Want to be a Master Gardener volunteer or know someone who does? The East Hawai‘i Master Gardeners are now accepting applications for the 2019 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program. Those interested can apply online here. Applicants will then be interviewed on January 9, 2019, at the Komohana Research Center, 875 Komohana St., D-202 in Hilo. The course begins January 23 and runs through April. The three-hour classes are from 9 a.m. to noon every Wednesday morning at Komohana. Course topics include basic botany, native Hawaiian plants, invasive plant species, tropical ornamental plants, plant nutrition, soil fertility and nutrient management, insect and plant disease management, plant propagation and pruning, fruit and vegetable crops, natural gardening, and diagnosing plant health problems. The fee for the course is $200. To learn more about the East Hawai‘i Master Gardener certification program, visit their web page.