Orange County Extension Master Gardener Program

Orange County Master Gardener (OCMG) Topics

Master Gardener Program

HISTORY: In 1972, an innovative Extension Service agent in the State of Washington reasoned that well trained volunteers could answer many everyday homeowner questions, freeing him and his colleagues for more technical and difficult problems. The Extension agent selected, trained, and certified volunteers as Master Gardeners. They soon succeeded in meeting his desired objectives. In fact, they exceeded his expectations, and so it was that the Master Gardener Program began.

Since that time, the Master Gardener Program has grown and is now active in forty-five states. Florida's program began in 1979. The program has been a tremendous success and is now active in fifty-six of Florida's sixty-seven counties. The Florida Master Gardener Program is sponsored by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), of which the Cooperative Extension Service is a part.

Mission of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program:
To train a core of volunteers to assist the county agent in delivering information to residents on how to design, plant and care for their plants and landscapes in a Florida-Friendly way.

Orange County's Master Gardener Program: The Master Gardener program is a volunteer based program for those people interested helping others and has been serving the citizens of Orange County since 1981. It involves going through more than 70 hours of education encompassing all areas gardening. In return for this education, we ask that you pledge to donate at least 75 hours of volunteer service during the following year. Most of this time is spent answering homeowners questions on the telephone.

Currently Master Gardeners in Orange County are answering an average of 1000 calls a month. This service is invaluable to residents of the area, because it supplies them with research based information that is readily available.

Master Gardeners volunteer in other ways than just manning the phones. Some help to maintain demonstrations gardens, staff clinics around the county, test soil pH, teach classes, and help run some of the larger programs.

Policies: The title, "Florida Master Gardener", is to be used only and exclusively in the Florida Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardener Program in which trained and certified Master Gardeners answer gardening questions. Master Gardeners are expected to use the title only when doing unpaid volunteer educational work in the Extension Horticulture program.

Florida Master Gardeners are advised not to advertise their names or their place of business, nor to be listed on advertisements of business places as Master Gardeners. This is a University of Florida / Florida Cooperative Extension Service public service program. Appearing at a commercial activity, having association with commercial products, or giving implied University of Florida Extension Service endorsements of any product or place of business is improper.

Requirements: To become a Master Gardener you would receive approximately seventy hours of training in various areas of horticulture and agree to volunteer seventy-five hours the first year and specific hours each year you wish to remain active. There is currently a charge of $150 for the class. This is not a revenue generating activity as all monies collected are spent on the trainees during classes

The main criteria for choosing volunteers includes: a passion for gardening, desire to help people, a thirst for knowledge, and the availability for volunteering during the weekdays.

Benefits: Here are some of the benefits of being a Master Gardener:

continually learning new things about gardening, insects, etc.;
the opportunity to attend the Annual Master Gardener Continuing Education Conference conducted by University of Florida professors and other Master Gardeners;
receiving twelve issues of the Orange Country Master Gardener "pH News" Newsletter;
the opportunity to attend field trips throughout the state; and
the chance to attend meetings and hear guest speakers.

Classes: The class is usually held August through November on Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Extension Education Center in Orange and Osceola Counties. If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer, please send an e-mail with your snail mail address and telephone number. You will receive an application by e-mail in June. Interviews are held in July.

For more information e-mail the Master Gardener Coordinator.

OCMG Advisory Committee (OCMG AC)

The Orange County Master Gardener Advisory Committee (OCMG AC) is formed to provide the Master Gardener Coordinator with feedback and suggestions for improvement of the Orange County Master Gardener program.

All Master Gardeners are welcome to provide feedback and suggestions for improving the Master Gardener Program by submitting comments, suggestions, or concerns in writing and signed to the Master Gardener Coordinator or to the Chairperson of the OCMG AC.

The OCMG AC meets four times a year; usually the last Friday of the first month in the new quarter, at 11:00am in the Extension Education Center Conference Room. The schedule for this year may be found listed below. A list of your OCMG AC members is also listed below.

All Master Gardeners are encouraged to attend any or all OCMG AC meetings.

   Link to:    OCMG AC Meeting for 2012
   Link to:    OCMG AC Members
   Link to:    OCMG AC Minutes
   Link to:    OCMG AC Income and Expeditures statement
   Link to:    OCMG AC Procedures

OCMG "pH News"

   Select this link to see   May 2012 "pH News"
   Select this link to see   April 2012 "pH News"
   Select this link to see   March 2012 "pH News"