SARASOTA COUNTY (WSNN) – If you have a green thumb, this is for you! The Master Gardener Volunteers have a way to help you grow plants without harming the environment.
Nearly 180 volunteers in Sarasota County are planting new seeds of knowledge through the Education Outreach Project.
“The education we provide which is Florida-friendly gardening based is critical to protecting our environment,” project leader, John Cugasi said. “We’ve all seen the impacts of excess nutrients and excess chemicals in
It takes place at the Extension Grounds where they want to teach homeowners and commercial growers how to garden the ‘right plant in the right place.’
“Those practices protect our environment by not wasting water, by not over-extending chemicals and spray and nutrients,” Cugasi said. “You protect the environment through protecting the water, and how what we do in our own backyards has a direct impact on that.
The project has four phases with the first one involving a greenhouse.
“That is the life-blood and the engine of what we do and the infrastructure,” Cugasi said. “Permeable pathways that all have to be ADA compliant.”
The other phases include an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sensory garden along with outdoor classrooms, demonstration gardens, and more.
“People who are less abled will be able to appreciate and really get the experience of the different kinds of gardens that are available,” Master Gardener Volunteer, Fran McPoland said.
The EOG is all about protecting the quality of life in the county, as it continues to grow.
“Anybody that drives around Sarasota County see massive, I mean very very large subdivisions being put in seemingly in every direction,” Cugasi said.
“This is going to be a fabulous way to reach into the community, to educate people in the county about the right plant, in the right place,” McPoland said.
Tyler Jones is a home gardener and he says this project will benefit him.
“A lot of my experience is googling and trying and experimenting what works. And honestly, you can’t google everything, it’s not always right,” Jones said. “But it would be nice to get a real education on it.“
The project is expected to come together in about five years. The funding target is $500,000.
The EOG project is funded through grants and online fundraising. If you want to help, you can volunteer, spread the word or donate online and at FOSCP.org and find the “Donate Today” button on the right side