What does it take 
to become a Master Gardener?
To become a Master Gardener, a person must complete the basic training and complete forty volunteer hours.  The core training lasts about three months. Each class focuses on a different aspect of gardening – plant science, soil, flower gardening, woody ornamental, lawn care, vegetables, small fruit culture, fruit trees, plant health, indoor plants and household pests. To maintain Master Gardener certification, the Master Gardeners must volunteer for fifteen hours each year and take five hours of classes.  Volunteering can be done in many ways such as working on a community gardening project, answering questions on the hot line, working with children in schools, or volunteering at the Farmers Market. It is a wonderful way to meet people who share the gardening passion.

​2018 calendar year, you should plan on completing and reporting in the VMS at least 10 education and 20 volunteer hours by December 31, 2018.

Logging Volunteer Hours

Need help?

If you need help with logging your volunteer hours, Ruth and Michelle are our ambassadors.  

Junior Master Gardener
Chairperson
​Vicki Perkins

Genesee County Master Gardener Membership Meeting

Overview of Master Gardener Fees/Dues

Board Members

President:  Vicki Laurin 
 laurinvicki@gmail.com  

Vice President:  Mel Kennedy 

Second Vice President: Alan Groves

Secretary: Dick Moldenhauer        

Treasurer: Bobbi Parkhill
                                        

Sylvia Hansen:
Director​

Michigan Gardener Magazine

Meeting Speaker Schedule
5:30 social  6:00 Speaker 7:00 Meeting

Date

Speaker

Topic

Location
Thursday, Feb. 15
​Gary Eichen, certified arborist
An Evening in the Gardens
GCCARD Building
Thursday, March 15
Elly Maxwell, Dow Gardens entomologist
​Garden Insect Ecology
GCCARD Building
Thursday, April 19
No speaker
​Awards Banquet
​Crossroads Village*
Thursday, May 17
​Rebecca Finneran, horticulture educator, Master Gardener program administrator
Smart Gardening
GCCARD Building
Thursday, June 21
​TBD
TBD
​Wojo’s Garden Center, Davison *
  Master Gardeners will receive one hour educational credit for each meeting. 

Note: Building and speakers are subject to change in an emergency.

EMERITUS

What if I can no longer put in the volunteer hours, but I still want to be a Master Gardener?

     MGAGCM Ideas, Comments, Concerns
    ​We want to hear them. Our goal is to keep making our organization better and better. This will go to the board e-mail to be discussed at a future board meeting.
Do you meet the following criteria?
1.) Minimum of 500 hours of volunteer service
2.) 10 continuous years of volunteer service
3.) Exemplary service to the MSU Extension MGP 
4.) Have limited ability to remain active 
If so, you may qualify for Emeritus Status.