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Purpose
Gardening, one of America's favorite past times, has dramatically expanded in recent years. Questions about gardening, insects, lawn maintenance, and landscaping continue to increase as some counties become more urbanized.
The Master Gardening Program was initialized in 1972 in Washington State to meet the new demands for service and help Agricultural Agents at the Cooperative Extension offices.
The program utilizes trained volunteers who have sincere interests in home horticulture to help the community and answer questions.
Trained Master Gardener volunteers answer questions on lawn maintenance, gardening, landscaping and plant diseases and insects. Soil testing is available for a nominal fee.
Become a Member
Interested persons are asked to fill out an application form (PDF). Training is free, but a fee is required for registration and publication costs.
Chosen applicants attend daytime training classes. These are typically held two times a week for approximately 10 weeks and are usually conducted from January to April. At the conclusion of the classes, a test is administered.
To earn a Master Gardener Certificate, the trainee must attend the prescribed minimum hours of training, pass the examination and volunteer 60 hours for the Horticultural Hotline and/or other related master gardener activities.