Baltimore City Environment & Natural Resources

Master Gardener Training

Baltimore City's Master Gardener Basic Training is held each winter. Class dates and times vary. Contact your local Master Gardener Coordinator for more information.

Find Your Maryland Extension Master Gardener Coordinator

Training Requirements

A Master Gardener Trainee is required to attend at least 75% of the Master Gardener Basic Training classes and pass the final exam. Master Gardener Trainees are taught about a variety of horticultural subjects by specialists, educators, and other horticulture professionals. Topics may include Botany, Lawn Care, Composting, Ecology, Native Plants, Soil Fertility, Entomology, Organic Gardening, Lawn Alternatives, and more.

Once a Master Gardener Trainee has completed the Master Gardener Basic Training and passes the final exam, they become a Master Gardener Intern.  Interns must complete at least 40 hours of approved volunteer service before achieving the status of Master Gardener.  

To remain an active Master Gardener, each calendar year individuals must complete

1. A minimum of 20 hours of approved volunteer service, and
2. A minimum of 10 hours of approved continuing education.

Continuing education hours may be completed through classes, webinars, and other educational opportunities offered by UME, eXtension, nature centers etc.

Program Cost

The fee to enroll in a Master Gardener Basic Training course is $315.00. This fee covers the mandatory Master Gardener Handbook and additional program costs. Scholarships may be available in select locations to offset the fee. 

Bay-Wise is a UME State-level Program focused on teaching the best gardening and landscaping practices to keep our waterways including the Chesapeake Bay, safe and healthy! 

Bay-Wise Program

Find UME Baltimore City Master Gardeners all over the City at our Ask a Master Gardener tables!  We do our best to provide information and answer your horticulture-related questions, in person and online.

Ask Extension

The Pollinator Committee hosts talks and workshops and provides technical advice to those interested in starting a pollinator garden.  Pollinator gardens are beautiful and provide important habitat and food for native insect species.  This committee also keeps a demo garden at Sherwood Gardens.

Pollinator Gardens

Several Demonstration Gardens are located around the City of Baltimore. Baltimore City Extension's two flagship demonstration gardens are at Cylburn Arboretum and the State Fairgrounds.  Stop by to see the latest vegetable-growing techniques and how we implement Integrated Pest Management in our gardens.  

Maryland State Fair Learning Garden

Starting a Community Garden

The Grow It! Eat It! program helps educate Maryland residents on how to grow, harvest, and prepare their own food. Extension Master Gardeners host talks and workshops about the best vegetable growing methods in Baltimore City. For many of us, that means raised beds and container gardens.

Food & Nutrition Resources

• Family Consumer Science Nutrition Education
• UME Nutrition, Health & Wellness Programs

Improving water quality through stormwater management and watershed restoration techniques. University of Maryland Extension Watershed Protection and Restoration Program works with local and state governments, watershed organizations, and community groups in Maryland to build partnerships, identify funding sources, and advise/assist in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of restoration projects. 

Watershed Protection and Restoration Specialists facilitate measurable reductions in water pollution in the following ways:

• Classes and workshops teach homeowners how to improve water quality in their own backyard with practices like rain barrels, rain gardens, and tree planting
• Technical Assistance Programs help communities address Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) regulations and requirements
• Watershed Restoration Projects emerge from collaborative partnerships and effect
• Watershed Restoration Specialists also connect watershed science to policymakers and community leaders to make the most effective water quality decisions.

For more information about Sea Grant or Water Quality, call 410-887-8090 and ask for Claire Cambardella, Regional Watershed Restoration Specialist.

Aquaculture and Seafood Technology

UME educational programs that support sustainable aquaculture, seafood safety, ecosystem restoration, and Maryland's seafood industry. 

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Forestry and Natural Resources

The University of Maryland Extension ENR program offers resources on forest stewardship, wildlife habitat, conservation practices, renewable energy, and natural resource management. 

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Home Horticulture & Gardening Programs

UMD Extension agents provide the community with science-based information on gardening, landscaping, integrated pest management, and sustainable landscape practices. 

• Ask an Extension Agent
• Home & Garden Information Center (HGIC) 
• Master Gardener Program
• UME Gardening Resources

Water and Climate

UME agents offer education on water quality, watershed protection, climate resilience, stormwater management, and the proper care of private wells and septic systems. 

Learn More