Advanced Louisiana Master Gardener Program

The Louisiana Master Gardener (LMG) Program involves a network of highly-trained volunteers and was developed to strengthen the capacity of the LSU AgCenter's Cooperative Extension Service ability to effectively and efficiently meet the educational needs of home gardeners in Louisiana. Over time, a need emerged for volunteers with advanced training to further support horticulture agents and faculty. The Advanced LMG (Adv. LMG) Program was designed to specifically address home lawn and garden management challenges faced by Louisiana residents.

The Adv. LMG Program is open to current LMG volunteers in good standing who have completed all initial coursework and at least three consecutive years of volunteer service. Prior to acceptance into the program, individuals must take a Pesticide Safety Review exam. Individuals must pass the exam and submit a copy of their exam score with their Adv. LMG application. For more information on this subject, please see the Frequently Asked Questions and LMG Pesticide Safety Review Details pages. After successful completion of the pre-requisite and nomination from the LMG local coordinator, participants in the Adv. LMG training program must complete each of the five core classes before moving on to the elective classes. The core classes focus on communication skills, nutrient management, plant diagnostics, integrated pest management, and water quality & irrigation.

It’s important that Adv. LMG volunteers take the information they’ve learned and share it with those around them. Program participants are also asked to disseminate information covered in class through writing articles for newsletters and local newspapers and delivering presentations to their local LMG organization.