UC Master Gardener volunteers must undergo a minimum of 50 hours of intensive home horticulture education and a qualifying exam in order to certify. The following topics are considered core training; however, counties may choose to add additional relevant topics.
- Orientation
- Introduction to Horticulture (General Botany and Plant Physiology)
- Soil and Fertilizer Management
- Water Management in the Home Garden and Landscape
- Controlling Garden Pests Safely (IPM)
- Entomology
- Plant Pathology
- Weed Management
- Vertebrate Pests
- Vegetable Culture
- Fruit Tree Culture
- Turfgrass Management
- Ornamental Plant Culture
- Plant Problem Diagnosis (Including Abiotic Disorders)
- Extension Teaching and Information Delivery
- UCCE MGP Policies and Procedures
New User Presentation Templates
New user presentations titled "Volunteer Management System for New Users" and "Collaborative Tools for New Users" are available for counties to use and customize to their training needs.
"Collaborative Tools for New Users" PowerPoint presentation (PPTX) includes:
- What is Collaborative Tools
- How to access Collaborative Tools
- Editing your profile
- Posting discussions
- Posting documents
- Collaborative Tools etiquette
"Volunteer Management System New Users" PowerPoint presentation (PPTX) includes:
- What is the Volunteer Management System
- How to access the Volunteer Management System
- Navigation
- Editing your profile
- Volunteering
- Recording hours
- Other features
The "We Are the UC Master Gardener Program" PowerPoint features:
- Program history
- Updated statewide stats (2023–24)
- UC ANR structure
- Program initiatives
- Volunteer hours and continuing education
- Resources
- Policies and procedures
A Canva version is also available: "We Are the UC Master Gardener Program" Canva presentation. Make a copy to customize!
Initial Training Resources
- Making Teachers out of UC Master Gardeners (webinar)
- UC Master Gardener Coordinator Collaborative Tools Group — Visit the UC Master Gardener Coordinator Collaborative Tools Group for sample homework, quizzes, exams, and more.
Questions? Contact
Lauren Snowden
eLearning Specialist
llsnowden@ucanr.edu
(530) 750-1203