Currently, in the state of Colorado we have over 1,400 Colorado Master Gardeners actively volunteering, educating, sharing, and encouraging their community members in locales that range from rural to the density of Denver. These folks are passionate about horticulture and genuinely enjoy sharing their expertise and experience with others whether they are fellow long-time gardeners or complete neophytes.
You can find Colorado Master Gardeners (CMGs) staffing booths at events and farmers’ markets, working at county help desks to answer gardening inquiries from the public, organizing plant sales, working in demonstration gardens, packing seeds for seed libraries, leading school programs, sharing tips and tricks with church groups, assisting with planting at Veteran’s Homes, teaching classes at libraries and to garden clubs, writing gardening articles for local newsletters, and SO MUCH MORE.
Towards the beginning of August, the Colorado Master Gardener Program will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary with a gathering in Fort Collins of CMGs from around the state who will be participating in horticultural tours, expanding their knowledge through presentations by leaders in the industry, and enjoying the chance to connect with their counterparts from near and far away. Fifty years is a long time, especially when considering how many people and yards have benefitted from the program and its ambassadors.
So, how exactly does one become a Master Gardener? Well, first off, the program is run through Colorado State University’s Office of Extension and Engagement. This is the arm of CSU-Fort Collins whose ‘purpose is to empower individuals and communities across Colorado to thrive’. While universities typically just work to educate their students, our land grant universities, those that were founded and funded by the Morrill Act of 1862, work to teach practical applications of knowledge that “benefit the agricultural and mechanical arts” and “promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes”. Part of that practical community education includes our Master Gardener programs.
Each year, CSU-Extension opens an application period where anyone 18 or older can apply to become a CMG Apprentice. After successfully interviewing with the local CMG coordinator and passing a background check, the applicant becomes an apprentice in their home county and begins their training.
Nowadays, most of the coursework is completed online with in-person labs to supplement the class material. Students can expect to complete lessons on soils, trees, botany, turf, insects, integrated pest management, plant pathology, Colorado gardening challenges, vegetables, and more. The apprentices will work away at these online courses (approximately 60 hours altogether) beginning in November and take their final exam in March. Once they’ve passed, they’ll begin the second part of their training requirement: volunteer hours. Each apprentice must volunteer for 50 hours to be considered eligible to become a full-fledged Master Gardener. As seen above, there are many ways that one can volunteer and it’s possible to find the kind of volunteering you like best whether you’re a people person or prefer to work in the background.
After that first wild apprenticeship year, our newly minted Master Gardeners will decide whether they’d like to continue serving the community in the role for the following year. If so, their volunteer requirements drop to 24 hours per year and they must also earn 12 hours of continuing education. We prize knowledge in the program and expanding the knowledge base of volunteers and staying on top of new findings are integral parts of providing the best education we can to our community.
Now, this is a timely article because that application period will be opening up on August 1st and will close on September 2nd not to reopen again until August of next year. Happily, part of my job as the Horticulture Specialist in Pueblo County’s CSU-Extension Office is to be our Master Gardener Coordinator which means I’m doing all of the interviewing, behind-the-scenes planning, organizing, in-person training, and communications for our Pueblo Master Gardeners. I count myself beyond lucky. My Master Gardeners are simply the best. We’ve got good, kind, thoughtful, experienced folks that are passionate about plants and research-based education. They support one another and are committed to the mission of ‘using horticulture to empower gardeners, develop partnerships and build stronger communities’, not to mention they are dependably wonderful to work with. I am truly spoiled and I know it!
Joining the ranks of our local Colorado Master Gardeners will put you in the company of people who love plants as much as you do and in a position to share knowledge, tips, and passion with our community. While the training is thorough, it’s absolutely approachable with the online courses offering a mix of text, videos, and interactive components that don’t feel too heavy or overly difficult. The in-person labs will afford you opportunities for hands-on learning and a chance to connect with your fellow apprentices. Beyond this, you’ll have your local Coordinator and contacts at the state level available to answer questions and provide assistance for that extra support.
If you would like to explore more about the Colorado Master Gardener Program, please visit the statewide website using the link below. Once the application window is open, there will be links available to apply on the site as well but, for now, you can dig deeper into the background and details of the program to see if it may be just what you’re looking for…
https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/about/become-a-colorado-master-gardener-2/