The Warren County Master Gardeners have been planning their annual March Mondays horticulture programs for 2010. With March just around the corner, I figured this would be a great opportunity to get the word out.

Master Gardeners are individuals who volunteer their time to help the Extension Service reach the public with horticulture information. Their service is considered repayment for receiving 40-plus hours of formal training from the Extension Service’s horticulture specialists. 

As part of their service, Master Gardeners conduct educational programs and activities throughout the year. The March Mondays series is a great example of their work. I like the catchy titles they have come up with this year. All programs are in the Extension Service conference room, begin at 5:30 p.m. and last about 90 minutes.

John C. Coccaro is county Extension director. Write to him at 1100-C Grove St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 or call 601-636-5442. E-mail him at jcoccaro@ext.msstate.edu.

Sonny Hale’s presentation — Grow Your Own Groceries — is sure to help novice or experienced vegetable gardeners learn techniques for a bountiful harvest. As our Master Gardeners put it, this can be “your own personal economic recovery strategy!” Hale’s session will kick off the series on March 1.

The following Monday — March 8 — Jim Pennington will share secrets for growing Shiitake mushrooms, a popular culinary treat that are also expensive. Pennington’s talk will cover growing these fabulous fungi on a hobby scale.

Jeff Richardson, Landscape Architect for the City of Vicksburg, will teach Tough Plants of Vicksburg on March 15. Ever wonder how Vicksburg acquired some of the most beautiful and hardy landscaping of any city in the region? Richardson will tell you.

Plants throughout the county and city continue to be plagued by unwanted critters such as deer, moles, voles, raccoons and you-name-it. Thankfully, a couple of experienced Master Gardeners — Jim Brannon and Ann Sherard — have teamed up to share on March 22 their knowledge of dealing with pesky wildlife. The title of their presentation is Not Tonight, Deer!

Wrapping up the month’s series on March 29 will be Virginia DuBowy with Weed Alert! — Escaped Ornamentals. While most gardeners want vigorous, hardy, self-sowing, naturalizing traits in the plants they select, these same traits can unfortunately allow plants to spread and thrive outside the garden. Occasionally, they even threaten our native vegetation. DuBowy will teach which plants can become problems and how you can be a part of the solution.

I encourage anyone wanting to increase his or her gardening and yard-care skills to make plans to attend the March Mondays series. The sessions are free and guaranteed to be worth your time.

If you go

The Warren County Master Gardeners will kick off March Mondays horticulture programs at 5:30 p.m. March 1. Sessions will be at the Extension office, 1100-C Grove St.

• March 1 — Grow Your Own Groceries

• March 8 — Shiitake mushrooms

• March 15 — Tough Plants of Vicksburg

• March 22 — Not Tonight, Deer!

• March 29 — Weed Alert! — Escaped Ornamentals