Coordinators Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

MASTER GARDENER TRAINING

  • Identification and Recruitment of Volunteers”
    • Selection of OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Trainees
  • Required forms for Master Gardener™ Trainees
  • Orientation of OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Volunteers
  • Educational Opportunities for Master Gardener™Volunteers
  • Master Gardener™ Curriculum”>
  • Master Gardener Course Content
  • Coordinating the Annual Master Gardener Training
  • Graduating Trainees
  • Setting Master Gardener Training Tuition and Fees
  • Suggestions for a Successful Training Program
  • Master Gardener Training and Program Evaluation
  • OSU Extension Master Gardener Recertification
  • OSU Extension Master Gardener Advanced Trainings
  • Online Master Gardener™ Training Course
    • Overview Online Master Gardener™ Training Course
    • Integrating Online-Trained Students with Local Programs

MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

  • Utilization of OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers
  • OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Project Selection
  • OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Project Selection
  • Service Projects for OSU Master Gardeners™
  • Volunteer Time for OSU Master Gardeners™
  • OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Reporting System
    • Program Coordinators
    • Overview Online Volunteer Reporting System
    • Enrollment Online Volunteer Reporting System
    • Report New Volunteer Service Hours
    • Report New Continuing Education Hours
  • Recognition of OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers
  • Managing the OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Program

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

  • Master Gardener Certification and Recertification
  • Pest Control Agreement
  • Use of the Title Master Gardener
  • Background History Checks for OSU Volunteers
  • Use of the OSU Extension Master Gardener Title and Logos
  • Volunteer Transfers between Counties or from Another State
  • Political Action Committees
  • Plant Clinic Procedures
  • Identifying Potentially Poisonous Plants
  • Policy on Providing Advice / Support for the Culture and Care of Marijuana
  • Annual Timeline for the OSU Master Gardener Program
  • Volunteer Liability and Risk Management
  • Dismissing a Volunteer
  • Master Gardener Volunteers and School Garden Programs
  • Lettuce Grow Sustainable Gardening Classes

OREGON MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

  • Brief History of the Oregon Master Gardener Association
  • Current Role of the Oregon Master Gardener Association
  • Relationship between Master Gardener Program and Master Gardener Associations
  • Collaboration between the Master Gardener™ Program and Master Gardener Associations
  • Guidelines for OMGA Chapter Websites
  • Hospitality Guidelines for Master Gardener Conferences and Seminars

List of Appendices

  • Appendix A.1. Sample News Release about OSU Master Gardener Program
  • Appendix A.2. Sample Master Gardener Application
  • Appendix A.3. Sample Interview Questions
  • Appendix A.4. Sample Acceptance Letter
  • Appendix A.5. Sample Rejection Letter

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many people contributed to this version of the OSU Extension Service Guide for Coordinating a County Master Gardener™ Program.

Rosie Lerner, Community Horticulture Extension Specialist at Purdue University, and Marianne Riofrio, Extension Associate at Ohio State University, graciously made the Master Gardener coordinators’ handbooks used in their programs available to Oregon State University. These handbooks served as the foundation for this Service Guide.

Ann Marie VanDerZanden, former OSU statewide Master Gardener Coordinator, developed the first version of this Service Guide for OSU. Additional contributors include: Jan McNeilan (OSU Extension, retired), Ray McNeilan (OSU Extension, retired) and Linda McMahan (OSU Extension, Yamhill County, retired ), Patty Driscoll (former Program Assistant, OSU Master Gardener Program) worked to revise this version of the Handbook and gathered updates of several of the documents in the Appendices. Gail Langellotto (OSU statewide Master Gardener Coordinator) edited and oversaw the revisions of this version of the OSU Extension Service Guide for Coordinating a County Master Gardener™ Program, with input and advice from Master Gardener volunteers and personnel from across Oregon.

Reviews and editorial comments on previous versions were provided by: Janice Cowan, Linda McMahan, Amy Jo Detweiler, Patty Driscoll. 

SERVICE GUIDE VERSIONS

  • Version 1.0, November 2002  (Coordinated by Anne MarieVanDerZanden)
  • Version 2.0, November 2004 (Major revisions coordinated by Jan McNeilan)
  • Version 3.0, October 2010 (Major revisions coordinated by Gail Langellotto)
  • Version 4.0, September 2017 (Major revisions coordinated by Gail Langellotto)

MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM CONTACTS

County Master Gardener Programs

For the latest list of county Master Gardener Programs, please refer to the ‘Local OSU Master Gardener Programs‘ page on the main OSU Extension Master Gardener site.

Counties without Master Gardener Programs

  • Gilliam County, 333 South Main Street, PO Box 707, Condon, OR 97823-0707
  • Grant County, 530 E. Main Street Ste 10, John Day, OR 97845
  • Lake County, 103 South E Street, Lakeview OR 97630
  • Malheur County, 710 SW 5th Ave, Ontario OR 97914
  • Morrow County, 54173 Hwy 74 (PO Box 397), Heppner, OR  97836
  • Sherman County, PO Box 385, 409 Hood Street, Moro 97039
  • Wallowa County, 668 NW 1st Street in Enterprise, Oregon 97828
  • Wheeler County, PO Box 407, Fossil, OR 97830-0407

Statewide Master Gardener Program

Statewide MG Website

Statewide Master Gardener Program Address: 4017 Ag and Life Sciences Building, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-7304

Statewide Master Gardener Program Coordinator: Gail Langellotto
Phone: 541-737-5175 | Fax: 541-737-3479 | Email: gail.langellotto@oregonstate.edu

Online Master Gardener Course Instructor: Signe Danler
Phone: 541-908-1307| Fax: 541-737-3479 | Email: signe.danler@oregonstate.edu

Extension Horticulture Office Specialist: Lee Ann Julson
Phone:  541-737-5480 | Fax: 541-737-3479 | Email:  LeeAnn.Julson@oregonstate.edu

Please submit all changes of personnel to Gail Langellotto.

INTRODUCTION

Foreword

This OSU Extension Service Guide for Coordinating a County Master GardenerTM Program is designed for use by Oregon State University Extension personnel in developing and managing a county or multi-county Master Gardener Program.

The information and resource materials contained here will be useful to both Extension personnel considering a Master Gardener Program for the first time, as well as those currently managing a program.

It includes:

  • Materials for recruiting, training, and managing OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers
  • Organizational and managerial tips for Master Gardener Program staff
  • Information on the Oregon Master Gardener Association and County Master Gardener Associations
  • Policies and Procedures of the OSU Master Gardener Program
  • Copies of reference documents that may be of use to Master Gardener Program staff

If you have suggestions, comments or questions about any part of this Service Guide, please contact Gail Langellotto.

The Extension-Volunteer Partnership

OSU Master Gardener™ volunteers are vital to Extension Services nationwide. Volunteers helped create the Extension Service in the early 1900s, and continue to guide its growth and development.

The time and talent donated by volunteers enable the Extension System to create and maintain stronger, more relevant programs and greater visibility in the community. Through Master Gardeners, we have reached more people throughout the U.S., served more communities, and created greater clientele confidence.

Successful Master Gardener Programs are the result of a solid working relationship between Extension personnel and Master Gardener volunteers. The Extension-Volunteer Partnership has been shown to be most satisfying when volunteers are provided a solid educational foundation, perform service that is recognized and valued, and have an opportunity to continue and advance their training. Likewise, Extension personnel perform best when they receive training and information on working with volunteers, and are able to efficiently and effectively utilize the time and talent of volunteers.

Mission, Vision, Strategies of the OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Program

Mission Statement: We educate people about sustainable gardening in the Pacific Northwest, via annual Master Gardener trainings, educational opportunities for the general public and recommendations and advice delivered by trained volunteers.

Vision: We endeavor to establish Oregon State University Extension as an authoritative and first choice for people seeking research-based and objective information and education on sustainable gardening in the Pacific Northwest.

Action Items: Towards this end, we will work to:

  1. retain quality faculty and staff and to increase faculty FTE associated with the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program.
  2. ensure that our information is accurate, up to date and focused on sustainable approaches/methods
  3. update our online presence, so that more of our information is easily accessible to a broad audience
  4. market our services to the general public, to increase awareness of Extension Master Gardener resources and opportunities, as well as to build public support for the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program
  5. better connect with national EMG initiatives, to represent Oregon’s needs and to help drive the national Extension Master Gardener program
  6. foster sustainable financial support for the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program – statewide and in counties

Overview of the OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Program

The purpose of the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program is to provide training for volunteers who in turn assist in providing community horticulture services to the public.   Under the auspices of Oregon State University Extension, individuals with an active interest in horticulture enroll in an intensive training program in horticulture and related fields. When the trainees complete a 40-hour (minimum national standard) training program, pass all assessments required by their county Master Gardener Program, and complete their volunteer service requirement, they become certified as an OSU Extension Master Gardener. The volunteer service requirement is expected to be comparable to the number of hours received in training. This service after the training is referred to as ‘volunteer payback’, ‘volunteer practicum’ or ‘volunteer service requirement’ by various county programs across the state. At the statewide level, and throughout this manual, the service is referred to as the ‘volunteer service requirement’.

Master Gardener certification is good for one calendar year. Advanced training and recertification opportunities are available on an annual basis for those wishing to continue in the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program.

While the concept is simple, the process of implementing this program is more demanding. There are costs for the program in time and personnel, but these should be considered investment costs. The Master Gardener Program allows the local Extension office to provide community horticulture education and services to a public demanding assistance, and to develop a broader clientele base. If your programming has not been addressing community horticulture issues, you may find that this clientele group can offer you important support with your county government.

Supporting Publications

Flagship Programs of the OSU Extension Master GardenerTM Program

In 2008, the Home Horticulture working group chose Sustainable Gardening and Local and Backyard Food Production as the two flagship programs of the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program.  These areas have always been a focal point of Master Gardener trainings and service, but having formally decided upon these programs helps to guide communications about the Program, basic and advanced training opportunities and planned Extension publications.

Sustainable Gardening. A ‘sustainable garden’ is defined as one where the gardener is able to meet their needs and expectations, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Lectures, workshops, seminars and Extension publications teach Master Gardeners and others how to adopt and maintain more sustainable gardening practices.

Local and Backyard Food Production. Local and backyard food production contributes to a sustainable food system, greater food security and a nutrient rich diet. Lectures, workshops, seminars and Extension publications teach Master Gardeners and others about the various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit production in a private or community garden.

National Extension Master Gardener (EMG) Program Mission and Standards

The Extension Master Gardener National Committee (EMGNC) provides a national focus and contact point for the nationwide Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program and the various state efforts in Extension Consumer Horticulture.  In 2012, the EMGNC appointed a task force to develop a nationally unifying mission statement and set of program standards.  These were developed in 2013, and adopted in 2014. More information on the development of the mission statement and standards is available in a 2015 Journal of Extension article.

Our National Mission: Extension Master Gardener programs educate people, engaging them in learning to use unbiased, research-based horticulture and gardening practices through a network of trained volunteers directed and supported by land-grant university faculty and staff.

Our National Standards: Extension Master Gardener programs are networks of land-grant university-trained volunteers, distinguished by the standards listed below.  To achieve greater consistency in program management and the volunteer experience across the Cooperative Extension system nationally, state Extension Master Gardener programs will strive to meet these standards and ensure they are reflected in the statewide program.

Program Structure and Expectation Standards

  • has an established statewide organizational system
  • establishes state program goals that align to achieve the EMG program mission
  • engages in Extension-approved projects and programs designed to educate the public about horticulture and gardening
  • is accountable to state Extension leadership and local stakeholders
  • shows documented educational impact in local communities that demonstrates behavior change and public value
  • follows the Equal Opportunity Guidelines for their state and/or university

Volunteer Management and Preparedness Standards

  • uses recognized volunteer management practices
  • incorporates a system for volunteer leadership and development
  • uses an established state training curriculum (A suggested core curriculum includes Botany, Physiology, Soils, Basic Pathology, Entomology, Weeds, IPM, Vegetables, Fruits, Turf, Woody Ornamentals, Herbaceous Ornamentals, Composting, Diagnostics and Troubleshooting, Planting and Maintenance, Introduction to Extension Master Gardener Program, and Record Keeping and Reporting)
  • requires a measurement of volunteer competency following completion of state training program
  • requires volunteer service hour; 40-hour volunteer service minimum in the initial training year and 20-hour volunteer service minimum in subsequent years
  • requires annual continuing education and professional development hours; 10 hours minimum annually in years following initial training
  • uses an annual recertification criteria and process

Supporting Resources

MASTER GARDENER TRAINING

Identification and Recruitment of Volunteers

The actual recruitment process should start two to five months before training begins. At this point in the calendar year, you may have already accumulated a list of people who have expressed interest in the program. You may have collected names at public gardening events, farmer’s markets or in the Extension office.  Potential volunteers may have called to ask about training opportunities, or they may have used the online sign-up form (http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/signup) to receive an application for the next Master Gardener training in your county.  The statewide coordinator will periodically forward you contact information received from the online signup form.  You may have other sources of potential volunteers through a newsletter mailing list, garden club contacts, and so on.

Before accepting potential volunteers into an annual training class, consider how many volunteers you need to keep your program going and/or to grow your program.  Do you have the time to schedule and supervise the activities of 10, 20, 50 or 100+ volunteers? What types of skills and experience do you require from volunteers, to continue the activities you have planned for the year?

The factors you consider and how many volunteers you choose to accept are up to you and your supervisor. Having the Master Gardeners assist with clientele requests for gardening information and doing simple diagnoses of routine plant problems is a common activity. This may be the only activity you are able to supervise, given your current position description and appointment.  Or, you may have other activities in mind. Some activities may require very specific skills or interests from Master Gardener volunteers, while others may be more general.

It is important to recruit from all communities, socio-economic groups, adult ages, and ethnic groups in your area. This will provide you with a pool of potential volunteers with diverse backgrounds and interests. This diversity can be of great benefit in reaching a broader audience. Potential volunteers must have the time and be willing to volunteer in the specific jobs and locations with active or emerging OSU Extension Master Gardener projects.

One of the best ways to advertise the Master Gardener Program is through the mass media – newspaper, radio, television, and on your county’s website. An article in the local newspaper’s gardening column and announcements on TV and radio interviews can generate many applications. Poster announcements in nurseries, garden centers, farmers markets and at Extension events will also generate interest.  If your county and/or Master Gardener Program maintains a social media presence, you can use these resources to reach a broader audience of potential volunteers.

Some counties hold informational meetings to introduce the Master Gardener Program to potential applicants. This serves the dual purpose of eliminating those people who are looking for gardening information but are not interested in volunteering, as well as beginning the process of orienting future Master Gardeners to the OSU Extension Service. Current Master Gardener volunteers should be invited to describe their experiences with the Program, including their time in training sessions and volunteer activities.

Supporting Resources

  • Appendix A.1: Sample news release.
  • Washington State University’s MG Program Coordinator Training:Recruiting Volunteers: http://breeze.wsu.edu/recruit/


Master Gardener™ Curriculum

The primary reason many volunteers enter the Master Gardener Program is to receive education in the area of community horticulture and plant science. If this is accomplished through a good training program, it is easier to maintain volunteers’ motivation.

The OSU Extension Service Master Gardener basic training program is intended to provide volunteers, who are striving to become Master Gardeners, with a broad range of horticultural related information.

This information should augment their existing knowledge and abilities, bring them up to date on new horticulture practices and issues, and help them develop skills that will enable them to share this information with others. Ultimately, the training should both challenge and benefit the volunteer and meet the needs of the volunteer program manager in training new individuals that can assist with educational outreach in their community.

A major focus of Master Gardener training should be directed at diagnosing plant problems and offering solutions. Volunteers adept at plant problem diagnosis and recommendations will be able to greatly assist Extension faculty and staff in serving the general public. The content of the basic training program should also support a Master Gardener’s ability to provide sustainable gardening solutions to plant and landscape problems, and to advise individuals within the community how to grow food in local conditions. Because Sustainable Gardening and Local and Backyard Food Production are the two flagship programs of the OSU Master Gardener program, curricular content should reflect these foci. Finally, a well-rounded program should orient trainees to the mission, role and responsibilities of OSU Master Gardener Program and Master Gardener volunteers.

Given curricular priorities, a suggested set of courses is listed below. Counties should include all required courses in their basic training program, and can choose classes that are most appropriate to local conditions and needs to satisfy requirements for Plant Problem Diagnosis, Backyard and Local Food Production and Sustainable Gardening. The specific details of each class can be tailored for local conditions. Whenever possible, ‘hands-on’ training is used, and instructors should be encouraged to bring, or the local program office should make available, examples of pests, soils, plants, etc., to enhance learning. .


Required Courses: In order to be certified as an OSU Master Gardener volunteer, all trainees must complete these classes.

  • The OSU Master Gardener Program
  • Understanding Pesticides
  • Basic Botany

Plant Problem Diagnosis: Choose at least 2 of the following classes.

  • Diagnostics
  • Insect ID
  • Plant Pathology
  • Weed ID and Management
  • Vertebrate pest management
  • Resources for Master Gardeners

Sustainable Gardening: Choose at least 2 of the following classes.

  • Soils and Fertilizers
  • Compost
  • Integrated Pest Management
  • Sustainable Landscape Design
  • Organic Gardening
  • Gardening for Wildlife
  • Rain Gardens
  • Water Quality
  • Waterwise Gardening
  • Native Plants
  • Invasive Species

Backyard and Community Food Production: Choose at least 2 of the following classes

    • Organic Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Small Fruits
  • Home Orchards
  • Herbs
  • Container Gardening
  • Compost


Elective Classes: Choose as many classes as are necessary to round out curricular content.

  • Herbaceous Ornamental Plants
  • Houseplants
  • Lawns
  • Localized Gardening (Coastal, Valley, High Desert, etc.)
  • Pruning
  • Woody Ornamental Plants

OSU Extension Service Master Gardener™ Class Content

The content of particular courses will vary according to local needs, as well as the speaker which is recruited to present a particular topic. Nonetheless, the subheadings of topics listed under each class are presented as a suggestion.

All educational information and content presented as part of the Master Gardener program should be research-based, and presented in an objective, unbiased fashion.  Please ensure that all speakers understand, and are willing to subscribe to this commitment.

* Introduction/Orientation to Master Gardener Program (30 Minutes – 1 hour)

  • Overview of Extension, it’s structure and programs offered
  • What is the Master Gardener Program and what is expected of volunteers in return for training provided
  • OMGA and its chapters, chapter activities and functions
  • Differences between OMGA Chapters and the OSU Master Gardener Program

* Botany (3 – 6 hours)

  • Introduction to horticulture, especially as it applies locally, definitions
  • General botany
  • Plant physiology, how plants grow (e.g. photosynthesis and respiration)
  • Plant morphology, terms and definitions
  • Non-plants groups of interest to Master Gardeners (e.g. fungi, algae, slime molds, lichens)
  • How organisms are classified (Linnean system of classification, Latin names)
  • Basic plant classification, diversity of plants (e.g. liverworts, mosses, ferns, horsetails, seed plants)

* Diagnostics (3 – 4 hours)

  • Procedures and step-wise methods of diagnosing plant ailments
  • The value of different sources of information (i.e. PNW handbooks, Extension publications, journal articles, Extension websites versus internet sources such as Wikipedia, newspaper articles, etc.)
  • Learning to use the PNW handbooks and other valid sources of information
  • Learning to use a holistic approach to diagnosing
  • Hands-on learning with plant samples or written descriptions of plant problems

* Entomology (3 – 4 hours)

  • Insect orders of particular interest to gardeners
  • Learning more about the PNW Insect Handbook (online version and hardcopy version),
  • Introduction to the OSU Insect ID Clinic services
  • How to diagnose insect problems, hands-on learning with plant samples or written descriptions of plant problems

* Pesticide Safety (3 – 4 hours)

  • Pesticides defined
  • Hazards and risks of pesticides (i.e. toxicity, LD50, signal words, pesticide poisoning)
  • Reading the product label
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Pesticide Applicators
  • Storage, Disposal and Environmental Effects

* Plant Pathology (3 – 6 hours)

  • Definition of plant disease
  • Introduction to disease-causing organisms
  • Symptoms and signs of disease
  • Principles of plant disease management
  • Learning more about how to use the PNW Plant Disease Handbook (online version and hardcopy version)

Introduction to the OSU Plant Pathology Clinic services (1-1.5 hours)

  • How to diagnose plant disease problems, hands-on learning with plant samples or written descriptions of plant problems

* Resources for Master Gardeners (1 – 2 hours)

  • The value of different sources of information (i.e. PNW handbooks, Extension publications, journal articles, Extension websites versus internet sources such as Wikipedia, newspaper articles, etc.)
  • PNW Handbooks (hardcopy and online versions)
  • How to use resources in your local plant clinic
  • Where to go for more information

* Soils and Fertilizers (3 – 4 hours)

  • Definition and components of soil
  • Soil Structure, Mineral parts of soil, Water and Air relationship, Drainage
  • Soil pH, Mineral retention
  • Soil Organic Matter
  • Soil building methods, sustainability
  • Mineral needs of plants and Fertilizers

Compost (1 ½ – 3 hours)

  • Why Compost?
  • Components of Compost
  • Caring for your Compost Pile, Troubleshooting
  • Hands-on activity, building a miniature or actual compost pile
  • Field trip to see local composting efforts

Container Gardening (1 ½ – 3 hours)

  • Types of containers (focus on cheap, no-cost, creative containers)
  • Basic needs of containerized plants – soil, water, nutrients, light
  • What to grow in containers
  • Common problems with containerized plants

Herbaceous Ornamental Plants (1 ½ – 3 hours)

  • Herbaceous ornamentals, defined
  • Annuals, propagation, planting, maintenance, seed saving
  • Herbaceous perennials, planting, management, propagation methods
  • Garden Design, Plant Selection, Soil Preparation
  • Maintenance, fertilizer, pruning

Home Orchards (3 hours)

  • Types and varieties for home gardens
  • Rootstock selections available for dwarfing trees
  • General cultural practices and care
  • Pestidentification and controls
  • Maintenance, fertilizer, pruning

Houseplants (1 ½ hours)

  • General identification of types
  • Environmental needs of indoor plants
  • Potting media
  • Pests of indoor plants and their control

*Integrated Pest Management (3 hours)

  • OSU Extension IPM Mission
  • Principles of IPM – Monitoring, Identify the pest, Establish a threshold, Control using all available strategies
  • Cultural Control
  • Physical Control
  • Biological Control
  • Chemical Control

Lawns (3 hours)        

  • Varieties of grass and their best uses
  • Ecology of lawns and their needs
  • General care of lawns, fertilizers and lime, mowing, watering
  • Pestproblems and control measures
  • Renovation of older lawns, thatching
  • Seeding and sodding methods

Localized Gardening -Coastal, Valley, High Desert, etc. (3 hours)

  • Soils, climate, growing season of local area
  • Adapted plants
  • Pestproblems and control measures
  • Special challenges and opportunities
  • Top questions received in the local Master Gardener Plant Clinic

Organic Gardening (1 ½ – 3 hours)

  • USDA definition of ‘organic’, and how that applies to gardening
  • Organic methodologies – soil building, pest management
  • Organic fertilizers, organic pesticides
  • Credible resources for information on organic gardening

Pruning (3 hours)     

  • Tools and their use
  • Types of pruning cuts
  • Types of plants and how to prune them
  • Hands-on activity, if possible

Sustainable Landscape Design (1 ½ – 3 hours)          

  • Sustainability, defined
  • Water use, waterwise gardening
  • Invasive plants, prevention, alternatives to invasive ornamentals
  • Pesticide and Fertilizer use, Preventing run-off and water contamination
  • Introduction to IPM
  • Mulching, composting
  • Gas powered engines

Vegetable Gardening (3 hours)

  • Planning Your Garden
  • What to Grow
  • Soils and Bed Preparation
  • Planting
  • Season Extenders and Planting Arrangements
  • Post Plant Care
  • Maintenance and IPM
  • Abiotic Problems
  • Biotic Problems

Vertebrate pest management (1 ½ – 3 hours)

  • Identification of local types by damage, droppings, prints, and/or sight
  • Cultural control, including resistant plants and tolerance
  • Physical control
  • Baits and other means of chemical control
  • Resources for vertebrate pest management

Weed ID and Management (3 hours)

  • Growth cycles and types of weeds
  • Control measures, herbicides, mulches, groundcovers, mowing
  • Weed identification

Examination and Review (3 hours)

  • Written examination, with option for practical activities
  • Review of answers


Certificates and Badges

Certificates can be ordered by contacting Lee Ann Julson, in the Horticulture Department Office at OSU. There are four types of certificates that are available:

  • Certificates of Appreciation: to thank program supporters in the community
  • Certificates of Home Horticulture: for those who successfully complete the training class, but did not complete volunteer service hours, and are thus not certified Master Gardeners
  • Master Gardener Recertification: for veteran Master Gardeners who complete recertification requirements (minimum of 10 hours of continuing education and 20 hours of volunteer service)
  • Master Gardener Certificate of Completion: for those who complete the training class and volunteer service hours. These individuals also receive a Master Gardener badge.

Badges are ordered from Superior Stamp in Medford, Oregon (1016 E Jackson St, Medford, OR 97504, (541) 772-4773).

Recertification stickers (for badges) may be ordered from Gail.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Volunteer transfers from other counties or from out of state

It is not unusual for OSU Extension volunteers to complete their training and/or volunteer service in one Oregon county, and then move to another county within Oregon.  Similarly, it is not unusual for Extension Master Gardener volunteers to move to Oregon, after completing their service and/or volunteer service hours in another state.

Transferees from Oregon counties or from other states with active Master Gardener Programs should be accepted into local OSU Extension Master Gardener Programs, if the transferee is in good standing with their previous Master Gardener Program.  Prior to accepting the volunteer into your local program, you should make sure that they are a volunteer in good standing and that they have all required forms on file.  Check with their previous MG supervisor to ensure that they are in good standing.  Make sure that their required forms are up to date (if they transferred from another Oregon county), or have them fill out required forms (if they transferred from out of state).

You may also want to require that the volunteer re-certify as a Master Gardener in their new, local program.  You can do this by providing them with a comprehensive test, that focuses on core concepts and local conditions.  Alternatively, you can require the volunteer to attend a set of core classes during the annual Master Gardener training sessions.  These options are not mutually exclusive.  Depending upon local needs, you may require the transferee to satisfy both options, prior to working at an Extension Master Gardener Plant Clinic.

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