Master Gardener Volunteer Program Application

Thank you for your interest in the Master Gardener Volunteer Program through the University of Florida, Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Services (UF/IFAS Extension) in Lee County.  

Before you start the application, please take the time to read through the following information to decide if this program is a fit for you.  

FLORIDA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 

With the vision of being the most trusted source of horticultural education in Florida, the Master Gardener Volunteers (MGVs) assist Extension agents in providing research-based horticultural education to county residents and community organizations.  

MGVs represent UF/IFAS Extension and their counties’ residential horticulture programs in their communities. They volunteer their time and desire to learn to assist Extension Agents in educating the public on research-based solutions to gardening and landscape problems as well as environmentally sustainable best management practices in landscape care.
Here are some of the volunteer activities MGVs do in Lee County:

1. Lead and support educational presentations on Garden Solutions and Florida-Friendly Landscaping^TM.
2. Speak on various gardening topics at garden clubs, schools, churches, community and civic organizations, HOAs, etc.
3. Advise and support teachers and students at Lee County school gardens through the Healthy Living Collaboration.
4. Design, plant and maintain various gardens that demonstrate the Florida-Friendly Landscaping^TM principles and educate the public through guided tours.
5. Answer specific questions regarding plants, pests and programs at the Ask the Master Gardeners help service both at the office and at events.
6. Join in state-wide participatory science projects (Citizen Science).
7. Represent the FL MGV Program and Extension Services across the county and in some instances across the country.

Review the state-wide UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program 

Read about the Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program on Solutions for your Life 

LEE COUNTY MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 

The MGV program in Lee County follows the Florida state model in recruiting individuals who enjoy gardening, learning, and sharing what they know with others. The training begins with a 12-week course that reviews gardening and landscaping principles and introduces the flow of information from research to public dissemination through UF/IFAS Extension. The year after finishing the course, MGV trainees donate 75 volunteer hours and complete an additional 10 educational hours each to become UF/IFAS Certified Master Gardener Volunteers. To maintain active certification, the MGV program requires 35 volunteer hours and 10 educational hours per year.  

THE MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING COURSE 

We are dividing the MGV Course of 2026 into two different classes, each with a different volunteer focus:

1. Growing Food Course - July 17 to Oct 9 (orientation mts July 10)
   This program teaches Master Gardeners the basic all-around curriculum with an emphasis on growing food in community. Volunteers will be equipped to join our school garden advisory program (Garden Angels) and help to build and maintain community gardens (food producing). Class is delivered only in person and runs on Fridays, July 17 to October 9 with the Orientation Meeting on July 10.
2. Gardening and Landscaping in Southwest Florida- Sept 2 - Nov 18, orientation on Aug 28
   This course centers on landscaping and gardening in residential yards. The curriculum covers all Florida Master Gardener Program essentials and concentrates on best management practices and the nine principles of the Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM program.
   The Class is hybrid (first six weeks online and last six weeks in person with field trips and hands-on learning) and runs on Wednesdays, September 2 through November 18 with the orientation meeting online on August 26.

The 12-week lecture series and hands-on training course fully immerses MGV trainees in the researched-based Florida-Friendly Landscaping^TM Principles. UF/IFAS Extension Agents, Extension Research Faculty, and seasoned Certified MGVs teach online and in person. The curriculum starts with basic botany for gardeners and expands to essentials of landscape design. It includes topics such as plant identification, propagation, plant health and diseases, mutualism with insects and fungi, soils, fertilizers, pesticide & herbicide safety, turfgrass, ornamental plants, edible plants, trees, palms, orchids, landscape design and more. 

The course is designed with Lee County’s unique environment and population profile in mind. It starts in an online format to accommodate the heat of summer and transient residents (snowbirds). It finishes with boots on the ground and hands in the dirt.

The exact days and times are TBD. The syllabus and itinerary will be available by June 1 and emailed to every eligible MGV applicant. Dates below are specific to 2025.

Tuition for the MGV training course is $300.00, due a week before the training course. It includes all your materials and field trip fees.

MGV VOLUNTEERING IN LEE COUNTY 

Lee County Parks and Recreation (Parks) and UF/IFAS Extension enjoy a cooperative agreement, in which UF/IFAS Extension serves Lee County residents through programs in agriculture and natural resources, marine education, 4-H Youth Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, commercial and residential horticulture. 

Lee County MGVs are concurrent volunteers for Parks and accumulate volunteer perks from Parks. Certified MGVs and MGV trainees join existing projects within UF/IFAS Extension programs and/or represent the Extension within outside events and organizations. 

Below is a sampling of organizations where MGVs give generously with educational support and outreach activities.

APPLICATION PROCESS 

Create an account below to apply to the Lee County MGV training course and program by June 1. After the deadline, a committee of MGVs and Extension personnel will interview eligible candidates and choose a cohort of 30 MGV trainees, 15 for each course. All applicants will be notified by the end of July.