out to our communities
Throughout this site there are links to documents of various file types. Please contact our Statewide Program Leader if you require this information in a different format.
Some of our educational outreach
Educational Outreach
WSU Extension Master Gardener Programs statewide host educational classes, workshops, demonstrations, and field days. Through these events our university-trained volunteers bring relevant, unbiased, research-based horticulture and environmental stewardship education to their local communities.
Ask a Master Gardener
Have a gardening question? Ask a Master Gardener at one of our in-person or on-line plant and insect diagnostic clinics.
From our beginning, Master Gardeners have provided free access to unbiased research-based horticulture advice to help people find answers to their gardening questions. Clinics are located at farmers markets, hardware stores, nurseries, demonstration gardens and Extension offices throughout the state of Washington. You can also find us online.
Demonstration Gardens
Want to see sustainable gardening in action? Stop by one of our gardens. These outdoor classrooms give gardeners the opportunity to see and practice sustainable gardening techniques. Master Gardeners demonstrate via classes, workshops, and field days a range of gardening practices including water wise gardens, native plant gardens, English knot gardens, raised bed vegetable gardening, composting, container gardening, espaliered apples, berry beds and more.
Community Gardens
Interested in helping put food on the table? Community Gardens inspire people to come together to grow their own food. WSU Master Gardeners are active in numerous community gardens and teach tips and techniques for increasing production and for handling pesky problems. Community Gardens provide ready access to healthy food and address food insecurity throughout the state.
Youth Gardening
Are you a teacher who wants to get your students in the garden? The gardeners of tomorrow start building their passion today! Several counties have youth gardening programs where kids can experience the joy of gardening. The goal is to build knowledge, but especially to inspire a passion for gardening that lasts a lifetime.
Speakers Bureau
Does your organization need a speaker? WSU Master Gardeners do presentations on a variety of gardening topics as part of their mission to empower and sustain diverse communities with relevant, unbiased research-based yard and garden information. Request a speaker qualified to talk to your garden club, service club or classroom about anything gardening related, from growing veggies to soil health to attracting pollinators, or something specifically to address your group’s needs.
Plant Sales
Looking for plants well-suited for your particular location? Our plant sales have become important events in our communities. People come looking for unique varieties of vegetable starts and perennials that are well-suited for local climates and soils and for advice from WSU Extension Master Gardeners about how to best care for their new plants. Plant sale goers know that they will get high quality plants and veggie starts at a reasonable price.
We generally hold plant sales in the spring, near Mother’s Day and some counties also hold plant sales in the fall. Our plant sales, often hosted by our Master Gardener Foundation partners, are an important tool for us to defray the cost of running many of our free programs.
The Evergreen Thumb Podcast
The Evergreen Thumb Podcast, created by WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers and supported by the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State, shares research‑based gardening and environmental stewardship guidance tailored to Washington’s climate. Every two weeks, experts offer practical tips, hands‑on insights, and science‑driven advice on plant care, sustainable gardening, pest management, landscape design, and region‑specific challenges—providing inspiration for gardeners at any level.
Washington Green School
Green School offers two distinct options in its online course: one for individuals looking to enhance their gardening skills through research-based horticultural and environmental stewardship, the Washington Gardener course, and another for those who wish to take it further by becoming a WSU Extension Master Gardener Program volunteer.
The PNW Gardener’s Handbook is the official course textbook and is available as a free public download.
To learn more about WSU Extension Master Gardener programs available in your county, please use the County Map.