SOLO Master Gardener

SOLO Master Gardener Iowa Master Gardener program through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, SOLO Master Gardener serves Sioux, O'Brien, Lyon & Osceola Counties.

Do you have an interest in gardening? Do you enjoy volunteering in your community? If yes, consider joining the Iowa Master Gardener program. Whether you are a long-term veteran of gardening or a novice, you are welcome to join. Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who share a love of gardening, an enthusiasm for learning, and a commitment to helping others. History: Since 1979 more than 10,000

Iowans have received Master Gardener training from Iowa State University Extension. The Extension Master Gardeners is an internationally recognized volunteer program. The program exists in all fifty states, and in Iowa is coordinated by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach with support from the Department of Horticulture. The first Master Gardener Program was initiated in King County, Washington in 1972. In response to overwhelming requests for horticulture information, the extension agent came up with the idea of trading specialized training in horticulture for a commitment to spend a specified number of hours doing volunteer outreach work for extension. The Iowa Master Gardener program was first piloted in Scott County in 1979. Today, there are Master Gardeners in more than 90 of the state’s counties, and more than 10,000 Iowans have been trained in the Master Gardener program. Each year Iowa Master Gardeners provide more than 90,000 hours of volunteer service back to their communities. Who are Master Gardeners? Master Gardeners come a variety of backgrounds. They are passionate about serving their communities and sharing gardening best practices. Master Gardeners are individuals who have taken the Master Gardener training and share their time and expertise as volunteers in community gardens, city beautification projects, and farmers markets to name a few. It is the acquisition of knowledge, the skill in gardening, and giving back to the community that distinguishes a Master Gardener from other gardeners.

Please join us tomorrow evening at 6 pm for the final Home Gardening Webinar of the season. A Place for Pollinators will...
03/12/2026

Please join us tomorrow evening at 6 pm for the final Home Gardening Webinar of the season. A Place for Pollinators will discuss how a few thoughtful choices can turn you garden into a refuge for pollinators.

Join us at 6p.m. tomorrow evening for our last Home Gardening Webinar session of 2026!

This week's topic is A Place for Pollinators.
As gardeners, we often escape the pressures, the noise and the monotony of the world by heading into our gardens. We aren’t the only ones. The gardens we tend provide refuge for countless bees, bugs and birds. With a few thoughtful garden choices, you can play host to these pollinators and enjoy the bumbling of bees, the warble of bird song, and the magic of fireflies.

See Facebook event listing for full details and to join the livestream: https://fb.me/e/anb2B2vwt


Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources

Join us this evening at 6 pm for the next Home Gardening Webinar. From Sight to Scent: Selecting species for sensory spa...
03/05/2026

Join us this evening at 6 pm for the next Home Gardening Webinar.
From Sight to Scent: Selecting species for sensory spaces.

Join us at 6p.m. tomorrow evening for our next Home Gardening Webinar session!

This week's topic is From Sight to Scent: Selecting Species for Sensory Spaces.
Discover how to design gardens that engage all five senses. Dr. Haynes will explore the annuals, perennials, and woody plants that bring color, fragrance, texture, and even sound into your outdoor spaces. Whether you’re planning a therapeutic garden, a community space, or simply want to elevate your home landscape, this session offers expert guidance to sensory-rich environments that delight and inspire.

See Facebook event listing for full details and to join the livestream: https://fb.me/e/6oEbtBNvR


Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Iowa State University Department of Horticulture ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources

Learn about growing cut Learn all about cut flowers tonight at 6 pm at the next Home Gardening webinar.
02/26/2026

Learn about growing cut Learn all about cut flowers tonight at 6 pm at the next Home Gardening webinar.

Join us at 6p.m. tomorrow evening for our next Home Gardening Webinar session!

This week's topic is Specialty Cut Flowers.
Join Dan Fillius for some basic "how-to" and tips for success when growing cut flowers in Iowa. We'll discuss starting from seed, best time to sow, best cultivars, pest and diseases, and more. Some basic season extension practices to provide earlier blooms will be shown.

See Facebook event listing for full details and to join the livestream: https://fb.me/e/4eGKjVCmz


Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources

Tonight’s Home Gardening webinar is “Why Choose Native Plants”. Please join us at 6:00 pm.
02/19/2026

Tonight’s Home Gardening webinar is “Why Choose Native Plants”.
Please join us at 6:00 pm.

Today’s Home Gardening Webinar topic is DIY Soil Health Monitoring. Join us at 6:00 pm!
02/12/2026

Today’s Home Gardening Webinar topic is DIY Soil Health Monitoring. Join us at 6:00 pm!

Join us tomorrow evening for our next Home Gardening Webinar session!

This week's topic is DIY Soil Health Monitoring.

Learn three simple test to track your soil's health. We'll be joined by Marshall McDaniel, Iowa State University Department of Agronomy.

See Facebook event listing for full details and to join the livestream: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCP7tcDpt/


Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Iowa State Extension Yard and Garden Iowa State University Department of Agronomy ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources

Learn all about Green Roofs for Home Gardeners his evening at 6 pm!
02/05/2026

Learn all about Green Roofs for Home Gardeners his evening at 6 pm!

Join us tomorrow evening for our next Home Gardening Webinar session!

This week's topic is Green Roofs for Home Gardeners.

Discover how rooftops can become lush, productive spaces. We will be joined by Dr. Jennifer Bousselot, Colorado State University professor of horticulture and landscape architecture.

Facebook event listing: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AwivVffF2/


Iowa State Extension Yard and Garden Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources Colorado State University

Thursday's Home Gardening Webinar is Right Perennial, Right Place.
01/28/2026

Thursday's Home Gardening Webinar is Right Perennial, Right Place.

Join us tomorrow evening for our next Home Gardening Webinar session!
This week's topic is Right Perennial, Right Place.

Learn how to match plants to your site for stunning, low maintenance gardens. We will be joined by Aaron Steil, ISU Extension and Outreach consumer horticulture specialist.

Facebook event listing: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E1fykDYa3/



Iowa State Extension Yard and Garden Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources

Have you ever tried to grow garlic? Growing Garlic is the topic for the next Home Gardening Webinar. Join us Thursday ev...
01/22/2026

Have you ever tried to grow garlic?
Growing Garlic is the topic for the next Home Gardening Webinar.
Join us Thursday evening at 6 pm.

Join us tomorrow evening for our next Home Gardening Webinar session!
This week's topic is Growing Great Garlic.

Learn how to grow flavorful garlic straight from a farmer who plants 45,000 bulbs a year. We will be joined by Jordan Clasen, owner of Grade A Gardens.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AuFRgNvHF/



Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources Iowa State Extension Yard and Garden Grade A Gardens

The next Home Gardening Webinar is this evening at 6:00 pm. Recommended Vegetable Cultivars for Iowa.
01/15/2026

The next Home Gardening Webinar is this evening at 6:00 pm.
Recommended Vegetable Cultivars for Iowa.

Join us tomorrow evening for our next Home Gardening Webinar session!

This week's topic is Recommended Vegetable Cultivars for Iowa.

Which variety is the best one in the catalogs? Of course there isn't just one. Join Dan Fillius as he shares tried-and-true varieties that he used while growing commercially, and others that professional growers are finding success with today.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ACGTs7jW9/


Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University Department of Horticulture Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources Iowa State Extension Yard and Garden

The first Home Gardening Webinar is this evening at 6:00 pm. The topic Gardening for Wildlife will show you how to make...
01/08/2026

The first Home Gardening Webinar is this evening at 6:00 pm. The topic Gardening for Wildlife will show you how to make you garden wildlife friendly.

Join us tomorrow evening for first Home Gardening Webinar session of the year!

This week's topic is Gardening for Wildlife.

Every yard has the potential to be a haven for wildlife. Although one yard may seem small, yards can make-up up to a quarter of a city’s area, meaning that planning gardens with wildlife in mind can make a big difference for birds and pollinators. In this session, the speakers will share results from their research on how birds and pollinators respond to landscaping choices in yards, focusing on the effects of native plants. They will also discuss the essential components of a wildlife-friendly yard—such as providing food, water, and shelter—and ways to co-exist with wildlife.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bs4mdbt6x/


Iowa State University Department of Horticulture Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources ISU Extension Natural Resources Stewardship Iowa State Extension Yard and Garden

The winter webinar series starts on Jan. 8th!
12/30/2025

The winter webinar series starts on Jan. 8th!

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Rock Rapids, IA
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