Master Gardener

For more information about the Santa Clara County Master Gardener Program and gardening in our county, visit our primary Santa Clara County Master Gardener Website.

WHO WE ARE

The Santa Clara County Master Gardener Program is a volunteer organization sponsored by the University of California Cooperative Extension to extend research-based gardening information to county residents and agencies.  This is accomplished by knowledgeable volunteers who have completed a 16-week, 60+ hour training program in home horticulture.  Training is offered every other year.  Master Gardeners are a primary resource for dissemination of gardening information from the University of California to the Santa Clara County community.

WHAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY

  • Our Speakers Bureau provides Master Gardeners who can speak on a broad range of garden-related topics at service clubs, community events, schools, senior centers, etc.
  • Santa Clara County residents can call our telephone hotlines for answers to their immediate garden problems.  The San Jose hotline (408-282-3105) operates from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm Monday through Friday.  The Palo Alto hotline (650-329-1356) is open from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Fridays only.  Walk-ins are welcome at both locations.
  • Demonstration gardens that test new gardening methods and trial varieties of flowers and vegetables to determine which are best suited for our climate are located throughout the county.
  • Tastings and open gardens are held regularly to showcase the results of our demonstrations and trials.
  • Gardening brochures and fact sheets developed by Master Gardeners and by the University of California are available and address a wide range of gardening topics.
  • A School Garden Response Team provides technical assistance for starting gardens in Santa Clara County schools.  Teaching gardens in Mountain View and Santa Clara offer hands-on garden experiences for school children in these cities.
  • Basic and specialized gardening classes are offered through adult education programs in Campbell and Santa Clara.

OUR ROOTS

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is part of the Land Grant University system.  Since 1914 UCCE has provided the citizens of California with information and educational programs on agriculture, horticulture, natural and human resource development, and nutrition.  The first Master Gardener Volunteer Program was started in Washington State in 1972, and in 1982 the Santa Clara County Master Gardener Volunteer Program began.  Master Gardener Programs have been established in 46 states and four Canadian provinces.  These programs involve more than 60,000 volunteers.

For more information about the Santa Clara County Master Gardener Program and gardening in our county, visit our Master Gardener Website.