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.

Our volunteer Master Gardeners are conducting “Virtual  Helpdesk” sessions. Helpdesk questions are answered by email 7 days a week.  Please email dcmgardenr@gmail.com to ask your garden question!

Contact a Master Gardener  

Douglas County Master Gardeners are  available to give webinar 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 with particular emphasis on Douglas County–Where ever you are, we’re local! The materials contained in presentations are the most up-to-date, research-based information from Colorado State University.  Contact us to schedule a talk!

2020 Master Gardener Online Presentations

Think Spring!  Fall Gardening TipsGrowing Herbs and Vegetables in ContainersVertical Gardening: Maximize your Space and Yields

Colorado 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! Applications for 2022 are open September 1 – October 31, 2021!

Check out our state website for more detailed information on the Colorado Master Gardener Program, and to apply today!

What to know before you apply:

Like all programs, we have a few things you should consider if you’d like to apply.

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• If you’re accepted into a program, there are training fees your first year and dues ($25-35 in most counties) required every subsequent year.
• We do offer financial need-based scholarships (reducing your fee to $100, or completely waiving your fee in some cases). Details are in the application.
• Contact the Douglas County Extension office if you are interested in becoming a Colorado Master Gardener and are TANF eligible.
• Initial horticulture training requires 80% minimum class/lab attendance, completion of all on-line classes and completion of homework assignments, plus passing the final exam with 70% or better.

2021 CMG TRAINING SCHEDULE   (For reference, 2022 schedule coming soon!)

Your apprentice year requires 50 hours minimum volunteer time in your county/area CMG program by the end of the program year (October 31st).

• Our program does allow for a 2-year apprenticeship option, requiring 60 hours of volunteer service over a 2-year period and successful completion of all other requirements.

What to know about the application:

• Applications are offered online. (A hard copy may be obtained from the Douglas County Extension Office if needed.)
• We require 3 named references. Have your references’ names, phone numbers and emails handy when you apply.
• CSU requires all volunteers are background-checked. Information is in the application.
• The application will take 30-60 minutes to complete and must be done in one sitting online.
• We require future and current volunteers familiarize themselves with CSU’s policies and guidelines:
  • Extension program are available to all without discrimination.
  • We proudly uphold the CSU Principles of Community.
  • Colorado Master Gardener Volunteer Agreement and Code of Conduct
  • CSU’s Minors’ Policy

Ready to Get Started?  Apply Now!

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.

Individuals who were not selected as CMG volunteers may enroll as Colorado Gardener Certificate students.

CMG vs CGC Certification–what’s the difference?

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 imply credentials or endorsement of a private business, nor be 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.

VMS Help Videos

DougCo Chat-and-Learn Session: VMS Access: Need to renew or sign in? Watch now! (this video was made by the developer) 2. How to sign in, profile information, and how to reset your password. (If you watch closely, you will see I made a mistake, it was on purpose 😊) 3. Ready to Report Hours? 4. Need to sign up (or un-sign up) for a project?

Douglas County Project Overviews

Hidden Mesa Native Plant Garden Remote Helpdesk Orientation 2021 Castle Rock Farmers’ Market

CMG Webinars

What’s Killing My Plants-Intro to Plant Pathology (August 2020)Risk in Research

More CMG Continuing Education Opportunities

Login to VMS

CMG Renewal

Renewals for the 2022 program year will be using the new VMS platform.  Stay tuned for more information about the new VMS and renewals!

Renew Online  Online Payment