The University of California Master Gardener Program has welcomed its incoming class of 2026. The program, which begins each January, trains volunteers in horticulture and gardening to support their local communities.
Prospective participants start the application process between late August and early September, submitting personal information and answering questions about their experience. Interviews are held toward the end of October, with successful applicants notified in November.
The training for new Master Gardeners consists of a sixteen-week course starting on the first Friday of January. Sessions take place every Friday for four hours and cover topics such as basic horticulture, soil science, composting, irrigation, integrated pest management, and fruit trees. Instruction is provided by experienced Master Gardeners, college professors, and industry experts.
Participants also engage in group projects where they research specific topics and present their findings at the end of the training period. After completing all requirements—including passing a final written exam—graduates receive official badges as UC Master Gardeners.
Vincent Hughes reflected on his own experience in the program: “Each presenter who came to class to speak brought their passion and wealth of knowledge to share with us in a way that made it hard to lose focus. Not only were their talks deeply interesting, but often they had a hands-on component to accompany it ranging from simple soil testing one could do at home to viewing samples of plant species or various signs of plant disease or pests, demonstrations on various means of propagation such as grafting and more, and even a scavenger hunt to identify various types of commonly found weeds.”
He added: “In joining the Master Gardeners, I’ve had the opportunity to meet truly wonderful figures whom I may not have otherwise had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know. And over the course of training and beyond, those friendships only deepen.”
Hughes concluded with encouragement for new members: “So, to the incoming Master Gardener class of 2026, I wish you a very warm welcome! I hope that you go through your training with the same bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, eager enthusiasm that those of us who have gone through it before went through it with. I hope that you find new and dear friends among your classmates and among the rest of the Master Gardeners in the program.”
