Who We Are

If you enjoy gardening and like to learn to share your gardening knowledge, the Master Gardener program may be for you. All you need is an interest in gardening, an open mind, and a willingness to share your knowledge with others. The task to the Master Gardeners is to share unbiased, reliable, research-based information with home landscapers and gardeners. Another important function is to encourage young people to enjoy the pleasures of flower and vegetable growing.

Why Become a Master Gardener?

Horticulture affects everyone. Gardening enriches people's lives and communities. As a Master Gardener, you'll learn about environmentally sound and practical gardening techniques specific to your growing area. You'll also play an important role in sharing that information with others in your community.

Qualifications?

Anyone can become a Master Gardener--it does not require a degree in horticulture! You do, however, need to:

• Have a sincere desire to learn and share home horticulture information.
• Have practical experience or knowledge of gardening.
• Be willing to follow U of I pest control recommendations and home horticulture information.
• Be able to communicate effectively.
• Devote time to training sessions and volunteering.

What Does the Training Involve?

Training sessions are typically offered one day a week over a four-month period and are led by University of Illinois Extension educators and other horticultural experts. An online option is also available. A total of 66 hours of instruction is required to complete the program.

Cost?

You'll be asked to pay a fee to help cover the cost of materials. This includes the Master Gardener manual, that is yours to keep, and consists of two large notebooks filled with helpful resources and reference publications. During the training program, you'll learn about many different facets of indoor and outdoor gardening.

Volunteer Opportunities

Master Gardeners learn to be effective volunteers. There are many ways you can fulfill your commitment of at least 60 intern hours:

• answer home gardener questions for residents of Morgan and Scott Counties.
• serve as a resource person in community gardens at schools, parks and nursing homes.
• assist in preparing and staffing exhibits, displays and demonstration sites.
• give demonstrations and talks to local civic group

For more information contact the Morgan/Scott Extension Office at (217) 243-7424.