Who are the WSU Master Gardener Volunteers?
We are a volunteer service gardening organization – cultivating plants, people, and communities since 1973.
Our Thurston County program is part of the statewide WSU Extension Master Gardener program which combines horticulture training and public service. WSU Master Gardener volunteers are trained and certified as community educators to provide professional, unbiased, researched-based home gardening and horticulture information to the public through the following avenues:
- Gardening/Composting/Recycling Question and Answer Clinic
- Demonstration gardens (Closed Loop Park, Dirt Works, Olympia Farmers Market Garden)
- Children’s Garden program
- Other educational programs & community service projects
WSU Master Gardener Volunteer Training
- Are you interested in becoming a WSU Master Gardener volunteer? Learn more about what WSU Master Gardener volunteers do and how to become one on our training page.
WSU Master Garden Program Activities for our Thurston County community
- Home Horticulture Training – Learn to be a better home gardener. Registration required.
- Demonstration/Learning Gardens
- In Thurston County, WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter volunteers create and maintain three learning/demonstration gardens. These gardens provide inspiration and showcase scientifically proven gardening practices. For complete details visit our demonstration gardens page.
- Master Your: Garden, Compost, & Recycling Education Day
- Children’s Garden Summer Program
- Upcoming Workshops
- Community Events and Outreach
WSU Master Garden Program Services and Online Resources
- Do you have a composting question?
- Gardening Resources
- Printable Gardening and Recycling/Composting resource list (updated 11/5/20)
- Directions to WSU Thurston County Extension Office
Information for Current MG & MRC Volunteers
Directions on how to use Zoom for a MG or MRC Meeting/Activity.
“WSU Master Gardener Program of Thurston County”
Do You Have a Gardening Question?
Do you have a plant eaten-up by bugs or diseases? Maybe you have a plant or weed you cannot identify? Or, you have a spot in your garden and you need advice on what to plant? That’s where the WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter volunteers of Thurston County can help.
Gardening/Composting/Recycling Question/Answer Clinic –
NEW SCHEDULE UPDATE – Email Only
Our WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter volunteers are answering your questions via email only. Volunteers are accepting your questions via email through the winter 2020-2021.
If you have a question please email it to: master@co.thurston.wa.us
NOTE: We are here to help, but wanted to let you know that we are receiving a larger than normal volume of questions. Our certified volunteers are working hard to answer your questions in a timely manner. We appreciate your patience and your desire for wanting accurate gardening/composting/recycling information. We look forward to serving you.
In-person Question/Answer Clinic at Thurston County Extension office is CLOSED
Our in-person and phone consultation question/answer clinic is currently CLOSED due to Governor Inslee’s March 23rd Stay Home, Stay Healthy emergency proclamation to minimize public health risk during COVID-19. Once it is safe, we will post details of when we plan to reopen on this site.
Located inside the WSU Thurston County Extension office
3054 Carpenter Rd. SE
Benoscheck Building
Olympia, WA 98503
Phone: (360) 867-2163 (This number is not being monitored at this time. Any messages left at this number will be responded once we are able to reopen our in-person clinic.)
Email: master@co.thurston.wa.us
The Gardens and Clinics are operated by WSU trained and certified volunteers. All services provided by Thurston County WSU Master Gardener and Master Recycler Composter volunteers are free to Thurston County residents. These volunteers can only provide information to home gardeners. Commercial farms and businesses need to contact Extension office for help, (360) 867-2162.