How Do You Become A Master Gardener In Riverside County


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About Master Gardeners

The University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program is a formal volunteer program that utilizes trained volunteers to provide home gardening and horticulture information to the citizens of Riverside County. Master Gardeners are volunteer educators who are an integral part of the educational mission of the county based UC Cooperative Extension program within the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources {not part of UC Riverside}.

HOW CAN I SIGN UP FOR THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM?

Call the UC Cooperative extension office and give your name, address and phone numbers to the receptionist {or our Master Gardener volunteers on the Phone Squad Hotline from 9 – 12} to be placed on the list of those interested in the Master Gardener program. You will be sent an application in the fall of our next training year. Fill out the application and return it to the office before the deadline. A committee of Master Gardeners and the Master Gardener Advisor screen the applications to select those meeting the criteria for trained community educational volunteers. The next training session begins in the fall of 2005. Classes are held every other Wednesday evening from 7 to 9:30 PM, beginning in early October and going through May, 2006.A training fee of approximately $80.00 is requested to help defray the cost of program materials, speaker expenses and your training handbook. The training is a requirement to become a Master Gardener and attendance is mandatory. A maximum of three missed classes is allowed, but opportunities to make up the missed training are provided when possible. During the training year, volunteers are required to volunteer 50 hours in approved educational activities. A written exam is the final requirement at the end of the training. A passing score of approximately 70% is deemed adequate for receiving the title Master Gardener. All Master Gardeners must undergo fingerprinting and a background check by the Department of Justice. Any volunteers with a criminal history related to child endangerment will not be accepted.

WHAT IS THE TRAINING ABOUT?

The 18 sessions of training are geared to provide the minimum training for volunteers to serve as educational agents of the University of California in the home gardening/non-commercial horticulture areas. Program guidelines and by-laws are explained and University policies for formal volunteers and the administrative policies for the Master Gardener are provided. Topics covered in the horticulture realm include: water management, soils and composting, plant propagation, pest management {insects, diseases, weeds and integrated pest management}, ornamental trees and pruning, plant biology, lawns, vegetables, citrus and diagnosing plant problems. Topics of interest to the local area are included as well. Roses and sub-tropical fruit trees are commonly part of our curricula.

WHAT DO MASTER GARDENERS DO?

As a formal volunteer program, volunteer activities are not wide open to individual choice, but there are a wide number of different activities for Master Gardeners to choose from. The one criterion that must be paramount is the educational value of the activity. Master Gardeners are not free labor for other community organizations or neighbors who want help with their yards. Major categories of volunteer activities include:

Answering questions on the phone with the Master Gardener Phone Squad

Writing and producing the monthly newsletter.

Giving talks to local garden groups as part of our Speakers Bureau.

Volunteers as a coordinator the Master Gardener program on the Advisory Committee

Taking part in the dozens of community events where Master Gardeners have a booth and answer questions from the public.

Organizing and speaking at public gardening seminars in the County

Helping establish and run school gardens with teachers in Riverside County.

Two entities can be helped in any way by providing labor and assistance to the staff of the UC Cooperative Extension office and/or the UCR Botanic Gardens. Activities range from volunteering to help with agricultural research, grooming plants at the Botanic Gardens or stuffing envelopes.

WHO CAN BECOME A MASTER GARDENER?

Anyone who is interested in gardening and horticulture; experience is not required. Successful Master Gardeners share the following traits: Interest in growing plants and gardening. Willingness to help others learn about gardening A desire to learn more about horticulture and gardening A commitment to helping community through serving as an educational volunteer.

WHAT IF I HAVE A QUESTION?

For further information contact the Master Garden Academic Advisor, Mike Henry 909-683-6491 Ext. 222 or e-mail him at mjhenry@ucdavis.edu.