Rutgers Master Gardeners Can Help You Grow Your Best Garden Ever

Always wanted to be a Rutgers master gardener?

Rutgers Master Gardeners are volunteers who have been trained and certified by the New Jersey Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension to provide educational programs and activities in support of green home gardening throughout New Jersey.

Anyone interested in gardening and volunteering can become a Rutgers Master Gardener. No prior education or training in horticulture is required.

New Jersey's first Master Gardener program began in 1984 in Bergen County. Since then, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension has trained thousands of Rutgers Master Gardeners nationwide. In return, these master gardeners from Rutgers have donated thousands of hours of work to the residents of New Jersey. In 2022, a total of 264 Rutgers Master Gardener volunteers provided 15,440 hours of work worth $423,982.40 in Monmouth County alone.

Rutgers Master Gardeners receive comprehensive, hands-on horticultural training from the faculty and professional staff of Rutgers University. Some of the key subjects are plant biology, breeding, soil science, and disease and pest control. Participants pay fees to cover materials and program costs, and learn through a combination of classroom instruction and gardening (scholarships available). In exchange for the training, Rutgers master gardeners agree to volunteer a specified number of hours to serve in their communities through programs sponsored by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Graduates who successfully complete the training become Rutgers Certified Master Gardeners after completing their volunteer service.

Rutgers Master Gardeners apply their skills in a variety of areas, including garden demonstrations, emergency lines and clinics, community and youth gardens, horticultural therapy, information booths at county fairs and other public events, assisting with research at Rutgers University, and growing and harvesting food. For the hungry.

Rutgers Master Gardeners help maintain educational demonstration gardens at Rutgers Cooperative Extension district offices across the state. These locations include the Native Plant Garden, the Rain Garden, the Pollinator Garden, and Plant a Row for the Hungry Garden, which produces thousands of pounds of vegetables that are donated to local food aid programs each year.

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Trained volunteer master gardeners operate a year-round telephone hotline to advise the public on horticultural matters and to diagnose and resolve home gardening problems. County residents can get free answers to their gardening, insect and pest questions by calling their local helpline. Outside of business hours, weekends and during particularly busy times of the year you can also leave a voicemail with your question and your call will be transferred. You can also send Rutgers Master Gardeners questions, photos, and general gardening inquiries, and they will respond with accurate, science-based information to solve any gardening problem.

Rutgers Master Gardeners are also available to provide advice on local public garden projects. They can provide assistance with garden planning and public relations and advice.

If you are looking for someone to speak at your next meeting or event, Rutgers Master Gardeners can provide a speaker for any gardening topic. Rutgers master gardeners are happy to share their knowledge with your group or organization.

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Many Master Gardeners at Rutgers are trained in enrichment horticulture, which is the use of plants and gardening activities to enhance people's social, educational, psychological and physical well-being. These activities have proven therapeutic for many groups and individuals as they can combine with the calming experience of working with plants.

Rutgers Master Gardeners host various public events throughout the year. These events include a virtual series of coffee talks in February, an allotment garden symposium, a school garden conference (for teachers), spectacular plant sales, a butterfly workshop and an award-winning beetle, bird and festival. For children in August.

If you are interested in becoming a Rutgers Master Gardener, want to learn more about the upcoming programs, or have lawn and garden questions you need help with, you can contact your local Rutgers County office - Rutgers Cooperative Extension. The Master Gardener Training Program Class of 2023 begins in February and applications are available now. For a complete list of Rutgers Cooperative Extension statewide district offices, visit: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/county/.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Rutgers Master Gardeners Can Help You Grow Your Best Garden Ever