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The Rutgers Master Gardeners receive in-depth, hands-on training in horticulture from Rutgers faculty and professional staff. Some topics included in the course are: plant biology, propagation, soil science, disease and pest identification, turf management for home lawns, gardening and environmental principles. Rutgers Master Gardeners are a unique group of individuals who provide outreach programs to home gardeners and their community. Successful graduates become Certified Rutgers Master Gardeners after they complete the course work and volunteer service hours. No previous education in horticulture is required. Any residents who enjoy gardening, have a natural curiosity about their environment and want to make a commitment to volunteer service can become a Master Gardener.
If you wish to apply for the Rutgers Master Gardener Program, please complete and return the Application (available each Spring for the next falls class) and questionnaire before the due date (late July / early August). Please note qualified applications will be reviewed for admission to the program in the order they are received; class size is limited.
Purpose
To extend Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s educational programs in the area of home horticulture through trained and certified Rutgers Master Gardener Volunteers. Rutgers Master Gardener volunteers assist Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension in its mission to deliver un-biased and research-based horticultural information to the general public. Some examples include:
- Support the County Extension office by staffing the Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline. The Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline is a vital service through which volunteers and Extension personnel answer questions on home horticulture topics from callers and visitors. These topics include but are not limited to trees and shrubs, perennials, annuals, lawns, insects and plant diseases.
- Support horticulture education programs through which county residents obtain up-to-date information from Rutgers Cooperative Extension, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
- Support Extension’s outreach program by providing educational services to community groups in Hunterdon County, including: libraries, parks, garden clubs, schools, health centers, etc.