Celebrating 40 Years of Service
1984-2024
The Douglas County Master Gardener™ Association is a volunteer organization dedicated to educating Oregonians about the art and science of growing and caring for plants.
Established in 1984, the Douglas County Master Gardener™ Association is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, in collaboration with the Oregon State University Douglas County Extension Service, that functions to support the Extension Service and the community through educational outreach.
What is a Master Gardener™?
Volunteer Powered
Master Gardeners are trained volunteers, educated through the Oregon State University Extension Service, that offer the local community Reliable, Relevant and Reachable gardening information and educational opportunities.
Reliable
Our gardening advice and education is science-based.
Reachable
Call, e-mail, or visit us at our Plant Clinic, community markets, and at the Discovery Garden.
Relevant
We offer customized information for your gardening situation.
Sustainability Focused
Sustainable Garden Design
Gardens should be more fun and less work: Choosing the right plants and making good long-term design choices.
Integrated Pest Management
Using chemicals only when necessary: Finding solutions to the problem not just treating the symptoms.
Sustainable Maintenance
From lawn alternatives to naturalistic pruning: we use and teach research-based methods of sustainable gardening maintenance.
Involved in the Community
Education & Outreach
Our Plant Clinic and dedicated outreach volunteers educate the public through direct one-on-one consultation, group presentations, and weekly publications.
Specimen Identification
Our volunteers help to identify plants, insects, pests, and diseases for the home gardeners of Douglas County.
Food Donation
Our Victory Garden program donates hundreds of pounds of food annually to the local Feeding Umpqua program enhancing our local food systems.
Statewide MG Program Priorities
- Sustainable Gardening Skills
- Plant and Insect Identification
- Local Food
- Native Species
- Cultural connection
- Adaptive and accessible gardening
- Climate Change
- Soil Health
DCMGA 2023 Impact on the Community
236
Active Master Gardener Volunteers
13,000+
Volunteer Hours Recorded
10,088
lbs. of produce donated
4,226
people reached through direct education
Join the DCMGA
Prospective volunteers are required to complete the Master Gardener™ Training course, facilitated by experienced volunteers in coordination with the OSU Extension Service.
The course includes a complete review of Sustainable Gardening: The Oregon–Washington Master Gardener Handbook. In the 10-week course (September-November), students receive up-to-date education and hands-on learning from OSU Faculty and local gardening experts.
After completing their initial training, students become volunteers and they are able to give their time through our many community outreach programs including The Plant Clinic and The Discovery Garden.
Contact the OSU Douglas County Extension Office for class registration information
Douglas County Master Gardener™ Powered Programs
The Plant Clinic
- Research-based, science-backed one-on-one information for local community members (non-commercial)
- Open regularly 1pm-4pm
- Plant Clinic Schedule
The Discovery Garden
- Open to the public daily dawn to dusk
- Display garden of over 600 unique hardy perennials that perform well in our climate.
- Regular workshops and events held for the public.
- Take a digital tour of the garden.
The Victory Garden
- Large plot dedicated to growing produce for donation to UCAN’s Feeding Umpqua Program.
- Over 100,000 pounds of fresh produced donated since 2009.
- Learn more about The Victory Garden
Soil Testing
- Soil testing services for the home gardener.
- Analysis of the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) levels of the soil.
- Includes pH Reading, along with supporting literature on what to do with the results.
- $15 Per Sample.
- Learn more about our soil testing program.
Community Education
- Join us for our annual “Spring into Gardening” conference in March.
- We hold regular workshops that are free to the public throughout the year.
- Learn more about our community education programs
Fundraising
- We host the annual Plant & Garden Expo at the Douglas County Fairgrounds the first Saturday in May. Our volunteers grow thousands of plants to stock the expo. Proceeds from the Expo provide the majority of the funds for our program.
- We hold an annual “Trash to Treasures” rummage sale with items donated from our members and the community.
- Learn more about our fundraising efforts and how you can donate.