock garden was installed along the front entry way, including four benches to provide a place to sit and enjoy the garden. The area was planted with a generous mix of xeriscape plants to highlight how these tough, drought tolerant, native varieties can thrive and survive the challenge of living next to a blacktop parking area. For the 68,000 attendees who visited the 2020 MontanaFair, some nice updates and educational opportunities were in place to enjoy.
Newly installed growing bed and trellis at the Education Center Greenhouse.