Become a Master Gardener Volunteer
What is a Master Gardener?
OSU Master Gardeners are volunteers who provide a valuable public service to Union County by answering home gardening questions, hosting educational classes & workshops, and partnering with local organizations to empower & grow new gardeners. Master Gardeners learn where and how to look for high quality gardening resources. They are people who enjoy sharing the joy & science of gardening while building community and improving their own gardening knowledge and skills.
How do I become a Master Gardener?
Master Gardeners is a certification program. All aspiring Master Gardeners must complete the Master Gardener Certification Training and volunteer service requirements. In Union County, the certification training is offered every two years (“odd number” years: 2025, 2027, 2029, etc).
First year trainees complete the training (January-May) and their initial 40-hour volunteer commitment (by Nov 1 of that year). After that, Union County Master Gardeners retain their certification by logging a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of continuing education, annually.
The most important thing to know is that you don't need to know everything about gardening to be an excellent Master Gardener!
Master Gardeners are lifelong learners, not experts! The real magic of the Master Gardener program is in the volunteer experience. Volunteering not only gives Master Gardeners the opportunity to give back to their community, it enriches their understanding of garden concepts. By putting theory into practice, Master Gardeners build their skills and knowledge in a lasting way. They also get to meet, collaborate with, and be inspired by other local gardeners.
Is the Master Gardener Certification Training right for you?
Becoming a Master Gardener takes time and commitment. The payoff is big—a high-quality garden education, horticulture skill-building, access to local gardening knowledge and experts, new gardening friends, gratifying volunteer work—but you need to make sure it fits your life.
For the Certification Training, you’ll need:
- A laptop or other computer with internet access that you are comfortable using. We communicate primarily by email; expect to check your email regularly.
- You will need a Gmail, Microsoft, or Facebook account to both register for and log onto the online platform where some of the training lessons are housed.
- Availability most Tuesday evenings from late January through early May.
- Time each week to explore online content and work on (occasional) assignments.
- Transportation to the Union County Extension building (10507 N McAlister Rd, La Grande).
For the Master Gardener Volunteer Program, you will need:
- In your first year (to earn certification) - 40 hours of volunteer work March-October in the year you complete the training.
- Recertification (all years after your first year) – 20 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of continuing education completed before October 31, annually.
- If you do not recertify for more than 2 years in a row, you will need to start the program from scratch: retaking the training and completing the 40 hours of volunteer work to certify. It pays to keep up your recertification!
- Volunteers who keep their certification current are invited to attend any in-person classes or online trainings for free.
Applications for the 2025 Master Gardener Certification Training are now open!
The training starts January 21 and meets most Tuesdays through May 6. See the full 2025 training schedule for details.
Applicants will be notified if they are selected within three weeks of applying or by January 20, whichever comes soonest. Scroll down for more information about how to fill out the online application.
If you would like to take some of the classes but are not interested in earning Master Gardener Certification or becoming a volunteer, please do not apply here. We will offer community class options starting in early January, 2025 - check back then or sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when you can register!
Master Gardener Certification Training
2025 Cost: $155, due after your application is accepted. Need-based scholarships are available - you can make a request in the application. Once your application is accepted, payment is due by January 10 to hold your spot.
How to Apply: To access our online application, you must create a login with IdealLogic. This is the same platform (and the same login) you will use for the online portions* of the Master Gardener training. IdealLogic uses an outside provider account to create the login, rather than storing password information itself. If you have a Google, Facebook, Microsoft (including Live, Outlook, and Hotmail), or Linked In account, you will use it to login to the application. This is a security measure required by OSU's IT department and there is no way around it. If you don't currently have an account with one of the above providers, you can create a free account just for the purposes of logging in to this application.
Payment is not due until your application is accepted. Once your application is accepted, payment is due by January 10 to hold your spot.
Contact the Union County Master Gardener program assistant if you you need help with any part of this process.
*Please note that all participants will need to complete some online coursework. If you don't have access to a computer or the internet, the Union County Extension office has a computer station available Monday – Friday, 8am-5pm that is free for you to use.
If you would like to learn about options for participating remotely or make an accommodation request related to a disability, please contact the program assistant at least 14 days before the course begins.
Master Gardener Volunteering
So you think you might like to become a Master Gardener, but what does that actually mean?
Master Gardener volunteers use the skills they've gained from the training to help guide community members to research-based gardening advice. Although there is a wealth of useful information about gardening on the Internet, it can be difficult for novice gardeners to separate good advice from questionable or unproven recommendations. The Master Gardener training will help you navigate these resources and find reliable information to share with community members seeking advice or instruction. Successful volunteers are those who enjoy learning, collaborating with a team, and sharing the joys of gardening with others.
Examples of Volunteer Opportunities
- Garden Helpdesk - Work with fellow volunteers and Extension staff to answer gardening questions from the local community. All volunteers must do a portion of their volunteer hours answering gardening questions and archiving them in our searchable database. This is an amazing way to build your regional gardening knowledge and skills.
- Farmers Market Booth - Hang out at the farmers market to answer gardening questions, share free resources, and be an ambassador for the Master Gardner program.
- Projects - Master Gardeners can bring their own passions to their work by starting an individual volunteer project. Qualifying projects make garden education available to the community. Projects are driven by the interests and skill sets of an individual or team of Master Gardeners. Examples: plant & maintain a demonstration garden (at the Extension building or another public space), create an educational display that communicates a sustainable gardening concept, plan & implement a gardening workshop or event focused on education, create a publication or podcast on gardening topics, etc.
- Tend our demonstration plot at the La Grande Community Garden and hold Master Gardener "office hours" to mentor fellow gardeners.
- Write for the Newsletter - Share your knowledge by writing seasonally relevant, research-based garden tips, how-to's, recipes, etc for our regional gardening newsletter. Creativity is welcome!
Master Gardeners Make a Difference
OSU Master Gardener program priorities guide the work we do in Union County. Our focus is on sustainable gardening with the goal of enhancing the health of our community's people, soil, and ecosystems. Master Gardeners have the rare opportunity of influencing other gardeners in their community with sustainable and reliable garden advice and education.
In this way, Master gardeners can offer local gardeners advice and instruction that results in greater access to healthy food, less water use and chemical inputs, more food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, increased biodiversity and soil health, greater climate change resilience for our region, and more. If you believe in being a part of this kind of change, the Master Gardener volunteer program is for you!
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Photo: Sarah West -
Photo: Sarah West -
Photo: Sarah West -
Photo: Sarah West -
Photo: Sarah West
