Master Gardener

ALL ABOUT THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM
The Ohio State University Extension's Master Gardener Program is a volunteer educational program designed to meet the horticultural needs of the citizens of Ohio.  Its purpose is to train volunteers and utilize their expertise in teaching people more about plants, their culture, and their importance to the environment and our quality of life.  Master Gardener volunteers provide technical assistance to their county Extension office so that consumer horticulture activities and programs can be more effectively and efficiently carried out.  In return for the 50 hours of horticulture training the Master Gardeners volunteer 50 hours to OSU Extension to help educate local residents on horticultural issues.

WHEN DID THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM BEGIN?
The Master Gardener Program was started by Dr. David Gibby from the state of Washington in 1972.  In order to meet the horticulture needs of his community, Dr. Gibby used specially trained volunteers to complete outreach work in the area of home gardening.  His concept has now spread to more than 40 states with 50,000 peple serving as Master Gardener volunteers.

The Master Gardener program has been in Ohio since the late l970s, but did not really take off until 1986 when the Cuyahoga County Master Gardener Program began. 

OUR MISSION
The Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Program provides knowledge and develops the leadership abilities of volunteers who, in turn, enable others to improve the quality of their lives by enhancing their home and community environments through horticultural education and activities. 

OUR VISION
The Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Program is a premier statewide network of volunteer education and leadership development; as well as a consumer horticulture education delivery system that maximizes human, material, and natural resources, and values teamwork and excellence in educational programming.

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RELATED LINKS

Horticulture and Crop Science in Virtual Perspective
Horticulture, Vegetables, Fruits and Gardening - Farming the Net
Ohio Floriculture Online
Commercial Landscape & Nursery Production

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

Ohio Integrated Pest Management
Pesticide Education Programs, The Ohio State University
Integrated Pest Management Links - Farming the Net
VegNet