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Master Gardeners
New Castle County Master Gardeners
MG Member Info
Click here for the Fall 2009 Workshops Brochure!

Click here for Yard Waste and Composting Fact Sheet

Click here for new brochure - Start Composting Today
Visit the DNREC website for answers to your Yard Waste Ban questions.
Composting Demo Site
Visit our newly installed Compost Demonstration Site at the New Castle County Extension Office on 461 Wyoming Road.

Native Plant Garden

Visit our newly installed Native Plant Garden at the New Castle County Extension Office on 461 Wyoming Road.

International MG Conference Award 2009

Carrie Murphy, UD Extension Educator, and Master Gardeners, Suzanne Baron, Eva Rotmann-Oehler, and Gail Hermenau, accept the 2009 International Search for Excellence Award.
International MG Conference KIG 2009

Master Gardeners Eva Rotmann-Oehler and Gail Hermenau display their award-winning workshop series, Keep It Green.
Read about the Master Gardeners Award at the International Conference
Master Gardener Peg Baseden is National Wildlife Federation's 2008 Affiliate Volunteer of the Year

Master Gardener Peg Baseden is National Wildlife Federation's 2008 Affiliate Volunteer of the Year
Read about Master Gardener Peg Baseden's Award from the National Wildlife Federation


New Castle County Master Gardeners play a key role in distributing information about environmentally friendly practices for the home gardener. Topics include identification and control of home, lawn, and garden pests, plant diseases, plant cultivation, lawn management, and wildlife habitat development.

New Castle County Master Gardeners are vital links in an educational chain that begins with research from the University of Delaware and the horticultural industry. Delaware Cooperative Extension specialists then translate this research into practical, usable methods that can be used by Delaware gardeners.

Education is at the heart of all Master Gardener activities, which can take many forms, including teaching by example and demonstration, and hands-on work with people of all ages.

Master Gardener volunteer educators have undergone training in a wide variety of horticultural and environmental topics coupled with training in educational methods and program evaluation. Monthly meetings bring all volunteers together to continue the learning process. The result is volunteers committed to reaching out to help county residents - adults and children alike - improve the quality of their lives.

New Castle County Master Gardeners' outreach effort is organized and carried out by five distinct committees:

  • Workshops and Speakers Bureau: develop and deliver a wide variety of workshops and lectures for adults.
  • Youth Education: furnishes technical support and educational outreach to public and private institutions serving children and youth.
  • Telephone and Diagnostics: responds to queries to the Garden Line via telephone, mail, and email.
  • Demonstration and Display Gardens: creates and maintains public landscapes and gardens to teach good horticultural practices.
  • Master Gardener Programs: offers educational enrichment opportunities to volunteers. Social events and volunteer recognition help group members learn more about their peers' accomplishments.
© 2004 University of Delaware Cooperative Extension