ANDERSON — Master Gardener Intern Training will be offered on Tuesday evenings — and one Thursday night — from 6 to 9 p.m. beginning Jan. 12, according to John Orick, Extension Educator with the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service.

The program will be offered at the Unity Church, 2425 Mounds Road, Anderson.

The Master Gardener program is designed to train volunteers to assist with horticultural education programs for the Extension Service. Participants enter a specially designed training program in horticulture and plant science. Upon completion of the training program, they are identified as Master Gardener interns. At that time, the volunteers are expected to extend the information in the areas of gardening and horticulture under the guidance of Purdue Extension to become certified Master Gardeners.

The Purdue Master Gardener Intern training program will consist of 13 sessions. Topics covered are Soils and Plant Nutrition, Plant Science, Plant Disease Diagnosis, Insect Identification and Control, Weed Identification and Control, Herbaceous Ornamentals, Woody Ornamentals, Lawn Care, Animal Pests, Veggies, Pesticide Safety and Pesticide Alternatives. Purdue Extension Educators and local horticulture experts serve as instructors.

Anyone interested in registration information for the Master Gardener program should contact Purdue Extension of Madison County at 641-9514, by e-mail orick@purdue.edu, or visit the office located in the Madison County Government Center, Room 303. Pre-registration is required and due by Dec. 31. The cost is $95 for one person or $130 for two people wanting to share materials.