Become a Master Gardener in the South or Southwest Suburbs of Cook County

What is a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener?

The Master Gardener program is an educational, volunteer program offered by the University of Illinois Extension. The program is designed to increase the availability of university-based horticultural information to local communities and individuals through trained volunteers known as Master Gardeners.

Instruction:

Attendance at all eleven training classes is required. The classes run January through March consecutive Wednesdays from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at 5527 Miller Circle Drive, Matteson, 60443 except as noted.

Training schedule for 2010

University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener trainees participate in more than 60 hours of training. Training sessions are taught by University of Illinois Extension Educators. The emphasis of the information is practical, yet research based. Students must pass a final comprehensive exam (all open book).

Cook South Schedule:

Jan 6 Botany - Pollard

Jan 13 Soil - Ellen Phillips

Jan 20 Herbaceous flowers & Roses - Stack

Jan 27 Woody Plants (Trees, Shrubs) - Hentschel

Feb 3 Plant Pathology (Diseases) - Pollard

Feb 10 Insects - Grupp

Feb 17 Turf - Kostelnick

Feb 24 Vegetables - Wolford

Mar 3 Integrated Pest Management, Volunteer Opportunities, and Master Gardener Idea Exchange at Lake Katherine - staff & volunteers

Mar 10 Recording volunteer hours on the web; Volunteer Orientation to the Ask the Master Gardener Office. - staff & volunteers FINAL EXAM DUE

Mar 17 Fruit & Landscaping at Sand Ridge Nature Center - Pollard

March 24 SNOW DATE

Cost

Your time for classes, and 60 hours of volunteer work along with a fee ($250) to cover the cost of the Master Gardener resource manual, handouts and other class expenses.

Alternatively, the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener training is now also available during the winter months on the web (estimated fee $250).

The Illinois Master Gardener website is: http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/mg/ apply to take this class the same way as you would the face to face classes.

Applying

Fill out and return application. Each applicant will be required to go through an informal interview in the fall (Nov). The class is limited to 30. Applicants will be notified if they are accepted into the class before Thanksgiving. After acceptance, the $250 fee is due by December 10, 2009 and payable by credit card, cash, or check.

(NOTE: If you filled out an application before July 23, 2009, you must reapply. Applications prior to July 23, were not received. Thank you.)

For more information e-mail Nancy Pollard, at pollard@illinois.edu

To apply, please fill out our online application form.