Becoming a Virginia Beach Master Gardener
Classes start January 2027
2027 Mandatory Orientation Sessions
(Attend 1)
Thursday, August 27, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm
or
Friday, August 28, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am
Location
Meyera Oberndorf Central Library
4100 Virginia Beach Blvd
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Virtual Zoom Options Available below:
Master Gardeners is not a garden club. It is a state-wide group of trained volunteer educators who work within their communities to encourage and promote environmentally sound horticulture practices through sustainable landscape management education and training.
As an educational outreach component of Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Master Gardener program brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities – Virginia Tech and Virginia State University – to the people of the commonwealth.
All volunteers are trained and have at least 50 hours of horticultural classes and return at least 50 hours of volunteer community service through their local Extension office.
Virginia Beach Master Gardeners connect with the community at garden projects throughout the city, public education events, lecture series, school and youth programs, and special events.
Learn more about the Virginia Extension Master Gardener Program.
Master Gardener Training Program for Virginia Beach
Attend a mandatory VCE Virginia Beach Master Gardener orientation session. Orientation is held in the fall of each year.
Complete the application and submit by the due date.
VCE staff will notify you to let you know if you've been accepted to the program.
If accepted, pay for training & materials.
Classes are held January - March.
What to expect
Fifty hours of classroom training is provided on the following topics: Botany, Soils & Fertilizer, Entomology (insects), Propagation, Vegetables, Fruits, Turf, Woody Plants, Herbaceous Plants, Water Quality, Pruning, Plant Pathology (diseases), Plant Damage (diagnosis), Pesticides, Landscape Design, and Gardening for Wildlife.
Trainees are expected to attend all classes. Multiple absences may result in dismissal from the program.
Trainees are paired with mentors who are experienced Master Gardeners. Mentors assist trainees in finding volunteer opportunities to fit their schedules, reporting hours, and answering questions.
After graduation, Master Gardener Interns have a full year to complete 50 hours of hands-on training in order to be recognized as full Master Gardeners.
Annual recertification is maintained through ongoing continuing education and volunteer service.
Virginia Beach Master Gardeners is for you if you:
are a Virginia Beach resident
are interested in gardening
are interested in educating the community
want to join a diverse group of active volunteers
want to promote sustainable horticulture practices
can commit to attending training classes & fulfilling 50 hours of hands-on training
Master Gardeners can meet their volunteer requirements in a variety of projects including:
Adam Thoroughgood House
Ask a Master Gardener Clinics
Children’s Education Garden at the Farmers Market
Fall Gardening Festival
Farm Days/Harvest Fair (children’s programs)
Francis Land House
Horticulture Therapy Workshops
HRAREC Display Gardens, Trial Gardens, Arboretum and School Tours
Jr. Master Gardener Camp
Kitchen Garden at the Farmers Market
Ready Set Grow
Seed Library
Speakers Bureau
Spring Plant Sale
VCE Help Desk