Recruiting new WSU Master Gardeners

Many people are curious about what the WSU Master Gardener Program is all about. Here are some questions and answers.

What is a WSU Master Gardener? Anyone can use the term master gardener. Only volunteers trained by universities can put the university’s initials in front of Master Gardener.

When university initials are used, one can trust the information being taught or provided is unbiased and science-based. WSU Master Gardeners are volunteers who have completed intensive training and are able to provide unbiased, research-based education on issues of importance in their local communities which aims to conserve and enhance our natural resources.

WSU Master Gardeners are unpaid (volunteer) agents of Washington State University and are trained to help the university achieve its land-grant mission by providing unbiased research supported information on gardening to the public.

What is required to become a certified WSU Master Gardener? Specialized training is held every two years in Grant-Adams Counties. Approved applicants attend 60-plus hours of online basic training supplemented with hands-on classroom/field labs and satisfactory completion of all assignments.

The course is taught by WSU Extension faculty, WSU Master Gardeners and resource specialists. After training is completed, the program requires at least 50 hours of additional approved volunteer service to qualify as a WSU Master Gardener.

Each year after that, WSU Master Gardeners must be able to attend at least 10 hours of advanced educational training and complete another 25 hours of volunteer service per year to maintain certification.

More about becoming a WSU Master Gardener next week.