Mary Lee Kiracofe
| Guest columnist
A few years ago, I found myself near the end of my professional career. No longer analyzing spreadsheets, managing staff, attending meetings, or traversing the Panhandle for public events, I now had the time – and curiosity – to pursue a new interest, though I hadn’t yet identified what it might be. A friend recommended that I explore the Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program at the Leon County Extension Office, so I did.
I learned that the MGV program is a research-based education initiative associated with the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) that teaches a wide range of landscape practices, with an emphasis on protecting and sustaining our natural resources. That intrigued me.
In more detailed terms, the program is a comprehensive 16-week study that digs deep into a range of topics like plant propagation, turfgrass, weeds, and invasive species. Add to that lessons on plant taxonomy, soil, fertilizers, and nutrients, and you have a rather rigorous curriculum intentionally designed to be practical for our area.
With a desire to improve my own personal gardening space and become a more effective gardener, I submitted an application, sat for an interview, and was admitted to the next class.
Far from a series of yawn-inducing lectures filled with confusing scientific terms and facts, the Master Gardener Volunteer program greatly exceeds what one might read in a promotional brochure. I found it to be totally engaging, highly interactive, and most of all, rewarding. Let me share a little of what I observed and experienced.
Just who are Master Gardener Volunteers?
Leon County boasts one of the more robust and successful MGV programs in Florida, with 120 active volunteers. Last year, we contributed over 8,200 hours of volunteer service to our community.
Some of those hours include fielding questions emailed or phoned in by members of the community seeking expert advice. Questions can range from plant and weed identification to dying shrubs to when and how to prune. Or one of my more memorable calls – “I broke out in a rash after pruning my fig tree. What could it be?”
Yes, the program is research-based, and Master Gardener Volunteers acquire a great deal of knowledge, but we don’t become “know-it-alls” with all the answers. Rather, we know where to look and how to find evidence-based information.
In a nutshell, MGVs are passionate gardeners who don’t mind getting our hands dirty. Individual experience and skill levels range from novice to seasoned garden veteran. Understandably, the program appeals to retirees who enjoy fewer constraints on their time and are eager to stay active.
However, in today’s flexible work environment, MGVs also include full-time professionals who can adjust their schedules to participate – and even parents of school-age children who realize they can get involved while their children are in class. Some have relocated here from other parts of the country or have come from overseas for career or academic opportunities.
Whether in the classroom or in the demonstration garden, we enjoy a healthy exchange of ideas and learn from each other. You can imagine how sharing gardening experiences and knowledge from diverse backgrounds and regions can richly enhance learning.
Harvesting rewards
An added feature – and perhaps the most rewarding – is the head-spinning variety of volunteer opportunities that accompany the program. While MGVs and trainees are required to complete a prescribed number of volunteer hours during the year, there’s always something that appeals to every personality type, interest, and ability – making those hours well spent.
For example, those MGVs who enjoy working with young people assist our local 4-H clubs with their horticulture programs. We attend community-wide events with the “Ask a Master Gardener” table, full of take-away educational materials. One of our favorite hands-on events is the annual Seed Library Program, created in partnership with the Leon County Public Library. We provide free seeds, seedlings, and “seed bombs,” and we set up an actual raised bed garden.
Recognizing the healing effects of working outdoors and in nature, MGVs regularly partner with local veterans at the VA clinic vegetable garden. There’s also a group that maintains the 1800s-era garden at the Tallahassee Museum and another that routinely removes invasive species from locations like Brinkley Glen Park.
Just about everyone helps out on the monthly workdays in our demonstration gardens at the Leon County Extension Office on East Paul Russell Road. There, you may encounter the “VegHeadz,” who can grow up to 40 pounds of produce per week for donation to local food pantries, or the “Dirt Baggers,” who blend and package soil for the propagation team.
What Other MGVs Say
Master Gardener Volunteers agree that we get so much more than dirty knees from the program. Earlier this spring, I informally polled a handful of MGVs during our monthly workday and asked, “What do you enjoy most about the MGV program?” Answers ranged from “Helping people find gardening solutions,” to “Being outdoors with a diverse group of people,” and “Learning from one another.” One volunteer put it most succinctly: “With Master Gardening, you get something – but you also get to give something back.”
Want to find out more about the MGV program?
Interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer? Join us for an online information session – Becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer 2025 (https://2025MGVs.eventbrite.com) from 6-7 p.m. June 12. You’ll learn all about the Leon County Master Gardener Volunteer Program, including the format of the class, volunteer opportunities, and program requirements. Applications for the Fall 2025 MGV class are due July 1, and we’d love to have you on our volunteer team.
If you’d like to meet current Master Gardener Volunteers and see our work in action, stop by the annual Open House and Plant Sale from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 10, at the Leon County Extension Office, 615 E. Paul Russell Road.
Shop thousands of plants propagated by MGVs, explore the VegHeadz garden, orchard, pond, and native plant walkways on a guided or self-guided tour, and visit community partner tables featuring gardening groups, conservation organizations, and the Apalachee Beekeepers Association (with honey for sale).
Don’t miss the indoor flower bouquet sale – perfect for a last-minute Mother’s Day gift – and take a moment to chat with our volunteers and agents about how UF/IFAS Extension can support your gardening goals.
Mary Lee Kiracofe is a Master Gardener Volunteer with UF/IFAS Extension Leon County, an Equal Opportunity Institution. For gardening questions, email the extension office at AskAMasterGardener@ifas.ufl.edu,
If you go
What: Annual Open House and Plant Sale
When: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, May 10
Where: Leon County Extension Office, 615 E. Paul Russell Road