Copperas Cove man completes Texas Master Gardener certification

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

The Bell County Master Gardeners celebrated one of their largest graduating classes ever on Wednesday afternoon in Belton, and among the 25 graduates was David McWhorter, from Copperas Cove who completed the 200-hour certification course they all began in January of this year.

The course offered a combination of virtual and in-person coursework, plus required volunteer work and more. They learn about how to successfully grow and nurture plants in Central Texas, which can be quite different from other zones. 

In addition to keeping up with his coursework and volunteer work the past five months, McWhorter is a husband and father of four, who works full-time in the Texas Backyard at the Copperas Cove H-E-B Plus!. 

"My main takeaways from the course have been the knowledge on how different our area is and just how many counties have different soils just by crossing a highway, along with how big and friendly the master gardener community is," McWhorter said. "With the knowledge I gained, I plan on teaching people the importance of composting, conservation, and how easy it is to grow your own food." 

In fact, McWhorter recently led a free workshop at the Copperas Cove H-E-B store, where he held a potting demonstration in the Texas Backyard department, and gave tips on replanting and fertilizing. 

Pat Johnson is a mentor who taught this spring’s class and said a few words on Wednesday at the brief ceremony, attended by friends and family of the students, as well as other Master Gardeners.

“You as Master Gardeners join them hand in hand with working on all these projects that we talked about. And when we do we serve the public, it’s a volunteer organization. We hope and pray that you all continue to do the wonderful, wonderful work that you have started and make a commitment to do that. The more things you do, the more people you need to learn about and become friends with,” Johnson said. “This new class team is not a committee, it’s a team which makes a difference. We help each other get things done, we make suggestions, and we move on with everything that’s going on. You guys are awesome.”

Lyle Zoeller, the Agrilife Extension agent for Bell County, has been in his position for more than 29 years and addressed the new Master Gardeners. 

“We’re in the people business. And you as master gardeners, are in the people business, just like any educators. As I’ve said many times, our program is very important. As an extension agent, for me personally, it’s great. You can answer all the questions that I really don’t have an answer to, but you all have great love and passion for what you do, and it shows.”

Zoeller said he looks forward to receiving the monthly summary of everything the association does, and will continue to look forward to them. 

“That goes right up the chain of command because ultimately, the system is funded by your tax dollars,” said Zoeller.

The Bell County Master Gardeners Association falls under the purview of the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service, which has its Bell County headquarters in Belton. 

Master Gardeners receive specialized training in horticulture, and in order to maintain their certficiation, also volunteer through the local Extension office to help educate communities.

Johnson said that usually they offer the Master Gardener certification course yearly, but because they have a waiting list, they are also looking at dates to hold a course this fall. 

Master Gardeners also volunteer for shifts at the BCMGA’s help desk, fielding phone calls from individuals seeking help with their plant questions, from 9 a.m. until noon and 1-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 

The BCMGA also has a speakers’ bureau, in which Master Gardeners like McWhorter are available to speak to community groups and schools, along with a number of Bell County garden sites like the Killeen Municipal Court Community Garden, and the Healing Garden at McLane’s Children’s Hospital in Temple. 

Their website, www.txmg.org/bell/ also has gardening tips, videos, and a Q&A section for would-be green thumbs. 

The BCMGA also offers monthly gardening classes at their learning center, located at 1605 N. Main St. in Belton. June 16’s class is on the topic Garden Pests/Pesticides. The classes are free, but a donation of up to $5 is accepted.