Suffolk County Master Gardener Volunteer Program

What is a Master Gardener Volunteer?

CCE Suffolk trains Master Gardener Volunteers to provide the public with gardening programs and activities that draw on the horticultural research and experience of Cornell University. Master Gardener Volunteers receive research-based instruction and are kept up-to-date through continual exposure to the latest developments in environmental horticulture. In return, they agree to share their knowledge with neighbors by volunteering to do community service. After completing the training course and volunteering for 125 hours, they become certified as CCE Suffolk Master Gardener Volunteers.

Suffolk County's Master Gardener Volunteer Program, along with similar programs in other counties in New York State, is directly linked to Cornell University as part of its National Land-Grant College charter. This tie to Cornell provides Master Gardener Volunteers with state-of-the-art gardening knowledge.

Who Can Be a Master Gardener Volunteer?

Anyone who enjoys gardening and has a desire to share knowledge and skills in their community can be a Master Gardener Volunteer. MG Volunteers are a cross-section of men and women from Suffolk County. Among the over 1,200 MG Volunteers trained over the past 40 years have been schoolteachers, lawyers, accountants, police officers -- some are retired, some are homemakers, some are younger, some are older -- in fact, the whole gamut of professions and lifestyles is represented. Anyone with a desire to learn more about gardening and an interest in contributing to the community on a voluntary basis is a candidate for the Suffolk County Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

How do Master Gardener Volunteers Contribute to the Community?

Master Gardener Volunteers . . .

• Organize an annual Spring Gardening School for the public, including workshops, exhibits, and a plant sale
• Table with gardening information at community events throughout Suffolk County
• Cultivate the garden and teach classes at the Children’s Garden at Suffolk County Farm
• Design and help maintain community beautification projects, demonstration gardens, community gardens, and school gardens
• Offer gardening talks and classes at public libraries, schools, and for interested groups
• Create and participate in programs for senior citizens, youth, and the physically and mentally challenged
• Instruct people on the proper care of lawns, shrubs, trees, flowers, and how to grow fruits and vegetables
• Install exhibits and provide gardening information at flower shows, such as the Suffolk County Farm Pumpkin Fest and the Bayard Cutting Arboretum Fall Harvest Festival

When Can I Apply to be a Master Gardener Volunteer?

The next training course for new Master Gardener Volunteers will take place on Wednesdays, 10:00 am-4:00pm, beginning January 17, 2018 through May 30, 2018. Most classes will be held at our Education Center, 423 Griffing Ave., Riverhead, NY, with various locations in the county TBD. The cost of the course is $375 with an additional $125 deposit, refunded upon completion of 125 hours of volunteer service.

---

For more information about the Master Gardener Volunteer program:

Last updated August 16, 2017