Growing Your Garden Knowledge

Do you enjoy gardening and helping others? Would you like to grow your skills as a gardener? Then becoming a Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) would be a fun and educational opportunity for you. All that’s needed to get started is a love of plants, enjoyment in working with others and time to share your knowledge and skills. Adults from age 18 and up are encouraged to join - both experienced and novice gardeners are welcome! 

What is an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer? 
At Nebraska Extension, we provide science-based information to adults and youth in many different settings - from home or demonstration landscapes to county fair to classrooms. We meet clientele where they need us. So do our Master Gardener volunteers.  

What does becoming an EMGV involve?  
Training is offered using a hybrid method, allowing you to complete the online, self-paced assignments as your schedule allows, combined with in-depth and in-person sessions. During your first year, you’ll complete approximately 40 training hours, made up of both the self-paced work and in-person sessions.

After training, EMG volunteers assist Extension staff extend our outreach to clientele, providing the information they need. Our goals are to help Nebraskans

• grow healthy food,
• manage beautiful climate-resilient landscapes,
• maintain habitat for wildlife and beneficial insects, and
• manage pests, including weeds, insects and diseases.

All of this, while conserving water, and protecting people and the natural environment from exposure to improperly applied or excessive amounts of pesticides and fertilizers.

EMG volunteers also help youth gain a love and appreciation for the natural world.  

There are many different volunteer opportunities to choose from including answering questions at community events or those emailed/phoned-in to the Extension Office, showing young kids how to garden, teaching composting classes to home gardeners, helping to maintain community gardens, working with youth at county fairs and much more.  

In 2023, 628 EMGVs across the state completed 31,400 volunteer hours, a $926,300 value to the state. Based on the Independent Sector’s 2023 Nebraska volunteer value of $29.50/hour. During that year, Lancaster horticulture staff and EMGs responded to 7,720 questions from 3,307 client contacts. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I benefit from becoming an Extension Master Gardener? First, you gain a tremendous amount of horticulture knowledge through our training program and through researching answers to clientele questions. You’ll also meet a great group of people – your fellow EMG volunteers - who share your love of gardening. And ultimately, you’ll touch the lives of neighbors in your community while helping them maintain beautiful sustainable greenspaces.  
2. After training, will I be an expert horticulturist? No, but you will be on the path to increasing your knowledge every year and you'll know where to find accurate research-based information. A retired nursery professional once told me he wished he had two lifetimes – one to learn and the other to apply the knowledge. I totally agreed with him, it takes a very long time to become an expert horticulturist!
3. Will training focus solely on organic techniques? I don’t want to learn anything about pesticides. It’s important to have a broad understanding of all pest control strategies – both organic (cultural, mechanical, biological) and chemical – so we can answer questions accurately and provide the best guidance to the clients we serve. For that reason, both organic and conventional production and pest control methods are covered.

How To Get Started 
Complete and submit an application. Two Master Gardener programs are available for residents of Lancaster county and surrounding areas.  

Evening training classes- Complete an application on-line at https://mastergardener.unl.edu/, click on “Become a Master Gardener.” Or contact Teri James, email: tjames2@unl.edu, (402) 472-8973. Program cost is $250.00 per person. Application deadline - January 17th.  

Weekday training classes- Complete an application on-line at http://go.unl.edu/mgapplication, or contact Mary Jane Frogge for more information. Email: mfrogge2@unl.edu, (402) 441-7180. Program cost is $250.00 per person.  Application deadline - January 17th.  

Please join us for training in 2025 and become a Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer!