Mission
The Mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Master Gardener Program is
to provide the public with unbiased, research based information and
sustainable management practices in tropical horticulture suitable for
home gardens, local landscapes, urban environments and the community.
The Master Gardener program is an educational outreach program
administered by the
University of Hawaiʻi Cooperative Extension Service.
The University of Hawaiʻi Master Gardener (UH MG) program is
part of the Master Gardener Program found throughout the United States
and Canada. First initiated in the State of Washington in 1972, the
Master Gardener Program is a public service program that provides
training to volunteers under the leadership of land-grant universities.
To date over 94,865* people have become Master Gardeners Nationwide
since the inception of the program. The Master Gardener program is a
certification program which is recognized nationwide.
The University of Hawaiʻi Master Gardeners are dedicated
volunteers trained in horticultural education and sustainable practices
by University Educators, Specialists and Researchers. In Hawaiʻi the
Master Gardener Program began in 1982. Master Gardeners expand and
facilitate horticultural educational outreach efforts of the University
of Hawaiʻi Cooperative Extension Service to the general public and
community groups and promote environmentally sustainable practices
throughout Hawaiʻi.
Master Gardener Program Objectives
- Expand the educational outreach efforts of the University
of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service to distribute research-based
horticultural information to the gardening public.
- Develop and enhance educational programs related to
consumer horticulture such as urban gardening, community gardening,
youth gardening projects, or any other programs determined by local
need.
- Develop a volunteer network designed to assist Extension
staff in managing local Master Gardener volunteer activities and
programs.
What is a Master Gardener?
Master Gardeners are adults (18 years and over), who love
gardening, want to learn and to share their knowledge with others
through volunteer educational services. Master Gardener volunteers are
an important Extension resource for expanded outreach into the
community. The trained Master Gardener volunteers help Extension to meet
the overwhelming demand for research based horticultural and gardening
information to the public.
The Master Gardener Training
Master Gardeners receive about 40+ hours of classroom training
in topics such as: botany, soil fertility, pruning, vegetables, organic
gardening techniques, trees & shrubs, ornamentals, landscape design,
insects, diseases, fruits and more. Volunteer requirement is a minimum
of 40 hours per year and is determined by the Coordinator for each
program. Master Gardener volunteers activities include: staffing booths
at County Fairs, host plant clinics and plant sales, conduct workshops,
develop and maintain community and educational gardens, write advice
columns at local newspapers and operate help lines at County Extension
offices answering gardening, questions, school gardening and community
gardens.