Are you interested in learning more about Maryland’s unique environment and how to become good stewards of the land? Are you passionate about education and outreach? The Upper Shore Master Gardener Volunteer Programs will hold their annual basic training course starting on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026. This will be a hybrid course to train volunteer representatives as Master Gardeners for the University of Maryland Extension in your home county.
Classes take place in-person every Tuesday evening from 5:30-8:30PM in addition to virtual class every Friday from 9AM-12PM; the course begins on February 3rd and will run through April 7th, 2026. In-person classes on Tuesdays will be located at the Higher Education Center on the Chesapeake College Campus in Queenstown, MD. The class is a consortium of participants from Dorchester, Talbot, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties.
University of Maryland Professors and Extension Specialists teach classes: this well-rounded 50+ hour course includes instruction on: ecology, botany, soils, plant diseases, insects – both pests and beneficial, weeds, and much more. The program emphasizes community involvement and outreach as well as environmental stewardship.
The Extension Master Gardener network reaches across the nation. For nearly 50 years, Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) have educated millions of people about sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. There are approximately 84,000 Master Gardeners volunteers nationwide: Master Gardeners volunteer over 108,000 hours in the state of Maryland.
“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world” (Nelson Mandela) Master Gardeners have access to state-wide and national continuing education opportunities. They also provide educational outreach and contributed 5.1 million hours in their local communities (nationwide).
Volunteering helps you meet others who share common interests. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people who share common interests. Dedicating your time as a volunteer also helps you expand your network and practice social skills with others. Best of all, you’ll meet other people who enjoy gardening just as much as you do!
The University of Maryland Master Gardener vision is a healthier world through environmental stewardship. University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners volunteers work on a variety of projects in cooperation with local schools, help maintain various public gardens, volunteer at local Senior Centers and Assisted Living facilities working with therapeutic gardens and hands-on gardening programs, provide community education through free workshops and classes open to local residents, visit home and public gardens as part of our Bay-Wise certification program…and so much more.
A $225 fee is charged to cover all costs, including the brand-new Maryland Master Gardener Handbook. An additional $15 background check is required (at participant’s expense). This University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener volunteer training program is open to the public, 18 years of age and older and payment assistance is available based on need.
For more information about the University of Maryland Master Gardener Volunteer program, check out the state webpage: https://extension.umd.edu/mg. Interested candidates will be asked to fill out and return an application to the local coordinator by November 15th, 2025.
Queen Anne’s County contact: Rachel J. Rhodes, Master Gardener Coordinator at (410) 758-0166 or by email at rjrhodes@umd.edu.
Talbot County contact: Mikaela Boley, Master Gardener Coordinator (410) 822-1244 or by email at mboley@umd.edu
For Dorchester County contact: Emily Zobel, Master Gardener Coordinator (410) 228-8800 or by email at ezobel@umd.edu
University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.
