Master Gardener applications being accepted for 2026 training course

Provided photos: Master Gardener training students learn how to conduct soil pH tests in one hands-on activity during their in-person class sessions.

By Katie Oakes, Orleans County CCE Master Gardener Coordinator

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension will be once again offering Master Gardener Training in early 2026.

The training is the first step to becoming a Master Gardener volunteer with the Cooperative Extension system. Following completion of the course, trainees must complete a total of 50 hours of volunteer service with the Master Gardener program at Orleans CCE in order to become an active Master Gardener volunteer.

The training is a hybrid online/in-person class with the bulk of the coursework done at home by individual students at their own pace. Each week, the class will meet in person on Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Orleans CCE Education Center to go over key topics and introduce some hands-on activities. The classes are facilitated by Katie Oakes, Orleans CCE horticulture educator and Master Gardener coordinator.

“The Master Gardener Training Course is kind of like a Horticulture 101 class,” explained Oakes. “Students will learn a little bit about a broad range of horticultural topics, from plant biology to entomology and beyond.”

The goal of the training is to gain new volunteers for the Orleans CCE Master Gardener program. Orleans Master Gardeners serve the community through a range of educational programming, all under the guidance of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Students in the 2024 MG Training class consider diagnostics of plant issues in the “mock lab” in-person class.

Julia Bender graduated from the 2024 Master Gardener Training class.

“The Master Gardener training program isn’t just about learning to garden better,” she said. “It’s about joining a community of people committed to service—volunteers who staff plant sales, teach children about agriculture, maintain demonstration gardens, and share seeds with neighbors. It’s about connecting with people in meaningful and rewarding ways, while sharing your passion for all things gardening.”

The Master Gardener Training course will run from Feb. 5 through April 30 on Thursday evenings.  There will be one Saturday class on April 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. where students will present their final projects to the class.

Applications are being accepted now through Dec. 1. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance into the program by Dec. 19. Priority will be given to Orleans County residents and those who are committed to becoming long-term volunteers with the Master Gardener program.

The cost for the course is $200 and includes access to the online course as well as all in-person class materials. The application for the training can be found by clicking here.  Please contact Katie Oakes at 585-798-4265 or klo54@cornell.edu with any questions or for more details.

Master Gardener coordinator Katie Oakes hands out certificates of completion to students in the 2024 Training class.