Become a Master Gardener

Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers, and gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and can communicate with diverse groups of people.

What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In exchange for this training, persons who become Master Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their Texas AgriLife Extension Service office to provide horticultural related information to their communities.

Is the Master Gardener Program for Me?

To help you decide if you should apply to be a Master Gardener, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of many types of plants?
• Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training program?
• Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my community?
• Do I have enough time to attend training and to complete the volunteer service hours required?

If you answered yes to these questions, the Master Gardener program could be for you. You will also be expected to have a small amount of computer skills.

Training

If accepted into the Tarrant County Master Gardener program, you will attend a Master Gardener training course. Classes are taught by Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialists, staff, and local experts. The program provides a minimum of 72 hours of instruction with topics that include lawn care; ornamental trees and shrubs; insect, disease, and weed management; soils and plant nutrition; vegetable gardening; home fruit production; flower gardens; and water conservation. Tarrant County offers two types of training programs, both of which provide the same educational information and lead to becoming a fully certified Master Gardener. The Earth Kind Modular program simply takes longer since it is taught one day a week on Saturdays.

Traditional Classes: Classes are taught on Tuesday and Thursdays from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, March – May. (2022 classes are scheduled from March 8th through May 26th)

Earth Kind Master Gardener Modular Program: one or two Saturday classes per month. (2022 modular classes are scheduled from April 30th through October 22nd)

Volunteer Commitment

In exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer time to their County Extension program. Interns (training year participants) are required to do at least 72 hours of volunteer service (in specified areas) within one year following the training in order become a certified “Tarrant County Master Gardener.” After the intern year, the number of required volunteer service hours drops to 36 per year to maintain certification.

The type of service done by Master Gardeners varies according to community needs and the abilities and interests of the Master Gardeners. Some enjoy answering the phone at our Master Gardener Help Desk, helping the community with their gardening questions. Others may staff plant clinics or displays at Home and Garden Shows, malls, or community events. You will see their presence in gardens and at events all across Tarrant County.

Master Gardeners may speak to local groups and conduct workshops. Some have helped establish community or school garden projects, work with 4-H youth, or assist their agent with news or radio releases related to gardening. Master Gardeners are representatives of Texas AgriLife Extension Service. In all volunteer work related to the program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The title “Texas Master Gardener” can be used by volunteers only when engaged in Extension Service-sponsored activities.

Certification

Participants become certified Master Gardeners after they have completed the training course and fulfilled their volunteer commitment.

Application

If you feel this is something you can commit to in its entirety, email your contact information to Karen.Scott@ag.tamu.edu or mail it to the address below, attention Horticulture Department to be added to the candidate list for 2025.. If you would like to be contacted when the next Master Gardener Orientation class is offered, please call or email our Horticulture Department at 817-884-1946 or tarrantmg@ag.tamu.edu.