Mission Statement

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."

What is the Maui Master Gardener Program?

The Maui Master Gardener program is an educational outreach program administered by the University of Hawaiʻi Cooperative Extension Service. The University of Hawaiʻi Master Gardener 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 program begun. The Master Gardener program is a certification program which is recognized nationwide. In Hawaiʻi the Master Gardener Program began in 1988.

Who can become a Master Gardener Volunteer?

Master Gardeners are adults (18 years and over), who love gardening, want to learn and to share their knowledge with others in their communities through volunteer educational services. Master Gardener volunteers are an important Extension resource for expanded outreach into the community. The trained Master Gardener volunteers help Cooperative Extension meet the overwhelming demand for research based horticultural and gardening information to the general public and community groups and; promote environmentally sustainable practices throughout Hawaiʻi. The University of Hawaiʻi Extension Master Gardeners are dedicated volunteers; trained in horticultural education by University educators, specialists and researchers.

Master Gardener Training

Master Gardeners receive classroom training on topics such as: botany, soil fertility, fertilizers, composting, pruning, vegetable production, organic gardening techniques, trees & shrubs, ornamentals, landscape design, insects, diseases, integrated pest management, fruits and more. Master Gardener volunteers’ activities include: staffing booths at the County Fair and other outreach events held on Maui, hosting plant clinics and plant sales, conducting workshops, developing and maintaining community and educational gardens, raising bees, writing advice columns in local newspapers and operating and answering gardening questions for the home gardeners of Maui County through help lines at the County Extension office. The Master Gardeners also participate in the school gardening programs on Maui.

The Master Gardener training program is held each year, one day per week for four hours. Classes run from February to May. The cost of the program is $300 per person plus the cost of the a training manual.

For information on the next class, please go to https://www.facebook.com/MauiMasterGardeners

What do we ask from you?

Volunteer requirement is a minimum of 50 hours in the first year, in approved volunteer activities. In subsequent years, the volunteer requirement is a minimum of 40 hours plus 10 hours of continuing education to keep the certification active. The volunteer efforts are of benefit to the Master Gardeners as well as the community.

For additional information on the program, e-mail  mauimg@hawaii.edu.