Douglas County Master Gardeners provide useful information to help your gardening efforts all year long. Through the Douglas County Extension Office, trained volunteers are available to answer horticulture questions about vegetable gardening, flowers, trees, shrubs, lawns, pruning, watering, plant disease and diagnosis, insect problems, composting, and environmental concerns.

Volunteers are in! Our helpdesk is open Monday & Friday from 9:00am – Noon and 1:30pm – 4:30pm, Tuesday – Thursday 9:00am – Noon only. Please give us a call at 720-722-6935, email dcmgardenr@gmail.com or stop by the office in Castle Rock.

Contact a Master Gardener  

Douglas County Master Gardeners are also available to give talks to community groups on a variety of gardening topics. We are available to speak on flower or vegetable gardening, landscaping, xeriscaping, houseplant care, turf management, insect and weed control, and other home horticulture subjects. The materials contained in presentations are the most up-to-date, research-based information from Colorado State University. Local Douglas County climate and garden conditions are also targeted.

Colorado County Master Gardener Enrollment

If you are a Douglas County resident interested in gardening, educational outreach, and volunteering this program may be a great fit for you! See details below and contact the CSU Extension Office if you have further questions. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

You can also check out our state website for more detailed information on the Colorado Master Gardener Program here.

Enrollment Options and Class Information

Colorado Master Gardener Volunteer

Applications are now available!  To begin the process, please fill out an application. You will then go through a short interview and background check. Newly accepted volunteers begin as Apprentices. This means you are in training to become a Colorado Master Gardener. Tuition for CMG Volunteer training in 2020 will be $170 for 10 weeks of core training classes. Following training, you have a commitment to complete at least 50 hours of volunteer work the first year. There is also a two-year Apprentice option that allows 60 hours to be completed over two years.

Our program’s training includes both in-person and online classes offered through CSU Online. Courses are specific to Colorado’s climate, soil, environment, insects, wildlife, and plants. Training is a big commitment and includes reading (online, no text required), homework, in-class activities, and lectures. You will be expected to attend 80% of the classes and pass the final exam (open book, open note, researching encouraged) with a 75% or better.

We are looking for volunteers interested in education and outreach using research-based horticulture information. As a volunteer, you’ll assist Douglas County Extension staff and fellow Colorado Master Gardeners in delivering research-based information about home gardening to Douglas County residents. To maintain your CMG status on a yearly basis, you’ll be required to pay nominal yearly dues and complete additional volunteer hours (typically 24 hours) and continuing education classes offered through CSU and the community.

Applications are online this year! Applications will be available until October 31, 2019. After this date, office staff will work with you to set up an interview schedule. These interviews give us a chance to get to know you better and give you the opportunity to ask us questions! You will also be required to complete a background check to become a CSU volunteer. If you are selected as an Apprentice, staff will contact you with payment information.

2020 Apprentice Application  2020 Apprentice Payment

Colorado Gardener Certificate Student

Individuals interested in completing Master Gardener training without a volunteer commitment may enroll for the coursework under the Colorado Gardener Certificate, CGC, enrollment option. The Colorado Gardener Certificate program requires a fall application followed by winter and spring training classes. Tuition without a volunteer commitment in 2020 will be $530. This course is comparable to a four-credit class. In comparison, tuition for a four-credit class is $1,932. Individuals who were not selected as CMG volunteers may enroll as Colorado Gardener Certificate students. Applications should become available in September. If you would like to be added to our notification list, please contact the CSU Extension Office.

Our program’s training includes both in-person and online classes offered through CSU Online. Courses are specific to Colorado’s climate, soil, environment, insects, wildlife, and plants. Training is a big commitment and includes reading (online, no text required), homework, in-class activities, and lectures. You will be expected to attend 80% of the classes and pass the final exam (open book, open note, researching encouraged) with a 75% or better.

Registration is online this year! Space is limited. Completing the registration does not guarantee space. *Please do not pay the registration fee until office staff have confirmed receipt of your application.

2020 Certificate Application  2020 Certificate Payment

CMG/CGC Certification

Students who are accepted into the Colorado Master Gardener program and complete the required volunteer commitment, become Colorado Master Gardeners. The title Colorado Master Gardener is a registered service mark of Colorado State University Extension. It is used to identify volunteers serving in official CSU Extension activities. It may not be used to infer credentials, imply endorsement of a private business, or used on marketing materials of a business. Students who choose the Colorado Gardener Certificate option will not become Colorado Master Gardeners upon completion of the training.

Colorado Master Gardener Volunteers and Colorado Gardener Certificate students both receive the Colorado Gardener Certificate, which may be displayed in a place of business and used in business marketing.

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CMG/CGC Classes

As an accepted CMG/CGC student, you’ll complete a curriculum that includes ten weeks (60 hours) of classroom instruction. Classes are held January through April through a combination of in-person (weekday 9AM-4PM with a lunch break) and online classes. We anticipate five in-person classes and five online classes for the 2020 program. Some variations may occur in the basic schedule to accommodate local needs. Contact the Douglas County Extension office for specific details.

View Training Schedule

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CMG Renewal paperwork will become available on November 1, 2019 and must be received no later than December 31, 2019. Dues can be paid online as well. A $10 late fee will be applied if dues are not paid by December 31, 2019.

Renew Online  Online Payment