USU Extension Master Gardener - Utah County 2025

Welcome to the 2025 Utah State University Extension Master Gardener Program in Utah County! We have two class sections each Tuesday and Thursday- the afternoon section from 1-3:30 and the evening section from 6-8:30. All classes will be available virtually, and SOME will also be available in person. Those classes will also be broadcast virtually as well. The same class content is covered in the afternoon and evening classes on the same day. Learn and grow with us as you make new friends, learn many amazing things, gain new skills, and get involved in cool gardening projects in the area!

All are welcome to participate in the classes. However, the purpose of the Master Gardener program is to develop trained volunteers who provide Utah communities with unbiased, research-based horticultural education and technical assistance in gardening and home horticulture. You'll receive 17 classes of college-level lectures and hands-on training workshops taught by Utah State University Extension faculty and industry professionals.

In addition to the classwork, students who wish to become Certified Master Gardeners must provide at least 40 hours of volunteer service to their community. Most participants in Utah County work in small groups with other like-minded individuals to complete their service hours at Thanksgiving Point, where they help maintain some of the garden spaces at Ashton Gardens and other areas on the campus. Additional volunteer opportunities are also available, such as assistance with crop judging at county fairs and assistance with Extension youth programs and educational events. Other volunteer opportunities often become available, and students may get approval for individual volunteer projects on a case-by-case basis. More details on volunteering will be covered during the class. Volunteering is not mandatory, and you can still attend the class without becoming certified if you cannot volunteer.

ALL classes are taught virtually via Zoom, and SOME classes will also be taught in a classroom setting where students can attend either in the classroom OR over Zoom. Some classes may be prerecorded to watch beforehand, with a live Q&A session over Zoom at the scheduled class time. As much as possible, classes are recorded and available online for later viewing via a private YouTube channel. In summary, IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE IS NOT REQUIRED FOR ANY CLASSES, AS ALL THE CLASSES WILL BE AVAILABLE OVER ZOOM. Final class details, including online class links, will be sent to attendees the week before class begins.

The class fee of $200/person includes a printed manual with a 3-ring binder. Manuals will be printed and available for pickup in class or the office after January 17. Eventbrite charges an additional fee that we do not control in addition to the class fee. You can register in person with a credit card, cash, or check at the Orem USU Extension office (where classes will be held) to avoid paying the Eventbrite service fee. Office hours are 8-4:30 M-F, except for state and federal holidays and some special events that require staff attendance.

Here is a TENTATIVE schedule.

Date Topic

• 21-Jan Course Introduction and Plant Anatomy
• 23-Jan Soil
• 28- Jan Plant Propagation
• 30-Jan Tree Fruit
• 4-Feb Small Fruit
• 6-Feb Vegetables
• 11-Feb Herbaceous Plants
• 13-Feb Woody Plants
• 18-Feb Turfgrass (Lawn) Management
• 20-Feb Weeds and Pesticides
• 25-Feb Plant Diseases (Prerecorded)
• 27-Feb Entomology (Prerecorded)
• 11-Mar Landscape Design
• 13-Mar Plant Problem Diagnostics
• 18-Mar Irrigation

Seed-starting and pruning workshops are also held and included in the class at no additional cost. Registration for these classes is handled separately, and you will be sent separate links for registration after class begins. Sorry, we can only accommodate 2025 registered Master Gardener class members in these classes. Both classes are hands-on, and the pruning class is hands-on outside, and neither workshop will be broadcast over Zoom. I have prerecorded segments for pruning for those who cannot attend. There are 4 class sections available (you will select one time). For planning purposes, here are the offered dates/times:

Seed Starting: February 19 from 9-11 AM or 12-2 PM or February 22 from 9-11 AM or 12-2 PM.

Pruning: March 12 from 9-11 AM or 12-2 PM or March 14 from 9-11 AM or 12-2 PM.

Register now! Our classes usually fill up!

E-mail [email protected] if you need more information.

Host or Publisher USU Extension - Utah County - Michael Caron