Connect

Become a Master Gardener

Want to Become a Master Gardener?

Do you love gardening? Are you interested in broadening your knowledge of sustainable gardening? Do you like making friends and doing things with others who share your interests? Is serving your community important to you?

You may ask yourself these questions if you’re considering becoming a Master Gardener. If you answer yes to any of these questions, becoming a Master Gardener is quite likely right for you.

Who We Are

Denton County Master Gardener Association is a corps of volunteers, sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife, who learn, serve, and play together with the mission of helping Denton County and North Texas residents create sustainable gardens, landscapes, and communities by sharing research-based gardening information.

Photo of Master Gardener holding a large cabbage.
Photo of a Master Gardener teaching children.

How We Serve

At its core, the Master Gardener program is a public service program. First-year interns must volunteer at least 70 hours to projects sponsored and supervised by DCMGA. A wide variety of projects are available for volunteer service, including annual events (Plant Sale and Garden Tour), youth and children’s programs, community gardens, landscape design, public speaking, community partnership programs, special interest groups, beautification projects, and administrative committees.

What You Will Learn

Denton County Master Gardener interns receive a minimum of 70 hours of instruction during the intern classes taught by some of the best horticultural educators in Texas. The class subjects include:

  • Plant Development & Plant Pathology
  • Soil & Soil Nutrition
  • Texas Trees & Native Plants
  • Edible Gardening
  • Rainwater Harvesting & Irrigation
  • Earth-Kind® and Fire-Wise Landscaping
  • Turfgrass Culture
  • Plant Propagation
  • Entomology & Integrated Pest Management
  • Mycology, Composting & Vermiculture
Photo of native Texas flowering perennials.
Photo of a group of Master Gardeners

How To Apply

The application period for the program is open each year from August through October. To apply, you must complete and submit a Master Gardener Application online, which will be available at on this page in August. We provide additional details about the program in the Become A Master Gardener Information Sheet and in the “Sample Class Schedule“, which you can view now. Please check back in August 2024 to apply for the 2025 program.

Sign Up for Our E-Magazine

Grow Your Skills

Conquer your landscape! Start getting our best how-to advice today. Sign up for our free monthly e-magazine, The Root. Receive expert tips, easy-to-follow plans from experienced gardeners, and learn new techniques you can put into practice right away.