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Palo Alto, California
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How to become a master gardener?
Tell us everything we need to know to become a master gardener!
Note: We've seen a lot of interest in this career, so we're looking for guidance from our community of professionals.
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2 answers
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1746
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
"Master Gardener" is not a career. It is a volunteer position. An individual takes a Master Gardener course, does a certain amount of community hours of volunteering, and is then certified as a Master Gardener. They then go into the community and educate others on various aspects of Gardening.
Some topics covered are the different types of plants and how to care for them. Proper use of fertilizers. IPM (Integrated Pest Management). Taking the least invasive method for pest control. Use of natural predators. Pruning, Watering. Selecting the right plants for the location -soil, temperature, etc. Soil additives. Etc.
Community outreach is important because we need to maintain "green spaces" in our environment, and minimize the impact on the environment while doing so.
Some topics covered are the different types of plants and how to care for them. Proper use of fertilizers. IPM (Integrated Pest Management). Taking the least invasive method for pest control. Use of natural predators. Pruning, Watering. Selecting the right plants for the location -soil, temperature, etc. Soil additives. Etc.
Community outreach is important because we need to maintain "green spaces" in our environment, and minimize the impact on the environment while doing so.
David BENDER, IDSA, Associate ASLA
Landscape Architect
1
Answer
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
David’s Answer
There are many careers that are related to being a master gardener, but -almost- none of them will use that term when looking for talented people. Some job titles you might want to investigate include:
• Landscape Architect (my career - designing outdoor spaces such as public parks and gardens, playgrounds, trail systems, nature preserves, large properties, etc.)
• Landscape Designer (knows TONS of different plants and what conditions each likes - sunny, shady, wet, dry, etc. - and creates beautiful planting layouts with them)
• Landscaper (does the work installing plants in the ground, taking care of them, and constructing outdoor elements such as pathways, patios, ponds, etc.)
• Plant Biologist (knows how plants function, the conditions each need to thrive, the diseases they might get, and how to cure them)
• Ecosystem Biologist (understands how plants and animals behave, interact, and support one another - and how landscapes must be designed to maintain healthy relationships between plants and animals)
• Arborist (understands tree health, helps cure sick trees, and trims or cuts them down when needed - a tree doctor!)
• Farmer (understands the biological needs of crop plants in order to grow large quantities of them for sale - sometimes edible plants, sometimes just pretty plants)
• Nursery Specialist (similar to a farmer, but usually more focused on growing lots of trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants for landscapes
• There are even more gardening-related jobs for you to discover!
Each of these careers require slightly different educations, but there is a LOT of overlap - so any education you can get about plants, plant biology, soils, soil biology, soil chemistry, climate science, earth science, DRAWING (this one is more helpful than you'd ever expect! I wish I spent more time on it in school), painting, illustration, computer aided drafting (CAD), design, and even natural history ... will all grow your gardening and design skills and prepare you for any of those jobs! You can often switch between these jobs with just a little more education in that area if you already have a solid education in another area.
Some biological gardens and arboretums offer certificates in "garden design" or even offer "master gardener" certificates, but those are usually either a way to start your educational journey (to find out if you like the field) or to supplement a more formal education in plant science or one of the landscape fields in order to help make your designs more beautiful.
Kim is absolutely right that community outreach is a key component of all these fields - it's critically important to be able to listen to clients carefully (sometimes at public meetings) about what they want their landscape/park/garden/produce/plants to be and to do - and for you to be able to clearly explain how your design/plants/nature preserve/public park/garden/services will do those things.
I love that my job lets me think about nature even when I'm not in it!
Research one or two of the jobs listed above that sound interesting more deeply.
Search for professional organizations related to any jobs you find interesting - they often have resources to educate and support students interested in joining their profession (including scholarships).
• Landscape Architect (my career - designing outdoor spaces such as public parks and gardens, playgrounds, trail systems, nature preserves, large properties, etc.)
• Landscape Designer (knows TONS of different plants and what conditions each likes - sunny, shady, wet, dry, etc. - and creates beautiful planting layouts with them)
• Landscaper (does the work installing plants in the ground, taking care of them, and constructing outdoor elements such as pathways, patios, ponds, etc.)
• Plant Biologist (knows how plants function, the conditions each need to thrive, the diseases they might get, and how to cure them)
• Ecosystem Biologist (understands how plants and animals behave, interact, and support one another - and how landscapes must be designed to maintain healthy relationships between plants and animals)
• Arborist (understands tree health, helps cure sick trees, and trims or cuts them down when needed - a tree doctor!)
• Farmer (understands the biological needs of crop plants in order to grow large quantities of them for sale - sometimes edible plants, sometimes just pretty plants)
• Nursery Specialist (similar to a farmer, but usually more focused on growing lots of trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants for landscapes
• There are even more gardening-related jobs for you to discover!
Each of these careers require slightly different educations, but there is a LOT of overlap - so any education you can get about plants, plant biology, soils, soil biology, soil chemistry, climate science, earth science, DRAWING (this one is more helpful than you'd ever expect! I wish I spent more time on it in school), painting, illustration, computer aided drafting (CAD), design, and even natural history ... will all grow your gardening and design skills and prepare you for any of those jobs! You can often switch between these jobs with just a little more education in that area if you already have a solid education in another area.
Some biological gardens and arboretums offer certificates in "garden design" or even offer "master gardener" certificates, but those are usually either a way to start your educational journey (to find out if you like the field) or to supplement a more formal education in plant science or one of the landscape fields in order to help make your designs more beautiful.
Kim is absolutely right that community outreach is a key component of all these fields - it's critically important to be able to listen to clients carefully (sometimes at public meetings) about what they want their landscape/park/garden/produce/plants to be and to do - and for you to be able to clearly explain how your design/plants/nature preserve/public park/garden/services will do those things.
I love that my job lets me think about nature even when I'm not in it!
David recommends the following next steps: