What is the Master Gardener Program?
The Master Gardener Program is a national program of trained volunteers who work in partnership with their county Cooperative Extension office to expand educational outreach throughout the community by providing home gardeners with research-based information. Master Gardeners assist with gardening projects in the community, teach classes and workshops, plant and maintain demonstration gardens at CCE, provide information and soil pH testing at events, and answer gardening questions.
The first Master Gardener program was started in Washington State in 1972. Forty-six states now have Master Gardener programs. For information on Master Gardener programs across New York State, visit the New York State Master Gardener Program website.
Who Becomes a Master Gardener?
Master Gardeners enjoy people and plants. They usually have no professional gardening or landscaping experience, only a genuine interest in sharing their knowledge, and sufficient free time to volunteer in Master Gardener activities.
Qualification for Trainees
Master Gardener trainees should have a basic knowledge of, or interest in, gardening; enthusiasm for acquiring and sharing horticultural knowledge and skills; good communications skills; and a willingness and free time to participate in volunteer educational activities.
Volunteers complete a brief written application, and have a short interview with members of our horticulture staff.
Master Gardener Training
Master Gardener training is held in alternate years. Trainees receive training on a broad spectrum of subjects applicable to home gardening, such as plant nutrition, soils, vegetable and fruit culture, trees, shrubs and lawns, diseases and insects that affect plants, pruning, and much more. Advanced instruction is offered, and special seminars and refresher workshops are held so that Master Gardeners can stay current on gardening topics and keep their knowledge up-to-date.
You can learn more about the topics that are covered in the training by visiting the NY State Master Gardener Volunteer Program pages on the Cornell University website.
The next Master Gardener volunteer training begins in the fall of 2024. The cost of the program training is $150. Contact Garet Livermore at gdl56@cornell.edu for more information.
Master Gardener Training Brochure 2024
If you have submitted your application and been approved through Delaware, Herkimer, Otsego, or Schoharie Counties, you can pay your $150 through PayPal.
Each Master Gardener trainee commits to “give back” an additional hours of service over a two year time period following certification. After that, you can be as involved with the program as you would like to be. Some Master Gardeners have volunteered for many years and enjoy the satisfaction of helping their local communities and the camaraderie of fellow gardeners, monthly meetings, holiday gatherings, and group field trips to visit beautiful and unique gardens in our region that also are part of the program.
To fulfill their volunteer time commitment, Master Gardeners have in the past worked in the office to test soil samples, maintained files of gardening information, answered gardening questions, taught gardening classes, organized and participate in programs and events, spoken or demonstrated to groups. New program initiatives also are welcomed!
