(Gloucester Township, NJ) – The Camden County Office of Sustainability has announced that registration is now open for the 2023 Certified Gardeners Horticultural Training Program. The program will run from Jan. 24 to April 13 and will be held every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the county’s Sustainability campus at 508 Lakeland Rd., Blackwood.
“The program brings gardeners of all experience levels together to learn a variety of skills from horticulture industry experts,” said Commissioner Jonathan Young, liaison to the Camden County Department of Sustainability and Shared Services. “After participants have completed training, they are asked to share their knowledge with county residents through Certified Gardener events and activities including local farm markets and sessions in the county’s libraries.”
Beginner and experienced gardeners who are over 18 and interested in increasing their gardening knowledge and sharing their expertise with residents through volunteering and community outreach are encouraged to apply.
The sessions are taught by horticulture industry experts and include such topics as vegetable, flower, and fruit gardening, weed identification, lawn care, native plants, propagation techniques, tree care/pruning, pests and diseases and houseplants.
Recently, the Camden County Certified Gardeners (CCCG) received an award from the Horticultural Society of South Jersey.
The CCCG was presented with a Special Recognition Award in honor of the society’s 100th Anniversary at a celebration luncheon on Sunday, October 23.
“The Certified Gardeners here in Camden County are a wonderful team of individuals, who serve the community by sharing their horticultural knowledge and participating in countywide projects, programs and events,” said Commissioner Jonathan Young, liaison to the Camden County Department of Sustainability and Shared Services. “They play an integral role in making our communities beautiful and more sustainable, and for that, they are more than deserving of this prestigious award.”
The Gardeners’ headquarters are located at the county’s Lakeland campus in Gloucester Township. The site includes several greenhouses and a vineyard. The group’s helpline is ((856) 216-7130, or email them at njgarden@camdencounty.com or you can visit the site with any gardening questions. This year, the group also planted a new Education Garden to inform the public about organic gardening practices.
To register for the upcoming session visit: Camden County Certified Gardeners | Camden County, NJ