US gardeners: are Master Gardeners people that anybody can ask for advice? Is it a paid for service? How do you find your local master gardener?
Similarly extension offices: can just an ordinary citizen ask for growing advice?
We don't have that here in the UK AFAIK so I'm very curious about it.
@Kimberley All Master Gardeners are supposed to act as public resources, but I think there’s considerable variability in their training. The reason I am a Master Naturalist, but not a Master Gardener, is that (in my area) the latter group are expected to become experts in lawn care.
The aim is to keep people from over-using fertilizer and herbicides that end up in waterways. I am 100% supportive of this! But I also can’t stand the idea of needing to talk to people about their lawns. So, nope.
Kimberley
Climate Jenny 2.1