Green School offers gardener training online
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 1 month AGO
The Washington State University Green School is an opportunity for casual gardeners to take their skills to a whole new level.
COURTESY PHOTO/WSU
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | August 29, 2025 2:20 AM
MOSES LAKE — There’s more to gardening than just filling a pot with dirt and seeds and waiting for something to grow.
“Gardening in Washington has a reputation for being easy — we live in the Evergreen State, after all,” the Washington State University Extension wrote on its website. “But we all know the reality can be more challenging, especially as the climate continues to change. Environmentally responsible gardening practices, grounded in horticultural research, are crucial in Washington to protect our state’s diverse ecosystems, from the majestic mountains and unique shrub-steppe to the delicate coastal habitats, as well as the health of our rural, suburban, and urban communities.”
Registration is open now for WSU’s Green School, an opportunity for casual gardeners to take their skills to the next level. The online course includes science-backed insights into essential gardening practices, soil health, water conservation, pollinator protection and climate-conscious landscaping, according to the Extension. This program is designed to empower both new and experienced gardeners with practical strategies that promote long-term sustainability. Those who complete the course will walk away with a Washington Gardener Certificate, as well as a lot of knowledge about the art of gardening.
Green School classes begin Oct. 5 and run through February. Each class is about a week long and takes four to six hours to complete, with a week off here and there to rest and catch up. The classes are all online and are recorded so participants can fit learning into their own schedule. Each class ends with a live question-and-answer review session. The cost for the entire course is $550. The course uses the Pacific Northwest Gardener’s Handbook, which can be downloaded free from WSU’s website.
At the end of the course is an open-book final exam, which consists of 100 multiple-choice questions.
The Washington Gardener Certificate is not the same as Master Gardener Certification, according to the Extension, which is considerably more rigorous and involves a commitment of volunteer service. However, the Washington Gardener course does provide the student with access to the same wealth of information as the Master Gardeners course.
“Whether you’re a passionate home gardener, a teacher inspiring students, a professional looking to boost your resume, a green industry expert seeking sustainable solutions, or an active garden club member, this certificate equips you with science-backed knowledge to grow, lead, and thrive,” the WSU Extension wrote.
Registration ends Sept. 30. To learn more about Green School, visit greenschool.extension.wsu.edu.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in Grant County. That’s not a small job; the board’s website lists 129 species of noxious weeds that are found around Grant County. A noxious weed is defined as an invasive, non-native plant that threatens agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitat, according to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington state law requires that these weeds be identified and their spread kept to a minimum, if not completely eradicated. “We’re one of those agencies a lot of people don’t really understand,” Johnson said. “We’re a county office and … our funding is tax-based assessment. When you get your tax bill and you look down at all the expenses that you pay for, there we are.”
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake author’s book, “A Christian Woman Striving to Live Her Faith in a Man-Controlled World,” takes aim at the role to which many churches relegate the female half of their congregations. “It’s to encourage women in the faith,” Linda Curran said. “A lot of churches say, ‘Teach Sunday school, do this, do that, but don’t (evangelize.)’" In her book, Curran recounts a time when she moved to a new community and joined a church there. She was surprised to learn that, as a new female member, she had been automatically assigned church cleaning duties. When she questioned it, she wrote, she was met with condescension and her objections were brushed aside. In other churches, she said, women who were capable of teaching were relegated to “women’s ministry.”