Master Gardeners

Cultivating plants, people and communities since 1973.

Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who work in partnership with WSU Extension to educate the public and enhance the quality of life in the community by promoting sound gardening practices.

History

The Master Gardener Program was started here in Washington State in 1973. Records show that 120 Master Gardeners from King and Pierce County Extension were trained in the first class. They served more than 7,000 clients in their first year. Today there are more than 3,000 Master Gardeners serving in 28 of the 39 Washington Counties. We serve more than a quarter of a million clients each year. The Master Gardener program is now operating in 46 states and four Canadian provinces.

The program in Skagit County was started in 1977, and has grown significantly since then. We now have approximately 140 active Master Gardener volunteers in the Skagit County program.

What We Do

As trained and certified members of a volunteer program sponsored by Washington State University Extension, Master Gardeners assist Extension in providing information to home gardeners about sound and sustainable gardening practices. This includes integrated pest management, efficient watering technologies, recycling of garden wastes and cultural methods for preventing and treating plant disease.

We have:

Over 125 certified Master Gardeners and up to 25 new interns each year.

Programs include:

• Discovery Garden to inspire and educate the public – watch this video!
• Weekly Plant Clinics in Anacortes and Burlington to diagnose plant problems
• Skagit Valley Herald newspaper articles
• Monthly Know & Grow gardening lectures
• Rain garden and community garden mentors
• DIG-IT! elementary school program
• Skagit Master Gardener Plant Fair, Saturday of “Mother’s Day Weekend”
• Speakers to talk at events and community groups

Check out our 2018 printable resources guide to our program.

In 2017, we contributed:

•  6,683 hours in Program Support
• 4,745 hours at the Discovery Garden
• 1,435 hours at the Diagnostic Plant Clinics
• 287 hours in Youth Outreach

Have a rain garden, or planning to build one?

Register your garden as part of the 12,000 Rain Gardens Project! Click here for more information.