If you love gardening and are community-minded, apply to become a North Dakota State University Extension Master Gardener. Convenient online training starts in 2024 offering a great learning experience for adults.

The Extension Master Gardener Program is a national volunteer service organization that works in cooperation with land-grant universities. The program trains and empowers volunteers to teach others how to garden, conserve natural resources such as pollinators, beautify communities and be leaders.

NDSU Extension is now accepting applications for the 2024 Extension Master Gardener Program. Accepted applicants will take a 40-hour volunteer training course designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to complete volunteer projects. The program hosts weekly classes from Jan. 19 to March 22, 2024.

Course topics include vegetable and fruit production, soil health, composting, plant diseases and insects, annual and perennial flowers, tree selection and maintenance, landscape design, houseplants, and lawn maintenance. NDSU faculty and Extension personnel teach the classes.

“The 10-week training is designed to be flexible for both working individuals and for those wintering in other states,” says Esther McGinnis, NDSU Extension horticulturist and Extension Master Gardener director. “Students can participate from their computers in the live Friday classes from 9 a.m. to noon (CST). Alternatively, students can watch the recorded lectures at their convenience. Students in Fargo have the option to be present in the NDSU campus classroom.”

Once participants complete the 40-hour training, they are known as Extension Master Gardener interns. They must volunteer 48 hours of time during a two-year period on horticultural projects in cooperation with NDSU Extension. After that, they will be certified Extension Master Gardener volunteers.

Potential volunteer projects include answering gardening questions, organizing horticultural workshops, teaching children to garden, growing fresh produce for food pantries, designing and maintaining pollinator gardens, and conducting citizen science projects.

The program fee for the 2024 class has been reduced to $225 to make the class more accessible to individuals. A non-volunteer option is available for $450.

Seventeen North Dakota counties will be accepting a limited number of Extension Master Gardener applications. The application deadline is Nov. 15.

Application forms and a list of counties that are accepting applications are available at
ndsu.ag/mgcourse.

For more information, contact your NDSU Extension county office or McGinnis at esther.mcginnis@ndsu.edu.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Oct. 13, 2023

Source:  Esther McGinnis, 701-231-7406, esther.mcginnis@ndsu.edu

Editor: Kelli Anderson, 701-231-7881, kelli.c.anderson@ndsu.edu