Georgia Master Gardeners Association

Master Gardeners are volunteers who are interested in sharing their horticultural training and experiences with others through educational gardening projects and by using applied research and resources of the University of Georgia. They are trained and certified through the University of Georgia Extension Program.

To become a Master Gardener, First you should contact your local extension office to see if they offer the program. To contact your cooperative extension agent call 1-800-ask-uga1. If your county does not offer a program, it is possible to join another county’s program. You will need to fill out an application, which you will receive from the county extension office.

Master Gardener volunteers attend a 20 session training course which covers such areas as Vegetable Gardening, Weed Identification, Plant Physiology, Soil and Plant Nutrition, Water-wise Landscape, Herbaceous, Woody Ornamentals and Trees, Household Pests, Youth and Gardening and much more.

During the first year after completion of the course, volunteers are required to complete 50 hours of service. Each year following, volunteers give 25 hours of service to their community.

For further information please visit the University of Georgia’s site about Master Gardeners at www.hort.uga.edu/extension/mastergardener/aboutus.html