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Maryland Master Gardeners
The Maryland Master Gardener vision is a healthier world through environmental stewardship.
Our mission is to educate Maryland residents about safe, effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities.
The Maryland Master Gardener Program was started in 1978 as a means of extending the horticultural and pest management expertise of Maryland Cooperative Extension to the general public. Â Today, this popular program can be found in 18 Maryland counties, Baltimore City, and two Maryland prisons.
The program is designed to train volunteer horticultural educators for Maryland Cooperative Extension- the principal outreach education unit of the University of Maryland. Participants receive 40-50 hours of basic training from University of Maryland professionals and then agree to work in their communities to teach Marylanders how to cultivate garden spaces and manage landscapes sustainably using research-based information. This environmental horticulture approach reduces fertilizer and pesticide use resulting in improved soil and water quality.
Master Gardeners typically work in group-directed teams and committees with trainees matched to senior Master Gardeners. Typical activities include
- Environmental gardening demonstrations and classes
- Plant clinics where plant and pest problems are diagnosed and residents learn least-toxic solutions
- Individual phone and site consultations
- Composting classes and demonstration sites
- Speakers' bureaus that make public presentations
- Youth gardening
- Community gardening and beautification
- Information booths at fairs and festivals
- Therapeutic horticulture
- Advanced training/continuing education
For more information on the Maryland Master Gardener Program, call the Home and Garden Information Center at (410) 531-5556 or the county MCE offices with active programs.
For answers to your gardening questions, call the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) hot-line between 8am and 1pm weekdays to talk to a horticultural consultant toll free 1-800-342-2507. Or visit the HGIC home page (http://hgic.umd.edu/) or plant diagnostic website (http://plantdiagnostics.umd.edu/)
For more information, contact Robin Hessey
Last updated: 05/22/2009