Is the UConn Master Gardener program for you?

To help you decide if you should apply for UConn Master Gardener training, ask yourself these important questions:

• Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in the community?
• Do I have enough time to attend the sixteen-week training and complete my sixty hours of volunteer work?
• Am I eager to participate in the practical and intensive training program?
• Do I want to learn more about plant care and gardening?

The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program begins every January.

Certification

To become a Certified Master Gardener you must complete a sixteen-week course that meets once a week from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, starting in January and running through April.

Students enrolled in this program receive training in botany, plant pathology, soils, entomology, pesticide safety, integrated pest management (IPM), woody ornamentals, herbaceous ornamentals, vegetables, tree and small fruits, turf grass, invasive plants, weeds, water quality, environmental factors affecting plant growth, and diagnostic techniques for the home gardener.

Following formal classroom instruction the Master Gardener student completes a 60-hour internship program. Thirty hours are dedicated to hands-on training in the extension offices where students are supervised in researching and determining the answers to a broad range of horticultural questions, including insect and plant identification, diagnosing plant diseases and providing sound horticultural recommendations. Students devote the remaining thirty hours to organized community outreach projects. Internships include plant clinics, educational displays at local, county fairs and farmers’ markets, presenting educational lectures, and working in demonstration gardens.

Upon completion of the program you will receive a certificate and name badge designating you as a University of Connecticut certified Master Gardener.

UConn Master Gardeners are registered volunteers with the University of Connecticut Extension. As such they are covered by the university’s liability insurance. In all volunteer work related to the program, Master Gardeners must follow the recommendations of the University of Connecticut  Extension.

Transfers Into the UConn Extension Master Gardener Program

The UConn Master Gardener Program welcomes out-of-state Extension Master Gardeners who wish to affiliate with and contribute actively through any of its county offices. Master Gardeners who are certified in another state may become certified in Connecticut by completing the following:

Complete the Request to Transfer online form. Upon receipt of these materials, the applicant is considered a provisional UConn Extension Master Gardener.

Upon completing these requirements, and the standard registration process for active certification, the applicant will be considered a fully certified UConn Extension Master Gardener. The fee is $25.

Other Benefits

Once you have become certified, you are eligible to attend training programs and workshops to work toward obtaining Advanced Certification.