Do you have a strong interest in gardening? Are you a life-long learner? Do you want to help others and share your gardening enthusiasm and knowledge? Then consider becoming a Penn State Master Gardener in Beaver County!
The demonstration garden at the Beaver Station educates the public about pollinators.
The Penn State Extension Master Gardener application process in Beaver County for the 2025 class is now closed. The application for the class of 2026 will open in the spring of 2025, likely in April, and will close again in early August. This program consists of a volunteer training course designed to provide home gardeners with the information and skills necessary to share their experience and knowledge with their communities.
- Weekly classes will start the first week in October and run on Thursday evenings, 6:00 - 8:15 PM.
- Classes will be held online via Zoom, taught by Penn State experts, professors, and educators. All trainees across the state participate in these Zoom classes.
- 40 hours of training are provided, including botany, plant diseases, soil health, pruning, lawn care, native plants, and more.
- Access to a stable internet connection and a computer, tablet, or smartphone is required to complete the course.
- During training, in-person sessions will be held on select Saturday mornings and weekday evenings. These sessions will include hands-on "labs," tours of the demonstration gardens, and/or learning about the Master Gardener projects.
Candidates must pass a midterm and final exam, complete a small project, and volunteer 50 hours with the Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program during the first year in order to become certified. In subsequent years, 20 hours of volunteer time and 10 hours of continuing education are required to maintain the Master Gardener certification. Volunteer activities carried out by the Master Gardeners include planting and maintaining demonstration gardens, consultations on various public gardens including community gardens, answering garden-related questions on the Garden Hotline, and teaching about plants to youth, among others. Any activities outside of Master Gardener-sanctioned projects must be approved by the coordinator in order to count for Master Gardener volunteer hours.
There is a program fee of $200 to cover the cost of training materials, including the award-winning Master Gardener Manual (textbook), hands-on materials, and other expenses.
The deadline to submit the Penn State Master Gardener Application occurs in late July or early August. You will be contacted to schedule an interview after this deadline (but not before) to schedule an interview during the month of August. The class is finalized by the end of August to allow for onboarding during the month of September.
The mission of the Penn State Master Gardener volunteer program is to support Penn State Extension by utilizing research-based information to educate the public on best practices in consumer horticulture and environmental stewardship. Learn more about the Penn State Master Gardener Program.
Please contact Lyndsay Feather at lfeather@psu.edu with questions.
