Join Us
How to Become a Master Gardener
Master Gardeners are volunteers trained by the University of California whose mission is to help others garden successfully. Applicants receive training in Horticulture and are expected to serve 50 hours of volunteer service answering home gardening questions and working in our projects.
Since 2019 we've been conducting classes using a hybrid online/in-person model to make the course more accessible to working members of the community, and to keep costs as low as possible.
Our next training class will be in 2023.
Class Information
There was an informational session scheduled for January 18, 2023 via Zoom. Applications were due February 19.
The 2023 class is a hybrid online/in-person training. The first few weeks of the class will be a combination of online content and Zoom instruction with online drop-in hours available. An test of garden knowledge from this section will follow.
Since some aspects of gardening education don't translate well into the virtual realm, after the remote-learning portion, we will have 2 weekends of in-person, mostly hands-on sessions in May. The final portion of the training will be a project that will let you practice what you have learned.
Graduation is scheduled for June 14, 2023.
The proposed calendar for the training is available in this file: 2023 Master Gardener Training Calendar (Subject to change, but it should be fairly accurate.)
In order to participate you will need access to the internet with enough bandwidth to watch videos or use Zoom. Smartphones/mobile devices will work fine. We will also be using Trello to organize the course, which has a free smartphone app.
There will be a $110 fee to cover materials costs.
If you have questions about the 2023 Master Gardener Basic Training please address them to our helpline at immg@ucanr.edu. The best way to find out more about the class is to join our e-mail list below if you haven't yet.
Please note, this training is for residents of Inyo or Mono counties. Other counties have their own training program and schedule. See this map for their contact information.
The survey below adds you to our mailing list. It is not a Master Gardener application form.
Newsletter sign-up
Thanks for your interest! The UCCE maintains a mailing list of individuals interested in receiving news of upcoming workshops and activities related to gardening and food preservation. Please complete the form below to be added to our mailing list(s). Your contact information will not be shared with any other agency or organization.
We also have a blog - The Backyard Gardener - that publishes seasonal articles on gardening. You may visit The Backyard Gardener blog here, where you have the option to subscribe to the blog and receive updates when new articles are published.
Thanks for your interest in our programs!
Our Office Location
Our office is located in the new consolidated office building in Bishop.
UC Cooperative Extension / Farm Advisor
1360 North Main Street
Suite 229
Bishop, California 93514
We're on the second floor.
Phone
For questions about gardening or the Master Gardener program in general, please feel free to use our help line any time.
MG Helpline: (760) 872-2098
If you have questions about an upcoming event or your registration for a class or training, you should call the main line at Farm Advisor's office during business hours.
Farm Advisor's Office: (760) 873-7854