Become a Grant County Master Gardener
Anyone with a sincere dedication and love for gardening should consider becoming a master gardener volunteer. The mission of the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program is to train volunteers to be effective community educators in gardening and environmental stewardship. This program allows volunteers to share knowledge gained through a variety of activities that are meant to fit the needs of our communities in the Grant-Adams Area served by WSU Extension. The Master Gardener Basic Training Brochure (pdf) has program details. Please complete the WSU Master Gardener Volunteer Application if you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener.
Master Gardeners promote environmentally sound gardening by providing public education for the control of plant and pest problems. Program volunteers teach and demonstrate on common sense gardening, integrated pest management, water conservation, composting, and home horticulture.
Steps to Becoming a Master Gardener
- Contact Grant County WSU Extension Office
- Call 509-765-2160 Ext. 4313 or email ga.mgvolunteers@wsu.edu
- Complete & Submit Master Gardener Application
- Complete a Criminal Background Check
- Master Gardener Program Coordinators will provide details & instructions.
- Complete Enrollment Documents & Payment
- You’ll be asked to review & sign enrollment documents, attend an orientation, and pay training fees.
- Complete Master Gardener Training & Volunteer Hours
- Attend all scheduled classes.
- Volunteer and document required minimum number of volunteer hours. Logging volunteer hours on GivePulse.
FAQ – Joining the Master Gardener Program
- How often is training held? Prospective applicants are trained every 2 years. The next scheduled training is in fall 2026. It typically takes two years to finish the certification.
- How do I apply? Applications are accepted until August of the training year after which they are reviewed and approved.
- What are the fees to become a Master Gardener? Training costs include successfully finishing an online course through WSU, $275, completing a background check, $15, and a $100 local fee which helps our group recover costs to bring in speakers and cover their mileage.
- What will I learn? Many subjects and disciplines will be introduced. Open-book quizzes are taken with every chapter and a score of 80% or more is required on those as well as on the final exam.
- What is the training schedule? It usually varies by session. Typically, there is an orientation session in August or early September. Applicants attend classroom sessions and field tours along with concurrently taking the online class. The following year at least 40 hours of volunteer outreach is needed to attain certification. To maintain the certification at least 35 hours of volunteer outreach is required in approved activities each year.
Master Gardener Volunteer Specific Resources
GivePulse – Volunteers are to individually log their volunteer hours.
Register for “Put the Child First” – Washington State University Extension faculty, staff, and volunteers are required to complete child protection training.
WSU Extension Master Gardener Program – Information & Resources for Washington State Master Gardeners.
Contact a Master Gardener Volunteer: ga.mgvolunteers@wsu.edu
