About the Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program

The mission of the Pinellas County Master Gardener Volunteer* program:

To train a core of volunteers to assist the county agent in delivering information to residents on how to design, plant and care for their plants and landscapes in a Florida-Friendly way. Master Gardener Volunteers offer education to the citizens of Pinellas County on environmentally sound Florida Friendly Landscape practices.

*The Master Gardener Volunteer title is used only for volunteer purposes. It is not a professional certification and cannot be used for business purposes. 

Volunteer training application now open!

Apply here now through March 31, 2025 for the 2025 fall class. You must be a current Pinellas County Resident to apply and participate.

Volunteer Training Info: 

Classes run from Aug./Sept. through Nov./Dec. (10-12 weeks). Most of the coursework is done online with an in-person class once a week on Wednesday mornings. 

Some of the areas where Master Gardeners volunteer include: our Lawn & Garden Help Desk, presenting educational programs for the community, community gardens, helping with 4-H programs and school gardens, etc. We greatly value the contribution of our current Master Gardeners. We could not do our outreach to the public without them. 

Topics covered include Florida-Friendly Landscaping^TM, botany, plant propagation, native plants, landscape planting and maintenance, weeds, palms, turfgrass, vegetables, dooryard fruits, plant pathology, entomology, nematology, pesticides and pesticide safety, soils, nutrients, and fertilizers, irrigation, pruning, wildlife, and invasive plants.

This is a very popular volunteer training, and we typically have more applicants than spaces in the class. Based on application information, references, and sometimes interviews, a select set of applicants is chosen. The latest class fee was $220 which includes materials, books, and online course materials. The 2025 fee should be similar (but may increase). A limited number of scholarships are available. If you are selected for the class and have need you may inquire then.

• Read issues of our quarterly Master Gardener magazine "The Dirt"
  • The Dirt January 2025
  • The Dirt October 2024
  • The Dirt June 2024
  • The Dirt April 2024
  • The Dirt January 2024
  • The Dirt October 2023
  • The Dirt June 2023
  • The Dirt April 2023
  • The Dirt January 2023
  • The Dirt October 2022
  • The Dirt June 2022
  • The Dirt April 2022
  • The Dirt January 2022
  • The Dirt October 2021
  • The Dirt June 2021
  • The Dirt April 2021
  • The Dirt January 2021
  • The Dirt October 2020
  • The Dirt July 2020
  • The Dirt April 2020
  • The Dirt January 2020
  • The Dirt October 2019
  • The Dirt June 2019
  • The Dirt April 2019
  • The Dirt January 2019
  • The Dirt October 2018
  • The Dirt July 2018
  • The Dirt April 2018
  • The Dirt January 2018
  • The Dirt October 2017
  • The Dirt August 2017
  • The Dirt April 2017
  • The Dirt January 2017
  • The Dirt Sept 2016
  • The Dirt July 2016
  • The Dirt Jan 2016
  • The Dirt Oct 2015
  • The Dirt July 2015
  • The Dirt April 2015