What is The Tennessee Extension Master Gardener Program?
The Tennessee Extension Master Gardener Program trains and engages with volunteers to provide the public with research-based information on lawn and garden topics. Tennessee Extension Master Gardeners (TEMG’s) are trained volunteers that help the Extension Service share the latest and greatest gardening information! All volunteers are trained with 40 hours of horticultural classes and return 40 hours of volunteer community service through their Extension office.
Master Gardener Volunteers assist in all aspects of residential and consumer horticulture education which includes gardening classes, news articles, maintaining / further developing the Plateau Discovery Garden, conducting the Spring Flower & Garden Show and Fall Gardeners’ Festival, staffing the “Ask a Master Gardener Help Desk”, in addition to many other programs and activities.
The programs main goal is to increase the availability of horticultural information to improve the quality of life with community garden/landscape programs.
Nationally, there are approximately 94,865 active Master Gardeners volunteers in US and Canada with an estimated 5,197,573 volunteer hours (2009 statistics).
Interested in Becoming a Tennessee Extension Master Gardener?
Follow 4 Simple Steps to Become a Certified Master Gardener
- Contact our office to express interest in becoming a certified Master Gardener
- Attend the Extension Master Gardener intern trainings
- Volunteer and serve in your community, represent UT Extension, and report 40 hours of service to become certified
- Re-certify the next year!
Training/ Registration
- Classes are held February – April
- Registration begins December
