The Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Program began in 1972 to help address an overwhelming number of horticulture inquiries from the public. It has since expanded to all 50 US states and 4 Canadian provinces, with over 95,000 active volunteers providing over 5 million hours of service annually. The UNL Extension Master Gardener program provides research-based horticultural training to its volunteers to prepare them to share knowledge with Nebraska citizens. Initial and ongoing training includes core classes in plant science and IPM, as well as electives and a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service for new Master Gardeners and 10 hours of continuing education plus 20 hours of volunteerism annually thereafter.

1. Know how. Know now.
The 4 W‟s answered …
The Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
Program

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EMG History
 Program began by a group of Extensions Staff in
Washington State
 Staff overwhelmed by horticulture requests from public
 EMG concept was born -- 1972

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EMG Name
 From the German word „Gartenmeister‟
 This beam anglicized to „Master Gardener‟
 Gartenmeister is a title Germans bestow for the top level of
proficiency in horticulture

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EMG‟s today
 EMG‟s represent all 50 states and 4 Canadian provinces
 In a 2009 survey by USDA/NIFA there were 95,000 active
EMG‟s
 Providing 5,000,000 volunteer service hours

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EMG‟s in UNL

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University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Extension
Mission: to help Nebraskan enhance their lives through
research-based education

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UNL Extension Master Gardeners
Mission: to extend the outreach of the University of Nebraska-
Lincoln by providing volunteers with research-based
horticulture education, which prepares them to share their
knowledge with citizens of the State.

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UNL EMG‟s are representatives of the University of Nebraska-
Lincoln

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Master Gardener
“The „Master‟ in Master Gardener doesn‟t mean you know
everything about gardening, it just means you volunteer your
time helping others grow.”
- Mary McLellan, former MSU State MG Coordinator

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UNL EMG Training site
Adams County - Ron Seymour Gage County - Nicole Haxton
Buffalo County - Ted Griess Hall County - Elizabeth Killinger
Chase County - Robert Tigner Keith/Arthur/Perkins Counties - Doug Anderson
Cheyenne, Kimball, Banner Counties - Karen DeBoer Lancaster County - Mary Jane Frogge
Dawes County - Scott Cotton Lincoln, McPherson Counties - David Lott
Dawson County - Bruce Treffer Madison County - Wayne Ohnesorg
Dodge County - Natalia Bjorklund Nemaha County - Gary Lesoing
Douglas County - Kathleen Cue & Mary Anna Anderson

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Otoe County - Vaughn Hammond
Phelps County - Linda Dannehl
Platte County - Kelly Feehan
Red Willow County - Brain Strauch
Scotts Bluff County - Jim Schild
Washington County - Steve Tonn
York County - Gary Zoubek
UNL East Campus Program – Terri James

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Education
 Initial year
 Minimum 40 hours of training
 Core classes (18 hours)
 Plant classes (15 hours)
 Electives (7 hours)

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Core classes
 Morphology & plant functions  Disease diagnostics
 The growing environment  Weed basics
 Soils & fertilizers  IPM & pesticide safety
 Insect diagnostics  Volunteerism

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Plant classes
 Tree selection & management  Vegetable selection &
management
 Turfgrass selection &
management  Herbaceous plant selection &
management
 Shrub selection & management
 Small tree & fruit tree selection &
 Vine & ground cover selection & management
management

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Electives
 Composting  Herbs
 Plant identification  Irrigation design
 Landscape design  Plant propagation
 Container gardening  Native plants
 Wildlife management  Household pests
 Plant pollination  Beekeeping

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Classes

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Classes

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After the initial education …
 1st year – minimum 40 hours of volunteer time
by November 1
 2nd + years – minimum 10 hours of continuing education
and 20 hours of volunteer time

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Volunteer time
 Horticultural projects that educate others
 Answering phone at Count offices
 „Ask-a-Master Gardener‟ booths at events
 Demonstration gardens
 Backyard Farmer
 Public gardens

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Volunteering

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Volunteering

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Education hours
 Variety of outlets to receive continuing education
 Extension and UNL programs
 Nursery seminars
 Backyard Farmer
 On-line modules

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Share ideas …
 National EMG blog
 http://blogs.extension.org/mastergardener/
 National Facebook and twitter feeds
 http://www.facebook.com/extensionmastergardener
 @eXEMG

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Share ideas …
 State EMG Facebook feed
 http://www.facebook.com/NebraskaMasterGardeners
 Local
 www.wiggio.com

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Other information …
 Backyard Farmer
 http://www.facebook.com/backyardfarmernebraska
 @byfunl
 http://itunes.apple.com/itunes-u/backyard-
farmer/id378956915#ls=1
 http://www.youtube.com/user/bucslim/videos

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More information …
 www.mastergardener.unl.edu
 www.turf.unl.edu
 www.environment.unl.edu
 www.extension.unl.edu
 www.ianrpubs.unl.edu

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Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and
Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
cooperating with the Counties and the United States
Department of Agriculture.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational
programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the
University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States
Department of Agriculture.