A Review of Extension Master Gardener Training Manuals from Around the United States

Introduction

The Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) Program originated in Washington State in 1972. This program trained a task force of volunteers in consumer horticulture with the understanding that graduates would assist Extension horticulture agents/educators in the dissemination of research-based information to the public. The program gained popularity in the 1980's and 1990's, and now many states have extensive EMGV Training Programs. Schrock, Meyer, Ascher, and Snyder (2000) have shown that volunteers feel strongly that the EMGV training program provides a valuable education that is not available through other sources and that the training gives volunteers the confidence to contribute research-based gardening information to their community.

A large part of the EMGV training is based on a manual, and almost every program in the country uses a manual in some form. In addition to the manual, many programs are embracing technology and using blogs, social media tools, videos, and podcasts as educational outreach to their volunteers and the public.

Table 1.
Comparison of EMG Manuals

Cost

AZ

AR

CA

CO

CT

FL

IA

ID

IL

IN

KY

MD

ME

MI

MN

MO

NC

NH

NV

NM

NY

OH

OR

PA

SC

RI

TX

VA

WA

WI

WV

WY

In Dollars

45

45

35

100

50

95

65

69

100

75

35

38

50

38

30

30

36

70

23

75

Formats

Hard copy

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Online EMG's Only

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Online Public

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CD

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Thumb Drive

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Videos

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Publications provided

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Horticultural Text Books

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Contributors

Extension Professionals

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University Faculty

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University Staff

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Community Professionals

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Master Gardeners

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Technical Writers

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Graphics

Color Photos/ Plates

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Black & White Photos

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Black & White Illustrations

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Color Illustrations

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Color Cover

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Color Dividers

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Tools

Objectives

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FAQ's

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Quizzes/Review Questions

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◊

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Labs/Hands on Activities

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◊

Suggestions for further reading

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Power Point Presentations

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Communication Methods

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Maps to horticulture locations

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Appendex (pH table, plant lists, etc.)

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Index

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Glossary

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Chapters

Introduction

Extension Program

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Overview of EMG Program

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Volunteering

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◊

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Horticulture/Botany

Introduction to Horticulture

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Botany

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Plant Physiology

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Plant Nomenclature/ID

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Plant Propagation

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House Plants

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Soils

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Urban Soil Management

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Fertilizer/Plant Nutrition

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Composting

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Vermicomposting

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Water

Water Management

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Irrigation

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Waterwise Landscaping

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Water Gardening

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Water Quality Protection

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Plant Pathology

Plant Pathology

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Diagnostics

Diagnosing Plant Problems

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Keys

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Pests

Entomology

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IPM

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Poisonous Plants

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Vertebrate Pests

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Household & Structural Pests

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Invasive plants

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Weed Science

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Pesticide Use/ Safety

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Arachnids

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Woody Plants

Woody Landscape Plants

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Ornamental Trees

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Ground Covers

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Shrubs

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Vines

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Pruning

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Arboriculture

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Grass

Lawns

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Lawn Alternatives

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Ornamental Grasses

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Herbaceous Plants

Herbaceous Plants

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Annuals

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Bulbs/rhizomes/tubers

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Perennials

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Roses

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Cacti

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Edible Gardening

Fruits/ Fruit Production

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Herbs

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Organic Gardening

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Vegetable Gardening

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Vegetable Profiles

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Small Fruits

Small Fruit

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Blueberries

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Brambles (Blackberries, Raspberries)

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Currants

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Elderberries

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Grapes

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Kiwi

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Other

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Strawberries

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Tree/Large Fruit

Tree Fruits

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Nuts

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Citrus

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Home Orchards

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Avocados

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Landscaping

Landscape & Garden Design

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Landscape Plants

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Container Gardening

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Ecology

Ecology

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Native Plants

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Food Security

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Weather / Climate

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Wildlife management

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Fire Resistant Landscaping

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Wetlands

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Backyard Forest Stewardship

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Earth-Kind

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Plants & People

Benefits of Plants

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Garden Tools & Equipment

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Math for Gardeners

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Greenhouses

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●= Full chapter ○= Subject covered in a chapter ◊= Separate from manual

Summary

EMGV training manuals were solicited for review from EMGV State Coordinators across the county. In addition a Web search was conducted to identify online EMGV manuals. Manuals from 32 states were reviewed for their formatting, authors, graphics, educational tools, and subject areas covered (Table 1).

Formatting

The manuals have many formats. Hard-copy volumes were available in soft cover, a three-ring binder, or spiral bound. Digital versions of the manuals included those on thumb drives and CD's as well as online. Online versions varied from .pdf documents to interactive websites with blogs, video clips, and PowerPoint presentations. Table 2 lists the websites for online manuals. Some states, such as Alaska, Maine, Nevada, and Wyoming, are embracing technology by eliminating a formal manual and providing information though interactive websites and social media. Blogging, videos, online courses, and presentations are all ways to increase Extension outreach (Kinsey, 2010; Crouse, 2013). Students can register for the class and take sessions with online PowerPoint presentations and homework assignments; however, some face-to-face instruction and passing an exam are required to become a certified EMGV.

Table 2.
States with Manuals Available at No Charge Online

State	Website
Arizona	http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/
Idaho	http://www.extension.uidaho.edu/mg/resources/handbook/MGHbook.pdf
Kentucky	http://www2.ca.uky.edu/ANR/Master%20Gardener%20Publication.htm
Maine	http://umaine.edu/gardening/master-gardeners/manual/
Missouri	http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=CB19
New Mexico	http://aces.nmsu.edu/desertblooms/nmsugardening/index.html
New York	http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/education/mgprogram/mgmanual.htm

Hard-copy manuals varied from 400 to over 1,000 pages. Cost for these manuals varied from free for some that are available online to over $100 for some of the spiral-bound copies. For many states the manual is only available to volunteers who take the EMGV Training Program. Some states offer their manual to the public for a fee, generally between $30 and $100. California's manual can be purchased on Amazon.com, and Colorado's from an online publisher.

Authors

The manuals were written by a variety of authors, including Extension professionals, university professors and staff, EMGVs, professionals from the community, as well as technical writers, graphic designers, and editors. All of the manuals reviewed were a combined effort of multiple authors. Extension staff were the most common authors of chapters. EMGVs were often involved both in writing of text as well as editing.

Graphics

The graphics most commonly used were black and white line drawings. Some manuals did include color images as plates in the middle of the manual or as additional color copies that were tucked into the pockets of three-ring binders. Manuals that were online were able to incorporate many more color images.

Educational Tools

This section of the review covered additional materials contained in the manuals, including frequently asked questions, objectives, quizzes, suggestions for further reading, PowerPoint presentations, communications writing and teaching methods, maps, index, and glossary. Many manuals included some of these extras to help EMGV's review the material covered in their coursework.

Subjects Covered

Some manuals are a complete horticultural reference text, with the most common topics covered being Botany, Soils, Pathology, Entomology, IPM, Weeds, Vegetables, Turfgrass, Woody Ornamentals, Herbaceous Ornamentals, Diagnostics, and the Extension Program. The climate dictates the inclusion of some chapters. For example, states in the Southwest contain chapters on cacti and low water use landscaping, and California is the only manual with a chapter dedicated to avocados. Some manuals, including Iowa, Michigan, and Nevada, have separate reference books on volunteering and on teaching methods, but other states include these as chapters of a single manual. Iowa includes an additional workbook designed to guide EMGV's through questions and answers they will encounter in their volunteer work. Nevada has elected to drop a formal EMGV manual in favor of supplying EMGVs with several textbooks and PowerPoint presentations that cover various horticulture topics. In Wisconsin they have a main training manual and then two follow-up advanced training manuals that cover topics such as horticultural therapy, rain gardens, and butterfly gardening. There are "lumpers" and "splitters" with regard to how chapters are divided. Some manuals contain the basic subject areas with several topics covered. Some divide each topic into its own chapter. For example, Pennsylvania has a separate chapter for compost, while Ohio has it as a section in its soils chapter.

Similarities

Most manuals:

• Are written by Extension professionals and university faculty and staff.
• Have black and white illustrations.
• Contain chapters on: overview of the EMGV program, botany, plant propagation, houseplants, soils, plant nutrition, plant pathology, diagnostics, entomology, integrated pest management, landscape plants, turf, vegetables, tree fruit.

Examples of Innovative Formats

Washington's flash drive is in the shape of a business card, making it easy to transport. Indiana has all of their horticulture publications on the same flash drive as their manual. Colorado's manual is professionally designed and edited, and is available from a third party publishing firm. Nevada provides hands-on lab activities with each of their chapters and provides online access to PowerPoint presentations for each subject area.

Conclusion

Currently, each state independently develops its own curriculum. Given the similarity of many of the manuals, it would be possible to develop a core curriculum to be used across the country. Each state could augment that core curriculum with information unique to their state. Even if states continue to develop their own curricula, a review of this research may provide them with data needed to add an additional component, or to delete an existing component.

References

Crouse, D. (2013). Using automated blogging for creation and delivery of topic-centric news. Journal of Extension [On-line], 51(4) Article 4IAW1. Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2013august/iw1.php

Kinsey, J. (2010). Five social media tools for the Extension toolbox. Journal of Extension [On line], 48(5) Article 5TOT7. Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2010october/tt7.php

Schrock, D. S, Meyer, M., Ascher, P., & Snyder, M. (2000). Benefits and values of becoming a Master Gardener. Journal of Extension [On-line], 38(1) Article 1RIB2. Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2000february/rb2.php