What Is the Colorado Master Gardener Program at CSU Extension?

The Colorado Master Gardener® program is a volunteer training and community education program run by CSU Extension. It pairs Colorado State University's horticulture expertise with local volunteers who want to learn gardening hands-on and then share that knowledge in their own communities. If you live in Colorado, enjoy gardening, and are willing to volunteer time to answer gardening questions locally, this program is designed for you.

What the program actually is

CSU Extension describes Colorado Master Gardener as "a unique intersection between CSU's horticulture expertise and community volunteers interested in educating locally." The structure is straightforward:

• CSU provides the training. Participants learn research-based horticulture from the university's extension specialists.
• Volunteers provide the outreach. After training, master gardeners educate residents in their area — answering questions, supporting local gardening efforts, and giving back to their communities.

The program is part of CSU Extension, which has connected Coloradans to research-based solutions and programming for over 100 years as part of the university's land-grant mission.

What participants do

According to the program description, master gardeners across Colorado share an interest in:

• Hands-on learning
• Gardening
• Supporting pollinators
• Giving back to their communities

The emphasis is on local education — master gardeners are volunteers who help neighbors and community members with gardening knowledge, rather than paid staff.

How to get involved

CSU Extension's program page states you can "learn how you can get involved" through the Colorado Master Gardener program. The specific steps — application timing, training format, county-by-county availability, and any volunteer hour commitments — are set locally, so the practical next move is to visit the program page on the CSU Extension site and follow the "Explore Program" link for current details.

Where it fits in CSU Extension

The Colorado Master Gardener program is one of several CSU Extension offerings. Related areas on the site include Garden & Landscape, Insects & Pests, and Natural Resources. If your interest leans more toward nature and ecology than home horticulture, CSU Extension also offers the Rocky Mountain Naturalist certificate, a flexible online program covering the Southern Rocky Mountain region through five online courses.

Quick comparison

If your goal is to garden better and help your community do the same, the Colorado Master Gardener program is the direct fit. Check the CSU Extension program page for your county's current participation details.