The mission of the Denton County Master Gardener Association is to educate and engage county residents in the implementation of research-based horticultural and environmental practices that create sustainable gardens, landscapes, and communities. If you love gardening, want to learn more, and would like to share your knowledge with others, the Denton County Master Gardener Association offers the opportunity to learn and to serve the community.
Who are Master Gardeners?
Master Gardeners are from all walks of life and volunteer on behalf of their state’s land grant university, Texas A&M University. What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Texas Master Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their county’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office to provide horticultural-related information to their communities. Texas Master Gardeners are representatives of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and as such, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. The title “Texas Master Gardener” can be used by volunteers only when engaged in Extension-sponsored activities.
How to Become a Texas Master Gardener
Training Classes
If accepted into the Denton County Master Gardener program, you will be required to attend a minimum of 70 hours in specialized training that begins January 26, 2021, and ends April 27. Virtual training classes are held each Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. In addition, trainees are required to complete specialized online training modules, for a total of 78 virtual classroom hours of education from some of the best horticultural educators in Texas. Experienced, active Master Gardener mentors are paired with trainees to help guide them through a successful training and volunteer experience during their first year.
Our training program offers instruction in Earth-Kind® garden management, Integrated Pest Management, soil management and water conservation, lawn care, ornamental trees and shrubs, plant nutrition, vegetable and fruit gardening, native perennial and annual flowers and much more. Preview the 2021 class schedule. Schedule changes may occur due to the weather or instructor availability.
The tuition for training for the Class of 2021 is $200, which covers the training manual, class t-shirt, badge, soil test, instructor fees, graduation costs, and other training expenses. Tuition is due by January 4, 2021, but only after you receive a letter of acceptance.
Volunteer Commitment
First-year Denton County Master Gardener Interns are required to volunteer a minimum of 70 hours to projects provided and supervised by Denton County Master Gardener Association. A wide variety of projects are available that include becoming involved with youth at area schools, assisting in gardens at senior centers, working on the Denton County Master Gardener Help Line, speaking to large and small groups interested in gaining gardening knowledge, or any one of our major community events we host each year. There are plenty of projects to choose from, and all are filled with great people invested in learning and sharing their gardening knowledge! More about our current projects can be found on the Denton County Master Gardener Projects page.
Certification
Participants become certified Texas Master Gardeners after they have completed the first year of required training and volunteer commitment. A graduation and awards ceremony is hosted each January to commemorate and award each successful Master Gardener Intern. Texas Master Gardeners in Denton County maintain their certification by attending 12 hours of continuing education and providing a minimum of 12 hours of volunteer time each year after their initial training year.
How to Apply
If you have a keen interest in gaining an ongoing education in the best practices of sustainable gardening and want to share that education with your community, the Denton County Master Gardener Program may be for you! We are looking for individuals who can commit to the training and internship requirements, and more importantly, individuals who want to learn and share their education with others through volunteer service as a representative of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
To apply, complete the online Master Gardener Application.
Applications for the Class of 2021 will be accepted through the close of business on October 23, 2020. Sorry, with the number of applications we receive, no late applications can be accepted. Candidates selected for the 2021 training year will be notified no later than December 7, 2020. Please note that tuition is not due until after you receive a letter of acceptance.
Annual Informational Meeting
Please join us October 20, 2020, from 10 A.M. to noon, to learn more and find out if our program is a “best fit” for you. Veteran Master Gardeners will provide detailed information about the program, training and volunteer requirements, active projects and so much more!
Check back here to register for this online videoconference event.
Supplemental information for the Informational meeting: