2026 FALL EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING
Our 12-week training course will meet on Monday afternoons from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm beginning August 31st and running through November 23rd. Each week, we will cover a new gardening topic in class, ranging from soils to botany to pruning to propagation to pest management, with a focus on fruits, vegetables, lawns, and ornamental landscape plants. Classes will meet at the Pitt County Agriculture Center at 403 Government Circle and will feature hands-on learning activities both indoors and outdoors in our beautiful Pitt County Arboretum. Cost of the training course is $150 and the deadline to submit your application is Friday, August 15th. Upon completion of the course, students will be paired with a Master Gardener mentor and begin to volunteer as a Master Gardener intern.
Become an Extension Master Gardener
ABOUT THE MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM
Master Gardener℠ volunteers of Pitt County work with NC State Extension to provide gardeners with unbiased, science-based information on sustainable gardening, lawn, and landscape practices.
Under the guidance of N.C. Cooperative Extension agents, volunteers complete an intensive (but fun), hands-on training program, pass an examination, and complete a 40-hour internship with N.C. Cooperative Extension in Pitt County. To remain active in the program volunteers must log a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer service and 10 hours of continuing education each year.
To help you decide if you should apply to become a Master Gardener℠ volunteer in Pitt County, consider these questions:
- Do I want to learn more about growing many types of plants?
- Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training program?
- Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my community?
- Do I have enough time to attend training sessions and to serve as a volunteer?
No previous training is necessary to become a Master Gardener volunteer in Pitt County, just a passion for gardening and a desire to volunteer in your community. Benefits of serving as a Master Gardener volunteer in Pitt County include:
- Learn from outstanding horticulture experts
- Become knowledgeable and skilled in a variety of gardening subjects
- Teach others about gardening, lawns, and landscapes
- Help gardeners solve problems
- Learn how to identify and diagnose common diseases and insects
- Work with others who share your interests
- Continue to learn through workshops, field trips, conferences, and hands-on training
- Lead environmental education efforts in schools and neighborhoods
- Transform yards, people, and communities
