Impact your community as a Master Gardener Volunteer! The Master Gardener Volunteer Program with UF/IFAS Extension in Sumter County is no longer accepting applications for the class starting Fall 2025.
Master Gardener Classes
The Master Gardener Volunteer training class in Sumter County is a comprehensive course that starts on Wednesday, September 3 and continues through December 3, meeting from 9 am up to 3:30 pm. Master Gardener Volunteer Trainees will learn about vegetable gardening, plant propagation, insects, diseases, warm season lawns, IPM and pesticides, fruit trees including citrus, and small fruits. Others include trees, native plants, landscape plants including shrubs, annuals, perennials and bulbs, landscape design, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, pesticide training, and botany. The class fee includes the manual and will include the fee for a soil test. The classes are held at the Sumter County Fairgrounds at 7620 SR 471, Ste. 2, Bushnell, FL.
This year trainees will be able to attend a full-day Palm Training and perhaps a full-day Turf School. The final day of class is Green Industry-Best Management Practices training. It is a full day of class in areas including best management practices on irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers, lawn and landscape. You’ll take a pre-test and a post-test. One hundred percent of interns have passed and become GI-BMP Certified.
The First Year
The first year is designed to introduce trainees (now interns) to a variety of volunteer opportunities which may inspire where you want to volunteer your time in the future. Interns would gain experience in landscape maintenance and plants volunteering in the UF/IFAS Extension Demonstration Garden.
The Youth Garden educates youth after school on gardening through hands-on, but you ma volunteer on days when youth are not in the garden.
Master Gardener Volunteer Interns would participate in the Spring Plant and Garden Festival held at the Sumter County Fairgrounds in their pavilion each spring. The Horticulture Show is just a few weeks before the plant sale where residents and volunteers showcase their plants. There are several opportunities to volunteer at an educational Master Gardener Booth at the Outdoor Festival, Government Day or perhaps next year at the Water Wisdom Day.
The first year, interns volunteer 75 hours, but they can begin volunteering in some areas like the gardens and after certain classes at the Ask the Master Gardener Plant Clinics while still in class if desired.
The best part is forming friendships with others in the class, and other Master Gardener Volunteers. There are opportunities to attend regional training and state training, meeting other volunteers in other counties, and hearing inspiring speakers.
What do Master Gardener Volunteers do?
Master Gardener Volunteers are educators who impact their communities by answering horticultural questions for Sumter County residents. They share unbiased, research-based information.
from University of Florida with the public. Master Gardener Volunteers educate residents by phone, email, at plant clinics and event booths, through writing newsletter or newspaper articles, by developing and delivering presentations for garden clubs, civic organizations and the Sumter Speaker Series.
Master Gardener Volunteers support youth programs, garden in the award winning UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County Demonstration Garden in Bushnell and host the Spring Garden and Plant Festival. Each month volunteers attend monthly meetings, learning from experts on a variety of topics. They also have opportunities to gain knowledgeable through advanced educational opportunities including local, state, and international Master Gardener Volunteer conferences.
Certified Master Gardener Volunteers annually renew their recertification by completing 35 hours of volunteer time and 12 hours of continuing education.
Ready to Apply?
If you have questions or want to receive more information you may call Lisa Sanderson, the Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator, with any questions at 352-569-6862, or you may email Lisa at lsanderson@ufl.edu.
0
