Do you have an interest in gardening, a willingness to learn more about horticulture, and a strong desire to volunteer and share your gardening knowledge to help others become more successful gardeners? Join us and start your path to becoming a Master Gardener!
Penn State Extension in Dauphin County trains Master Gardeners every year, with the next training class starting October 2024. This program consists of a volunteer training course designed to provide experienced home gardeners with information and skills necessary to share their experience and knowledge with others in their communities.
As a Penn State Master Gardener trainee, you will complete a sixteen-week training course with lessons led by Penn State Agricultural Educators, program assistants, and Master Gardeners. Topics include botany, plant propagation, insects and diseases, plant identification, diagnostics, and much more. To achieve certification, trainees must complete this training course, score a 80% or higher on the midterm and final exam, complete a New Class presentation, and volunteer 50 hours to the Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program during the first program year (October 1 - September 30). To maintain Master Gardener status in subsequent years, an additional 20 hours and 10 hours of approved advanced education is required.
Volunteer activities carried out by Master Gardeners might include upkeep and programming in a variety of demonstration gardens, hosting educational booths at local festivals and events, delivering presentations on various gardening topics for local schools, groups, and organizations, and assisting with programming sponsored by the Master Gardeners, such as composting, pollinator gardens, plant sales, and answering questions for the garden hotline.
There is a program fee of $200 to cover the cost of training materials and expenses. This fee provides each candidate with an award-winning Master Gardener Manual, valued at $75. Financial assistance is available to individuals if this fee represents a barrier to their participation in the program.
We are no longer accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Basic Training class. If you'd like to be notified when applications for the 2025-2026 training class open, please fill out this form.
Please address any questions to the Dauphin County Extension Office: 717-921-8803
