NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers of Wake County Training Program
UPDATE: The application period for the Class of 2026 is closed. Applications will re-open in September 2026.
The North Carolina Extension Master Gardener volunteer program aims to “ connect people with the benefits of consumer horticulture through research-based information, educational programming, and community outreach that empowers North Carolinians to cultivate healthy plants, landscapes, ecosystems & communities.” Here in Wake County, we realize this mission through a commitment to volunteerism and education rivaled by few in the state. We consist of roughly 150 active volunteers who put in about 12,500 hours of service each year.
Some of our notable accomplishments include winning the Fred Barber Legacy of Service Award in 2023 for our therapeutic horticulture work at the Healing Transitions campuses, our sought after presentations and publications at the Southern Ideal Home Show, and our growing social media platforms, where we provide the public with bite sized gardening knowledge, as well as keep y’all up to date on our public events. Our less noticed but also crucial programs include maintenance of demonstration gardens across the county, our work with schools in establishing school gardens & our gardening helpline, where we answer everyday gardening issues.
Consider joining the EMGvs of Wake County if:- You are dedicated to service through volunteerism
- You want to make your county a greener place
- You want to create a community with those around you
This program requires working with a team and regularly interacting with the public.
If you feel the program is not for you, but you would like access to in-depth gardening knowledge, please use this link to access the EMGv Training Series playlist on YouTube. Or you can click on one of the specific videos below:
- Part 1: Botany
- Part 2: Plant Names
- Part 3: Entomology
- Part 4: Weeds and how to control them
- Part 5: Plant Diseases
- Part 6: Plant Disease Diagnostics
- Part 7: Soil Science and Composting
- Part 8: Tree Fruit
- Part 9: Trees and Woody Ornamentals
- Part 10: Lawn and Turf Maintenance
- Part 11: Vegetable Gardening
- Part 12: Organic Gardening
