The mission of Master Gardeners is to extend research-based knowledge and information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to residents of the State of California and, in our case, Sonoma County. We are trained and certified University of California (UC) volunteers who provide unbiased, high-quality, science-based information to non-commercial home gardeners.
Our training
Master Gardeners are given an extensive science-based training program covering such topics as:
- soil and plant nutrition,
- irrigation and water conservation,
- weed-insect-disease control and integrated pest management,
- vegetables, fruit trees and berries,
- landscape plants,
- composting,
- wildfire preparedness, and much more.
The UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County has been extending information and providing technical assistance to home gardeners since 1982. Our strategic goal is to create a healthy environment and community through sustainable home gardening landscape practices.
Our vision is to cultivate environmental stewardship one garden at a time. Our core values embrace collaboration, diversity, education, science, and service.
We have over 220 trained volunteers who donate well over 17,000 hours a year helping Sonoma County home gardeners. Some of our programs include running an Information Help Desk where the community can ask for individual help with their garden questions. Volunteers create and present educational garden-focused lectures and workshops available to all home gardeners. Master Gardeners also offer personalized garden consultations through our Garden Sense Program where we help gardeners develop beautiful gardens using sustainable garden practices that are water-smart and that have been documented to save many millions of water annually. We also create and manage many demonstration gardens throughout the county that offer educational events to children and adults. This is only a small summary of our programs here in Sonoma County.
Want to learn more about the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County?
- Click here to learn more about all of our projects.
- Click here to see our most recent Impact Report.
- Click here to learn how you can support the UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County.
- Learn about becoming a UC Master Gardener by clicking here.