The Chilton County Extension System is hosting a regional Master Gardener volunteer program for people interested in sharpening their gardening skills.

The volunteer program will begin Jan. 8 at the Chilton County Extension Office in Clanton.

The purpose of the program is to train interested gardeners to help others solve home horticulture problems.

The course is designed for non-professionals with an interest in increasing their gardening skills and helping others with the knowledge gained at the class.

The classes will be from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. each Wednesday starting Jan. 8 and ending April 2.

After the completion of the course, interns will be expected to give 50 hours of volunteer service to the extension and their communities.

Any volunteer effort that relates to gardening will be accepted.

Volunteer efforts could include speaking to garden clubs, community garden projects, diagnosing plant problems and assisting the local extension office in some way.

Instructors for the course will range from professors at Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Specialists, regional extension agents, Master Gardeners and friends of the extension.

Topics covered will include soils and plant nutrition, plant physiology, entomology, plant pathology, care of landscape plants, landscape design, plant selection, lawn care, weed identification, houseplants, vegetable gardening, home orchards and plant propagation.

Certified Master Gardener interns will have to complete 40 hours of class work with a 70 percent average on tests, not miss more than two classes and complete 50 hours of volunteer work after class work is done.

The class is limited to 25 students.

For more information about the class, or for an application form, contact the Chilton County Extension Office at 280-6268 or Nelson D. Wynn at wynnel@aces.edu or 438-3725.

The deadline to register for the classes Jan. 7, 2014.