PULLMAN, Wash. — Gardeners of all skill levels have a new resource in the form of MasterGardener magazine and its companion Web site, www.MasterGardenerOnline.com. The first edition of the magazine has just been published.
The quarterly magazine and the Web site are a collaboration of the Washington State University Extension Master Gardeners Program and GFC Publishing. GFC is a division of the Washington State Fruit Commission, a state agency and publisher of Good Fruit Grower magazine. Good Fruit Grower long has been the bible of commercial tree fruit growers with subscribers in all 50 states and 41 countries.
“We’ve had 60 years of experience as education partners with WSU researchers and specialists in producing Good Fruit Grower,” said Master Gardener managing editor Jim Black. “MasterGardener will take the same responsible, science-based approach to bringing a better understanding of growing methods to the general public.”
The magazine will feature regular articles by WSU Extension faculty, Master Gardeners and others, including a “horticultural myths” column by extension horticulturist Linda Chalker-Scott that compares common gardening lore to scientific reality.
“The partnership of WSU Master Gardeners and Good Fruit Grower is a natural,” said Linda Kirk Fox, dean of WSU Extension. “It fits our mission in horticultural education and promoting a sustainable environment, and it fits with our goal to strengthen public-private partnerships.”
Fox said that she expects the magazine to become a “must keep” publication for subscribers.
“Knowing the quality of GFC publications, every issue will be well written with beautiful photographs to motivate all gardeners,” she said. “It will also be a critical educational tool and a great reference for the public, regardless of whether they’re casual or serious gardeners.”
The WSU Master Gardeners Program was born in 1971 in King and Pierce counties as a way for extension programs to meet growing urban demand for horticultural and landscape information. The Master Gardener concept of developing a trained network of volunteers willing to share their knowledge with the public has spread throughout the nation and to a number of other countries.
An annual subscription to the magazine is $20, and a three-year subscription is $50.
For more information, or to subscribe or advertise, call toll-free 1-800-487-9946, extension 208, or visitMasterGardenerOnline.com