Do you enjoy digging in the dirt, spending time outdoors, learning about plants, and volunteering for community projects? If so, the Master Gardener Program would be a great opportunity for you to sharpen your horticulture skills and share your knowledge with others. Master Gardeners are volunteers from all walks of life who have an interest in gardening, a willingness to learn, and a desire to help others. The Master Gardeners’ program has been a part of the UA System, Cooperative Extension Service in Arkansas County since 1995. Many community beautification gardening projects have been established by the group in that 30-year period with eight projects currently being maintained in the county.
How much time is involved? There are two ways to become a Master Gardener. You can complete your training on Zoom or through online training. Zoom training involves 40 hours of training covering all areas of horticulture. The zoom training dates are October 22, 29 and November 5, 12 and 19. Participants will attend the training at the County Extension Office in DeWitt from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on these dates. After completing your 40-hour horticulture training, you are required to volunteer 40 working hours and 20 learning hours back to your county program during your first year. The work hours can be attained by working in the project beds, providing refreshments for meetings, volunteering at the county fair, helping with the annual plant sale, etc. Education hours are accumulated by attending county meetings, garden tours, seminars, HGTV and other learning opportunities. After your first year, you will provide only 20 working hours and 20 learning hours to remain actively certified.
The online training is self-paced and runs from October 6-December 12. You must have access to a computer to take online training. After completing the training, you will be required to volunteer 40 working hours and 20 learning hours.
What are the benefits?
It is often said that the Master Gardener Program is more than “just a horticulture class” —and it is. As a Master Gardener, you are afforded many of the resources of the University of Arkansas. Master Gardeners receive many hours of training in botany, soil science, plant propagation, pest management, pesticide and herbicide usage, vegetable and ornamental plant gardening, plant and weed identification, pruning and other horticulture-related subjects.
What is the cost?
The Master Gardener Zoom training fee is $75. This will cover the cost of a book filled with horticulture information, lunch and snacks, and a name tag. The online training fee is $125 and covers the cost of the book and a name tag.
Note: Application deadline is Sept. 12, 2025. A minimum of five applicants will be needed in order to conduct the class.
The Master Gardener program originated in Washington State in 1972 and is now active in all 50 states and six Canadian provinces. The state of Arkansas adopted the Master Gardener program in 1988 and Arkansas County held their first training in 1995. There are currently MG programs in 65 counties in Arkansas, with 42 active members in the Arkansas County program.
If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener, contact the Arkansas County Extension Office at 870-659-2058 for an application and additional information. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your Arkansas County Extension Service as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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