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Step 1: Becoming a Master Gardener Intern
Take the Master Gardener (MG) Training Class, complete all required work including weekly assignments, take MG Help Line training, participate in a class project, comply with the attendance policies, and pass the take-home exam with a score of at least 80%.
Students must accumulate 10 hours towards their certified badge while still in class by participating in pre-approved opportunities with Certified Master Gardener supervision. You cannot claim time spent on any required class activities.
You are now a Master Gardener Intern
You will receive a yellow name badge
Step 2: Becoming a Certified Master Gardener
Complete 60 hours of the program over the next two years. (If you cannot complete 60 hours within 2 years, an extension can be granted for extenuating circumstances.)
- 12 hours must be done on the MG Help Line
- 12 hours must be done on MG approved supervised Outreach programs (i.e., done with a Certified MG mentor)
- 12 hours must be Gardening at Elm Bank
- 6 hours must be Continuing Education
- 18 hours can be in Help Line, approved supervised Outreach or approved Gardening (your choice). Of these 18 hours, you can do up to 12 hours of approved gardening not at Elm Bank.
You are now a Certified Master Gardener
You will receive a green name badge
Step 3: Becoming a Principal Master Gardener
Complete 300 hours of volunteerism total, of which
- 120 must be a combination of MG Help Line, approved Outreach, or approved Gardening
- 30 hours must be Continuing Education
- 30 hours must be Administration
- The remaining 120 hours can be any approved activity
You are now a Principal Master Gardener
You will receive a white name badge
Step 4: Becoming a Lifetime Master Gardener
Complete 1000 hours of volunteerism total, of which
- 400 hours must be a combination of MG Help Line, approved Outreach, or approved Gardening
- 100 hours must be Continuing Education
- 100 hours must be Administration
- The remaining 400 hours can be any approved activity
You are now a Lifetime Master Gardener
You will receive a gold name badge
Transitions
If you are currently:
Master Gardener Intern:
- Who graduated before 2008, the breakdowns are waived on all hours worked prior to the official change in the program on 6/25/2008 and will count toward your total hours.
- Who graduated in 2008, the requirement for 24 hours supervised Outreach (versus 12 supervised and 12 unsupervised) is waived for all hours worked before 4/15/09.
Certified or Principal Master Gardener: the breakdowns are waived on all hours worked prior to 2/1/2009 and will count toward your total hours.
Yearly Requirements
Master Gardener Intern: To stay on active status, which entitles you to vote at general meetings, you must:
A Master Gardener Intern who pays dues is entitled to attend educational events at the Master Gardener rate, even if they have not met the volunteerism requirement.
Certified and Principal Master Gardeners: To stay on active status, which entitles you to vote at general meetings and to hold office, you must:
- Pay yearly dues, and
- Perform a minimum of 30 hours of volunteerism each year as follows:
- 12 hours of Help Line, Outreach, or Gardening and,
- 3 hours of approved Continuing Education each year and,
- 3 hours of Administration each year
- The remaining 12 hours can be any approved activity.
- A reduction can be granted for extenuating circumstances by the Certification Coordinator.
A Certified or Principal Master Gardener who pays dues is entitled to attend educational events at the Master Gardener rate, even if they have not met the volunteerism requirement.
Lifetime Master Gardener: Lifetime Master Gardeners are considered permanently on active status. They are not required to pay dues and are not required to meet any annual volunteer hour requirements. They are encouraged to report hours to accumulate more data for applying for grants and supporting affiliation agreements.
Notes
- The amount of yearly dues is established at the general meeting held in September. Dues for the following fiscal year (October-September) are payable within 30 days after that meeting. For example, the dues voted at the September 2008 meeting were due by 10/30/08, and confer “active” status from the time they are paid through October of 2009.
- The number of hours of volunteerism for the year is measured over the last four complete quarters plus the current quarter. For example, on November 1, 2009, a Certified MG will have met the volunteerism requirement if the records for 10/1/2008 through 11/1/2009 show the required number of hours in the required distribution.
- During the fiscal year from October 2008 through September 2009, Master Gardener Interns, Certified Master Gardeners and Principal Master Gardeners are considered active if they pay dues and have submitted their hours within the last year.
Terms & Definitions
Volunteer Hours do not include travel.
Outreach is a volunteer activity where the Master Gardener provides horticultural information while acting as a representative of MMGA. Outreach is divided into the following subcategories:
- Help Line – MGs answer horticulture questions received via telephone, internet or in person at the Elm Bank Help Line office.
- Speakers Bureau – MGs deliver horticultural information to the public at events approved by the Speakers Bureau Manager.
- Public Outreach – MGs provide horticultural information to the public. Examples are info booths at fairs, preparing nomenclature signs for a public garden, leading tours through public gardens, writing horticulture articles, etc. To receive credit for Outreach hours, the Outreach Coordinator must approve the activity in advance.
- Supervised Outreach means under the supervision (not just presence) of a certified Master Gardener.
- Unsupervised Outreach means not under the supervision of a certified Master Gardener.
Continuing Education is a volunteer activity where the Master Gardeners are instructed on horticultural information. Continuing Education can include any class or symposium of a horticultural nature offered by an approved institution. To receive credit for Continuing Education hours, the class must be approved by the Education Coordinator. Classes from the following institutions are considered pre-approved:
- Arnold Arboretum
- Environmental Landscapers Association (ELA)
- Garden Club Federation (Environmental Study School, Flower Show School [Horticulture section only], Gardening Study School, Landscape Design School)
- Massachusetts Horticultural Society (Mass Hort)
- Massachusetts Master Gardener Association (MMGA)
- New England Grows
- New England Wild Flower Society (NEWFS)
- Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA)
- Tower Hill Botanic Garden
- Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture (WCFH)
Gardening is a volunteer activity where the MG works with plant material in a public space. This includes planning the space, growing plants in a greenhouse, planting the garden or garden cleanup. To receive credit for Gardening hours, the activity must be approved by the Outreach Coordinator.
Administration is a volunteer activity where the MG works for the maintenance of the MG organization. It includes activities such as managing the Help Line or Speakers’ Bureau, working on committees or the Board of Directors, and attending MMGA meetings. To receive credit for Administration hours, the activity must be approved by the Vice President of MMGA. Administration to support Mass Hort is considered pre-approved as follows:
- In 2009, hours count 100%, up to a maximum of 200 hours (i.e., if you work 50 hours of administration in support of Mass Hort, you get 50 hours of Admin credit. If you work 210 hours of administration in support of Mass Hort, you get 200 hours of Admin credit.)
- In 2010, hours count 100%, up to a maximum of 100 hours (i.e., if you work 50 hours of administration in support of Mass Hort, you get 50 hours of Admin credit. If you work 210 hours of administration in support of Mass Hort, you get 100 hours of Admin credit.)
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Become a Master Gardener 
