The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County recently graduated 29 master gardeners at a ceremony at the Hominy Hill Golf Course, Colts Neck. Master gardeners are volunteers trained by the extension, and are committed to providing gardening and horticultural information and services to the commu­nity.

The 60-hour training program covers topics such as basic botany, entomology and pathology, diagnosing plant prob­lems and determining control methods, and cultural considerations of various plants. To qualify for certification, the master gardener — upon completion of training — must volunteer 60 hours of training through horticultural-related community service.

Area graduates were Wanda Chin, Eatontown; Esther Nelson, Red Bank; Ursula Sabia Sukinik, West Long Branch; and Linda Goff and Laura Hardy, both of Little Silver.

Master gardener classes begin in February and meet two mornings a week. For more information or an appli­cation, call Rutgers Cooperative Exten­sion of Monmouth County at (732) 431-7260.