Become a Master Gardener

Applications for the 2026 Training Class are now available. Classes will start on January 16th, 2026.

The Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Brunswick County are dedicated to facilitating excellence in volunteers through education, life-long learning, and outreach.

The Master Gardener program began in North Carolina in 1979, and has grown to 88 programs in counties across our state. Extension Master Gardener volunteers are trained to help connect North Carolinians with the vast reservoir of horticultural knowledge and research developed at North Carolina A&T University and NC State University. Brunswick County Cooperative Extension has more than 90 volunteers in the Extension Master Gardener program. Through a variety of outreach programs, we educate and inspire all gardeners (the curious, beginners, and the more experienced) with science-based information, workshops, and demonstrations. We also help maintain the Botanical Garden at the NC Cooperative Extension office at 25 Referendum Drive in Bolivia.

Once interns have completed their initial training, Extension Master Gardeners volunteer 40 hours of our time to the community every year. Beyond the initial training experience, we attend lectures and workshops offered by state and national experts.

Extension Master Gardeners make a difference:

Learning horticulture science
Teaching sustainable gardening
Sharing a gardening passion with the community
Empowering extension clients to address landscaping and gardening challenges
Practicing environmental responsibility
Protecting water quality
Reducing fertilizer and pesticide pollutants

How to Apply

The Brunswick County Extension Master Gardener volunteer program conducts a weekly four-month long training program every January through March. All prospective students begin with an interview and an application to our local county program. The interview/application process is now open! To learn more and submit an application, please click here.