Dear Potential Master Gardener,
Thank you for inquiring about the Yamhill County Master Gardener™ Program. OSU Master Gardeners (MG’s) are volunteers trained by OSU Extension Service faculty and others knowledgeable about horticultural subjects who, in turn, use their training to extend research-based gardening education to the community.
Becoming an OSU Master Gardener is a two-step process. First, you must complete the training program and pass a review exam. The second part of the program is applying the knowledge gained through the training program to provide gardening information to the public by volunteering for a minimum of 50 hours with the OSU Master Gardener Program. This is done through a Master Gardener Desk in the Extension Office, plant clinics held in the community, demonstration gardens, plant sales, and other related activities.
The Master Gardener training classes will take place in a hybrid platform. There will be virtual classes and in-person workshops. The training program includes Botany, Soils, Pruning, Gardening, and Entomology instruction. Diagnosing plant problems is included to prepare you to answer home gardening questions.
The program will run from January through March for ten weeks. The first week will be asynchronous; the remaining weeks will be in-person workshops on Thursday afternoons, starting January 25th through March 21st from 2:00-4:30 pm.
The second phase of the program begins after classes are completed. You will be asked to volunteer at least 50 hours of your time in educational or informational activities for the public.
Of the required volunteer hours, at least 20 hours must be at the MG desk clinic or in other approved clinic activities. The MG Desk is a walk-in or call–in clinic that is open during Extension Office hours throughout the year. The desk clinic is an opportunity for the public to have their garden questions answered by Master Gardeners.
The remaining 30 volunteer service hours will be spent on a community service project. You will choose among several options we will make available to you.
The program cost is $155 with an additional $35 book fee. If the cost of the program represents a financial hardship, assistance may be available.
Thank you for your interest Yamhill County Master Gardener Program.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact Carla at [email protected] or 503-434-7517.
Yours truly,
Heather Stoven
Community Horticulturalist/Master Gardener Program Coordinator
OSU Extension Service – Yamhill County
[email protected]
