Spring in the garden is a season of transition, and the same is true for our 2026 HCMG Intern class. This month, our cohorts began “hardening off” – moving from the cozy warmth of winter webinars into the bright, busy reality of spring volunteering. While some are still deep in the books, others have already felt the soil between their gloves.
Here is a look at how our newest gardeners are growing.
Kelly B said: “It’s been rewarding to be nearing completion of the core course. It’s been a lot more work than I imagined, and I feel like I’m barely scratching the surface of all there is to learn about gardening. I can’t wait to really get into volunteering in the community.”
“Have you ever taken one of those Strengths quizzes, the ones that confirm what you already knew about yourself?” said Kris B. “One of my key Strengths is that I’m a “learner”, which is why I have absolutely loved digging into the Master Gardener Modules as a 2026 Intern. Just reading about dirt and bugs made me feel like I was in my garden, even when I was warm and cozy inside, watching training videos and taking notes like a high schooler studying for the SATs. I almost don’t want this phase of the program to end, but I am also very excited for the volunteer opportunities that I’ve signed up for this Spring.”
Several interns have already begun their 50-hour volunteer journey, sampling different projects like a garden buffet. Shelly has finished the core course and jumped in head-first. “I signed up and have participated in Youth Education Training and have volunteered with Flowers For Pollinators, assisted Gardens For Good with seed sorting, and delivered gift packages to two food shelves which warmed my heart! I am so happy with what I’m learning and even happier meeting so many Master Gardener Volunteers!”
Life has gotten in the way a bit for Julia (which is totally fine!). “When I started this program, I set the goal of completing one module per week. Life with a 4 year old doesn’t allow for this consistency so I am moving at a slower pace than I would have thought.” Luckily, the Core Course is self-paced, so interns can work on it whenever they have time.
Everyone is looking forward to volunteering in the community this summer. Nick is trying out as many opportunities as he can: “I’ve been dabbling in all types of volunteering in order to learn what I will enjoy most. I’ve taken part in or signed up for elementary and middle school classrooms, adult presentations, informational booths, and at home seed starting projects.” His favorite experience so far has been working with landscape architects and homeowners on sustainability projects through Blue Thumb and Metro Bloom.
Likewise, Emma is planning to try out lots of different volunteer projects this year. “I’m signed up for a little bit of everything in terms of projects and volunteer work. Right now, I’m most excited for the opportunity to get involved in research through the 2026 Seed Trials and the Bumble Bee Nest Quest.”
Kris is both nervous and excited about this next phase of the program. “It’s probably not surprising, since I’m a learning nerd, that I’m a pretty solid introvert, so getting out there to volunteer gives me that butterfly feeling. However, I know once I’m out there, I will love connecting with people, talking about gardening, and passing on the knowledge I’m absorbing. With the help of my mentor and other mentors, I’ve signed up to help with the garden tour, the plant sale, and at an elementary school to support a MG teaching about photosynthesis and bugs in the garden. I’m excited about all of these opportunities, and there are so many ways to get involved.”
And finally, here are some of the most interesting gardening facts our interns learned this month!
“I had NO idea that successful fruit trees are grafted rather than grown from seed — fascinating!” -Kelly B
“For most plants, growth is concentrated around dawn through shoot elongation.” -Nick
“One surprising gardening fact I learned this month is that even experienced Master Gardeners don’t always know an answer to a question; we are all learning to use our resources to guide us to the answers.” -Shelly
“It turns out that I am surprisingly a nerd about soil. Learning the proper combination of nutrients needed for plants to thrive was very interesting. I am also looking forward to the results of the soil tests in my own yard.” -Julia
Shelly hit the nail on the head. Being a Master Gardener isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about knowing where to look and being willing to grow alongside your plants. We hope you’ll consider applying to our program this fall as a 2027 intern. Thanks to everyone who participated this month! We hope you are enjoying this glimpse into our interns’ experiences. Keep following along as we get into the growing season!