Process for applying to the Master Gardener program.
The Penn State Extension in Lebanon County trains Master Gardeners every other 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 and in the community.
As a Penn State Master Gardener, one must complete a twenty-week course with lessons lead by Penn State horticultural educators, program assistants, and Master Gardeners. Topics covered include: botany, plant propagation, insects and diseases, plant identification, diagnostics, and much more. In exchange for over 40 hours of instruction, the Master Gardener trainees agree to devote 50 hours of volunteer time to the Master Gardener program throughout the following year. Most of these initial hours are acquired through a class project. To maintain Master Gardener status, an additional 20 hours and 10 hours of approved advanced education is required each year.
Volunteer activities currently carried out by Master Gardeners in Lebanon County 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 writing articles, graphic design and social media, a Spring plant sale, and answering questions for the garden hotline.
Master Gardeners provide educational training and hands-on demonstrations in:
- plant selection
- weed, insect and disease identification
- composting
- landscape design
- pest control
- vegetable gardening
- tree pruning and care
- community gardening.... and more
There is a program fee of $200 to cover the cost of training materials and expenses. Financial assistance is available to individuals where this fee is cost prohibitive to their participation in the program.
Here's a link to our online application to become a Master Gardener in Lebanon County.
For more information please contact the Lebanon County Penn State Extension office located at Lebanon Valley Agricultural Center, 2120 Cornwall Rd. Lebanon, PA 17042 or by calling 717-270-4391.
