How to Become a Master Gardener
Education
There are three paths toward completing the educational component for certification as a Master Gardener in Ontario.
1. University of Guelph Courses
You may take the following 3 online courses specified below from the University of Guelph.
2. Dalhousie University Master Gardener Program Here (formerly Nova Scotia Agricultural College)
You may complete the following 4 online courses in the Master Gardener Program from Dalhousie University's Faculty of Agriculture.
- The Science of Gardening
- Maintaining the Garden
- Plant ID
- The Art of Gardening
- and a one-week, on-site summer school
3. Certification Exam
If you have recently completed a diploma or degree in horticulture or comparable education, have experience in the industry or extensive horticultural knowledge, you may choose to write the Certification Exam.
If you are not sure what you want to do or want more detailed information, contact us or check out the the Master Gardeners of Ontario website.
Volunteer Commitment
Once you are accepted as a MGiT, you will begin your volunteer commitment and begin to record your volunteer hours. All MGiT and Master Gardeners are required to provide a minimum of 30 hours of combined advice hours and administrative or education hours each year.
Once you have completed both the educational (within 3 years) and volunteer requirements for two years, you are officially a Master Gardener!